Village homes step into tourism
Qunu resident over the moon
Nokrismesi Gamakhulu from Qunu, near Mthatha, has a number of unused rooms in her home and now she can start making money off them.
Gamakhulu is one of 25 people who received certificates from the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency to qualify their houses as tourism accommodation.
Speaking to Sowetan’s sister newspaper, Daily Dispatch, Gamakhulu said she and her two children depended on her husband’s salary.
“I never thought I could be making money off these rooms, yet when this campaign was introduced I kicked myself for not thinking about it myself,” Gamakhulu said.
“We always think tourism is for other people and that no one wants to sleep over in the village, yet there are tourists who want an authentic village or rural experience.”
She said people must not mistake home-stays for a hotel or a guesthouse in the village.
“There is nothing fancy about staying in a rural home but what you do get is an opportunity to see first-hand what life in the village is like.
“And we might not believe this but there are many people who are eager to experience rural living.”
Gamakhulu’s home is near the homestead of former president Nelson Mandela, and she admits that put her on the path of tourists.
“When the ECPTA brought this idea I had already started a small business by preparing authentic traditional cuisine for the tourists visiting Qunu to see Mandela’s village home.
“For the past year I have been preparing lunch meals, [the kind] of food they would not normally eat where they come from.
“Many are from [abroad], some come as far as Australia and often others had enquired about accommodation; now we have it.
“Now is the time for us to also benefit from tourism and Madiba’s name.”
She has not had any visitors sleeping over yet but Gamakhulu said part of training would also help them price the rooms accordingly.
Dr Nomvuselelo Songelwa from ECPTA said the trainees had basic knowledge about housekeeping and hospitality.
She said the training was necessary to impart knowledge about rules and guidelines of the tourism industry.
“Rural tourism has potential to be big because we will be doing things that are not done in the West,” said Songelwa.