Limpopo addresses provincial challenges

THE Limpopo Department of Finance and Economic Development says that the Tourism Summit which is taking place today at the Ranch Hotel, near Polokwane, is a landmark event, likely to signal a new phase for the industry in Limpopo. "Having consolidated its position in recent years as a leading eco-tourism destination in southern Africa, the province is ready to move a step further up the ladder, and become more competitive in the international tourism market," says MEC Thaba Mufamadi He said that the province still needs to train more tourism guides and sensitise the local population to the important role they had to play, in making foreign visitors feel welcome. "We have been working hard on these aspects, and are well on track to close the gaps that still exist," he explained. Improved communication, more resources for rural venues, and more effective packaging of tours are possible remedies likely to be raised during the workshop sessions. (Lucy Siebert)