tourism marketing companies south africa

We are Hospitality & Tourism Marketing Specialists

Welcome to tourism marketing.

Tourism Marketing SA delivers   World-class Internet Marketing Solutions to Hospitality & Tourism   businesses. We have successfully delivered Internet Marketing Solutions to hundreds of   Guest Houses, Lodges, Hotels and B&B ’s across Southern Africa.

OUR SERVICES

Delivering world-class internet marketing., beautiful web design.

First impressions count! We will Design a beautiful mobile-friendly website for your   Guest House, Lodge, Hotel or B&B .

Web Hosting

Our cloud hosting servers are stable, fast and secure. It is ideal for business owners.

Online Advertising

Be seen by more potential customers by placing advertising online. Get more direct bookings now!

Search Engine Optimisation

Our SEO services will enhance your online presence, increase website traffic and drive direct bookings.

Guest Centre Reservation System

GuestCentre is our own custom developed Property Management System. Contact us today for a demo!

Maintenance & Listings

We offer comprehensive maintenance and directory listings packages, so you don’t have to do a thing.

Social Media Marketing

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all critical elements of your social media strategy. We can help.

Internet marketing for Hospitality and Tourism. 

We leverage all the elements of Internet Marketing to   Drive more Direct Bookings via your website . We follow best practices in Web Design, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Pay-per-Click Advertising (PPC) via Google Adwords, Listings/Directories Management, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Facebook Advertising and Secure Hosting to maximise your Online Exposure.

Created for our amazing clients.

Let’s Get Started

Ready to make a real change let’s build this thing together.

• How We Work
• Direct Booking Results
• Brand Identity and Marketing ROI
• Corporate Image and Branding
• Facebook and Instagram Follower Growth

Trusted By:

Africa's tourism and hospitality leaders trust Eco Africa Digital to deliver bespoke marketing solutions that drive direct bookings. Our award-winning agency specialises in harnessing the power of AI, exceptional storytelling and optimised paid ad campaigns to turn lookers into bookers.

Get in Touch for a Free Consultation

Our Services

Digital strategy, social & google paid ads, email marketing, ai marketing tools, branding & design, content creation, community management, analytics & reporting.

Contact Us to Discuss Your Investment Options

We've been growing our tribe since 2012 and we know what works for tourism brands online

Our networks make you stronger as we align with the best digital marketing providers

Our team is highly skilled and we pride ourselves on great turnaround times 

Average Increase in Bookings

Return On Investment

TOP 5 FINALIST

Africa Tourism Leadership Awards 2023: Outstanding Media & Marketing 

World Travel Market Africa Awards 2023: Most Compelling Agency Story

Corporate Vision 2022: Best Travel & Tourism Marketing Agency 

WTM Africa Awards 2022: Digital Campaign Story.

Recent Satisfied Clients

The Salene Boutique Hotel & Venue - Stellenbosch

Wilder Group Luxury Safari Camps - Kenya

Kisiwa House - Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Mount High Luxury Country House - Mpumalanga

Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate - Franschhoek

Foxes Safari Camps - Southern Tanzania

Ker & Downey Africa - Trips Throughout Africa

Isibindi Africa Lodges - KZN South Africa & Victoria Falls

Anywhere In Africa Safaris - Tailormade Across Africa

Thonga Beach Lodge - Isimangaliso Wetland Park

Sneeuberg Nature Reserve - Graaff-Reinet

De Zeven Guest Lodge - Stellenbosch

African Safari Collective - South Africa

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge - Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park

Leopard Mountain Safari Lodge - KwaZulu-Natal

Motswari Hideaways - Timbavati

Makakatana Bay Lodge - St.Lucia / iSimangaliso

Transfrontier Parks Destinations - South Africa

Tsowa Safari Island - Victoria Falls

Rufiji River Camp - Tanzania

Mufindi Highlands Lodge - Tanzania

Kosi Forest Lodge - Isimangaliso Wetland Park

Chole Mjini Treehouse Lodge - Tanzania

!Xaus Lodge - Kgalagadi National Park

Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge - Drakensberg

Increase Your Direct Bookings.

Contact Us Now

Latest from Our Blog

In this month’s blog, we review the effectiveness of Reels as part of our social media marketing strategy for three different clients. This is how Facebook and Instagram Reels boost our clients’ brand visibility to increase their overall ROI—and how you can do it, too.

In our previous blog post, we covered 3 methods to optimise your marketing budget and increase ROI with a collective marketing strategy. Now, we delve deeper into how to make this work in practice with a case study on one of our agency’s most successful clients. In a nutshell, a collective marketing strategy in tourism entails pooling your budget and resources to ensure both your umbrella brand and individual offerings gain mindshare...

Client Reviews

The salene boutique hotel and venue.

"We have seen lots of success with increasing occupancy in our accommodation - thank you Eco Africa!"

Dorothy Jekill - Co-Owner

The Salene Boutique Hotel and Venue, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Service Gurus | Hospitality

Lizanne and her team are absolutely fabulous. What I love most is the way she is always willing to teach others about her industry and share thought leadership with others.

Shireen Onia - Accredited Training Provider

Cape Town, South Africa

Base Camp Academy

The Social Media Content Creation Course by Eco Africa Digital exceeded my expectations. Well explained, precise, to the point with some practical work, that can be challenging, but so worthwhile and essential if you want to reach new heights.

Tanja Ruest

Kyburg Wines, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden

“It has been a pleasure working with the expertise and professional care of Eco Africa Digital. As a specialist destination known better internationally than locally, it was pertinent to reach the equivalent local audience - in a year with no international travel. Eco Africa Digital afforded us a bespoke approach, resulting in an immediate ROI beyond our expectations. We continue to work and learn about the world of social... Read this review

Gabby Vurgarellis - Marketing Manager

Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden, Stellenbosch, South Africa

It was an absolute pleasure dealing with Lizanne du Plessis of Eco Africa Digital. Two words I'd use to describe my customer experience with Eco Africa Digital are Integrity and Efficiency.

Liz Jones - Social Media Content

South Africa

White Water Farm

"We couldn't be happier. We have had to tackle web design, brand identity, marketing strategy, copywriting, and more, all under the watchful eye of Lizanne and her team and we are starting to see results. Lizanne and her team have a hands-on approach and are always ready to assist. EAD is going over and above to help us grow and rebuild after a punishing few years. We have been... Read this review

Cameron Inggs - Co-owner

White Water Farm, Stanford, South Africa

Impeccable service and outstanding quality of work. I highly recommend collaborating with Eco Africa Digital -- you will undoubtedly learn something new with each interaction.

Emma Hanly - Content Creator

Sneeuberg Nature Reserve

"Thank you for another year of wonderful team effort. I am very proud of how we all managed to keep bookings coming, with the email campaign, vouchers, blogs and all the great social media posts. Our work as a team has really paid off."

Joey Phillips - Co-Owner

Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, Graaff-Reinet, South Africa

Eco Africa Digital is an Award-winning Digital Marketing Agency for Tourism and Hospitality

We will however never reach out to the public about job openings at our agency to create Guest Reviews. All our hiring is done strictly via LinkedIn and at present, we have no open positions.

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What Is Destinate?

