It is disappointing and unacceptable that the Bitou Municipality dragged its feet in appointing a new tourism service provider. Consequently, the Plett Arts Festival cannot take place this year.
The mandate of the Plettenberg Bay Tourism Association lapsed on 30 June 2026. The Municipality undertook to award the new tourism services tender by 1 July, but the process was delayed.
As a result, there was not enough time to properly plan and market the festival, which is usually held over 10 days at the end of September and beginning of October. The 2026 festival was scheduled for 25 September to 4 October.
The Plett Arts Festival is a significant cultural and economic event for Plettenberg Bay. It attracts local residents as well as visitors during the quieter tourism season and generates income for restaurants, guesthouses, hotels, shops and local artists.
Previous festivals comprised around 60 to 70 individual events, making a major contribution to the town’s marketing and economy.
Timely and responsible management is a key requirement for proper local government.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) insists that the Bitou Municipality finalise the tender process at once and explain the reasons for the delay to the public so that the Plett Arts Festival can once again take place in 2027.
FF+ Manifesto on Good governance: Ensuring effective and efficient governance.
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