Good evening ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for inviting me to join you in celebrating the official opening of Pietermaritzburg newest hotel, the Regal Inn Express. In my line of work sleeping away from home has become the norm, rather than the exception. Maybe I should change my home address to hotel x, planet earth! But the poet and mystic, Christian Morgenstern, said that home is not where you live, but where they understand you. With the Regal Inn Express being run as a family enterprise I am convinced that you will give your guests a home away from home.
Mr Dev Chetty and his two sons, Yolan and Rowan, have certainly invested their money wisely by choosing the city of choice to build their hotel.
Pietermaritzburg is no ordinary destination. It personifies a true rainbow nation, offering a cultural treasure trove of Zulu, Boer, British and Indian cultures to visitors.
Our legislative capital has a strong and diverse history that is reflected in the numerous museums and buildings in and around the city. Our beloved Madiba’s last speech was made at the Manaye Hall in Imbali, shortly before being imprisoned. Pietermaritzburg is also known for the incident where world leader Mahatma Gandhi was thrown off the train.
Out of that struggle emerged Gandhi’s unique version of non-violent resistance, Satyagraha. Today, a bronze statue of Gandhi stands in Church Street in the city centre.
Pietermaritzburg has all the elements to make it a top tourism destination. Besides its historical value, museums, art galleries and other attractions, it has certainly become a city of events, not only nationally but also internationally. After the recent successful staging of the Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, the city has won its bid to host the event for the next three years. We are also looking forward to the upcoming UCI BMX World Cup that will be taking place in August and the Portuguese International Conference later in the year.
The Comrades marathon, Dusi Canoe marathon, Midmar Mile swimming event, arts in the park, cars in the park and other events keep bringing people back to
Pietermaritzburg. Not to mention the schools, university and other tertiary institutions which constantly attract visitors from across the country and abroad. With the 2010 World Cup even more visitors will be drawn to the city.
What a change from before 2004! Without a doubt the official capital status of
Pietermaritzburg has made a major contribution to the current situation. Demand for accommodation has increased dramatically.
It certainly looks like a good time to open this 91 room facility, which is a welcome response to the chronic shortage of beds that the capital has been experiencing. One of the Regal Inn Express’ selling points is its close proximity to major road networks and the Central Business District (CBD) where most governmental head offices are located. It is also conveniently close to the university and shopping centres.
In his State of the Province Address Premier Zweli Mkhize said that tourism’s capacity to employ women and youth, as well as other vulnerable members of society, can contribute greatly to socio-economic development. Not only will the Regal Inn Express provide accommodation to visitors but it also offers employment opportunities to the people in the city. The spin-offs for other enterprises in the Pietermaritzburg should also not be forgotten. Visitors who go home with good memories of their stay in Pietermaritzburg will share their experience with relatives, friends and colleagues. This in turn will attract more people to the city. Success in the hospitality industry heavily relies on quality service and customer care. I know the new staff members employed by the hotel will live up to the high expectations.
According to recent statistics, KwaZulu-Natal was the leading domestic tourism destination with 32 percent of the market share. It is also the third most popular destination for international visitors totalling 1,4 million tourists. South Africa is ranked 30th in the list of top destinations.
It is important that we do not solely rely on the international market. It is the buoyant domestic tourism market that is now helping to save our country in the current global slowdown. Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said last week that the domestic market remained strong despite the economic downturn.
Tourism constitutes about eight percent of the provincial Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and the economic impact of tourism for 2008 was in the order of R22 billion, employing 144 000 people in KwaZulu-Natal.
The tourism and hospitality industry today is about partnership, both cross-sector and with government. We want to congratulate the development team on what they have achieved here and we wish them all the success with this endeavour and their contribution towards turning KwaZulu-Natal into a destination of choice not only for domestic visitors but also for international visitors.
Issued by: Department of Finance, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
31 July 2009
Source: Department of Finance, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
(http://www.kzntreasury.gov.za/)
