The Theewaterskloof Municipality, in South Africa’s Western Cape, has refreshed its tourism brand.

Originally branded under ‘The Cape Country Meander’, the new brand – ‘Cape Country Theewaterskloof Tourism’ – was created after a series of consultative processes with various tourism stakeholders, presented to the local council and approved in November 2018.

The new brand is said to capture the uniqueness of the region, is easily recognisable, and represents the different route offerings that appeal to niche markets, such as cycling, birding, adventure, wine and heritage. It also aims to change the image of the DMO, and promoting the region’s unique and authentic experiences to local and international visitors while meeting the tourism expectations of the region to become a competitive tourist destination and redirect the interest of domestic and international tourists to visit the Theewaterskloof region.

There are numerous tourism offerings presented by the region, including a walking tour of Genadendal; a steam train trip from Cape Town to Elgin Railway Market with Ceres Rail; a Canopy experience with Cape Canopy Tours; tastings of award-winning wines from Elgin Valley; and exploring the quaint town of Greyton on a guided bicycle or a medicinal plant tour.

Newly appointed Senior Tourism Administrator, Shaun Cloete, believes that brand awareness will increase and strengthen the value of the new brand identity through better relationships with tourism stakeholders, along with attracting visitors. “Through events, marketing and promotional efforts in near future, like WTM Africa and the Cape Epic race, a strong brand message will be communicated to buyers and visitors to experience off-the-beaten-track hidden gems,” concludes Cloete.