The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) has launched the first ever Growth for Jobs Tourism Challenge Fund to boost the small business sector.
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The R5 million fund will support regional and local tourism organisations, industry associations, and district and local authorities in an effort to increase high volume tourism attractions. This will be done via tourism infrastructure development, upgrades, and/or enhancement projects.
In addition, the fund will also provide financial support to enhance and/or expand collaborative programmes and projects aimed at supporting small businesses with tourism product development. This includes product or experience development, access to financing, marketing and branding, as well as providing businesses with equipment, licenses or accreditation.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the tourism industry, according to Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities Mireille Wenger, the sector has made progress in recovery. International arrivals are nearly reaching 100% of their 2019 levels. ‘To enable future growth, we need to remove barriers that stand in the way of the sector, ensure we get the basics right, and help support small businesses to add new and exciting experiences, while investing in infrastructure that will unlock success. This is what Growth for Jobs is all about.’
‘An important aspect of this fund is that it challenges the tourism ecosystem to co-invest as partners, to ensure that we get maximum impact with the resources we have available. Partnering with the private sector is essential if we are to achieve much higher levels of economic growth in the province.’
Interested businesses can apply for the programme at this link: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/site-page/economic-sector-support-g4j-tourism-challenge-fund.
Applications close on Monday, 22 May 2023 at midnight.
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