Teaching youngsters the value of tourism
In order to demonstrate to students the importance of tourism to the local economy and its link to every business in the Overberg, SA Forest Adventures has launched the “Local Adventure Tourist” campaign.
Over the next two months, 300 youngsters from local schools in the Hermanus suburb of Zwelihle will be taken on a ziplining adventure, a first-time experience for many.
For most of these youngsters, this will be their first introduction not only to an adventure activity but also to the reasons why tourists visit the region. After ziplining, the learners are given a short debrief on the value of tourism, the impact it has on the economy, how income from tourism filters into basically every aspect of society, and why it is important to understand this.
“The tourism sector is the saving grace of the South African and the local economy. Too often, we assume that everyone automatically understands the impact that tourism has. We are on a drive to educate the youth on the value of tourism as well as the potential job opportunities within the sector,” said Clinton Lerm, the owner of SA Forest Adventures.
Once local Hermanus learners have been given the opportunity to participate, Clinton will extend the campaign to the other five sites that the company operates.
“We would also like to call upon other activity providers or tourism educators to become involved. This, for us, is only the first step in securing smiles and memories for an estimated 2 000 kids in the region, while providing information on the tourism sector,” added Clinton.
Interested schools are welcome to email Clinton Lerm (clinton@saforestadventures.co.za) if they would like to enrol their learners for a free adventure experience.