Eveline de Klerk
HENTIES BAY – The Henties Bay Municipality has embarked on a series of initiatives that are intended to lure investors as well as transforming the town’s tourism sector.
Council last week launched the Henties Bay Development Expo, with the aim to aggressively market the town’s investment potential and also boost its tourism activities, to change the perception of the town that has always been regarded a holiday town.
With only a few job opportunities at the town, most of its residents rely on artisanal fishing, whilst others are employed at supermarkets or perform menial domestic work.
Hence the mayor of the town, Herman /Honeb said they saw the need to market the town to create more employment opportunities and business opportunities for residents.
Speaking at the launch, /Honeb said the expo will take place under theme, “The hidden treasure”, and will take place from August 23 to 25.
“This type of event does not only stimulate economic activity in the town, but it also gives potential investors an opportunity to engage local and regional councillors and business people, with the view of investing and setting-up businesses at the town,” he explained.
Deputy Patron of the event, Christine //Hoabes, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation also said such initiatives by small towns should be supported by the entire business sector to see how they can boost the economy at such towns.
“Most people had the perception the town of Henties Bay is a retirement town, but I am very happy to see the municipality has opened up economic and business opportunities in the town and it is my strongest conviction that the expo will also create a platform for business people to identify opportunities in the town,” she said.
//Hoabes appealed to residents and businesses not to see the event as a social gathering but rather foster business relations, which in turn will create short and long term job opportunities and in so doing eradicate and alleviate poverty in the region in particular and the country as a whole.