ATC170201: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism on oversight visit to North West Province, dated 01 February 2017

Tourism

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism on oversight visit to North West Province, dated 01 February 2017

The Portfolio Committee on Tourism, having undertaken the provincial oversight visit to North West from 14 - 16 September 2016, reports as follows:

 

1.  Introduction

Tourism policy and strategy has to keep pace with rapidly changing national and global economic conditions for the sector to remain a key driver of economic growth and development. The sector is a multi-faceted and its development and growth depends on collaboration between the national, provincial and local levels of government, partnerships and the support of communities across South Africa.

The government programme of action has taken into account the strategic economic impact of tourism in job creation and contribution to the Gross Domestic Product. In streamlining tourism as an important economic sector, the government has entrenched its socio-economic value in the National Development Plan (NDP). The NDP envisions tourism as a major source of revenue and employment for the country through the investment in infrastructure, product and service development. It envisions rising employment, productivity and incomes as a way to ensure a long-term solution to achieve a reduction in inequality, an improvement in living standards ensuring a dignified existence for all South Africans. Tourism is identified as one of the six key priority economic sectors to fulfil government’s imperatives to create sustainable jobs and to ensure that inclusive economic development is realised equitably, particularly in rural areas.

The government has identified key priorities for the current term, including creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods. These priorities are articulated in the government’s Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) which highlights priorities and outcomes over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period. The committee’s mandate is to monitor the contribution of the tourism sector to the creation of decent employment through inclusive growth.

Unlocking the potential of tourism at the national, provincial and local levels is dependent on financial and logistical support from all the three spheres of government, private sector, communities and the labour. It is only if such support is demonstrated that tourism will be in a position to play the expected role of achieving the competitive edge needed by the economy. Such support is also critical in motivating for necessary resources, especially budget appropriated for tourism by both the national and provincial treasuries, to unleash the full potential of tourism at both national and provincial levels.

Having analysed what was presented to the Committee by the National Department of Tourism and South African Tourism during 2015/16 and 2016/17 on Vote deliberations, the Committee formulated its annual performance plan which includes undertaking provincial oversight visits to all the provinces, primary to assess the performance of the sector against the NDP expectations. These provincial visits are geared towards assessing the achievements, evaluate the nature of challenges, prospects for inclusive growth, particularly in the rural areas, and the extent of government support at all levels. The Committee started with the Eastern Cape, followed by the KwaZulu-Natal, and the North West is the third province to be visited.       

         

2. Objectives of the oversight visit

The objectives of the oversight visit were:

• To assess the state of tourism in the North West Province.
• To enhance cooperation and coordination between all spheres of government in developing managing tourism.
• To promote for growth and development of the tourism sector.
• To assess the level of stakeholder participation, both in the public and private sectors.
• To assess support for cultural and heritage tourism growth.
• To assess support for sustainable livelihoods with regards to Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs); and
• To assess the implementation of the tourism Social Responsibility Intervention (SRI) projects in the province.

 

3.  Committee Delegation

The Committee consisted of the following members and included the support staff:

Figure 1: List of delegation

Status	Name of Member	Political Party
Present	Hon. B.T Ngcobo (Chairperson) Hon. P.E Adams Hon. E.K.M Masehela Hon. S.T Xego Hon. S.D Bekwa Hon. D. Mohono, MPL Hon. J.M Maluleke, MPL	African National Congress (ANC)
	Hon. G.R Krumbock	Democratic Alliance (DA)
	Inkosi. R.N Cebekhulu	Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
	Support staff: Ms. N. Qumbisa Mr. J. Boltina Dr. P.S. Khuzwayo Ms. J. Ntuli Ms. K. Tshoma Ms. S. Govendor	Designation: Assistant to Chairperson Committee Secretary Content Advisor Committee Researcher Committee Assistant Communications Officer

 

