Limpopo tourism on the path to recovery

POLOKWANE – Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu held a stakeholder engagement session in Polokwane last Thursday, where she expressed her pride in the progress Limpopo has made.

Sisulu addressed the guests virtually, and thanked them for making use of the programmes made available by government in the process to recover from the effects of the pandemic and lockdown.

“These projects were put into place to allow our people to enjoy what Limpopo has to offer. The recovery plan outlines the process on how affected parties can get assistance from the department.”

Gerhard Franken, chairperson of the Limpopo Provincial Tourism Association, says it was through combined efforts from the industry and government that the industry improved at the rate it has.

He says R9.8m of R10m that was set aside for the provincial relief grant has been used after many establishments and individuals in the sector struggled to apply and qualify for the national grant.

“Each business was able to get R50 000 to assist with covering costs as most establishments were unable to stay open and were on the brink of closure. The main reason the provincial grant started was because of the inaccessibility to the national grants because of the requirements. Our grants made provision for everyone in the sector such as tour guides and other informal institutions that have been in the industry for years. As a result of the funding, we noted the sector started to recover and currently moves at an exceptional rate.”

He says although the lockdown brought challenges for the sector, there was one advantage to it.

“One of the biggest challenges we faced before the lockdown was a lack of communication between the sector and the department. During lockdown we had to rely on each other and an advisory committee was established that comprised of representatives from both the department and the association. This committee was able to bridge that communication gap and ensure that information vital to the industry was shared and circulated as required. The committee also allowed the province to come together and find a way to ensure the success of the recovery plan.”

He says the tourism sector is arguably one of the sectors that was hit the hardest by the lockdown regulations as it relies on the movement of people.

The easing of the lockdown restrictions on December 30 was a move in the right direction for the sector and Franken says it allowed most establishments to operate longer and welcome more guests.

“We haven’t fully recovered and some of the challenges we still face include a lack of infrastructure, road accessibility and access to digital spaces, but with such engagement platforms as with the Minister, we are sure to find solutions to these challenges,” he says.