South Africa could potentially attract three times as many foreign visitors if the tourism industry could crack the mid-market traveller, said CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa.
He told Tourism Update that while South Africa drew around 370 000 travellers annually from the US, Australia – one of SA’s biggest competitors – drew twice that number from the same market.
“We need to dispel the myth that South Africa is a high-end international destination. Quite simply, it can be both as we also offer amazing experiences at great value for money,” said Tshivhengwa.
He conceded that currently, at the various roadshows, South Africa was packaged as a high-end destination. “The off-the-shelf packages focus on luxury experiences with five-star-plus game lodges and hotels, and the perception that’s created is that it’s the only offering.”
He said, while flight prices were not cheap to a long-haul destination from anywhere in the world, there were also cheaper flights available “if one did one’s homework”.
Furthermore, South Africa offered highly competitive car rental, which kept daily rates much lower than elsewhere in the world, added Natalia Rosa, MD of specialist travel content and marketing agency, Big Ambitions.
“Then we have an established accommodation sector, comprising everything from backpackers to luxury resorts, informal roadside cafés selling pies and biltong, to award-winning restaurants. You don’t even need to look hard to find budget experiences,” she added.
But getting the message out is key, commented Inge Dyman, Head of Leisure Tourism at tourism marketing body, Wesgro. “How we position the Western Cape and South Africa as a whole lies within the tourism industry, from accommodation establishments to tourism bodies.”
Rosa agreed, noting that while tourism bodies such as South African Tourism and the TBCSA had a mandate sell South Africa, it was the responsibility of all South African tourism experiences and products to showcase the breadth of what the destination has to offer.
“We cannot sit back and expect others to market us. Individual products and experiences are much better at telling their own stories and will be a great deal more passionate about marketing what they offer to their target markets than other entities,” she said.
She added that marketing did not need to be expensive if it was targeted, emphasising that she firmly believed every company should have a marketing strategy in place to promote its own product or experience, even just a basic one.
“Leverage the platforms that are extended to you by the likes of SA Tourism, but don’t rely on others to market on your behalf,” emphasised Rosa.