In the North West Province the committee was accompanied by the following officials from the National Department of Tourism: Ms L.M Matlakala, Chief Director; and Ms P van Niekerk, Parliamentary Liaison Officer. Provincial officials included: Mr K. Lefenya, Deputy Chairperson: North West Tourism Board; Mr L.N Segwe, Chief Executive Officer: North West Tourism Board; Adv. H. Sephoti, Head of Department: Provincial Department of Tourism; Ms D. Lolokwane, Director; Mr T.K Phathudi, Director; Ms S. Manone, Chief Director; Ms R. Makodi, Parliamentary Liaison Officer; Ms P. Lesabe, Committee Administrator: North West Provincial Legislature.

  

4.  The oversight process

During the planning process, the Committee took a decision to visit all the nine provinces to meet and engage with varied tourism stakeholders. A number of meetings and discussion sessions were arranged through the Office of the MEC for Tourism in the province. From the committee point of view, the oversight visit had to meet two broad objectives, namely to receive a provincial perspective on the state of tourism in the North West Province, and secondly to follow up on investments made by the National Department of Tourism on Social Responsibility Intervention (SRI) projects in the province. The Committee had an opportunity to visit selected SRI projects implemented by the NDT through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) funding.

     

4.1  The oversight schedule

The Committee developed an oversight schedule that incorporated interactions with a wide array of tourism stakeholders in the North West Province. The schedule was biased towards rural tourism development and projects implemented by the Department in the province.

Figure 2: Committee oversight schedule

	North West
Dates	Meeting Place	City
13 September 2016	Committee overnight in JHB	Gauteng
14 September 2016	Mafikeng Tourism School                  & Site visit to Botswana Border	Mafikeng
15 September 2016	Visit to Lotlamoreng Dam                  &  Visit to Manyane Lodge	Mafikeng
16 September 2016	Visit to Mphebatho Museum                  & Moruleng Cultural Precinct	Rustenburg

 

4.2  The oversight process

The oversight visit included the briefing session held with the MEC, Provincial Department of Tourism and the North West Parks and Tourism Agency. The meeting was intended to obtain a perspective on the state of tourism in the province and a synopsis of prospects, opportunities and changes experienced by the province. The meeting was followed by an afternoon site visit at the request of the province to visit Ramatlabama Border Gate (Botswana – South Africa Border Gate). The border post serves as border crossing for rail and road traffic between Botswana and South Africa.     Site visits were undertaken to Lotlamoreng Dam and Manyane Lodge. The site visits to SRI projects were intended to check progress on the projects implemented by the National Department of Tourism and establish the value for money. The visit was concluded with a visit to Mphebatho Museum (Moruleng Cultural Precinct). The Moruleng Cultural Precinct offers visitors many hours of interest and fun, and is flagship visitor attraction. Due to time constraints, the committee was unable to visit the Rustenburg Tourism Information Centre as planned.

 

5.  Joint Briefing session by the MEC / Department of Tourism and North West Parks & Tourism Agency

It was highlighted that globally, tourism is the largest and fastest growing industry, outpacing all other industries. In South Africa, tourism is widely regarded as a growth catalyst, able to generate much-needed income and employment opportunities. Arrivals for the first three months of 2016 grew by 18.7 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2015 and 59.9 percent in respect of foreign and domestic arrivals respectively. Total trips have also increased to 10 million in Q1 of 2016 compared to 6.8 million of Q1 of 2015. This had a positive impact in the growth of revenue generated to R31 billion. In March alone, the number of tourists who visited South Africa improved by 23.4 percent, compared to March 2015, according to the Tourism and Migration Report. The remarkable increase in arrivals recorded in March could be attributed to the Easter holiday falling in March this year, while it was in April in 2015.

