W.Cape expands tourism nodes to the north

IN an address to the Matzikama Business Chamber at Vredendal on Tuesday, the Western Cape Tourism Minister, Johan Gelderblom, said that the Integrated Tourism Development Framework identified a tourism development area consisting of Vanrhynsdorp, Vredendal, Clanwilliam and the Wilderness-Cedarberg area. Ths area forms one of eleven priority nodes and corridors identified for development over the next ten years in the Western Cape. Vanrhynsdorp is seen as the northern gateway to the Western Cape and can distribute traffic flows to other towns in the area and indeed further south to other parts of the Province. Gelderblom said that the Western Cape Tourism Department was working with the West Coast District Council to develop the Vanrhynsdorp gateway and ensure that all communities in the region benefit from any proposed development. He said the proposal was to link together the mission stations, places of natural and cultural heritage, flower experiences and rock art in the Vanrhynsdorp-Vredendal-Clanwilliam area into a unique tourism experience for independent domestic travellers. "It is clear from our research that the main feeder area for tourism for this area is the Cape Metropolitan area. Marketers need to position their products in relation to this market and start to specifically target these segments," he said. New markets for international travellers would include looking at the dry African outdoor experiences, astro-tourism and the development of cultural tourism, especially the culture of the Griqua and San. (Miguel de Sousa)