I would like to comment on Lise Beyers’ excellent article in Paarl Post, on 31 March, about Paarl tourism woes.
I have been in the travel business for many years. After retiring to Paarl, I served five years on Paarl Tourism’s Exco. Paarl is clearly not a tourist friendly town. The attitude towards cyclists during a recent event that overnighted in Paarl is a point in case.
Cycling in the Cape is huge business - netting millions of rands, but Paarl was not able to show a welcoming face, partly because the Municipality did not advertise the event. Immediately one questions their ability to promote tourism effectively.
Until citizens, businesses and Drakenstein Municipality get together with one purpose in mind, we will forever be ‘standing at the back of the queue’.
Secondly, Paarl Tourism bent over backwards to encourage homestay and other Paarl East and Mbekweni tourist services to join Paarl Tourism. We drastically reduced annual subscriptions and waived entry fees to attract these services. We did have some success with about four or five services joining us.
It was explained to all who joined Paarl Tourism that we promoted the whole of Paarl as a tourist destination. We did not promote any one member’s service be it a B&B, homestay or transport company.
Unfortunately, there were those who, when joining, expected us to recommend their service above their competitors. This we could not do and went to lengths to explain that members cannot rely on a trade association alone to market their service.
Thirdly, we ran courses in how to handle tourists at the reception desk and answer phones etc. We organised educational tours to tourist sites for those employed in the industry and organised cultural events in Paarl East and Mbekweni.
We tried very hard to form a proper working relationship with Drakenstein Municipality. We re-wrote our constitution to comply with government requirements and submitted it to the Municipality for approval. To my knowledge to this day approval is still pending.
The main stumbling block seemed to be the fact that Drakenstein Municipality had a problem with Paarl Tourism because the latter did not in the Municipality’s eyes, promote ALL the tourist services in Paarl irrespective of whether they were members of Paarl Tourism or not. This attitude prevailed despite our determined efforts to recruit and assist other groups.
At one time, the information desk would not hand out Paarl Tourism’s brochure because our brochure did not contain all of the tourism services in all of Paarl despite the fact that anyone could advertise in our brochure. How crazy is that?
It is vital that tourists feel welcome the moment they enter Paarl. Is there anywhere a big outdoor street map of Paarl? There should be one at all major entrances.
Ward 15 wanted to spend their budgeted allocation on such a map in Main Street near the off-ramp from the N1, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. The Municipality did not sanction it.
It is essential that the Municipality co-operates fully with Paarl Tourism who are the representatives of the private sector in the tourist industry.
Paarl and Wellington Tourism MUST be consulted and allowed to give input into determining tourism policies and budgets affecting their towns.
In the years I served Paarl Tourism, I have yet to see any policy document detailing tourism policies or how the Municipality aims to promote tourism in Paarl let alone the rest of Drakenstein.
Paarl Tourism does not have the money from members’ fees alone to do more than they already do. Government has money to assist in tourism promotion and development, but this can only be accessed through the Municipality.
In discussion with a senior member of the municipal department responsible for tourism, I was asked in all seriousness what Paarl Tourism does for Paarl that the Municipality can’t do.
When I asked what policy the Municipality had in place to promote and develop tourism, I was met with a blank stare.
Despite all I said, it was obvious to me that the Municipality wanted Paarl Tourism out of the way and that is not the way to go!
Robin Graves