 

5.1  The State of Tourism in the Province

Bokone Bophirima (North-West Province) operates on 5 strategic pillars which are agriculture, Culture and Tourism; villages, Townships and small dorpies; renewal, healing and reconciliation; Setsokotsane; and Saamwerk-Saamtrek. Tourism is coupled with Agriculture, Culture and Traditional Affairs as catalyst for economic growth and to address the challenges of poverty; inequality and unemployment. Bokone Bophirima is largely rural in nature and is made up of 653 villages; 108 townships and 36 small dorpies. The role of the provincial government is to come up with strategies and mechanisms to help grow the industry and to spearhead policies and campaigns to help the sector. The province is doing well in growing the contribution of tourism to the economy of the province. It has set itself a target of moving from position 7 to position 4 in 2020.  

The market Share of the province has moved from position 7 to position 6 where it had a market share of 5.3 percent and has grown to an estimated 6.3 percent. In 2015, the province received 117 276 share of arrivals and in 2016 is already sitting at 254 423 reflecting a 46 percent growth. Of all foreign arrivals, the province has 9.4 percent share of arrivals in the country, putting the province at number 5 compared to 5.1 percent in 2015. The tourism spend in 2016 saw tourists spending R541.00 in the province compared to R343.00 and R326.00 in 2015 and 2014 respectively. The length of stay has increased as tourists stay an average of 7.2 days in the province. This confirms that the province is the 6th most visited in the country. The bed nights has increased as the volume of tourists coming into the province has increased. A total of 1 777 000 bed nights have been spent in the province in the quarter 1 of 2016. The common activities enjoyed by tourists in the province in order of importance include night life, eating out, social, and shopping. The top 10 attractions in the Province are Sun City / Lost City (54.2 percent), Pilansburg National Park (42.1 percent), Madikwe Game Reserve (14.7 percent), Hartebeespoort Dam (13.2 percent), Hartebeespoort Dam and Snake Park (10.8 percent), Warerfall Mall (7.7 percent), Cradle of Human Kind (7.5 percent), Klerksdorp Mall (4.4 percent), Brits Mall (4.4 percent), and Potchefstroom University (4.3 percent).

 

5.2        Challenges and planned interventions

The province is however experiencing a fair share of challenges. These include but are not limited to declining tourism spend due to the economic market performance; inadequate investment in new tourism sites and products; declining marketing spend in Rand value; and lack of appropriate capacity in terms of human capital (number and the skill set to achieve set objectives).   Other challenges include inadequate, uncoordinated, inconsistent and fragmented tourism planning and information provision, which remains the most pervasive challenge facing the development and growth of tourism in South Africa and North West Province; lack of transformation; limited interface between government and the private sector management; and the need to achieve a more equal geographic distribution of tourists across the country and province. There is a need to entrench a culture of tourism amongst citizens and the province; and promote responsible tourism practices that seek to maximise economic and social benefits and minimise cost to destination South Africa and North West. This is coupled with a need to unlock tourism economic development at local government level to grow tourism economy. The province is also struggling with maintaining high levels of international and domestic holiday trips and this necessitates deliberate investment in tourism infrastructure, product development, and diversification on offerings.  

In response to some of these challenges, the MECs Tourism Forum is mooted as vital as tourism is acknowledged and managed as a priority at provincial level. Currently, the MEC is looking at establishing the MECs Tourism Forum to be known as MUNIMEC where meeting with Mayors and MMCs in municipalities on a bi-annual basis to discuss tourism strategies and plans to unlock tourism potential in the province. The Provincial Tourism Technical Committee will also be convened through the Office of the HOD, for officials both at province, Board and municipal level to deal with technical issues that would feed into MUNIMEC on issues to be considered and decided upon. In this way, tourism would be more aligned and each municipality can plot itself in the structure on its contribution to tourism in its space. Plans are afoot to establish a Tourism and Convention Bureau which will be a single tourism and conventions bureau for North-Wets province.  This structure would have a strong events and conventions management focus and would arrange and bid for major tourism meetings, events and conventions. The province has realised that it is losing out on marketing its major attractions, such as the Marang Hotel with its state of the art High Performance Sport Academy; the University of the North West (Potchefstroom campus) High Performance Centre; and Sun City’s world class conference facilities and theatres. 

