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Final whistle is the start
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Matebello Motloung
Financial Mail
Friday, February 26, 2010
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The question many people are asking is, what will happen to SA after the 2010 soccer World Cup? Not only are tourism figures on the decline internationally, but the spotlight SA has enjoyed for the past four years will shift to Brazil, hosts of the tournament in 2014.
"I'm optimistic about post-2010," says Thandiwe January-McLean, newly appointed CEO of SA Tourism (SAT), the agency responsible for marketing the country as a holiday destination. The organisation differs from the International Marketing Council (IMC) in that SAT's sole focus is on tourism (as opposed to investment). Its aim is to grow the sector by selling SA as a leisure destination locally and internationally. It falls under the department of tourism, and works through global media and marketing campaigns and partnerships.
The IMC, on the other hand, is in charge of promoting "Brand SA".
Thandiwe January-McLean Optimistic
Tourism's contribution to GDP last year was an estimated 8,2% (R79bn). The figure is expected to rise to 12% this year.
January-McLean says she believes SA's history of attracting tourists who tend to come back will continue to count in its favour. "We will also have a lot of first-timers coming to SA this year for the World Cup, and we want to capture them by being seen as a value-for-money destination." This, however, does not mean "cheap", she adds.
SA's ambassador to Portugal for the past five years, January-McLean replaces Moeketsi Mosola, who resigned in March last year. Though some may be concerned about January-McLean's lack of tourism experience, she says her background has prepared her for this role.
A former part-time journalist with the now defunct World newspaper, January-McLean was deputy director-general at the department of arts & culture before being an ambassador. Between 1994 and 1998, she was executive director of the Desmond Tutu Educational Trust.
She says SAT's post-2010 strategy includes promoting SA to new and growing markets. On the target list are China, India and sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Angola and Nigeria.
The number of visitors to SA from India and China rose by 17,2% and 12,1% last year. The African market, however, is the most lucrative. Angolan tourists are the biggest spenders at an average of R24 000 per visitor during each stay.
"What we need to do now is find out the things that make visitors from these countries enjoy us, and how we can make them feel welcome," says January-McLean. To do this, SAT has doubled its marketing budget for these areas from R30m to R55m. Issues that will be looked at include the long turnaround time for visa applications at the department of home affairs.
A challenge for SAT is the perception that excessive accommodation prices are being charged during the World Cup. SAT chairman Jabu Mabuza says the level of pricing is unfortunate and "frankly stupid and short-sighted".
Born in Kimberley, January-McLean has a bachelor's degree in English and sociology from the National University of Lesotho (1997) and an MA from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. She is the second former diplomat, after Cheryl Carolus, to head the tourism agency. The UK high commissioner was head of SA Tourism until 2004.
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