Tag: Tourism

Congratulations to Alveston Manor

Congratulations to Alveston Manor
The Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry would like to congratulate the owners of Alveston Manor on their recent investment in the town. Alveston Manor opened the new spa and coffee shop in its boutique hotel on Friday, 3 December 2021.

The pandemic COVID and the various decisions made by the government have had a very negative impact on our tourism industry. The way businesses conduct their meetings, site visits, and contractual obligations have changed, and many use digital tools to replace physical inspections. All these decisions have also impacted the accommodation industry. We all need to find a way for tourism businesses to benefit from these changes.

Middelburg needs investment, not only to boost our economy but also to show that we believe in the future of our town. We thank you for your investments and wish all tourism businesses not only to survive the new measures of COVID but also to flourish in 2022.

Amazing Race says thank you

Amazing Race says thank you

The second Middelburg Amazing Race, organised by the Middelburg Info Centre, took place last Saturday, 16 October 2021. The teams of 4 had a lot of fun. They started at the newly refurbished Middelburg train station and took on challenges to get clues to each destination.

Participants did everything from solving puzzles, tyre races, a maze, grave watching and archery, paddling a boat, and even writing a test about coffee!

The winning team, Quembu Miners, received R10 000, dr Kobus Family R7500 and Suicide Squad R5 000. Middelburg Care Village received a donation of R5000 and Dr Kobus kindly donated his winnings to Feral Care Friends.

Many thanks to the following sponsors who made the day possible: Thos Begbie, Underground Support Solutions, Middelburg Observer, Xpress Newspaper, 3@1 and Mpumalanga Rail Company.

We would also like to thank the places that hosted the challenges this year: MRC, OH Frewin Museum, Daily Coffee, Middelburg Parkrun, Oregon Place Guest House, Middelburg Heritage Committee, Gables Guest House, Middelburg Info, Middelburg Care Village, Retiefs Optometrist, Battlefields, 3@1 and Hermansdal Landgoed. You made the day great fun for all.

Let’s do it again next year!

The Middelburg Amazing Race is back!

The Middelburg Amazing Race is back! 

How well do you and your friends and colleagues know the town you live in? It’s time to put on your thinking cap to solve the clues and complete a few physical and mental challenges on Saturday, 16 October 2021!

There are great prizes to be won! The winning team will walk away R10 000, and a number of local charities will also benefit! All you need to do is complete the entry form and pay the entry fee of R2300/group before the closing date of 30 September. Teams of four will travel between the different clues in their own vehicle.

The competition is open to both corporate and private groups. The number of participants is limited, so do not delay! Entry forms are available from the Middelburg Information Centre office, 292 Walter Sisulu Street or by emailing marketing@middelburginfo.com.

Businesses who would still like to sponsor or be part of the route can contact Elsabe on 0849832819 or email for more details.

 

Exciting Times Are Here

Exciting Times Are Here

Tired of visiting Middelburg and not know where to go and what to do for fun, well worry no more.

The Middelburg Information Centre is developing a substantial visitor’s guide, which will benefit the people of Middelburg and tourists visiting us.

The visitor’s guide will contain insightful tourist information and in-depth history of the town. This project aims not only to return the tourism sector’s

performance to levels it reached before the outbreak of COVID-19 but to make sure that Middelburg becomes the No1 tourist destination in our area.

 

Tourism is a vital contributor to the South African economy. Its extensive value chain and labour absorption capacity are seen as a tool for economic development.

Tourism potential is vast and is yet to be fully unlocked. Our objective with this project is to create awareness and grow the market rate in Middelburg.

 

Should you want your establishment to be listed in the visitor’s guide, forward your information to

Mmabatho Phathakge on 013 243 2253 or email her at info@middelburginfo.com

Why belong to a Local tourism Organization?

Why belong to a Local tourism Organization?

Mpumalanga has a well-established and vibrant tourism industry, and the Loskop Leisure Route (Steve Tshwete Municipal area) forms another vital part of the industry.

As a halfway stop to Kruger Park, it gives us the advantage to capitalize on those tourists to generate our Region’s income. The collective product owners in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality

should grow our tourism specific attractions. Critical mass will give us the momentum to achieve our goal.

 

Here are a few key focus areas of the Middelburg Local Tourism Organisation (part of the Middelburg Chamber):

  • Manage the local area’s Information Office(s) and feed into the provincial information system.
  • Receive and channel applications for local road signs from members to the municipality.
  • Encourage tourists to visit the destination and experience what it has to offer.
  • Encourage and develop ways in which a community can be more aware of and be skilled in tourism so that members of the community treat tourists suitably.
  • Represent members and encourage product owners to join organized RTO’s and LTO’s to create a coordinated point of dialogue and realize the economic benefits that tourism can bring to a locality and ensure inclusiveness in the sector.
  • Are in touch with, input into, and are represented in the local, district, and provincial tourism planning, e.g. through IDP process and Provincial Tourism planning processes.
  • Coordinate tourism projects that rejuvenate and upgrade public tourism attractions and sites, poverty alleviation projects, and capacity building.
  • Assist with the establishment of new LTO’s where required.
  • Develop virtual networks and other methods to disseminate tourism information about the destination.
  • Play a meaningful role in destination marketing, events promotion, etc., for the locality.
  • Create and maintain relationships with other RTO’s, LTO’s, industry associations/organizations, local and district municipalities, and provincial government.
  • Keep a general watch over tourism development requirements, statistics, and tourism product/plant in their Region and share it with the government as and when requested.

It is essential to belong to an LTO as it is the stepping stone to growing and developing tourism in our Region. For more information regarding affiliating with your Local Tourism Organization,

you can contact the Information Centre on 013 243 2253 or email us at reservations@midelburginfo.com

Let your tourism voice be heard

​Let your Tourism voice be Heard

The COVID19 Lockdown has severely impacted the Tourism Industry since 2020, as a vital part of our town and country’s economy, we need to make sure our Tourism Voice is heard loud and clear.

As an industry, our voice and participation in the planning of lockdown measures are vital. The tourism facilities such as resorts, guest houses and other types of venues met the regulations to prevent the spread of the COVID 19 infection. In 2020 relief packages were granted to tourism members. The Tourism Equity Fund (TEF) will also officially be launched at a virtual event on 26 January 2021.

The fund aims to create an inclusive and growing tourism sector by supporting entrepreneurship and investment on the supply side of the tourism sector. The fund will offer a combination of debt finance and grant funding for large capital investment projects in the tourism sector. Advertisements and notices were widely published in print and social media platforms.

Another opportunity for Tourism members to make their voice heard is to submit written representation on draft norms and minimum health measures standards. The Draft Norms and Standards are published in terms of Section 7 (1) (a) of the Tourism Act, 2014 (Act No. 3 of 2014). The norms and standards aim to effect common minimum health measures that will provide quality and safety assurance to potential visitors and travellers.

The Act will also help the tourism industry be constancy across local tourism products and services by aligning them with global principles and guidelines. The representations may be emailed to msetwaba@tourism.gov.za or posted to The Director-General, Department of Tourism, Private bag X447 Pretoria 0001.

Following the requirements to run a safe and successful Tourism Establishment is embedded in the tourism industry. We should be allowed to operate per the regulations and safeguard the thousands of jobs linked to what we do.