ETEYA Awards 2007 finalists announced

SA Tourism announced the eight Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalists at the World Tourism Day celebrations held in Port Elizabeth today, 27 September 2007. Making the announcement was CEO of SA Tourism Moeketsi Mosola who congratulated the finalists on their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.

CEO of SA Tourism Moeketsi Mosola made the announcement, and further remarked: “Tourism has the potential to boost foreign direct spend and already provides employment for over 900,000 people in our country. Through the ETEYA Awards, SA Tourism continues to drive its key mandate of job creation and transformation. Our ETEYA finalists are proof that it is possible to make a real difference in the lives of all South Africans.”

2007 ETEYA Finalists:

Gauteng: Lebohang Malepa - Lebo's Soweto Backpackers
Northern Cape: Kelebogile Viola Sibusi - Heerengracht Guest House
KwaZulu Natal: Mrs Radha Singh - Dolphin Manor Guest House
Mpumalanga: Ikaneng and Mausley Pilane - Ubuntu Kraal Guesthouse
Eastern Cape: Khanyisa Peter - Cozy Nest Bed & Breakfast
North West: Zenzile Babsy Lekwalo - Modizen Guest House
Western Cape: Colin Nyoni - Nyoni's Kraal Restaurant
Limpopo: Stanley Mufamadi - Vuwa Transport Services

ETEYA, which recognises small, micro and medium tourism and/or hospitality related businesses, has become an integral part of the local tourism and hospitality calendar. Now in its seventh year, the awards programme is delivered in partnership with ABSA bank, The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), The South African Tourism Service Association (SATSA), Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP) and Tourism Grading Council of SA (TGCSA).

Mosola commended ABSA's commitment to tourism and the confidence it has shown in the industry by extending its participation in the ETEYA programme for an additional three years.

Commenting on ABSA's decision to extend the partnership, Stewart Lumka, General Manager: Tourism and Hospitality, ABSA Corporate and Business Bank said “As one of South Africa's leading banks, part of our mandate is to unearth new and to show support to up-and-coming talent in the tourism industry – because come 2010 they will be amongst the service providers catering to the international market.”

The finalists were thrilled to have been selected top of their respective provinces and to have won the opportunity to showcase their products at London's World Travel Market (WTM) in November, courtesy of ABSA. Included in the finalists' prize package is a two year SATSA membership and R5,000 in cash.

A call for entries is launched in April each year, giving establishments across all nine provinces a chance to enter. Site visits form part of the judging process whereby a short list of entrants is compiled. The judging is done by SA Tourism in conjunction with ABSA, SATSA, TEP, TGCSA and DEAT. Training workshops (touching on marketing, website development, branding, international exhibitions, business administration, quality assurance, financial management and more) are conducted for the shortlisted entrants, who then go through further judging until the list is cut down to 24 semi-finalists, then further down to the eight finalists announced at World Tourism Day.

The last leg of judging takes place at the World Trade Market in London where the overall winner and two runner-ups are announced. The winners receive R50,000, R30,000 and R15,000 respectively, and not forgetting the biggest prize of all – the international exposure.


 
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