Destinate is a bespoke destination management and tourism marketing agency established in 2013 by Mariette du Toit-Helmbold after ten years as CEO of Cape Town Tourism. We develop and help implement strategy, build brands, market destinations and connect people with great brands and destinations (often over good food and wine).

Destinate Travel

We do travel differently. Working with a range of local properties, small tourism operators and local tourism companies, we create unique travel experiences for the conscious traveller. Our curated travel experiences and packages are all about making real connections with people and places, sharing their stories and contributing to the greater good in one way or another.

Destinate Travel Media Kit

Clicking on this link will direct you to a Google drive folder.

Destinate Style

We’re also passionate about supporting local makers, designers and creatives. You’ll find an array of articles and personal recommendations crafted around proudly ethical African products in our Style section. Meeting the makers, whether that be local designers, artists, chefs, cooks or winemakers are some of the most memorables moments of travel. Through Destinate Style we are connecting the makers directly with our guests and online audiences, telling the stories of Africa and giving travellers the opportunity to experience carefully curated local products and design pieces.

VIEW OUR COMPLETE AGENCY PROFILE

Meet the destineers:.

The Destinate team is a collective of passionate, highly specialised individuals with more than 40 years combined experience in tourism, strategic business management, marketing, public relations and events management. Our team of #Destineers lives and breathes travel and storytelling. Our global network of bloggers and influencers, DMO’s, tourism professionals and specialists is a powerful tool for any destination or brand trying to tell their unique story.

Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold

Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold established Destinate in 2013 after ten years as the award-winning CEO of Cape Town Tourism. Mariette is in demand internationally as a tourism strategist, facilitator and speaker on tourism, destination management and innovation in marketing.

Annareth Bolton

Annareth Bolton, the CEO of Stellenbosch Wine Routes for nine years, joined Destinate in December 2015. She has vast experience in wine and domestic tourism, PR, marketing and events.

Asanda Maku

Asanda Maku has a wealth of experience in television and production and is a seasoned television presenter, actress and model with several TV successes under her belt.

Thabo Malo specializes in travel management, tourism development and guest relations. He has worked for Cape Town Tourism, Tourvest, Kuoni Private Safaris, And Beyond as well as South African Tourism.

Beate Pechmann

Our international PR representative, based in Germany, is Beate Pechmann, a well-connected PR expert with more than 15 years’ work experience. She worked at various London PR agencies and is passionate about hospitality, with a first degree in hotel management from Germany.

A network of specialist service providers support the team with digital marketing, social media, creative, content and event management.

Testimonials

Frank Kilbourn, FORMER CHAIRPERSON, SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM “As CEO of Cape Town Tourism Mariette not only ran the organisation very effectively, but managed to take the brand into the digital era with the purposeful use of social media.”

MEC Alan Winde, WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF FINANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM “As CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Mariette was integral in defining a brand for our destination, setting a vision for our tourism industry and taking our offering global.”

Mandlakazi Skefile, CEO, NELSON MANDELA BAY TOURISM “The results of working with Destinate meant the launch of a new blog and digital strategy for Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism, and we feel that this has been very successful as a new tool in increasing our online and social media presence.”

Annemarie Ferns, CEO OF STELLENBOSCH 360 “Being results driven, Destinate – through the strategic thinking of Mariette – has contributed to Stellenbosch running its most successful marketing campaign to date, placing Stellenbosch on the world map.”

Marthinus van Schalkwyk, FORMER MINISTER OF TOURISM, SOUTH AFRICA “Through your input and conduct, you have always shown that you understand a leader to be someone who unites others behind a shared goal, develops trust and seizes all opportunities.”

Peter Stuart, MANAGING DIRECTOR, VERGENOEGD WINE ESTATE “Mariette, Annareth and their team of Destineers were appointed in December 2015 to carefully and strategically steer the historic but “forgotten” Vergenoegd brand and wine estate into an authentic destination offering unique experiences, consistent quality wines and exceptional service. The results were the following: 189 visitors in December, 265 in January, 1163 in February and 2253 in March and more than 20 million views of our duck parade video on social media platforms in April! A great result for Destinate and the new Vergenoegd.”

Our Clients:

Destinate’s stable of clients, past and present, include: Reunion Island Tourism, Stellenbosch Wine Routes, Stellenbosch Experience global campaign, Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism, Soweto Wine Festival, Franschhoek Wine Valley, Wellington Wine Route, Durbanville Wine Route, City of George, Vergenoegd Wine Estate, Walkerbay Xtreme, Open Africa, West Coast Peninsula, West Coast Fossil Park, The Cape Collection, Glen Carlou, Graham Beck, Nederburg Auction, The President Hotel, Le Wine Chambre, Mpumalanga Tourism, Shoprite Holdings, H&M South Africa, Mango House Seychelles, Vinimark Wine Company, Swellendam Municipality, Constantia Fresh and Elgin Cool Wine and Country Food Festival.

The agency has gained recognition globally for digital marketing campaigns like #Stellenblog for Stellenbosch, #72hrsSoweto for the Soweto Wine Festival, #WeOpenAfrica for Open Africa and #gotoReunion for Reunion Island. Mariette developed South Africa’s first national wine tourism strategy for VinPro and WOSA as part of the WISE initiative and Destinate led the first phase of the implementation thereof.

In November 2017, Destinate launched the Joburg Wine Club to grow the local wine market. The Club brings a series of prestigious wine events to the right consumers during the course of the year. The events are unlike any other wine event or festival and is complemented by PR and media promotions, consumer competitions, wine tourism travel packages, interesting wine selections and sales.

E: [email protected]

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BMP Africa | BMP Tourism Marketing

Main content.

Connecting people is the essence of our industry.

Welcome to BMP Tourism Marketing

BMP Tourism Marketing (BMP Africa for short) is a sales representative and marketing company offering services to the hospitality and tourism industry. 

We are an owner run and managed company with a passion for the tourism industry and a combined experience of over 40 years.

What we offer

Our focus is to provide effective sales and marketing representation that delivers tangible results for our clients.

• Sales & Marketing
• Social Media Marketing
• Business Services & Ad-Hoc Options

Canopy Tours South Africa

Africa Travel Tours

Lion's Eye - Camps bay

Houghton View 13

Victoria Falls Canoeing Company

Monte Vista Boutique Hotel

What our clients say…

Jennifer Beard

Group Sales Manager, City Lodge Hotel Group

Anneline Wyatt

Managing Director, Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour & Stormsriver Adventures

• Craig: +27 (0)73 274 8935
• [email protected]
• Andrea: +27 (0)71 057 5703
• [email protected]
• Study Street, Flamingo Vlei, Table View, 7441, Cape Town

Stay Connected

WE ARE AXIS

In 2021 we celebrate our 20th Birthday.   We have received the best gift, and that is – the South African borders have been reopened!

Axis Travel Marketing has grown and diversified, repositioned and adapted. 

With our current worldwide tourism and hospitality challenges, we are confident in our ability to keep you front and centre for the next season.  

We are relationship-strong, with colleagues in the following sectors

• Inbound Tour Operators
• Retail Travel Agents
• Online Travel Agents
• Corporate Offices

Inbound Tour Operators are the “bread and butter” of any hospitality offering.  They are responsible for local and inbound travel bookings, and  provide our partners with FIT clients, group business as well as the much needed series bookings.