With regard to the private sector, tourism associations and community-based organisations will be established to ensure full stakeholder participation. This is important for the sector to get itself organised so as to address challenges and explore opportunities together. There is therefore a need to maximise efforts to market the province and joint planning becomes important. There are also opportunities through collaborative efforts, the province with full possession of VTSD plans, can push for tourism development in line with each VTSDs strong pull for tourism. Product development and diversification to attract various market segments to VTSDs, for example, Taung Skull, Vredefort Dome, Lotlamoreng Dam and Hartbeespoort Dam. Increasing investment in infrastructure development on tourism attractions. Better marketing of destination Bokone Bophirima starting locally and expanding countrywide to eventually capture the international market. Collaboration in enhancing the agriculture, culture and heritage offerings.

The province is implementing sustainable livelihoods for SMMEs through the help of the National Department of Tourism. As a result, the province is proud to be one of two provinces that have SMME incubator centres (Bakgatla ba Pilane). This facility will host tourism SMMEs to acquire skills and empowerment tools to grow their businesses. The centre seeks to turn ideas into reality by assisting SMMEs to move into implementation mode. SMMEs both new and established would be assisted to strengthen tourism and hospitality. The success of the incubation would be flourishing tourism products and eventually increase job creation in the localities where they operate. 

 

5.3        Heritage and cultural tourism

The province is promoting heritage and cultural sites but there is a strong need for collaboration between Arts and Culture, Traditional Affairs, and Tourism departments. The maintenance and preservation of heritage sites reside outside of tourism, for example, mandate and budget for restoration of the Taung Skull site resides with the Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (READ); Credo Mutwa Cultural Village resides with the Department of Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs (CATA) and so would the Vredefort Dome Heritage site. On the other hand, the public and local communities are the key custodians of culture and heritage resources and are makes public participation more crucial and community involvement key to the success of this venture.

The challenges of heritage and cultural Sites include poor alignment and integration of heritage and cultural resources into mainstream tourism. Heritage and cultural tourism products are underrepresented in marketing the province as a tourist destination (stories, historical drawings, culture groups). Economic potential of heritage and cultural products has not been fully realised. The province is also experiencing fragmentation and disparity between the conservation needs of heritage and the development requirements of tourism (for example, developments that one can make at a heritage site or around the site).

 

6.  Project Site visits

The Department of Tourism is funding and managing the implementation of tourism infrastructure and skills development projects through its Expanded Public Works programme namely the Social Responsibility Implementation Programme (SRI). The SRI funding is exclusively appropriated for EPWP compliant projects. The objectives of the SRI are poverty alleviation and job creation through tourism development as well as skills development. The Committee visited these SRI projects to obtain the latest information about the programme relating to the budget invested in the projects and expenditure; lessons learnt and critical success factors; challenges encountered and remedial actions implemented; and sharing of information about the funding process, criteria and requirements.

 

6.1  Lotlamoreng Dam

The National Department of Tourism is still at the scoping phase of the project. The feasibility study is incomplete and the Steering Committee and stakeholders are meeting regularly. There are regulatory matters that need to be addressed including:

• Construction of entrance gate and guard House, fencing, ablution facilities, Caravan Park.
• Establishment of Kiddies Park.
• Construction of staff accommodation.
• Renovating existing hall.
• Water and sewer reticulation.
• Furniture and equipment.
• Scope report to be completed as the project implementer has just been appointed.

The NDT has invested R15 million into the project. Kasia engineering is the Service Provider appointed in March 2016 for project planning to commence.

