NELSON MANDELA BAY TOURISM HOSTS INFLUENTIAL MEDIA

Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) as the destination marketing organisation for the areas of Uitenhage, Despatch, Port Elizabeth and surrounds face many challenges at times. Therefore it is vital to be pro-active, innovative and creative in order to continue to attract visitors and investment to the destination for economic and cultural development. During 2012 foreign direct spend amounted to R 920 081 556 (19%), sustaining 7 224 jobs while domestic tourism amounted for about 80.7% (R3.84 billion) of the overall direct spend (R4.76 billion) into the Nelson Mandela Bay’s economy sustaining over 30 000 jobs therefore in total accounting for over 37 000 jobs. Travel and Tourism ranks high amongst analysed sectors because of its contribution to the GDP, employment and exports.

With the aim of staying competitive in the tourism market, NMBT has collaborated with South African Tourism (SAT) and NMBT members to host various international and national niche market media. NMBT has researched and concluded that hosting various media groups is a cost effective solution to reach a larger marketing platform over and above high cost generic advertising. Ms Mandlakazi Skefile, CEO of NMBT, shared, “Hosting media and creating collaborations in exchange for write ups and editorial pieces is therefore a strategic marketing avenue NMBT has taken, to ensure exposure for Nelson Mandela Bay and the products. Through hosting media they are able to view the destination through the same eyes as what a tourist would, therefore compelling them to write and share authentic experiences with the reader.” Although not exclusive to Tourism month in September, NMBT recently hosted 3 groups of influential media who were exposed to various, attractions, cultures and activities, who will speak directly to specific target markets.

First to land on our shores for the 16th – 17th September 2013 were three Dutch journalists who fell much within the fashion and lifestyle category. Mr J Teulings, represents  Winq Magazine  which is bi-monthly magazine and it also appears in iPad, android applications and e-magazines, with a reach of 103 000 and a value of 4 500 Euros per page at which NMBT is looking at receiving a total value of 27 000 Euros. Mr J Brantjies of Het Parool, a daily national newspaper, that has a reach of 287 000 and Mrs Y van Dinten of the fashion and lifestyle magazine, Vogue, which has a reach of 180 000 and page value of 12 500 Euros. Due to the nature of the readers the media visitors were exposed to culinary delights at Fusion in Stanley Street, the luxurious lifestyle of the 5 star Pumba private Game Reserve as well as the exquisite quality of Mohair products and a mill tour by Hinterveld Mohair. Exposure to a total of over 570 000 Dutch citizens with an approximate monetary value of R1 112 807

Popular SABC radio station Kwekwezi fm was hosted from the 21st – 23rd September 2013. The representatives enjoyed a cultural township tour, Sunshine Saunter tour, Route 67, Nanaga Pies, nightlife as well as canopy tours and segways in Tsitsikamma. They will be covering the destination daily for the duration of a week sharing the experiences they had in NMB while encouraging listeners to travel to NMB.  Ikwekwezi FM, the only SABC radio station based in the capital city of the country, Pretoria has 1, 379 to 1, 736 million listeners.

Canadian freelance journalist, Maram Siddiqi, for the National Post newspaper, was the honoured guest of NMB from the 26th – 27th September 2013. Maryam is on a six month trip around the world writing stories about all the destinations she is visiting.  Before she came to South Africa she was in New Zeeland and Australia and from SA she is heading to Botswana and Kenya.  With regards to coverage, Maryam is slated to produce 2-3 online stories per province in South Africa, which will result in extensive influential coverage.  She also plans to write additional specialty posts, including accommodation reviews, food photo essays, etc. For the most part, the online pieces will then by excerpted and printed on Saturdays in the paper’s weekend edition. Weekday Print Circulation: 420,600, Weekend Print Circulation: 422,800, Online Circulation: 584,400. The pieces will mainly cover the experiences of a city tour, Route 67, Hinterveld Mohair Mill Tour, Bridge Street Brewery, SAMREC, Sunshine Saunter, Stanley Street as well as the Boardwalk Accomodation and Entertainment.

In conclusion, NMBT has strategically and innovatively managed to infiltrate various niche media markets nationally and internationally in spite of budget constraints. Mr Titus Chuene, Marketing manager emphasized, “Hosting media has the ability to expose the destination to wider markets on a more frequent basis with a more detailed and personal experience shared.” This allows for a higher volume of information to be shared for a higher monetary value to a greater audience reach.