South African Tourism Still Winning After The 2010 World Cup

Official statistics show that tourists continue to flock to South Africa three years on from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

According to the tourism branch of the South African government, tourism in the country has continued to grow following the FIFA World Cup in 2010. In the first quarter of 2013 alone, there has been an 8.6% increase in total tourist arrivals to the country. This is an increase that can be compared with year-on-year tourism uplift since 2010.

The FIFA World Cup itself attracted over 300,000 visitors to the country, 60% of which were first time visitors to South Africa. What is also notable is that 90% of tourists who attended the World Cup said that they would seriously consider travelling to South Africa again. One of the main impacts of the FIFA World Cup was raising the profile of the country as a tourist destination, which has certainly been achieved as demonstrated by the continuing growth of the South African tourist industry.

It is also something that has been experienced first hand by James Rosen, a cofounder of South African travel agency, TravelNation.co.za. As a UK citizen, James booked a flight to South Africa for 10 days to experience the World Cup. He ended up staying in the country for 3 years.

“As now part-owner of Travel Nation, I found the country to be one of the most amazing places.”

“After years of hearing quite negative things about South Africa in terms of crime etc, I visited 'apprehensively' due to my obsession with football for the World Cup in 2010. I booked for 10 days, I stayed for 3 years.”

Cape Town continues to be the must-visit destination for tourists visiting the country. In 2010, the Western Cape was one of the most visited regions and received over 100,000 over the world cup period. In 2012, there were 9.2 million visitors to South Africa, of which two thirds visited the Western Cape.

James Rosen went on to say: “Cape Town sold itself to me in a matter of minutes. The city has a calmness and some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen, which can only be described as mesmeric. I was keen to join with South African locals to promote tourism within the country.”

“Its no surprise that its top of many peoples’ wish lists to visit. I have no doubt this is due to the increase in exposure and tourism since the World Cup in 2010. I feel blessed to have been given the chance to visit Cape Town, let alone live there for 3 years of my life.”

As the global population becomes more aware of South Africa as a tourist destination, the tourist industry in South Africa will continue to grow.

“South Africa is a wonderful place to visit. There is an abundance of activities to do - but it terms of wildlife and nature there is nowhere better.”

“The rise in South African tourism certainly didn't and doesn't come as a shock to me. It is a country that you can look out at all the wonders of the world. You look left and you can see nature and greenery. Look right you see industry and look ahead; you see the beach and the sea. There are not many places in the world where you can do that.”

TravelNation.co.za is a leading South African web travel agency based in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

Resort in fight against rhino poaching epidemic

   
In a handover ceremony held at its Johannesburg head office today, conservation-led experiential travel company &Beyond received a donation of ZAR 1.2 million towards the protection of rhino at its Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.

With fundraising coordinated by StopRhinoPoaching.com, an independent web-based organisation dedicated to raising support for the war against rhino poaching, the money will allow Phinda's contracted anti-poaching unit, Nyathi APU Security, to employ 30 additional armed guards. These extra guards will supplement the current security force in place. While the funds will be used to cover training, uniforms and equipment for the new personnel, the guards' wages are sponsored by South African National Parks (SANParks) as part of their Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

Aimed at providing poverty relief through projects that create new jobs while serving a socially useful purpose, the EPWP is funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs and implemented by SAN Parks. With ZAR 141 million dedicated to the EPWP over three years by the government, the initiative has been rolled out beyond the country's national parks, with &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve the second private game reserve selected to take part.

While the main function of the armed security guards will be to assist in the reserve's anti-poaching efforts, they will also take part in community engagement activities aimed at raising conservation awareness throughout areas neighbouring the reserve.

"We already have a solid relationship with the people surrounding our reserve thanks to the work that we do with our community development partner, Africa Foundation. We are delighted that we can further support our core ethic of Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People, by boosting job creation and increasing skills development in the area, while also ensuring the safety of our land and wildlife," explains Simon Naylor, Conservation Manager at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve.

The Nyathi APU has an excellent track record of pro-active successes, as well as a close relationship with law enforcement bodies in the area. In a recent joint operation with the SAPS, three suspected rhino poachers were arrested in the town of Jozini, just north of &Beyond Phinda on 10 May.

As part of a three-year partnership with &Beyond Phinda that has seen ZAR 3.8 million committed by thegovernment through SANParks, the armed guards initiative has also generated significant private donations. Sponsors who contributed towards the total of ZAR 1.2 million handed over today

include Lead SA's Rhino Action Group Effort (RAGE) and StopRhinoPoaching.com's project partners, Jenna Clifford, BB Cement, Bush Straps, Olienhout Republic TUKS, Toyota McCarthy,Alu-Cab and Lancewood Cheese. Funds raised by StopRhinoPoaching.com have also been used for other anti-poaching initiatives at Phinda, including tracking dogs, thermal imaging cameras and security training.

"We are very grateful to have been chosen as a partner by SANParks and our other generous donors and believe that this is thanks to &Beyond's genuine focus on and dedication to the preservation of wildlife. The funding we have received will allow us to do even more to further our rhino conservation, security and community development" says Naylor.

&Beyond is committed to rhino conservation and has played an integral and ongoing role in the protection of the now endangered species over the past 22 years. In addition to donating some of its rhino for translocation, &Beyond regularly contributes to the preservation of this species through many other important initiatives.

&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve is a founding member of Project Rhino KZN, which ensures that the necessary security measures are in place in the province. In addition to a rhino notching and identification programme, &Beyond Phinda has implemented several other protective measures, including increased security, ranger patrols, aerial patrols, watch towers, CCTV cameras and an extensive informant network.

Innovative INDABA 2013 comes to a successful close after high-energy showcase of Southern Africa's tourism industry

Innovative INDABA 2013 comes to a successful close after high-energy showcase of Southern Africa's tourism industry

A modern, cutting-edge INDABA 2013, which significantly enhanced networking connections to stimulate tourism trading between buyers and exhibitors, was the hallmark of the most advanced edition of Africa's top travel show to date.

Taking a practical technological leap, while staying true to the importance of personal interaction to grow South Africa's tourism industry, was the standout theme of the four-day show at the Durban International Convention Centre, which ended on Tuesday 14 May 2013.

The 'INDABA Connect' platform, designed to facilitate the effective sharing of contact details, product information, marketing collateral and presentations during the course of the show, received extremely positive feedback from many INDABA delegates.

A total of 240,693 electronic connections (over 60 000 per day) were made by 11 458 "INDABA Connect" users, who shared over 14,258 documents. This was a deliberate eco-friendly initiative, a 'Go Green' approach at INDABA that led to the potential saving of a small forest of 374 trees by minimising the need for piles of printed collateral and business cards.

A total of 26,000 square metres of carpets were laid for the 1,386 exhibitors at the show this year, as INDABA again proved to be the biggest and most relevant tourism trade show on the African continent. Of the 14,970 square metres of sell-able space available throughout the venue, a total of 14,712 square metres (98%) was sold and occupied at INDABA 2013.

"What was noteworthy at INDABA this year was the impressive quality of the stands and the considerable investment by exhibitors. This was a significant vote of confidence, and added considerably to the quality of the show," said Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism.

INDABA was again a chance for major global trade buyers to engage with their pan-African suppliers, tailor-make holiday packages and be exposed to new tourism products.

A total of 2,341 local and international buyers attended the show, up 3% on the numbers who attended last year. The number of independent international buyers attending INDABA 2013 was up 6.86% on last year's figures, with 1 464 international buyers attending the show this year, up from the 1 370 in 2012.

In addition, South African Tourism hosted a further 249 top international buyers at INDABA 2013, significantly up by nearly 20% on the 208 international buyers hosted in 2012.

As yet unaudited figures indicate that well over 10,000 delegates passed through the show's turnstiles over the course of its four days.

Media interest in INDABA 2013 surged this year, with 802 media covering the show, 11% more than the 721 who registered to cover the show in 2012. Nearly 200 of them were leading international media, with international media numbers up 23% this year to 190.

