Dear Friends in Tourism,
2010 seems to be the year for working hard and doing good business!! Here at Baviaans Tourism, we can hardly believe its March!! We have started on the various projects within the three areas of Baviaans… For the Baviaanskloof, Liezel Hattingh will be working on a book aimed at providing info on the Kloof to visiting travellers. In Willowmore, the Pierre Ferreira Hiking Trail and Historical Graveyard projects are well on their way and in Steytlerville, everyone is looking forward to having the outdoor implement museum upgraded and completed.
However, during the month of February, we were able to present a very successful workshop at Uitspan in the Baviaanskloof. We have started with the distribution of our new Beautiful People brochure, which seems to have everyone talking!! Also keep an eye out for Country Life’s May issue - it will feature an article on our Beautiful People. Pasella even paid a surprise visit to Steytlerville and I’m sure they enjoyed it as much as we did by having them there! To follow up on all publicity for the area, we have also started with Media Monitoring from 01 Feb 10. See below the report for Feb.
Last, thank you to Solly Levi from Knysna whom we appointed to do a craft development feasibly report of the area in February. His report will be discussed at the next Council Meeting in March. We are all looking forward to experiencing just what the Baviaans arts & craft sector is capable of!
Workshop
On 09 Februarie 2010 a workshop was presented by Baviaans Tourism at Uitspan Guest Farm in the Baviaanskloof. Guest speakers from all over the country was invited - thank you for their efforts to travel all the way to Baviaans!! From feedback received from product owners, it was a great success and everyone was able to learn something new on the day.
Here a short update on what was discussed.
1. NOW – National Off Road Workgroup (Speaker: Jaco Venter, National Director)
The National Off-Road Workgroup (NOW) is a representative, not-for-profit umbrella structure (Section 21 Company) with the mandate to promote, strengthen and grow co-regulation within and between the Off-Road sector and Government. The vision of NOW is to " optimize the potential of the off-road sector in Southern Africa to the benefit of all stakeholders in a responsible and sustainable manner"
The 5 key objectives of the Off-Road Co-regulatory strategy:
- To minimise environmental impacts and ensure environmental sustainability.
- To aggressively grow the off-road tourism sector
- To increase the socio-economic benefits generated by off-road activity including the upliftment of communities impacted by the sector
- To create appropriate partnerships between and within the sector and government
- To achieve the strategy through co-regulation within an appropriate legal framework.
Contact person for more info: Jaco Venter: Cell: 0827869858 /
Email :jacoventersa@gmail.com
2. Archeology in Baviaans (Speaker: Johan Binneman, Albany Museum Grahamstown)
It’s was wonderful to listen to Mr. Binneman, explaining once again to us the true value and history of the Sun people in the Baviaanskloof. He once again pleaded with farms owners of farms where san rock art appears and where the lives and history of these tribes are clearly visible, to preserve and treasure the art as much as possible. If owners are thinking of turning it into a tourist attraction, it is important that they contact him to make further arrangements and follow the correct procedures. Another alternative to advertise the rock art would be to take pictures and display them in accommodation options, thus preventing visitors to directly visit these san rock art hot spots. Also, no visitor should be allowed to visit any form of rock art without a tour guide’s presence.
For more information on how to turn the san rock art on your property into a tourist attraction, please contact Johan Binneman:
Tel: 046-6222312
Cell: 0722411528
Email: J.Binneman@ru.ac.za
3. Soccer 2010 in Baviaans (Speaker: Lindi van Rooyen, Baviaans Tourism)
Lindi gave a presentation on what Baviaans Tourism will be doing to attract visitors to the area during the soccer world cup:
The Baviaans is currently being marketed as a destination during the Soccer World Cup (SWC) through various campaigns. These include the Cacadu Seven Wonders campaign and ongoing marketing of the area through the Eastern Cape Tourism Board (ECTB) and Baviaans Tourism.
As many tourism organisations have pointed out though, marketing of the region is an on-going process whereby the area constantly has to be in the spotlight in order to draw a steady stream of visitors. It is essential for a destination to be constantly at the back of the consumer’s mind so that when an opportunity for travel does crop up, you will already have been considered for quite some time.
