Half empty or half full?

Today a new 'local' newspaper - The Highlands News/Nuus - focusing specifically on the Highlands region of Mpumalanga (Belfast, Dullstroom, Leydenburg, Machadodorp, Waterval-Boven, Waterval-Onder and the Elands Valley Conservancy) is distributing their first edition. Among other things, they'll have a strong tourism section with a focus on positive and uplifting messages. This, below, is my contribution to their first edition. We intend collaborating - for the good of the region - going forward. I wish Jacques Loots and Abdullah Vaid highlandsn@gmail.com every success with their venture!

 

Half empty or half full?

 

The SA tourism industry is booming. Statistics reveal we have more visitors to our country than ever before.

 

Last month, and shattering records, over 13 200 people walked through the doors of Durban's 3-day travel and tourism Indaba.

 

This world-class event is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three 'must visit' events of its kind on the global calendar.

2010 is an enormous opportunity with countless benefits. Vast amounts of capital are being injected into infrastructure and it provides a national and international focal point to work towards.

 

There's been some vague, negative mutterings about a bleak post-2010 scenario. Hogwash. 2010 is a mere (but crucial) blip in much larger 10-, 15- and even 20-year tourism development plans.

What about the recent wave of shameful, despicable xenophobia? Let's use this brief 5 minutes in the world spotlight to tell new rainbow nation stories. But more realistic ones - that despite our challenges, we're more committed than ever to succeed as a nation.

Let's make crime a national focus to work towards, and solve. We are a resourceful and creative nation of survivors, thinkers, entrepreneurs.

 

While mining, forestry and agriculture have traditionally driven our economy, they've stripped our resources, ruined the environment and are unsustainable. Tourism is sustainable and has the potential to usurp them all.

Let's zoom into our own backyard – our valley, the Mpumalanga highlands. What are the pros?

For one, we live in paradise.

 

Secondly the Maputo corridor runs right through it. It's one of SA's main arterials, packed with life-giving national and international tourists.

 

We're slap bang in the middle of two international airports. And we're between the economic powerhouses of Gauteng and Nelspruit, Maputo.

We breathe in fresh air every day. We sleep in peace and quite every night, and can marvel at the milky way. Never forget these are special and out-of-the-ordinary experiences for the majority of our planet's inhabitants.

When last have you stopped at any of the national monuments, memorials and battles sites that line many of our roads?

 

Berg-en-Dal, for one, it gobsmackingly impressive, despite the neglect. Sadly it's cracking up and is riddled with weeds. No matter your roots, its a heritage that belongs to all of us. These fascinating stories - our history - are decaying on the sides of our national roads. But they have the potential to create tourism-related jobs in fascinating information centres that tell our stories.

 

Waterval-Boven, my home town and merely one example, has an unused steam train rusting on its tracks and is rattling with ghost stories, among many other opportunities. Both have incredible potential - to attract visitors, create jobs and generate wealth. 

 

Personally, I'm honoured, humbled and grateful to live in this tourism treasure trove. My cup is much more than half full, it's running over.