Tourism Archives - Business Directory

We rolled away another year

We rolled away another year

The Middelburg Information Centre hosted its second Christmas Bowls Fun Day for members who wanted to spend a fun day in the sun to end of 2023.

Friends and colleagues competed against each other with their lawn bowling skills. Laughter and groans could be heard on the field when the ball rolled in the wrong direction or a friend’s ball was knocked out of the way. In the world of work, there are colleagues you say hello to but have nothing to do with work wise. The annual Bowls Day is about team building with your colleagues and not just your team members. Nashua Mpumalanga is the 2023 Christmas Bowls Day Champion.

We enjoyed the braai, the sunshine, and the great camaraderie with everyone who attended. Thank you to the members for supporting our new event. We will organise it again next year. Look out for the invitation in the press.

Blood, Sweat and Spectacles

Blood, Sweat and Spectacles

It was a hotly contested Amazing Race Saturday. 28th of October 2023 was a memorable day; the country was on tender hooks, because of the Rugby World Cup final that evening. Nevertheless, ten teams started their day competing in the Amazing Race 2023 Middelburg. They gave it their all, some their blood, some their tears and the deciding factor was spectacles.

At the start of the race, everyone was dressed to the nines, or rather in their rugby shirts, t-shirts or as branded teams. The energy was palpable and one or two team members looked like they were waiting in the starting blocks for the whistle.

The MCCI marshals held the envelopes ready and then Zelda blew the whistle for the race to start. Fortunately, no animals or small children were harmed in the race for the first clue. The teams scattered like rabbits to their vehicles, to be the first at clue number 1.

What fun it is to marshal this event. Some people could park like champions; others could not even read GPS coordinates to save their lives, and anyone who saw the teams at BUCO, no, that was the race, not crazies in the store. Brimis, your clue was perplexing and many stood in front of your gate looking around like zombies ready to attack. Water and fire were the challenges at Vivo Bingo and the region’s tourism stops.

Two teams were neck and neck to the end, and If Erica van Zyl and her team of JJ Engineering had not lost her glasses in the challenge at Alveston Manor, Nico Denner and his Gemecs team would not have won for the Amazing Race for the third time.

Everyone who took part, from the little ones to the more experience team members, everybody had fun. See you in September 2024 for our next Amazing Race.

Accredited Tour Guides and Tours

Accredited Tour Guides and Tours

Since the founding of the Middelburg Information Centre, it has been a dream of ours to offer interesting guided tours. Middelburg has such a rich history and meet some of our interesting citizens who entertain visitors with our history and stories.

KasiVibe Township Tour – Mhluzi is a great place to learn about different cultures and enjoy traditional foods. As a tourist, you will experience how the locals live. We will visit ten interesting places that will make your tour unforgettable. Middelburg has a rich history and numerous attractions to visit.

Industry Tour – Middleburg’s economy is linked to our diversified industry and commercial agricultural sectors. During the industry tour, you will witness the legacy of companies that have shaped our city for generations.

The Middelburg Information Centre offers four accredited tours and you can book your tour at the office with Mmabatho Phathakge at info@middelburginfo.com.

How to turn your business into a tourist attraction

How to turn your business into a tourist attraction

For the first time, the Middelburg Tourism Information Centre is offering training for local site tour guides. Popular areas such as Mbombela, Pretoria, and Cape Town have tour guides who attract many tourists to certain areas.

If you are visiting a place of interest with interesting stories, there is often a site guide who will show you around the premises or area. If you offer this service in your business, your visitors, and tourists, they will stay longer or spend more money in your business. This is a well-known international practise that supports and grows the tourism industry. As a private person, you can also earn an income by offering guided tours.

We do not know when we will offer the training again. The training will be held at MCCI’s auditorium for ten consecutive days starting 10 August 2023. After the exam, the participant will be accredited with NQF Level 2. The full NQF Level 4 tour guide training will be offered next year at an additional cost of R500.

This is an opportunity not to be missed. There are interesting stories and people everywhere and tourism businesses can only benefit if they can also offer a tour guide. Please contact Mmabatho Phatakge on 013 243 2253 or secretary@middelburginfo.com.

