Current Edition >> Archive Section >> Special Features >> 8 May 2007
Klein dorpie, groot atmosfeer
Geleë op die N6 nasionale roete tussen Senekal en Bethlehem, is Paul Roux 'n klein dorpie wat egter met sy natuurskone omgewing, sentrale ligging, vrugbare boerderydistrik, interessante toerisme-attraksies en ekonomiese groeipotensiaal oor die atmosfeer beskik om 'n gesogte beleggingsbestemming te word.
Dat die dorp en omgewing ook voor sy uitdagings staan is gewis.
In hierdie fokus word die wese en potensiaal van Paul Roux in 'n enkele opslag gebied.
Sleutelfeite
• Paul Roux se skool is in 1912 gebou.
• Die klei en sandsteen NG Kerk is in 1914 gebou.
• Die plaas Holhoek net buite Paul Roux is van groot geskiedkundige en kulturele waarde. 'n Oop grot in die berge het vrouens en kinders tydens die Anglo-boere Oorlog gehuisves. Die moeder van die voormalige staatspresident PW Botha was een van die vrouens wat hier skuiling gevind het, terwyl sy halfbroer HG Prinsloo ook hier gebore is.
• Pragtige San rotstekeninge kan ook in die omgewing besigtig word.
• Die land se eerste roete vir rolstoelgebruikers is ook hier gevestig.
• Dinosourusvoetspore van ongeveer 185 miljoen jaar oud, is op die plaas Uniondale te sien.
Background
Many moons ago Paul Roux was situated on the old stagecoach route between Harrismith and Winburg, serving as a halfway post for changing stagecoach horses.
In 1911, the newly formed community was divided about the name of the new town. One group wanted to name the town DuPlessisville – after a respected citizen, while the other group wanted it named after their minister – Paul Roux. The townspeople decided to get a big piece of dolomite and wrote the initials of both men on either side of the stone. One of the men was asked to throw the stone as far as he could – the name on which the stone landed would become the name of the town. The stone landed on PR and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today Paul Roux has in total some 24 800 residents – about 800 in the town proper and 24 000 in the Fateng township. The N6 route runs between the two areas.
Uitdagings
Dat Paul Roux en distrik spesifieke uitdagings in die gesig staar, is gewis. Dit sluit o.m. in:
• Die uitdaging vir die wit en swart dele van die gemeenskap om sinvol saam te werk om gemeenskaplike doelwitte in die belang van almal te bereik. Dit is egter 'n universele probleem in die Vrystaat.
• Die uitdaging om die infrastruktuur van die dorp tot 'n aanvaarbare standaard op te gradeer.
• Die uitdaging om die algemene beeld en voorkoms van die dorp op te knap en gunstig te maak vir verdere ontwikkeling.
• Die uitdaging om werkbare werkskeppingsprojekte op die dorp op die been te bring. Daar is geweldige armoede, onder wit sowel as swart, wat daadwerklik aangespreek moet word. In hierdie verband kan agri-prosessering, d.w.s. plaaslike waardetoevoeging tot plaaslik-geproduseerde landbouprodukte.
• Veral die toerisme- en jagbedryf in die distrik bide opwindende mootlikhede wat daadwerklik ontwikkel, bemark en ontgin moet word.
• In 2004 het Paul Roux 'n Sandsteenfees aangebied, wat belangstelling van heinde en verre getrek het en wat 'n inspuiting vir die plaaslike ekonomie meegebring het. 'n Soortgelyke gebeurtenis is jaarliks nodig om stimulus aan plaaslike ontwikkeling te verleen. Hierdie is moontlik die enkele grootste uitdaging vir die plaaslike gemeenskap op die huidige tydstip en indien 'n Sandsteenfees jaarliks gehou kan word, kan dit die katalisator vir ekonomiese en maatskaplike te Paul Roux en omgewing word.
Professional approach to penetrate international as well as domestic tourism market
In line with achieving step by step its vision of making the Free State a preferred inland tourism destination and an essential part of the itinerary of foreign tourists during their visit to Southern Africa, the Free State Tourism Authority (FSTA) is undertaking an exhibition splash at the Tourism Indaba 12-15 May 2007.
The exhibition planned for the tourism industry in the Free State at the 2007 Tourism Indaba, South Africa's major tourism showcase for both the local and international markets, comprises a professionally planned, designed and executed display and marketing venue. The overall aim is to penetrate the domestic as well as international tourism markets meaningfully, so much so that the Free State's slice in the total tourism cake in South Africa is raised within the next two years from 3% to 6%. In so doing, a contribution would hopefully be made to elevate the position of the tourism industry in the Free State as a main contributor to job creation, economic growth, social upliftment and GNP.
