Durban — Tourism KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN) started the World Travel Market Africa (WTM) on a high note, with their stand buzzing with meetings.
The WTM began on Monday and finished on Wednesday at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
TKZN senior manager: PR, and communications officer Pinky Radebe said WTM Africa is an exclusive B2B event that brings together thousands of travel industry professionals from across the world that play a vital role in selling and packaging destinations across the globe.
“While this is not an event that travellers attend, this is a place where tour operators explore innovative and interesting travel products to include in their travel itineraries. Therefore, the benefits to tourists are indirect, in that they have more variety of travel concepts to choose from.
“For instance, product owners can collaborate with tour operators to package deals and itineraries that enable tourists to experience more during their holiday, while possibly saving on cost,” said Radebe.
“We are using this platform to secure more meetings with top international buyers at the Africa Travel Indaba at the Durban ICC in May. Therefore, platforms like these are critical for us, as a destination marketing agency, as we continue our drive to ensure the province is included on international travel itineraries.
“Tourism KZN is exhibiting alongside partners Durban Direct, who have met potential airline partners to lobby for more direct flights to KZN. During the show, Durban Direct also met with airlines that currently fly directly to the province to get an update on the performance of their routes.
“Airlines like Airlink, who fly directly between Harare and Durban, have indicated they are happy with the performance of the routes; both inbound and outbound are currently performing at more than 70% capacity, and they are looking at adding other routes,” said Radebe.
She said by attracting more direct flights to Durban, tourists will not only have easier access to the province but will also save on flight costs.
“As we move into winter, we encourage people to start thinking about and planning their June/ July winter holiday. As the weather becomes bone-chilling in the hinterland, there is no better place to be than KZN, where travellers can soak up the sun on the beach, or go on safari, or do any of a vast number of fun outdoor activities in warm and moderate temperatures,” said Radebe.
“We have strategically partnered with sister entities like iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which offers a world-renowned tourism experience, as well as Dube Trade Port and Trade and Investment KZN, who championed issues of Air Access through the Durban Direct initiative,” she said.
Also at the TKZN pavilion are some outstanding KZN tourism products such as Dragon View Lodge in the Drakensberg, Fordoun Hotel and Spa in the KZN Midlands, and Shayamanzi House Boats at Jozini in northern KZN, to showcase what destinations KZN has to offer, she said.
Tourism KZN also took two of its tourism Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), King Shaka Golf Tours and Thokazi Lodge, to WTM Africa.
“It is important to ensure that we provide market access opportunities for smaller and emerging tourism entrepreneurs, and events like WTM Africa serve as a platform where our SMMEs can engage with international buyers to secure deals that help them grow their businesses,” said Radebe.
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