CAPE Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU), and the West Coast District Municipality in Moreesburg signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which will see the two bodies embark on joint marketing and developmental projects to increase tourism to the region.
  CTRU acting ceo, Calvyn Gilfellan, said CTRU's mandate was to promote and position Cape Town and the province as the number one experience destination for leisure, business and events and the organisation was committed to working with all its partners in the West Coast to deliver on these promises and to effectively maximise the economic and social benefits of tourism.   He said tourism development, destination access, co-operative marketing initiatives, gateway and hub development, tourism safety and investment will be crucial areas of delivery for the benefit of the West Coast. These development projects will form part of the Integrated Tourism Development Framework and a project team will be appointed to explore, evaluate and report on progress in these areas.   

Gloria Schoor, executive mayor of the West Coast District Municipality, said: “This special partnership allows us to jointly position the West Coast region as a welcoming and attractive region with strong market appeal to domestic and international tourists. Sharing resources, aligning our marketing efforts and collaborating on key economic drivers will ensure the growth in tourism we target for this region.”  

Hillary Morris, chairperson of the West Coast Regional Tourism Organization, said: “We have been in a co-operative relationship with CTRU for a long time, but needed a clearly defined, workable document to guide us in our collaborative efforts. This MOU is constructive and will ensure the West Coast, in its entirety, features strongly on the tourism development tapestry.”