A sense of belonging

Alderman Monde Orzymondius Stemele, Weskus Distrik councillor for Strategic Support and Economic Development, including the key Tourism portfolio, is enthusiastic about the region’s attraction for visitors but also believes that tourism needs to yield greater benefits for the underserved populations.

Monde has an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration, incomplete Degree in Human and Social Science, and is completing a Honours degree in Administration. He has done extensive work in the NGO sector and is tuned to the needs and challenges of communities.

“It is correct to say that increased tourism will create job opportunities in the hospitality and related sectors, and we will obviously continue with, and even refine, our marketing activities. But we need to go beyond the expected if we are all to share in what our region offers.

We need to explore ways to include underrepresented communities. In doing so, we can preserve traditions unique to our region while fostering cultural awareness and pride. Although our region has natural and obvious attractions which are well-known, so do other regions. A differentiating factor for us may well be our people”.

The South African tourism market is extremely competitive, and the inclusion of the community can lift local pride and with that, enhance service levels for visitors to experience, reduce crime on tourists, and inspire an entrepreneurial spirit which all stem from having a sense of belonging.

The idea of community-based tourism as a niche which allows visitors to closely connect with local communities is not new, and it is not an overnight fix as it requires considered planning; the involvement of the private sector; commitment from local government, and the injection of capital, skills and resources.

“The Weskus Distrik brand has a core value of ‘inclusiveness’ and with some imagination and the ability to make things happen which we are renowned for, a path opens to move our community from observers and servers to active participants in our tourism economy”.

Alderman Monde Orzymondius Stemele
Councillor
Strategic Support and Economic Development
Weskus Distrik.