The Shabalala Tourism Route is currently receiving more than 50 international tourists a month, with the residents profiting.
According to a co-ordinator of village tourism, Jabulile Masinga, there is a lot of support from European and American visitors. “The nice thing about this is that the community is not just showcasing what they have, they are also generating revenue. We have now introduced the idea that when they take tourists to their homes, they must host them and show them around. Our main goal with this project is to create more jobs and revenue where people stay,” she said.
ALSO READ: Department of Education and stakeholders host meeting following spate of crime in Hazyview
Masinga added that since they started the route, community members and taxi operators are doing their bit to ensure tourists are safe. “We also work with the police to ensure that whatever we do is in line with the law. We are also calling on South Africans to support local tourism, because it has created a lot of jobs and the residents are also benefitting. We need them to visit us so that we can get more international tourists to visit because they will see that even locals love it,” she said.
ALSO READ: Phelophepa health train returns to Mbombela
One of the locals who is involved in the township route in Shabalala, Alpheus Mgwenya, told Hazyview Herald that village tourism has created a lot of opportunities in the area. “I always knew the only way I could make money when I had cows and chickens was to sell them. However, since the introduction of Township Tourism, I’m now making extra cash while still keeping them, which is a very good thing. I would like to thank Jabulile and her team for doing this for us, because these international tourists enjoy our culture and the way we live our lives,” he said.
A local sangoma, Simphiwe Mokoena, called on the community members to continue safeguarding the tourists in the area since they are boosting the local economy. “The good thing about them is that they are always willing to pay and come back again.”
Masinga said they will continue to grow local tourism to benefit all residents on the route.
