Only one award limited to black EC businesses

IN response to the letter by Sharon Grobler, "Don't exclude white businesses" (May 24), the Lilizela Tourism Awards consist of eight categories and only one of them is specific to black business owners – the ETEYA (Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award). ETEYA is a South African Tourism-led initiative in partnership with the provincial tourism authorities, national Department of Tourism, Tourism Services Association, Tourism Enterprise Partnership and Tourism Grading Council of Southern Africa.

It is a competition open to black entrepreneurs operating small, micro and medium level tourism or hospitality-related businesses. ETEYA is an awards programme that assists SMMEs with business and skills development, and has made a valuable contribution to black entrepreneurs, the economy and the tourism industry it serves.

The competition is aimed at enhancing job creation, identifying and rewarding emerging businesses in the tourism sector, building capacity within those businesses to boost productivity and ensuring that the SMME sector in tourism sustains itself.

The ETEYA recognises and honours the country's best, most promising and most innovative emerging tourism business owners and also it becomes a platform for small and medium businesses to empower themselves and share ideas on how to grow and make their businesses more profitable. These awards are specifically aimed at dealing with the issue of transformation within the industry, a government mandate.

With regard to the rest of the categories, accommodation and universal access takes into consideration all establishments, the size of the establishment being not an issue. The visitor experience category talks to tourist attractions that offer an experience and tour operators may enter these awards.

The Imvelo Awards may be entered by any type of business that makes a difference in sustainable development. We as the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency encourage tourism businesses to participate in the awards as they are created to honour the outstanding contributions of tourism establishments and individuals who are driving innovation, and delivering quality service and products.

Vuyani Dayimani, acting chief executive officer, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency