This will help give Gauteng a competitive edge in the downstream beneficiation of precious stones such as diamonds.
The strategies to boost the number of tourists visiting Gauteng were bearing fruit, said the MEC.
“International arrivals to Gauteng increased by more than 14.5% over the first nine months of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006.
“This put the total number of visitors received by Gauteng at 3.2 million, which is significantly higher than the 2.8 million visitors in the previous comparable period.
“Bed nights spent by international tourists in Gauteng increased by 1.2 million,” said Mashatile, adding that this reaffirmed that Gauteng was more than just a gateway to South Africa, but a visitor destination in its own right.
Article published courtesy of BuaNews
