By Nangamso Mabindla
25 August 2004

BUFFALO City has the potential to be one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country, were the opening words of Buffalo City Tourism Chief Executive Officer Glenton de Kock at the launch of Tourism Month at Hemmingways Casino on Tuesday.

The launch was attended by the city's officials, Eastern Cape Tourism representatives and representatives from the business sector.

Tourism is a R49-billion industry in the country, and with tourism a year-round business in Buffalo City, it needed to find ways to contribute to the industry, said De Kock.

"The SA games that were held earlier this year brought 5000 visitors to the city; the ILGM conference also brought international visitors to the city," he said. "The national water polo championships later this year will also bring about 3000 visitors to the city."

However, for tourism to be a success stakeholders involved in promoting the city needed to work in unison. Buffalo City's Programme Manager for Local Economic Development, Zanele Hani, said in order for people to participate in tourism, they needed to be included in plans to promote the industry.

"We need meaningful participation from our communities, established enterprises, SMMEs, and the civil society. But tourism is a private-sector driven industry; we as the municipality will assist the private sector in promoting tourism," she added.

She said Buffalo City planned to assist the promotion of tourism by ensuring that environmental conditions were conducive to tourism development and a tourism masterplan would be launched during Proudly South African Week which starts on September 27.

"We will also facilitate an interactive information database for our people. It is important to clinch deals locally and internationally; we will make sure that the infrastructure is in place," Hani added.

To strengthen the bond between BTC and its business partners, Avis Car rental used the occasion to donate a car to the City's tourism board.