SOUTH African Tourism yesterday wrapped up a four-city roadshow in India in its latest and biggest travel trade engagement exercise in the country so far.
A total of 66 South African suppliers participated in the roadshow, which covered Kolkata, new Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.
Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily ahead of the Chennai and Mumbai instalments, Hanneli Slabber, country manager for South African Tourism India, said: “We are expecting the participation of 1,000 travel consultants…The roadshow in Kolkata was attended by 155 Indian travel consultants and in Delhi we saw close to 400.”
Other upcoming initiatives include a multi-city training roadshow from June to July featuring 15 suppliers, the promotion of adventure offerings to draw Indian youth, and this week’s kick-off of the Ticket to South Africa advertising blitz featuring cricketeer Jonty Rhodes.
India ranks seventh as a source market for South Africa, sending 76,116 tourists or an 8.4 per cent year-on-year rise, between January to August 2013. It expects 133,000 visitors this fiscal year.
Evelyn Mahlaba, regional director, Australasia, South African Tourism, said India became a core market three years ago and arrivals have been growing “extensively”.
Cindy Sheedy Walker, CEO of Extraordinary, a collection of luxury lodges and hotels in South Africa, noted: “Earlier there were specific destinations that were popular among Indian travellers. But now there are more geographical locations sought by them.”
