Roleplayers seek solutions to curb Lowveld tourism decline
Grimbeek said that a number of subcommittees are are being established that will work actively to improve safety and security, roads, marketing, environmental issues, media liaison, as well as tourism development and transformation.
MBOMBELA – The perception is that tourism in the Lowveld is declining, which is understandable, given the state of the economy.
KLBCT’s chief operating officer, Linda Grimbeek, highlighted the challenges facing the industry locally and isolated safety concerns, poorly run state attractions, decaying infrastructure, lack of new attractions, rising accommodation costs, and the lack of a cohesive marketing strategy as contributing factors to the declining number of visitors to the Lowveld.
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She suggested different strategies to create a better tourist experience.
“People cannot afford holidays like they used to, and they look for more affordable options. We are kind of expensive as a region and the cost of fuel is also very high,” she said.
Local tourist attractions, such as the Graskop Gorge Lift Company, experienced a downturn towards December, but the numbers picked up into the festive season, according to KLCBT’s president, Oupa Pilane.
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“In general, safety is a major concern throughout South Africa, and the poor state-run attractions have elicited the highest number of complaints,” Grimbeek said.
“This deters South Africans from visiting other provinces, in particular from coming to our region.
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“The cost of accommodation and entrance fees to the Kruger National Park are rising in comparison with other iconic destinations in the rest of the world.”
According to Grimbeek, visitors to the Lowveld enjoyed themselves and found the area interesting and the locals friendly.
“The great work done by local tourism organisations was visible during the festive season and this makes people feel welcome. Police visibility was also great until around Christmas. This made visitors to our area feel safe.”
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In a bid to improve the local tourism industry’s image, Grimbeek added that KLBCT is building a one-stop booking website to help locals plan their own trips and bookings.
“This will showcase possibilities and attractions they might not have been aware of, and will encourage them to come to the Kruger Lowveld.”
She added that a provincial think tank was established last year to serve as a platform for government and the private sector to collaborate.
“Several subcommittees are being established that will work actively to improve safety and security, roads, marketing, environmental issues, media liaison, as well as tourism development and transformation.”
Grimbeek further indicated that tourism needed an improved media strategy to spread good stories about the region, active lobbying to prioritise the sector, and government funding to match that.
