Comments on: George Tourism in crisis

By: Imel

Imel — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:54:12 +0000

Thanks Ann, we appreciate your support.

We will continue to post updates on this very important issue on this thread as well as in the press.

It is encouraging to see how many people from all walks of life have offered their support to the tourism office.

Together we can make a positive difference to the city of George and her community.

By: ADT

ADT — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:45:49 +0000

I read with relief that the Tourism Office received their grant and that the funding situation will be solved in a more efficient way than the bully-ing tactics the municipality displayed until now. I’ve been intimately involved with the tourism office for almost six years and know that they have achieved a lot with little council funding or support. It is now in the hands of the Bureau members, its Excom and staff to (again) convince council that a city like George cannot be without a well-funded, focused tourism office, staffed by experienced and enthusiastic people. I wish you all very well on this journey – to Joan and her team – keep up the good work and good luck for the coming high-season!

By: Imel

Imel — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:43:04 +0000

A follow up article has appeared in the EP Herold, available here

By: Imel

Imel — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:34:18 +0000

The Eastern Cape Herold today carried a front page article on this issue. To see the coverage click here

By: Cathy

Cathy — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:24:39 +0000

Imel, hell has no fury like a woman scorned! If I hadn’t spent years trying to put George on the map (and been verbally abused by councillors) as a (then) tourism entrepreneur and a board member of the tourism bureau I might not feel so incensed.

But the fact that everything that local business people are doing for the benefit of the town and its citizens is being being “taken over” by the municipality and annihilated is despicable.

It is time the community stands up for itself

By: Imel

Imel — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:06:11 +0000

Hi Cathy, if we look at how the Municipality has change the sister City initiative into a bureaucratic bungle then it is clear tourism is doomed.
The above post will be published in next week’s George Herald. I suggest you write an accompanying letter to the editor, in support, as will the Business Chamber and others.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:51:09 +0000

This is disgusting! Anybody that has had anything to do with tourism in George will tell you that this is economic suicide. It will be a complete ruination of all the hard work put in by entrepreneurs to build up and promote this town and make it an economically viable proposition for all citizens.

I feel that the six years that I spent in tourism promoting the town and trying to build a tourism route has been thrown away by a municipality that only thinks of itself.