Free State profile• Economy • Infrastructure • Tourism industry
Kgotso - we greet you in peace! (Sotho)
 Avid Bloemfontein Celtic supporter Wedged between two magnificent rivers - the Orange and the Vaal - lies a region blessed with such beauty and grace that for centuries passed pioneers paid the ultimate sacrifice for the honour and privilege of calling it home. Embraced by several of South Africa's provinces, the Free State assumes its rightful place at the heart of the country. Today, visitors and inhabitants alike are rediscovering their souls through the majesty of this land and the moulded spiritual ethos of its people. The Free State is a rural province of wide horizons and blue skies, with farmland, mountains, goldfields and widely dispersed towns. The land of the windpomp and krummelpap is peaceful, with a high quality of life, good infrastructure and a low crime rate. The province covers an area of 129 464 km2 and carries population of 2,9 million - 6,5 % of the national population. Of the province's population, 71% - about 2 million people - live in urban settlements. Although the Free State is the third largest province in South Africa, it has the second smallest population and the second lowest population density. The Free State borders on the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, North West Province, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng Province and also shares a border with Lesotho. The biggest part of the Free State is an undulating plain at between 1 000 m and 1 500 m. However, the eastern and southern region, which borders Lesotho, is hilly to mountainous, with scattered flat-topped hills or koppies. The Orange River forms the southern boundary of the Free State and includes the Gariep and Vanderkloof Dams, with the former largest dam in the country. The northern Free State is drained by smaller rivers, which are, as is the Orange River, extensively utilised for irrigation. The Free State is hot in summer, when most of the rain falls (between 600 mm and 750 mm in the east to less than 300 mm in the west), but it can be very cold in the winter, with heavy frost over most of the province. Snow is often recorded on the eastern mountains, and occasionally over the rest of the region. Seasons: Summer: December - February / Winter: April - July / Spring: July - September / Autumn: January - March. Average winter temperature: 7.7ºC ; average summer temperature: 23 º C. The population profile consists of 84 % African, 13 % White and 3 % Coloured. Sesotho is the most dominant mother tongue (57 %), followed by Afrikaans (15 %), isiXhosa (9 %), Setswana (6 %), isiZulu (5 %) and English (2 %). Sesotho is the mother tongue for 64 % of all Africans, while Afrikaans is the predominant language among the whites (88 %) and Coloureds (90 %). In a national context, 57 % of all Sesotho speaking people live in the Free State. The capital of the Free State is Bloemfontein / Mangaung, having a well-established institutional, educational and administrative infrastructure and housing the seat of the Provincial Government as well as the Supreme Court of Appeal. Other important centres include Welkom, the heart of the Goldfields and one of the few completely pre-planned cities in the world; Bethlehem, capital of the Eastern Free State; Sasolburg, which owes its existence to the world-renowned petrol-from-coal installation established there; Ladybrand; a thriving town on the border with Lesotho; Parys, an attractive town on the banks of the Vaal River; Phuthaditjhaba, situated in Qwa-Qwa and well-known for beautiful handcrafted items produced by the local people; and Botshabelo, some 60 km south east of Bloemfontein and the most populous centre in the Free State. Many of the towns display a mix of culture clearly evident in street names, public buildings, monuments and museums. Dressed sandstone buildings abound on the Eastern Highlands, while beautifully decorated Sotho houses dot the grasslands. Some of South Africa's most valued San rock art is found in the Free State. • Economy The Free State produces a Gross Geographic Product (GGP) of some R44,1 billion (approximately $8 billion). Government is the largest contributor to the GGP at 15 %. The economic activity of the province centres mainly around mining, agriculture and manufacturing, contributing respectively 22,6 %, 11 % and 14,5 % to GGP. Tourism contributes 3 %.  World class technology from Sasol at Sasolburg The second most important sector in terms of GGP contribution is manufacturing, with a relatively wide spread of activities. The chemicals industry counts amongst the most important manufacturing activities, especially with the variety of chemical products produced by Sasol. Of these manufacturing industries, approximately 40 % can be categorised as high value added, low capital/labour ration industries. It is also interesting to note that 14 % of the manufacturing concerns are classified as high technology industries - the highest percentage of high technology industries compared to other provinces. About 90 % of the Free State is used for agricultural production with about 2 million ha under cultivation for crop production. An area of about 100 000 ha is under irrigation. The Free State is aptly referred to as the "bread basket" of South Africa, producing about 40 % of the total maize production of South Africa, 50 % of wheat, 80 % of sorghum, 33 % of potatoes, 18% of red meat, 30 % of groundnuts and 15 % of wool. A total of some 11 500 