 

6.2  Manyane Lodge

Manyane Lodge project is on the Zeerust Road R49 outside of Mafikeng game reserve. The scope of work on the Manyane Lodge project entails the following:

• Refurbishment of existing building including 10 existing chalets.
• Construction of 10 new executive chalets.
• Construction of a 250 seater restaurant.
• Construction of a 500 seater conference centre.
• Construction of an internal road, storm water and parking.
• Bulk water supply – sewer and water reticulation system.
• General landscaping.

The project started in February 2012 and is expected to be completed in October 2016. The NDT invested R47.5 million in the project. The implementing Agent is Re a Aga Infrastructure (Pty) Limited. The property is owned by the North West Parks and Tourism Board which is the owning agent.

The project was hosting 4 beneficiaries as EPWP on site. These are TVET (FET College) Engineering students and were doing practical work/ internships under the mentorship of the implementer towards the completion of their studies.  The engineering students are formalised as Gavin Makgolo – Structural Surveying and Construction N6; Michael Mpontsha – Structural Surveying and Construction N6; Katlego Dipheko – Electrical Engineering N6; and Lebogang Shebe – Construction Health and Safety (SHEQ) N6.

 

6.3  Mphebatho Museum / Moruleng Cultural Precinct

The Committee had an opportunity to visit the Mphebatho Museum / Moruleng Cultural Precinct and provided briefly with the history of the area and sites of interest. The museum captures the history of the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela who have lived and worked in the Pilanesberg for centuries. The museum captures their traditions and history, culture and vision for the future. The following factors are shared with tourists at the museum:

• Ramono’s Rainmaking Rock – the art of rainmaking was traditionally the responsibility of the kgosi. The rock marks the site where Kgosi Ramono practiced the rainmaking ritual.
• Missionary Graves – Henri Gonin was the founder of the Dutch Reformed Mission at Saulspoort. The graveyard includes headstones of some of Gonin’s relatives.
• Kgamanyane’s Wall – this wall marks the site where Kgosi Kgamanyane was flogged by the Boers for refusing to provide free labour. Soon after the flogging he gathered his people and moved to Mochudi, Botswana.
• The First Bakgatla-Ba-Kgafela School in Moruleng – as a child, Montsho Molope was abducted by Boer settlers. It is reported that he returned to Moruleng years later, and his family built the first non-mission school for Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela.
• Pilane’s Settlement (Pilansberg) – in about 1825, in the aftermath of the Difaqane (war), the first Kgosi Pilane gathered his scattered people and settled at this site in the Pilansberg.
• Kgamanyanes Settlement (Pilanesberg) – Pilane’s son Kgamanyane settled here, not far from his father’s site; a strategic choice that gave the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela great views over the terrain as well as seclusion and protection.

The museum has the following permanent structures and/ artefacts that depict the lives and times of the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela displayed in the Moruleng Cultural Precinct:

• Bell Tower – offering a birds-eye view of the landscape.
• Dutch Reformed Mission Church – exploring the impact of colonialism and Christianity.
• Iron Age Landscape – recreating the first Kgosi Pilane’s stone wall settlement.
• Museum Shop – presenting local art and craft.
• Mphebatho Museum – showcasing history and cultural traditions.
• Kgosi Linchwe 1 Statue – honouring a great Kgosi who ruled for 45 years.
• Amphitheatre – giving a contemporary twist to a traditional Lekgotla.
• Sefalana – a massive clay storage pot.

 

 

6.4  Rustenburg Tourism Information Centre

The Committee visit to the Rustenburg Tourism Information Centre had to be cancelled due to time constraints emanating from spending more time at the Mphebatho Museum/ Moruleng Cultural Precinct.   