Retail Travel Agents or “High Street Travel Agents” form an important link between the traveller and the hospitality product.  Bringing travel options to the “man on the street”.  Providing an important service which is often overlooked.

Fondly known as OTA’s, this booking channel carries the volume.   Lower margins, a huge online presence and the capacity to be available day and night, makes this relatively new platform market strong.

Corporate offices have 2 paths to product, either directly via a procurement secretary or semi-directly via their own inhouse travel agency.

OUR PARTNERS

Events calendar.

Our networking reach includes South Africa, Europe, United Kingdom and Scandinavia.  We pride ourselves on honesty and reliability.

Local Marketing and Sales

• Direct sales support
• Contract negotiating
• Travel consultant training

International Marketing

• Road shows & trips
• E-marketing campaign
• Brochure inclusions

Digital and Design

• Newsletter & Newsbriefs
• Product specific mailers
• Mail shots & specials distribution

Reporting & Sales Support

• Weekly activity report, market feedback & COVID-19 updates
• Lead – Sales generation (++)

Workshops, Events & Road Trips

• Axis Workshops & Functions
• Road trips and training sessions
• Networking functions

Social Media Support

• Sharing of FB posts to ATM page
• Product specific FB posts
• Axis Blog highlighting our partners

GET IN TOUCH

Booking contact.

+27833913715 [email protected]

Business Contact

We are always available on email and whatsapp

Email Address

Company Profile

Tourvest is Southern Africa’s leading integrated tourism group, operating businesses which range from travel management companies, hotels, lodges and restaurants to craft, curio and jewellery shops and foreign exchange bureaux, under some 60 sector-leading brands, employing more than 5 000 people.

The group was created in 1997 through the incorporation of a number of long-established tourism companies.  That same year, Tourvest listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange.  In August 2008, it was acquired by a black economic empowerment consortium (IDC, Old Mutual and Guma) and delisted.

Tourvest’s steady growth as a leading integrated tourism group has been driven by a commitment to exceptional quality, service and value; its people-centred business philosophy; the development of mutually rewarding partnerships; constant innovation; and world-class technology.  Tourvest is based in South Africa and is a global business, with operations in Southern, East and West Africa, India, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Caribbean, as well as having principals, associates and clients throughout the world.

Tourvest is an entrepreneurial business and each division is run as an autonomous business unit with separate boards supported in its efforts by head office.

Head Office

Stonewedge Office Park 1 Wedgewood Link Road Bryanston, Johannesburg 2021 Telehone: +27 11 728 0540

Contact the Divisions

Tourvest Accommodation: +27 87 740 9282 Tourvest Destination Management: +27 11 676 3000 Tourvest Travel Services: +27 11 790 0000 Tourvest Financial Services: +27 11 603 9000 Tourvest Destination Retail: +27 11 221 3200

Postal Address

Postnet Suite No. 17 Private Bag X75 Bryanston 2021

Seasons in Africa

Southern africa / portfolio, the results.

Working closely with Focus Online’s paid search, content and account management teams, Seasons in Africa managed to position their new lodge properties as premium Southern African establishments while rapidly ramping up on revenue from a cold start. For established properties, the same brand positioning outcomes were achieved, while also delivering a significant increase in the number of direct bookings achieved as a percentage of overall new business. The Group’s hotel properties benefitted from outsourcing their digital marketing activities and being able to focus on their core business, that of running a hotel, more effectively.

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Our Services

Web design & development.

From bespoke complex booking engine builds using the latest technologies to custom themes in WordPress our team has years of experience at every level of web design and development.

Pay Per Click Marketing

Our seasoned analysts ensure that your brand achieves optimum returns from its paid advertising investment. Taking a 360-degree approach to online marketing, we focus on optimising your key areas of competitive advantage first.

Social Media Marketing

Social media is a key area of competitive advantage for luxury travel marketing brands. We ensure that your brand achieves impressive engagement rates, effective brand exposure and optimum return from your paid advertising investment.

Content Marketing

Combining premium content production and proven distribution techniques, our social media team ensures that you build a relationship with prospective clients even before they start researching specific travel experiences.

Search Engine Optimisation

Adhering to industry standards and employing latest best practice, we ensure that client sites rank competitively for a range of primary and long tail keywords.

Email Marketing

We utilise a proven combination of high-quality content, striking visuals, functional layouts and relevant targeting to ensure that your email marketing campaigns receive high click-through- rates and open rates.

Stanley Cornelius [email protected] First Floor Kildare Centre Corner Kildare Road and Main St Newlands, Cape Town 7700

Shaun Macdonald [email protected] Arunta Place Tamworth New South Wales Australia 2340

WHAT IS TOMSA?

How is the levy used, what are the benefits, what are the levy benefits, how the levy contribution works, the process of becomming a contributor, the process of becomming a levy contributor.

The organisation serves to unite and influence the diverse travel and tourism sector to contribute to a competitive, responsible and inclusive tourism economy.

• (S 25 84’59) (E 28 20’20)
• 3 Amethyst Street, Lyttleton Manor, Corner of Lenchen Avenue, Centurion, Pretoria 0046
• TBCSA PO Box 11655, Centurion, 0157
• 08:00 AM – 17:00 PM (Monday – Friday) Closed on Public Holidays
• Tel: +27 12 664 0120
• Email: [email protected]
• 3 Amethyst Street, Lyttleton Manor, (Corner of Lenchen Avenue) Centurion, Pretoria 0157

IMPORTANT LINKS

• Levy Contributors
• How to become a Levy Contributor
• How the contribution works
• Levy Application form
• TOMSA (editable) PDF Agreement
• TOMSA Brochure
• TOMSA Factsheet
• TOMSA Info Guide
• Contact Details
• [email protected]
• +27 12 664 0120

By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

• Strategy & Planning
• Training and Capacity Building
• Marketing Solutions

About The Journey

We specialise in tourism destination management, planning and marketing .   We assist tourism destinations in making most of their potential by drawing on our experience,   knowledge and creativity. Since 2005 The Journey has conducted close on 100 assigments in more than 30 destinations, both as sole provider and in association with our partners.  Our clients include major international agencies (UNWTO, UNDP, World Bank, USAID, EU, DFID, etc.), regional tourism organizations, national Tourism Ministries, local municipalities, private operators, etc.

The Journey offers high level, personalised service delivered by experienced and senior tourism professionals.  We are accessible to our clients at all times and pride ourselves in the quality of our work.

Dr Mike Fabricius, Managing Director

Mike Fabricius is an experienced tourism strategist, policy analyst and marketer who has played a leadership role in the successful development of the South African tourism industry and has been consulting at an international level since 2005. He is a leading tourism destination specialist who has worked extensively in the South Africa, rest of Africa, Middle East and Asia. Mike qualified as an urban planner and was appointed Director of the Insititute for Planning Research at the Nelson Mandela Metropilitan University, where he became involved in tourism planning and marketing.   After occupying various senior management positions in South Africa's tourism industry, (among others Director Tourism Development for SA Tourism; Head: Tourism Branch, Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, CEO: Western Cape Tourism Board) Mike established The Journey, an independent tourism advisory and consultancy practice in 2004.  Since then he has managed and executed more than 120 assignments across 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean and Asia.

