Recognizing the significant increase in visitor numbers during the first half of the year, South African Tourism organized the second workshop of “Learn South Africa” 2023 in Pune with the goal of maintaining the travel momentum. The tourist board’s signature travel trade training session, “Learn SA,” aims to give travel agents the best resources to effectively market the destination in accordance with its plan to surpass pre-pandemic visitor statistics by the end of the year.
The six-city training session, which ended in Delhi and Pune, will be followed by Kolkata, Kochi, Indore, and Jaipur in an effort to maintain the high travel momentum seen during the first half of 2023. Local events like “Learn SA” help the tourism board lay the groundwork for bringing trade partners into line with the board’s well-developed growth strategy and its goal of luring Indian tourists to the Rainbow Nation. The seminars serve as a beneficial forum for growing South African Tourism’s network of business partners by inviting and enticing a delegation of fresh faces. This immersive experience intends to strengthen our joint efforts to promote the variety of attractions and experiences that South Africa has to offer by providing them with the skills and resources they’ll need to effectively promote and represent the nation.
India is currently South Africa’s sixth-largest foreign source market, and the country, in the opinion of the tourist board, has a vital part to play in the country’s thriving tourism industry. Over 111 business partners took part in the event in Pune. Additionally, more than 1,000 business partners from all around India are anticipated to attend this year’s “Learn SA” event. The 9th edition of “Learn SA” focuses on unusual activities, uncharted provinces, and undiscovered South African treasures.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Indian trade fraternity for being a part of this workshop and playing a crucial role in its success,” said Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – Middle East, India and South-East Asia, in response to ‘Learn South Africa’ 2023. Their passion, commitment, and desire to find out more about South Africa have not only improved this effort but also established the groundwork for enduring alliances that will develop over time. Through our combined efforts, we have seen a huge increase in Indian tourists this year, which confirms my conviction that this is just the beginning. By extending these initiatives to tier-2 and tier-3 cities in the Indian market, we will be attempting to innovate and seek additional avenues of association.
One of the major new source markets in India for South African tourism is Pune. The inclination for leisure and business travel from the nation has been rising, which has contributed to the burgeoning footfalls at The Rainbow Nation. The tourism board noted an 18% increase in business travelers from Pune between January and June 2023 compared to January to June 2022. Over 88% of travelers that entered the city from outside the country chose South Africa for their MICE and business travel plans.
Due to its creative initiatives and year-round teamwork, South African tourism has seen an increase in visitors of over 80% from January through July 2023 when compared to the same period in the previous year. India is one of the top three key markets for the South African Tourism board globally, and it has a significant investment in the country as part of its long-term global strategy.
Source- TRavel daily