 

 

7.  Committee observations

The interaction with the North West provincial tourism stakeholders led to a number of observations, both at a political leadership and community levels. The observations made by the Committee were used as the basis for recommendations made to the Minister of Tourism. The recommendation made to the province are also addressed to the Minister of Tourism as the Ministry has established intergovernmental institutional structures such as MINMEC and MIPTECH in which the issues could be aptly and amply discussed. The following are some of the pertinent issues which emerged, others warrant commendation whilst others need improvement:

 

7.1  Political leadership and governance

The Committee observed that the MEC for tourism in the province is passionate about her portfolio and provides hands on leadership to the officials of her department. The MEC was accompanying the Committee throughout the oversight visit and this assisted the Committee to have an in-depth understanding of the issues on the ground. The Chairperson of the portfolio committee in the provincial legislature also joined the Committee in visiting some of the sights and this provided a seamless oversight over provincial tourism issues. It was commended that the MEC was planning to establish tourism coordinating and governance structures throughout the province. This will address the concerns that have been raised by the Committee about the lack of tourism coordination and governance at provincial and local level. The major concern has always been raised with the local government and the plans afoot in the province to establish tourism coordinating structures will assist with streamlining tourism policy planning, development and marketing.

 

7.2  Training for jobs

The Committee appreciated the practical hospitality training programmes offered by the North West Tourism School. This Hotel School has built strong relationships with key industry role players in both South Africa and overseas. Currently, the institution has a working relationship with the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) and the Southern Sun Group. A relationship has also been established with local universities such as the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), the Johannesburg University (UJ), as well as the South African Chefs Association (SACA. It was also observed the province was not only training the youth from the province but was assisting unemployed youth from Limpopo and Eastern Cape as well. The training was seen as preparing the youth for the workplace and addressing scarce skills in the province such as the pervasive shortage of chefs. The Committee is of the view that it would be advisable for other provinces to establish similar tourism schools to deal with the skills shortage in the sector. This will address the concerns that have been raised by the Committee previously about the jobs in the tourism sector that are increasingly being occupied by the foreign nationals. However, the proliferation of tourism schools in the provinces should not be done in an ad hoc manner but must take into cognisance the FET colleges and plans of the Department of Higher Education and Training with regard to travel and tourism programmes in those provinces.

 

7.3        Impact of the Immigration Regulations to tourism arrivals

The Committee learned that the North West province use to receive many visitors through the Ramatlabama Border gate between Botswana and Mmabatho/Mahikeng in South Africa. This gate served as a crucial entry point to regional visitors who contributed to tourist spend in the province, particularly Mahikeng. However, numbers have drastically declined since the introduction of the Immigration Regulations in 2015 and the tourism products in the town have taken a brunt. The Committee recognises the significance of Immigration Regulations to curb human trafficking and improving safety and security of vulnerable citizens. The attention has been mostly placed on the unintended consequences of the Immigration Regulations to the declining numbers of international arrivals from the key source and emerging markets. Little scrutiny has been placed on the impacts in the regional markets, particularly from SADC countries. There might have been dire consequences in regional tourism and town adjacent to border gates that may have been getting regional tourists might be suffering. It is therefore crucial to understand how the Immigration Regulation shave affected regional tourism. 

 

7.4  Potential for cultural tourism

When conducting an oversight visit to the Lotlamoreng Dam the Committee observed that there is a sight of significant cultural value adjacent to the dam. The dilapidated ruins of the original home of Dr. Credo Mutwa, a renowned charismatic traditional prophet (Isanusi) lie unattended along the banks of the dam. This Credo Mutwa Cultural Village is in prime spot along a busy traffic route and could be restored and turned into a provincial heritage site. This site could then serve as an important cultural tourism attraction. It is acknowledged that restoring the ruins and declaring the site a provincial heritage site is the competency of the provincial Department of Arts and Culture. The MEC for tourism can play a pivotal role in sensitising her provincial counterparts to the heritage tourism potential of the site and elevate the matter to the provincial legislature.

