Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

17 February 2022 Media Release: Wesgro enters into a contract with Garden Route District Municipality to drive economic growth

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has entered into a collaborative strategic partnership with Wesgro to promote tourism,  investment and trade across various areas and economic sectors

Media Release: Wesgro enters into a contract with Garden Route District Municipality to drive economic growth

17 February 2022
For immediate release

The Western Cape Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Wesgro) recently entered into a three-year partnership agreement with Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) to accelerate the region’s economic growth, investment, trade and tourism. Clear targets and deliverables are set out in this agreement.

According to Lusanda Menze, GRDM Executive Manager for Planning and Economic Development, “Wesgro has committed to attracting local and international investors and will use the GRDM investment prospectus to do this”.

“They are, amongst others, required to develop a database of businesses per strategic sector, a list of local and international stakeholders, potential investors they engaged and provide a report of the potential leads they generated,” he said.

Speaker of GRDM, Ald. Georlene Wolmarans signs the partnership agreement
Speaker of GRDM, Ald. Georlene Wolmarans signs the partnership agreement, with her is Yaw Peprah, Wesgro Chief Business Officer.

The agreement also states that one-on-one mentorship of 30 companies across the region has to happen. Exporters in the Garden Route shall be given practical guidance on how to implement business processes to become export-ready. Targeted export promotion of Garden Route companies to international clients is also required at international trade exhibitions where companies will be matched to potential buyers, distributors and importers.

The final part of the agreement will require Wesgro to promote tourism promotion by creating awareness of attractions, properties and itineraries in the Garden Route. Fifteen (15) participants from the travel and trade media companies from Gauteng and Western Cape will be invited to the Garden Route to place a spotlight on the region’s domestic leisure market. The focus will be primarily family- and budget-friendly activities and accommodation such as caravanning, mountain biking, watersports, high-adrenalin and nature-based tourism.

Feature image: Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has entered into a collaborative strategic partnership with Wesgro to promote tourism,  investment and trade across various areas and economic sectors. Pictured (fltr): Joshua Palm (Wesgro Assistant Export Manager), Towfiq Hendricks (Wesgro Head of Investment Promotion), Germaine Habiyaremye (Wesgro Administrator: Agribusiness Investment Unit), Sibylle Pfeiffer (Wesgro District Portfolio Manager), Yaw Peprah (Wesgro Chief Business Officer), Ald. Georlene Wolmarans (GRDM Speaker), Melanie Wilson (GRDM Manager: Economic Development and Tourism), Lusanda Menze (GRDM Executive Manager: Planning and Economic Development) and Passmore Dongi (GRDM Manager: Projects, properties, facilities and resort management).