Tourism has been prioritised by the Provincial Government as one of the economic sectors that contribute to the country's gross domestic product (GDP), create employment and mitigate the impact of poverty. This is in line with the current policy imperatives of the New Growth Path and the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP 2). Sustainable and responsible tourism development has a triple effect in terms of social, economic and environmental benefits. The committee is mandated to conduct oversight in an effort to extract optimum benefits for the country from the resources and capacities available to the three spheres of government. The Committee felt that it was necessary to undertake a provincial oversight visit to Eastern Cape Province in 2012 to assess achievements of the sector and evaluate the nature of challenges, prospects for inclusive growth particularly in the rural areas and the extent of government support at all levels.