The Eastern Cape’s vibrant tourism industry took centre stage at the prestigious Eastern Cape Tourism Awards, an elegant evening celebration that brought together hospitality leaders, tourism professionals, and industry stakeholders to recognise outstanding achievements across the province.
Hosted in the Kouga Municipality, the formal affair combined sophisticated networking with genuine recognition of excellence, featuring everything from coastal hospitality gems to Karoo retreats.
Against the backdrop of canapés, fine dining, and coastal charm, the evening highlighted the diverse tourism offerings that make the Eastern Cape a premier destination, with finalists like the Boardwalk International Convention Centre and Courtyard Hotel Gqeberha exemplifying the region’s commitment to service excellence and world-class hospitality.
Kouga Municipality deputy mayor, Councillor Timothy Jantjies said, “We are not only celebrating excellence in tourism but also writing history together, right here in our beautiful province.
“This is a moment that belongs to all of us – whether you are an influencer, a business owner, an established tourism enterprise, or a community organisation. Each of you plays a vital role in weaving the story of the Eastern Cape, a story that is rich, diverse, and undeniably inspiring.”
Jantjies added, “Beyond the laughter and the adventures lies a serious truth: tourism is an engine for growth in our province. It is a sector that connects rural and urban, heritage and modernity, small businesses and global travellers. It is an industry that has shown resilience in the face of challenges and one that continues to innovate with eco-tourism, cultural tourism, township tourism, and sustainable tourism leading the way.”
The Boardwalk International Convention Centre walked away with the Premier Conference and Events Venue award. Located along Gqeberha’s iconic Golden Mile, Boardwalk ICC offers a diverse selection of multifunctional venues ideal for conferences, corporate events, exhibitions, concerts, and special occasions.
The 91-room Courtyard Hotel Gqeberha luxury hotel was awarded as the Best Hotel and Resort. The hotel offers the perfect mix of business and leisure, living up to the mantra: “The soft life made easy”. Ideally located across from Humewood Beach and next to the Boardwalk Mall and Convention Centre, this elegant property is just minutes from the airport.
Zibonele Mdletshe from Untouched Adventures took home the Future Leaders in Tourism award. Sharing with PE Express how it feels to take home the award, he said, “It’s amazing. It’s a great experience. I’ve been waiting for this for years. I’ve done a lot to change people’s lives, and for me this is just one of the moments that I actually need to celebrate and for the work that I’ve done and the work that I’m still going to do for the future.”
He added, “I moved to the Eastern Cape for the last 10 years. I’ve been working here. I’ve advanced myself. I’ve trained a lot of youngsters who are now in leadership positions. They are leading in tourism. So I’m from Tsitsikamma National Park, Storms River. I work for Untouched Adventures.”
Mdletshe believes that this award will open more doors for him. “I believe that winning this award will open the door for others coming after me. We are now busy with recruiting the students from high school when they’ve done matric. We take them to a gap year which is in Jeffreys Bay and then they do the gap year to find themselves. After they find themselves, some of them are able to start their businesses and we do mentorship classes for them as well.”
Adding, Mdletshe said, “Youngsters looking to pursue a career in tourism can go to their website, Untouched Adventures, where I am the general manager. They can also find me on my social media as well. I’m Zibo Ngomane. My number is 072 903 7657. I’m also available if they need any help in regards to tourism.”
