FOR the first time ever, the Kouga Municipality has a dedicated councillor for Tourism and Creative Industries, and she is determined to firmly secure Kouga on the local and national map when it comes to tourism.

Passionate about her calling, Councillor Virginia Camelio-Benjamin has already secured funding for a Feasibility Study and Business Plan for the establishment of Kouga Routes. This project will be linked to the greater Eastern Cape Routes Development studies, which is in the process of development.

Already tourists and locals alike can embark on a virtual journey, experiencing dramatic scenery and cultu-ral sites that showcase the remarkable prehistory and history of the region.

They can furthermore experience a unique fusion of ancient and modern cultures, pristine coastline and a vibrant, fertile river valley nestled between three mountain ranges. Or they can walk along kilometres of unspoilt coastal dune fields, sharing in the exhilaration of hundreds of dolphins at play as they patrol this stretch of the Indian Ocean, joined by giant Southern Right whales during the winter months.

All of this can be found on the website of Open Africa, a website with a Southern Cross focus, listed under Coastal Routes.

“These and other strides we have made, continue to put us on the national and international tourist maps. We still need to do more and we intend doing so,” said municipal spokesperson, Mfundo Sobele.

“We are currently busy with a township tourism study where we are investigating possibilities of exploring tourism opportunities and marketing of township products.

“This we believe will add value to our tourism route.”

Other plans in the pipeline include the beautification of the entrances to the informal settlements of Ocean View, Centerton and Kwanomzamo; the training of crafters in the informal settlements; as well as the implementation of a Tourism Routes Bus-iness Plan.

The Department of Tourism and Creative Industries is furthermore planning to host festivals in each town in the Kouga. “The locals will have the opportunity to exhibit and sell their crafts and handmade items, as well as be given a platform for the performing of arts such as storytelling, dancing, drama inter alia,” said Sobele.