In its bid to leverage as much leisure tourism from both business visitors and locals alike, Joburg Tourism launched its Explore, Experience & Enjoy Joburg destination marketing campaign, in partnership with KayaFM, with industry partners and stakeholders in October.
The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness and drive business for sites, attractions and tourism product owners across the board – not just large operators and companies, but for small and emerging establishments as well. The promotion features bi-monthly outside broadcasts, weekly interviews on business and lifestyle shows on KayaFM, as well as a real-time, interactive online Jozi Guide at www.joburgtourism.com and www.kayafm.co.za.
Research conducted by Joburg Tourism into the industry earlier identified a call for more assistance from the industry to effectively promote tourism products and services, in an effort to maintain and grow further the market share for all players involved.
“As the City, we have heeded that call and the launch of the Explore, Experience & Enjoy Joburg campaign is one of the ways in which we’re responding to the need for more marketing – getting into people’s homes, hearts and minds – in order to increase the footprint of the tourism sector,” says Ruby Mathang, MMC for the City’s Department of Economic Development.
“We’re working very closely with our private sector partners in an effort to build awareness of our diverse range of tourism products in Joburg, while also increasing demand for them. The campaign features an online platform and outdoor element. The online element is the Jozi Guide, which will for the first time present the City with an opportunity to market the tourism partners from a single point,” explains Mathang.
The Jozi Guide is an interactive, dynamic map which reflects real time events, establishments, transport and transport timetables and many other features. This will be updated on a daily basis and tourism partners are encouraged to submit their events and initiatives for uploading onto the guide to joziguide@joburgtourism.com and joziguide@kayafm.co.za. The advantage of being included in the Guide is that individual establishments will be promoted extensively on Kaya FM, which has over one million listeners daily. The Jozi Guide provides real time updates regarding shows and exhibitions, as well as directions, traffic and transport tips.
“Johannesburg boasts layer upon layer of fascinating history, development and human interest stories – of course not forgetting the leisure and lifestyle aspects of entertainment, sports, music, arts and culture. This is a city with a colourful past and a future filled with excitement, potential and promise,” says Mathang.
“Guided by economic development objectives of the GDS Joburg 2040 – it’s mission of the City’s leadership to continue positioning Johannesburg as one of the world’s leading cities: an all year round destination, a leading business and business events destination, and a vibrant, cosmopolitan centre for lifestyle, leisure, heritage, the arts, culture, entertainment, sports and mega-events. We continue our efforts to create an enabling environment for the tourism sector, which includes a focus on SMMEs, assisting them with training, service enhancement to gain accreditation and creating business linkages where possible,” he concludes.
