By Nangamso Mabindla
28 September 2005

THE Inyathi Buffalo Route is finally open to ramblers. To celebrate World Tourism Day, Buffalo City launched the much-anticipated route at the East London City Hall on Tuesday, 27 September.

It is a joint venture between Buffalo City, Amathole District Municipality, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, the Tourism Enterprise Programme and Open Africa.

The route was set up to promote and market community tourism to local and international markets.

Meandering in and around Buffalo City, it tells the stories of a community whose turbulent past is reflected in its rich cultural heritage and proud history.

It markets existing tourism services like accommodation and hospitality, travel and tours, arts and crafts, performing arts and infrastructure development products.

Speaking about the benefits of the route, the acting chairperson, Mncekeleli Miseli, said it would promote tourism in significant areas.

"This route stretches from Khiwane to the great Amathole Mountains and promotes some of the historical places in our region. Some of these places are already visited by local tourists, mainly rural folk," Miseli said.

Some of the sites on the trail include the Peri Mission, the Dimbaza Wall of Fame, Mdantsane, Umkhonto we Sizwe Veteran Association in Umthiza (East London), Intabakandoda in Alice (Battle Amalinda) and significant places in King William's Town, such as the Steve Biko Garden of Remembrance.

Buffalo City Mayor Sindisile Maclean said that through the Inyathi Buffalo Route, the City was promoting its development footprint, which straddles the Buffalo River and stretches into the interior to the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme and the Bhisho-King William's Town integrated project.

"It will also promote the many rural development projects designed to ensure food security, create jobs and fight poverty," he said.

The launch of the route and its link to the Open Africa Project lead to the birth of a pan-African tourist thrust that could make the province active participants in the world's fastest-growing industry.

"This route will showcase Africa's strengths and is designed to meet our needs while unearthing the enormous treasures of our continent for a real African experience. And it will finally domesticate the enormous returns in tourism," Maclean said.

An eight-page brochure of the Inyathi Buffalo Route sites, which forms part of the City's tourism master plan, will go a long way in helping locals and tourists to locate places that serve African cuisine, tour operators, accommodation in Mdantsane, arts and crafts outlets and other attractions with an African feel.