He regularly participates in missions for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Tourism Ministries and other international development agencies (World Bank, IFC, USAID, UNDP, EU, AFDB, RETOSA, SNV, etc.) and has taught courses on Tourism Policy and Marketing Strategy for Tourism Managers in many destinations across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Recent projects include being team leader for developing a marketing strategy and brand for Ethiopia, team leader for formulating Mozambique’s national strategic tourism plan, strategic advice for the development of various circuits in India, formulating a tourism marketing strategy for Nepal, devising and implementing a Visitor Information Services Strategy for Gauteng Tourism and various others. 

Dr Fabricius is Editorial Board member of the international Journal of Sustainable Tourism and is a regular speaker at tourism seminars, conferences and workshops.  His qualifications include BA, BA(hons, MA, PhD and MBA. He has received various academic and business related awards and was invited to have his profile included in the Who's Who in Southern Africa. He was awarded the University of South Africa Council Medal for the best MBA course student for his dissertation "Competitive Strategies for Tourism Destinations."

Empowering Clients

Participation

Interaction

Enhancing Competitiveness

Competitors

Drawing on Experience

Track Record

Best Practice

Global Benchmarks

Delivering Quality

To the Point

Value for Money

Understandable

Associate Companies

Trout and Partners Positioning Strategists

The Journey is a partner of Trout and Partners the consulting firm founded by Jack Trout, who is recognized as the world's foremost marketing strategist. He is responsible for the freshest ideas in marketing in the last twenty years and his concept of Positioning has become the world's #1 business strategy. Together with other talented consultants, Mr. Trout has created an international network of consultant boutiques which offer preeminent skills and hands-on experience in the implementation of Positioning strategies.

Associate Specialists

Dr Anna Spenceley, Sustainable Tourism Specialist

Dr Anna Spenceley is a tourism consultant focusing on sustainable tourism based in South Africa.  In particular, she works in areas of high biodiversity in developing countries.  Anna is Chair of the IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group, a Senior Research Fellow with the University of Johannesburg, and sits on the editorial teams of several journals including the Journal of Sustainable Tourism.  She is also the editor of the book "Responsible Tourism: Critical issues for Conservation and Development" and also co-editor of "Evolution and Innovation in Wildlife Conservation".

Peter Fabricius, eTourism Specialist

Peter Fabricius is a digital marketing consultant and founding partner at Springnest, an online marketing platform, crafted for the travel and tourism industry.  He has lead numerous online marketing and training assignments in Africa and Asia (including South Asia, South East Asia and Indonesia), and has extensive experience in the coaching and training of tourism SME's and organisations.  Peter holds a BTECH Degree in Tourism Management, as well as a qualification in digital design.

Natalia Rosa, Marketing Implementation Specialist

Natalia Rosa specialises in assisting travel and tourism companies and destination marketing practitioners to become travel marketing experts.  She is a passionate follower of online marketing, social media, retail travel, inbound tourism and publishing. Natalia has editing, writing and management experience in the content generation, online marketing, social media and publishing fields, has completed an online marketing diploma with University of Stellenbosch, Honours in Journalism and Media Studies and Masters in Publishing with specialisation in online publishing field cum laude.

Richard Smith, Market Research Specialist

Richard Smith has over 25 years experience working with tourism destinations.  He has worked as both a destination practitioner (in Tourist Boards and Local Government) and a consultant.  He specialises in tourism research, MICE research, and destination strategy development and action planning.  As a consultant he has undertaken over a hundred market research projects among destinations, tourism operators, and consumers, and developed strategies for a range of destinations.  He is a graduate of Edinburgh and Surrey Universities with qualifications in Geography, Tourism Management and Market Research 

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• Our Work //
• About Us //

Unlocking South Africa’s Tourism Potential for Travel Marketers

Embark on a journey through South Africa’s tourism landscape. Discover the power of keyword research, top destination priorities, inbound markets, and SEO success. Learn how South Africa is making a resilient comeback in 2023. Join us in unlocking the travel marketing opportunities for your international tourist markets. Discover how to package and target your offerings to drive increased bookings.

In this article:

Unlocking South Africa’s Appeal for International Tourists: Insights and Marketing Strategies The Significance of Keyword Research Unveiling Top African Destination Priorities Inbound Tourist Markets to South Africa Tailoring Experiences for SEO Success South Africa’s Tourism Renaissance: A Resilient Comeback in 2023 Unlocking Opportunities with BlueMagnet: Your Partner in Travel Marketing Success

Unlocking South Africa’s Appeal for International Tourists: Insights and Marketing Strategies

In the ever-evolving landscape of the global travel and hospitality industry, South Africa has emerged as a shining jewel. With the internet becoming the go-to resource for trip planning and bookings, the role of online marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO) cannot be overstated.

In this article, we’ll explore key insights from various reports and discuss how travel marketers should adapt their strategies to tap into the lucrative inbound tourist markets to South Africa.

The Significance of Keyword Research

Keyword research i s the foundation of a successful digital marketing strategy. It helps businesses understand the words and phrases potential customers use when searching online. BlueMagnet’s recent comprehensive research on international search trends for African travel destinations , analysed over 2,300 potential search term variations across ten popular destinations in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. This meticulous process revealed over 1,000 search terms with significantly high search volume potential from international tourist markets.

Unveiling Top African Destination Priorities

Looking at the global search volume breakdown of these keywords, BlueMagnet found that searches for the broader African continent, as a region, capturing the most substantial share (23%) in online searches. Of the ten popular destinations analysed, South Africa secures the top spot as the most searched destination on Google, commanding a noteworthy 18.5% of the overall search volume. Other African nations like Botswana, Tanzania, and Uganda exhibit robust search volumes as well.

Marketing Tip : Prioritise optimised content for Africa as a whole, followed by South Africa and Botswana. Targeting Tanzania and Uganda is advisable due to their popularity, offering the potential for faster lead generation.

Video Credit: Courtesy of SA Tourism

Inbound Tourist Markets to South Africa

South Africa’s appeal to international tourists is undeniable, with a particular attraction for American visitors. However, to harness this potential fully, it’s crucial to understand the broader landscape of target tourist markets. The United States plays a dominant role, generating a substantial 76% of the total search volume. Beyond the United States, Australia and France emerge as primary target markets online. For Africa as a whole, France is the second most active search market after the United States, with Switzerland also showing interest in African destinations.

Tailoring Experiences for SEO Success

To captivate international tourists and entice them to explore South Africa , an array of captivating attractions awaits. From thrilling Wildlife Safaris offering the chance to encounter the Big Five and other captivating creatures in their natural habitats, to the allure of Cape Town renowned for its breathtaking scenery and iconic landmarks. Delight them in the charm of Wine Tours , where you can showcase picturesque vineyards and delightful wine-tasting experiences.

For the tourist who seeks heart-pounding Adventure Tourism , highlight bungee jumping and thrilling shark cage diving as adventure activities. For those seeking a deeper cultural connection, delve into Cultural Tourism, feature South Africa’s rich heritage by demonstrating enlightening visits to museums and historical sites. To maximise the allure of these experiences, these experiences should take centre stage on websites and seamlessly integrate into marketing and advertising strategies when targeting international travellers interested in discovering the wonders of South Africa.

