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Madame Programme Director,
Your Worship The Mayor of Rustenburg - Honourable Mabe,
Kgosi Nyalala Pilane,
Mrs. Sybil Matlou - Chairperson of the Board,
Prof Melville Saayman - Chairperson of the Marketing Advisory Committee of the Board,
Mr. Paul Daphne CEO of the Board,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished Guests.

INTRODUCTION

It is indeed an honour and a privilege for me, to address this very important gathering, the 2nd Annual Marketing Lekgotla. I have been reliably informed that as a result of marketing challenges faced within the tourism industry in this Province, the Board and industry resolved in 1999 to convene on an annual basis, this Marketing Lekgotla to evaluate performance with regard to the implementation of the Strategic Marketing Plan Tourism 2001.

I have also been advised that this Strategic Marketing Plan is part of the implementation of the Tourism Master Plan of the Province formulated and adopted by the Executive Council of the North West Provincial Government in 1999. The Master Plan articulates key strategic policy issues that inform and dictate the growth of the Provincial Tourism Economy.

The central objectives as encapsulated in the Strategic Marketing Plan are to increase the market profile of the North West Province as a preferred tourist destination. It is also our objective to increase the North West Province market share, both within the domestic and international tourist markets.

In 1999, we launched at Sun City the Strategic Marketing Plan and subsequently implemented some of the key programmes. The first priority has been the branding of the Province as the "Heritage destination of South Africa." Such heritage cuts across the historical, cultural and our natural resources of this Province.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

The market profile of the Province has been increased through an aggressive media campaign. We have also been successful in creating market visibility especially as demonstrated both during the Indaba and World 2006 bidding processes. The Pilanesburg 20 year celebration in 2000 provided a climax to our efforts of popularising the North West Province as a preferred tourist destination but also sustaining its brand both within the domestic and international tourists markets.

The launch of the Domestic Marketing Campaign in Taung on 24 August 2000 has been a major highlight of our marketing efforts. We remain the only Province in South Africa that gives due recognition to the domestic market as a key component of our tourism industry. We have also given recognition to the critical importance of research in informing our marketing efforts. We have commissioned KPMG to do a Domestic Market Survey targeting both Gauteng and the North West Provinces in this regard. It is our intention to increase our research capacity within the Board so as to ensure that research underpins all our marketing initiatives and efforts.

KEY STRATEGIC ISSUES

Madame Programme Director, I am indeed encouraged by these positive developments. I would like to assure this marketing Lekgotla of my total endorsement of this marketing partnership between Government and tourism business in the North West. It remains my commitment to ensure that the Board delivers on the objectives of the Strategic Marketing Plan Tourism 2001.

The process of transforming the Tourism industry should be fast-tracked. The involvement of black people both as tourists and owners of tourism products or services should be a major priority this year. I call upon tourism business in the Province to support this process, as it is fundamental to the future of the industry in this Province.

Madame Programme Director,

The resuscitation of scheduled flights between Johannesburg and Mafikeng is also central to our marketing efforts. This includes the upgrading of the customs infrastructure at the Pilanesburg International Airport. These developments will enhance our capacity to increase our share both within the domestic and international tourist markets. The packaging of products and services within branded routes must be encouraged. I am indeed supportive of the branding and themeing of routes in this regard, as it provides the necessary co-operation and high yields in terms of joint marketing. I also believe that the process of co-operative marketing both with the heritage and treasure routes must be aggressively pursued by the product owners and service providers.

The Board will continue to provide various marketing platforms for product owners and service providers in the Province. As a matter of priority, I call upon all product owners and service providers to capitalise on all these opportunities.

Madame Programme Director,

As part of the transformation process, black business within the industry in this Province will be financially assisted to participate at the forthcoming Indaba Exhibition in Durban. I furthermore call on all industry role players to fully participate at this year's exhibitions as part of the efforts to realise our marketing objectives. I also would like to commit the Board to make a contribution towards the revival of Mafikeng, the capital of the Province. The establishment of the Mafikeng Marketing Forum must be commended. Priority focus should be given to marketing Mafikeng as both a historical and cultural heritage destination of the Province.

I am disappointed that North West Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents is not functional following the Board's facilitation of its formation last year. I call on the industry to address this issue as a matter of urgency. A planning meeting has been scheduled for the 9th of March 2001 in Potchefstroom in this regard.

Madame Programme Director,

A report on the marketing activities undertaken this year will be tabled later. I invite all members of the Lekgotla to interrogate this report and raise those issues that must be addressed. This is critical in deepening our partnership. Furthermore, the following reports will be provided:

The Tourism Account of the Province,
The Domestic Marketing Survey and
The Domestic Marketing Campaign reports.

These reports constitute part of the efforts by the Board to address those issues contained in the consensus views document adopted at last years Annual Tourism Lekgotla. A presentation by Big 9 Corporation will be made with regard to the translocation of Information Technology Infrastructure within the 4 Tourism Information and Development Centres. This infrastructure will enhance the Tourism Information Development Centre capacity in providing a marketing platform for all product owners/service providers in this Province. I would like all members of the Lekgotla to support this initiative and participate jointly with the Board in this regard.

MAJOR CHALLENGES

Madame Programme Director,

Despite all these positive developments, it is my considered view that the key issues as contained in the Strategic Marketing Plan must be addressed. These include the following:

The report on the performance of the tourism industry in the Province must quantify the achievements in particular with reference to the number of jobs created, the contribution of the industry to the Geographic Growth Product of the Province and the revenue value of the tourism industry. The compilation of the Tourism Account by the Board must be commended.

The Domestic Marketing Campaign must be jointly driven by the Board and industry. The campaign aims at entrenching a culture of tourism in the Province. It is about mobilizing the market especially the Living Measures Standards 6 bracket towards our products and services in the Province.

The partnership between the Board and industry is very central in penetrating this market.

We need also to have joint cooperative marketing programmes. The need to attract key events to the Province must be jointly pursued and must constitute a key priority area of focus for this year.

I will be appointing a Task Team to investigate the issue of the Marketing Partnership Fund so that effective re-sourcing of the marketing efforts and campaigns can be addressed.

And we must also deepen our marketing partnership with Satour and other Provincial Tourism Authorities especially Gauteng, Free State, Northern Province and Northern Cape with regard to both international and domestic marketing. The report by the Board to the next Lekgotla must reflect the actual work done in this regard.

CONCLUSION

The need to deepen our marketing partnership cannot be over emphasized. Tourism has been identified as a priority sector in this Province given its potential to create jobs and offer empowerment opportunities especially to Small Medium and Micro Enterprises and also promote investment into the Provincial Economy. It is time that we demonstrate through action that this industry can address the socio-economic challenges facing the Provincial economy. I call upon all role players to work together in all the endeavours of growing the Provincial Tourism Economy.

As we review and develop Tourism 2005 Strategic Marketing Plan at the next Lekgotla, we need to see the kind of results that justifies the marketing investment from both Government and industry in making the North West Province the 4th preferred destination in South Africa.

Thank you

Issued by: Office of the MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, North West, 22 February 2001