As we approach the official Mpumalanga Tourism Expo event, the Mpumalanga Tourism department recently gave an idea of what the annual event will be looking like, and Business Tech Africa was in attendance at the official media launch and received all the relevant information.
Taking place in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, the 4th Annual Mpumalanga Tourism Expo Media Launch Program was spearheaded by Phinda Qhutywa, who also acknowledged all the important parties that were important in the room, including the media.
As it is Women’s Month, the event acknowledged that and intentionally gave the floor to powerful women in business prior to the gentlemen. Giving the welcoming remarks was Ms Sibyl Madlopha, the general manager for Economic Planning and Development at Ehlanzeni District Municipality. “Tourism, as you know, is one sector which may not necessarily be appreciated by many, but it has a huge impact in our district.” _ Madlopha said.
She went on to add that as Mpumalanga, they’d like to believe that they are ready to host more tourism activations events such that, one day, everyone can have a sense of who Mpumalanga is. “We believe the district can do more in terms of attracting more investment opportunities, and this is one of the biggest ones” – she closed.
Giving us the breakdown of what to expect this year at the 4th Annual Mpumalanga Tourism Expo as well as the purpose of the event, was Gaopalelwe Selepe, who is the Trade Relations and Marketing Manager and MTPA.
Ms Gaopalelwe Selepe mentioned that the MTPA has partnered with Jacada Holdings to host the event at the Riverside Mall, in Mbombela. “The aim of this event is to promote both domestic and regional tourism integration, especially because it creates platform to different players in the region, in the tourism industry.” – she said. “One of the things that this expo does, is to create a platform for cross boarder tourism activities.”
Selepe also mentioned that they have a partnership with Triland, which consists of Swaziland, Mozambique and Botswana for different experiences for different tourists. She also mentioned that that four tourism boards to be joining this year’s expo, including Tourism KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo Tourism and Eswatini Tourism.
On a normal basis, the Annual Mpumalanga Tourism Expo takes place in September, but due to lack of space to host all the guest, the dates have been moved. The event will now be taking place on the first week of October, which will be the 4th to the 6th of October.
Selepe highlighted the big things that the expo is doing this year, such as:
- Speed Marketing – This will be a great opportunity for businesses to network during the expo.
- Tourism Student Tour – Moving away from only teaching students about Tourism, but also making sure that they get the experience they need.
- Adventure Zone – Introducing Quad Bikes, partnering with products that do adventure activities.
The Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust (MRTT) Marketing Manager Zanele Khoza, representing CEO who was on leave, spoke in depth about the importance of training students in different areas of career interests, such Hospitality, and Skills Development.
Justice Mohlala who is the Mpumalanga Tourism Acting CEO, deep dived into how the event also works as a catalyst for economic recovery and growth from the Covid 19 pandemic. “The event provides an opportunity for provincial tourism students, as it is part of our focus, from various schools and colleges, to interact with exhibitors and learn more about Tourism.”
Xolani Mthethwa – The Brains behind the Mpumalanga Tourism Expo, mentioned that the event is planning on doing things differently this year and wants to give back to the community.
