Fifty-two Tourism product owners from across the Free State will descend to the City of Roses hoping to collect an award at this year’s glittering Lilizela award ceremony. The event aims to acknowledge and reward industry role players for their dedication, professionalism and commitment in serving those who travel the province with excellence.
The Free State pride itself with unique tourism offerings in accommodation, heritage sites, picturesque landscapes of the eastern parts of the Free State in Clarens and the 14 state owned reserves and resorts that can be found here. Service excellence that gives tourists or travellers a unique and memorable experience coupled with the warmth of the people of the Free State will surely characterise these awards.
September is tourism month and under the theme: “A Million New Opportunities Awaits”. The awards will officially kick-start government promotion of tourism offerings within the province.
Tourism industry provides job creation in hospitality and in the last 4 years, the department of Tourism has introduced programmes such as Food Safety Assurers Programme where young, unemployed tourism and hospitality graduates are exposed to the theory and practise of food safety. The other programme is Professional Chef Training which is an NQF Level 3 qualification. Lastly it’s Sommelier Training Pilot Programme where young people from the townships were exposed to the world of wine tasting and Tourism Buddies Programme which is an on-the-job learnership that exposes young people to the world of hospitality, giving them knowledge, skills and work experience to enter the job market to attract new entrants in the sector.
The candidates will battle it out from the following four categories:
- The MEC’s award
- Service excellence
- Entrepreneurship
- Sustainable development
The details of the event are as follows:
Date: 3 September 2015
Venue: Bloem Spa Hotel Conference Room
Time: 17h30
Enquiries:
Kagisho Leteane
Tel: 051 400 9550/9631
E-mail: leteanek@detea.fs.gov.za
