80 young people from Cape Town got to enjoy the experience of a lifetime, celebrating Madiba’s heritage and footprint in the city. Hosted by Cape Town Tourism, learners from two marginalized areas around Cape Town –Langa and Khayelitsha, were given the opportunity to walk in Nelson Mandela’s footsteps and to learn about his life and legacy, particularly how Cape Town formed part of the former president’s life, in commemoration of the Mandela Centenary celebrations this year, and during Tourism Month.
Roadshow Educating Learners
A roadshow was used as an educational tool for the learners to understand more about their city and the possibilities available to them. The Cape Town Tourism team accentuated that loving Cape Town and loving their area will result in positive changes not only socially, but economically for where they live. By positively improving the environment for the residents of the area, it will, in turn, display the area as a pleasant place to visit. Areas like Langa, Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, etc. have seen phenomenal changes following the implementation of tourist activities that work to better the community as a whole.
Learners were encouraged to take inspiration from the roadshows, to feel motivated to create the best possible environment for their neighbourhood to thrive in. In addition, the roadshows showcased different job opportunities within the tourism sector, with examples of career paths they can follow, for example, being a chef, working at the Two Oceans Aquarium and doing social media, etc.
The whirlwind tour saw the group of learners enjoying exploring the Two Oceans Aquarium, where they went on an educational tour of the aquarium, taking in the marine life. They were joined by a guide who told them about Robben Island and Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment there.
They then departed for Table Mountain Aerial Cableway to enjoy a scenic view of the Mother City.
On the City Sightseeing Bus, the group took in the iconic sights of Cape Town on the mini Peninsula City Sightseeing tour.
“We must make tourism inclusive and accessible to everyone in our city. Our young people may never have had the chance to gain this kind of perspective on our heritage and natural environment. Our goal is to showcase the exciting world of tourism and provoke interest in our young people, with a view to attracting some to join the industry, or, at the very least, to become exploring enthusiasts. Just as children are a central element to Madiba’s legacy, it’s our responsibility to engage with the youth.” – Cape Town Tourism CEO, Enver Duminy
Cape Town Tourism wishes to thank the sponsors of this event for providing a fantastic opportunity to experience the exciting world of tourism: City Sightseeing, Two Oceans Aquarium, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, Cape Point and Robben Island Museum.
