Tourism agency ready for festive season

You could spot an elephant or two in one of Limpopo's many reserves. (Image: Rod Baker)

The agency's acting Chief Executive Officer, Fixon Hlungwani, said the agency was doing all it could to ensure that all tourists, local citizens and migrant workers, visiting the province this festive season have a great experience.

"The festive season is a very important time on the tourism calendar and the agency is ready to receive these high volumes of people during this time of the year... This we will do by putting together packages that will suit all and sundry for this important family season," said Hlungwani.

Hlungwani said the province was already experiencing a high volume of tourists visiting for various reasons.

"[Some are] visiting friends and relatives or using our province as a gateway to any of the neighbouring SADC countries, given our strategic location and close proximity... The agency is ready to receive these high volumes of people during this time of the year," said Hlungwani.

He said the agency wanted to make an "enormous contribution" to the success of the drive by the national Department of Tourism to be among the top 20 most visited countries in the world by 2020.

Road shows to spread the word

LTA spokesperson Ntlhekeng Kgatla said as part of the roll out of the campaign, the agency and the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism would conduct road shows in various regions, including Waterberg, Vhembe and Mopani.

"This is part of our drive whereby the MEC [Seaparo Sekoati] will encourage tourism product owners to do more in ensuring that our tourists have a memorable getaway which might result in repeated visits and as a result, growing the economy of the province and domestic arrival statistics," said Kgatla.

Kgatla said the agency had also partnered with "The Muzo Brothers," a well-known Limpopo afro pop band.

"The partnership will see LTA having the rights to use their hit song 'Boela Gae Limpopo,' a Sepedi song meaning 'Come Back Home to Limpopo' as a theme song for the campaign. The Muzo Brothers will perform during our mall exhibitions at Mall of the North and Menlyn Mall during the festive season," he said.

Kgatla said the song would also be used on our radio adverts and activations to create more awareness.