Ambassodors to boost local tourism
VISITORS to Kouga will not have to look far for tourist information when exploring the beautiful region – whether it is for a day, a weekend or a week.
The Local Economic Development (LED) and Tourism Department of Kouga Municipality, in partnership with local tourism organisations, relaunched the Kouga Tourism Ambassadors Programme at the end of September – training nine local residents from across the region to be tourism ambassadors.
The newly trained ambassadors are Chad Carolus, Ansie De Wet, Amanda Gqotoho, Vuyo Jansen, Zimkhitha Kilimani, Sibabalwe Klaas, Stephanie Kucera, Aidan Roach, Mandla Mahlasela.
“The aim of the programme is to equip local residents, with a passion for tourism and a love for the region they live in, with the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to promote the region to tourists, as well as residents,” said Kouga LED and Tourism Portfolio Councillor, Frances Baxter.
“And by doing so, boost local tourism and local economic development.”
As part of the three-day training session, various tourist attractions, activities and accommodation establishments were visited.
Accommodation establishments visited include Pepper Street Accommodation, Seashells’s Accommodation and Cape St Francis Resort. They also had the opportunity to learn more about the Shell Museum and Fisherman’s Gravesite, while indulging in the honey tasting at Pabala Private Nature Reserve and enjoying a canal cruise in Cape St Francis.
Also, on the to-do list were the Seal Point Lighthouse and St Francis Links.
FICE training, as well as destination and marketing training, were also done.
The ambassadors will assume duty at various events, including during the festive season.
Baxter said the work complements the tourism information offices as not everyone finds time to visit the facilities, with some preferring a more casual manner of sourcing information than approaching offices.
“There is so much to explore in terms of tourism in our area and we welcome any measures that will spread the message on a mass scale,” she said.