Route 56 Tourism Adventure unlocks tourism opportunities across Alfred Nzo and KwaZulu-Natal

The Route 56 Tourism Adventure is bringing together government, tourism stakeholders, investors, communities and small businesses to explore opportunities for tourism development along the 765-kilometre Route 56 corridor, which connects 16 towns across KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
The initiative, which stretches from Pietermaritzburg through Matatiele to Middelburg, aims to strengthen collaboration between municipalities and tourism stakeholders while positioning Route 56 as a connected and sustainable tourism destination.
According to Lona Mtshizana, organiser of the Route 56 Tourism Adventure, the conference provides an important platform for stakeholders to identify practical opportunities that can unlock the economic potential of the corridor.
“The Route 56 corridor has enormous potential to create opportunities for local communities, tourism businesses and young people. This initiative is about bringing the different stakeholders together so that we can develop a shared vision and turn that potential into meaningful economic opportunities,” said Mtshizana.
The initiative is focused on developing a shared Route 56 Tourism Development Framework, while identifying priorities in areas such as tourism investment, infrastructure development, market access, youth skills development, community participation, conservation and heritage.
The corridor encompasses four key destination zones: Southern Eastern Cape, KZN Gateway, Elundini, and the Eastern Cape Midlands and Karoo. Each zone offers distinctive tourism attractions, cultural experiences, natural assets and investment opportunities that can contribute to the broader Route 56 tourism offering.
Key expected outcomes of the initiative include the signing of a Route 56 Tourism Development Framework, the development of a municipal tourism project pipeline, identification of investment priorities and the establishment of a platform for continued collaboration across provincial and municipal boundaries.
Participants include Matatiele Local Municipality, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), Greater Kokstad Municipality, the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), Walter Sisulu University and a range of local tourism MSMEs and other stakeholders.
Mtshizana said stronger cooperation between government, communities and the private sector would be essential to ensuring that tourism development along Route 56 delivers tangible benefits to the communities located along the corridor.
“The vision is to see Route 56 recognised not simply as a road connecting towns, but as a tourism corridor that connects people, businesses, attractions and investment opportunities,” Mtshizana said.
The Route 56 Tourism Adventure therefore represents a collaborative effort to develop a more integrated tourism economy, while creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs, young people and communities to participate meaningfully in the growth of the tourism sector.

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