"BEFORE 1994, Soweto people put up signs saying 'No Whites Allowed' and now it's open to everyone," joked Johannesburg Mayor, Isaac Mogase as he pre-empted the announcement that busloads of local white tourists would be taken on a tour to Soweto for free every day for the duration of the Discover Johannesburg 2000 exhibition, held over the Heritage Day weekend from September 22-26.
Mogase was guest speaker at the opening of the exhibition, held at the Randburg Waterfront to coincide with Tourism Month, and organised by Tourism Johannesburg, the Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA), 94.7 Highveld Stereo and Johannesburg's Big Five Destinations.
Soweto is being pushed this year as the top destination in Johannesburg, supported by GTA statistics that up to 1 000 tourists a day, visit the township. Gold Reef Guides buses undertook several free trips a day to the colourful township of Soweto for the duration of the exhibition.
GTA's chief executive officer, Sylvan Golden, said that it was important for locals to visit Johannesburg and Gauteng's attractions as 60% of international tourists to South Africa arrive in the country to visit family and friends.
"If we as locals don't know about these places, how can we expect international visitors to come here?"
He also praised the Soweto Tourism Safety Organisation, established by local youth volunteers to patrol the areas frequently visited by tourists and keep them crime-free.
South African Tourism (Satour) and the GTA donated R100 000 and R50 000 respectively to sponsor the exhibition, held to market Johannesburg as a leading SA tourism destination.
(Adéle Mackenzie)
