As part of the on-going Tourism Month celebrations, MEC Maruping Lekwene has called on women across all spheres of society to start businesses and make use of opportunities in the tourism industry. Following his visit to Upington on Thursday, Lekwene acknowledged the high level of poverty and unemployment experienced in the province and confirmed that more funds will be directed to programmes aimed at creating job opportunities and assisting entrepreneurs. He told OFM News that despite allocating R24 million to the Northern Cape Tourism Authority for the 2019/20 fiscal year to promote the province as a competitive tourist destination, more still needs to be done to market the province and ensure that the most vulnerable members of the society benefit.

He added that the department will continue to play a role in improving products and experiences in historically disadvantaged communities to unlock Township Tourism Economy and fast track transformation in the tourism sector through projects such as the Galeshewe activity and Upington 26 routes amongst others.

Lekweng further alluded that the Kimberley Diamond Cup has been recognised as one of the sporting codes by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that from 5 to 8 December the province will be hosting the Kimberley Diamond Cup (KDC), which will be a festival of extreme sports.

“The economic impact of the KDC is estimated at R53 million year-on-year over a three-year period at a cost of R27 million per annum”.

Lekweng has further explained that with the department’s budget for this current financial year, they plan on assisting about 125 tourism enterprises, with both financial and non-financial support, of which 50 will be owned by young people in the province.

OFM News