INDABA was covered by international broadcast networks such as BBC World, China Central Television and CNBC Africa, while there was also continuous live coverage from the Durban ICC by the eNews Channel Africa, as well as a number of SABC current affairs and lifestyle television and radio shows.

There was also strong marketing and sales representation at INDABA from leading global companies involved in the tourism industry, such as the National Geographic Channel, TripAdvisor, WAYN.com, Expedia and CNN.

Thousands of events, activations and networking sessions were held over the course of the four bustling show days, with Durban hotels reporting good occupancies during INDABA. Around 3,000 formal meetings were scheduled between buyers and exhibitors, using the show's tailor-made Online Matchmaking Diary.

"We set out first and foremost to entrench INDABA's value as the continent's top tourism trade event. We wanted to ensure top-quality buyers, all serious about doing business with South Africa's tourism industry, attended the show, and we are happy that the number and quality of international buyers increased this year. Working closely with Durban Tourism and Tourism Kwazulu-Natal, we set ourselves the target of hosting 250 top international buyers under the auspices of SA Tourism. We achieved this target and are happy to see that international buyers continue to see huge value in INDABA, which equips them with better insight and the information they need to do business with our destination," said Nzima.

"We are confident that our efforts to stimulate meaningful engagements between buyers and exhibitors at INDABA was effective and that this will lead to the generation of millions of Rands in tourism business, and tourists, that will contribute substantially to the long-term growth of our industry," Nzima added.

"I hope the success of Indaba 2013 is not seen only in terms of the numbers of exhibitors, buyers and media attending, but also in terms of the quality of meetings and business linkages forged. This way Indaba will not be seen only as a four-day event, but one that has a positive impact that results in meaningful deals that hit the bottom-line of the South African trade, with long-term spin offs culminating in job creation and an economic boost for the country," said Tourism Kwazulu-Natal Chief Executive Officer, Ndabo Khoza.

INDABA 2013 was certainly the most 'digital' yet, kicked off in exciting style with a Travel Bloggers conference at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on the eve of INDABA which was attended by a full-house of over 300 people.

The conference was the culmination of the #MeetSouthAfrica campaign, which saw SA Tourism host 15 of the world's top international travel bloggers from the iAmbassadors network. SA Tourism hosted the bloggers on four different itineraries around South Africa, which all culminated in arriving at INDABA in Durban.

Using the hash tag #MeetSouthAfrica, the campaign has already reached a potential audience of over 60 million people and generated over 6,500 blogger mentions since it launched a week before INDABA.

The hash tag #INDABA2013 was also trending nationwide for much of the show weekend, with tweets and other digital platforms reaching a potential audience of 31 million people globally.

A total of 850 direct jobs (including 600 students from the Durban University of Technology) and 5,000 indirect jobs were created due to INDABA over 11 days.

Thirteen SADC countries exhibited at INDABA this year, namely Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho, Angola, Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Reunion, as well as Kenya, contributing a total of 426 exhibitors to the show, growing year on year.

South Africa's Tourism Minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, announced during INDABA that as part of the show's growth and expansion plans, African participation at INDABA 2014 and beyond will be gradually increased.

The Heritage and Culture Pavilion, another INDABA first, put the spotlight on South Africa's heritage and culture tourism experiences and attractions and on the country's eight UNESCO World Heritage sites. This proved to be an extremely popular addition to INDABA and a cornerstone of the show. The Pavilion was a joint project initiated by the National Department of Tourism and South African Tourism, in collaboration with the Moja Heritage Collection. The Pavilion also featured creations from top South African designers, Nkhensani Nkosi, David Tlale, Marianne Fassler and Thula Sindi, which were all inspired by the country's world heritage sites.

The three Speed Marketing Sessions, one of the most acutely focused business elements of INDABA, was oversubscribed on each of the three days. The sessions gave around 200 global buyers considerable insight into the breadth and depth of the heritage and culture attractions and experiences that South Africa offers, as well as to its national parks and wine routes.

Feedback from exhibitors and buyers, available in real-time on the popular #INDABA2013 hash tag was positive, with considerable credit given for an exceptionally business-like, high tempo show.

"Last day at INDABA 2013. What a fantastic energy this year!" was a tweet from @ShamwariSafari.

"The vibe in the air is exhaustion. See you all at #INDABA2014. Thank you #Durban," was another from @TourvestDM, which summed up the feelings after another busy show this year.

"Love how high-tech #INDABA2013 in #Durban is," was another comment from freelance writer Sarah Khan, while "Bye bye #INDABA2013 looking forward to #INDABA2014," was the tweet from Wild Travel Magazine.

Rovos Rail, which had considered downscaling its stand this year, was relieved that it had not. "We've been very impressed. It was good," said marketer Joy Strydom.

One of the co-ordinators of the #MeetSouthAfrica bloggers tour, the iAmbassador network's Keith Jenkins, said the event's impact would be felt long after the show.

"The #MeetSouthAfrica hash tag has so far clocked up close to 60 million 'opportunities to see' on Twitter alone. More importantly, the level of interaction with both locals and people around the world was phenomenal and I'm convinced that interest in South Africa will continue to grow as the bloggers publish their blog posts in the coming months," said Jenkins.

With INDABA 2013 now successfully completed, preparations have already begun in earnest for next year's show.

"We will have a thorough review of all elements of this year's INDABA, and we will work closely with the trade to ensure next year's show is even better. Registrations for INDABA 2014 will open on 24 May 2013 and we have already seen strong interest and excitement. Given the positive feedback received this year and with South Africa celebrating 20 years of democracy next year, we want to reach out to the industry immediately and reward their loyalty to the event by offering them long-term benefits and structured packages. We will offer sliding-scale benefits that will benefit INDABA regulars participating in the show in 2014 and beyond. Newcomers to the show will also be able to benefit from early-bird packages which we will make available shortly and provide more information on in due course," said Nzima.

For more information on INDABA and for upcoming details of how to confirm your attendance at next year's show go to www.indaba-southafrica.co.za.

Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani, One Magnificent Complex

The first phase of the R220 million transformation of Southern Sun's Elangeni & Maharani hotel into one magnificent complex is now complete.


The revamped Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani hotel represents Tsogo Sun's continuing commitment to Durban's Golden Mile. Commenting on this, Mayor of eThekwini James Nxumalo, says, "Private sector investment into the Golden Mile is essential to the revival of an area that has so much potential to bring local and international tourists flocking to KwaZulu Natal.

The refurbishment of the Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani hotel will ensure a significant boost for the beachfront as visitors are attracted by both the business and leisure facilities now offered by a complex that has achieved greatly improved aesthetics and enhanced service offerings, located in a convenient and spectacular position on the Golden Mile."

The first phase of the project, which has just been completed, includes the total refurbishment of the Maharani Tower, including the bedrooms, core infrastructure, the conference centre and public areas; substantial new food and beverage offerings within the Elangeni Tower; the rework of the Porte Cochere's creating a sense of arrival and better access to the complex; and the renovation of the external building facades.

The complex facilities include 734 stylish bedrooms; two well-equipped gyms; three swimming pools, with one heated pool; free Wi Fi connectivity; 15 meeting and conference rooms; two fully- equipped business centres; and 11 restaurants and bars.

The restaurants include new offerings ranging from The Grill Jichana, the Panorama Bar & Pool Deck, and the Ocean Breeze Restaurant, to old favourites such as Daruma, Durban's iconic Japanese restaurant, the Lingela Restaurant and Piatto Mediterranean Kitchen.

"We're proud to be able to showcase our dynamic new hotel offering that epitomises our vision to provide the greatest possible variety of quality hospitality, leisure, gaming, and entertainment experiences at every one of our destinations. I've no doubt that it will delight and inspire all its guests for many years to come, adding to the growth and development of Durban as one of South Africa's leading tourism attractions," concludes Graham Wood, Managing Director of Tsogo Sun - hotels.

For more information go to www.tsogosun.com or follow Tsogo Sun on @tsogosun.

