Development Update

1. SMME and Youth Development Support

Support to Crafters

We are continuously developing platforms and business connections for SMMEs, taking on the role of facilitator between crafters and shop owners. To date, crafters have displayed their products at 17 KZN South Coast establishments boasting a significant tourist footprint. Surf Boyz Shop at Oribi Plaza, Port Shepstone and Klossiegat Gift Shop in Uvongo are the latest businesses we identified.

Tourist Guides and Tour Operators Association

The Department of Social Development has confirmed that the KZN South Coast Tourist Guides Association was entered into the register on 18 August, with the entity a registered non-profit organisation.

Hospitality Youth Training Programme

This is a programme by the National Department of Tourism (NDT) implemented in partnership with ourselves and the Tourism World Academy. For the programme, 23 youths spent 3 months attending theory training in Margate with a focus on skills for front-of-house departments. Youth have been placed at different local food and beverage outlets to gain work experience before the programme ends in February 2024.

Food Safety Quality Assures (Hospitality) Programme

This is another NDT programme, implemented by ourselves and the Tourism World Academy, with theory training at the SA Red Cross in Port Shepstone in September. A total of 30 youths have been placed at food and beverage outlets from October 2023 to June 2024.

Tourism Graduate Development Programme

We have assisted with the placement of 8 local tourism students at workplaces to gain two-year experience for this KZN Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) programme. We are mentoring 5 students in Ramsgate, Margate Art Museum, and Port Shepstone Maritime Museum. KZN Wildlife has 2 interns, with Umuziwabantu Local Municipality mentoring another student.

TVET College Tourism and Hospitality Students Enhancement Workshop

We partnered with KZN EDTEA for this workshop at Esayidi TVET College, Gamalakhe campus on 18 October 2023. Students were provided with much-needed support as they prepared to enter the job market through internship programmes, permanent employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

2. Rural Tourism Development

Weza Hiking Trail

Umuziwabantu tourist guides are starting to benefit from the Weza Hiking Trail which we launched. Monate Outdoor Activities, a local tour operator, organised its fourth annual spring hiking activity along the trail on 9 September 2023 which we supported. The event, sponsored by Halfway Ford Port Shepstone, was attended by 36 participants from across South Africa.

New Tourism Developments

We introduced the Gamalakhe Township Experience to extend the tourism geographical footprint. Other newly launched activities include Mission Tourism, the Weza Hiking Trail, the Beach-to-Beach Adventure Hike, and the Umzumbe River Trail. We’re currently working on other exciting activities which are set to be launched.

3. Stakeholder Relations

KZN Educators Development Programme

We collaborated with the Department of Tourism, Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA), KZN EDTEA, and the KZN Department of Education to organise the KZN Educators Development Programme on 19 and 20 October 2023 at San Lameer Resort Hotel & Spa. The programme objectives were to empower teachers in tourism and hospitality subjects and update teachers on the industry’s developments.

Local Government Tourism Peer-learning Network

We partnered with NDT, KZN EDTEA, and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to host a local government tourism peer-learning network session at Uvongo Town Hall on 8 and 9 November 2023. The workshop was attended by tourism practitioners from KZN. The objectives were:

To strengthen and enhance the technical capacity of local government tourism / local economic development (LED) practitioners.
Identify and propose areas of government intervention, norms, standards and guidelines.
Create a platform for tourism practitioners from various municipalities to share experiences, best practices, case studies, tourism development models, etc.
Ensure alignment of municipal tourism plans with provincial and national tourism plans.