 

7.5  Neglect of universal accessibility in SRI projects

The Department is implementing a number of Social Responsibility Implementation projects in various provinces. The Manyane Lodge visited by the Committee is one such project. The Committee observed that there was good progress in the implementation of the project. However, a concern was raised with regard to universal accessibility. All the chalets were built without due consideration of disabled patrons.  The government of South Africa has recognised the need to provide attractions for travellers with special needs. This is important as the rights of disabled people are enshrined in South Africa's Constitution, and legislation requires that public buildings and other places be accessible to everyone. The Department has developed a Responsible Tourism Directorate that deals with issues of universal accessibility. The Committee is of the view that universal accessibility should not just be all about disabled people but be an instrument to develop tourism products and attractions that address universally designed environments for temporary disabled individuals, families with young children, and the ageing population.  It was observed with concern that the Department is failing to subscribe to the values and imperatives of Universal Accessibility when they construct their own SRI projects. The Department is apparently not tapping into the internal and resident expertise from their Responsible Tourism Directorate when planning SRI projects.

 

7.6  Business tourism

The Committee has always raised concerns with the geographical spread of business tourism in the “golden triangle that includes Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg”. In the numerous engagements with the South African National Conventions Bureau (SANCB), an assertion has always been advanced that other provinces are assisted with bidding and hosting business events. The observation of the Committee however is that the number of business events has always been skewed towards the three major cities despite these claims by the SANCB. The plans by the North West province to establish their own provincial Conventions Bureau will assist the province to bid and secure business events. This will assist with geographical spread of business tourism and ensure that rural provinces such as North West benefit from this growing and lucrative sector of the tourism industry.

 

8.  Committee Recommendations

After making several observations throughout the North West province, the Committee recommends that the Minister of Tourism:

8.1  Engages the MEC for Tourism in the North West province through MINMEC and other structure to assist the province in establishing the institutional arrangements that are aligned with the proposals in the National Tourism Sector Strategy.

 

8.2  Engages the provinces and the Department of Higher Education and Training with regard to providing relevant travel and tourism training programmes geared for job market after the current exercise of conducting the tourism skills audit has been finalised.

 

8.3  Ascertains the unintended consequences of the Immigration Regulations on regional tourism, particularly movement of tourists from the SADC countries.

 

8.4  Engages the MEC for Tourism in the North West province to raise the prospects of converting the ruins of the original home of Dr Credo Mutwa into a provincial heritage and cultural tourism site in the provincial legislature.

 

8.5  Ensures that the Department incorporates Universal Accessibility into the building specifications when calls for implementing agents for infrastructural SRI projects are made.

 

8.6  Ensures that no plans for infrastructural SRI projects are approved if they do not meet the Universal Accessibility criteria.

 

8.7  That the National Conventions Bureau ceases from paying lip service to geographical spread and conceptualises practical  programmes aimed assisting all the provinces and potential cities of South Africa to bid and host tourism events.

 

9.  Appreciation

The Committee would like to extend the special appreciation to the MEC of the Province, the Chairperson of committee of the provincial legislature, the North West Parks and Tourism Agency, the Head of Department, the project managers, and all the officials both from the national and provincial departments who provided support throughout the provincial oversight trip.  

 

10.  Conclusion

The interactions with tourism stakeholders made the Committee to acknowledge that North West is a rural province with a huge potential for tourism development. The provinces strategic trajectory of tourism product development in townships and villages was seen as a step to the right direction to expedite inclusive tourism growth. The tourism infrastructure projects such as Wentzel Dam tourism infrastructure upgrade; the Lotlamoreng Dam tourism infrastructure upgrade and others will assist the province in product diversification and development. The Taung Hotel School was discovered to be a useful instrument to train the youth for critical skills jobs in the sector. This model serves as a good example of what provinces can achieve if they implement integrated skills training programmes. The model has a potential of being replicated to other provinces if adopted and adapted to local conditions.

Tourism is given the necessary attention and the future plans signal an inclusive tourism growth trajectory in the province. The Committee was therefore satisfied with the state of tourism in the North West Province given that the province has just established the standalone Department of Tourism.

 

Report to be considered.