#Sharethebay: A summer of thrills in Nelson Mandela Bay

“Through marketing an array of attractions and activities available in Nelson Mandela Bay(NMB) and a manner in which to make them accessible and affordable; visitors were able to experience these, and therefore find the destination more desirable for extended stays contributing to increased tourism numbers and a successful summer season,” confirmed Mandlakazi Skefile, Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism CEO.

Preliminary results

Whilst the summer season is not yet fully complete, NMBT can provide preliminary results indicators which show the local tourism sector’s success. These results show that during December 2016, approximately 393,615 bed nights were sold in NMB at an average occupancy of 79.34% up by 6.98%. It is estimated that in the region of 267 848 overnight visitors came to NMB spending in the region of R402,766,150, up from R357,429,685.

From NMBT’s occupancy surveys it was found that during December 2016, 72,226 (18.35%) bed nights sold were foreign compared to 30,462 (8.72%) last year. Based on the methodology used by NMBT, from the bed nights sold it can be derived that during the month there was in the region of 23,033 foreign overnight visitors to NMB. The foreign direct spend in NMB for the month is estimated at R62,364,102.

Visitors from the top 10 foreign countries staying in formal accommodation as reported on by accommodation facilities came from: Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Australia, and Brazil. The top three foreign countries, therefore, indicate positive results of the marketing investments NMBT made into these markets throughout the year.

December 2016, saw 321,389 (81.65%) bed nights sold to the domestic tourism market. Based on the methodology from the bed nights sold, NMBT can derive that during the month there were in the region of 241,043 domestic overnight visitors to NMB spending an estimated R340,402,048 using 2015 indicators.

#ShareTheBay - lighthouse

Successful marketing and campaign efforts

The successful marketing and campaign efforts also showed through the increase in the number of Nelson Mandela Bay Pass cards sold. The festive season till date has seen the Nelson Mandela Bay Pass sales increase by 131%, generating a total of R226,835 in revenue. The popular attractions visited with the Nelson Mandela Bay Pass include Adrenalin Addo’s double zip line, Sundays River Ferry, sandboarding at Sundays River Adventures as well as surf lessons and beachfront bicycle hires from Ocean Side Surf store.

Many were thrilled with the destination's offerings and happy to share and recommend their experiences through the digital campaign called “#Sharethebay” which till date has now seen over 8,000 images uploaded with the hashtag. From December 2016 till date the participation increased by over 1,000 images. The campaign created ambassadors and marketers out of locals and visitors to the destination allowing others to be enticed to explore the destination's offerings.

Skefile, NMBT CEO further confirmed, “initiatives such as the Nelson Mandela Bay Travel App, Nelson Mandela Bay Pass as well as the campaigns are all tools that assist to effectively market the destination and allow the visitor experience to be enhanced by convenience and affordability.”