Sho't Left targets young and upcoming local travellers

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The Promotions and Deals page of www.southafrica.net/shotleft had become especially popular, enjoying 4700 page views a month, with users specifically searching for travel packages. Out of the 16 508 page views of the site, 32% account for new visits with the average user spending five minutes on each page.

"Our research indicates that the Sho't Left target market, the young and upcoming, insist on product interaction which is why the brand's enhancements are online, social networking, television in the form of product placements, radio travel features and outdoor billboard campaigns," says Dhlomo.

"Our social networking spaces Twitter, @ShotLeft, Facebook and YouTube are in place so that the market can start talking about how they see travel and what they feel about it. This feedback is essential in ensuring we deliver travel to the people in a manner that appeals to them.

"We want the South African consumer to hear, feel, touch and see Sho't Left and have embarked on an extensive marketing campaign. In September, e.tv's top youth soap opera Rhythm City will see characters Fats and Mpumi taking a Sho't Left to Durban."

Value for money

At the same time, South Africa's top national radio station, Metro FM, features Sho't Left every Thursday morning when the feature gives weekly travel tips and updates on what is happening in the local industry.

Sho't Left's target market seeks creative ways to secure excellent value for money. To meet this quest, it has partnered with the Peermont Hotel group, Flight Centre and Computicket Travel, who join others who promote domestic tourism; Thompson's Tours, Southern Sun and kulula.com.

"Public private partnerships have shown themselves to be an excellent promotions tool. South African Tourism works to raise awareness about how wonderful our destination is. Our private sector partners offer the market deals that are very difficult to turn down. It is proving to be an excellent way of growing the market, and growing the number of people who travel domestically, too, continues Dhlomo."

Billboards target Gauteng

Last year, about 14 million adult South Africans went on a trip in the country and spent an average of R780 per trip contributing R25.8bn to the national economy.

"Tourism Month is an excellent opportunity to travel South Africa, to experience the delights of the destination and to take advantage of the numerous special offers available to the public to celebrate tourism and the contribution it makes to the economy,” concludes Dhlomo.

The Sho't Left billboard campaign, which is aimed at making a significant visual impact and creatively motivating South Africans to travel domestically, was also launched last week and comprises 10 billboards, worth a total of more than R2 million. They have been placed in in 10 spaces along major highways in Gauteng, including the N1 and M1, as this is the province that is the greatest source market for domestic tourists.