Single tourism team for Western Cape

A MEMORANDUM of understanding was signed on Tuesday between the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town to form a single body that will market the city and regions of the Western Cape. The Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) has been set up as a section 21 company operational from July 1, 2003. A 12 member board nominated by the industry will be appointed for a period of 12 months to drive the transitional process and appoint a ceo who will in turn develop the organisational structure. Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Tourism and Gambling, Johan Gelderblom said: "The creation of the DMO will help eliminate the fragmentation, duplication and under-utilisation of tourism resources and organisations and will address problems such as seasonality. It will also provide growth opportunities in order to effect transformation in the industry." The province and city were at pains to stress that this will be a real and active partnership, not just a bond formed by ink on paper. It is expected that the DMO will be renamed in the next few months and a new brand for the city and province launched by September. (Jo Marshall-Smith)