Positive outcome to Heritage-Tourism Indaba for NMB

Participating in shaping a new direction for heritage and tourism in Nelson Mandela Bay, from left, Discover Mandela Bay project manager Shaun van Eck, executive mayor Gary van Niekerk, Historical Society chair Graham Taylor and MBDA CEO Anele Qaba

Indaba agrees collaboration is way forward for Tourism and Heritage in Nelson Mandela Bay. Heritage and tourism stakeholders in Nelson Mandela Bay agreed today [WEDS 25 OCTOBER] that greater cooperation and dismantling “silos”, along with more action and less complaining, are key to
unlocking the tourism potential of the metro’s unique and diverse heritage.

More than 120 delegates participated in the inaugural Heritage and Tourism Indaba, representing tourism-related businesses and member organisations, heritage and cultural organisations, arts and creative industries, environmental organisations, and government agencies.

Convened by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) and partners, the event at The
Athenaeum in Athol Fugard Terrace, Central, aimed to get role-players working together on a
concrete action plan to protect and preserve heritage assets and restore Nelson Mandela Bay as a
prime tourism destination.

MBDA chief executive Anele Qaba said while heritage assets were under pressure from crime,
vandalism and environmental degradation, the agency had made progress in securing new
partnerships and resources to aid in reversing the decline.

These include agreements with provincial entities to fund creative and film industries “to capture our
unique stories”, and a collaboration “that will unlock pursuit of a large-scale tourism and
conferencing facility,” Qaba said.

NMB Executive Mayor Gary van Niekerk said the MBDA had “taken on a huge responsibility to renew
and revive in Nelson Mandela Bay”, and he looked forward to executable plans and action coming
out of the Indaba.

Van Niekerk said that the value of heritage “cannot be understated” and that the Bay needed to
“brag more” about its unique heritage and the growth of community-based events such as the
Richmond Hill Street Music Festival and Ebubeleni Festival.

Qaba added that plans for redevelopment of the old Boet Erasmus stadium land were being
finalised, along with progress being made in redeveloping Bayworld, and an investment roadshow
would be held before year-end to attract private sector interest in the MBDA’s key mandate areas
and projects.

The MBDA is also moving on commercialisation plans in the NMB Stadium/North End precinct, with
options to be presented to the Council in the coming months.

The St Peter’s precinct will open to visitors before the end of the year, to be packaged for operation
by private industry role-players while ensuring the social connection to old South End is maintained.
Qaba said that a request for proposals had been advertised for prospective operators for a zipline in
the lower Baakens Valley for an “inner-city adventure offering”.

“These reflect the MBDA playing its role as a catalyst and enabler of development, not to hog it for
itself. There is room for economically viable public-private partnerships and joint ventures. Only
when industry and government entities work together will there be change,” Qaba said.

His remarks set the scene for proposals and solutions presented by stakeholders and debated in
breakaway groups.

Key themes and concerns raised by most stakeholders centered on “crime and grime”, along with hindrances to tourism growth in delays and inertia hampering development approvals and implementation of projects. A lack of collaboration across government departments and amongst stakeholder interest groups was also pinpointed as a stumbling block.

Discover Mandela Bay project manager Shaun van Eck highlighted that global trends in tourism
centred on experiences and authentic stories, rather than products and services.

Participants in the indaba highlighted numerous opportunities for authentic tourism experiences
unique to Nelson Mandela Bay, including in the metro’s unique 5-biome status, wildlife both
terrestrial and marine, traditional cuisines and sport.

“Sidelined cultures” including Khoi Khoi, San and Xhosa needed to be elevated in the local cultural
heritage landscape, and the metro’s role in the liberation struggle needed to be leveraged for
tourism, speakers said.

Safe zones where multiple tourist activities and experiences could take place were proposed, as well
as a coordinated calendar of key events.

MBDA senior project manager and Urban Planner Dorelle Sapere said the energy, passion and
willingness to work together committed by the delegates were key takeouts of the day’s discussions.
She said the MBDA would now collate the information and proposals presented for solutions,
develop, and share a database of participants, and engage with local government departments on
driving and fast-tracking proposed solutions.

Sapere said new approaches to cleaning and security in the MBDA’s mandate areas were now in a
pilot phase, as well as engaging with government agencies that own “problem buildings”.
The MBDA would also facilitate linkages with funding for developers of tourism products.

www.mbda.co.za