Western Cape tourism representatives have welcomed the appointment of Enver Duminy as Cape Town Tourism’s new CEO, effective August 1. Duminy has been CTT’s executive manager of tourism services for almost four years.

Speaking to Tourism Update during a trade and investment mission to The Hague, Netherlands, Western Cape Tourism MEC, Alan Winde, welcomed Duminy’s appointment.  “Outstanding! This is great news!  I have dealt with Enver for many years and he will be excellent for CTT.”

Nils Flaatten, CEO of Wesgro, the provincial tourism destination-marketing agency, said: “He has been a very willing and able partner and has contributed to Wesgro’s work at WTM and ITB. We wish him all the best and are looking forward to working with him.”

Western Cape Convention Bureau manager, Cheryl Mulder-Verbruggen, said: “We're looking forward to working even more closely with the CTT team under his leadership. We share many views about business events and I know that we will use this common ground as a solid foundation for even more growth in our industry.”

Cape Town International Airport said it had always enjoyed a sound working relationship with CTT. “We are certain the trend will continue into the future, given the important role they have to play in facilitating the growth of tourism to the region. As the gateway to our beautiful city we remain committed to playing our part in ensuring that Cape Town continues to be a preferred visitor destination, something that can only be achieved if all of us in the tourism value chain partner and work together,” said spokesperson, Deidre Davids.

Duminy told Tourism Update he accepted his appointment with humility and appreciation for the role that outgoing CEO, Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, had played. “It’s a tough industry. It takes hard graft with little appreciation in return.”

“I’m excited because it’s the next era, not a new era. It’s not about changing things, but about executing the plans. CTT is stable. We have a three-year business plan in place. Everyone is on-board. We have a solid team behind us and I think CTT is going to go from strength to strength!”

He said the focus in the next three years would be on addressing seasonality by growing year-round demand; developing the organisation; and making it more commercially viable. CTT would also focus on understanding the industry’s needs and canvassing members’ feedback and suggestions.

Asked how he saw CTT’s role alongside that of the City of Cape Town’s own Tourism Directorate, he said CTT’s three-year service level agreement with the city provided for synergies between the city’s focus on destination and place marketing using events and its strategic assets; and CTT’s focus on tourism marketing.  “Our mandates are clear going forward. It’s going to be interesting with everyone finding their position. There will be overlaps, but how we deal with these overlaps is going to be important. The intentions are all the same: to generate a sustainable economy by using tourism to increase demand.”

Asked how he would tackle differing political agendas as CTT CEO, Duminy said: “CTT is an apolitical body. We are an industry association. We have a constitution, which we abide by. Our vision is always clear: It’s about ensuring that we drive economic value and tourism for the industry.”