SA Tourism and Southafricaholidays.com join forces

Under this new agreement, South African Tourism and Southafricaholidays.com intend to partner collectively on a range of marketing activities focusing on some of the biggest Middle Eastern inbound visitor markets. The arrangement will have SA Tourism embark on joint marketing with the travel trade as well as direct marketing activities targeting consumers.

Through this partnership, the "SA Specialist Programme", which is an interactive learning experience designed to improve the knowledge of South Africa and equip the travel trade with the skills to sell South Africa as a tourist destination, will be launched in Middle East.

The SA Specialist programme has many benefits once the agent qualifies as an SA Specialist. These include: access to marketing tools and resources, familiarisation trip opportunities, e-newsletters, invites for trade events, certification and business card stickers, etc.

A steady increase in visitor numbers

South African Tourism's CEO, Thulani Nzima, said: "South African Tourism has been actively marketing South Africa in emerging markets, including the Middle East, for several years now and that has seen a steady increase in visitor numbers. In the Middle East most of these initiatives were conducted through local co-operative marketing activities, realising the potential of this market. Southafricaholidays.com has demonstrated a strong and growing commitment in promoting South Africa as a destination and has been one of its most committed marketing partners. We are pleased that we have now formally forged this long-term strategic partnership, which will contribute significantly to us marketing South Africa in the Middle East. We believe that this Joint Marketing Agreement will further grow tourism to South Africa from these key Middle Eastern markets."

Bisy Philip, COO of Southafricaholidays.com said: "South Africa is one of the most potential markets from the Middle East, especially the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in terms of tourism. This paves a long road to work closely with SA Tourism and consumers to create that much-needed awareness and increase tourist arrivals from the Middle East to South Africa.

"Both SA Tourism and Southafricaholidays.com regard joint marketing as a serious commitment in elevating the promotion of South Africa as a tourism destination. Over the next few months Southafricaholidays.com will work hand to hand with SA Tourism to roll out various marketing activities."