[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

14 October 2005

Head of Department
Chairperson
Deputy Chairperson
Members of the Board

We are beginning the second decade of democracy with vigour and enthusiasm aiming at ensuring that we do not talk about economic growth and development without taking into consideration our stakeholders and community who are direct beneficiaries of these developments.

Today’s landmark event marks the beginning of a consultative process that will be embarked upon to ensure that we move ahead side by side with our stakeholders to achieve sustainable tourism growth for our province.

We need to recognise support given to us by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and Tourism South Africa in kick-starting the process of putting the Free State on the map during the launch of Tourism Month and Celebrations of Tourism Day.

Their support made it possible for us to implement the commitment we made to the tourism industry and local municipalities during my first meeting with them in August 2005.

Our commitment during that meeting was already setting a tone for the Tourism Authority so that we do not lose focus of what we collectively have agreed upon in taking this industry forward with the necessary speed.

Your inauguration today marks the first step of the implementation to those commitments. You will be the perfect link between the Department and the industry in ensuring that we achieve these commitments outlined by the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS).

The PGDS is a guiding blueprint for all government’s departments and their related agencies. The PGDS provides a strategic direction in addressing the economic and socio-economic challenges that our province is faced with.

Emanating from the strategic document we find the following key priority areas, namely:

* Enhancing economic development and job creation
* Providing and facilitating the sustainable development of infrastructure
* Investing in the development of the people of the province
* Ensuring a safe and secure environment
* Good co-operative governance with the sustainable use of resources and the environment.

In dealing with these priorities we need to focus on tourism as a sector that has potential to contribute immensely to the gross domestic product (GDP).

According to the World Tourism Organisation “tourism is firmly established as the number one industry in many countries and the fastest-growing economic sector in terms of foreign exchange earnings and job creation”.

That is why the Free State Government through the PGDS has highlighted tourism as both key driver and contributor to help address these economic challenges faced by our province.

Ladies and gentlemen, it goes without saying that the mandate put in front of this board is to develop strategies that will ensure that there are tangible transformation results in this industry and further ascertain that there is sustainable development of tourism entrepreneurs.

We would like to see you moving at a rapid pace with these mandates because our current tourism standing has shown a significant decline from 1,6% in the previous years to 0,2% to date.

We can attribute this decline to the following factors:
* Poor marketing of the province
* Lack of synergy between government and the industry
* Unavailability of the tourism authority
* Poor co-ordination between local government and the provincial government

These negative factors affecting tourism growth in our province could clearly be addressed by section 3 (1) of the Free State Tourism Authority Act, 2005 (Act 3 of 2005), which mandates the authority to achieve three important goals, which are:

(i) marketing of tourism
(ii) promotion of tourism; and
(iii) development of sustainable tourism within the province.

Section 4 of the same Act gives the tourism authority powers to execute their functions in a manner that will enable them to monitor, evaluate and ensure the implementation of tourism promotion of the province.

Ladies and gentlemen, with powers given to you, you will be able to address negative factors that have seen us as one of the poorest performing provinces when coming to tourism.

I will call upon you as members of the board to work in concerted efforts with local government and all other relevant stakeholders in ensuring that you achieve your mandate.

Such collaborations will ascertain that we continue to unearth unique and diverse historical, cultural and natural attractions that are abundant in our province.

Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to take this opportunity to wish you good luck during your three years term of office and hope that you will be able to come up with working strategies and programmes that will make our province one of the most competitive tourism destinations in the country.

You have been chosen because collectively we believe that you are the best amongst the rest. You are also collectively perfect to drive the province’s agenda with the urgency it deserves.

Your leadership should provide guidance to both management of the authority and the industry to achieve the provincial mandate as outlined in the PGDS.

Transformation of the industry will be achieved through resilience to take forward government’s legislations unapologetically. The Tourism BEE Score Cards are already in existence and need men and women of your calibre to implement it.

The development of the previously marginalised individuals to take part in this industry needs to be placed high on your agenda.

You will have to expose potential that lies around at local municipalities, polish it and ensure its sustainability towards economic emancipation of our people.

Grading of our facilities to ensure that we add value to our products is crucial as we approach the 2010 FIFA World Cup final and the 2007 SA Games. We cannot afford any negative publicity if we want to promote the province’s competitive advantage as an alternative tourism destination.

Once again good luck on your appointment as board members and you have a full support of my office during the period of your term of office.

I thank you.

Issued by: Office of the MEC for Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affairs, Free State Provincial Government
14 October 2005