One of the most exciting sectors for the Eastern Cape, both pre and post World Cup, is tourism.  The province, with its vast natural resources, offers the adventure and eco-tourist a memorable holiday.  It also continues to be a favourite for the sports enthusiast.

The Eastern Cape is, however, not a mass tourism destination. It is for those who have a taste for dune-hiking, running, canoeing, wave riding (surfing), wreck diving, mountain-hiking, hunting, game driving or horse-riding, amongst others.

This list of interests is important because it points to what is driving tourists to the province and ultimately what potential investors will see as an investment opportunity.

However, tastes do change, so it worth noting some of the unusual tourism activities taking place locally and abroad. 

Some tourists are travelling thousands of miles to see the wonderful gardens of the province and the horticulture richness which includes the pelagonium.  More tourists will travel to experience the planned essential oil trail, which is similar to the famous lavender route in France. There has also been a keen following of the province's rich struggle heritage.

Another interesting trend is the need for tourists to travel to distant parts of the world for relaxation.  Spas are big business globally so investors are looking for tranquil settings, just like the Eastern Cape, as their next spa location.  They refer to the growth of the Indian Ayurveda spas in India and Germany as a case in point and believe the province can develop a similar yet different spa tourist proposition.

A bright tourism future beckons.  However, we need to be realistic and understand that some fundamentals need to be addressed like bad service.  A pro-active response such as Port Elizabeth's Service Excellence campaign is hugely encouraging and could serve a laudable example for improving service levels throughout South Africa.