Destination Development Projects 2011 

Safety and Security Forum

The Tourism Department are involved in the following initiatives :

• Tourism Radio Awareness
• Festive Season Campaign
• Table Mountain Safety Work Group
• Media Educationals
• Signal Hill Safety Action
• Tourism Safety and Security Forum

Tour Operators Forum

The purpose of the Forum is to liaise with the tour operators and City Departments to discuss any problems around legislation and registration. 

Responsible Tourism (www.responsiblecapetown.co.za)

A Responsible Tourism Policy and Action Plan have been approved by Council in December 2009.  The Policy was drafted with the assistance of tourism partners and City Departments to ensure that the tourism industry and the City work towards being positioned as a responsible destination. The project is in its implementation phase. 

The following initiatives have taken place in 2011:

• E-conference on Responsible Tourism at INDABA
• Responsible Tourism Guideline document completed, it is available only electronically (September 2011)
• A Pilot Group has been identified that will assist with the implementation of the monitoring proagramme (September 2011).
  

• Rail Plan : A Tourism Chapter has been drafted and will be submitted to the Rail Plan (drafted by the Transport Department)
• Tourism Rail Research Study 2010 – The purpose of the study was to investigate rail as a tourism transport option and to make recommendation for promoting the use of rail travel to Cape Town as well as in Cape Town. Please click here for Policy
• The Southern Line route is a pilot project that aims to promote the use of public transport as an alternative to the car. The rail route identified is based on the local services and runs between Cape Town and Simon’s Town – stopping at Observatory Newlands, Muizenberg and Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek stations along the way. It is a partnership project between City of Cape Town, Cape Town Tourism and SARCC Metrorail.

The route highlights a number of attractions, such as eateries, crafters, museums and interesting stores, all within a 2km walk to the stations. A Hop on Hop off Ticket (Tourist Pass) for R30, 00 return) is available at the stations on the southern line.

Tourism was acknowledged as an activity in the MOU between the City Transport Department and Metrorail. This will hopefully ensure that Metrorail commits to rail tourism and that the initiative extends to the Northern Line as well.

Please click here to view / download Southern Line Rail Route brochure page1, page2 and Fact Sheet.

The Tourism Department is involved in the following Infrastructure Projects:

• False Bay Ecology Park – seed funding tourism related infrastructure e.g. headquarters and conference facilities at Zeekoevlei, tearoom at Rondevlei, bird hide, Bush Camp Kitchen, Bird Centre and upgrading of the road to the Bird Centre. Detailed precinct plan for CAFDA as the proposed gateway to the False Bay Ecology Park
• Blaauwberg Conservation Area (BCA) – The Tourism Department are involved in the development of tourism related facilities at Blaauwberg Conservation Area.
• Pedestrian Signage in the City - determining routes and interpretative signage.
• Tourism Database – updating of tourism attractions and accommodation (GIS)
• Strand Jetty - The Tourism Department (with the Transport Department/Urban Design and Sport and Recreation) is facilitating a process to ensure that the various Departments in Council that is currently working in or around the beach front and jettie area works towards a common goal, namely making the area attractive again for visitors

 Khayelitsha Train Tour

The Khayelitsha Train Tour was launched on 20 April 2011 with just over 60pax at Cape Town Station. The event was attended by Director Tourism and Exec manager from CTRU and a PRASA Senior Manager. The tour started with a tour by train from Cape Town station to Khayelitsha. This was followed by a guided tour to various Khayelitsha atttraction including the khayelitsha Crat Market where delegated were welcomed by a marimba music group. Lunch was served at Lookout Hill Malibongwe restaurant.

Backpacker and Youth Tourism

As part of the action plan from the Backpackers and Youth Tourism Study several workshops were planned and held in Mamre and Mitchell’s Plain with Khayelitsha still coming. TEP and Cape Town Tourism partnered with City in delivering the project.  The aim of the workshops were to increase awareness on the opportunities in the Backpacking and Youth Tourism market, introduce our partners and how they assist interested entrepreneurs.

Tourism Business Networking Sessions

Tourism Businesses are faced with various challenges which hinder their development and prevent them from functioning optimally.  These challenges could be addressed through tourism business initiatives which will assist in their growth, benefit enhance visitor experience.  

The City of Cape Town Tourism Department in collaboration with Tourism Enterprise Partnership and Cape Town Tourism had distributed a survey to tourism businesses that has been in operation between one and five years, to determine the challenges faced by these businesses and the types of topics which will assist them in enhancing their businesses. 

The Tourism Business Networking Sessions were identified as the mechanism that can be used to engage with Tourism Businesses, and presenting topics which will guide Tourism Businesses on a new developmental growth path. 

With the Business Networking Sessions the Department sets out to:

• Equipment more skilled entrepreneurs operating within the Tourism Industry
• Increase the level of service excellence
• Increase the creditability within the industry
• Improved networking and negotiation capabilities
• Increased competitiveness in the industry
• Bridging the gap between main stream and lesser developed businesses.

Responsible Tourism (RT) Awareness Workshops

As part of the approved Responsible Tourism Policy and Action plan of the City, the Tourism Department has a responsibility to create and maintain an on-going awareness with local communities and tourism businesses to build knowledge and capacity to enable the implementation of the RT practices in tourism development.

The RT Policy and Action Plan consist of seven key issues and priorities that need urgent attention. These include the creation of RT awareness within the City, the tourism sector and among the general public. In line with the policy provisions, the Tourism Department rolled out. 

RT awareness workshops in 8 developmental areas across the City. The awareness workshops were aimed at building skills for tourism businesses pertaining to the application and implementation of responsible tourism.