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COVER STORY | SOUTH AFRICA

“There’s great buzz around it, there’s great value for money – the Canadian dollar is pacing at about 10 to 1 – it’s got world-class infrastructure and great technology,” says Virginia Dionisio, the New York City-based manager of Trade Relations – Leisure at South African Tourism. “South Africa is pretty sexy right now!”

Tourism to the destination has grown year over year, aside from a downturn for 2015, as media coverage about Ebola hit during the selling season of 2014. With forward bookings back on the upswing, she expects tourism to once again be steady throughout 2016.

“For South Africa, there are no shots and no visas,” she says. “You just need two pages in your passport.”

As part of an ongoing marketing campaign called “What’s Your Big Five?” which replaces the game animals that can be found in Africa with five experiences travellers can have (adventure, culture, safari, entertainment, and romance), the organization has launched new video components highlighting the diversity of things to do in the destination.

SOUTH AFRICA: DIVERSITY OFEXPERIENCE

‘Big Five’ campaign not about animals

By ANN RUPPENSTEIN

TO QUOTE A MEMORABLE MIKE MYERS’ CHARACTER FROM HIS AUSTIN POWERS FILMS, SOUTH AFRICA IS “DEAD SEXY!”

“We hope that when the consumer sees it, it inspires them,” she says. “This might be a place that is not deepest, darkest Africa... South Africa gets a really bad rep in regards to what people think.”

While the traditional market was baby boomers and retir-ees, their research indicates those between the ages of 25 to 50 are now outpacing affluent travellers 2:1.

“There’s something for everyone,” she says. “For every age, demographic, and we find that multi-generational travel is picking up as well. It’s a great destination for foodies, wonder-ful wine, world-class restaurants.”

For travel agents, she says their web-site www.southafrica.net features a new free South Africa specialist program where the trade obtains different levels based on experience. Those who graduate are featured on the web-site for consumers to find when they are looking for a travel specialist. Another tool is the South Africa brochure, which reads more like a travel magazine, she says.

“When your clients come back from anywhere in the world, send them a thank-you note, stick the brochure in there and begin to chart the journey for their next trip,” she says. “It’s a very soft way of suggesting a destination. There are no advertisements in this brochure, it gives them the opportunity to see something that they maybe didn’t know about.”

While many associate the country with going on safari, she says South Africa offers much more. Here are some ideas for clients:

1. CAPE TOWN: From a view overlooking the city to being close to penguins, Table Mountain National Park is one of many Cape Town attractions. There’s also the Cape of Good Hope, once believed to be where the currents of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. While it’s not true, it still makes for good photos. Another idea is the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, which boasts views of the ocean and city. “It’s a great place to go shopping, it’s got great jazz clubs, it’s a working harbour with really beautiful and wonderful restaurants,” she says. “That is where you’d also take the ferry boat over to Robben Island to walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela.”

2. WINE REGIONS: An hour drive from Cape Town brings visitors to Stellenbosch, a large and one of the most famous wine-producing regions. “Fabulous wines, award winning wines as well. You can stay there or just do the day trip.”

3. WHALES, SHARKS & SAFARI: The seaside town of Gansbaai (roughly two hours from Cape Town) is where travellers can go Great White Shark cage diving or watch the whale migration that happens from June through October. For those with children, this area features malaria-free safari options. “There are safaris all over South Africa – the most notable one is Kruger National Park where it is recommended that you take malaria tablets,” she says. “[Here] you don’t have to take any medication.”

4. CULTURE OF JOHANNESBURG: Johannesburg is home to several museums, including the Apartheid Museum,

which illustrates the racial segregation of 20-th century South Africa. Adventure seekers may want to bungee jump off Soweto’s colourful Orlando Towers.

5. THE JACARANDA CITY: Pretoria is often known as the Jacaranda City for the 40,000-70,000 Jacaranda trees that line its streets and parks, which bloom from late September to November and turn the city purple – although some white trees can also be found.

6. BIRD’S EYE VIEW: Visitors can catch the sunrise over one of the safari parks in a hot air balloon ride. “It’s really a lot of fun,” she says. “You can watch the elephants graze underneath you.”

7. SURF & SPICE: On the Indian Ocean side of South Africa is the province of KwaZulu-Natal, which is popular among beach lovers and surfers. “It’s also the largest Indian population in South Africa, so you have magnificent curries and wonderful spices,” she says. This is also where travellers will find the Drakensberg moun-tains, which boast the greatest concentration of San Bushman rock art in South Africa, much of which is in remote settings. “You can also learn about the Zulu culture there, the Zululand, and there’s also a lot of safaris in that area as well.”

8. ON THE RAIL: While there are several ways to explore South Africa on a train, including the Blue Rail, there is one, the Rovos Rail, which overnights in Kimberley, where the oldest diamond was found.

→ www.southafrica.net tc

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