About Tsogo Sun

Tsogo Sun is the leading hotels, gaming and entertainment company in South Africa, providing a vast variety of hospitality and exciting entertainment and leisure experiences. Combining an established heritage with a professional and energised approach, the group proudly encompasses 14 casinos and over 90 hotels in South Africa, Africa, and Seychelles.

The company's hospitality interests offer the widest distribution of hotels in Africa, providing world-class accommodation across all markets, including elegant, individually branded Deluxe Hotels and well-known trusted market leaders in the premier through budget segments, including Southern Sun Hotels, Garden Court, SunSquare, StayEasy and Formula 1 hotels.

The exciting urban and resort casino portfolio includes the most popular entertainment destinations, strategically located throughout South Africa. In the Gauteng province, Tsogo Sun owns the group's flagship property, Montecasino in Fourways, which features, amongst other attractions, the award-winning Teatro; Gold Reef City Casino and Theme Park in Southern Johannesburg; and Silverstar Casino to the West in Krugersdorp. Additional properties are owned and operated in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, including the jewel on Durban's Golden Mile, Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World.

Tsogo Sun ("TSH") is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The key shareholders of Tsogo Sun are Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited ("HCI"), a JSE listed investment holding company, and SABMiller PLC ("SABM"), the London listed brewing company. The remaining shareholding is held by various financial institutions and the general public.

Meet South Africa

South Africa is known the world over for our incredible wildlife and for our awe-inspiring adventure tourism offering, but our unique heritage and culture doesn’t always give us the recognition it should. It’s time to change that, writes South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Thulani Nzima.

When it comes to Big Five game viewing or an action-packed adventure holiday, the South African tourism industry has certainly succeeded in setting itself apart as a destination of choice. But when it comes to a destination boasting heritage and culture the world thinks India, Peru, Italy, China, Egypt, Greece or Thailand, not South Africa. This is surprising for a country so diverse that we have eleven official languages, a history so complex and alive that we are still trying to piece it together and a heritage so rich that we boast eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation estimates that heritage and cultural tourism accounts for 40% of international tourism, making it key to the long term sustainability of our industry. This does not mean that we will shift our focus from wildlife and adventure. Our leadership in these spaces continues to fuel the success of our tourism sector, which boasted a 10.2% growth in tourist numbers in 2012, more than twice the global average of 4%. But it is time to realise that heritage and culture are key pull factors for today’s traveler who doesn’t just want to see a destination, but wants to listen to it, taste it, hear it and touch it too.

It’s up to us, the tourism industry, to give our visitors this opportunity. As a country with a divided past we are often not as familiar with our country’s many different cultures and its rich heritage as we would like to be. As a result we have tended to stick to what we know – the “safety” of our natural wonders, our scenic beauty and amazing fauna and flora, often overlooking our most incredible asset, our people, each with their own incredible story to tell. It is time to invite the world to meet South Africa and we brought our country’s heritage and culture tourism offering into the mainstream of the tourism economy at the Tourism INDABA this year.

Today’s traveler is desperate to be part of and to understand the culture of the destination they visit. Because you can now buy a pashmina almost anywhere in the world, people don’t travel to Nepal to buy them, but they travel so that when they wear their beautiful pashmina they can tell the story of the man they had a cup of tea with in a backstreet shop in Kathmandu whose family has been making these fine shawls for generations. They don’t just want to watch the Carnival on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, because their neighbour can get almost as good a taste of it watching it on his high definition television. No, they travel to Brazil to march with a samba school.

We have to keep this thirst for culture and heritage in mind when we welcome visitors to South Africa. Sure, people are blown away by the incredible seafood they can eat in Cape Town’s many world-class restaurants, but the story they want to go home and tell is that of the best fish they ever ate off the braai on the beach in Hout Bay. That’s because they bought that fish straight off the boat in the harbour from a fisherman who taught them about vlekking and shared with them his family’s generations-old recipe of braai-ing snoek with apricot jam.

For many Vilakazi street, the only street in the world to be home to two Nobel prize winners, is a must-see attraction. But the story visitors want to share with their friends is not what the inside of Nelson Mandela’s house looks like, but of the afternoon they got to cycle the streets of this living, breathing, vibrant township that changed the course of this country’s history. They will tell their friends how they found themselves at the back of someone’s house, sitting on beer crates with a quart of Black Label watching Orlando Pirates take on their rivals Kaizer Chiefs with a garage full of new friends.

These are the experiences we have to give our travelers and the only way we are going to give it to them is to introduce them to the people who make South Africa the place that it is. This is the focus of Indaba this year – bringing our culture and heritage to life.

For the first time ever Indaba featured a Heritage and Culture Pavilion where you can interact first hand with some of the tourism products and people that are offering the kind of experience that deepens South Africa’s culture and heritage tourism offering.

It gave exposure to the likes of Andulela Tours, one of the many tour operators featured at the Pavilion. Andulela transforms your experience of Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap district from one where you simply walk the cobbled streets, breath in the spicy aromas and take a couple of snaps of the multi-coloured houses to one where you are intimately drawn into the life of the people that live there. With the opportunity to actually shop for the ingredients that make up a typical Cape Malay curry and then learn how to cook it in a Bo-Kaap family home, you are given a unique insight into the food, history and religion of this special area. It is exactly this kind of experience that we need to include in our tourism offering if we really want to set South Africa apart as a destination.

The Heritage and Culture Pavilion was also designed to give those marketing our destination the inspiration to present our heritage and culture offering in a modern, sophisticated and different way. For example, visitors will get the opportunity to see how top South African designers, the likes of Marianne Fassler, Thula Sindi, David Tlale and Nkhensani Nkosi, have used our eight World Heritage sites as their inspiration for garments, on display at the Pavillion.

We also continued with our speed marketing workshops at INDABA this year, a further opportunity for product owners and buyers to interact as together we seek to broaden the South African heritage and culture experience.

For us in the tourism business, our greatest asset is our people, and we’re looking to put them front and centre as we market this beautiful destination around the world.

Madagascar Travel and Tourism News

The Madagascar National Tourism Board and Malagasy operators (Air Madagascar, Asisten Travel, Discover Madagascar, Island Continent Tours, Mada Viaggi & Turismo, Madagascar Tourism Expeditions, Ramartour Madagascar, Tamàna Tour Operator, Tropic Tours & Travel, Za Tours, Zaha Soa) are attending INDABA Durban in HALL SADC/stand No. D06, to present the latest in terms of products and offers that below a brief overview.

www.madagascar-tourisme.com

Read full release in PDF

South Africa’s integrated marketing mix

SA Tourism Chief Executive Officer,
Thulani Nzima

South Africa’s integrated marketing mix and its effectiveness in reaching global consumers received high praise from some of the biggest names in international tourism marketing and sales yesterday.

The National Geographic Channel, Expedia, TripAdvisor, WAYN.com and the iAmbassadors network joined South African Tourism at a powerful media briefing to look at the destination’s global marketing reach and campaigns.

“SA Tourism uses a wide variety of marketing platforms that all work together seamlessly to deliver our messages and to build our destination brand through the word of mouth endorsement of others.

“We are determined to be on the most effective platforms where people are talking about tourism and about holidays and to deliver messages that are credible, believable and that tell the wonderful, authentic stories of what people experience when they holiday in South Africa,” SA Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Thulani Nzima, said at the briefing.

Nzima was joined by Ross Kata, Africa Director of Expedia, Jerome Touze, WAYN.com founder, Helena Egan, TripAdvisor head of destination marketing sales in Africa, Lindsay Rocke from Media Sales and Partnership Marketing at the National Geographic Channel and Keith Jenkins, who represented the global iAmbassador network of bloggers.

Lindsay Rocke from Media Sales and Partnership
Marketing at the National Geographic Channel

SA Tourism reached more than a billion consumers through advertising and marketing partnerships with the likes of CNN, National Geographic and SuperSport Africa in the last financial year, with a further one billion online impressions delivered through partnerships with the likes of TripAdvisor, Facebook, Expedia, WAYN.com and You Tube.

In addition, over R4.5 billion in editorial exposure was achieved for the destination through its global media and public relations work.

