MEC pledges rise in tourism cooperation

Despite world-famous attractions, the province is still considered an underdog compared with its counterparts.

This is according to Eastern Cape businesses exhibiting at the weekend’s Tourism Indaba which wrapped up yesterday.

The indaba attracted tourism buyers from around the world and exhibitors from more than 18 African countries.

Eastern Cape tourism entities in coastal regions said while they were doing well in attracting visitors, inland and smaller coastal towns still battled as a result of poor access.

Economic Development and Tourism MEC Sakhumzi Somyo said the province was prioritising road infrastructure projects as part of a R456-million rural access intervention programme that would ultimately aid tourism.

On the sidelines of the indaba, Somyo said: “Access is indeed a hindrance to our own [tourism] products, but what we have done now is to integrate government programmes with others, such as those of the public works and roads departments.”

With tourism one of the province’s main economic drivers, contributing about 2.7% to provincial GDP and one of the biggest employers, tourism entities said more could be done to boost the sector.

Provincial tourism entities, combined, spent more than R1-million to promote their offerings at the biggest tourism trade gathering in Africa, with all of them saying it was a worthwhile investment.

Port Elizabeth’s Raggy Charters whale-watching cruise service owner Lloyd Edwards said some businesses were losing out because of inaccessibility.

“PE and surrounds are doing well . . . but places like the Wild Coast battle because the roads are not that good and travelling time is extended,” Edwards said.

Sarah Baartman District Municipality spokeswoman Lynn Niemann said provincial marketing initiatives needed to be jacked up.

“We are still the underdogs. The Eastern Cape still misses out in some things and some tourists opt for other places as they complain about expensive SAA flights to Port Elizabeth, which really doesn’t help tourism,” she said.

Exhibitor Estelle de Beer, of Seashells Holiday Apartments in Jeffreys Bay, said poor service levels were among complaints.

“I think because tourism is very seasonal [in the province], we have a slow year and suddenly there is a rush when the peak season starts and people battle to keep up,” De Beer said.

“We are a very popular province, but people don’t know much about our offerings during the year, so we need to get a lot of priority placed on that.” Tsitsikamma exhibitor Penny Niemann, of Oudebosch Farm Stall, said the province could be lagging behind because it covered such a huge area.

But with the approach adopted by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency to market the province as a whole, operators are hoping it will provide some much-needed coordination.

Tour operator Otto Ntshebe, of Ottours in Grahamstown, said the indaba had been worthwhile.

“This year I have been in talks with at least 10 people promising to come,” Ntshebe said.

Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom projected a bumper year for tourism, with an anticipated 4% growth on the continent and for visitors to more than double to 130 million by 2030.

Flights to and accommodation at the Tourism Indaba were sponsored by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency