Meander to develop tourism
AHI Zululand works toward creating a meander to boost the local tourism sector
MEMBERS of the Zululand AHI Business Chamber are setting their sights on developing a tropical meander to boost tourist attraction in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
At the AHI Business Chamber national congress in Potchefstroom last month, local representatives learned how the Theewaterskloof region was transformed into one of the Western Cape’s popular meccas through the establishment of their meander.
‘At the workshop the Theewaterskloof Municipality’s tourism office explained how they rallied all the municipalities and role-players, including industry, to work together and form a highly successful and inspiring tourism joint venture,’ said AHI Deputy Chairman Alen Viljoen.
‘Depending on what our potential role-players decide, we could create a meander from the Tugela to Mozambique Border, from Pongola to Ulundi, or simply keeping it small within the coastal areas.’
Viljoen says this will generate millions of rands, uplift the regional economy and create work opportunities.
‘If you take uMhlathuze, which has 3 357 accommodation rooms available every night and assume that 60% occupancy can be achieved every night of the year at a modest R400 per night, this translates to R490-milion per annum of income.
‘It is mindboggling what this can do for our region.
‘And for every tourist spending a night in the area, up to eight jobs are created.’
However, Viljoen believes the tropical meander will only see results if stakeholders work together towards a common goal.
‘We cannot rely on local government, provincial government or on current industry players, since the region is fragmented in its approach to goals, so to make or break this project depends on a partnership with sincere objectives to boost local economic development and growth in Zululand,’ Viljoen said.
