Nelson Mandela Bay celebrates Tourism Month with new Bay activities

Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) in collaboration with Eastern Cape Parks (ECPTA) as well as Economic development and Recreational Services: Agriculture, development and Tourism have joined forces to promote tourism month alongside a new tourism activity in the destination being the “Hop on Beer Route.”

Through combining the tourism month launch with a practical experience example, such as the new Hop on Beer Route, the tourism sector is able to showcase the industry’s potential to create opportunities for employment and business ventures, whilst the public are exposed to a new activity within the Nelson Mandela Bay.

During the month of September, there will be a series of activations and events that will take place in the Bay for locals, stakeholders as well as visitors to participate in, allowing them to immerse themselves in the tourism culture.

These activities include events, public lectures on related tourism and hospitality topics, industry dialogues South African National Parks Week, as well as sport and cultural events, just to name a few.

Mandlakazi Skefile, Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism said, “We encourage everyone, especially during September to get out there and explore Nelson Mandela Bay, and experience the energy and essence of the destination through the hundreds of experiences available.”

The theme for Tourism Month 2015 and World Tourism Day, which takes place on the 27^th September every year, was announced by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities”.

The aim behind the message, as shared by UNWTO is to create awareness amongst decision makers and the general public of tourism’s global socio-economic impact and its capability to drive positive change in countries, communities, and ultimately people’s lives across the world.

Department of Tourism will be celebrating the 2015 Tourism Month with the theme “A million new experiences are a Sho’t left away”. South African Tourism has modified the global theme to make it more applicable to the domestic campaign in South Africa.

The theme presents an opportunity to highlight the economic impact of each tourist that partakes in those million experiences. These include;

• Economic upliftment
• Job creation
• Investment in infrastructure and the implications of this on domestic tourism and ultimately the economy

Mr Anele Qaba, Executive Director: Economic Development, Tourism and Agriculture said, “Locally all can contribute to the economy during tourism month just by being a tourist in your own city. It does not have to be hard work, all you do is visit the attractions and activities in Nelson Mandela Bay and in the process you are boosting the local economy.”

Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism has a tool which makes it easy to explore the Bay. This is the Nelson Mandela Bay Pass, a smartcard access card which provides you with free admission to a variety of attractions and activities in the Bay.

When purchasing a NMB Pass, you get a smartcard as well as a free guide book to all the offers available. The card, when valid, gives you access to the offers as advertised in the guide.

The activities and attractions include, amongst other things museums, game reserves, scuba diving, art galleries, sightseeing tours and many more. It also entitles you to some great discounts at selected stores for shopping, activities, entertainment and more. The Nelson Mandela Bay Pass offers flexibility, convenience, variety and savings.

Be sure to get your Nelson Mandela Bay Pass and discover all the excitement that Nelson Mandela Bay has to offer. Simply show or transact your pass and receive the special offers available at the participating facilities. The more you see, the more you save!

Photo caption: Beer tasting on the Hop on Beer Route.