WESGRO is to hold discussion with South African Airways and regional and local tourism organisations to discuss marketing of Cape Town and the Western Cape as South Africa’s key international tourist destination, says Wesgro CEO, Nils Flaatten.

Speaking at the recent Fedhasa Cape AGM in Cape Town, Flaatten echoed sentiments in the hospitality industry by saying that SAA never consulted with Wesgro before it decided to axe its Cape Town-London route from mid-August.

On April 1, Wesgro took over the destination marketing of the province when former marketing organisation Cape Town Routes Unlimited was incorporated into the agency. Flaatten said the integration of 25 former CTRU staff had been successful.

“Morale has increased and the process has not been have been too destabilizing. Two staff members have left to work for the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.”

Meanwhile, Wesgro management already accompanied hotel companies on trips to Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Wesgro participated in the Arabian Travel Market, the Tourism Indaba and South African Tourism’s Japan & China road shows. Flaatten himself had formal engagements with Cape Town Tourism, Eden Regional Tourism Organisation and SAA. The agency also released a fourth- quarter tourism barometer, formerly done by CTRU.  

Flaatten said focus for the financial year 2012/13 was on the following:

•    Upgrading the Wesgro website by integrating a destination marketing section and a calendar of events (featuring more than 100 festivals over next six months)
•     Alignment of marketing focus regarding events and markets
•    Drawing up an annual performance plan
•    An operational efficiency plan should be 80% complete by October
•    Operational cost savings
•    Filling staff vacancies
•    Improving relationships with regional and local tourism organisations; representatives of international airlines based at Cape Town International Airport; trade bodies; SA Tourism and other national bodies.
•    Launching an advertising campaign
•    Updating its database of tour operators
•    Aggressive marketing of the Cape Town Convention Bureau
•    SMME development
•    Events marketing