De Poort Heritage Village

The De Poort Heritage Village concept aims to develop an interactive heritage village, which will be run on museumological lines to reflect the old skills, crafts, activities and lifestyles of artisans and craftsmen of the Drakenstein Valley between 1875 – 1895. The De Poort historical village development promises to be a significant cultural tourism attraction in the region, with the potential to stimulate large numbers of SMMEs. The Village will be an additional major non-wine tourism attraction and will assist in increasing visitor numbers to the region. Benefits of the project will be shared broadly throughout the community. The project has been given seed funding for the past three years by the CWDM to sustain the planning phases of the project. This funding leveraged capital funding from the LOTTO Trust to begin construction once the rezoning application is complete.

Breedekloof Bursary Fund

The Breedekloof bursary fund is a partnership between the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, the Cape Winelands District Municipality, Breedekloof Wine & Tourism, the University of Stellenbosch and Wineries of the Breedekloof area. Through this project 6 students are currently pursuing a course in winemaking at Stellenbosch University over a 3 year period. The above institutions contribute annually towards the fund, which is administered by the University of Stellenbosch.

NHTV Exchange Programme

In order to actively encourage knowledge sharing & skills development, the CWDM has entered into an agreement with the NHTV Breda University of Professional Education in the Netherlands. This Agreement describes staff and student exchange programmes, provision of training programmes and study courses, and support for tourism and educational projects. As part of this agreement Dutch students engage in tourism research within the Cape Winelands. Research studies conducted so far by the Dutch students includes:

• Kristel Veger – Recommendations on how to create a Cape Winelands Experience
• Merel van der Ven – Exploring Tourism Business Opportunities in the Cape Winelands
• Kim Wittek- Community Based Tourism Opportunities for the Cape Winelands
• Marijke Bleeker – Freedom Route Study
• Nynke Okma - Township Tourism using Kayamandi as case study.

As part of the agreement South African students is also given the opportunity to study for 3 months at the NHTV University. In 2005/2006 the first two South African students were sent to NHTV University.

Freedom Route

The Project aims to develop a tourist route in the Cape Winelands, linking a series of significant heritage sites related to the freedom theme. These sites take into account the historical development of the District and include attractions or experiences which relate to all communities. Existing and new tourist sites are therefore incorporated in the route and community participation and stake-holder consultation forms an integral part of the development phase. Business opportunities that are created through the development of the route have a strong focus on SMME's and BEE's. As part of the Freedom Route project two stdies have been completed successfully, i.e. the "Aunties Study and the "Farm Worker History Study.

In the ‘Aunties Study', oral history was recorded of eleven women in the Cape Winelands based on the significant role these women have played in the Struggle and also in the current upliftment of their communities.   The focus of their stories was on their part in the Struggle against Apartheid. This study was so successfully done that the department envisages the extension of this project in the next financial year, as only a fraction of these important women in the district were captured.

The ‘Farm Workers History' project was conducted through interviews with farm workers and farmers on fifteen historical farms in the Cape Winelands. These interviews captured the oral history of the farm workers from the slave period to the present.

Another Freedom Route project that will be concluded in the next financial year is the Spiritual Freedom study. This study will focus on the religious freedom of the people of the Cape Winelands, i.e. Mission Stations, Kramats, Rastafarian, Zionism etc. One of the Stellenbosch University students will also be doing a section of this study. Specifically for the Freedom Route site guides will also be trained to give guiding on the freedom route the various towns of the District.

The route will be marketed through a tourist map and associated promotional activities, and will be strongly supported by the Tourism Department's marketing strategy with specific reference to the Marketing Campaign.

Arts & Craft Route

The purpose of the project is to ensure that craft enterprises in the Cape Winelands District, particularly in the previously disadvantaged communities, are able to derive benefit from tourism in the area. In order to do so, they need to be making quality products that meet the tourist market demand. Therefore craft enterprises are being assisted with product development and market access as well as skills development. Branding and marketing support has also been included. The project involves the identification of existing craft enterprises and an audit of their needs, the development and implementation of a training and development programme. To develop the right products for the right markets and the establishment of a structure to ensure access of products to markets and the development of the business skills of these enterprises to build their sustainability. 20 Craft enterprises was selected, trained and mentored and linked to existing market outlets. A brochure, banner and DVD have been produced on the Arts & Craft Route. In depth mentoring will follow in the next financial year.

Schools Tourism Awareness Project

In 2003, the CWDM adopted an extensive Schools Tourism Awareness Project. The project aimed at increasing community and youth participation in the tourism industry by creating an understanding of the industry and an awareness of its career opportunities. Initially implemented at 20 schools, the project was embraced by teachers and learners alike. The local tourism bureaus were also involved in the project, creating a platform for Local Tourism Associations (LTAs) to engage with their communities. The involvement of LTAs further enabled the Western Cape Education Department to enhance the learning experience where resources and knowledge were not available.

Since then the CWDM Schools Tourism Awareness project has expanded significantly and   thousands of school learners in the District have had the opportunity to experience various aspects of the industry.

The Schools Tourism Awareness Project consists of 3 components. The first part of the project is aimed at creating tourism awareness amongst foundation phase learners by implementing tourism learning material, developed by the Tourism Education Trust, in 20 schools throughout the Cape Winelands District. Around 7 000 learners will benefit from the project. For the new financial year an additional 10 schools will be added to the list of 20. This is due to the great success we have had with the project and a lot of schools want to become part of the project.

The second project targets grade 9 learners. All secondary schools in the district are invited to participate in a tourism exhibition road show with the objective of creating tourism awareness in general, but more specifically to highlight career possibilities and training opportunities within the industry. A total of 11 000 learners are reached through this project. These schools also attended the SABC career expo whereby they could see what possibilities there are fro them.

