Tuesday, 25 February 2020
The Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) is mandated in our capacity as Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) to create an environment in which tourism can flourish in the District.
One of the internationally recognised ways in which to attract tourism to an area, is through the marketing of top achieving locales in an area.


Ald. Koos le Roux (witzenberg Municipality); Pietie Williams, (Executive Director: Community Development and Planning Services – CDPS, CWDM); Cllr Johan Miller, (Witzenberg Municipality); Henry Prins, (Municipal Manager, CWDM)
Seated: Ald (Dr) Elna von Schlicht, (Executive Mayor: CWDM) and Deputy Mayor, Karriem Adams, (Witzenberg Municipality).
Kicking off with the 8th annual mayoral tourism awards in Wolseley Western Cape.
This award was started in 2011 by the then executive Mayor at the time, Clarence Johnson. Its beginnings were humble, but the vision it held, remarkable. In that first year a mere 20 entries were received.
As testimony not only to the growth of the reward Award itself but also to the incredible growth expansion of the tourism sector of the Cape Winelands, in 2019 we received a total on 48 criteria fulfilling entries.
The project goals remain the same, to recognise the contribution the people who grow tourism in our area make.

It is about people.
People who welcome visitors to our area, people who through sheer hard work ensure that visitors keep coming back, and more importantly bring friends and family. We celebrate people who prepare food, grow wine, housekeep, host events, put up with brides – and their mom!
This reward intends to recognise the exceptional warmth and talent that the people in the tourism industry in our district exhibit.
Last year’s judges made a few changes to the criteria – So, LTA’s when you receive the information you can note that some of the incentives have changed.

The incentives
- CWDM will actively market the winners, and runner’s up through national and international awards.
- The winners and runner-up will have opportunities to attend trade shows with the teams of CWDM.
- Marketing collateral, such as e-mail stickers in signatures, logos, etc. will be distributed for use in marketing material.
- Links to the winner’s web pages/social media platforms will be created, from the new CWDM web page, and remain active for a year.
- The small video made of the shortlisted candidates will be available for further marketing opportunities.
The criteria has also changed to be more in line with that of other international and national awards, such as the lilizela award.
We are still hoping our winners will be automatically entered into the Lilizela award – these are on-going negotiations.
The judges also listened to the concerns or the LTA’s.
With regards to comparisons – this year there will be diversified categories –
Under accommodation for, eg. There are sections for Luxury, Self-Catering and Boutique Guest House, Family accommodation and then Glam Camping and Camping.
This diversification has continued throughout the categories.
Contestants will also be able to apply on-line, and there will be a dedicated e-mail address to where they can send a query should they have problems.
Documents will be available on the web page from the middle of March to coincide with tourism month
Advertisement will also be placed in local newspapers and made available for LTA’s to distribute to members.
Entries can be in the form of nomination by the LTA, a community member or the business themselves. The closing date is the 14th of August 2020
The winners will be announced on Wednesday the 30th of September 2020

Some interesting facts.
Temperatures peak between December and February and this is our busiest tourism season.
These hot summer months coincide with school holidays and is the best time for families to visit our beautiful area.
Also this time of the year we have numerous festivals like the cheese festival, Woordfees, Trainele, Boekefees, Bastile Day etc. We do have about 50 plus-minus tourism events in the CWDM ranging from
- Wine festivals such as the Summer Wines, Omi berg festival, Champaign festival, etc
- Music and cultural activities such as Riel dances, Music festivals
- Sports events such as Park runs, Endurance races, such as Fisherman Friends, athletic races such as 27 For Freedom, MTB events, etc.
- Family events, such as Paarl Mountain Picnic under the Moon, Cherry Picking, etc.
- Business tourism such as Pink Polo event
“On that note, I encourage you to enter, not only for the rewards but for the experience of looking at your entity with a critical but loving eye.”
“Ultimately help develop one of the areas that offer the most opportunity for economic development in our district”



The venue for the 8th annual mayoral tourism awards in Wolseley Western Cape
Rustic Venues