[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) is pulling out all the stops as South Africa celebrates the sixth annual Tourism Month in September. The theme for this year's Tourism Month is: "To Travel is to See", and the initiative is driven by South African Tourism, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), provincial tourism bodies and the tourism industry. The annual Tourism Month campaign is aimed at promoting domestic tourism.

The objectives are to create awareness of available opportunities, mobilise South Africans to travel and explore their own country, create a friendly and safe environment for tourists and mobilise the people of Gauteng in preparation for the Earth Summit and beyond.

Initiatives include the national launch of Tourism Month at the beginning of September, an intense media campaign aimed at making both the media and consumers aware of the value of tourism, a national competition and lastly World Tourism Day (September 27) which will be hosted by the Eastern Cape.

The GTA will use this month as a launch pad for community awareness and it expects that this will ensure provincial mobilisation in preparation for the World Summit, set to take place in Johannesburg next year.

The GTA has also entered into partnership with Arts Alive and Heritage Month in order to showcase the rich cultural diversity that the province has to offer.

Arts Alive Heritage/Tourism Month 2001 boasts an impressive line-up of cultural entertainment and activities, including a fine selection of arts and crafts on display at the Electric Workshop (Newtown Cultural Precinct) and world class music and dance acts.

The spirits of Jazz greats like Sophiatown's Kippie Moeketsi and West Nkosi will light up the city in The Sixth Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival, to be held at the Market Theatre Precinct in Bree Street (Newtown Cultural Precinct).

This year's Joy of Jazz Festival has attracted international artists like the New Orleans All Stars, Gerald Albright and Diane Schuur (United States), Keiko Matsui (Japan), Annie Whitehead (Britain) and Fra Fra (Netherlands), among others. These artists will perform alongside the likes of the legendary Hugh Masekela, Dolly Rathebe, Ray Phiri and others. This interchange of talent and musical styles looks set to spark a memorable month's cultural celebrations throughout the arts.

Apart from these Arts Alive events a number of other activities have been planned for the month:

1-3 September 2001
Tourism Month Bus - The Road Show

A specially branded Tourism Month mini-bus will be travelling through Gauteng from the 1-3 September 2001, and will return to Gauteng on the 30 September 2001 for a Kwaito festival in Alex. The crew of the bus will be interviewing people along their journey and will encourage ordinary South Africans to share their tourism stories and experiences. The programme will be as follows:

30 August 2001
National Arbour Day Celebrations: Watville, Benoni

09h00 - 12h00
National Arbour Day will be commemorated by the national Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council. The focus will be on the planting of a forest in recognition of those who have made and are making a difference in their communities. It is hoped that the Tambo Forest will eventually become a tourist attraction at which visitors will be invited to plant a tree.

1 September 2001 - Street Carnival & Parade: Johannesburg CBD

09h00 - 12h00 (The Route)
The Carnival will begin at the Johannesburg Athletic Stadium at 9 o'clock. It will move down Wolmarans St. into Harrison St. and then into Jeppe St. It will proceed straight down Jeppe into Newtown Cultural Precinct at approximately 12 o'clock.
Carnival after Party: Newtown Cultural Precinct

12h30 - 16h00
Tourism Month Bus Squad to participate at the Carnival after Party.

3 September 2001 - Pretoria/Tshwane/Marabastad

0900 - 12h30
Tourism Month team to kick-off with brief morning visit to Church Square, Pretoria, where they will perform a play and sing the special tourism month song. Thereafter the team will go on a visit of Marabastad and the Union Buildings.

30 September 2001
Tour of Hector Peterson Memorial Museum & Alex Kwaito Bash

09h00
The Tourism Month team will undertake a special tour of the Hector Peterson Memorial as part of the Minister's request that community projects be showcased.

11h00 - 19h00
Alex Kwaito Bash & Tour of Alexandra Township

In partnership with Arts Alive and Heritage Month, this Tourism Month event brings together all the major Kwaito groups in one festival. Tourism Month team to participate in celebrations after which tour of Alex will be undertaken. To create awareness of these and other activities the GTA will be undertaking a promotional campaign at Johannesburg International Airport. Various other activities have also been planned by local publicity associations and regional tourism offices.

For information on these, please contact your local tourism centre. Also remember to visit the Tourism Month website at www.southafrica.net for updates and information on the 'Share South Africa Challenge".

Contact: Jacques Stoltz at (011) 340-9000

Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government, 4 September 2001