Hi there! If you are one of the lucky travellers who has had a chance to read our most recent Landtours Newsletter, you may already know that It has been extra exciting over here at Landtours between April and May. We were at the first ever World Travel Market Africa trade show in Cape Town in April and also the INDABA Travel show in Durban in May. We are always open to experiencing all that the tourism and travel industries have to offer while showcasing the new and exciting things we are doing over here. This is why we make it a point to be a part of these shows as much as possible. INDABA is a primarily inbound trade show that is catered to provide a lucrative platform for the promotion of South African Tourism. Many of the hotels, tourism agencies, restaurants, destination management companies and ground handlers were present to display what they are capable of. The exhibition halls were beautifully decked out with creative stand decorations and branding. The INDABA volunteers were also very helpful and willing to provide assistance wherever necessary. The opening ceremony could possibly be one of our highlights of the visit. This particular INDABA was especially important because not only was the country celebrating INDABA and the growth of the country’s tourism industry, it was also simultaneously celebrating South Africa’s 20th year of democracy. The ceremony was MC’d by Sello Maake Ka-Ncube, one of South Africa’s most esteemed actors and poets. There were appearances and performances by Khaya Mthethwa and Mafikizolo, which had everybody in the audience on their feet.
There were a number of events amidst the trade show activities that any destination management company interested in doing work in South Africa would be keen on attending. As a hosted buyer especially, the ones that stood out the most for us were the Speed Marketing sessions. This provided an amazing platform for local tourism businesses and restaurants to tell the number of local and international buyers what they have to offer. It was a wonderful experience because it gave us new insight into the myriad of fun things that could be done in South Africa. The three types of tourist experiences that were highlighted in this year’s speed-marketing sessions were Hidden Treasures, Urban Vibe and our personal favourite, Action Adventure. For each theme, the tourism businesses had four to five minutes to pitch their products to the hosted buyers present. The better the impression made, the better the chances of attracting profitable contacts that could lead to increasing inbound business. The MC for the sessions was Tshepo Mogale, a South African comedian and TV personality. His sharp comments and witty humour made the experience all the more unforgettable. INDABA also proved to be revolutionary with the use of INDABA Connect. This was an electronic means of exchanging contact information by simply touching the device with the other persons’.
No need to lug around business cards and brochures because everything you need is online once you sign in. Very convenient. Thumbs up for INDABA 2014! We will definitely be visiting Durban again! Let us know if you were there and what you thought of it. We would love to hear from you.
