Battlefieds Route in for a name change?
Incoming Chairperson, Roshelia Thomas of Ladysmith Tourism, suggested that this is an issue that can be looked at, while others were more sceptical.
Should the brand, ‘Battlefields Route’, change its name? This was the main talking point at the Battlefields Route’s annual general meeting, held at Blood River.
The Route, founded in 1990 by the municipalities of Dundee, Newcastle, Ladysmith and Vryheid, has since branched out to include most Northern KZN towns. However, Charles Aitkenhead of the Rorke’s Drift Hotel suggested at the meeting that the word ‘Route’ be dropped, as it does not signify that the area is a destination rather than a route.
Incoming Chairperson, Roshelia Thomas of Ladysmith Tourism, suggested that this is an issue that can be looked at, while others were more sceptical.
The annual general meeting saw long-serving members Evan Jones (Chairperson) and Dave Sutcliffe (Secretary) step down, with Roshelia Thomas coming in as Chairperson and Gustav Röhrs of Vryheid elected Secretary.
One of the biggest issues dogging the Route is the ‘questionable support from municipalities’.
The Zululand District Municipality is very supportive, and this year the Umzinyathi District Municipality has committed to sponsoring the new brochure.
It was also said that there is a desperate need to train the personnel who man local tourism offices. Tour guide Anthony Coleman said ‘most tourism officers know zilch, with the exception of just a few’.
Mr Röhrs suggested the Route committee work with similar organisations in the province, such as the Midlands Meander, Route 66, North Coast Route, et cetera, to ensure ‘wall-to-wall tourism opportunities in KZN’.
Members of the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs were also at the annual general meeting, and said the department is willing to lend their expertise to assist the Route.
The Route has invested a lot of money into visiting municipalities to ‘educate them all about tourism and the opportunities it offers’.
Tour guide Wilfred Mchunu is responsible for this job, and hopes are high that ‘the ice is slowly cracking’.
With the election of Roshelia as Chairperson the Battlefieds Route – if it is still going to be called that – can look forward to a bright future and many more tourist Rands flowing into the area.
