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1 July 2011
The Tshwane Tourism Company's board held its historic first meeting recently, following its establishment in April.
Board Chairman Mike Gcabo says the company is geared to set tourism in the country's capital city on a new path.
"Tshwane's time has come and we will market the city as a preferred destination to the world and prove that we are not just a pass-by destination. While Tshwane is the place where presidents from over the world meet, it should become the place where they, together with other international tourists, remain for a while to see what we have to offer.
Set to market Tshwane as a preferred tourism destination - Tshwane Tourism Board, front from left- Steve Masenamela of Light Mabone travel events, Deputy Chair Prem Gangiah of Soft Touch Trading, Chairman Mike Gcabo of Ekim Solutions, Sally Landane of Tshwane B&B and Suzie Mphela-Maloka of Suzies Nice Place.
Back from left - Exco member Colin Stier of the Hiperformance Centre, Martin van Niekerk of Junxion Communications, Caiphus Netshishivhe of the Gauteng Tourism Authority, Exco member Ben Rootman of Junxion Communications, John Maluleka of KEM Accommodation, Abram Mashishi of Motswedeng, Kananelo Tlebere of Dinokeng, Peterson Mahlangu of Fundani Tours, Jacob Mahlangu of City of Tshwane;s tourism division, Mbuselwa Koma of the Gauteng Tourism Authority and Glen Harding of the CSIR International Convention Centre.
"The company's primary goal - to market the city - should, therefore, become paramount in everything it does," says Gcabo.
He welcomed the City of Tshwane's commitment of R2,5 million seed money in the next financial year to set up the company. The city will also provide office space at the visitors' centre in Hatfield.
"This is certainly a start to get the company operational and sends out a clear message to the private sector in tourism that the city is serious to assist with marketing Tshwane. Financially, we are certainly far from creating effective marketing channels and products, but any process has to start somewhere. The company's first priority is now to secure additional funding to ensure that effective marketing plans can be further developed. Negotiations with the Gauteng Tourism Authority, as well as with the Dinokeng and Metsweding municipalities that were added to Tshwane after the local elections in May, are on the way.
"Research shows that effective tourism organisations in South Africa are primarily government funded. This, however, does not mean that the company should only rely on such funding. It should also generate money from, for example, private and public sector sponsorships, membership fees and booking and information services.
"As private sector tourism establishments experience the advantages of an effective tourism organisation, they become more willing to assist with financial support.
"Tshwane's tourism industry is still outperformed by those of other metros and our visitor numbers are still well below the master plan target of 6,9 million by 2012. Current figures indicate that some 3,4 million tourists visit Tshwane every year, compared to more than 6,8 million to Johannesburg and more than four million to eThekwini. This we aim to rectify, sooner than later," says Gcabo.
He says the formation of the Tshwane Tourism Company follows the relentless work of the Tshwane Tourism Action Team - constituted from private sector tourism industry role-players and officials of the City of Tshwane's tourism division - over the past two years. The team worked pro-bono to enhance the city's tourism potential to the benefit of all citizens.
"As part of its strategy and ten-point action plan, a branding strategy and brand for Tshwane, within the national tourism branding framework, has been developed. A Tshwane tourism website in line with state-of-the-art international tourism websites is operational and a tourism brochure has been placed in the marketplace.
"City visitors' centres are being developed and research to establish a comprehensive accommodation database has been conducted. In all its activities the team pursued the involvement of communities and green tourism is a high priority. The team leveraged on all related activities while service excellence is non-negotiable," he said.
"Successful tourism destinations like Cape Town, Johannesburg, Canberra in Australia and Dublin in Ireland operate efficient regional tourism organisations. Tshwane's unique selling propositions as South Africa's capital city and its tourism identity and branding, in line with that of South Africa, now need to be fully utilised."
Gcabo gave the assurance that the Tshwane Tourism Company would be small, flexible and highly effective.
"We believe in having a small core team of experienced individuals, applying an outsourced business model with administration costs less than 20 percent of the total budget. The company will leverage city and private sector resources and enhance membership participation - truly a partnership between the city and the private sector," he said.
The company's deputy chairman is Prem Gangiah, business coach at Soft Touch Trading and exco members are Franco Jordaan, General Manager at the Court Classique Hotel and Chairman of the Tshwane Tourism Association, Mvenselwa Mahlangu, Executive Director of the City of Tshwane's tourism division, Ben Rootman, member of Junxion Communications and Colin Stier, Operations General Manager at the University of Pretoria's Hiperformance Centre.
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