Two girls fly SA flag high in France
Unique tourism idea makes waves
Two high school pupils are currently in France representing SA at the International Student-Teacher Conference after winning a global tourism competition. Amy-Lee Visagie and Chrislin de Koker won the National Global Travel and Tourism Partnership competition, which is a global educational programme that introduces tourism students to career opportunities in the sector. They are in grade 11 at Carnarvon High School in the Northern Cape.
SA along with 12 other countries including Canada, China, Brazil, Kenya, India, Hungary, Jamaica, Tanzania and Russia are members of the programme.
The two students submitted a research project on astronomy tourism and how the South African Large Telescope in Sutherland and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) in the Northern Cape has contributed to their communities.
Science and technology minister Mmamoloko KubayiNgubane said the SKA was a major sci entific development
‘ ‘ It is now encouraging to realise the tourism potential
in SA and congratulated the two for their research on the famous telescope, which is being developed in their home town.
“It is encouraging to see the enormous impact that the scientific activities around the Karoo region are having on people’s lives. The two astronomy projects have seen many young people benefiting through scholarships and job opportunities here and abroad. “It is now encouraging to realise the tourism potential the projects have in South Africa, as demonstrated by Amy-Lee and Chrislin in their research,” she said. Visagie and De Koker, who are being accompanied by their teacher Christo Fieland, have been rubbing shoulders with members of the programme at the conference since Saturday and will return to SA after it concludes on Wednesday.
“The two are flying the South African flag high up in France and their participation in the conference will go a long way in attracting much-needed investment into our country,” said Kubayi-Ngubane.