Stellenbosch Publicity and Marketing (SPM) – the entity responsible for administering the Stellenbosch tourism levy – reported at its annual general meeting (AGM)at recently, that during the past fiscal year R733 000 was made available for the tourism activities of Stellenbosch 360 as the town and region’s official tourism organisation, compared with only R116 132 in 2010/2011 when the organisation started.
The SPM has grown from only four founder members to the present 35 who all decided to obtain their 1% tourism levy contribution from their guests and to pay it over to SPM.
Craig Seaman, chairman of SPM, emphasised that the tourism levy has been the key element in enabling Stellenbosch 360 to market Stellenbosch as a top national and international tourist destination and to initiate essential initiatives such as global trade visits and to develop Stellenbosch also as a major conferencing and business tourism destination.
In her address at the AGM Annemarie Ferns, chief executive officer of Stellenbosch 360, said that the funding by SPM was essential for Stellenbosch tourism and enabled them to undertake and execute various activities for which no monies would have been available otherwise.
Craig Seaman concluded the AGM by saying: “I appeal to and trust that an increasing number of loyal tourism role-players in Stellenbosch and surrounds will follow suit and join the SPM.
More members will enable us to generate sufficient funds for a dynamic and viable long-term multilevel marketing campaign promoting our exceptional town and all its offerings to holiday, business and other travellers globally.
“To implement the tourism levy requires little effort, yet it makes an enormous difference to the scope of the marketing we can afford for Stellenbosch and gives us a competitive advantage.”
