Mahikeng - Business and labour must work together to create a competitive hospitality industry in the North West province, Tourism MEC Desbo Mohono said on Wednesday night.
"We call on upon municipalities to support our product owners, if things are not right in the municipality our product owners suffer. Imagine you are in a guest house, there is no water. Imagine you are in a guest house, there is no electricity. Imagine next to a guest house there is a load of dirt around that area. We need to work together with our municipalities to ensure that our product owners enjoy doing business in that particular local municipality," she said at the Lilizela awards at the Mafikeng Hotel School in Mmabatho.
She said business in the tourism industry must comply with regulations.
"Do not see the labour department as an enemy, see them as the people who come and make you a better person. We have to comply in doing our business. There are rules and regulations in this country on how we do business. We must build bridges and find common ground, and do so on the basis of respect and trust," she said.
"The time is right for a provincial conversation to map out the way forward for tourism in the province and to provide our people with greater opportunity for a better life by becoming a more mature, modern, competitive, just and prosperous egalitarianism. To all the winners of the night, well done, and to those who didn’t make it, next year is but around the corner and the tables are going to turn."
Thaba Legae Guest Lodge in Rustenburg was the winner in the guest house category. Millicent Shai, said she was happy to have won an award and dedicated it to her guests.
Milicent Shai from Thaba Legae Guest Lodge in Rustenburg dedicated the award the lodge won at the Lilizela tourism award to their guests at the lodge. VIDEO: Molaole Montsho/ANA
The other winners in the guest house category were El Shadai Guesthouse and Franka Guesthouse.
Tourist guide Mncedisi Thambe, 39, from the Mphebatho Cultural Museum in Moruleng, won the MEC special awards.
He said he was not expecting to win the award. "Truly, I was not expecting it. I knew I was a provincial winner but, was not expecting this one [MEC special award], I am really overwhelmed by the award..."
He said growing up in a village helped him to understand people. Thambe was also a winner in the tourist guide category.
Tour Guide Mncendisi Thambe won the MEC special award at the Lilizela tourism award in North West on Wednesday night. VIDEO: Molaole Montsho/ANA
Tour Guide Mncendisi Thambe won the MEC special award at the Lilizela tourism award in North West on Wednesday night. VIDEO: Molaole Montsho/ANA