2021 NORTH WEST PROVINCIAL TOURISM MONTH IN

SUMMARY

MEC MEC Mosenogi Launches the Seboka Game Lodge in Koster as part of Tourism Month

Tourism Month is the celebration of people, places and products. With people at the heart of its

brand, South Africa boasts a wealth of diverse landscapes, with cities, small towns, townships and

villages populated with an array of tourism products to suit every traveller’s needs.

The 27th of September was celebrated worldwide as World Tourism Day (WTD), under the United

Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) theme: “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”. The

2021 World Tourism Day was hosted by the Free State Province, where, as per norm, all nine prov-

inces converged for the celebration of this important annual event in the tourism industry calendar.

The global observance of World Tourism Day by the UNWTO aims to foster awareness of tourism’s

social, cultural, political and economic value. With the 2021 theme: Tourism for Inclusive Growth,

the celebrations aimed to inspire and highlight the initiatives that are poised to drive tourism recov-

ery, in a “new and better normal”, post severe COVID 19 pandemic effects.

The Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT)

together with its agencies; the North West Tourism Board and the North West Parks Board had their

hands full executing a Provincial Tourism Month Plan of activities. The Plan that was collectively

developed comprised of tourism awareness and promotions activities which aimed for a heightened

focus on the importance of tourism to the local economy, serving as an opportunity to promote do-

mestic tourism by highlighting tourist attractions, showcasing tourism products and creating a cul-

ture of travel amongst South Africans.

With one week in September dedicated to one district in the province, activities followed a similar

pattern. The NWTB hosted four (4) Stakeholder Engagement Sessions whose purpose was to pre-

sent the newly developed (draft) Provincial Destination Marketing Strategy and to seek inputs from

each district’s tourism players. The following 2 days were used as content build-ups for Tourism

Fridays whereby, historical and heritage sites as well as tourist attractions in the regions were iden-

tified with the assistance of the districts.

These sites and attractions were visited with the aim of gaining first-hand experience and engaging

with owners who interpreted their products to a media partner who formed part of the visiting team.

The exercise was aimed at empowering media with experience and information for marketing and

promotions purposes but also to educate the public on a variety of hidden tourism gems. Tourism

Fridays focused on bringing the Tourism Month Theme alive and thereby showcased a diversity of

tourism products including dams and water sports, adventure, wildlife, heritage sites, museums, ac-

commodation establishments and township lifestyle experiences. Tourism Fridays were compli-

mented by other activities which ran parallel such as the Cultural Tourism Seminar, Social Tourism

Programme and Tourism Walk aimed at inculcating a culture of travelling amongst the North West

University students and community at large hosted by DEDECT

Tourism Fridays began in the Dr R S Segomotsi Mompati District where the Tourism Month Media

Launch was held, followed by Bojanala, Ngaka Modiri Molema with the finale at the Dr Kenneth Ka-

unda District.

True to the Tourism Month theme, the MEC for DEDECT officiated the official launch of Seboka

Game Lodge in Koster last week, which is the first woman owned game lodge in the North West

Province. This project was spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural

Development, and could not have been realised at an opportune time than Tourism Month. In its

entirety, it demonstrated Tourism for Inclusive Growth where the inclusion of a woman in a male

dominated biodiversity management environment was realised. The owner, Ms Mpho Mathope is a

seasoned tourism product owner, who has now added a new dimension to her business portfolio,

whereby her experience in the management of accommodation and conference facilities will come

handy.

Ends.

Jointly issued by Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and

Tourism and North West Tourism Board

For more information please contact:

Ms Baabua Thukubi on 082 374 7161: bthukubi@nwpg.gov.za and/or

Ms Mamiki Phoolo @ 083 419 5974: ephooolo@nwtb.co.za

Rose Blossom Guest House in Klerksdorp

Madikwe River Lodge

Mphebatho Cultural Museum in Moruleng