In 2012, 205 189 trips to South Africa were booked – and paid for – via the online Expedia platform.

These trips collectively contributed R794 million to the national economy. “Significantly, Expedia bookings are growing at about 23 percent, showing how important the online environment is for closing sales and converting conversations and awareness into actual tourist arrivals,” Nzima said.

“We see other destinations follow what South Africa is doing and the country is one of the foremost digital destination marketers,” said Touze.

Helena Egan, TripAdvisor head of
destination marketing sales in Africa

TripAdvisor’s Egan said destination South Africa was pushing the envelope to do ‘more, more, more’ using social and digital platforms.

“We have always viewed our relationship with South Africa as a partnership, one characterised by innovation,” said Egan.

iAmbassassador’s Jenkins has just completed a bloggers’ tour of South Africa with 14 more of the world’s most influential travel and lifestyle bloggers.

Using the hash tag #MeetSouthAfrica, the campaign reached a potential audience of more than 55 million people in one week - on Twitter alone.

However phenomenal the numbers are, though, Jenkins said it was the people and the experiences he and his colleagues enjoyed that will stay with him.

“I love the enthusiasm of South Africans. This is a truly amazing place,” he said.

“People believe people. Our campaign stories are told by real people who are not models or actors.

This makes our destination compellingly real and all the more persuasive, because it’s neither scripted nor rehearsed.”

Shamwari Game Reserve and the Boardwalk Hotel and Spa Launch the Boardwalk to Bush Package

Shamwari Game Reserve and The Boardwalk Hotel and Spa, Port Elizabeth, have created a unique special offer of a 2 night stay in a luxury room at Long Lee Manor, Riverdene Lodge or a courtyard room at Sarili Lodge, all meals and beverages are inclusive and guests also enjoy 4 incredible game drives.

Plus a 1 night stay at the Boardwalk Hotel and Spa including accommodation in a luxury room as well as breakfast for the total cost of just R6, 705 per person sharing, valid until 31 August 2013. Terms and conditions apply.



Guests have the option of upgrading their accommodation at Shamwari Game Reserve to a Suite at Long Lee Manor, River Suite at Sarili Lodge or a luxury tent at Bayethe for only R250 per person per night. A further option is a superior tent at Bayethe Tented Lodge for only R500 per person per night and a Junior Suite at Eagles Crag for only R750 per person per night. Child rates are available on request as they are dependent on age and subject to availability.

Indaba to become pan-African from 2014 on back of record tourism growth

by Roderick Eime in Durban

South Africa is riding a tourism wave, confirmed by National Tourism Minister, Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk at the opening ceremony for Indaba 2013 last night. The travel show, first held in 1979, is one of the most important tourism marketing events in the world and being held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal between 11-14 May 2013.

"We welcomed approximately 9.2 million tourists to our shores last year. Our overall international tourist arrivals growth in 2012 was 10.2 per cent," said van Schalkwyk. "This was against an average global industry growth of 4 per cent. We certainly performed remarkably. We are growing into a most sought-after tourist destination, with a vast array of unique experiences on offer."

Building on this confidence, van Schalkwyk announced that Indada would embrace the entire African continent from 2014.

"We will be gradually increasing African participation at the Indaba in 2014 and beyond. That will ensure more exhibitors and more buyers, which will be good both for South Africa and the African continent," he said.

In support of this strategy and to bolster key markets, South Africa will expand its global operations with the opening of new offices.

"In the coming year, SAT will open fully-fledged offices in Brazil, Angola, Kenya and Nigeria, whilst also expanding its marketing presence and partnerships with the trade in South Korea, Russia, Scandinavia, Shanghai in China, Uganda, Ghana and Tanzania."

Minister van Schalkwyk also acknowledged the importance of domestic tourism in South Africa and how the country should work together for the common cause, stating "tourism is everyone's business".

"I look forward to continue taking the hands of all our partners as we celebrate 20 years of freedom and democracy and 20 years of tourism, and as we put our heads together to lay the foundation for another 20 years of new opportunities and fulfilling experiences," he said at the conclusion of his speech.

For full text of the speech and more information on Indaba, visit the website at http://www.indaba-southafrica.co.za

Indaba 2013 Opening Ceremony - Minister's Welcome Speech

Opening ceremony performers (R Eime)

Speech by National Tourism Minister, Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk
(View original document in PDF) (See the ceremony and speeches on YouTube)



“It is time to modernise and expand Indaba. Our vision as government and South African Tourism is that Indaba must be the platform for exhibitors and buyers, not only in and from South Africa, but for the whole of the African continent,” Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Tourism

This is who we are … we are South Africa! Inspired and inspiring, diverse and united, we gather here today in this great province of KwaZulu-Natal – this legendary kingdom of dreams and opportunities.
We gather here between the ocean and the mountains, between our heritage and our tomorrow, to celebrate the power and the prospects of an industry that showcases our nation to the world.

Welcome to the 2013 Tourism Indaba!

Last year, I took stock of our achievements since 2004. We had so much to celebrate, and indeed we did.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am privileged to join you again this year, and am excited to be here today. Two weeks ago, we were at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town with the President, where we announced the latest international tourist arrival statistics. Let me share a few highlights with you: We welcomed approximately 9,2 million tourists to our shores last year. Our overall international tourist arrivals growth in 2012 was 10,2%. This was against an average global industry growth of 4%. We certainly performed remarkably. We are growing into a most sought-after tourist destination, with a vast array of unique experiences on offer.

But, of course, this did not just fall into our laps. We had to work harder than ever to sustain growth and encourage prospective travellers to act on the seed of inspiration we had sown through our various branding and marketing endeavours. Our brand message on channels such as National Geographic and CNN International enabled us to reach over one billion consumers last year. Our video, banner and text adverts were displayed to targeted audiences over 1,1 billion times. This complemented our online partnerships with the likes of Expedia, Facebook, TripAdvisor and WAYN.com. Last year, we also generated over R4,6 billion in editorial coverage for our destination through our global and in-country media relations work.

We are intent on building on this foundation. The launch of the South African National Convention Bureau has delivered exceptional results and has greatly boosted our global competitiveness in pursuing our target of R6,2 billion in direct spend via business events over the next five years.

Over a long period, the Tourism Indaba has maintained its stature and viability as Africa’s top travel show. Simultaneously, we can do more to tangibly strengthen the African tourism industry through mutually beneficial ‘coopetition’ – which brings out the best in all of us through cooperation and healthy competition on our continent.

It is time to modernise and expand Indaba. Our vision as government and South African Tourism is that Indaba must be the platform for exhibitors and buyers, not only in and from South Africa, but for the whole of the African continent. To achieve this we are willing to invest even more to transform Indaba into a pan-African trade platform.



I can therefore announce that, as part of our growth and expansion plans, we will be gradually increasing African participation at the Indaba in 2014 and beyond. That will ensure more exhibitors and more buyers, which will be good both for South Africa and the African continent. South African Tourism has been consulting and will do more work to generate firm proposals by December this year. As Africans, the lesson is this: Let's not resent each other’s success; instead, let's grow off the success of each other.

Furthermore, in the coming year, South African Tourism (SAT) will roll out a global hub strategy created to effectively deliver the destination marketing message, with a wider reach than ever before. To further bolster growth, we have identified core markets, investment markets and tactical markets across regional Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australasia, as well as Europe. We understand that when we enter a market, we have to work hard to achieve success, and that it is always a partnership. That is why, in the coming year, SAT will open fully-fledged offices in Brazil, Angola, Kenya and Nigeria, whilst also expanding its marketing presence and partnerships with the trade in South Korea, Russia, Scandinavia, Shanghai in China, Uganda, Ghana and Tanzania.

In positioning our country as a globally competitive and responsible tourism destination, we will, amongst other things, be raising the profile of our heritage and cultural tourism assets. This year, our Heritage and Cultural Pavilion here at the Tourism Indaba aims to profile and promote the eight world heritage sites we are proud to have in South Africa. I invite you to visit the pavilion, experience some of the exciting products on offer, and promote these in your future travel plans.

