CapeTown Tourism (CTT) is launching a new brand positioning and destination marketing campaign to counter the current slump that has already seen 118 tourism businesses in the Cape close up shop in the past two years and 18 000 potential jobs lost due to lack of growth in the industry since 2007.

The campaign, to be launched formally locally in October and globally in November, is the result of a seven-month long in-depth study and broad consultations with all stakeholders, says CTT CEO, Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold. CTT also engaged international consultant Ian MacFarlane, involved in campaigns such “100% pure New Zealand”, “Malaysia Truly Asia” and  “Incredible India”. She says the new plan is flexible enough to adapt to changing market conditions. It will support the planned establishment this year of an Economic Development Agency (EDA) that is to drive long-term economic development strategy for the city and region.
 
Du Toit-Helmbold says research shows that Cape Town has a tourism demand problem because of a lack of knowledge about the city globally and because of the worldwide recession, not because it is too expensive as is often claimed. “Post World Cup figures found that 92% of foreign visitors said they would recommend South Africa to others and 96% said they would return. This does not suggest a fundamentally flawed product or pricing problem.”

She says South Africa after the World Cup over-relied on its natural beauty and wildlife to sell itself, while 70% of travellers now define themselves as “urban tourists”. “The world’s cities are the new tourism battleground and Cape Town probably does not induce nor receive a quantum of visitors anywhere near its potential.”

Because of limited funds - CTT receives R24m from the City of Cape Town of which only R14m is earmarked for campaigns – the organisation needs to work smarter to promote the destination. In view of this, the plan involves the following: 

- Producing TV programmes about Cape Town with global media channels Discovery and National Geographic.
- Consolidating Cape Town’s events portfolio into a marketable year-round events calendar, increasing events during winter and creating a mega life-style/food & wine event between June and September.
- Enhancing the in-destination experience by making understated existing attractions more visible and user-friendly.  For example, the Fan Walk developed for the World Cup will be linked to sites of significance throughout the city through a series of walks.
- A joint marketing agreement with a low-cost airline to package value-for-money short city-breaks around major events such as the J&B Met and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.  Particular focus will fall on attracting a greater share of the black middle class market in Gauteng.
- A joint marketing agreement has been concluded with Durban, Johannesburg and SA Tourism for a new urban tourism campaign.
- Hosting media and trade from Europe and the USA in partnership with the local industry.
- Quarterly research reports and two major workshops per year for CTT members focusing on the UK, USA, Germany and the Netherlands.
- Partnering with South African Airways and SA Tourism to tap into new markets in Brazil, Argentina, China, Japan, India and the Middle East.
- Community involvement programmes are being developed.
- Continued investment in web and social media, exploring the most suitable mobile applications.
- A radical overhaul of CTT’s systems and technology is currently underway, including a new centralised online booking system that will enable enhanced data management and online real-time bookings.