New Brighton Tourism Development Agency launched at Wine Fest
27 September 2010
The New Brighton Tourism Development Agency was formally launched on Heritage Day at the Red Location Museum in New Brighton to the chink of wine glasses.
“It’s fitting that we mark this as inception day for the New Brighton Tourism Development Agency. Today we celebrate the rich culture and heritage that makes South Africa such an invigorating place to live. But history and the present must always coincide to create a future and that is what we hope to do with this initiative,” said Mike Pantsi, chairperson of the new agency.
Local councillor Jimmy Tutu endorsed the project saying it would give the people of New Brighton the chance to supplement Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism’s work and market their own history.
“Tourism is not something for far away, it has to be in line with people. We met with those spearheading this campaign to come up with ideas on how best to promote New Brighton, which is home to one of the oldest and most historical townships in South Africa, the Red Location,” said Tutu. “We decided there was a need to promote New Brighton as the rich, cultural hub it is.”
The concept of a New Brighton Tourism Development Agency was shelved for a couple of years, but was resurrected as momentum for the New Brighton Wine Festival began to build.
“We felt that if a wine festival can be a success in Soweto – and there is also a Soweto association which supports tourism – why not in New Brighton,” explained Pantsi. “The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Tourism Master plan states that the community must be involved in tourism.
“We wish to mobilise our community to see tourism as an industry that can create jobs, save historical knowledge and create links to a global community. These international links in turn can have a ripple effect and impact lives of those benefiting from tourism initiatives.”
Given the fact that tourism is one of the most lucrative, fast-growing segments of the global industry and an important contributor to the South African economy, members of the new agency feel the time is nigh to bring more tourism into the townships. Pantsi emphasized that more often tourists are looking for an authentic experience of real life and that the townships can offer that and more.
The aims of the new organisation are to promote inter-cultural relations, mobilise the community to take ownership of tourism potential in their area, generate economic spin-offs from tourism, establish a sense of pride in New Brighton’s history and build partnerships with the community and municipality.
“The mandate should be to market and manage the destination of the metro townships, all offering a different range of experiences. New Brighton is Ekasi, the melting pot of Nelson Mandela Bay offering it all,” said agency secretary general Mncedisi Mvinjelwa.
The structure would work with and complement Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism acting as foot soldiers of NMBT to promote tourism in the townships, not just in New Brighton, but also in the rest of the city, said agency officials.
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