TOURISM MONTH - HUNDRED EXPERIENCES IN NELSON MANDELA BAY

Ms Mandlakazi Skefile, Chief Executive Officer of Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism

Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) in collaboration with Eastern Cape Parks (ECPTA) as well as Economic Development and Recreational Services: Agriculture and Tourism joined forces to promote tourism month alongside a new tourism activity in the destination being the “Hop On Beer Route”. Promoting and creating awareness of the activities taking place in tourism month through the experience of an opportunity created in the industry is a practical example of opportunities that are created in the tourism industry.

During the month of September there were a series of activations and events that took place in Nelson Mandela Bay for locals, stakeholders and visitors to participate in allowing them to immerse themselves in the tourism culture of the destination. Activities included events, public lectures on related tourism and hospitality topics, industry dialogues, South African National Parks week as well as sporting an cultural events to name a few.

We encouraged everyone, especially during September to get out there and explore Nelson Mandela Bay and to experience the energy and essence of the destination through the hundreds of experiences available.

The theme for Tourism Month 2015 and World Tourism Day which took place on the 27th September each year was announced by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities”. The aim behind the message as shared by UNTWO is to raise awareness amongst decision makers and the general public of tourism’s global socio-economic impact and its capability to drive positive change in countries, communities, and ultimately people’s lives across the world.

The Department of Tourism celebrated the 2015 Tourism Month with the theme “A million new experiences are a Sho’t left away. South African Tourism modified the global theme to make it more applicable to the domestic campaign in South Africa. The theme presented an opportunity to highlight the economic impact of each tourist that partakes in those million experiences. These include;

• Economic upliftment
• Job creation
• Investment in infrastructure and the implications of this on domestic tourism and ultimately the economy.

During Tourism Month the objective was to create an increase in the awareness and travel of South Africans in our own country and also the awareness of tourism real estate for locals and visitors on Nelson Mandela Bay. It is all about introducing locals to the exciting, affordable and attractive attractions available to them on their own doorstep.

Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism has a tool which makes it easy to explore the destination. This is the Nelson Mandela Bay Pass that is a smartcard access card which provides you with free admission to a variety of attractions and activities in Nelson Mandela Bay. These include amongst others museums, game reserves, scuba diving, art galleries, sightseeing tours and many more. It also entitles you to some great discounts at selected stores for shopping, activities, entertainment and more. The Nelson Mandela Bay Pass offers flexibility, convenience, variety and savings.

When purchasing a NMB Pass you get a smartcard as well as a free guide book to all the offers available. The card, when valid, gives you access to the offers as advertised in the guide. Be sure to get your Nelson Mandela Bay Pass and discover all the excitement that Nelson Mandela Bay has to offer. Simply show or transact your pass and receive the special offers available at the participating facilities. The more you see the more you save! Not only do you save while exploring the destination, but you get to create opportunities whilst doing so.

Through the exercise of locals getting out there and enjoying the attractions locals are contributing great amounts to the tourism economy provincially and locally and therefore also increasing job creation opportunities. Tourism Month created awareness and illustrated how domestic tourism contributes to the lives of the communities in South Africa.

The UN World Tourism Organization launched this year’s World Tourism day campaign highlighting the transformative potential of billion tourists. Should we all have the same goal and speak with one voice, tourism has the ability to drive change, increase development provide experiences and create millions of jobs in order to build sustainable societies to live, work, visit and play.

Tourism has the potential to drive change in countries, provinces, towns, villages, communities and ultimately the lives of all people across the globe for greater socio-economic outcomes for all destinations.