The funding reported in our front-page article of last week’s Vryheid Herald (July 31, 2020), focusing on tourism in Abaqulusi, could be a milestone for our town. It seems that the local municipality has seen the light and more specifically, tourism is rising above the horizon.
But – and this is a Big But – councillors have not liaised with the local Tourism Association at all. The Vryheid Tourism Association has been operating for many years, focusing on the growth of tourism in our local municipality, and should form part of a team effort to develop tourism in Abaqulusi.
The local tourism operators, 39 in total, are the experts when it comes to tourism and the development of tourism in and around Vryheid. The input these operators can make is based on grassroots level experience and will be crucial and invaluable in achieving success.
The Vryheid Tourism Association is well known and respected throughout KZN. For many years, it has been operating with the municipal tourism structure, but the lack of a proper tourism development plan from the municipality’s side has been a serious shortcoming.
The Tourism Association has stepped in and compiled a key list of tourism projects to be addressed, and the local municipality was supplied with a copy of this list. The municipality was also invited to join the association on a round table basis to fine-trim and extend this project list. To date, there has been no reaction from Council.
19 tourism-related projects were identified to put Vryheid on the tourism map. Some are running projects, for example the keeping up to date of the Vryheid Tourism Brochure, the Vryheid website, and advertising at the annual Mayfair. The Road Safety Project at the end of each year targets tourists passing through, supplying them with information about Abaqulusi.
A ‘Keep Our Town Clean’ project needs to be revived – a dirty town is not an attractive town. A local Tourism Project list is in place, but financing has always been the stumbling block. There is a Municipal Tourism Budget, but these funds do not reach the tourism destination. The sad result is that, for example, Ntinginono Enviro Centre and the Klipfontein Bird Hide were neglected and are today non-operational.
To ensure that the residents of Abaqulusi benefit from TOURISM, the local Council must join hands with the Tourism Association, and discuss, plan, fund and work together on viable projects. This will create jobs and income not only for the local industry, but will benefit all residents of Abaqulusi.
Submitted by Gustav Röhrs (Vryheid Tourism chairperson)
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