Focus on safety key to successful township tourism

Community involvement needed to unlock economic potential

Plans to bring Nelson Mandela Bay’s township tourism to the fore are in the works, but the biggest concern remains the safety of tourists, tour operators and residents when visiting the city’s impoverished and crime-ridden neighbourhoods. While discussions about youth and business development programmes in townships led to some constructive dialogue during the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s Township Tourism Indaba on Tuesday, the conversation kept circling back to safety, particularly in areas like New Brighton and Walmer Township. Most of the delegates representing the city’s broader tourism industry agreed that addressing various issues pertaining to township tourism would require a collective effort from the city and the community as a whole.

The metro’s political head for economic development, tourism and agriculture, Siyasanga Sijadu, said youth development would play a key role in securing effective and sustainable tourism upliftment not only in the townships, but in the city as a whole. “Young people need opportunities to grow and learn and to occupy themselves. “Left to their own devices, they might involve themselves in less-constructive pastimes and fall into drugs and crime,” she said. Sijadu said involving the community in projects to clean up the townships and prepare their neighbourhoods for tourism initiatives would be crucial, as it would not only help to develop skills but also instil a sense of pride. “I believe the most critical thing is getting the community involved. “As people who live in the township, we know the criminals, where they live and where they operate. “We know them better than law enforcement. So who better to help with the safety and security than the community?” She said partnerships between the safety and security directorate, the department of sport, recreation, arts and culture, and the expanded public works programme, as well as her department should find solutions to reward the youth to be their eyes and ears, and in doing so create jobs while improving the townships’ safety.

Bay Tourism chair Shaun van Eck also believes community involvement should stretch beyond the safety of tourists while offering visitors an immersive township experience. Speaking during the indaba, Van Eck suggested a move to training the community to sell experiences rather than locations. “Internationally, we have seen tourists become more interested in smaller, more intimate and immersive experiences, especially due to the impact of Covid-19. “People generally want fewer crowds and big attractions. “They want the local community to tell their stories, or a one-on-one experience with the chef making their food, and they want to feel part of the experience.” Van Eck said one of the goals would be to give a tourist “that selfie moment”, effectively turning their social media into the townships' own marketing platform. “There were a lot of ideas shared and I believe community engagements, like this indaba, are crucial for everyone to raise their concerns, voice their opinions and tell us what it would take for people to become involved and take a sense of hope and pride from the township tourism we want to promote,” he said. “There is endless potential in these communities, we just need to tap into it.”