6 February 2006

BUFFALO CITY MUNICIPALITY ACCOMMODATION, TRAVEL AND TOUR NEEDS ANALYSIS PROJECT

1.PROJECT BACKGROUND

In line with tourism plans, programme and projects, Buffalo City Municipality and its stakeholders has embarked on an accommodation, travel and tour needs analysis project.

Purpose of the project is to develop a database and profile of accommodation, travel and tour products in Buffalo City and surroundings areas with the view to facilitate advice to Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to improve performance in the industry. This project is implemented by Buffalo City Municipality jointly with other role players in the tourism industry i.e. Tourism Buffalo City, Eastern Cape Tourism Board, Amathole District Municipality and other.

Intengu Communications – ngz Consulting Solutions cc JV is the service provider appointed to implement this project.

2.PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE

A project steering committee constituted by Buffalo City Municipality Department of Economics Development & Tourism, Buffalo City Social Service Directorate, Buffalo City Development Planning, Buffalo City Engineering Directorate, Buffalo City Tourism Organizations,( CTOs), Buffalo City Development Agency, Inyathi Buffalo Route(IBR), Tourism Buffalo City (TBC), Amathole District Municipality (ADM), Eastern Cape Tourism Board, East London Business Development Centre (ELBDC), Eastern Cape Development Corporation( ECDC), Department of Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism (DEAET), Department of Sport Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRA&C), Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP), Border Kei Chamber of Business (BKCOB), NAFCOC, FABCOS, Mdantsane Chamber of Commerce (MDACOC), University of Fort Hare (UFH), Walter Sisulu University (WSU) etc.

The role of the project steering committee will be to steer and monitor the implementation of the project.

2.1 Project Steering Committee Meetings
Project Steering Committee meetings are planned for 27 January, 17 February and 27 February 2006 at 9h00.

3.SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Methodology that is going to be used in this project will be Workshops, Information Points, and Site Visits. 3.1 Workshops: Questionnaire (Download pdf here: 19kb)
Workshops are going to be held to fill up a questionnaire which will give results to profile of product owners, in accommodation, travel and tour tourism sector in Buffalo City. This will spell out the needs of the product owners.

Workshops are to take place in the following areas:

Dimbaza, King Williams Town (KWT), Bisho, Berlin and surroundings
Civic Centre, Buffalo City Municipality, Ayliff Street, King Williams Town,
08 February 2006 at 9h00 -16h00

Mdantsane, East London & surroundings
Buffalo City College, Business Centre, Bira Conference Room, Lukin Road, East London
09 February 2006 at 09h00- 12h00

3.2 Information Points Desks : 09 – 15 February 2006
Information point's desks will serve as an information desk to access project information for product owners and stakeholders. Product owners that will be unable to attend workshops can access information amongst other the questionnaire from information point. Questionnaires are to be filled in and delivered to the following information points:

Dimbaza, King Williams Town (KWT), Bisho, Berlin and surroundings
Civic Centre, Buffalo City Municipality, Ayliff Street, King Williams Town
09 February 2006 at 9h00 -15h00

East London & surroundings
Intengu Communications, 36 b St Georges Street, Southernwood, East London
09 – 15 February 2006 at 09h00 – 15h00

Mdantsane & surroundings
Mdantsane Tourism Development Centre, Library Complex, Highway, Mdantsane
09 -15 February 2006 at 09h00 – 15h00

3.3 Site Visits 16,17,18 & 20 February 2006 (excluding Sunday, 19 February 2006: 09h00 – 16h00)
Site visit will be conducted after the workshops, visiting establishments of product owners to verify questionnaires and other information that can only be accessed when on site. Product owners are encouraged to confirm appointments at the workshops. Project officials that will be visiting the sites will identify themselves and produce a project introductory letter which will be presented at the workshops and information points. Only project officials who can identify themselves and present a copy of the introduction letter shall be allowed by product owner to conduct this exercise.

Site visit Appointments
16, 17, 18 & 20 February 2006 (excluding Sunday 19 February 2006: 09h00 -16h00)

Site visit appointments will be made with product owners at the workshops when filling up the questionnaire. Product owners are encourages attend workshops in order to make appointments for the site visits at the workshops, however, product owners who will be unable to attend workshops, must:

• Access information from the information points,
• Fill up questionnaire at the information points
• When filling up questionnaire at the information points, owners must please indicate suitable date for visiting their establishments (site visit).
• Questionnaires can be downloaded from this website, fill in and drop the form to your nearest information point as outlined in this website.

Product owners whose forms are to be collected from information points will be visited on the suitable dates indicated on the form (16,17,18 & 20 February 2006) anytime from 09h00 – 16h00.

4. REPORT

Accommodation, travel and tour needs analysis project report will be submitted to Buffalo City and the project steering committee in a form of database, site visits, products profiles and strategic intervention components. The report will be used by Buffalo City Municipality and its partners to facilitate advice and to Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) product for improvement of the SMMEs performance in the tourism industry in order to ensure that Buffalo City is the favoured tourism destination (economic development and tourism) for the benefit of the product owners, stakeholders and improvement of lives of the citizens of Buffalo City.

For all inquires contact Celia Theart at telephone no. 043 722 0771, Fax No. 043 722 8926, email info@intengu.co.za