South African Tourism’s annual four-city roadshow of India saw 27 of the destination’s leading tourism products conclude business deals with more than 1 200 travel trade representatives in Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi and Ahmadabad.
The success of previous Indian roadshows has driven growth of 17.2 percent (56 911 tourists) in Indian arrivals over the period January to November, 2009.
The recent roadshow saw veteran participants Sun International, Royal African Discoveries, ERM Tours, Thompsons Africa and Peermont Hotels joined by Taj Hotels and Resorts, the Saxon Boutique Hotel and Spa and Illios.
Zakumi was a special guest at the roadshow events. The official mascot of the 2010 FIFA World Cup attended the gatherings to add World Cup clout to a destination that’s already exceptionally attractive to the Indian trade and Indian consumers alike.
Feedback from previous roadshows indicated interest in South Africa from trade beyond Mumbai and New Delhi. This saw the 2010 tour extended to Ahmadabad and Chennai providing South African delegates with access to India’s regional markets.
Says Medha Sampat, India Country Manager at South African Tourism: “Our annual roadshows have become sought-after networking opportunities. This industry is driven by relationships, and our roadshows offer both visiting exhibitors and the travel trade the ideal opportunity, and forum, to make important business contacts and to use those contacts to both buy and sell destination South Africa in India.”
Rob Hetem, Shareholder and Director of Tamrich Tours agreed. “We have enjoyed increased referral business out of India these last five years or so. This is our first time at a South African Tourism destination exhibition in India. I’m glad we came. It’s been very useful and great for business.”
Minaxi Mistry of the Mantis Collection, who was in India for the first time, says the roadshow gave Mantis an “excellent introduction to a highly lucrative market”.
South African Tourism will continue post roadshow marketing work in India with an outdoor advertising campaign in 17 Indian cities. The campaign will reach beyond Mumbai and Delhi to the fast-growing regional markets through partnerships with Indian media groups. These partners will use material from two travel guides that South African Tourism has introduced to the Indian Market. One of the travel guides focuses on experiences for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. The other focuses on South Africa’s luxury leisure holiday offerings.
South African Tourism invests significantly in relationships with the Indian travel trade with the express objective of educating travel agents about the destination to make it as easy as possible for them to sell South Africa to their customers. The destination marketing organisation will introduce a new destination education programme, Learn South Africa, to the trade soon as an extension of continuing work to build relationships for profitability in India.
Blogger Muzi Mohale
I’m Muzi Mohale, based in Roodepoort (South Africa). Blogger with www.travelwires.com. Love Travelwires.com since I get to travel our beautiful country through blogging and get first hand tourism experience.
