THREE COMMUNITY representatives from the Wild Coast in the eastern half of the Eastern Cape have been selected to attend the World Travel Market in London in November 2001. The visit is to promote the Wild Coast, and more specifically the Wild Coast Community Tourism Initiative. The objectives of the tourism initiative’s participation at the World Travel Market and other tourism trade fairs are to support the marketing and promotion of the Wild Coast tourism products on the international markets in close co-operation with institutions such as South African Tourism (SAT) and the Eastern Cape Tourism Board (ECTB); and to use these events to familiarise representatives from communities involved in the tourism development in the Wild Coast with the requirements of a modern tourism industry through practical training and exposure to the world tourism market. The Wild Coast Community Tourism Initiative Counter will be the only Community-run representation on the South African Stand at the trade fair. The European Union-funded Support Programme to the Wild Coast Spatial Initiative – The Wild Coast Community Tourism Initiative - is aiming at creating jobs and income opportunities through the establishment and operation of community-based tourism and tourism related enterprises along the Wild Coast. Technical and financial assistance is provided in the areas of community development, training and education as well in nature resource management. The EU Programme in cooperation with South African Tourism and the Eastern Cape Tourist Board will be represented at a number of trade fairs which are important for the successful marketing of the Wild Coast as a tourist destination. The delegates are: Willie Smith, the eldest of the three Wild Coast ambassadors travelling to London. The 62 year-old has six children and eight grandchildren. Willie lives in Mzamba, on the family land where his father and grandfather lived and are buried. Today he is involved in many community projects. He is the chairman of a deep-sea fishing project and chairman of the Mzamba Tourism Committee, both projects aimed at creating local jobs on self-employment, in an area where there are limited job opportunities. Education, business development and self-employment are the keys he believes will unlock development. Through his position at the Mzamba Tourism Committee he heard about the World Travel Market and the search for three ambassadors. He applied for this great chance instantly and was finally chosen. It will be his first trip out of South Africa. One can only wish him good luck. Siphokazi Mtikrakra, the 23-year-old mother of a three-year-old son is the only woman and the youngest of the three lives in Centane (Wavecrest area). Siphokazi started work as a Nodal Community Co-ordinator with the EU Programme on November 1 this year. In her opinion the Wild Coast is an undeveloped area where the indigenous culture of the people still exists and nature unspoiled. People like Siphokazi and her son are the future of the Wild Coast. During an application interview she was asked why she wanted to go to London as a Wild Coast ambassador. She said it was a great possibility for her to represent herself and her community in the world. Mncedi Teno is a 35-year-old fieldworker is the other male ambassador on his way to London. Mncedi has been married for nine years and has two sons and one daughter and lives in Port St. Johns. He works very closely with the EU Programme through the World Wide Fund-South Africa (WWF-SA) on environmental issues and it was WWF-SA who informed him about the World Travel Market competition. He believes there is no better place to introduce his home to the world than London, where the tourism world comes together. He sees it as his duty to be an ambassador of the entire Wild Coast. He has one strong wish - that his children and their children can live in the World Coast as he lives now, with untouched nature. In achieving this aim he feels that everybody is responsible - every single person including the Wild Coast communities must think of the long term and must take care of the needs of the generations to come.