06/10/2026
TOURISM MONTH 2026 | DISCOVER ENDUMENI EDUCATIONAL TOUR
In celebration of Tourism Month 2026, the uMzinyathi District Municipality, through its LED and Tourism Unit, in partnership with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), uMzinyathi Development Agency, Endumeni Local Municipality and Majuba TVET College, today, 06 October 2026, hosted the Discover Endumeni Educational Tour.
The initiative brought Majuba TVET College Tourism students to Endumeni for a practical learning experience aimed at exposing them to the different tourism products and opportunities that exist within the municipality.
Under the theme “Explore • Learn • Experience,” the educational tour sought to showcase Endumeni’s heritage, cultural experiences, hospitality offerings, recreational facilities and tourism attractions, with Dundee serving as the central tourism node.
The programme took students through several attractions across Glencoe, Dundee and Sibongile, allowing them to connect what they learn in the classroom with real-life tourism operations and opportunities.
The tour began at Lalalapha Guesthouse, where students were introduced to the hospitality and accommodation sector. They gained insight into guest services, accommodation operations, service standards, marketing and entrepreneurship. The visit demonstrated the important role played by accommodation establishments in ensuring that visitors have a positive experience when travelling to a destination.
Students then visited Kraines Market in Glencoe, where the focus was on food and agri-tourism. The visit exposed students to local entrepreneurship and demonstrated how food, local products, agriculture and creative spaces can form part of a destination’s tourism offering. It also highlighted opportunities for local farmers, food traders and small businesses to benefit from the tourism value chain.
The educational tour then proceeded to the Dundee Racecourse, where students were introduced to equestrian, sport and events tourism. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of the Dundee July, one of Endumeni’s flagship events, which combines horse racing with fashion, entertainment, culture and hospitality.
The Dundee July demonstrates how a major event can attract visitors while generating economic opportunities for accommodation establishments, restaurants, transport operators, vendors, fashion designers, artists, photographers, event service providers and other local businesses. Students were able to see how the racecourse is not only a sporting facility but also an important tourism asset capable of contributing to destination marketing and Local Economic Development.
The programme continued to the Dundee Flying Club, where students were exposed to aviation tourism and the role aviation can play within the tourism value chain. The visit highlighted how aviation infrastructure can support accessibility, transportation, emergency services and major events, while also creating opportunities for future tourism development.
At Majuba Park in Sibongile, students explored leisure and recreational tourism and learnt about the importance of community-based recreational facilities. Such facilities provide leisure opportunities for residents while also having the potential to support events, recreation and tourism activities.
The tour also visited Ndlunkulu House in Sibongile, where attention turned to cultural and historical tourism. Students were exposed to the importance of preserving local history, heritage and community stories and how these can be developed into meaningful tourism experiences.
The visit to Ndlunkulu House further highlighted the potential of township and community-based tourism to contribute to economic development while ensuring that the history and identity of local communities are preserved and shared with future generations and visitors.
The Discover Endumeni Educational Tour provided students with more than an opportunity to visit tourism attractions. It created a practical learning platform where future tourism professionals could better understand how hospitality, heritage, culture, aviation, sport, events, recreation, agriculture and entrepreneurship all connect to form part of the tourism industry.
It further demonstrated the importance of partnerships between government, educational institutions, tourism agencies, businesses and communities in developing sustainable tourism products and creating opportunities for young people.
Through initiatives such as this educational tour, Endumeni Local Municipality and its partners continue to promote tourism development, skills development, youth empowerment and local economic growth, while showcasing the many experiences that Endumeni has to offer.
With its rich history, heritage, sporting events, hospitality establishments, cultural experiences and growing tourism offerings, Endumeni continues to position itself as a destination worth exploring.
Explore • Learn • Experience
ENDUMENI – A DESTINATION OF CHOICE.