Keyword research and strategic SEO are indispensable tools in the competitive travel and hospitality industry. By understanding the preferences and search behaviours of their target markets, African Travel Companies can unlock new opportunities, enhance their online visibility, and ultimately attract more customers to explore the beauty of the African continent, with South Africa shining brightly on their travel radar.

South Africa’s Tourism Renaissance: A Resilient Comeback in 2023

While keyword research and advanced Travel SEO play a vital role in attracting tourists, it’s equally important to understand the current state of South Africa’s tourism industry. Recent data from Statistics South Africa reveals a remarkable resurgence in South Africa’s tourism sector.

In the first half of 2023, South Africa witnessed a surge in tourism, with more than 4 million tourists gracing the country’s landscapes. This represents a robust 78.2% growth compared to the same period in 2022. However, it’s worth noting that South Africa is still operating at 80% of its pre-pandemic capacity when it welcomed over 5 million tourists during the first half of 2019.

The African continent remains a significant wellspring of tourists for South Africa, with over 3 million visitors crossing its borders in the first half of 2023. This marks an impressive 79.9% surge when compared to the same period in the previous year. However, South Africa’s allure stretches well beyond the African continent, as it experiences a surge in visitors from diverse regions worldwide, including North America, Australasia, Asia, Europe, Central & South America, and the Middle East.

Looking ahead, South Africa’s unwavering commitment to inviting travelers worldwide to explore its diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage, unique wildlife, and expansive open spaces is evident. The Tourism Sector Recovery Plan is not only gaining momentum but also fueling sustained and accelerated economic growth. South Africa stands open and ready, extending a warm invitation to tourists from across Africa and around the world, inviting them to partake in the rich tapestry of cultures and heritage it offers. Recent accolades have further cemented South Africa’s position as a premier tourist destination, enhancing its appeal to international travelers.

In conclusion, South Africa’s tourism industry is firmly on the path to resurgence, presenting significant opportunities for travel marketers to tap into the growing global interest in this remarkable country. By aligning travel marketing strategies with the latest data and trends, travel companies can play a pivotal role in propelling South Africa’s tourism renaissance to new heights.

Unlocking Opportunities with BlueMagnet: Your Partner in Travel Marketing Success

As you embark on your journey to unlock the full potential of South Africa’s vibrant tourism landscape, remember that BlueMagnet is your trusted partner every step of the way.

Whether you’re looking to commission Comprehensive Keyword Research to boost your online visibility, gain access to the entire “ African Destination Travel Research 2023 Report ” or seek expert guidance in enhancing your Travel SEO and aligning your website’s user journeys with invaluable research data, BlueMagnet can help you thrive in this dynamic industry.

Reach out to us today, and let’s embark on a remarkable journey together to captivate the hearts of tourists worldwide.

Contact us now to take your travel marketing strategies to new heights!

Reference Sources: BlueMagnet. (February 2023). “ African Destination Travel Market Research.” South Africa’s Department of Tourism. (July 2023). “Tourism on the rise as more than 4 million tourists visit South Africa in the first half of 2023.”  Statistics South Africa. (May 2023). “South Africa’s Tourism on the Rebound: Insights from 2022.”

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Sojern Brings Digital Travel Marketing Technology to South Africa In Latest Expansion

Growing demand for digital marketing solutions to support south africa’s travel recovery prompts sojern’s continued regional expansion  .

SOUTH AFRICA - 19 JULY, 2022 - Sojern , a leading provider of digital marketing solutions for the travel industry, today announced its expansion into South Africa to better serve partners and capitalize on the growing post-pandemic tourism boom. Stewart Smith, Sojern’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, will oversee the launch having successfully rolled out Sojern’s solutions in other regions across the past eight years.

“South Africa was hit harder than many countries by COVID-19, the travel industry in particular across the country was brought to its knees. In the aftermath of the Omicron variant in late 2021, the country is now in a fantastic position to capitalise on global travel recovery and Sojern is launching at a brilliant time to help travel marketers remind travellers why South Africa is one of the greatest countries on earth,” said Smith. 

Since the onset of the pandemic, Sojern Insights have powered the travel and tourism recovery research for the U.N. World Tourism Organization , the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Skift Research . It also provides weekly self-serve travel insights to help hotels, attractions, and tourism boards understand travel behavior and plan for recovery. Here are some of the top travel trends it’s identified for South Africa in 2022:

-   Flight bookings are up ! In May 2022, flight bookings were up 25% on their 2021 levels. 

-   Some destinations are recovering faster than others : Destinations like Kimberley and Bloemfontein are up YoY, however, are still a long way off their 2019 booking and search volumes. 

-   Flight prices are volatile: COVID-19 caused a drastic drop in inbound flight prices, however international fares into South Africa are now in fact higher than their 2019 levels

-   Domestic travel is still booming : 49.9% of flight bookings to South Africa originate in South Africa, demonstrating how crucially important domestic travel is. The UK is 2nd, at 9.3%, with the US ranking 3rd at 5.4%, followed by Germany (4%) and Zimbabwe (2.5%).

-   How far in advance are people booking ? Most domestic travel is immediate, while overseas visitors are booking their December holiday trips to South Africa already. Interestingly, international travelers are booking further in advance in 2022 than they did in 2019, whereas domestic travellers are booking closer to their departure dates than they did pre-pandemic.

“For more than a decade, Sojern’s team of data scientists have analysed the complete traveller path-to-purchase, taking a scientific and data-driven approach to digital marketing,” added Smith. “We work with brands to create integrated marketing campaigns across multiple digital channels helping them engage with travellers wherever they are in their journey, from dream to destination. With South Africa remaining a top travel destination for global travellers we see lots of opportunities for growth throughout 2022. We look forward to building Sojern’s operations and supporting the local travel industry in its rebound.” Smith added

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the South African tourism industry. Tourism contributed 130 billion rand in 2018 and constituted nearly 3% direct contribution to GDP in South Africa, while the tourism sector contributed about 4.5% of total employment. But according to the Tourism 2020 report released by Statistics South Africa, in 2020, the volume of tourists decreased by 72.6% from 10.2 million in 2019 to 2.8 million in 2020. 

After two years of turmoil, the country’s tourism and hospitality industry is now showing strong signs of recovery. Despite the travel sector being strongly affected by the pandemic, Sojern continues to work with thousands of hotels, attractions, airlines, and destinations annually around the world. Positioning itself as the key partner for tourism professionals who want to be supported in their ongoing recovery, the company has continued to gain market share in the region. With Sojern, the South African travel industry can now take advantage of the latest marketing technology to drive direct bookings, increase web traffic, develop loyalty programs, and more -- powered by world-class machine-learning and data science technology.

About Sojern

Sojern is a leading digital marketing platform built for travel marketers. Powered by artificial intelligence and traveler intent data, Sojern provides multichannel marketing solutions to drive direct demand. Thousands of hotels, attractions, tourism boards and travel marketers rely on Sojern annually to engage and convert travelers around the world.

