PCB Blog - Tourism
Tourism |
| 2011/05/11 |
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Melanie Veness: PCB CEO Speaking to people at Indaba this year, I was reminded once again of the funding frustrations experienced at a local level in the tourism industry. Despite the clear structure laid out in the National Tourism Strategy, and the listed functions, compliance at a local level remains an issue. Local municipalities are obligated to set up and fund a Local Tourism Bureau (LTB), which is essentially the same entity as a Community Tourism Organisation (CTO). The LTB is tasked with information provision and local marketing, and the local municipality is responsible for maintaining tourism assets and for tourism product development. Sadly, few local municipalities deliver or comply. Some local municipalities don’t want the responsibility of tourism development, and in an effort to abdicate this responsibility, they threaten to withhold funding, unless the LTB agrees to take on the development function as part of their mandate. This is a problem, in that, aside from a lack of capacity, LTBs are not in a position to talk to investors and to offer either land for development or incentives to develop. LTBs also don’t have the same access to development funding that local municipalities do. Development will never happen under these conditions, and fingers will then, very conveniently, be pointed at the LTBs. We haven’t seen a great deal of tourism product development in most areas. If I’m to consider my own area, Pietermaritzburg and immediate surrounds, I’m disappointed that key historical sights haven’t been maintained or developed. The Mandela arrest sight, outside Howick, is a case in point. Whenever I take people out there, I feel embarrassed by the fact that there is very little to see at this iconic spot. Equally embarrassing to visit is Manaye Hall, in Imbali, where Nelson Mandela made his last speech as a free man. Apart from the anonymity of these sites, none of the potential benefits of having them in our area are being realized. Tourism is not just about having product; it is about using what we have to gain economic benefit. Looking at a monument is not going to part a visitor from his or her money. For that to happen, those sights must be worth visiting. That responsibility starts with the municipality that must create an enabling environment to attract the private sector that will do the rest. |
| Tags: Tourism(4) Indaba(1) development(13) |
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