During a meeting with the FF Plus and stakeholders in the local tourism industries of the North West and the Free State, the Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, expressed her wholehearted support for the FF Plus’s initiative to boost organised tourism on local level and in rural areas.
The meeting follows an initiative launched by the FF Plus in 2023 to unlock the potential of local tourism as a key drive of local economies.
A decision was made, in cooperation with local tourism businesses on the banks of the Vaal River, to establish a tourism entity, the Vaal Corridor Tourism Association (VCTA), as a mechanism to, among other things, facilitate liaison with local authorities.
A pilot committee was formed involving 54 tourism businesses from Lindequesdrift to Bloemhof.
In addition, more than 50 potential tourism corridors were identified across the country and will be established following the successful formation of the VCTA.
An exploratory meeting was held with the Minister on 14 April 2023 during which she also visited local resorts that suffered damage during the February 2023 floods. The decay of local tourism facilities under the governance of ANC-controlled local authorities was also highlighted
Minister De Lille solemnly undertook today to urgently initiate a process whereby the VCTA can engage with existing corporate tourism structures, such as the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), to fully unlock and develop local tourism.
It will also give small- to medium-sized tourism businesses access to official government initiatives, allowing them to market their facilities and services internationally.
The FF Plus thanked the Minister for her constructive approach and her recognition of local tourism’s positive contribution to improving the country.
The FF Plus will continue to promote the empowerment of the local and rural tourism sector as part of its programme for rebuilding the entire South Africa.
It is imperative that voters use their votes on 29 May to ensure that a strong coalition government, of which the FF Plus forms an integral part, comes into power.
South Africa simply cannot afford the decay and economic mismanagement of the ANC government any longer.
Together, we can restore and rebuild.
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