Walk the talk for CX
September is Tourism Month and celebrated annually to encourage South Africans to explore their own country. Knysna & Partners (K&P) will participate with a programme which includes five different walks in the greater Knysna area.
Chairperson Elmay Bouwer says Walk Knysna will encourage locals to get to know the area better and possibly do or see something they may not have done before.
“We live in one of the premier tourist destinations in the country, but many of us have not been tourists in our own town before. Let’s walk Knysna together and see the beaches of Sedgefield, visit Judah Square, stroll into the forest, and learn about our historical buildings,” she said.
Bouwer said that #WalkKnysna and #WalkSedgefieldZA is in support of the #IDoTourism and #WeDoTourism campaigns launched by South African Tourism (SAT) which are a call to action to all South Africans to play a role in tourism.
“SAT CEO Sisa Ntshona said at the launch of Tourism Month that we are in a tight economic environment and tourism is one of the sectors that can pull us out,” said Bouwer. “He has urged each province to find what is unique about their region and how it could contribute to tourism. So that is what we are doing in Knysna.”
The walks vary in length from one to three hours. All information and dates are on www.visitknysna.co.za. Booking is essential.
Festivals
Three festivals are planned for September: the Knysna Timber Festival (29 September - 1 October), the Heritage Day Sedgefield Craft Beer Festival and the Annual DCT Heritage Day Event (24 September) which will give locals and visitors the opportunity to experience local culture, Knysna’s timber heritage and the local craft beer industry.
Knysna will also be represented by K&P at the annual Gauteng Getaway Show from 23 to 25 September. “We are doing everything possible to promote our town,” said Bouwer, “and I would like to urge the community of Knysna do the same. Let’s focus on spreading positive stories about Knysna on social media. Tourism is everyone’s business. I feel very strongly about this. The onus is on each one of us to speak well of Knysna even in a negative situation, otherwise we are doing damage to tourism and to our town.”