Four dilapidated municipal worker cottages at a world-famous Sunshine Coast kiteboarding spot have been converted into luxury accommodation that government hopes will boost rural tourism.
Officially opening the R25-million Cannon Rocks Beach Suites and Conference Centre yesterday, Deputy Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa said she was so impressed by the transformation she would even consider holidaying there herself.
“It is an amazing facility in a prime spot. I am very impressed. I would consider taking my family here,” Xasa said.
The partnership between the Ndlambe municipality, province and central government forms part of an ambitious programme to empower rural communities by providing local employment by developing tourist projects.
Although owned by Ndlambe, the secure complex, which boasts five upmarket units each sleeping six people as well as a 40-person conference centre, will be run in partnership with a private company to ensure its long-term survival.
Xasa said partnerships with the private sector were crucial.
“The upgraded accommodation and conferencing facilities form part of the drive by the department of tourism to leverage off South Africa’s potential as a prime tourism destination by creating sustainable tourism-related projects in rural areas of our country.”
According to Xasa, besides creating 96 jobs during the two-year renovation, the project also trained and empowered workers for the job market.
Originally, there were four cottages on the municipal-owned land, but only one had been occupied and the rest were vandalised.
Besides overhauling the buildings and installing solar panels and water tanks, the grounds were also given a water-wise makeover by planting indigenous trees.
The facility will be run by bed-and-breakfast owner Nolwandle Gqixibo, who has been successfully running similar ventures in Grahamstown and Queenstown.
Admitting it would be a new challenge to be involved in a private-public partnership, Gqixibo said she was confident it would work.
Four permanent jobs have been created and the plan is to also provide ongoing tourism training for young people hoping to find work in the tourism industry.
Sunshine Coast tourism head Sandy Birch said the facility would be a tourism boost as it was close to Big Five reserves, the sea and the Woody Cape sand dunes.
“The area is famous for its birding with 432 species identified here,” she said. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
R25m beach tourist facility unveiled at Cannon Rocks
Officially opening the R25-million Cannon Rocks Beach Suites and Conference Centre yesterday, Deputy Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa said she was so impressed by the transformation she would even consider holidaying there herself.
“It is an amazing facility in a prime spot. I am very impressed. I would consider taking my family here,” Xasa said.
The partnership between the Ndlambe municipality, province and central government forms part of an ambitious programme to empower rural communities by providing local employment by developing tourist projects.
Although owned by Ndlambe, the secure complex, which boasts five upmarket units each sleeping six people as well as a 40-person conference centre, will be run in partnership with a private company to ensure its long-term survival.
Xasa said partnerships with the private sector were crucial.
“The upgraded accommodation and conferencing facilities form part of the drive by the department of tourism to leverage off South Africa’s potential as a prime tourism destination by creating sustainable tourism-related projects in rural areas of our country.”
According to Xasa, besides creating 96 jobs during the two-year renovation, the project also trained and empowered workers for the job market.
Originally, there were four cottages on the municipal-owned land, but only one had been occupied and the rest were vandalised.
Besides overhauling the buildings and installing solar panels and water tanks, the grounds were also given a water-wise makeover by planting indigenous trees.
The facility will be run by bed-and-breakfast owner Nolwandle Gqixibo, who has been successfully running similar ventures in Grahamstown and Queenstown.
Admitting it would be a new challenge to be involved in a private-public partnership, Gqixibo said she was confident it would work.
Four permanent jobs have been created and the plan is to also provide ongoing tourism training for young people hoping to find work in the tourism industry.
Sunshine Coast tourism head Sandy Birch said the facility would be a tourism boost as it was close to Big Five reserves, the sea and the Woody Cape sand dunes.
“The area is famous for its birding with 432 species identified here,” she said. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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