Nine tourism establishments rolled up their sleeves and took the initiative to offer a new tourism route called the East London Urban and Cultural Experience, in a fresh, new launch of Tourism Month yesterday.
The initiative was welcomed by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism agency, which partnered with the SMMEs to launch Tourism Month, with activities and adventure, at the Drifters Raceway in Cambridge.
Park Place Boutique Guest House owner Lizelle Maurice unveiled the programme, inviting media houses from around the country to enjoy the province’s best offerings.
Attendees were treated to go-cart rides and a paintball war, while cultural dancers entertainingly exhibited Xhosa culture.
This was followed by a “sho't left” to Art Versatile, a ceramics gallery in Vincent, and a stop at their studio in town.
The trips were facilitated by Ncuthu Tours, which is owned by Siseko Yelani, Eugene Mfaka, of Eugene’s Shuttles, and award-winning tour operator Velile Ndlumbini, of Imonti tours, who are all part of the joint venture.
Ndlumbini said they cobbled-in a tour of Duncan Village en route to a visit to Mdantsane, the second largest township in the country.
“Duncan Village has a rich history – it was the place where Sister Aidan Quinlan, a Roman Catholic nun with the St Peter Claver Church, was brutally murdered in 1952,” he said.
“She was killed by a mob while she was doing her missionary work.
“She was accosted when she got caught in a confrontation between police and angry youths amid the ongoing anti-apartheid protests in most townships at the time.”
The stop in Mdantsane started at Xhobani Projects, owned by Nomaci Qabaka, who was recently named Businesswoman of the Year by the BCM Local Economic Development unit for her initiative that creates jewellery from beads and recycled glass.
Qabaka and a group of women in her NU 7 community, collect glass bottles, which they crush and recycle.
“Entrepreneurs can be recognised without the use of tenders.
The day concluded at the award-winning bistro, Mthombo’s Palace, where guests were treated to local entertainment and African cuisine.
MEC Oscar Mabuyane said a greater budget was needed for tourism in the province. “Nothing can be done without resources for tourism.”
Mabuyane said the new tourism route would create an opportunity for small to medium business to grow, as well as for tourists to enjoy a different experience.
“Entrepreneurs can be recognised without the use of tenders.
“This is a great platform for them to use and it is remarkable that this is something of their own initiative,” he enthused.
ECPTA CEO Vuyani Dayimani said the new route could create more job opportunities as it grew.
“It often happens that larger businesses benefit from tourism routes.
“With this route, we want to give the small business their chunk of the tourism pie, which is broad with a variety of opportunities to be explored to attract tourists into the townships and the province of adventure as a whole,” Dayimani said.
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