PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The uncertainty of Plett Tourism’s future took centre stage at the tourism body’s AGM last week, after Bitou Municipality earlier this year proposed a controversial new tourism bylaw that residents and tourism business owners fear could be damaging to the local economy.

Some of the issues that have angered locals include the establishment of a new tourism board; the composition of the board, leaving decision making largely in the hands of the municipality; registration of tourism businesses with a tourism organisation and subsequent “fees, charges and tariffs” payable. There is also a penalties clause that includes fines or jail time for those who do not comply.

Fees carried by tourists
One of the most contentious issues is that the burden of these “fees” would be carried by tourists, sparking fears that the industry would then become less competitive.

The public had until 8 June to comment on the proposed bylaw and elicited massive opposition including a petition of more than 10 000 signatures.

As far as is known, none of the objectors has received feedback from the municipality, but Plett Tourism chair Peter Wallington said a task team has been appointed to iron out some of the issues. The task team includes municipal officials and Plett Tourism role players.

“We are cautiously optimistic that this will result in a bylaw that is more beneficial to Plettenberg Bay,” Wallington said.

It is unclear when the process would be completed. Plett Tourism has however been granted funding for another year after its contract with the municipality ended on 30 June 2018. “The problem with a funding commitment for only a year is that future planning is hampered.”

Downturn in tourism
This seems to have taken its toll on tourism in Plettenberg Bay. Wallington said at the AGM that there has been a downturn in tourism in the area, due to a combination of several factors including the bylaw, recent fires and violent political protests. This has led to several issues including tourism projects either being cancelled or cut back. “A lot of the energy that could have been used to promote Plettenberg Bay as a tourism destination has been spent fighting this bylaw. It has taken valuable assets away from what we need to focus on.”

The upside, said Wallington, is that Plett Tourism found support in this time, including from the people who had signed the petition. He added that Plett Tourism also had constructive engagement with some political leaders.

One supporter who objected to the bylaw, Debbie Fermor, said as a tourism role player and small business owner – employing 59 locals mostly from disadvantaged communities – she was “extremely concerned" to see the bylaw being considered.

'Huge undertaking'
“Without tourism this town won’t be able to sustain its local inhabitants or continue to create new jobs. Having moved to this area in 23 years ago, I know what the town used to be like and what a huge undertaking it has been to establish Plett as a tourism destination in the international market,” she said. Fermor added that this had only been achieved as a result of huge commitment by key tourism role players and at enormous cost to the individual tourism businesses.

“It is only since the inception of Plett Tourism in its current privatised format that the destination marketing of our town has been implemented successfully and we are now all – employers and employees – reaping the benefit of this work being done efficiently.”

Over the past five years, Plett Tourism has made massive inroads in increasing the town’s visibility. Just in terms of social media, Facebook fans have increased by 500% from 2 000 to 11 500. Twitter followers have grown by 900%, from 420 to 5 000. A similar picture is clear on Instagram which grew from no followers to 4 800 and YouTube from no views to 22 000.

Plett Tourism’s website also expanded massively from 150 visitors a day to 630 and its newsletter distribution from 180 to 7 000.

'Tourism is about networking'
“I strongly object to the tourism marketing of this area being overseen by the municipality and the tourism committee being appointed by the mayor. Tourism is about networking and having the right people with the right qualifications and experience doing the extremely important job of marketing our town as a destination nationally and internationally. We cannot afford to have token appointees or people who do not know the industry being in charge of marketing this town.”

Another objector, Isolde Stegmann, said that as a Plett homeowner of many years she could see “absolutely no advantage” starting up another tourism board. 

“Plett Tourism has achieved their objectives by encouraging cooperation and leading by example, whereas it appears that the new bylaw is suggesting enforced membership and levies and draconian penalties for noncompliance. Surely this is a recipe for disaster and failure to achieve a positive outcome; namely promoting a beautiful part of the Garden Route to the world out there,” Stegmann said.

She added that it would make more sense for the municipality to engage with Plett Tourism and assist in whatever way possible, rather than sidelining them and starting up all over again. “From where I stand this whole exercise looks like an idea that has not been properly thought through and cannot possibly work in its present form.”

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