Revive Graaff-Reinet

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The Graaff-Reinet Community Tourism office is launching an exciting new initiative, Revive Graaff-Reinet, in two weeks, on Thursday 16 March.

Tourism Manager Kim von Behr Imrie, says Revive Graaff-Reinet aims to rejuvenate the spirit and fervour of the historic and beautiful Karoo town, one of the best-known towns in South Africa. She says the idea is based on similar successful tourism initiatives in Knysna, Sedgefield and Kroonstad.

"We have been struggling to keep our doors open," says Von Behr Imrie.

"Before the amalgamation of the municipalities, Graaff-Reinet Tourism used to receive an annual amount of about R120 000 from the municipality, but since the amalgamation, this has dried up and we are getting nothing. We are dependent on the subscriptions of our members.

These are insufficient to keep the office, which benefits the whole town, going. After all avenues of funding were explored last year to no avail, various stakeholders in Graaff-Reinet came together and suggested we have a special event. The outcome is the launch of Revive Graaff-Reinet on 16 March. We already have the support of the local economic development forum, ratepayers, the heritage society and museums."

Von Behr Imrie says she is in the process of presenting the revive concept to the municipality as she would like the local authority to also come on board so that everyone can work together for the greater good of Graaff-Reinet.

Launch

The launch starts at 10:00 on 16 March at Profcon Resort at 88 Somerset Street.

The guest speaker on the day is the contracted Project Manager of Discover Mandela Bay, Shawn van Eck, who will explain how businesses can maximise their product marketing.

Van Eck will also be looking at opportunities for township tourism which will complement the product offering of local businesses. Van Eck has experience as CEO of Knysna Tourism, was Marketing Manager of Sun International's The Boardwalk and also the Director of Tourism of Port Elizabeth. He was named the 1999 CTA SA Tourism Marketer of the Year and the 2002 IMM Eastern Cape Marketer of the Year.

Von Behr Imrie stresses that tourism is a main economic driver. "Having a long-term sustained project like this will be for the benefit of the entire town," she says. "Graaff-Reinet is a living monument. We have 220 monuments, and the town needs to be taken care of."

She encourages all the communities of Graaff-Reinet to help rejuvenate our lovely town. "Together we can move mountains," she says.