North West Business 2019 edition

OVERVIEW
Enterprise Development supported four small tourism businesses
in attending the 40th International Tourism Fair in Belgrade, Serbia.
The business owners of TK Afrofist, Thuto Jewellery Workshop,
Borobalo Diamonds and Polishing Centre, and A Re Bopeng
Ceramics rubbed shoulders with participants from more than 20
countries including Russia and Turkey. All four made sales.
Sun City is far from being the province’s only conference venue.
Tourism North West lists on its website a range of venues from small
guesthouses with conference facilities in towns such as Rustenburg
and Brits to lodges on the banks of the Hartbeespoort Dam.
In the provincial capital, Mahikeng, there are several options:
among them are the Mmbatho Palms Hotel Casino Convention
Resort, part of the Peermont group, which has hotels and casinos
in six of South Africa's provinces. The Mmabatho Palms offers eight
gaming tables and slot machines. Gaming is controlled in South
Africa and licences are restricted to certain operators.
Mahikeng also hosts the Protea Hotel and the Mmbatho
Convention Centre (the main auditorium of which can seat 3 000
people). The Hotel School can accommodate up to 200 people.
Most of the luxury lodges in the province can accommodate
conferences, albeit on a smaller scale.
Tourism strategies
In keeping with an emphasis on developing the economies of small
towns and rural areas, a Rural and Social Tourism strategy is being
developed.
Among other provincial plans is a publication to be produced
by the National Department of Tourism to market the province,
particularly to attract potential tourists in SADC countries, in other
parts of Africa and in BRICS countries China, India, Russia and Brazil.
Related to the SADC theme, is a scheme to develop trans-national
routes that would include sites such as Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Direct flights are being contemplated to BRICS countries.
The Mahika-Mahikeng Cultural Festival continues to grow in
popularity. Arts and culture development centres (Mmabana
ONLINE RESOURCES
Aardklop National Festival: www.aardklop.co.za
Marico Tourism: www.marico.co.za
North West Development Corporation: www.nwdc.co.za
South African National Parks: www.sanparks.co.za
Tourism North West: www.tourismnorthwest.co.za
Centres) are found in three of
the province's districts. Twelve
public museums have been
identified together with 400
heritage sites as part of a census
on the province's cultural assets.
Taung is the site of the
first discovered fossil of
Australopithecus africanus.
The North West Development
Corporation has an investment
plan linked to this famous site,
involving a museum, hotel and
spa resort. The Vredefort Dome
is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site for its significance as the
landing site of a meteorite many
millions of years ago.
Adventure sports is a growing
section of the tourism sector.
Hot-air ballooning over the
Pilanesberg mountains is a popular
pursuit, as is quad-biking
among the foothills. Canopy
tours in the Magaliesberg are
on offer and there are ample
opportunities for water lovers
at Hartbeespoort Dam,
Bloemhof Dam, Boskop Dam
and Vaalkop Dam.
The strategy of the North
West Parks and Tourism Board
(NWPTB) includes ramping up
investment in the province’s
12 smaller parks with a view
to creating jobs in the second
economy. An investment of
R43-million has been made in
the Manyane Game Lodge in
Mahikeng in partnership with
the National Department of
Tourism. Another project
plans to create a mega-park
in the north-western sector
of the North West, the
Heritage Park.
45 NORTH WEST BUSINESS 2019