Baviaans Additional Marketing plans for the Soccer:
- To focus on locals who will want to get away from the rush of the cities. The popular holiday spots will be fully booked for the soccer and so we should try to get these holiday makers to come our way as it is school holiday.
- To contact reputable tour operators and request that they offer tours to the Baviaans as well. (this is for the soccer world cup and long term)
- To send maps and brochures of the area to surrounding areas that will be popular during the SWC.
- Provide possible tour packages - 1, 2 and 3 day tours and market them on our website.
- Link up with car hire agencies – make sure they have maps of our area in their offices/cars. Send tour packages to them as well.
- Launch new updated website.
- An article on the Baviaans will appear in the May issue of Country Life magazine.
4. Tourism in the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve (Speaker: Tracey Potts, Coordinator for Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve)
Tracey gave a brief background on the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve, it’s vision and goals and emphasized again why it is such a special area. She also provided more info on Biodiversity Stewardships and how it works.
Biodiversity stewardship recognises landowners/users as custodians of their land, including the biodiversity and natural recourses.
It is a mechanism that promotes and supports the wise use and management of natural resources and biodiversity, and the ecosystem services they provide, through the form of voluntary legal agreements with private and communal landowners/users.
Biodiversity stewardship sites contribute to protected area expansion and/or biodiversity targets by securing biodiversity features of both immediate and long-term val
Anyone wishing to gain more info on the above, please contact Tracey Potts directly. Tel: 042-2830058 / Cell: 0794967931 /
E-mail: Tracey.Steyn@ecparks.co.za
Media Monitoring – February 2010
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Directly Related Articles
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Date
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Newspaper
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Not Directly Related Articles
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Date
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Newspaper
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Radio Show
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Date
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Radio Station
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Internet
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Date
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Fools rush in….to drifts
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01.02
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Drive Out
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Trapping provides interesting results
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04.02
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George Herald
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Die rit na Onthoustraat
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11.02
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Die Burger (Suid – Kaap
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Mountain Search & Rescue offer 2010 Peace Of Mind
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01.12
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Plett Review
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All the usual suspects – and a few esoteric ones
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15.02
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Star
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Eastern Cape tourism sector
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01.02
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Business Hi - Lite
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Studio Karoo
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01.04
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Gay Pages
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Baviaans & The Hell in 1 Day
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15.02
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Enduro World
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12 plekke waar jy moet kamp!
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01.03
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Wegsleep
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2010 soccer tournament
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19.02
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Grocott’s mail
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01.03
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Bike SA
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Amazing natural richness of seven biomes found in our province
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02.03
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Herald (Morning Final)
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Omgewing gewild onder besoekers
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26.02
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Volksblad
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What’s New?
Beautiful People Brochure
Baviaans Tourism has just released the Beautiful People brochure where local hand made products and the people who make them are displayed. Small and developing businesses are also featured, each with their own unique flavour.
The brochure provides tourists with an alternative route within the Baviaans where the focus is more on its people rather than the surroundings. The personalities are all from disadvantaged backgrounds and for the most, the products are their primary source of income, which often needs to support a whole family.
The brochure was released early this year and is available at the Baviaans tourism offices as well as various product owners.
Tip of the Month
Stories are your greatest asset By Martin Hatchuel
Once upon a time there lived a little country on the southern tip of Africa that tried to eat itself up. When it realised that that wasn’t going to work, though, the different people of the country made friends (although it was difficult at first). And then they all lived happily ever after.
The end.
Bet that got you, huh? It was a real story, with a beginning (go on, admit it: you HAD to find out what happened), a middle, and an end - and it gave you a moment’s diversion, and maybe, just maybe, it also made you think for a second about that little country at the southern tip.
For some time now I’ve been trying to work out what it is that differentiates South Africa as a tourism destination.
- The Big Five? Pah! The Serengeti’s got bigger and fiver.
- Our beaches? Nah: even Australia’s got beaches (and they’ve probably got dinkum babes on them, too).
- Our landscapes? Sorry, everyone’s got a landscape.
- It must be our people then? No again: even the Vatican, the smallest state in the world, has people.