commercial farmers are farming on some 48 400 farming units in the Free State. The Free State Province Government has a structured policy for the development of emerging farmers in the province. The Free State GGP per capita is standing at R5 871 per annum, with some 65 % of people living in poverty and 34 % unemployed. The incidence of HIV/AIDS is one of the highest in the country, with 27 % of women attending antenatal clinics being HIV positive. Rates of TB are also high. The annual pass rate at schools of senior certificate level is about 60 %, with the overall literacy rate in the province at 85 %, standardize the third highest in the country. The incidence of crime in the Free State is within the South African context relatively low, notably violent crimes such as murder, rape and armed robbery. Back to top • Infrastructure  Free State Legislature in session at Vierde Raadsaal The province is excellently connected to the rest of the country by road and railways. The Bloemfontein Airport also handles regular flights to the other major centres in South Africa. The national routes N1 (Gauteng-Cape), N3 (Gauteng-Kwazulu Natal), N5 (Bloemfontein-Maseru) and N6 Port Elizabeth - Aliwal-North - Bloemfontein routes pass through it, as well as main railway links. The Free State is the third best-off province in the country in terms of access to safe water, sanitation, electricity and telephones. Generally the road network is well signposted. All routes are tarred, but with secondary road network consisting of gravel roads. Surfaces are generally in fair condition, but caution should be taken when driving on gravel roads. Filling stations for fuel (leaded/ unleaded/ diesel) abound. Various national bus services as well as car rental companies operate throughout the province. Bloemfontein Airport, situated 10km from the city centre, is linked to the other major airports in South Africa, while various other centres in the province do have smaller airports. The telecommunication system in the Free State is almost fully automatic, which public phones are available. Internet facilities are available everywhere. Banking facilities abound - where there are no branches, there are ATMs. All major credit cards are accepted. Facilities are well indicated by signs. Back to top • Tourism industry  Typical Free State SMME arts & crafts exhibition For what the extent of the tourism industry in the Free State is and can be, it is necessary to glance at the total SA potential. This should be seen against the background that tourism has been the fastest growing sector in the world economy, standing at present at 6% of the global GNP. Currently SA is receiving some 6,6 million tourists annually, constituting an income of R36 billion and creating about 310 000 new jobs and doubling tourism's share in the national GDP from 4% to 8%. At present some 1,9 million overseas tourists visit South Africa annually, besides some 4,5 million visitors from the rest of Africa and 19 million domestic tourists circulating within South Africa. According to statistics SA, the national tourism industry is now the fifth largest earner of foreign exchange for South Africa. Annualy altogether some 7 million foreign tourists visit SA, coming mostly (66%) from Europe notably Britain (35%). Each one of them spent between R3 300 and R8 500 per visit. It is being anticipated that this stream will grow by about 5% per annum. The Free State is at present a share of about 5% or 60 000 of the total overseas tourists visiting SA, spending some R199 million in the province. Then there is the domestic market, i.e. tourists from mainly neighbouring countries, of which the Free State last year got also about a 5% share = 2,8 million people, buying primarily consumer goods in SA to a total value of R513 million. From the latter category the major inflow was from Lesotho, visiting places like Ficksburg, Ladybrand, Bethlehem, the Goldfields, Bloemfontein, etc. It is estimated that the tourism industry in the Free State currently contributes about 3 % to the province's economy of some R16 000 million. Annually some 60 000 foreign tourists visited the Free State, spending an estimated R54 million, while during the same year about 2,8 million domestic tourists visited the province, spending an estimated R513 million. This at present constitutes a total contribution of R567 million to the province's GDP. Although foreign visitors spend more per capita on holidays than domestic visitors, the latter forms the backbone of the tourism industry in the Free State. South Africa has 1% of the world tourism market and the Free State has 5% of the SA tourism market. The declared objective for the Free State is eventually to attain 10% of the annual total. Back to top Tourism marketing
Free State Tourism Authority
