WeeklySA_AdminJEWEL: Every year, multitudes of local and international tourists make quiet repeat beelines for soul-embalming holiday breathers for South Africa’s rich cultural heartland, which nestles in the far eastern parts…
By Robert Magwaza
This year’s Mpumalanga Tourism Expo, held in the Mpumalanga town Mbombela last weekend, brimmed with sleek organisation and displays as the annual event’s organisers ensured to raise the bar and elevate its appeal to throngs of visitors.
The Expo, started in 2021 with 26 exhibitors, has seen the numbers growing by way of visitors and exhibitors every year.
“We have more than 60 tourism products this year,” according to Doctor Mdluli, chief director at Mpumalanga provincial tourism department.
One of the key objectives of the Expo is to send a message to tourists that Mpumalanga is not only about animals in the park, but to draw tourists to other places of interest in the province.
Among the exhibition participants was the Bundu Lodge, which is owned by a local entrepreneur Ntombizodwa Tshabalala, who has been running the business for 30 years. The Lodge, which has been described as a landmark venue in the town, has 112 rooms and conference facilities.
The town of Mbombela also holds its own in terms of gastronomic appeal, boasting a plethora of fine dining facilities. Among them is the family-owned multipurpose restaurant called The Garden. It has different facilities to cater for the needs of its diverse clientele in the midst of a live music area.
Their menu provides enticing dishes for tourists to experience to their hearts’ content, all prepared with fresh ingredients are sourced locally. Their country-style menu offers mostly meaty dishes, and manager Sakhile Ncongwane recommends the ox heart which she describes as their exclusive and flagship.
Mpumalanga province is endowed with breath-taking landscapes and valleys that make driving a sedative breeze. Over the years, it has seen growth despite the adverse impact of Covid-19 a few years ago. Domestic tourism has risen to 3.3 million visitors a year, with 1.8 million comprising international arrivals – something of great benefit to local businesses and sustaining jobs.
The exhibition was held at Emnotweni Mall which was a beehive of activity – thanks to a full house of exhibitors, who showcased their products to the public. A number of stands with different products ranging for accommodation, arts and crafts, including a variety of outdoor adventure areas like GZ Adventures, which hosts “bush adventure activities” that include quad biking in the hills offering spectacular views.
“The Mpumalanga Tourism Expo continues to be a good platform for the promotion and growth of tourism in the province. We again continue to implement the Triland cross- border marketing initiative through the invitation of the Eswatini and Mozambican Tourism Authorities, including their tour operators to exhibit in this event,” said Mr Justus Mohlala, acting chief executive officer of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.