Domestic tourism is a key component of our journey going forward. Increasing domestic tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) and promoting a culture of travel among South Africans are key objectives of the National Tourism Sector Strategy. At any given time, three quarters of all tourists in South Africa are South Africans, with domestic tourists having contributed one hundred and one billion rand (R101 billion) to our economy in 2011.

Some of theSouth Africans who do not travel tell us that they cannot afford it or are not aware of accessible offerings. As a sector, we therefore need to work harder to address these information and cost barriers. To this end, we are:

· investing in new partnerships and relationships, including between provincial tourism marketers and SAT;

· investing in a new marketing campaign for domestic tourists that is to be launched during Tourism Month in September, targeted at a broad cross-section of the South African population; and

· reminding South Africans that tourism is everybody’s business. All South Africans stand to benefit from a robust, growing destination.

We are also thinking innovatively of new ways to ensure that more South African families have access to the places that we have inherited as a nation. To truly deliver on the promise of tourism, we have to create the conditions that render the tourism experience and the treasures of our country accessible and affordable to a much greater share of our population. To this end, I can today announce that, in partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), we have recently commissioned an audit of underutilised state assets and properties that could be developed into tourist attractions and facilities. It is simply wrong to have state resources stand vacant while there is cropped-up demand in certain market segments. Pursuant to this, we have also commissioned a feasibility study for a pilot budget resort chain, which could in some or other way be de-risked through partnership approaches, aimed at an underserved market segment of would-be travellers earning less than R5000 per month. The time has come to remove the final barriers to fully unlock our country’s tourism treasures and the intrinsic value of travel for all South Africans, thereby bolstering our contribution to job creation and poverty alleviation.

This year, we also start to take stock of 20 years of freedom and democracy, and 20 years of tourism in our country. We have come such a long way. Tourism has taken its place as a vital contributor to economic growth, catapulting South Africa from a pariah prior to 1994, to one of the fastest-growing and most desired leisure holiday destinations in the world today. In 1993, the country received just over 3,4 million international arrivals. In 2012, we witnessed over 13 million international arrivals, of which some nine million were international tourists visiting our shores. In addition, we have gained recognition across the globe as a capable, warm, friendly and accessible global mega-events destination. Therefore, we are planning a celebration of 20 years of tourism in the months leading up to Freedom Day on 27 April 2014. At next year’s Tourism Indaba, we will recognise South Africa’s top 200 trade partners for their contribution to our industry over the past 20 years. We will also honour all the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award (ETEYA) winners over the years, with a focus on learning from what they continue to achieve.

I look forward to continue taking the hands of all our partners as we celebrate 20 years of freedom and democracy and 20 years of tourism, and as we put our heads together to lay the foundation for another 20 years of new opportunities and fulfilling experiences. It was Mark Twain who said: “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

With these words, I thank you for your commitment to our sector and hope that you will be exploring, dreaming and discovering the wonders of tourism and our country at what I am convinced will be a successful 2013 Tourism Indaba.

South Africa and Seychelles ministers back Africa tourism

South Africa and Seychelles Ministers of Tourism on the
popular SABC2 Morning Live TV program as
INDABA Tourism Trade Fair opens in Durban

(Forimmediaterelease.net) South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Mr. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, and his Seychelles counterpart, Mr. Alain St.Ange, the island’s Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, were both on the popular SABC2 Morning Live TV program on Friday. This South Africa Broadcasting Corporation channel is a popular TV program with a big nationwide following.

The live interview filmed at the Heritage&Cultural Pavilion at the Durban Exhibition Center was the opportunity for the Tourism Ministers from South Africa and the Seychelles to discuss strategic partnerships between the two countries.

Minister van Schalkwyk of South Africa spoke about the importance of INDABA, the African Tourism Trade Fair that is staged annually in Durban, and Minister St.Ange of the Seychelles on his part said that the time had arrived for this tourism fair to be seen at the African Tourism Fair where Africa as a whole showcases itself to the world.

Minister Alain St.Ange also said that Africa must work with Africa if Africa is to be strong and attract its fair share of the tourism trade. The Seychelles Minister used the opportunity of that live television interview to present his island’s unique double coconut, called the Coco-de-Mer, to the South African Minister accompanied by a “Seychelles, the Coco-de-Mer” book written and published by the Minister himself.

Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk announced the planned signature of an MOU between Seychelles and South Africa in August which is set to reinforce the existing partnership and cooperation between the two countries. This same statement was also stressed on by the Seychelles Minister Alain St.Ange as he announced the recent codeshare agreement between South African Airlines (SAA) and Air Seychelles, making it possible for South Africans to travel to Seychelles with an SAA airline ticke

South Africa’s top nine emerging tourism entrepreneurs named

 

SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM and the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) today announced the names of the nine provincial finalists for the 2013 Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (ETEYA) competition.

 

ETEYA is a nationwide tourism industry competition which recognises and honours South Africa's best, most promising and most innovative emerging tourism business owners.

 

SA Tourism and its ETEYA partner, TEP, heartily congratulate the national finalists from each province. The overall ETEYA winner, who will be announced at a national Tourism Awards ceremony in September, will receive an additional R100 000 cash grant to help grow their business. They will also get access to mentoring and invaluable marketing help and business direction from leading industry experts.

 

The regional finalists are:

• Bonang Conference Centre (North West)
• Citi Hopper (Western Cape)
• Dan's Country Lodge and Events Centre (Eastern Cape)
• Jo's Guest House and Hantamkraal Restaurant (Northern Cape)
• Kuhle Travel and Tours (KwaZulu-Natal)
• Makgabeng Farm Lodge (Limpopo)
• Ntwanano Tours & Travel (Mpumalanga)
• Rethabise Premium Guest Lodge (Free State)

They were chosen from 27 (three per province) provincial finalists announced last month. They represent various tourism businesses who proved to the panel of judges that they significantly contributed to economic empowerment, offer a product or service which is innovative, and have a sound business plan to ensure continued growth and opportunity for expansion.

 

"When one considers the valuable contribution tourism makes to communities and the economy, you realise that ETEYA is not just another competition. It is a programme and platform meant to unearth and showcase the products and services we have and the emerging tourism entrepreneurs who work tirelessly to deliver excellence, authenticity and diversity to our visitors", says Mr Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer of South African Tourism.

 

"We are greatly impressed by the quality of this year's applications and would like to congratulate the nine regional finalists. Their businesses embody the vision and mission of what ETEYA entails and assists us with the goal of greater transformation of the tourism industry. The selection process was tough, as the standard of all regional finalists was very impressive and of a very high quality," said Nzima.

 

Ahead of the announcement of the finalists, TEP also released the finding of two studies which found that small, medium and mid-sized enterprises perform considerably better when they are supported and mentored by TEP.

 

The studies, into firms employing between 10 and 49 people in tourism, found that more than half of the more established TEP-supported firms had increased their turnover, as opposed to their non-supported counterparts.

 

"As an organisation, our focus is on analysing individual business needs and offering the owners services and interventions we believe will help them achieve their business objectives. These range from marketing support to customised training, funding and mentoring. This is why TEP-supported businesses tend to fare

 

better than non-supported businesses and this is evident in the job creation statistics." says Dr Salifou Siddo, Chief Executive of TEP, one of the main ETEYA partners.

 

As part of the ETEYA programme, the nine national finalists will each be assigned a mentor to work with them to implement their business plans as presented at the SME workshop that was held today at the 2013 tourism INDABA in Durban.

 

Each finalist will also be awarded a R10 000 grant to go towards the development of the business plan they worked on earlier in the competition. The business plan will take into account all of the elements covered during the months with the mentor and the feasibility of implementing the plan in an actual business environment.

 

For more information on the Tourism Enterprise Partnership and its research findings, please visit www.tep.co.za

 

 

Website www.southafrica.net

 

 

The Cederberg Mountains – a natural playground in the Western Cape

The Cederberg Mountains, Western Cape

The Cederberg Mountains are home to dramatic sandstone formations like the Maltese Cross and rich plant and animal life. These mountains also enchant visitors with their San rock paintings, and are an excellent destination for rock climbing and hiking.