 Free State Tourism Authority, Bloemfontein The FSTA is a parastatal resorting under the Free State Dept. of Tourism, Environmental & Economic Affairs. The FSTA disposes of its own staff complement and is based at the MTN Building at 139 Nelson Mandela Drive, Westdene, Bloemfontein. The telephone number is (051) 411 4300, fax (051) 4477 354, email khotso@vodamail.co.za. The FSTA has adopted a Strategic Master plan according to which it implements its mandate. In this the FSTA markets the Free State inter alia at various national and international tourism exhibitions. The beauty of the Free State Current position Having allocated considerable time the past two years on consulting various stakeholders involved in the marketing of the tourism potential of the Free State province, as well as on conducting some marketing trial runs locally, nationally as well as internationally, the Free State Tourism Authority (FSTA) has recently adopted a Strategic Marketing Plan (SMP) for the development of the tourism industry. As for 2010, the cue should be taken from a national directive which says "Business unusual". Preparations for this momentous event should simply be fast-tracked, also in the Free State. It is really now "Business unusual". Following a visit by the Tourism Grading Council of SA (TGCSA) together with a project team to Bloemfontein to introduce the nationwide drive 2010 Accommodation Sign-Up, the Free State Tourism Authority (FSTA) wishes to stress the necessity for local suppliers to comply with the requirements concerned. These include not only grading their establishments with the TGCSA, but also registering with MATCH as a preferred supplier of accommodation and travel for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. These options not only afford excellent marketing opportunities, but at the same time an opportunity for local accommodation suppliers to upgrade their facilities and services to a level of excellence according to international standards. To be truly competitive in the international tourist market, it is necessary for Free State accommodation suppliers - hotels, guesthouses, lodges, B&Bs, overnighting for backpackers, etc. - to actively take care that their facilities and services are in every respect of top quality and standards. This covers reception areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, lounges, leisure areas, gardens, cuisine, logistical support services and all other hospitality services. Free State at Tourism Indaba In line with achieving step by step its vision of making the Free State a preferred inland tourism destination and an essential part of the itinerary of foreign tourists during their visit to Southern Africa, the Free State Tourism Authority (FSTA) annually exhibits at the Tourism Indaba being held in Durban every year in May. The latter is South Africa's major tourism showcase for both the local and international markets. For full details about Indaba, the following websites could be visited: www.indaba-southafrica.net, www.southafrica.net, or www.kagisoexpo.co.za. Free State flag at World Travel Market  World Travel Market held annually in London The South African participation at the WTM is organized and co-ordinated by SA Tourism, which incorporates delegations from all nine provinces in their UK visit and operations. At the WTM some 202 countries and regions exhibit, with more than 50 000 travel industry professionals vying for the best and largest cut of the world tourism cake. The WTM constitutes truly the global event for the travel industry - operators, airlines, the entire hospitality industry, etc. Against this background the SA tourism industry is showing a 16% growth for the past six months, equating an additional 500 000 international tourists per annum. Some 100 SA businesses - small, medium and large - attend the WTM every year, generating in total R500 million worth of business. It is within this ambit that FSTA flys the Free State flag directly on the world tourism stage, endeavouring to stake a fair market share for the province. Free State tourism links with Europe The Free State Tourism Authority has over the past two years established valuable tourism links between the province and some Western European countries, notably Germany, Denmark, Belgium and The Netherlands. With Germany relations are especially good with the two rural provinces of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Existing relations have been cemented and the exchanging of mutually beneficial tourism opportunities further developed. Especially with the tourism authority of Saxony-Anhalt, FSTA has established a productive working relationship. The upshot of the contacts is that significant numbers of well to do German pensioners are interested to visit specifically the Free State in the coming European winter. They are particularly interested to experience rural, township and farm hospitality in the Free State. They wish to stay over in these areas and experience firsthand what local life is about. The FSTA is moreover representing the Free State annually at the ITB International Tourism Exhibition in Berlin, with an appropriate exhibition within the stand of SA Tourism. The ITB is one of the largest and foremost tourism showcases in the world. It presents opportunities par excellence to meet tour operators and tourism stakeholders from around the globe. As for Denmark, Belgium and The Netherlands, it was found that the Danes and Belgians are more interested in urban and affluent tourism destinations and not so much in the homegrown experiences that the Free State would excel in. In contrast, in the Netherlands, the FSTA is again making good rapport and finds also an active interest in what typical Free State rural areas have to offer. In this regard, the Hollanders younger of age than German pensioners, are interested to engage in outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, horse-riding, etc. Marketing tips Remember: For every eight tourists who visit South Africa, one job is created. Therefore the following are some of the tips every Free Stater should keep in mind to make tourists feel more welcome:
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