Tourism stakeholders in Limpopo this week approved a strategy for the future of the industry, contained in a document known as the Meropa Declaration.

The principles, intended to guide the future direction of tourism in the province, emerged at the end of the two-day Limpopo Tourism Lekgotla, held at the Meropa Entertainment Centre in Polokwane. The detailed document will be released and circulated later.

A common vision, and a more unified marketing strategy for the province, together with the need for better communication between stakeholders, emerged as key elements of the declaration.

The roles of the government and the Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board are also clearly spelt out. Closer liaison between tourism operators within the province was also highlighted as an essential improvement.

The summit, the first of its kind to be held in the province, was attended by a wide spectrum of tourism stakeholders.

Speakers included Limpopo MECs Thaba Mufamadi and Aaron Motsoaledi, author Stewart Pennington, motivational expert Dr John Tibane, provincial Tourism and Parks Board Chairperson Nana Magomola, and Acting Provincial Tourism CEO, Charles Maluleke.

One of the highlights of the summit was a banquet, held on Monday night, to mark the launching of the historic event. The delegates were enthralled by an excellent programme, which included some opera music, Latin American dancing and Waya Waya entertainment, all supervised by TV's Vuyo Mbuli, who proved to be a smooth and humorous Master of Ceremonies.

Well-known business personality Enos Banda, who was the keynote speaker at the banquet, urged tourism operators to cater for all tastes, including young people who did not necessarily want to go off to a quiet spot in the forest.

"They need to have a sense of belonging, so their entertainment preferences may include dancing and celebrating with their friends," he pointed out. Banda said he hoped tourism would be able to take its rightful place, together with mining, agriculture and the manufacturing industry, as a prominent catalyst in the economic development of Limpopo.

Just before the end of the conference on Tuesday, motivational speaker Dr John Tibane addressed the delegates on the subject of human potential.

"Look beyond what you are, to what you can become" he told his listeners.

He detailed customer-consciousness, change-friendliness, moral correctness and entrepreneurship as essential ingredients for success in the tourism sector.

Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board chairperson Nana Magomola expressed the hope that the Lekgotla would prove to be more than just another talk shop.

"We have no time for talk shops - we must get on with the business of setting goals, and achieving them," she declared.