Gooderson DumaZulu Game Lodge and Traditional Village in Hluhluwe, KwaZulu Natal, has given three local crafters space in the lodge’s curio shop to sell their goods, as part of a project to give local people the chance to access the tourist trade.
The project is the result of collaboration between the Gooderson Leisure Group, the Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP) and Africa Ignite, an umbrella body that provides support to crafters across the province.
According to Gooderson, 90% of the items in the DumaZulu curio shop come from neighbouring countries and the group aims to change this. As part of the initiative, the crafters will work on their products in the curio shop, providing visitors the chance to interact with them. The management of DumaZulu will also teach the crafters computer skills, how to prepare stock sheets and how to price accordingly.
“This is the first time that this has been done at Gooderson DumaZumu and I think it is going to be really big,” said Shamantha Moodley, Provincial Manager of TEP. “The project will give tourists a more authentic experience,” she added.
