During the annual INDABA tourism marketing event in Durban, the Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC) looks forward to networking with international leisure travel industry and business associates, media, and stakeholders at their exhibition stand, as well as a networking breakfast to be held at the Hilton Hotel on May 14, 2012.

At this breakfast session, Acting CEO Phelisa Mangcu will also be announcing the winner of the annual JTC SMME Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The first-time recipient of the award, which was launched at INDABA 2011, was Jojo Tsheola of Tsheola Dinare Tours.

A HOT WINTER FORECAST FOR JOBURG

As part of its INDABA activities, JTC will be unveiling its winter campaign. “A Hot Winter Forecast for Joburg!” the campaign forms part of JTC’s marketing strategy to entrench Joburg as a global, year-round business and leisure destination, brimming with special events, attractions, tastes, sights, and sounds to encourage visitors to stay longer, spend more, and enjoy exploring further afield.

Joburg’s amazing calendar of diverse signature events throughout the year provide an ideal platform for DMCs and incentive houses to package offerings. Joburg signature events throughout the year range from the Joburg Open Golf Tournament in January; the Joburg Fashion Week in March; the Africa Cup Polo in July; and Joy of Jazz in August; to Arts Alive, the Joburg Shopping Festival, and Taste of Joburg in October; to Africa Fashion Week and the Sansui Summer Cup in November - to mention but a few.

ONGOING TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN JOBURG

“While we work at entrenching Joburg’s position as Africa’s leading business tourism destination, the team at Joburg Tourism Company balances this with an ongoing focus on tourism product development, and the presentation and packaging of leisure offerings to the consumer market,” said Acting CEO Phelisa Mangcu.

“Although Joburg is such a youthful city, having celebrated its 125th anniversary last year, it is a treasure trove of economic, social, political, and anthropological history,” said Mangcu, “The city boasts layer upon layer of fascinating history, development and human interest stories – of course, not forgetting the leisure and lifestyle aspects of entertainment, sports, music, arts, and culture. At Joburg Tourism, we work with both the public and the private sector to publicize the development of city precincts, nodes, sites, attractions, and products which are of interest to both locals and visitors.”

Three recent additions to routes and itineraries promoted by JTC include Joburg’s Nature Route (taking in sites of natural beauty and anthropological relevance in the City), the Indian Route (comprising a history of the Indian community in Joburg, with a focus on Mahatma Ghandi, who lived in Joburg from 1903 to 1914), and the Adventure Route (including some of the high octane spills and thrills on offer in Jozi).

Urban tourism is coming into its own in Johannesburg, with the city seeing an increasing number of visitors keen to explore diverse aspects of the city – from all the exciting developments downtown to the heritage routes and sites in Alex and Soweto. This includes the rejuvenation of entire districts or precincts, along with the development of public street art, pedestrianized zones, heritage sites, and lifestyle activities like the Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein and the Sunday market at Arts on Main.

JTC’S BOOKING PORTAL

Joburg’s legendary shopping, dining, entertainment, and nightlife is complimented by fabulous weather, as well as an astonishing array of facilities like spectacular golf courses, gyms, spas, and wellness centers, which all add to its appeal as a destination.

From a lifestyle and leisure perspective, JTC continuously creates a diversity of packages and options around the city’s calendar of signature events and activities. Aside from the live events feed and gig guide on its website, a relatively new channel in the marketing process is JTC’s booking portal. JTC has partnered with a host of event organizers, hotels, and tour operators to promote signature Joburg seasonal events – enhancing them with special packages and offers.

“This is a convenient, cost-effective ‘one-stop shop,’ giving travelers the means to take advantage of special offers and packages, while making all their travel reservations for Johannesburg online – from flights, car hire, and accommodation, to tour and events packages,” said Mangcu, “As one of the continent’s most accessible and major entry points, its incumbent upon JTC to assist travelers in planning [an] entire trip to South Africa – while showcasing all there is to do while spending time in Joburg.”

JOBURG’S GDS 2040

“In terms of the recently-launched Mayoral Outreach campaign to discuss the city of Johannesburg’s Growth and Development Strategy 2040, tourism remains an economic growth imperative on the city’s agenda. It is an important catalyst to encourage the development of the SMME sector in order to stimulate the growth and development of a vibrant second economy. It is the Johannesburg Tourism Company’s strategy mission to attract visitors to Joburg, encourage them to stay longer, spend more, improve seasonality patterns, and the spread of visitors across the city,” Mangcu said.

In line with these developments and as part of the institutional review process to effect closer alignment with city goals, this year, Joburg Tourism Company is being incorporated into the city’s Communication & Tourism Group. The GDS is coupled to the city’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP), and both are aligned with the National Planning Commission’s New Growth Path.

“Our ongoing local and international promotional campaigns include exhibiting at business and leisure trade exhibitions where JTC shares its plans to maintain, defend, and grow its market share,” said Mangcu, “As the city of Johannesburg’s destination marketing organization, JTC remains focused on positioning Joburg not only as the continent’s leading business hub, but also as an exciting, vibrant year-round destination for signature events, lifestyle, the arts, culture, fashion, sports – and, of course, mega-events.”

Johannesburg Tourism is a member of the International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) www.tourismpartners.org .