So what could it be? Because those are all the things we’ve been marketing up to now. I’ll tell you: it’s our stories. And I don’t think we’ve even begun to tap into their potential.
This is the most unique country in the world because of its story - which stretches all the way from well before the dawn of modern human behaviour and beyond.
We struggled for democracy and achieved it at enormous cost - and without an actual, you know, civil war.
How can we NOT be unique?
Now here’s a challenge: look at a typical day’s television: sports, documentaries, drama, comedy, tragedy, and (the greatest tragedy of all) reality TV. All wildly popular, right? And what do they have in common? Storytelling. Because everyone loves a story.
Now when you apply that to tourism, I think a whole new paradigm opens up for us. South Africans are natural born storytellers. It’s in our blood. We’ve done it for centuries: for aeons, even. But I think we’re great at passing our stories down amongst ourselves - and we clam up when other people want to listen.
A brief search of the internet reveals a satisfying number of academic studies into story telling in Africa - but only one Story Telling Route (run by Coffee Bean Routes), and a depressingly small library of books of African myths and legends.
And yet at any braai and in any shebeen - and in most homes, I guess - someone will often enough start telling a story that’ll soon have the audience spellbound, and often in stitches. “That’s good!” someone else will cry. “You should be on Television!” Or in tourism. And no, I’m not saying that everyone should be a tour guide. But I cut my teeth in tourism at Featherbed Nature Reserve, where I learned that people want to be entertained in a structured manner, and that the quality of the stories I told directly influenced the quality of the tips I received. And there ain’t no better measure than that...
Every town and every dorp in South Africa has its fascinating places with fascinating stories: I think we need to root them out, dust them off, and present them to our visitors in a much more formal and organised manner than we’ve been doing.
And we need to tell the world that we tell stories. Because that’s what makes us unique.
(Article courtesy of www.thistourismweek.co.za)
Product Owner of the Month
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Lizzy’s Khaya
Tel: 049 835 0341
Vuyolwethu
Steytlerville
1. Briefly describe your establishment and service you offer?
My establishment is situated in the Steytlerville Township of Vuyolwethu. I offer my guests traditional food like roosterkoek, curry bunnies and lamb stews and also do catering.
2. How long have you been in the area?
I have been here for 13 years.
3. What is the best part about living here?
The quietness and peacefulness that Steytlerville has to offer.
4. Describe your family living with you?
I live with my two daughters my son.
5. What do you hope to achieve in the next five years?
I want Lizzy’s Khaya to be bigger and busier than it is now. I would also like to offer accommodation.
6. What activities do you offer?
They can be part of making traditional beer but they need to book in advance.
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Did You Know?
The main road in Steytlerville is wide enough to turn an ox wagon?
European settlement in the Baviaanskloof region commenced in the mid to late 18 century?
The first Mayor of Willowmore was Mr T.E Rintoul and was accompanied by five more coordinates? Mr. Rintoul only managed to hold the position for four months after which he resigned.
Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape is South Africa’s second largest municipality in terms of the area?
Upcoming Events
What: Springbok Safari
When: 14 May
Where: Steytlerville
Contact: Lucia Dorfling on 049 835 0026
What: Andre Swiegers Concert
When: 28 May
Where: Royal Hotel, Steytlerville
Contact: Marli on 049 835 0385
Regular Events
What: Big Screen Rugby
Enjoy the big game on an even bigger screen and inviting venue at the Royal Hotel. Cash bar available and meals can be ordered.
When: All year
Where: Royal Hotel, Steytlerville
Contact: 049 835 0385
What: Sunday Lunch
When: First Sunday of every month. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Where: Steytlerville Villa Guest House
Contact: Call Sean on 049 835 0454
What: Karoo Art Weekends
When: All year on request
Where: Studio Karoo, Steytlerville
Contact: Elwyn on 049 835 0454
What: Advanced and Basic Photography Courses
Join Pine Pienaar for a course on how to use your camera.
When: Monthly
Where: Noorspoort Guest Farm
Contact: 049 835 0001
What: Goose Farming Course
Learn how to raise geese for the feather or meat market.
When: Quarterly
Where: Noorspoort Guest Farm
Contact: 049 835 0001