The Cederberg Mountains are noted for their dramatic, wind-carved sandstone formations like the Maltese Cross and the Wolfberg Arch, as well as San rock paintings.
The range is situated near Clanwilliam, between two and three hours - about 200km - drive from Cape Town. The area offers plenty of space and tranquility, as well as activities ranging from rock climbing, to swimming in rock pools, visiting a rooibos tea farm and viewing ancient San rock paintings.
The 71 000ha Cederberg Wilderness Reserve, proclaimed in 1973, includes the Cederberg Mountain range and is known for its abundant spring flowers and fertile valleys in the surrounding dry landscape, as well as rugged mountainous landscape.
Animal life includes dassies in rocky areas, small antelope like klipspringers and reedbuck and mountain zebras. Leopards and caracals also inhabit the Cederberg while raptors float above scanning the grasslands for small rodents. The mountain range offers two notable peaks – Tafelberg, which is not to be confused with Table Mountain in Cape Town, and Sneeuberg, or snow mountain. The former is also one of the most popular peaks for hiking along with the cliffs of Krakadouw.

The spectacular landscape and wide range of activities make the Cederberg Mountains well worth a visit. While visiting, why not try a wine tasting at the highest wine estate in South Africa – Cederberg Cellars.

Travel tips & Planning info

Who to contact
Cape Nature
Tel: +27 (0)861 227 362 8873
Email: bookings@capenature.org.za

Cape Town Tourism
Tel: t: +27 (0)21 487 6800
Email: info@capetown.travel

How to get here
The Cederberg lie about 200km north on the N7 from Cape Town.

Tours to do
Tours of ancient rock paintings of the San people, hiking amongst fynbos and dramatic rock formations, wine-tasting at the Cederberg Cellars, the highest wine estate in South Africa, and donkey cart rides through the mountains are on offer.

Get around
It's best to rent a car and drive yourself.

What to pack
Pack sturdy boots, warm clothes, binoculars and a camera for this spectaular experience.

Where to stay
There are a number of hotels (including the upmarket and award-winning Bushmans Kloof), camping sites and b&bs in the area. Check with Cape Nature or Cape Town Tourism.

Tourism in a new world: Risks and opportunities



South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk

 

Speech delivered by Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk at the Hotel Investment Conference Africa (HICA), Durban

Last month, I participated in the World Travel and Tourism Council's global summit in Abu Dhabi as well as the World Tourism Forum in Lucerne. At both events, we took a close look at critical challenges and opportunities that we will be facing in our customer and market environments over the next couple of years. I thought of sharing with you today four of the megatrends, the tectonic shifts, that I believe are and will increasingly be affecting the way we do business in the tourism sector globally, and especially here on the southern tip of Africa, over the next ten to twenty years.

Having just hosted the BRICS summit of emerging economies here in Durban, the tectonic shift in economic and political power from the North to the South and from the West to the East – the first shift I would like to share with you today – needs little elaboration. We know that the emerging powers will very soon be the biggest source markets in the world – initially in volume, but eventually catching up in terms of outbound spend. As destinations, emerging-market arrivals will surpass those from the traditional markets by as early as 2015. Already, this has major implications for the way we position and market our destination and products. This shift was reflected in our fourth portfolio review of South African Tourism's market growth and expansion. In the fifth portfolio review for 2014 and beyond,we can expect some of those emerging markets that were previously categorised as investment markets, where we invested ahead of return, to become core markets that deliver a much greater share of our bread and butter. Of course, in terms of value, the traditional markets – despite their currently stalled engines – will remain the mainstay of our inbound tourism industry for many years to come. But, in the long run, we can ignore neither the changing contours of wealth and power in the world, nor the speed of change. I was recently reminded that it had taken Britain some 150 years to double their gross domestic product (GDP) per capita – with a population that,back then in 1870,was less than ten million strong. India and China today have 100 times that number of people, and are on course to double their GDP per capita in one tenth of the time it took the British.

This brings me to the second tectonic shift that I would like to highlight today. We all know that the growth in tourism and aviation is tied at the hip to urbanisation. People movement to cities is the first step, and also a strong lead indicator of tourism and air passenger transport growth. Increasingly, the world population is becoming an urbanised population. By 2030 we expect 60% of the world's population to be urbanised, up from 50% today – which translates into at least one billion new city dwellers. Every year, the 65 million people urbanising around the world is equivalent to adding five cities the size of London. And we know that these new cities are springing up in the new markets: on our doorstep in Africa, and in Asia. By the middle of this decade, there will be just over 50 African cities with populations exceeding three million. By 2030, about half of all the people on our continent will be living in urban areas, with access to airports and other transport infrastructure. Similarly, we also know that there is a strong urban bias in travel from China, with source markets currently concentrated in major metropolitan complexes such as Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. But this too is an evolving space, and by 2020, we know there will be dozens of urban locations in China where the disposable income per capita will be greater than Shanghai's today. For us,reaching this rapidly rising middle-class and underserved market in mega-cities and second-tier cities in the developing world presents an important future opportunity, but also challenges. It will require that,for example, connectivity and bureaucratic barriers associated with visa applications are addressed.

The third tectonic shift is the changing demographics of our customer base. The world population is ageing rapidly – and this will accelerate over the next two decades. On the one hand, this could trigger greater instability due to depressed economic growth and other social pressures in ageing markets. But, for us in the tourism industry, it also means we will increasingly have to cater for older, more mature and, maybe, more value-conscious travellers. We will have to hedge, and we will need to do so through a hybrid approach. Yes, we must gear for a hyper-connected generation of younger travellers, who are connected 24/7 to everything everywhere. But we should not forget to hone business models, innovate distribution channels, and offer itineraries and products that cater for the needs of the ageing traveller of tomorrow. The wants and needs of the non-Twittering generation – who represents a very significant market segment - cannot fall by the wayside.

Let me conclude with the fourth tectonic shift – the role of disruptive technologies in the age of hyper-connectivity.Hyper-connectivity finds expression in the rapid growth of aviation hubs as the arteries of contemporary life; intra-sector connectivity between cross-border air, rail and road,as we also witness here in our own region; business connectivity and commercial links; people-to-people connections, and – the glue that increasingly welds it all together – computer/internet and mobile connectivity. These areall inevitabilities, and are changing the way people work and relax. Already,the entire travel and tourism value chain relies on this seamless connectivity as part of our product and experience offering, promotion, payment and operations.

Opportunities are abound – markets are closer than ever before, cyberspace word-of-mouth over fibre optic cables is a reality, e-visas and e-passports that contain all your biometric data are just around the corner, semantic translation and avatars could soon connect us to customers in new ways, and geo-location and near-field communication are creating new growth and business opportunities.

But, let us not romanticise hyper-connectivity opportunities. Also remember to ask about the hyper-vulnerabilities on the horizon.Hyper-connectivity will disrupt many current business models, and only those in our industry that move fast to innovate will remain competitive in the era of digital natives.

In this hyper-connected world, we have to work harder than ever to control content. Real time reputational risks associated with the social media and internet's amplification of our every move are greater than ever before. Touristsseek ease and satisfaction – and they know thereare options just a click away. Two-thirds of people on our continent even now have access to smartphones. We must accept that they are empowered more than before to be at the centre of decisionmaking on travel and tourism options, customisation and the creation of authentic experiences. And when they have bad experiences,they will share these instantly and constantly.

But there are also massive other potential disruptions in the age of interdependence, supply chain globalisation and 'big data'. These include potential disruptions of the cloud-based economy, and trust issues in data security. Just imagine, for example, what would happen when air traffic navigation systems are scrambled by cyberterrorists with thousands of planes in mid-air, which is something that now occupies our minds in a number of international forums.  Similarly, our industry could suffer heavy losses should the Internet, air traffic booking systems or financial systems fail even just for a week or two in the face of determined cybersabotage.

