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Mpumalanga Business 2017 edition

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Mpumalanga Business 2017 is the seventh edition of this highly successful publication that has since its launch in 2008 established itself as the premier business and investment guide to Mpumalanga Province. Supported and utilised by the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA), Mpumalanga Business is unique as a business journal that focuses exclusively on Mpumalanga.

OVERVIEW by the

OVERVIEW by the provincial government and is part of a transfrontier project with its Swaziland neighbour. Covering 49 000 hectares, the park is home to large numbers of animals (white rhinos among them) and at least 1 400 species of flora, including rare cycads. The south-eastern region of Mpumalanga is for nature-lovers. The many large lakes in the region attract birds and frogs, and tourists willing to spend money looking for both. Chrissiesmeer is South Africa’s biggest freshwater lake. Further north, and closer to Johannesburg, the Loskop Dam is one of the biggest lakes in the southern hemisphere. Situated within the Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, the Loskop Dam is suitable for birding and visitors can have the unusual experience of game viewing from a boat. The nearby Loskop Cheetah Sanctuary is popular, while water sports are well catered for throughout the region, but particularly at the huge Witbank Dam. Plant enthusiasts will enjoy seeking out the Lanatus Cycad. The Loskop Dam is another area that is receiving funding for upgrades. The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency has responsibility for the facility and the improvements have been planned for some time. The national Department of Environmental Affairs has set aside R30-million for the project which should reach completion in the course of 2016. The provincial investment agency, MEGA, has packaged a number of tourism investment opportunities that are set out in detail elsewhere in this publication. The underlying principle in each case is a form of public-private partnership where the agency would assist in getting land-use and other legal requirements, and perhaps in seeing that basic infrastructure was laid on, then the developer would build and manage a tourism facility. Projects envisaged include a tourist wheel, a cable car, restaurants and conference facility in Mbombela (Mandela Iconic Eye), the Blyde River Tourism Cluster (a series of developments including a cable car, a hotel, a restaurant and a skywalk) and an International Convention Centre planned for the capital city of Mbombela. Entrepreneurs and awards Tourism entrepreneurs are looking at several trends, includ- MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2017 72

OVERVIEW ing culture and nature-based tourism, adventure tourism and niche tourism. Geological tourism has already been mentioned. Mpumalanga can offer all of these experiences but products have to be developed, so there are opportunities for new businesses. Other niche markets are volun-tourism (whereby young people use holiday time to serve less privileged people), base-jumping and rock climbing, food and wine tourism and the idea of “nano-breaks” or onenight holidays. Mpumalanga is particularly well placed to take advantage of intra-Africa tourism. The Maputo Corridor initiative has already led to improved relations with Mozambique and the potential for cross-border tourism initiatives with neighbouring Swaziland are being explored. The Heritage Project commissioned by the Mpumalanga provincial government showed that the area’s history could present opportunities for a new tourism market. History is already used for marketing Pilgrim Rest and there is a Jock of the Bushveld route that celebrates the fictitious adventures of a loyal hunter’s dog. But the research that the Wits University History Department provided for the Heritage Project showed that there is great potential to grow this sector. The Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) is a Section 21 company that supports tourism entrepreneurship. A “Nelspruit Cluster” of starter tourism companies allows them to network with one another while TEP assists directly with things such as training and marketing. An example of an entrepreneur in this field is former gardener and tour guide, William Hlatshwayo. After spells with Sabi Sabi and with the provincial park authorities of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, he now runs his own business, Crowned Eagle Tours and Safaris. Mpumalanga’s tourism sector regularly provides winners in national award ceremonies. One such is Nomsa Mazibuko of Visit Vakasha Guest Lodge, winner of the Tsogo Sun Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 Award. Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs supports small businesses and the group of 170 entrepreneurs includes 120 owners of guest houses. Mazibuko received a cash prize and a bursary to attend the Tsheto Leadership Academy. The Lilizela Tourism Awards in 2015 provided a host of Mpumalanga winners, from the luxury game lodges (Tintswalo Safari Lodge and Umlani Bush Camp) and operators in the conference sector (Casambo) to camping and caravan parks (Blyde River Canyon Forever Resorts) and tour operators such as Simeliza Tours. Tour guide Raymond Khoza was also an individual winner. The Kruger National Park “Kruger” is an iconic destination that hosts more than a million visitors annually. Its varied terrain of 20 000 square kilometres allows plenty of room for the original Big Five to roam and hundreds of other kinds of animals too. The dry northern part of the park is more remote while the southern part of the park is the most visited section. Kruger offers 15 different conference venues, able to accommodate between 20 and 400 del- 73 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2017

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