Tourism KwaZulu-Natal is reintroducing its Enterprise Development Programme and calling
for small tourism enterprises in the tourism sector to apply for capacity building support.
The Enterprise development Programme aims to overcome the challenges that continue to
hinder the transformation of the province’s tourism sector.
“With limited participation of black entrants in the tourism sector, we realise that significant
effort is required to transform existing businesses in the tourism sector and to grow the
sector to enable more mainstream black-owned tourism businesses, of all sizes, to be
established. By transforming and growing the sector jobs will be created,” said Mr. Siboniso
Duma, KZN MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
“The rate of transformation in the tourism sector remains painfully slow, yet it is critical for
the success of the tourism sector. Without transformation the growth and development of
the industry is not guaranteed, added Duma.
According to Tourism KwaZulu-Natal the challenges in transforming the sector include lack
of management skills which limits the potential and longevity of tourism businesses; limited
access to finance, and difficulty economic circumstances creating high levels of competition
and an inability to maximise the efficiencies in various sectors.
Furthermore, new business owners are often unaware of the opportunities that exist in their
environment while the cost and difficulty of accessing and engaging with international travel
buyers is a major barrier to unlocking opportunities.
Targeting small, medium, and micro enterprises in KwaZulu-Natal’s tourism sector, the
programme sets out to:
- Identify existing and emerging tourism enterprises and establish a database.
- Assess tourism enterprises to identify the gaps and interventions required for their
- viability and growth.
- Implement capacity building interventions to ensure that small tourism enterprises
- have the practical skills to effectively manage and operate their businesses.
- Identify and facilitate access to opportunities to ensure that small tourism enterprises
- benefit from tourism market share.
- Develop an easy-to-use digital platform that enables tourism operators interact with
- their customers and set up online retail platforms.
- Monitoring and evaluate enterprises on the programme to ensure that their growth
- and sustainability is achieved.
To qualify to participate in the programme small, medium and micro tourism enterprises in
KwaZulu-Natal must be operating in the accommodation (hotels; resorts, B&B’s, lodges);
hospitality (restaurants and conference venues not attached to hotels, professional catering,
attractions) and travel and related services (tour operators, travel agents, tour guides; car
rental companies, coach operators).
Applications for the TKZN Enterprise Development Programme will open on 07 September
2022 and close on 07 October 2022 and Tourism KwaZulu-Natal is urging new entrants or
existing KZN black owned tourism SMMEs to go to www.zulu.org.za to see what is required
of them and to register.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for tourism enterprises to get professional assistance to
ensure they not only survive the tough times but are able to thrive and flourish in better
times,” said Mr Duma
In addition to skills building SMMEs will be supported when participating in domestic and
international trade and consumer shows to enable them to access tourism markets. They
will also be helped to link into vital business networks and establish partnerships with
likeminded businesses within and outside of South Africa.
Participants will also be monitored for a further five years after exiting the programme to
make sure they are sustainable.
“What we would like to see is enterprises grow their customer base, sales, gain market
access opportunities, revenue and employment as a result of participating in the
programme,” said Mr Duma.
ABOUT TOURISM KWAZULU-NATAL
Tourism KwaZulu-Natal is responsible for the development, promotion, and marketing of
tourism into and within the province, both domestically and internationally. The organisation
is an entity that reports to the provincial Department of Economic Development, Tourism
and Environmental Affairs.
For more information, go to:
Social media links to Tourism KwaZulu-Natal:
Website: https://www.zulu.org.za
Facebook: Tourism KwaZulu-Natal
Instagram: Tourismkzn official
Twitter: @TourismKZN
Pinterest: KZN Tourism
Hashtags: #KZNHasItAll #BelieveIt #TourismMonth2022 #rethinktourism
For media interviews, please contact
Nhlanhla Ngwenya – Communications Coordinator
Tourism KZN – 063 698 7455 (mobile)
Email: Nhlanhla@zulu.org.za
Malusi Mchunu – Media Liaison Officer
Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) – 078 327 7093
(mobile)
Email: mmalusi@icloud.com