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SA Tourism strengthens marketing team with new CMO, Thembisile Sehloho

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Sehloho joins South African Tourism from Tiger Brands, where she served as the marketing director and played a pivotal role in shaping and redefining some of South Africa's most beloved household brands. She has also worked on AVI’s Bakers and Willards brands.

Proven track record of driving market share and growth

With a proven track record of driving market share and growth through innovative brand strategies, Sehloho's expertise will be instrumental in elevating South African Tourism's marketing initiatives.

Sehloho began her career at Unilever in finance before joining Tiger Brands in the early stages of her career from where she moved to AVI before returning to Tiger Brands.

She holds an impressive academic background, including an MBA in Leadership and Innovation from the University of Edinburgh and a BCom in Accounting from the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Additionally, she has completed certificates in Strategy Development from Wits and Advance Commercial Acumen from the Gordon Institute of Business SciencBusiness School (Gibs).

Tiger Brands' Fatti's & Moni's and The Odd Number: A marriage of passion

Danette Breitenbach   11 Apr 2023

Harnessing the power of storytelling

"As Thembisile assumes her new role as CMO, I am confident that her strategic vision, leadership skills, and profound brand and marketing knowledge will drive our marketing initiatives to new heights," says Nombulelo Guliwe, chief executive officer of South African Tourism.

"It is an honour to be entrusted with the role of marketing our beautiful country. As I embark on this new journey, I am excited to be able to use marketing to harness the power of storytelling allowing us to connect with local travellers, encouraging them to explore their country, as well as invite travellers from our key source markets and beyond to come explore and experience Mzansi," says Sehloho.

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South Africa Tour Companies

Looking for an unforgettable South Africa tour? Book a fully-organized trip with the best tour companies in South Africa and let the tour operator take care of everything for you. Check out the tour details and read 189328 reviews from our customers to help you choose the perfect tour for you.

List of South Africa travel companies & tour operators with 189328 reviews

Earthstompers Adventures

• Excellent - 142 reviews for South Africa tours

Incredible experience. - most beautiful/important places are included - good accommodation and local delicious food - great guide

Super Tour Guide, he was very nice and gave us lots of info about all sorts of things and place we saw. The tour itself was great with fun activities. The hostels were much better than expected (even the cheapest backpacker option was really nice) There are only 2 things that could in my opinion be improved. 1. It's very nice that our guide offered to drive us truly everywhere. But when you are being driven less than 100m from the lobby/restaurant of a hostel to your little hut ... Well at some point it just becomes too much and myself and a few others had to ask to be allowed to walk. 2. More "physically demanding" activities. As one naturally spends a lot of time sitting in the car driving from place to place it would be much better to have more action. (Yes we had Kanus and a hike on one day but the first was a short drive along an extremely calm river and the later more like a 30 min stroll on even terrain). Granted not everyone would like to do/want to participate in more exhausting activities but there are simple ways to get around that problem. (E.g. splitting up the group with some perusing a more leisurely activity while the others get a chance to spend some energy. This trip even had a good example of this when at Cape Aguhlas there was the option to ride a bike to the Cape or to follow 30min later by car)

• Excellent - 1,887 reviews for South Africa tours
• This operator has no South Africa reviews

G Adventures

• Excellent - 19,077 reviews for South Africa tours

My first tour with G Adventurers and most likely my last. Communication with company prior to trip was ok but got worse closer to trip. I never received a detailed intinerary though I asked for one. Our only guide, or CEO as G Adventures refers to them, met us for dinner on the first night and self-admitted he had not been to places we were going

Our guide was superlative. Our itinerary was superb. Our accommodation and food really satisfying and well beyond expectations. It was a great trip and I'd do it again at my first opportunity. And I'll recommend to far and wide!

• Excellent - 1,272 reviews for South Africa tours

Loved every minute of our stay in South Africa and I didn’t know what to expect from this beautiful country. I will definitely go back one of these days. Doing a tour was the best way for us , we saw a lot of South Africa .

Absolutely exceeded my expectations! A very thorough tour of South Africa, with more activities than I even imagined! Thank you for fulfilling one of my bucket list destinations!

National Geographic Journey…

• Excellent - 257 reviews for South Africa tours

Such an incredible journey to South Africa! Our tour guide, Arthur, was absolutely amazing. Not only was he incredibly knowledgeable about the country, but he was also super friendly and had a great sense of humor. We had such a fantastic time with him!

This tour was one of the greatest travel experiences I've ever had. Our CEO Alfred Dovey led the way throughout South Africa with such care and knowledge about everything we did while providing clear direction of what each plan of the day was and where we needed to be. I feel was was able to see, learn and experience South Africa in a way I could have never done on my own. I highly recommend this G Adventure tour.

Wanderful Holidays LLC

• Excellent - 73 reviews for South Africa tours

Our honeymoon vacation through South Africa was amazing! We got to see a little of everything and even with all the traveling around it was stress free. Our guide was terrific and we would 1000% book again!

Great itinerary, would have added Soweto as part of the standard to make the experience complete. CapeTown guide/driver was very pleasant, knowledgeable, prompt, and made us feel safe.

Cape Xtreme

• Excellent - 70 reviews for South Africa tours

Fantastic experience with a great guide. Thank you!

This was a great tour !! I loved every moment of it ! The highlight for me would have been the bungy jumping which was just insane ! The views driving around were amazing ! I definitely recommend this tour

• Excellent - 422 reviews for South Africa tours

The trip was overall good . Our Tour Guide TK was very good and knowledgeable . We especially really enjoyed the Kysna cruise , Cape Agulas , Hermanus & the game drive in Bottleskop .

Um viel Zeit zu sparen würde ich persönlich die Backpackers und 3 / 4 Sterne Reisende trennen und die Unterkünfte in der Nähe buchen. Ansonsten war die Reise sehr gut und die Orga bzw. die Guide sehr unterhaltsam

• Excellent - 19,642 reviews for South Africa tours

Margaret was great

Bokbus Garden Route Adventu…

• Excellent - 13 reviews for South Africa tours

Ben, our guide, was excellent, he deserves 5 stars. On the other hand, the tour itself had one notable weakness, the lack of native South African cuisine.

The 4-day Garden Route Adventure tour with Benjamin as our operator is impressive and unforgettable. Benjamin is knowledgeable, professional, friendly and patient. He managed well to meet the additional requests by this group. In addition to the scheduled programs, this group did Knysna Elephant Park, Cango Wildlife Ranch visit, and Bloukrans Bungy. We stopped many times at scenery spots for picture taken. We have covered so much that every is happy with their requests. The whole tour started well with booking, communication, food and accommodation. Everything is excellent and I highly recommend this tour if you choose a short tour on Garden Route Adventure.

Intrepid Travel

• Excellent - 11,692 reviews for South Africa tours

The accommodation is very nice and the staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful. I would particularly like to highlight the trip through the Kruger National Park with Daniel, with whom I traveled alone in a jeep. He has an excellent eye for animals that I would never have seen on my own. The best way to describe his very friendly manner is to give you an example. We were driving on a dirt road and Daniel asked an elderly couple coming towards us if they had spotted any animals, which they agreed. A few meters further on, Daniel spotted a cheetah and immediately turned around to tell the couple, as you don't see cheetahs every day. They were very grateful and we were able to watch the cheetah for about 30 minutes before it moved too far away. Many thanks to Daniel and all the other people who made my stay unforgettable. I still don't know whether I will travel to the national park again. It does sometimes seem a bit bizarre when 10 fully packed jeeps stand around an animal to get the best angle for a photo. On the other hand, this way of deriving economic benefit from wildlife is probably the only one that can contribute to the preservation of their habitat. At least within capitalism.

