Cape looks east to tackle global tourism slump(2)
Winde said a new campaign, “Escape to the Cape – Whatever the Weather”, had been launched to target travellers in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Du Toit Helmbold said: “Part of our domestic strategy is to leverage events as part of a national marketing campaign. There are substantial plans in place to use established events like the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, the J&B Met as well as new lifestyle events like 100 women, 100 wines (a wine competition) to stimulate domestic tourism arrivals.”
Meanwhile, ANC leader in the provincial legislature, Lynne Brown, criticised the DA for the “crisis”.
Yesterday she said the DA must take responsibility “for its part in the tourism crisis” by taking steps now to “rectify its mistakes”.
Brown said the “loss of market share due to funding cuts, the distress of thousands of workers who may lose their jobs, and adverse elitist perceptions deterring visitors from other provinces” were contributors to the industry’s problems.
She said it was “incumbent on the DA as rulers of the province and City of Cape Town to investigate and assess a way forward”.
Brown also recommended the industry open up to black, small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and women-owned businesses.
Winde said the comments were “irresponsible in a time of economic downturn when not only tourism, but all industries, were struggling”.
He also accused the ANC of mixed messages, saying that when he shared a podium with national Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, a different sentiment had been expressed.
Winde said they recently presented 20 SMMEs at the Design Indaba, and that jobs were at the forefront of their objectives.
Additional Reporting by Natasha Prince
