POLOKWANE – Limpopo wins gold for best provincial authority at Africa’s Travel Indaba that took place from 2 to 4 May in Durban.
Celebration was on the cards when Limpopo took home the gold award during the awards ceremony. This is a step up for the province after winning the silver award last year.
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This year, Limpopo went all out, having a pavilion that accommodated all its products from all five regions. The set up was representative of the pride that the province holds for its culture. It was well coordinated with the exhibitors donning their traditional attires to represent cultures in the province, namely Tshivenda, Xitsonga and Sepedi. The stand had a bright and fresh feel to it, fitting all the exhibitors without it looking nor feeling crammed.
Limpopo Tourism Agency CEO, Nomasonto Ndlovu expressed how happy she is on the improvement of the Limpopo stand from last year, before explaining that culture should be at the centre of tourism promotion. She explained that they wanted to be creative and despite a limited budget, Limpopo has pulled through with a gold award. Media interest has come from far and beyond with the BBC also taking interest in Limpopo. People want something different. She also gave credit to everyone who was part of building the Limpopo stand, but added that next year, the target is the platinum award. “Last year, we won silver. I still said it’s not enough, we must always push boundaries and strive for excellence. Next year we need to get platinum, I’m not taking anything below that,” she said.
This year, LTA used famous faces like Muvhango, actor Gabriel Temudzani and global star, Sho Madjozi who are from Limpopo to market the province. Another hit was the mopani worms that visitors could sample as they learned more about what the province has to offer. Speaking on the growth that Limpopo tourism is currently enjoying, she said “A lion, is a lion, is a lion. You can see it in Kenya, you can see it in Malawi and you won’t know the difference because it doesn’t have a flag on it, but our culture is distinct; you won’t find it anywhere else. That’s what makes us special and makes the world remember us,” she said. This rings true as Limpopo is currently the number one domestic travel destination in the country, she reiterated the need to maintain that position. “People have gotten a taste of Limpopo and they will want more, we need to keep the momentum going. We can’t drop the ball now,” she said.
