|
Tourism
|
Tourism Sector
Tourism figures are largely incorporated into Trade and Transport.
It is estimated that about 80% of tourist visitors to the Capricorn district are South
Africans. More than half of these are from Gauteng and about 44% from within Limpopo.
An estimated 14% of all foreign tourists into the district are predominantly from
Zimbabwe and Europe, with a smaller proportion from the USA. Business and conference-related
activities are the main travel motivations for 82% of visitors in Capricorn (M Gardner, 2003).
Capricorn serves as a provincial tourism gateway for Limpopo. It is situated between Gauteng and
the Northern areas of Limpopo and between the North Western areas and the Kruger National Park.
It is a gateway to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The district boasts a number of Natural
Heritage Sites such as Brackenhill and Goedehoop, Makgabeng Rock Art and the ZCC pilgrimage (Moria).
Capricorn is considered to have a high rate of tourists influx wherein demand is higher than supply.
Polokwane is the tourism Mecca of the district. The City of Polokwane is endowed with a casino, museums,
shopping facilities, art gallery, cultural village facilities, and nature reserves. The Polokwane
Municipality also boasts a good supply of accommodation establishments and an inter-modal transportation system.
The City of Polokwane is also one of only few host cities of the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup to be held in South
Africa between 11 June and 11 July 2010. Domestic tourists are expected to stay an average of 2 nights each
with an average spend of R750 per day while international tourists are expected to stay an average of 16
nights with an average spend of R1400 per day. It is expected that Polokwane will easily draw visitors
from neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe during this time. Although attracting
40000 plus people, about 19 900 people will require accommodation during this period as 70% of the tourists
are expected to stay with friends and relatives. The present supply of beds in Polokwane is 15% of required
19 900 beds - presenting a brilliant investment opportunity in the hospitality and tourism industry!
The tourism potential of the district is also evident in municipalities such as Molemole and Lepelle-Nkumpi
and Blouberg. Blouberg has two nature reserves - Malheur and Blouberg Nature Reserves. In Lepelle-Nkumpi
there is the Zebediela Citrus - one of the largest citrus farms in the Southern Hemisphere as well as the
Wolkberg Wilderness which consists of 40 000 hectares of almost pristine Afromontane grasslands, indigenous
forests and spectacular mountain scenery and clean running steams and rivers. Molemole has the Tropic of
Capricorn stopping point on the N1 which includes the Motumo Trading Post and the agricultural region
around Mogwadi - well known for its annual potato festival. The Aganang Municipality has developed a
Tourism Development Plan which seeks to position it as cultural / heritage centre for domestic tourists.
The following strengths and weaknesses were identified through a rapid appraisal of the tourism sector (Summit, 2007):
| Strengths |
Weaknesses
|
- Business tourists (Public sector, mining growth, agriculture and business opportunities -MICE - city focus
- Retail and services hub - city focus
- International airport - city focus
- Moria ZCC - rural focus
- Unique cultural diversity + Culture (Tours, Heritage, Diversity) - rural focus
|
- No functional tourism centre;
- Transport shuttle services - urban focus;
- Shotgun marketing instead of niche marketing + brand confusion - urban;
- Tourism signage - rural focus
- Route development and accessibility - rural focus
- Lack of available communications systems I.e. e-mail, internet , phones;
- No 4 X 4 cars for hire - Tour operators;
- Lack of skills and training
- Lack of service standards
- Tourism awareness
- Crime
- Lack of coordination for marketing of products and other programmes/initiatives
- Lack of entertainment facilities (e.g. night life)
|
Click Here to View Limpopo Tourism
|
|
|
