Encouraging creative, young entrepreneurs to explore the tourism industry

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One such business is AFTA Africa Tours, run by Janice Davids, who needed additional capacity development support. Through the BDF, mentorship offers a birds-eye view of the industry that can open additional niche travel opportunities.

For Macassar Pottery, run by Johan de Meyer, which offers a unique clay experience that is immersive and distinctly cultural in nature, the BDF has broadened the scope of its business success, providing opportunities for the local community by providing training to young people which has an immediate transformative impact.

The BDF fund has also been of support to L&S Shuttle Services, run by Sandiswa Gwele and Luthando Gwele, which puts a professional spin on a competitive environment, providing a visitor-centric shuttle experience that’s central to tourism: getting visitors from A to B in comfort and security.

Initiatives with a collective impact

Universal access to tourism has become a part of the broad-based, sustainable tourism approach adopted by businesses to ensure that barriers to access are removed. As a grassroots organisation, Warrior on Wheels uplifts and empowers differently-abled children by creating specially tailored adventures, creating awareness and changing perceptions to give children the chance to explore the city in a way that intimate and affirming.

To encourage local chefs to expand on their culinary knowledge, Cape Town Tourism has also developed the Halal Chef Exchange to introduce them to Halal cuisine. Of the chefs who participated in the programme, 70% are classified youth; this highlights that upskilling and empowering chefs is all central to creating a more inclusive destination.

Part of highlighting what’s happening includes creating awareness of youth upliftment programmes, for example, the Love Cape Town Neighbourhoods video series on Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain respectively, features the Khayelitsha Canoe Club which teaches youth to participate in sporting activities and grow tourism, and SEED which works with unemployed youth to ensure food security and grow youth-led eco-enterprises.

Showcasing tourism to schools

Cape Town Tourism also showcases experiences that appeal to schools, such as open days at attractions and museums, as well as interacting with schools to expand young people’s perception of industry, especially to those young people with historically disadvantaged backgrounds who lack access to tourism experiences and activities.

"Our goal is always around sustainability in tourism, and, with growth in the sector, we must encourage creative, young entrepreneurs to explore the industry; although the larger operators benefit by tourism growth, the bigger the sector is, the more opportunities for fresh ideas to expand on what’s available for visitors to enjoy," says Enver Duminy, Cape Town Tourism CEO.

Duminy adds: "Barriers to entry include funding and a lack of mentorship programmes, but as we work with local organisations, we’re seeking to address these hurdles. It’s only by taking action that we can see an authentic transformation in the industry, especially for young, black business owners."