Needless to say, among you, there will be winners and losers in this new world characterised by hyperconnectivity. And among destinations there will be winners and losers.Disruptive technologies also trigger disruptive economics. Technology is diluting entry barriers in our industry, attacking profitability zones and changing job descriptions. Some business models will have to be radically innovated and processes adapted for digital linkage. I personally believe we are very close to much greater disintermediation through the equivalent of an Apple travel application that covers our full value chain – from flights, hotels and activities, to car rental, baggage handling, payment and all the rest. And all of this will be on the back of digital personal identities, which render the integrated travel experience much more convenient and personalised. The winners among uswill demonstrate the ability to anticipate and adapt quickly.

With these few words, I thank you for this opportunity to share with you just a couple of reflections on the dynamic changes taking place in our business environment. These changes are complex, fast-moving and interconnected. We have much to gain from these tectonic shifts and the globalisation of markets if we play our cards right. Those who innovate will be best-positioned to seize the new opportunities. Let us heed the early warning signals, hedge against the risks, adjust course and reposition early upon reading the signposts as an elusive yet exciting tomorrow becomes today's reality.

South African Tourism and Kwazulu-Natal kick off Indaba in Style

Last night South African Tourism Australia together with Kwazulu-Natal Tourism welcomed over 80 VIP guests to a networking function to celebrate ahead of the official opening of Indaba 2013.

Held at Bertoua Café Lounge, guests were treated to a variety of local cuisine and drinks with a band providing the perfect entertainment on the night for people to kick up their heels.

Indaba officially commences today, with thousands of visitors expected to descend on the ICC in what is expected to be a successful four day program.

Photo Caption: Hosted Buyers joined South African Tourism at the networking function last night (from left to right) - Michael Zhang (Webjet), Sue Bohme (Gay Globe), Rob Gurr (South African Tourism), Andrew Kelleher (Scenic Tours), Patrick Barden (This is Africa) and Wayne Hamilton (Swagman Tours).

South Africa's top designers showcase eight World Heritage Sites at INDABA 2013

 
South African Tourism has proudly partnered with South Africa's most celebrated fashion designers, who will showcase their much-anticipated couture interpretations of our country's eight World Heritage Sites at INDABA this year.

The designers - David Tlale, Marianne Fassler, Thula Sindi and Nkhensani Nkosi – have set catwalks alight all over the world, and now they will present creations that are inspired by South Africa's UNESCO treasures: Robben Island, Vredefort Dome, iSimangaliso Wetlands, Mapungubwe, Cradle of Humankind, Richtersveld National Park, uKhahlamba in the Drakensberg, and Table Mountain at INDABA.

The garments representing these sites will adorn the 'South Africa Heritage and Culture Pavilion', a first at INDABA and a one-stop-shop for every delegate and visitor to enjoy the best kaleidoscope of Heritage and Culture experiences, products, services and offerings in South Africa.

The Heritage and Culture Pavilion, a partnership between the National Department of Tourism and South African Tourism, in collaboration with the Moja Heritage Collection, will be situated at the Durban Exhibition Centre during Africa's top travel and tourism trade show, INDABA.

Thula Sindi used the mountains of uKhahlamba in the Drakensberg as his inspiration. "These mountains contain the largest collection and most concentrated variety of rock art in the world. Some of the paintings are as old as 4 000 years! To be inspired by the natural beauty of the sky, land and paintings of Eland, which were the source of the original works, is an honour. My dress will encompass three inspirations (sky, land and wildlife) that inspired the San people to paint the cave walls more than 2000 years ago," Sindi says.

David Tlale derived his inspiration from the Robben Island and Vredefort Dome heritage sites. "For Robben Island I've created a man's structured cape and suit that will embody the historical architecture on the island, such as the light house. For Vredefort Dome, I've looked to its wonderful textures and earthly colours, so the dress will personify that," Tlale says.

Marianne Fassler's studio, meanwhile, has created two evening gowns representing Cradle of Humankind and Mapungubwe National Park. "I have always been fascinated by the Sterkfontein caves and very conscious of the archaeological wealth of the Cradle. Mapungubwe is another one of my romantic African love affairs. I think of it as the original 'lost city', possibly the Palace of the Queen of Sheba herself," Fassler says.

Nkhensani Nkosi has focused on iSimangaliso Wetlands and the Table Mountain national park for her creations. "We chose the art of airbrushing to capture the beauty of the wetlands,to inspire awe and wonder in the fascinating mix of fantasy and nature, where the water spirits gather to conjure the magic of what can manifest when time stands still," Nkosi says.  

The Heritage and Culture Pavilion will bring to vivid, colourful life the mandate of the National Department of Tourism's Heritage and Culture Strategy that was launched last year, that gave the South African travel and tourism industry more inspiration to unlock the immense economic potential of heritage and cultural tourism in South Africa.

"We have placed a major emphasis on our country's heritage and culture, and its important tourism role at INDABA this year. Having the support of our country's top fashion designers in promoting our country's world heritage sites through their incredible work is a major boost and a wonderful creative addition to the show," said South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Thulani Nzima.

INDABA 2013

INDABA 2013 South Africa’s iconic attractions such as Robben Island, Table Mountain, the Apartheid Museum, Soweto’s Vilakazi Street and the wide expanse of the Kruger National Park were huge attractions on the ‘must-do’ list for the well over nine million international tourists who visited South Africa last year.

INDABA Travel Bloggers Conference - changing the face of destination marketing

South African Tourism’s INDABA will be hosting a historic first Travel Bloggers conference on the eve of the show, attended by some of the world’s most influential international and local travel bloggers.

At the INDABA Travel Bloggers #MeetSouthAfrica event, the bloggers will unpack the changing face of destination marketing and the importance of personalised, user-generated content and social media engagement and its impact on the tourism trade. There has already been a phenomenal response to the Bloggers conference, taking place at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium this Friday 10 May, with the event already being oversubscribed, with 300 confirmations received in just 48 hours.

At least 15 international bloggers will attend the conference. Among the bloggers represented will be @Traveldudes, @VelvetEscape and @Landlopers, from the influential iAmbassadors network of leading travel bloggers from around the world. Some of the bloggers have visited South Africa before, while for others, it is their first time in the country.

Included within the total number of international bloggers is a contingent of bloggers from South Africa’s watchlist markets including Spain, Argentina and Switzerland. On the first weekend of their #MeetSouthAfrica blogger tour, the bloggers have already uploaded hundreds of tweets, images, blogs and video, capturing in real time the wide diversity of tourism experiences, and the warm locals that they have come across on their South African tour.

These blogger’s stories are set to considerably increase awareness of South Africa and encourage potential travellers to seriously consider South Africa as their next holiday destination.

“The bloggers are covering fashion, lifestyle, travel and food, and are currently touring the country on four different itineraries crafted to expose them to a broad spectrum of activities, experiences, attractions and accommodation that South Africa has to offer,” says William Price, Global Manager of E-Marketing at South African Tourism.

The itineraries cover: Cape Town to Durban via the Garden Route; Cape Town to Durban via the West Coast; Johannesburg to Durban via the Free State and Johannesburg to Durban via Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

The bloggers’ experiences during and after their trips this week, and the reach of the campaign in record time, will be part of what they share with the trade at the bloggers conference.

“The bloggers will reveal how they ‘met’ and interacted with South Africa’s people to convey an intimate, personalised story about our beautiful destination. Through their extensive networks, their #MeetSouthAfrica experience will reach an audience of hundreds of thousands worldwide in real time. The sessions at the conference promise to be enormously informative, innovative and entertaining,” says Price.

The #MeetSouthAfrica hashtag is already actively in use on Twitter, with bloggers and travel trade joining in the conversation during this week’s tour. Video responses and blogs have been posted by bloggers ahead of their trip indicating the excitement and the potential online exposure that will be generated by #MeetSouthAfrica over the coming weeks.

The Blogger’s Event takes place on the afternoon of May 10, from 14h00 to 18h00 at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

To join the conversation and share your favourite South African travel and tourism experiences follow us at #MeetSouthAfrica and #INDABA2013.

For more information on INDABA and for details on how to register to attend, visit www.indaba-southafrica.co.za.