Amazing trip, highly recommend. Tour leader was very lovely helpful. Great meals only need to be a bit earlier :)

Wonderful Holidays UK

• Excellent - 6 reviews for South Africa tours

Cullinan Guided Journeys

The tour was amazing. We had a large variety of experiences and excellent guides. Everything ran very smoothly. We would highly recommend this tour.

Cost-effective with great guides -- Zach Tathane and Jonathon Muller. However, our objective is to photograph memories rather than just get to the next hotel. Don't necessarily need more tours but you must add more photo stops!

The Mzansi Experience

• Excellent - 69 reviews for South Africa tours

I had such an amazing experience seeing the animals. The tour was very well organized. I received plenty of communication before the tour. The tour operator for the game drives was one of the best I've had in Africa. I felt safe and well taken care of. The hotel was nice, especially the dinner. The staff at the hotel were very friendly, but the rooms could use some upgrades. It was clean, though. My only complaint is with the Safarilink transfer from Johannesburg. The van is very small and cramped for a 5 hour drive, and they really pack it. As if that wasn't uncomfortable enough, people were vaping throughout the ride making it very difficult for me to breathe. I decided to mention it to the driver on my return in hopes the ride home would be better, but when I told him about it, he seemed instantly irritated and uninterested in addressing the issue. I went to the van to see if I could get a better seat to find it reeked of vape from the drive up that morning. When I asked the driver if he could air out the van before we leave, he brushed me off again and said he would deal with it later. Having asthma and other allergic reactions to it, I took it upon myself to air out the van myself. I sat in the front and upon him entering the drivers seat, I finally noticed that he was the one who reeked of vape and continued to reek of it after every stop we made, so I see why he was protecting the people who were causing the problem, which could have also been him, rather than the person being affected by it. When I told him someone was vaping in the van later on in the drive, instead of addressing it, he said, "no one is vaping." What kind of idiots do these people think we are? We can smell it, and with me, it affects my breathing, and my ears pop very painfully. I would highly suggest you find another transfer company or require Safarilink drivers to assure the safety of the riders by making sure vaping is not happening. The driver was very concerned about people's comfort when it came to air conditioning, but when it came to someone breaking the law and causing someone health problems, he was totally apathetic and even a bit hostile. I gave this four starts because without the Safarilink experience, it would have been 5.

The tour was really awesome. Each day we got to see so much and we were so lucky to get to see the Big 5! The only thing that let the experience down was the accommodation which was pretty dated and felt damp. But it had been wet and we were reluctant to overuse the aircon. The food was generous and the staff were very friendly and accomodating. Next time we go safari, we will spend a little more now that we know what to experimenter. Thank you for a great tour.

Expat Explore Travel

• Excellent - 4,244 reviews for South Africa tours

Very comfortable pace tour, and u will get to see most of the good stuffs. It could have been shorter but at the expense of rush factor. But it's very comfortable for me. The tour guide Matt, and our driver Benny, were both very professional, with Benny also being a high average driver. Just take note of the optional tours and it's prices that you are keen to take up and prepare some cash in advance. Matt will arrange time for ATM visits occasionally though. Nice tour!

An incredible experience that will stay with me my whole life

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South African Tourism launches its brand campaign

“It is time for us to shift our tourism brand focus beyond built and endowed features to include our true magic…our people.” Sisa Ntshona, CEO SA Tourism

Johannesburg, Thursday 13 February : In a bold and emotive first step in its global brand journey, SA Tourism will today launch the first phase of its brand campaign work with a ninety second advertisement. SA Tourism has been developing its strategy to achieve the arrivals targets announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa at SONA 2019 through a combination of creating demand for tourist travel to and within South Africa and simultaneously influencing the removal of barriers to travel to South Africa.

“It was important for us to start this brand journey by firstly reminding South Africans of who we are, of creating conversation and of re-invigorating the national psyche. At the same time, we have created this initial work to be true to our essence and identity so as to connect with international and domestic audiences based on what they have been telling us through their experiences of our country and through our insights and analysis, says CEO of SA Tourism, Sisa Ntshona.

SA Tourism is of the firm belief that advertising alone will not solve our challenges or create sufficient travel to South Africa. It will instead, require the mobilization of all South Africans to drive the country’s tourism efforts, inspired by bold and integrated communication that awakens all of us towards action, by travelling our country.

The advertisement, produced with the support of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), will be shown across mainstream TV channels at 18h00 and then during advertisement breaks throughout SONA. It will then be on rotation for the next three months on TV and digital platforms in South Africa. It features images of everyday South Africans, narrated by an emotive script that delves into the diverse, colourful and textured nature of who we are as South Africans and is accompanied by an inspirational, home-composed soundtrack.

“It is the first in a series of communications in the brand re-awakening journey designed to call South Africa to collective action. It is our way of starting the decade boldly and with a strong focus on inspiring South Africans as an integral part of delivering the tourism brand promise,” concluded Ntshona.

SA Tourism will unveil the second phase of the global brand campaign later this month.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Altaaf Kazi at South African Tourism          

Tel: +27 11 895-3046 or 082 553 9595        

Email: [email protected] OR [email protected]

South Africa on social media

The BMW International Open has made us excited for the BMW Golf Cup World Final to be hosted in SA. We caught up wi… https://t.co/IDHsnwn33E

Always a pleasure partnering with local businesses to promote SA on the global stage. Warren Weitsz, Co-Founder of… https://t.co/doxJa4wVxf

To say the players are bringing their A-game is an under statement! Round 2 has given us many unforgettable moments… https://t.co/IA2Ki5qsWO

"...Patrons have been keen and interested in engaging on where the best fairways in SA are. Paired with some of our… https://t.co/9kNQbIl1J5

Our stand at the BMW International Open has been drawing a lot of attention – and rightfully so! “We are proud and… https://t.co/jYDjs6VRM2

Clear skies, rolling greens, supportive crowds – the conditions couldn’t be better for a day at Golfclub München Ei… https://t.co/Z7UnxSbbuP

What happens when an amateur and pro hit the fairway together? Find out in the Pro-Am Tournament, where 3 amateurs… https://t.co/Ee3hgR1Ggc

They are joined by Grand Pavios Event Organiser. They will visit Kwa-Zulu Natal, Cape Town, and Knysna showcasing S… https://t.co/066ntNJGr1

As the country of Honour at the 2023 event, South Africa represented by South AfricaTourism in collaboration with W… https://t.co/ie2E9ZqaCF

Hosted in La Rochelle, France, the Grand Pavios is a major annual event for sailing enthusiasts and an internationa… https://t.co/R2P0GYpVrQ

Ready to get into the swing of things? The Pro-Am Tournament of the 2023 BMW International Open starts today in Mü… https://t.co/3l9e4mPMSo

Don’t miss out on what happened in the world of South African tourism with our #TourismTuesday newsletter. Read ou… https://t.co/Gvg2rDCBiT

