MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A new dedicated unit headed by Towfiq Hendriks was established in Wesgro to support tourism, trade, investment and film promotion in municipalities across the Western Cape.

"The new district unit, established with funding from the Western Cape Government Department of Economic Development and Tourism, will have two employees, and will act as a direct link to municipalities across the province, coordinating the service offering of Wesgro.

"This is a deliberate intervention by Wesgro and the Western Cape Government to ensure that Wesgro's support is felt across the province," 

Wesgro CEO Tim Harris said at the annual Municipal Workshop, held in Mossel Bay from 25 to 26 July.

The Mossel Bay workshop was by far the largest to date of three such workshops, with over 120 delegates from municipalities from across the province attending. Several engaging panel discussions were held, among others on how to be film-ready and cut-red tape for this key sector and on the importance of incentive tours, especially from Asia, for boosting tourism in smaller towns across the Western Cape.

In his opening address. the head of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Solly Fourie, said: "We should make it our goal and objective to prioritise growth in our municipalities and join in the partnership with other spheres of government to improve our competitiveness.

"We need to grow the skills of our young people to make them globally competitive, incentivise investment in light value add manufacturing and enable our existing SMMEs."

Mossel Bay deputy executive mayor Dirk Kotzé concluded with a vote of thanks, encouraging all delegates to be more participative in growing the economy.

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