Argentine interest in Cape Town for 2010

The second leg of the SAA and South African Tourism's annual “Explore South Africa” tourism marketing drive continued in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, yesterday with hundreds of local industry representatives engaging with their South African counterparts. Speaking at the show, Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) CEO, Calvyn Gilfellan picked up on the mood of this football-mad nation and key strategic international market.

“Like their Brazilian counterparts, Argentineans are attracted to Cape Town and the Western Cape's unmatched natural beauty, world-class sports infrastructure, premier wines, wildlife, shopping and vibrant night life. In this regard, our “Beyond the 90 Minutes” 2010 marketing campaign provides the full package and is an ideal vehicle to educate both the trade and media about these and other tourism offerings” said Gilfellan.

Own-language info sought

Feedback during the exhibition revealed that the Latin Americans are looking for information about the destination in their own languages. “With some of our collateral translated into Spanish, we ensure that our brand speaks directly to the consumer,” added Gilfellan. Although Argentine outbound-tourism professionals display a strong knowledge of Cape Town and the Western Cape's diverse offerings, emerging as a challenge is how to educate the Argentinean public en masse in a better way that is fresh and speaks to their pockets. As the official destination marketing organisation for Cape Town and the Western Cape, CTRU is committed to hosting media familiarisation trips with journalists reporting on the Argentine and Latin American market at large.

Safety not an issue

On the issue of safety and security, compared to their European counterparts, Gilfellan noted that the South Americans are more open minded and less preoccupied with skewed notions of South Africa being unsafe. “As a destination we are learning that we really need to soften the message of safety in Latin America - we scare people unnecessarily otherwise!”

Since its inception in 1996, “Explore SA”, an annual event held in the South American cities São Paulo and Buenos Aires has grown exponentially. The show now attracts delegates from as far afield as the Seychelles, Mozambique and Namibia.