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17 September 2007

Oktoberfest Beer Festival is the leading and largest event hosted under the banner of the beer festival that takes place in the City of Munich in Germany every year in September. This event is so popular that it attracts over six million people from Europe and across the world annually.

The MEC for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism Mr Collins Chabane will be leading a high powered delegation, which will include the Mayor of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, Gloria Valoyi from 18 to 23 September 2007, to participate in the 174th Oktoberfest Annual Festival.

The primary aim of this mission is to establish a partnership between the City of Munich and Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, which is the host to our local Annual Marula Festival. This annual festival is currently experiencing growth and attracting tourists from all over the country and beyond; particularly in the Region. The envisage collaboration between the two towns will focus mainly on international marketing, beer brewing technology and collaborative research on Marula bi-products.

"It is the intention of our provincial government to promote the Annual Marula Festival as one of the leading tourism and heritage event in our yearly calendar", said MEC Collins Chabane. Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality is being supported in this regard based on two major reasons:

* it is tourism profile and close proximity to other major tourism destinations including the world's renowned Kruger National Park incorporated within the Greater Limpopo Trans frontier Park which includes Mozambique and Zimbabwe
* to initiate a long term, tourism focused economic driver that aims to substitute mining which is projected to decline in few years to come within the area in creating sustainable jobs.

Enquiries:
Masoga Lehlogonolo
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: 082 463 9755

Issued by: Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Limpopo Provincial Government
17 September 2007