New strategies to boost tourism in Limpopo

Polokwane

MEC for Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Tshitereke Matibe, has met with Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA) CEO, Moses Ngobeni, to outline strategies in place aimed at marketing Limpopo Province, enhance domestic tourism visits and most importantly encourage citizens to take a shot-left within their own province and promote their various tourism routes.

Matibe has made it clear to LTA that when it comes to the tourism sector, Limpopo Province has a lot to offer and far outshines many other provinces.

“It is therefore crucial that we invest our resources into the sector, if we are to realise our mission on job creation and development of our local economies,” said Matibe.

During his budget speech recently, MEC Matibe said the province readies itself for Tourism Month in September and it has allocated R 25 million for infrastructure upgrades and refurbishments of Limpopo Wildlife Resorts.

He said the project will avail both short term as well as permanent job opportunities for people of Limpopo within the tourism sector.

“Interventions such as the Special Economic Zones are also set towards the empowerment of communities. There are currently 37 companies on the investment pipeline of SEZs, with a combined investment value of approximately R56, 6 billion. These companies envisage creating at least 8 000 jobs in the short term, and over 20 000 in the next 10 years,” explained Matibe.

The MEC said positive transformation within our province is long overdue and the department will oversee the realization of providing a conducive environment for breeding of job opportunities.

He announced the department’s resourceful pledge towards proactively empowering women, youth and persons living with disabilities to participate in township and rural economies.

“This strategic vote is set deliberately towards socio-economic transformation and implementation of the empowerment and perception of these previously marginalized and vulnerable groups,” he said.

MEC Matibe indicated that these efforts are backed by essential public private partnerships to support entrepreneurs and their participation in the township and rural economies.

“The partnership with Coca Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA), that will empower forty-five youth, women, people living with disabilities led entrepreneurs is but one in of such important initiatives. This programme will provision beneficiaries with fully furnished businesses within the next four months in addition to the 135 already existing beneficiaries from the past three years,” he said.

Furthermore, Matibe met with representatives of the Heritage Extravaganza event taking place in September. The meeting also discussed the opportunities available in cultural tourism as part of the event.