Continuation.. To all the fathers in tourism, we salute you for your hard work, passion, and dedication. Thank you… https://t.co/TcpxDeaKkM

Continuation... On this special day, we encourage everyone to take a moment to appreciate and celebrate the fathers… https://t.co/7atxViWyxd

Fathers ensure a safe environment in which everyone can enjoy our country's diversity and play a pivotal role in cr… https://t.co/T8vvGTCu7i

Continuation... Today, we want to celebrate and honour the remarkable dads who play a vital role in shaping the wor… https://t.co/qS9WYfXyE0

@sontondlovu, the ACEO/COO of SA Tourism, joins in celebrating Father's Day by sending warm wishes to all the fathe… https://t.co/7ZbeNsUYoy

In commemoration of Youth Day, let’s shine a spotlight on the Basic Quality Verification programme by @TGCSA_, that… https://t.co/TZ2FDTadcJ

We look forward to showcasing South Africa’s abundant tourism offerings to a global audience while reminding them a… https://t.co/8df5w5kyGL

A dynamic collaboration between SA Tourism and the iconic BMW Group is set to supercharge the country’s efforts tow… https://t.co/tB5xLgYjnq

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Marketing South Africa as a Tourism Destination Grade 12 - Tourism Grade 12 Study Guide

Topic: marketing, content: marketing south africa as a tourism destination.

• Successful marketing will lead to an increase in tourist arrivals – or the volume of tourists visiting the country
• Successful marketing can encourage repeat visits - inform previous visitors of new developments, activities and attractions
• Successful marketing sets the multiplier effect into motion
• Increasing tourist numbers (volume) is essential for the tourism industry to continue to create jobs and contribute to GDP growth
• Marketing showcases the attractiveness of South Africa
• Marketing creates awareness of a destination with respect to the type of destination it is (destination characteristics) and what it offers
• Marketing campaigns can address the lack of information and target key tourist segments with specific information
• Marketing creates a positive image of South Africa
• Marketing increases the possibility of inbound tourists considering South Africa as an attractive destination of choice

The core business of SATourism

• SATourism is the national tourism agency responsible for marketing South Africa as a destination internationally and domestically
• The core business of SATourism is:
• SATourism travels to different countries (Road Shows) to promote and market SA internationally
• SATourism also undertakes a number of marketing activities by advertising on: buses and taxis in major cities around the world; huge billboards; printed media; on-line; social media; popular global TV stations such as BBC, Aljazeera or CNN and participates in major travel shows both locally and internationally
• SATourism opens publicity offices abroad
• SATourism markets the South African tourism product as a value-for-money destination
• Showcases the various tourism products and services available in South Africa
• Creates opportunities for role players in South Africa to network with international role players
• Creates investment opportunities for tourism professionals on an international platform
• In order to ensure that the marketing budget is used effectively, SA Tourism divides the international market into segments to identify the most important markets on which to focus. SATourism categorises market segments as core markets (South Africa’s main tourist markets and where South African Tourism spends considerable resources), investment markets, tactical markets, watch-list markets, strategic importance and strategic air links/hubs (Definitions of each of these markets are given in your Tourism textbook)
• In order for SATourism to market SA, tourism businesses must be able to deliver on the marketing promise e.g. the quality of the offering and the standards of facilities and service
• The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA), which operates as a business unit of SATourism grades tourism businesses e.g. guest houses, according to the experience they offer with a star grading that ranges from one to five stars. This is an indication to tourists of the type of facilities and services they can expect to receive from the graded establishment
• SATourism together with the TGCSA, launched the Lilizela Tourism Awards in 2013 to recognise and reward excellence in tourism. The Service Excellence focus area has three categories, namely Accommodation Awards, Tourist Guides Awards and Visitor Experience Awards. In the Entrepreneurship category, the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award (ETEYA) is given to black entrepreneurs, who operate small, micro and medium tourism or hospitality-related businesses. The Universal Accessibility Awards and the B-BBEE Awards recognise businesses that have proven to incorporate sustainable development into their businesses
• All role players (e.g. independent businesses, local and provincial tourism agencies, private sector tourism associations) in the tourism industry must align their marketing activities and messages in the international tourism market to the marketing strategy of SATourism. This will ensure that potential tourists get a clear message about South Africa as a destination
• SATourism also helps to package special offers by working with the trade (tour operators and travel agents) that caters for the identified target markets and segments
• Held in March each year, in Berlin, Germany
• 10 000 exhibitors from 180 countries
• The ITB Convention, a major travel conference, is held at the same time as the expo. This is where people in the tourism industry meet to discuss new trends and developments in the industry
• This major global travel show is one of the main travel shows that SATourism attends each year. South African tourism businesses and organisations also attend it in their individual capacity
• Like ITB, it is predominantly a B2B (business to-business) show. World Travel Market has a strict admission policy and is open to travel industry professionals only and not the general public
• WTM is held over four days in London in November each year
• It attracts senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press
• The travel show aims to create opportunities for a wide variety of people from the global travel trade to meet, negotiate and conduct business under one roof
• A conference is held at the same time as the show South Africa has a number of exhibitors at WTM each year. This includes SATourism, which uses the platform to market to the UK and other outbound tour operators
• Attractive and eye-catching displays of all 9 provinces at the South African Tourism stands
• Brochures, DVDs and proudly South African branded hand outs
• Personnel manning the stand answer questions about South Africa
• Networking with other international role players and promoting the South African brand image to these role players
• Presentations on South African products and services
• TOMSA is a private sector initiative created to raise additional funds for marketing South Africa
• TOMSA collects a 1% Tourism Levy, voluntarily paid by customers, from participating tourism businesses e.g. tour operators, car rental companies and accommodation establishments
• To promote uniformity, the International Marketing Council (IMC) of South Africa also known as Brand South Africa, developed a logo that appears on all marketing undertaken by South African Tourism. The private sector may also use the logo
• The South African flag is an internationally recognised representation associated with SA
• It is part of the marketing strategy of SATourism to create awareness of the brand
• SATourism uses the brand logo to make South Africa more visible as an attractive tourist destination
• A recognisable global brand inspires positive thoughts and feelings about the country which will convince people to travel to South Africa
• A strong brand positions our country as an attractive destination partner for trade and investment
• This brand helps create a positive, unified image of South Africa
• Indaba is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African continent
• It is owned and organised by SATourism
• The show is held in May each year at the International Convention Centre in Durban
• The show attracts more than 13 000 delegates and attracts exhibitors from the private sector (large companies), tourism associations, government departments, provincial, municipal tourism organisations and tourism marketing authorities from the SADC countries
• An important part of the show is that SATourism creates networking and trade opportunities by bringing tour operators from the main international markets to the show to view products and conclude deals
• The Getaway Show is a consumer show and therefore open to the public
• Its focus is on domestic and regional travel and the main segments it targets are nature, outdoor and adventure travel
• The show has over 400 exhibitors including destinations, accommodation, outdoor gear, 4x4 products, caravans, camping equipment and adventure operators
• It takes place in the Cape (in March) and Gauteng (in August/September) and each show runs for three days
• The two shows together attract about 38 000 visitors and around 700 exhibitors

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