A familiarisation trip to generate brand awareness and elevate travel from Poland to South Africa with a focus on growing tourism numbers to Cape Town, took place in the Mother City from May 16-22.
‘The Ultimate Cape Town Safari Experience’ was made possible through a partnership between Aquila Collection, Cany B Global Events, Travel Advance (a PR and Marketing agency based in Central Eastern Europe) and Turkish Airlines.
Travel Advance was appointed by Aquila Collection in 2022 to promote not only the portfolio of its Cape Town businesses, but also to focus on establishing Cape Town as a must-visit destination. Aquila Collection is a portfolio of Big Five safari lodges and unique experiences situated just outside the city.
Prominent Polish travel trade and media delegates were invited to participate in the fam trip, which showcased the city itself, the Aquila Private Game Reserve and Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve, and the wine regions between Tulbagh and Stellenbosch.
Travel Advance CEO, Paddington Tucker, pointed out that Poland was one of Europe’s growth champions, experiencing a 189% rise in its economy from 1990 to 2020.
"Despite the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, Poland remains the fastest growing economy on the continent, experiencing an 11.2% rise in GDP between Q1 2023 and Q4 2019. Our research indicates a growing appetite among Polish travellers for long-haul destinations, with places such as the Maldives, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Malaysia and Vietnam showing the strongest growth in 2023.”
Tucker said this gave the Western Cape a significant opportunity to capitalise on the Polish outbound market.
“Our deliberate selection of leading leisure and MICE operators, who possess the influence to shape the market, has allowed us to make a significant impact. Additionally, we have engaged high-reach media outlets, whose output plays a crucial role in guiding end consumers' holiday choices,” said Tucker, adding that Travel Advance was looking to replicate this success in the Czech market.
Johan van Schalkwyk, Aquila Collection Group Marketing and Trade Manager said: “Our primary focus is to prioritise Cape Town as a premier travel destination and ensure that emerging and new markets worldwide are fully informed about the incredible opportunities it offers."
