Tourism Association launches networking evenings

After maintaining a low profile for the last ten years, the Polokwane Tourism Agency (PTA) is ready to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the city’s strategic position in the province and has assembled leaders in the industry to promote its ideals.
During the first networking session of the recently elected office bearers of the PTA that was hosted at Jack Botes Hall on Thursday evening, PTA Chairperson Gerhard Franken announced that the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) on the Civic Square will soon offer more facilities to tourists that will include an internet café and a coffee shop where visitors can relax while they browse through the information on tourist attractions that will be available. Plans are also on the cards for the use of the VIC as a reservations office for the Kruger National Park. “We strive to make Polokwane the hub of the province’s tourism industry and are grateful towards the Polokwane Municipality for the financial and logistical support that we receive,” Franken said.

MEC for Provincial Treasury Rob Tooley attended the networking session in his capacity as tourism product owner and said that Limpopo has much to offer as a tourist destination and predicted that the industry will keep on growing.
“Tourists en route to other destinations in the province should be made aware of the attractions that Polokwane offers. Visits to communities, eco trips, food and culinary excursions and time out in nature are only a few of the opportunities that can be explored,” Tooley said and encouraged members to work as a collective to promote the tourism industry.
Acting Municipal Manager Faith Maboya represented Executive Mayor Thembi Nkadimeng and said that one of the responsibilities of the municipality is to provide the tourism industry with the opportunity for a heightened focus on the importance of tourism to the local economy.
“This relationship also serves as an opportunity to promote domestic tourism and create a culture of travel amongst South Africans. Polokwane is a popular destination for business travellers who spend on average three times more than their leisure counterparts while crossing over significantly into leisure travel themselves, through tours before or after their business activities and through return trips in subsequent years. Polokwane is home to diverse cultures. Each culture has evolved its own distinctive art forms, music and traditional rituals. This offers opportunity for cultural villages, community and township tours,” Maboya said and also alluded to the opportunities offered by adventure, sports, medical and rural tourism.
Maboya reported that the municipality supports the PTA in attending exhibitions, enhancing skills development and hosting meetings to develop the tourism and hospitality industry and further ensures that it is represented in all key trade shows as a destination.
“It is upon individual businesses to take advantage of all the efforts that the municipality takes in creating a conducive environment to grow the tourism sector and contribute towards job creation and economic growth of the province,” Maboya concluded.

Story and photos: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com

Featured photo: Members of the Executive Committee of the PTA are Grace Sibara, Lisa Grosel, Gerhard Franken, Gift Tsotetsi and Magadi Legodi.