BALLITO TOURISM - THE WAY FORWARD – TALK AT HIRSCH BALLITO
Hirsch Ballito was the venue for a talk by Peter Rose, Chairman of the UMHLANGA TOURISM CTO (community tourist organisation) for The past 10 years, on the way forward for tourism in Ballito and the Ilembe area. Over 60 people who are all involved in tourism in some way in the Ballito/Ilembe area attended the Brunch.
Last year Peter was elected unopposed as CTO Chairman of the eThekwini region which comprises 9 CTO’s. (the Chair-keeping position is voluntary and unpaid) and he stressed that it’s up to the private sector to promote tourism wherever they are. “The CTO should not only be seen as comprising a large established body of tourism players, but should also comprise all sectors in the tourism industry. CTO’s are run by the private sector and they organise and run functions to help promote tourism in any area.” He said. He pointed out that the CTO’s draw up a set of regulations that are up to speed, and establish a link between communities, the private sector and government.
He said that members of the CTO pay a nominal fee to join, and it was in their interests to do so to help increase tourism in their area. The CTO in Umhlanga has grown from have 30 members in 2005 to over 700 this year and they now have a thriving web site with over 250,000 hits a month. “The power of tourism is in your hands. You need to drive it. It must be headed by a tourism business owner. The role of the CTO must be of economic benefit to the whole community.” He stressed.
Grant Pringle, the Managing Director of Izulu Hotel said that Ballito were in the process of setting up a CTO with guidancefrom the municipality and a fair amount of progress has been made. Interested parties should contact Grant on 032 946 3444.
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