Historic train inspires marketing campaign

Mossel Bay – The quick success of the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe’s arrival in Mossel Bay is to be reinforced by an aggressive marketing campaign to ensure its long-term survival.

“The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe’s first Museum-to-Museum Tour took place on April 2, a Monday, and it was so popular that they had to put on an extra coach when it ran again on the following Wednesday,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s marketing director, Louis Harris.

Mr. Harris said that the speed with which the project got under way has created unforeseen problems – but that, “These are being solved as they arise.”

Following the floods of August last year, the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe was diverted to the George – Mossel Bay Line but ran initially only between George and Hartenbos because the Mossel Bay Station is not a suitable tourist destination. “We knew from the start that this was not an ideal solution and Mossel Bay Tourism Board members Andre Strauss and Hannes Nel took the lead in arranging for the train to come as far as Mossel Bay itself through the development of the new platforms at the Dias Museum Complex,” said Mr. Harris.

“We’ve now noticed that the new gate between the Museum and the railway line poses a security risk, and we’ve appointed someone to man it during the times when the train is waiting at the new station.”

However, Mr. Harris said that not all solutions were reactive. “From the start we’ve been working on a proactive marketing strategy to ensure the success of this new venture – which we’ve always known would have an enormous effect on tourism in Mossel Bay,” he said.

“Last week we launched an on-board leaflet called ‘What To Do In Mossel Bay Today’ – which is being distributed to all passengers on the train to help them make the best of their 2-hour stopover in the town – and this week we’ll begin distributing a colour brochure about the train itself. This brochure has a full timetable and a description of the journey, and should be used by lodge owners and anyone else who wants to keep their visitors in Mossel Bay for an extra day by offering them an extra attraction.”

Mr. Harris said that Mossel Bay Tourism has also printed pull-up banners to help Operations Manager Marcia Holm to sell the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe at trade shows and exhibitions – the first of which will be the South African Tourism Indaba which starts in Durban May 12th – and that the company has placed advertising about the train in carefully selected publications.

“The Outeniqua Choo Tjoe is a massive asset to Mossel Bay and we urge everyone in the tourism industry to help us with marketing it,” he said. 

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