The Zululand Tourism Experience - A New Umbrella Body For Tourism in uThungulu

After two years of planning and stakeholder engagement, the much anticipated "Zululand Tourism Experience", a new district level tourism association, was launched at the recent uThungulu District Tourism Forum in October.

The Zululand Tourism Experience was initiated as a concept by uThungulu District Municipality following their investigation into  the best tourism institutional framework options for the district. According to Kobus Du Toit, the new chairman and stalwart supporter of tourism in the region; "This Association will act as an umbrella body for promoting, marketing and developing tourism in the region, it gives us all an opportunity to work together for a common cause and finally make tourism happen in the region, this is what everyone has been waiting for!"

The association will be established as a non profit company with a board of directors, including representation from all the current existing associations, routes and tourism organisations in the uThungulu district as well as some specialized portfolios such as marketing, skills development and business, represented by the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The underlying principle of the association is to increase tourism growth in the area through harnessing economies of scale, rather than having 5 or 6 various small associations with small budgets, have a central association where funding can be pooled to make a bigger impact and get the marketing reach that was previously unattainable.

Members will enjoy a host of benefits including international level marketing, exposure in printed materials, websites and a variety of domestic trade shows.

For more information on the Zululand Tourism Experience or to join as a member, please contact Kobus  on landlover@telkomsa.net