The third component of the project is aimed at schools where Travel and Tourism is a Further Education and Training (FET) subject. The subject has recently been introduced into schools, in most cases without the necessary knowledge and resources. By partnering with the tourism structures and the private sector, these schools are assisted in improving the quality of learning of about 1500 learners. The schools in the Cape Winelands have now begun to realise the importance of tourism. Therefore the number of schools hosting tourism as a subject has more than doubled. Where we only had 5 schools in 2005 in the District, we now have about 20 schools that have Tourism as a subject.

Cape Winelands Home Stays

The Cape Winelands Home-Stay initiative allows tourists to experience ‘authentic living' in the Cape Winelands by staying within the homes of local families.   The idea is for the Home-Stay owners to have a thorough knowledge of the Cape Winelands so that they can be a source of information and knowledge sharing for the tourists regarding their community and the tourism sector.

In 2002 three groups of entrepreneurs were identified in the Stellenbosch, Breede Valley and Drakenstein municipalities with at least 30 women benefiting from the project. In order for the Home Stays to become ambassadors for their region/district, the CWDM arranged a series of educationals throughout the region. This enabled the Home-Stay owners to experience first hand all the important tourism icons and attractions in the District and become a reference point for tourists.

The Home Stays is a new concept for the Tourism Industry, even though this kind of accommodation alternative has been offered by quite a number of smaller communities in South Africa for years. In certain countries, such as Australia and Peru, this kind of accommodation has been offered to students, backpackers and tourist who just wanted to experience other cultures. It is with this in mind that the CWDM took the project further by lobbying with the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa to recognize Home Stays as an accommodation establishment. Although this was unsuccessful, Cape Town Routes Unlimited – the Western Cape tourism authority – has itself accredited a number of the Home-Stays recently.

The Home Stays have also been included in the Provincial Tiered Support Programme, as well as Cape Winelands' own Business Support Programme to equip them with the necessary entrepreneurial skills. Exhibition training was arranged for the entrepreneurs to give them the necessary tools to be able to effectively market themselves at exhibitions. Home Stays have been subsidized to attend exhibitions with the CWDM. For the past three years, the Home Stays have had their own stand at the Cape Tourism Showcase Exhibition where they could market their businesses. They are currently investigating the idea of forming a bigger association, even though they have their own associations in their various towns, to assist with joint marketing and purchasing. An achievement is that all the Home Stays are also now members of their Local Tourism Associations and are listed on the web site of the different towns as well.

Tourism Business Training

Cape Winelands in partnership with the Department of Economic Development Western Cape is pioneering the way in Tourism Business Development programmes with the Tourism Business Training Programme (TBTP), Fast Track, the Tourism Mentorship Programme and the Tourism Help Desk infrastructure.   These programmes aim to support emerging tourism entrepreneurs in the Cape Winelands by building their capacity in effectively and profitably managing their own businesses in the (direct or indirect) tourism industry. By doing so, these entrepreneurs can give tourists the diverse and quality experience they need when coming to the Cape Winelands. Cape Winelands has two Tourism Helpdesk Agents, Marian Mercuur and Titus Hendricks, servicing the region. They are ultimately responsible for recruiting entrepreneurs with the assistance of the LTA's as well as the arranging of the workshops. The Cape Winelands District municipality manages the funds provided by Department Economic Development for these training workshops in the region. The CWDM has also recruited the THD's to assist in presenting Tourism Outreach workshops in the smaller and lesser known towns and communities, so that these training programmes' information reaches all communities.

Gateway Information Centres

The Integrated Tourism Development Framework (ITDF) clearly indicates the need to develop gateway centres which will provide the basis for destination marketing, product development and socio-economic development in the communities they serve. The gateway centres will provide maximum regional exposure and forms an integral part of the Visitor Services Strategy.

The Cape Winelands is represented on the provincial Gateways task team. The function or purpose of the gateway centres is to market and promote the Western Cape as a globally competitive tourist destination.

Task Team Brief and Deliverables:

• Ensure regional representation at all gateway centres
• Input regarding development of infrastructure – look & feel
• Investigate all possible services that can and be made available to tourist at the centre
• Facilitate the development of business plans
• Undertake Site investigations – advantages & disadvantages
• Advise on the Internal structure – layout of organisational structure for each gateway centre
• Develop curios & shops within the centres
• Identify possible partnership development opportunities
• Provide feedback to the relevant authorities / Exco's
• Source possible funding partners

The Gateway Centres must represent all the tourism products and activities on offer across the province. Making use of regional representatives will compliment the process of creating a platform for all regions to market and promote their regional destination. They should know and be aware of what is happening in there region. It is for these reasons that CWDM, as the regional tourism organisation was approached by the Provincial Government to serve on the Gateway Task Team.

Tourism Road Signage

The Tourism Road Signage Framework for the Western Cape emphasizes the importance of tourism signage as a part of the information network that supports local communities and SMMEs along popular tourism routes. Route 62 was identified as one of two provincial pilot projects in tourism signage. It runs through three regions of the Western Cape, and is recognized as a Super Tourist Route in the Tourism Road Signage Framework. The CWDM allocated significant funding for extensive marketing, road signage and the development of arts and crafts along Route 62. The CWDM has also been responsible for the upgrading of the lay-by situated on the R60 (Trunk Road 31/1, log km 15) between Worcester and Robertson. A Tourist Information sign and kiosk has been erected at the lay-by to service passing tourists with information on the region. An Economic Impact study was done on R62 in the 2005/2006 financial year and DEDT together with Cape Winelands are looking into possible opportunities for black businesses on the R62. A Road trip will be conducted under the leadership of DEDT to investigate the abovementioned venture.