Chairperson, hon Minister and hon Deputy Minister, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to say something about my province in this august House.
In terms of the published market survey carried out by Satour the characteristics and tourism performance of the Northern Province in relation to its neighbouring provinces and its overall performance are the following. The Northern Province is a large and diversely populated province, with an extremely low gross geographic product. Tourism makes up a higher percentage of its GDP than that of any of the neighbouring provinces. Of the total of nearly 1,5 million international arrivals in South Africa in 1996, only 4,5% visited the Northern Province, and its share of income from overseas visitors was estimated at only 2,3%.
In 1997 international tourist arrivals were estimated at 98 000. The province has 71% of all game lodges in South Africa, comprising over 2 000 lodges with 6 000 rooms and nearly 13 000 beds, and it also comprises 40% of the 404 hunting venues in the country, with 2 553 beds.
Tourism is a people-delivered activity and thus an intensive creator of jobs. The World Travel and Tourism Organisation states that tourism is one of the largest creators of direct and indirect employment worldwide. This same impact is apparent today from the South African satellite account, with 250 000 jobs in the travel and tourism industry, and nearly 740 000 in the broader economy whose livelihood depends on the tourism sector.
Over the next decade it is estimated that there is the potential of an additional 175 000 new jobs in the industry and more than 500 000 across the economy, and that, optimistically, there will be an additional 800 000 new jobs in the economy at large. The figures mentioned above show the impact and the future of tourism in South Africa, while 54% of all the totals are, and will be, the impact of tourism in the Northern Province.
The tourist attractions of the Northern Province reside not only in its diverse natural scenery and wildlife, but also in its diversity of cultures, friendly people, and in their unique traditions, legends and history, which make this place unique. The contrasts of its diverse natural features vary from the Waterberg and the Bushveld, the Lowveld, subtropical areas of the Northern Drakensberg and Soutpansberg catchments, to the dry mopani and baobab tree-studded parkland north of the Soutpansberg, and to the Limpopo.
Geographically its location is strategic as it is South Africa's gateway to the rest of Africa, sharing borders with three neighbouring countries. The warm climate makes the Northern Province a pleasant year-round holiday destination.
There are five major cultures in the province, and a rich history which may interest visitors. Traditional arts and crafts, and singing and dancing all form part of the everyday lifestyle of the people. Apart from everyday dancing, there are dances for special occasions, such as the rain dance of the Modjadji, and the tshikona, malende and domba of the Vha Venda.
Even the numerous fruit stalls decorating the roadsides are part of the culture. History, legends and superstitions add colour and a dimension of mystique to the traveller's experience.
The area known as Venda, which means ``pleasant land'', is particularly famous for all the legends and superstitions of the Vha Venda who stay there, which gave cause for it to become known as the land of legend. Certain cultures have a special fascination for visitors, because of their uniqueness, such as that of the Modjadji - the Lobedu tribe, staying in the mountainous Bolobedy near Duiwelskloof and ruled by successive generations of rain queens with their mysterious rain-making powers.
Many people living in the traditional rural areas throughout the province still stay and live in the traditional way, some virtually unaffected by the technology of our time, such as the Maleboho tribe who stay on the Blouberg. However, these areas are not freely accessible to visitors.
A few examples of traditional villages, presented as open-air museums, portraying the traditional lifestyles of different ethnic cultures, exist in the province. These examples include the Bakone Malapa, a Pedi kraal, at Pietersburg; a Tsonga kraal in the Hans Marensky Nature Reserve; and the Masorini in the Kruger National Park near Phalaborwa.
Ruins of historical settlements occur throughout the province, but some, such as Dzata in Venda - which also has a museum, the museum of the drum - are better known, the history being well known and accessible to visitors.
Archeological sites of special significance occur at Mapungubwe in the Vhembe/Douza National Park on the Limpopo River, and also at the Makapans Cave in the Strydpoort mountains near Potgietersrus. Rock art occurs in abundance, especially in the Waterberg area. Examples can be seen in the Masebe Nature Reserve ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]