Lubombo brings three countries together

THE tourism ministers of South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland officially launched the Lubombo Tourism Route at Indaba on May 6. The new route comprises three circuits which traverse southern Mozambique, eastern Swaziland, Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu Natal. The three routes – Coastal Adventure Route, Mountain Route, and Ezulwini Valley Route – take in some of the best natural attractions of the area, including mountains, rivers, abundant wildlife and diverse cultures. The development of the route has been several years in the making and several joint initiatives between the three countries through the Lubombo Spatial Development Intiative have helped make the route a reality. These include the dropping of visa restrictions between the three countries; the development of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs); and a joint commitment to develop and improve regional tourism infrastructure and product. The ministers added that the Lubombo Route brings the region closer in terms of co-operative preparation for the 2010 World Cup. “We are delighted with the progress made with the route so far, but understand that there is still a long way to go,” said South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk. “We have provided support with infrastructure and marketing through our tourism marketing agencies. It is now critical that the private sector also begins to play a more direct role in the marketing of the region and the identified routes will provide a strong platform for this.” Input will now be sought from the private sector and the local and international tourism industry. Following that, phase two will see a steering committee developed to develop a framework for managing the route. Darren Sandras (darrens@nowmedia.co.za)