AMBITIOUS PLANS for tourism trails in the Eastern Cape are creating opportunities for investors in the region. In his state of the province address, Eastern Cape Premier Makhenkesi Stofile unveiled an ambitious plan for a tourism trail stretching from the Tsitsikamma forest in the west to the Wild Coast in the east. The trail will focus on the colonial, aboriginal and anti-colonial history of the Province. “There should develop from this the Baviaanskloof artery with a strong Khoi and San heritage. These colonial, aboriginal and anti-colonial routes should highlight the importance of our Province in the history of our country and the world. The mummy of Tsitsikamma; the rock paintings of Maluti; the trail of colonial Forts and the graves of our chiefs and leaders strewn all over the countryside as well as the graves of ancestors of British, Dutch, Canadian, French, German etc; all these should be important heritage tools by which to build a strong tourism route and industry. The Spandaau Hill, the old prison the Owl House of Nieu Bethesda – all these should attract tourists and domestic violence activists to Graaff Reinet and Camdeboo,” said Stofile. Private sector investors are needed to make this a reality: “No one person can develop these ideas into programmes. Indeed the Government alone or the Eastern Cape Tourism Board alone cannot succeed in this task. The private sector and locals must rise up to the opportunities presented by these vestiges of our history. This is one area where the spirit of "Vuk’uzenzele" espoused by our President can be implemented. A vibrant partnership between community based organisations (CBO’s), the Eastern Cape Tourism Board (ECTB), private sector etc. can develop for the benefit of all. This applies to various important historical sites and institutions throughout the Province. As a seed for this we launched the Heroes Garden in East London on the 15 December. People travelled from Canada, Australia, Britain and from all over the other Provinces to honour this occasion. We must now start building the infrastructure which should be completed in three years time. The Buffalo City; ECTB; the Department of Arts and Culture as well as relevant CBO’s must now make this concept a reality and an anchor for the E. Cape Tourism trail.”