Celebrating Tourism Excellence at the Lilizela Tourism Awards 2019

We are here tonight to celebrate tourism excellence.

The Lilizela Tourism Awards recognises and rewards those of you who work passionately and with pride to deliver a world class product or experience for visitors to the Western Cape.

As the Western Cape government, we are working hard to grow the regional economy, and create jobs so that all who live in this Province can live with dignity, with independence and with hope.

The tourism sector remains the backbone of the Western Cape economy, supporting over 300 000 direct and indirect jobs in our province alone thanks to the millions of tourists who flock to the region annually to enjoy some of the most scenic and breath-taking locations that the globe has to offer.

Many of these jobs offer fantastic opportunities for young people, and are often the first career stepping stone for graduates entering the market either through internships, work placements or entry-level roles.

I am honoured to be here with you tonight at the Western Cape Provincial Lilizela Tourism Awards which aims to recognise and celebrate those in the tourism business who contribute to this province’s economy, to job creation and to our global competitiveness.

Every stakeholder in this industry, no matter how small, fulfils an incredibly important role in delivering a culture of service excellence which supports the tourism industry and in turn, grows our economy and creates jobs.

From those who provide accommodation, to venue operators, to tour guides, to tour operators, to booking agents, to event organisers and anyone else who ensures that a visitor to the Western Cape has a great experience – you all deserve our thanks and recognition.

You are the everyday heroes in our communities.

Thanks to you:

• The 1.7 million foreign visitors to the Western Cape annually have an unforgettable travel experience.
• The Western Cape is frequently cited as among the world’s best holiday destinations.
• The Western Cape has a high return visitor rate of nearly 50%, proving that those who visit our destination once, fall in love with it, and want to discover it again and again.

And, thanks to you, we can be proud to say that the city, and the province, is vibrant, captivating and open for tourism and business.

For our part, the Western Cape government is committed to supporting the tourism industry:

• Promoting the City of Cape Town and the Western Province to both domestic and international travellers,
• Through Air Access, launching new routes, expanding existing routes, and growing seat capacity numbers at Cape Town International Airport,
• And, working with stakeholders at all levels of government to ensure the safety of those living in South Arica and the safety of those travelling here from abroad.

In closing, I’d like to thank the team at the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism for their incredible work in putting this event together.

I’d also like to wish all winners this evening the best of luck as you go on to take part in the National Lilizela Tourism Awards.

It is great that this competition also allows our local businesses to be recognised and gain exposure for themselves and for the province on the national stage. A welcome positive boost for domestic tourism.

I’m sure you will do us proud.