The role of Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MPTA):
The mandate of MTPA is to provide for the sustainable development and improvement of the tourism industry in Mpumalanga, as well conservation management of its natural resources.
Our strategic goals are:
- To market the Mpumalanga province as a destination of choice to both domestic and international tourists
- To contribute towards sustainable economic growth for the benefit of all in the province through tourism
- To provide for best practice conservation management of natural resources
- To promote transformation within the tourism and conservation industry
- To implement the assigned provincial flagship projects
The MTPA’s aims and objectives:
The Mpumalanga Tourism Growth Strategy and the Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan are instrumental in giving guidance and focus towards the attainment of our objectives. The implementation process of these plans is premised around appropriate institutional frameworks, destination and product marketing campaigns, human resource development programmes, and investment promotion, which combined create the enabling environment for the development of the industry. The plans are instrumental in further protecting the province’s natural resources and are used as a benchmark by similar organisations nationally.
The Mpumalanga tourism industry:
Tourism has become an essential industry in terms of job creation and GDP contribution. Foreign tourists alone spent R4.5-billion in 2006 with a total of 130 602 direct jobs created. Furthermore, provincial flagship projects relevant to tourism seek to extend the tourism experience into neighbouring countries, Mozambique and Swaziland.
Key competitive advantages as a tourism destination:
Mpumalanga is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, wildlife, scenic beauty and adventure offerings. It contains world acclaimed icons like Kruger National Park, Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and the Mkhonjwa mountain range.
The province is also blessed with unique and diverse cultures like the Ndebele, Swazi, Shangaan and Pedi. With an array of adventure activities like trout fishing, 4x4, paragliding, abseiling, white water rafting, rock climbing and gold panning, visitors to Mpumalanga are indeed spoilt for choice.