Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung, Oct 16 (ANTARA) - South Africa has expressed an interest in establishing a partnership in the tourism sector with the Pangkalpinang municipality, the capital of the province of Bangka Belitung.
Member of the MMC, responsible for Integrated Development Planning (IDP), Councillor Tshepo Maifala, on behalf of Executive Mayor, Councillor Mpho Khunou said that Rustenburg is interested in the development of tourism in Babangka Belitung, particularly the Pangkalpinang municipality.
"We have seen the beauty of Bangka Belitung, especially the Pangkalpinang municipality and some business people who came with us were interested in investing in the tourism sector in this city," said Maifala in Pangkalpinang on Tuesday.
Business people from Rustenburg, the world's largest platinum producer, saw the potential of development in the tourism industry in Pangkalpinang.
"They mainly explored the hospitality industry around here, so that on their return to Rustenberg, they can ask the hotel owners there to invest here," he said.
According to Maifala, Pangkalpinang and Rustenburg have a lot in common, especially in mining.
"We are also a mining town. You mine tin and we mine platinum. We faced the same problems while diversifying our mining sector," he said.
He added that tourism will be favoured as an alternative economic source to the mining sectors.
"In the future, tourism will be the 'king' in our country, as well as in yours and therefore, we hope we can develop tourism together," he said.
The official business trip of the Rustenburg delegation is a follow-up to the business investment seminar hosted by the Rustenburg local municipality in March this year.
Subsequently, bilateral trade was formalized in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties, namely the Rustenburg local municipality and the Republic of Indonesia, wherein the two agreed to co-operate and establish trade in the areas of local economic development, cultural exchange and infrastructure development.
The invitation by the Republic of Indonesia extends to attending the Indonesian Trade Expo to be held from Wednesday to Sunday (17-21).
The Rustenburg delegation arrived on Sunday morning in Pangkalpinang and visited various businesses and tourist attractions such as the rubber plant in Air Anyir and Bangka Botanical Garden (BBG).
The Rustenburg delegation is led by Member of the Mayoral Commission (MMC) responsible for Integrated Development Planning, Tshepo Maifala, on behalf of Executive Mayor, Mpho Khunou and also comprises of MMC for LED, Basebi Lekoro, Municipal Manager, Dr Kiddo Mako, Director for LED, Mr Jacky Kola and representatives of the local business chamber.
Besides visiting the Pangkalpinang municipality for two days, delegates also visited Muntok City (West Bangka) and proceeded to the Belitung Timur Island to visit the tin smelter and will fly to Jakarta to attend the Indonesia Trade Expo on Wednesday.
(T.I027/INE)
