Gauteng Tourism Authority's chief executive officer, Siphiwe Ngwenya welcomed the initiative and expressed confidence that it will be worthwhile. “The tourism trade is an important stakeholder in the We do/I do Tourism campaign that South African Tourism is championing and that we are part of."
The campaign aims to grow tourist numbers by five million over the next five years and a bulk of that will have to come from Gauteng as the most visited province in South Africa. We are targeting a contribution of one million, which will only be achievable if the trade sector comes to the party. Therefore, we hope to grow this event into a premier showcase of the city of gold, Johannesburg, and destination Gauteng as a whole,” says Ngwenya.
The event will bring the travel trade together to celebrate Gauteng as a destination and highlight what it has to offer. The venue - 1 Fox Precinct - spans a series of historic warehouses that date back to the city’s gold mining roots, now converted into a funky shopping and dining destination.
Different streets in the warehouse will have different themes and interests, with 60 exhibitors spanning guesthouses, hotels, activities and adventure specialists and transport companies. Also, taking part will be the Cradle Tourism Company, Sandton Tourism, Soweto Tourism, Dinokeng, Vilakazi Street and global brands with a presence in Johannesburg.
Participants and companies alike are encouraged to come dressed for the inaugural theme of “My City of Gold”. Guests will include MECs, Mix FM's DJ Kerry-Anne Allerston to host the music event, performances by The Kiffness & ChianoSky, as well as popular footballers, actors, and musicians.
“Johannesburg is an amazing city and worthy of competing against other world cities such as New York, Paris, and London in the tourism field. Yet there is a lack of belief in what the city and its wonderful people have to offer. In other cities, the industry operates almost like a family in promoting their city even though they are in competition with each other. Now it’s time for our local tourism industry to come together and share stories, experience the offerings and grow the love for Jozi," says Adelbert Retief, founder and MD of Leisure Connexion.
GP Lifestyle Tourism Street Party will become an annual event for the industry to look forward to, where hotels, activities, restaurants and tour operators can showcase their products. A website, created by 360 Online Marketing will become available for attendees to register, creating a powerful database of influencers in the inbound tourism market.
