{"id":50018,"date":"2013-10-23T01:31:04","date_gmt":"2013-10-22T23:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=50018"},"modified":"2013-10-23T01:31:04","modified_gmt":"2013-10-22T23:31:04","slug":"bob-skinstad-new-tourism-ambassador-for-overstrand-first-for-western-cape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/bob-skinstad-new-tourism-ambassador-for-overstrand-first-for-western-cape\/","title":{"rendered":"Bob Skinstad new Tourism Ambassador for Overstrand, first for Western Cape!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bob<\/a>For the first time in the Western Cape a Tourism Ambassador has been appointed. \u00a0Bob Skinstad, South African rugby hero and commentator, is the new Tourism Ambassador for the Overstrand, encompassing the municipal region stretching from Kleinmond-Hangklip to Gansbaai, via Hermanus and Stanford. \u00a0The area is also known as the Cape Whale Coast.<\/p>\n

The concept of a Tourism Ambassador was the idea of Wesgro CEO Nils Flaatten, who felt that Bob’s interaction with top rugby fans locally, as well as internationally would stand the Overstrand region in good stead if it was recommended by him as a holiday destination on his travels. \u00a0Bob grew up in ‘Southern Rhodesia<\/em>‘, but loved coming on holidays to Hermanus with his parents, and they now live in the seaside town (with his parents-in-law too), giving Bob’s endorsement even greater credibility. \u00a0A Memorandum of Agreement has been signed for 12 months between Bob and the Overstrand municipality, confirming which services he will render, and how many packages of products from the area he can use for marketing purposes. \u00a0 He wants the region to become more Social Media savvy, and recommended ‘We Chat’ as a huge free Whats App style communication medium. \u00a0He recently spoke at a SA Tourism function about Social Media, providing suggestions.<\/p>\n

‘Wesgro has played an intermediary role between the Overberg region and Bob, bringing together the two parties with the objective of leveraging Bob\u2019s celebrity status and large network of social media followers to drive awareness of the region. \u00a0It is our intention to learn from this agreement and then replicate it in other areas to benefit tourism<\/em>‘, Nils said.<\/p>\n

Overstrand Mayor Nicolette Botha-Guthrie thanked Bob for assisting them in positioning the Overstrand in the international market. She emphasised the importance of tourism in creating job opportunities in her region, yet 19%\"cape_whale_coast\"<\/a> of the population in the area is still unemployed. \u00a0The Overstrand encompasses 1700 km\u00b2 and includes 11 villages. \u00a0It offers lasting memories, she said, and has a wealth of attributes, including Blue Flag beaches, the best land-based whale watching in the world, golf, shark diving, horseriding, wines, 9000 Fynbos species, and organises a number of Festivals. Her dream is for the Overstrand to become the World Capital of Arts and Festivals. \u00a0She thanked the Hermanus Wine Route<\/span> <\/strong><\/a>wine estates Creation, Bouchard Finlayson, Newton Johnson, Restless River, WhaleHaven, and Domaine des Dieux, whose wines were offered at the launch.<\/p>\n

Bob explained that he was offering his services in a volunteer capacity, for a region which he described as ‘one of the biggest assets in South Africa’.<\/em>\u00a0 He described it as world class, and said that it is not known by enough locals and visitors. \u00a0He will work on the 80\/20 principle in focusing on those marketing activities that will create the biggest return. \u00a0Bob expressed his love for the Overstrand, and said that he enjoys spending time in the region with his family.<\/p>\n

Bob has lost none of his good looks, and impressed with his eloquent talk, despite \"Wesgro<\/a>battling with the very strong wind affecting his microphone. Chocolates were served at the function, beautifully presented with Overstrand fynbos! \u00a0I enjoyed chatting to Bevan Newton Johnson about their new The Restaurant at Newton Johnson, which is run by Chef Eric Bulpitt with the support of Chef George Jardine, now the best restaurant in Hermanus and the Overstrand. \u00a0Speaking to Nils, it could well be that more Tourism Ambassadors will be appointed for other regions in the Western Cape.<\/p>\n

Cape Whale Coast<\/strong>, Overstrand Municipality, Hermanus. \u00a0 Tel (028) 313-8000 \u00a0www.whalecoast.info<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Twitter: @BobSkinstad<\/p>\n

Wesgro,<\/strong>\u00a0Waldorf Arcade, 80 St George\u2019s Mall, Cape Town. \u00a0Tel (021) 487-8600.\u00a0\u00a0www.wesgro.co.za<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Twitter: @Wesgro<\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com<\/a> \u00a0Twitter: @WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the first time in the Western Cape a Tourism Ambassador has been appointed. \u00a0Bob Skinstad, South African rugby hero and commentator, is the new Tourism Ambassador for the Overstrand, encompassing the municipal region stretching from Kleinmond-Hangklip to Gansbaai, via Hermanus and Stanford. \u00a0The area is also known as the Cape Whale Coast. The concept […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3,124,1918,75,20,528,22,516,21,19],"tags":[21799,11950,10453,2506,2241,32378,2521,2524,3849,17870,1007,1565,2185,21804,32377,13235,183,21801,14303,3250,7049,3114,21582,6915,32395,32386,20640,14748,21803,515,32387,32373,76,2993,21802,21800],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t