An idea of the appearance, extent and content of the Free State exhibition at Indaba 2007 can be gleaned from the artistic designs in this feature.
The design below provides an overall perspective of the Free State exhibition, indicating the following components.
Firstly, the reception area with welcoming and impacting features.
Then the display area where each of the five districts in the province would be exhibiting with five tourism SMME product owners from its region.
Thirdly there are meeting facilities where visiting tour operators, etc. could be engaged in personal marketing.
Fourthly, at the back of the exhibition area, Bloem Spa would be displaying its massage centre.
Other salient features of the Free State exhibition, which are located outdoors of the DEC and DICC, are reflected in the other illustrative designs contained in this special focus.
From this the professionalism and sophistication with which the Free State exhibition at Indaba 2007 is to be done, is evident.
What Tourism Indaba 2007 is about
Indaba is by far not only the number one showcase of the tourism industry in South Africa, but also the premier tourist exhibition on the African continent. Exhibitors in the DEC (Durban Exhibition Centre) include provincial authorities and provincial products, while in the ICC (International Convention Centre), exhibitor categories include accommodation, tour operators, game lodges, transport, online travel, media publications and industry associations. Outdoor exhibitors include transport, camping and safari companies.
Furthermore, INDABA 2006 has welcomed more first-time local and international visitors than ever before, cementing its position as a 'must-visit' event on local, regional and international travel trade calendars. The total number of visitors attending the exhibition grew by 3.8%, from 3,621 to 3,757, whilst the 1,682 exhibiting companies reflect a 6.4% increase on last year's 1,581.
More in particular, the profile of the Indaba visitor is made up of the following tourism industry segments: Tour operators, incentive agencies, consulting companies, adventure travel, online travel, business travel agencies, group travel agencies, conference organisers, sports tourism, retail travel agencies, ground handlers, marketing services, eco tourism, etc. In this respect tourism business online is the fastest growing feature and is in fact becoming increasingly essential within the South African context with a view to the 2010 hosting.
Indaba is also linking up more directly with probably the two leading tourism exhibitions in the world, namely the World Travel Market in London and the Internationale Tourismus Böurse (ITB) in Berlin.
Indaba has over the years developed a dedicated following of local and international media providing extensive coverage through radio, television, newspaper and dedicated travel publications.
For full details about Indaba, the following websites could be visited: www.indaba-southafrica.net, www.southafrica.net, or www.kagisoexpo.co.za.
Composition and operation of Free State exhibition
Coordinated by the Free State Tourism Authority (FSTA), the project team responsible for planning, designing, executing, staffing and running the Free State tourism exhibition at Indaba 12-15 May 2007 in Durban, is Khotso Thole, General Manager Marketing at FSTA.
He explains that stakeholders involved in the project team include, besides FSTA, district and local municipalities, the FS Dept. of Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affaires, SA Tourism Services Association and the Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP). In addition, representatives from the following sectors are also added to the team: Events coordinators, Bloem Spa with massage centre, Mangaung Local Municipality with emphasis on its 2010 host city status, Fedhasa, Basotho Cultural Village, the Horizon Tourism Route, the Gambling Board with casino's and the Maloti Tourism Route.
In addition, a host of information material has been prepared for handing out at the exhibition including brochures, tourism packages, travel guides, DVD's, video clips, flyers, etc.
On entering the exhibition, a structured presentation of the province will be welcoming visitors, followed by focussed personal marketing contact from trained staff from the five district municipalities and other stakeholders, with ample opportunities and facilities for informal as well as formal business discussions.
All the time a monitoring system would be run to evaluate the diversified marketing impact being obtained at the exhibition.
Cultural, sports, historical and heritage tourism attractions in the Free State would receive prioritised prominence, while other marketing tools would include various competitions for visitors, Free State wine tasting, Cherry Festival prizes, a welcoming cocktail by the MEC for DTEEA (on invitation only), etc.
Feedback
After Indaba 2007, feedback would be provided through the media to the tourism industry in the Free State as well as to the general public on the marketing outcome of the event. This is of cardinal importance for strategising and implementing the next steps in the marketing and developing of the tourism industry in the Free State.
Deft planning, professional execution and synergised cooperation by all stakeholders are indispensable elements in achieving tangible results according to set targets for the Free State tourism industry.
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