Tracker dogs boost anti-poaching patrols

TRACKER DOGS BOOST ANTI-POACHING INITIATIVES AT &BEYOND PHINDA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

May 2013

In yet another innovative move aimed at promoting the preservation of Africa's precious wildlife areas and their inhabitants, five specially selected dogs and their handlers arrived at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa on 1 May 2013 to begin an intensive ten-week training course. 

Part of the Rhino Dogs Project established by Mechem Denel and StopRhinoPoaching.com, the canines will be trained as human tracking and apprehension dogs. Used in anti-poaching efforts, the dogs' role is to track and warn of suspected poachers, as well as to locate any potential evidence left behind by suspects. The dogs will be trained to locate poachers by following their trail, as well as to detect and locate weapons or rhino horn hidden in the bush. 

While the training is being funded by StopRhinoPoaching.com, which supports individuals or organisations with large, viable rhino populations who work towards the goals of conservation, &Beyond Phinda has sponsored accommodation for the handlers for the duration of the course.  

Once the training is complete, two of the dogs, sponsored by Jenna Clifford and the 'I Make a Difference' campaign respectively, will remain at &Beyond Phinda. The other three will be deployed to game reserves in Swaziland and to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in Mpumalanga.

Two members of the security team contracted by &Beyond Phinda, the Nyathi Anti-Poaching Unit, have been chosen to train as dog handlers. Selected for their dedication to stopping the scourge of poaching, as well as their willingness to act at the forefront of anti-poaching operations, the handlers will form a cohesive unit with their animals, providing yet another boost to the reserve's protective measures.

&Beyond is committed to rhino conservation and has played an integral and ongoing role in the protection of the now endangered species over the past 22 years. With rhino poaching at an all-time high, &Beyond continues to do all it can to protect Africa's natural heritage. In addition to donating some of its rhino for translocation, &Beyond regularly contributes to the preservation of this species through many other important initiatives.

&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve is a founding member of Project Rhino KZN, which ensures that the necessary security measures are in place in the province. In addition to a rhino notching and identification programme &Beyond Phinda has implemented several other protective measures, including increased security, ranger patrols, aerial patrols, watch towers and CCTV cameras. The reserve regularly shares information and coordinates security measures with neighbouring game parks. Most

importantly, &Beyond continues to create much-needed awareness of the plight of the rhino among its guests, as well as fostering positive relationships and building trust with the communities surrounding its game reserves.

Heritage and Culture a major focus of exciting INDABA 2013

The South African Tourism INDABA 2013, Africa’s top travel show, is set to offer unrivalled opportunities, new innovations and networking platforms for the tourism trade and international buyers this year to stimulate tourism business in a market growing well above the rate of global growth.

Between January and November 2012, South Africa had attracted over 8.3 million international tourists and grown at 10.5% (against average global tourism growth of 4% in 2012), as the country continued to entrench its reputation as a world-class leisure and business events destination.

For all global and local companies, individuals or tourism industry stakeholders keen to share in this growth story, INDABA 2013 at Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre from 11-14 May 2013 will be an unmatched event on the regional African tourism calendar not to be missed.

Last year’s INDABA theme of “Shaping our Future Together” – which paid tribute to the joint efforts of South Africa’s tourism industry and its global partners in achieving the phenomenal growth in recent years – will again be the theme at INDABA 2013, which will also have a strong ‘Heritage and Culture’ focus.

For anyone wanting to do business with South Africa and its Southern African neighbours and to get a better feel for the regional African tourism industry, INDABA 2013 will be a treasure trove of key introductions, business opportunities and exposure to hundreds of exhibitors across the tourism spectrum. For the tourism industry, there is the opportunity to interact and forge strong business links with some of the world’s top travel buyers.

Over 1 165 main and sharing exhibitors and 2 000 international and local buyers – 250 of them top international buyers hosted by South African Tourism - have already confirmed their attendance at INDABA 2013, with that number growing daily.

While South Africa is a destination of spectacular beauty, offering every conceivable tourist attraction under the African sun to suit every pocket, the destination’s differentiator is its warm, hospitable people and the memories they leave visitors with long after they’ve left.

A major new addition at INDABA this year will be a ‘Heritage and Culture Pavilion’ located at the Durban Exhibition Centre, which will innovatively showcase South Africa’s world heritage sites, its leisure offerings, culture, art, design and music - all of which combine to tell South Africa’s story, its history, its future and gives better insight into its people.

The pavilion is a major project undertaken by the National Department of Tourism and South African Tourism, in collaboration with the MOJA Heritage Collection, and it will be an exhibition of some of the country’s best heritage and culture tourist offerings and distinctively South African tourism products.

All delegates – exhibitors, buyers, media and visitors – are encouraged to visit the ‘Heritage and Culture’ pavilion, to experience South African stories woven in folklore, myth and history and the country’s globally celebrated sense of style in design, arts and crafts.

“Our market research shows that travellers are increasingly looking to experience the unique, authentic, personal South African stories. They are looking to meet the locals, experience where they live, eat where they eat and be part of the country’s culturally rich lifestyle, while learning about the history of this great country. The Heritage and Culture pavilion will be an exciting addition to INDABA 2013 and we have also included a number of new elements to the show this year which will be of major value to buyers and exhibitors,” says South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer Thulani Nzima.

INDABA is primarily a trade show and to this end the Speed Marketing sessions, which were very popular at INDABA 2012, will again be an even more integral part of the show this year, with the focus on National Parks of South Africa on Saturday, Heritage and Culture on Sunday and Wine Routes of South Africa on Monday. The speed marketing sessions will give hundreds of international buyers the invaluable opportunity of being exposed to - and to do business with - a wide cross-section of South African tourism products.

The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) will again at INDABA 2013 host a master class with TripAdvisor, the world’s biggest and most influential travel website with 60 million unique monthly users. The workshop will be open to all star-graded accommodation establishments and will be an invaluable session, providing tips first-hand from TripAdvisor experts on how best to use the platform to market your establishment to a worldwide and increasingly socially-engaged audience.

Another exciting feature at INDABA for the first time will be a Travel Bloggers conference on the eve of the show, attended by some of the most influential international and local bloggers, who will unpack the changing face of destination marketing and the importance of personalised, user-generated content and social media engagement and its impact for the tourism trade.

At INDABA this year, particular attention has been paid to making sure that exhibitors, buyers, media and stakeholders are able to connect with all the key people, places and things they need for a successful INDABA.

One of the innovations this year, besides the information on the website, mobile app and social media coverage of the event, is technology specifically designed to allow easy connections - which will be called ‘INDABA Connect’.

INDABA Connect is a simple, but powerful platform that allows information, contact details, images and presentations to be easily shared among show delegates, in a very simple integrated way. By simply touching a delegate or exhibitor's tag at an exhibitor's stand, presentation, event or activation, users will have all the information attached to their online INDABA Connect profile, which will make getting in touch easier and more productive than sharing business cards, brochures and CD-Roms or USB sticks. This will also enable better engagement for delegates before, during and after the show - allowing for more meaningful connections this year.

The Matchmaking diary system, designed to facilitate important business connections between exhibitors and buyers at INDABA, will again be in place.

“The South African tourism industry is a very exciting one to be part of right now and we are confident the growth we are experiencing will translate into increased business opportunities. Our potential is huge and to unleash it we are working hard to attract quality global buyers to INDABA 2013, who are committed to doing tourism business with South Africa and to tap into our destination’s unique and diverse offerings. Despite tough economic times, South Africa’s tourism industry has continued to see growth in recent years and as a collective we need to grow and shape the future of our industry together. INDABA remains the premier regional African tourism platform for global buyers to gain easy access to the widest possible cross-section of the South African tourism industry - all under one roof – and we are very excited about the show this year,” says Nzima.

Over 600 local and international journalists and broadcasters are set to cover all the tourism news and trends at INDABA. A number of news-gathering events and activations have been planned, including topical briefings to give insight into South African Tourism’s market outlook, in-market campaigns and activities.

INDABA will take place from May 11 to 14. For more information on the show and for details on how to register to attend, visit www.indaba-southafrica.co.za