It was an incredible opportunity for the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) to attend and participate in the Tourism Business Council of South Africa’s (TBCSA) Annual Tourism Leadership Conference held in Sun City from 6-8 September. It was inspiring to share the room with brilliant minds and industry peers, all dedicated to propelling South African tourism to new heights.
The need to elevate Marketing Destination South Africa and to refine the advance-sharing plans between the industry and South African Tourism dominated the report-back session on structured engagements.
During a panel discussion moderated by TBCSA Board Member Ms. Lindelwa Isabelle, Ms. Nomasonto Ndlovu, the COO at South African Tourism, articulated the need to create “a long runway” to achieve a seamless marketing strategy. “We must work together to forge a perfect platform and enhance our structured engagement with the industry,” Ndlovu insisted.
She further implored her peers to rethink traditional marketing approaches, which she argued would not “take us to the Promised Land.” Ndlovu pressed for an analysis of the competitive landscape and the creation of a national strategy to market the country’s destinations more effectively.
Supporting Ndlovu’s sentiments, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, the CEO of TBCSA, reported that collaborative efforts between industry representatives and South African Tourism are well underway, “aiming to foster a unified vision.” “The goal is to ensure a meeting of minds, singing from the same hymn sheet to avoid crisscrossing each other,” said Tshivhengwa, emphasising short-term efforts to consolidate the country’s marketing messages.
Adding depth to the strategy, David Frost, CEO of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), mentioned that groups focusing on different areas have identified key source markets, including the United Kingdom (UK), North America, Germany, India, China, and Africa. “We’ve identified fresh opportunities in adventure tourism, gastronomy, golf, and the youth demographic,” Frost noted, highlighting the sectors in South Africa that could potentially expand its footprint.
In a call for a paradigm shift, Ndlovu brought attention to the untapped potential of sports tourism, advising against the persistence of unsuccessful methods. “It’s time to move beyond traditional marketing approaches,” she declared, encouraging her colleagues to capitalise on the sports tourism wave. She stressed the need for a comprehensive strategy encompassing environmental scanning, competitor analysis, and a unified national agenda to elevate South Africa as a prime tourist destination.
In conclusion, the leaders agreed on the necessity to elevate destination marketing to the next level, leveraging new opportunities and discarding strategies that haven’t yielded results to forge a new path for South African Tourism.
