Promoting the South Coast as a prime holiday destination was on the agenda at the South Coast Tourism stakeholders meeting held at Umthunzi Hotel in Umtentweni last week.
CEO Phelisa Mangcu talked about key issues including agri-tourism and stressed the importance of extending the tourism footprint to the hinterland areas and ensuring that each tourism product was well developed.
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“It is vital that SA Tourism overseas begins to realise the extent of KwaZulu-Natal beyond Durban,” she said.
Mpume Sibiya from Tourism KZN indicated that not enough stakeholders participated in the Lilizela Tourism Awards. “The 2019 entries closed last Friday and finalists will be announced by July 28,” she said. “These awards were launched in 2013 to encourage service excellence in the industry,”
Travel Week 2019 was another concept which was touched upon at the meeting where stakeholders offered family travel packages by dropping their rates out-of-season. This encouraged people to travel and explore off the beaten track. The South Coast it was noted is a prime destination with subtropical weather that is conducive to year-round holidays.
South Coast Tourism is also working closely with the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality to address the many challenges it faces which includes safety, cleanliness, road conditions, water and clean beaches.
An exciting new initiative in the region is the introduction of a film office, which is to be set up at the tourism offices in Port Shepstone in July.
Signature events such as the Ugu Jazz Festival, Bike Week and MTB Series are also the perfect means to promote the South Coast as a premier holiday destination and to encourage international tour operators to offer travel packages that will bring visitors to our beautiful coastline.
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