Kulula.com pushes local travel
14 March 2008
Local low-cost air carrier kulula.com has in partnership with South African Tourism launched a first-of-its-kind initiative that will encourage domestic travellers to discover and experience the country's diverse beauty, interesting places and unique personalities.
The campaign will focus on Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and George.
"Before the rest of the world beats us to it, we should be tourists in our own country," South African Tourism CEO Moeketsi Mosola said in a statement issued by kulula.com this week. "We live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet and we should make the effort to discover South Africa's diverse landscapes, people, wildlife and flora.
"It is also through domestic travel that we can understand each other better as a people and as a country, and this will go a long way in ensuring that we become even better and more welcoming hosts leading up to and beyond the World Cup in 2010."
The two organisations announced the launch of some tongue-in-cheek advertising that will be placed in the market over the next two years, at a mid-day ceremony at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens near Johannesburg, with Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk in attendance.
"We introduced affordable flying in the country seven years ago and are now excited to introduce affordable and accessible travel packages to South Africans," said kulula.com joint CEO Gidon Novick. "Within a short flight, there are so many extraordinary places to see and people to meet. More of us need to be more aware of what's in our own backyard."
Launched on 17 March, the two-year, R12-million multi-platform advertising campaign will include print, TV and radio advertisements featuring a foreigner's view of the country to point out ironically that, unlike those from overseas, South Africans have the opportunity to enjoy some beautiful and unique tourism experiences that are virtually "around the corner".
"South Africa's domestic holiday travel market has a lot of room to grow and with the relative weakness of the rand, taking a Sho't Left vacation at home will be far more affordable than going overseas," said Van Schalkwyk. "Aside from creating jobs and contributing to the economy, travelling within the country lets us experience South Africa's stunning natural beauty and friendly people."
Domestic Tourism
Recognising the importance and contribution of domestic tourism, South African Tourism created the Sho't Left campaign, which encourages local residents who had not previously travelled in their own country to begin taking holidays around South Africa.
"This continues to be the key focus for this campaign and part of the reason why we continue to invest significant resources in domestic tourism marketing," Van Schalkwyk told BuaNews this week.
The campaign's efforts are mainly targeted at an estimated 6.3-million South Africans with the resources and desire to travel.
Getting them to do so would add to a burgeoning domestic tourism market that is already worth billions of rands, leading to greater income for local communities and increased job creation.
"The backbone and success of this industry in the leading tourism nations like France, Italy and Spain lies in its robust domestic tourism," Van Schalkwyk said. "These nations rely on their local markets to an even greater extent than on international visitors."
Domestic tourism increased by 2.6% in 2006 with 37-million trips being undertaken and revenue coming in at approximately R16.5-billion, two-thirds of which was generated by travellers visiting friends and relatives.
Visiting friends and family accounted for more than 29-million of all domestic trips taken in 2006, with holidays accounting for only 2.8-million or seven percent of the total number of domestic trips.
"This suggests that there is significant opportunity for growing leisure tourism in this market," Van Schalkwyk said.
SAinfo reporter and BuaNews
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