PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - A local bed and breakfast establishment became the first recipient of the Green Tourism Incentive Programme in Plettenberg Bay.
The GTIP is an initiative by the Department of Tourism with a focus on supporting and encouraging privately-owned tourism enterprises to adopt responsible tourism practices through installing solutions to reduce energy and water consumption and costs.
Plett's four-star Bayside Lodge, near the Blue Flag Robberg 5 beach, became the first local recipient of this programme.
Since taking over the Bayside Lodge in March 2014, owners Bernie and Adrienne Esterhuyse have ensured that their establishment is completely solar powered and are in the process of undertaking a water project, also funded by the GTIP.
Owner Adrienne Esterhuyse said they were pleased with the outcome and offered to assist other tourism businesses who wanted to do the same.
"We are happy to provide info and assist businesses with this great initiative from the IDC. We are still in the process of doing the water project which is also funded," Esterhuyse said.
Additional benefits
The GTIP was initially launched in 2017, and reviewed in 2021, resulting in additional benefits for the tourism sector regarding the installation of solutions for the sustainable management and usage of electricity and water.
The development of the GTIP was informed by escalating electricity prices, the intensifying pressure on the national energy grid and negative impacts of load shedding, as well as water scarcity and drought conditions which negatively impact the tourism sector.
GTIP has already assisted 173 tourism businesses across the country with electricity and water solutions to the total grant value of R104 285 673.
The solutions that were installed as part of this process helped reduce input costs and increase operational sustainability and competitiveness. A further 419 active applications are at various stages of processing, according to the department.
Best possible solutions
For this financial year, the department has set aside R199 151 179 to disburse to successful GTIP applicants.
The GTIP covers the full cost for a new resource efficiency audit as well as the full cost for reviewing an existing audit.
The GTIP appoints an assessor from its approved panel to conduct resource efficiency audits to determine the best possible solutions to be implemented. The assessor will also review existing audits where applicable. The GTIP offers grant funding on a sliding scale from 50% to 90% of the total cost of the approved energy and water efficiency solutions up to a capped amount of R1 million.
The balance is to be covered by the applicant, either through their own resources or from other reputable funding institutions including the IDC.
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