Tag Archives: Didi Moyle

S A Brand Book for 2010 launched

The Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, yesterday launched a Brand Messaging Book for Tourism, in preparation for the 2010 World Cup.

The Brand Messaging Book, a mouthful of a brand name which could have been more polished, was prepared by S A Tourism for South Africans who come into contact with foreign visitors for the World Cup, to ensure that they ‘sing off the same songsheet’ when they discuss the country, and to make them “confident brand ambassadors for South Africa” says BuaNews.

The BuaNews (government news agency) media release describes the country as follows: “South Africa is the adventure capital of the world, offering visitors scenic beauty, magnificent outdoors, sunny climate, and cultural diversity – all of which have made it a popular leisure travel destination.”   The claim to be the “adventure capital of the world” seems inappropriate and unsubstantiated by the rest of the description provided, as well as relative to previous marketing messages about South Africa.

“Destination messages” are detailed in the Brand Messaging Book for core target markets, e.g. the global travel trade, consumers, and event organisers.   It also contains “inspirational messages”; beautiful photographs; ideas; information to counter “negative perceptions and realities” about safety, malaria and visas; recipes; and facts and figures about South Africa.

The Brand Messaging Book for Tourism can be ordered from itspossible@southafrica.net

At the same function Minister van Schalkwyk announced that soccer star, ex Bafana Bafana captain and Leeds United player Lucas Radebe has been appointed the S A 2010 Ambassador to the world.   Radebe will work with S A Tourism “to help deliver destination messages and to help grow interest in South Africa globally, not only as host of the FIFA spectacular, but also as a holiday destination.” says acting S A Tourism CEO Didi Moyle, as reported by Engineering News.   “He has the stature and the global credibility this role demands.  He is exceptionally well travelled globally, but his heart lies here in South Africa.  He loves our destination and our people.  He is a champion of South Africa’s ability to successfully host the World Cup.”

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“Let the Game’s begin!”

Didi Moyle, acting CEO of  SA Tourism, welcomed the players and fans attending the Confederations Cup.   “Let the games begin”, she said.   The FIFA Confederations Cup runs until 28 June, and will be played in Johannesburg, Rustenburg, Bloemfontein and Pretoria.

“South African Tourism welcomes players and fans to South Africa. We’re excited about the tournament, not only because it offers our industry a truly incredible opportunity to showcase our destination, but also because it gives us a chance to show off our infrastructure and to have our visitors witness the effort that we have put into preparing for this world class event,” she added, as reported in Travelwires. “We are beyond ready. People now need to come and celebrate with us, this magnificent feat of being able to host these sporting events,” she added.

The opening Confederations Cup match between South Africa’s Bafana Bafana team and Iraq was broadcast by SABC 1, and more than half the commentary was in a vernacular language not understood by a large part of the local population, which could lead to a lack of interest in watching the other games in the series.  Close to 50 000 soccer fans saw the match in Johannesburg.  The Iraqi team coach was interviewed by the SABC after the match, and he answered questions in Spanish after the match, which the interviewer also did not understand!  The Bafana Bafana coach went into hiding, and did not make his interview.  The second match of the day was won 5 – 0 by Spain against New Zealand, to an almost empty Rustenberg stadium, begging the question if the stadium is a white elephant!

Marketing key in tourism downturn

Destination marketing takes on an even more important role in times of a global financial crisis, so that a country can achieve awareness amongst its target market when the global economy recovers.

This is the message S A Tourism CEO Moeketsi Mosola brought to the tourism industry this week, after the August arrival statistics were released. and reflected a slowdown in the arrivals growth rate, to 6 %.   Tourism growth has been double-digit in the past.

Mosola warned the industry of difficult times ahead, and said that the industry should not lose heart, even though he acknowledged that the arrivals information indicated that the credit crunch was affecting tourism for the first time.   “The industry at large was reporting its worst results since the outbreak of SARS in 2003” says the S A Tourism media release, but is in line with global tourism market conditions.

In line with its destination market strategy to aggressively market the country in general, and especially for the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, S A Tourism will be launching advertising campaigns on CNN, BBC, Eurosport and in cinemas in 2009.   It already has a regular presence on SkyNews, showing a hot air balloon over a beautiful landscape.

Mosola encourages the industry to use the downturn to invite the media and tour operators to experience their products and services, and the country’s “variety and depth of travel experiences South Africa offers leisure travellers”, to be ready for the upturn.    He also encourages the industry to focus on domestic marketing.

Just a week prior, S A Tourism’s Didi Moyle had said that her organisation was “monitoring the economic turmoil ‘closely’, but that there had been no decline in tourism arrivals to South Africa”, reports the Cape Argus.   She had said that the credit crunch could be positive for South Africa, due to the undervalued Rand, but that fewer tourists would visit South Africa as they would rather travel in their own countries.

Arrivals in August showed good growth from France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, India, USA, Canada, and Australia, whilst it was flat for the UK and Germany, two of the three most important overseas source markets making up just less than half a million visitors.    Arrivals from China, Japan, and Italy also were relatively flat.   Only Japan showed a decline in arrivals, by 3 %.