By Nangamso Mabindla
20 March 2006

AFTER being elected Buffalo City's first female mayor on Friday, 17 March at the East London City Hall, Ntombentle Peter had a taste of things to come when, barely a few hours later, she launched the Eastern Cape Parks Board at a beachfront hotel.

Speaking at the ceremony, Peter said the launch of the board would expose the city as one of the country's magnificent tourism products.

"It is, after all, one of the most diverse and gracious tourism destinations in the country but, because of various reasons, we have not managed to mobilise and generate the amount of interest and tourism rands that it deserves," she said.

Peter congratulated the province's MEC for economic affairs and tourism, Andre de Wett, and other stakeholders for establishing the board.

"It is a long-delayed institution that we believe will contribute richly to the conservation management of our area and the marketing of our province. It will add tremendously to the richness of our leisure industry product and will no doubt enhance our sustainable tourist earnings."

Peter said East London was a point of entry to places like the Fish River Reserve, a provincial tourist attraction.

"Irrespective of where you enter the Eastern Cape, [Buffalo City] is certainly a must-see destination. It offers the best climate, wide-open unpopulated beaches and city life second to none. It is with that richness in mind of superb tourism products that I say welcome to Buffalo City and the Eastern Cape," Peter said.