Africa Durban Trade Indaba 2023

From the 9^th to the 11^th of May 2023, Durban ICC was the host site for the African Trade Indaba. This spectacular event drew in people from all across the continent as well as international investors who were all looking for ways to showcase all the best parts of Africa.

This event provided a wonderful opportunity for all those in attendance to market themselves as well as their province or country. There were a lot of companies from all across Africa that were looking for ways to generate more interest in their country to help improve their business as well as their country’s economic growth from tourism revenue.

The Middelburg Info center managed to reach out to several of these companies and foster good relations with them in order to get brochures and pamphlets which we can use to showcase all the awe inspiring sights across our continent.

Elected Local Tourism Leaders

Elected Local Tourism Leaders

The Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) of the Nkangala district held its first AGM in November 2022 at Nkangala district Municipality and members of the six Local Tourism Organisations (LTO) elected the new executive members.

The RTO comprises six active LTO members from the six municipalities in the Nkangala District and the home to the world-renowned Dr. Esther Mahlangu. The purpose of the RTO is to help market and boost tourism in the area.

They selected the following members to serve on the board for 3 years. Bongane Mabena- Chairperson, Trina Matheson –Deputy Chairperson, Mary Nkosi- Treasury, Margret Mahlangu –Secretary, Katrine Mnguni –Deputy secretary, and Mmabatho Phathakge – Additional member.

We encourage members of the public to register and take part in boosting the tourism economy and making their town known in the tourism sector.

For more information on how to register or get involved, you can contact Mmabatho at 013 243 2253 or email: info@middelburginfo.com

Tourism Development in STLM

Tourism Development in STLM
The local tourism organization in Steve Tshwete Local Municipality held its quarterly meeting on 18 October 2022. The industry discussed tourism repositioning, reconstruction, and funding opportunities available to tourism businesses.

Members made suggestions on how we can attract tourists and generate revenue. Adriaan Esterhuizen from BMDC gave a presentation on funding opportunities for tourism and how tourism members can apply for these funds. Qualified for these funds are SMEs that provide the following services: Transport services – i.e. tour/shuttle services ❑ Travel agencies ❑ Tour operators’ ❑ Boutique Hotels ❑ Guesthouses ❑ Bed & Breakfasts ❑ Hospitality (including restaurants)

For more information on how to access these funds, please contact: adriaan@bmdc.co.za

SANParks is open for bookings in June/July 2023

SANParks is open for bookings in June/July 2023
For your personal SANPARKS booking, come to the Tourist Office in Middelburg, where we have lots of information about the National Parks and you can speak to a member of staff personally about your holiday.

The South African National Parks (SANParks) offers a wide range of accommodation in South Africa and the Middelburg Information Centre is one of SANParks’ satellite offices in Middelburg, Mpumalanga. We provide a fast, effective and efficient service at all times. We have access to all Sanparks, not just the Kruger National Park, so planning a holiday for you is just a phone call away.
South African National Parks (SANParks) is currently offering 40% off selected parks and camps.

The park is filling up fast; let us help you book your accommodation before it’s too late.
For more information, call 013 243 2253 or email: info@middelburginfo.com

Tourism Mentorship Workshop

Tourism Mentorship Workshop

The Middelburg Information Centre is looking at providing a tourism business Mentorship workshop for LTO members in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM). The workshop will provide opportunities and resources for interested tourism services providers to learn and benefit from successful tourism services providers (experienced owners).

The purpose of this Mentorship is to provide the resources necessary to strengthen the tourism industry by developing skills and increasing business knowledge of tourism operators;

Provide opportunities for tourism business operators to learn and benefit from more experienced tourism operators;

Enhance the strength of the tourism industry over the long term by providing resources (Financial) and opportunities for tourism businesses.

Mentors will share their expertise and knowledge and provide support and encouragement to help tourism business owners to remain focused on what is important for the success of their business. Through the Tourism Business Mentorship workshop, tourism operators who are less experienced can gain valuable skills in business, leadership and networking to help maximize their potential and become successful and profitable independent tourism operators.

We are looking at inviting the National Department of Tourism, MTPA, Grading council, National Empowerment Fund.

More information will be available at the Middelburg Information Centre.