THE CREATION of a development agency for the resort and fishing village of Port St Johns in the heart of the Wild Coast has opened up the town for major investments. A development plan has been bench-marked on best global practices. Agency CEO Vuyisile Vena has been to Europe on a fact-finding mission and training programme to familiarise himself with the way in which other development agencies work elsewhere in the world. There has been widespread interest by investors in the Port St Johns area, according to Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) regional manger Stuart Bartlett. The aim is to preserve the unique appeal of the village and to avoid the mistakes made in other areas of the world by tourism developers. “We don’t want to destroy what we have. We want to maintain the local feel and to ensure that the African character is maintained,” he says. A heritage survey has been completed to identify sites and buildings that should be preserved. Zoning and building regulations will complement these existing attractions.