uMngeni Municipality mayor Chris Pappas has urged travellers to support local tourism initiatives and establishments in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Pappas was speaking during the launch event for uMngeni Tourism this week.
“I appeal to everyone here: invest in local, support local, hire local and travel local. UMngeni Tourism is ready and waiting for your support as the official destination marketing and development organisation partner of the uMngeni Municipality.”
He said the Midlands was blessed with natural beauty like no other place in South Africa.
“Yes, Cape Town may have Table Mountain, but we have endless cascading waterfalls. Yes, Mpumalanga has the Kruger National Park, but we have unexplored wonders like the Karkloof forests and uMgeni Valley nature reserve.
“And if you are wanting a cold beer or glass of wine, you do not have to travel to the Cape (or to Germany), right here in our beautiful Midlands, you can share a toast with friends or family with home-brewed, locally grown produce.”
He said as the new administration for the municipality, they were focused and determined to invest in tourism and agriculture as the primary pillars of its economy.
“Our continued support for our local tourism organisations, events such as light the falls festival, and this event are our way of showing that we are committed to the growth of the sector despite the challenging financial constraints that local government faces.”
He also announced that the executive committee of the municipality had resolved to support the Artfluence Human Rights Festival, produced by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, that will be held in Howick.
“This event will have both economic and social spin-offs for a number of sectors with a special focus on local artists and knowledge transfer for sustainable development. This will particularly help a sector that has been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
THE MERCURY