Unleashing our tourism potential

The North Coast is blessed with beautiful beaches, rich rivers and a variety of tourist destinations and accommodation.

However the region’s ability to tap into the potential for tourism opportunities is hampered by the lack of a fully operational Community Tourism Organisation.

Hirsch Ballito hosted a talk with Peter Rose, who is the chairman of the Umhlanga CTO. Rose shed light on the benefits of a CTO and the need for a community-owned Community Tourism Association to be established on the North Coast.

“The fact is that the private sector owns tourism products and they need to drive their own CTO,” said Rose.

The main objective of a CTO is to ensure the coordination of tourism marketing and publicity of activities in a specific area.

According to Rose, a CTO has a number of roles.

Firstly it must make sure the whole area benefits economically by encouraging tourists to visit the area. It must develop tourism skills as well as ensure that tourism infrastructure is developed and managed which includes accommodation, roads and signs to different destinations and establishments.

It must also manage memberships, coordinate marketing of events and promote local destinations. Virtual networks must also be setup through various social networks and websites. The CTO should also publish and maintain local information brochures and maps.

According to Rose, local municipalities play a big role in the establishment of a CTO.
“Provincial legislation states that local municipalities are obliged to contribute to 50% of a CTO’s annual budget once it has been operating for a year,” said Rose.
“More importantly, the municipality must provide a fully operational tourism office for the CTO to run,” he added.

The municipality should also host bi-weekly weekly meetings with the executive committee a CTO, keep financial records and annually audit the CTO as well as hold an annual AGM.

Working hand in hand with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and Tourism KZN, a CTO can ensure that all tourism operators in the area reach their full potential. Businesses providing services to tourists need to be registered with TKZN as well as their local CTA.
According to Hotel Izulu managing director Grant Pringle, a CTO is in the initial stages of being established in the area.
“We have formed an interim committee and KwaDukuza Municipality has volunteered to give us the Sangweni Tourism Centre to run. We are currently bouncing around a constitution,” said Pringle.

“All tourism businesses will benefit from CTA in the area, it will represent you at a governmental level. I encourage you to join a CTA once it is formed,” said Rose.