GEORGE NEWS - George Tourism is ready to step into the limelight and become a formidable tourism presence on the Garden Route. 

Firstly, a comprehensive digital marketing presence is to be rolled out which will include the upgrading of the website www.georgetourism.org.za, which will be livened up with locally made videos and photos as well as blogs by industry experts. George Municipality staff will be trained to manage social media platforms.

Since taking up office again on 1 April Joan Shaw (who served in this post in 2014) has worked hard to establish effective communication channels with the public and private sectors. Two fun competitions are being launched, with local photographers and videographers submitting their best images to be used to enhance George Municipality's Tourism website. All of this form part of the quest for an interactive approach being brought about by tourism marketing personnel at the George Tourism Bureau.

Golf tourism
George is undisputedly a world-renowned golfing destination. To further capitalise on this, Shaw recently participated in a high level stakeholder meeting in the region, hosted at Fancourt. SA Tourism has pledged R700 000 towards specific golf marketing, and the private sector will contribute an additional R400 000 to facilitate strategic golf marketing for George.

Close partnerships are being forged with Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (Satsa), and golf industry experts will travel to the USA and to the International Golf Travel Market in France to lay the foundation for a strategic trade engagement and hosting. This will culminate in a group of influential tour operators visiting our region on an informative tour.

Unique features
Outeniqua Tourism Association (OTA) and other tourism roleplayers in Pacaltsdorp, Thembalethu, Uniondale and Wilderness will be engaged to establish how they can get on board and actively contribute towards common marketing and product development goals. Each of these communities has unique features and strengths and they are often best placed to identify how to effectively market their area. "We have already had a number of engagements and meets and greets," said Shaw.

African/Asian markets to be targeted
George is repositioning itself as a prime business and holiday destination, targeting travellers from Africa as well as the USA and India. "While we are maintaining strong links to Europe, we will also concentrate on the domestic market, the African market and without a doubt the Indian and middle-eastern markets. SA Tourism India are planning a visit during which 20 media, tour operator and industry role players from India will be hosted in George and Wilderness on 12, 13 and 14 September. In addition to a full day Speed Marketing event, local attractions such as paragliding will be tried out. Delegates will be taken to the Garden Route National Park (SANParks) and will be using Oubaai Hotel and Golf Resort as their base."

Literary Festival
In between working hard at skills and product development, Shaw launched the Garden Route Literary Festival on Thursday. A well-known festival organiser is set to be appointed to ensure that it becomes a favourite on a lively events calendar.

Conference hub
On presenting her Tourism Progress Report for August, Shaw said that she envisages George becoming a major conference and exhibitions area focusing on history and culture. She would also like the region to offer packages centred around wine tasting, sport, natural scenic beauty, transport and George as a shopping hub.

To ensure an efficient implementation of this vision, local tourism awareness and education programmes will be embarked on. 

In a nutshell, George is an attractive shopping destination where people are offered superior accommodation and eat-out experiences. Tourists will be enticed to stay here for a few nights to explore the many attractions and those travelling through to other destinations will be persuaded to at least stop to shop and have a meal.

Putting heads together to work out a golf tourism strategy are, from left: Monica Ryhlander from Oubaai Resort, Linda Kemp from Simola Resort, Paul Theron from Blackwaters River Lodge and Joan Shaw from George Tourism.

ARTICLE: PAULINE LOURENS, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST

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