Lesser-known difference makers inducted in the Tourism Heroes Club.

Shaun van Eck with award winners (from LtoR): Guy Rogers, Mike Pantsi, Shena Wilmot, Lusanda Fibi (DMB Chair), Ian Miller, Craig van Rooyen.

The Discover Mandela Bay and Partners has inducted 5 people into their Tourism Heroes Club. The awards recognise people for their significant contributions to tourism and the resulting economic impact on almost every business in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“The members of this exclusive club are people for people are not known for the significant impact that they have made on our Metro,” says Lusanda Fibi as the Chairperson of DMB. “These awards brings them to the prominence that they so richly deserve.”   

The first recipient is a wonderful example of this. He and his team make a significant impact on the DMB economy and tourism every year and now he has taken it one step further. Craig van Rooyen of Lifesaving Saving Africa has convened and secured the Lifesaving South Africa National Champs for NMB for the last 9 years. It attracts approximately 2500 traveling people into the Metro annually and brings an estimated 20 000 bed nights per event. He has also secured the bid for Lifesaving SA to host the Lifesaving World Champs 2026 in NMB. This event will bring over 5000 attendees from 75 nations to NMB for 19 days of competition, conferencing and functions in November and December of 2026. It will generate over 93000 bed nights and an estimated economic impact of R384 million.

There are those who complain about safety in our tourism areas and do nothing, and then there are those who roll up their sleeves and act. Ian Miller has thrown himself into making a difference in this vital area of our tourism industry. He is the Chairman of the Summerstrand Neighbourhood Watch. One of his most important roles is to work closely with all of the safety partners, including SAPS, City Wide, Atlas, F-ADT, TacNet and the Metro Police and, ensuring coordination and community impact. His impact on the team spirit of these partners has lead to enhanced motivation and cooperation and many initiatives and arrests have resulted. Wherever there are sponsored CCTV cameras that are monitored 24 hours a day, walkway lights and other safety features being erected, you can be sure that he has had some role in securing them. His role with our beachfront business sponsors, the Chamber cluster and his pride and joy, his 60 voluntary patrollers has contributed to turning around a crisis in tourism numbers and claiming back our beachfront.

Guy Rogers is a passionate contributor to many conservation efforts and products. There are a lot of people that start or get involved in conservation efforts and no doubt make a difference. The secret to creating a major impact with these initiatives is often to get broader public awareness of them and their getting involved at some level. And that is what Guy does. Even as newspapers reduce their editorial staffing, Guy manages to find the time to write thoughtful articles that show great insight and undoubtedly inspire readers to become more aware and involved. As our province becomes know for its tourism and conservation efforts, Guy has become a Tourism Hero to those making a difference and needing the public to become part of their initiatives.

The final 2 Tourism Heroes are people in the tourism industry who have had an enormous impact on tourism for over 2 decades. Mike Pantsi has made a major difference to tourism in NMB for the past 3 decades. He has engaged in a wide variety of activities to make a difference to our township communities. He is a passionate advocate for heritage preservation in NMB and the Eastern Cape. He is a certified professional tour guide and his storytelling on tours is legendary amongst those that he has guided. Mike is passionate about initiatives that stimulate the township economy and promote community-based tourism. His vision emphasizies holistic stakeholder partnerships and intergovernmental cooperation to boost heritage-driven tourism and economic development. He has done work in the Metro for the Roger Federer’s Foundation and his current research job at NMU is expected to deliver meaningful results for the tourism industry now and into the future.

The final person to be recognised as a Tourism Hero was to Shena Wilmot. She is recognised as a true servant leader in tourism. She has been the glue that has held several organisations such as NMBT/DMB and PEMBBA together. That glue is a mix of passion, determination, understanding and a bit of madness. This has included guiding the organisations through COVID and various other very challenging times. She loves this Metro with her whole heart and motivates others to greater passion and action. Her favourite saying is “let this meeting not be like global warming, a lot of hot air and no action. The award recognises of one of the Mothers of tourism in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Shaun van Eck, Project Manager for DMB, believes that these are of the most significant awards in Nelson Mandela Bay. “The Tourism Heroes awards recognise people who make a difference to the local economy and to employment in our Metro and are hardly known to the public and even to our tourism stakeholders,” he said. “The recognition of these individuals, as well as the tourism legends that we include, will inspire others to make a difference and touch the lives of almost every business and person in our Metro.”

The winners join Keith Bowler and Paul Wolff, who brought the Ironman events to NMB and built them to become a premier annual event in the Metro, as members of the DMB Tourism Heroes Club.