CLOSE
  • News
    • Fresh
    • Indian Social Media
    • Social Media Platforms
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Youtube
      • Twitter
      • LinkedIn
      • Snapchat
      • Pinterest
      • Clubhouse
      • TikTok
    • Industry Updates
  • Social Media Campaigns
    • Social Media Campaign Spot
    • Samosa Snippets
    • Social Media Campaign Feature
    • Social Media Campaign Reviews
    • Social Media Campaign Face-off
    • Social Media Case Studies
    • Social Media Strategy Reviews
  • Industry Connect
    • Interviews
    • Agency Spotlight
    • Tool Spotlight
    • Agency Feature
    • Platform Feature
    • Tool Feature
    • Brand Managers
    • Advertising, Digital and Marketing Courses
    • Experts Speak
  • Brand Saga
  • #SocialThrowback
  • Topical Spot
  • More
    • #SSIPLWatch
    • Samosa Talks
    • WFH Diaries
    • Best Social Media Brands
      • Best Social Media Brands 2020
      • Best Social Media Brands 2019
      • BSMB – 2018
      • BSMB 2017
    • Decade Samosa
    • Know Your Leader
    • Indian Agency Awards
    • #GirlsWhoSailed
    • Indians Who Went Further
    • Mega Icons
    • Social Samosa 30Under30
      • Social Samosa 30under30 2018
      • Social Samosa 30under30 2016
    • The Lifestyle Influencer Awards
    • Social Media Superwomen
      • Superwomen 2018
      • Superwomen 2017
      • Superwomen 2016
    • Road to 2021
    • Events
    • Samosa Family
      • Media Samosa
      • Social Ketchup
      • Local Samosa
      • Jobs.socialsamosa.com
  • Jobs
  • Social Ketchup
  • Media Samosa
  • Local Samosa
Social Samosa
Social Samosa
  • News
    • Fresh
    • Indian Social Media
    • Social Media Platforms
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Youtube
      • Twitter
      • LinkedIn
      • Snapchat
      • Pinterest
      • Clubhouse
      • TikTok
    • Industry Updates
  • Social Media Campaigns
    • Social Media Campaign Spot
    • Samosa Snippets
    • Social Media Campaign Feature
    • Social Media Campaign Reviews
    • Social Media Campaign Face-off
    • Social Media Case Studies
    • Social Media Strategy Reviews
  • Industry Connect
    • Interviews
    • Agency Spotlight
    • Tool Spotlight
    • Agency Feature
    • Platform Feature
    • Tool Feature
    • Brand Managers
    • Advertising, Digital and Marketing Courses
    • Experts Speak
  • Brand Saga
  • #SocialThrowback
  • Topical Spot
  • More
    • #SSIPLWatch
    • Samosa Talks
    • WFH Diaries
    • Best Social Media Brands
      • Best Social Media Brands 2020
      • Best Social Media Brands 2019
      • BSMB – 2018
      • BSMB 2017
    • Decade Samosa
    • Know Your Leader
    • Indian Agency Awards
    • #GirlsWhoSailed
    • Indians Who Went Further
    • Mega Icons
    • Social Samosa 30Under30
      • Social Samosa 30under30 2018
      • Social Samosa 30under30 2016
    • The Lifestyle Influencer Awards
    • Social Media Superwomen
      • Superwomen 2018
      • Superwomen 2017
      • Superwomen 2016
    • Road to 2021
    • Events
    • Samosa Family
      • Media Samosa
      • Social Ketchup
      • Local Samosa
      • Jobs.socialsamosa.com

Interview: Neliswa Nkani on South African Tourism’s marketing plan for 2021

  • Best Of 2021
  • Interviews
Jan 5, 2021
Neliswa Nkani

In conversation with Social Samosa, South African Tourism’s Neliswa Nkani talks about their marketing strategy against the pandemic’s impact on tourism and the road ahead through 2021.

Stronger after facing and braving the punches thrown at them by the pandemic, global tourism organisations are positive about growth and business in 2021. It’s almost a tool to attract good vibes and pass them on to the patrons. Marketing will thus play a crucial role in the endeavours, as can be seen in the case of South African Tourism. Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head – MEISEA, South African Tourism explains to us how consumer campaigns, media, and influencer advocacy, as well as engaging easy-to-consume content on owned and earned, digital, print, and electronic platforms, will be key to their plans and strategies going forward.

Now that you have opened up for international travellers, what are some of the key selling points you would be highlighting in your marketing communication?  

Our marketing and communication approach is extremely focused and targeted – we are looking at maintaining a consumer-centric approach, while also building trust and aspiration, and instilling confidence in consumers intending to travel. Consumers will seek assurance and human guidance as they consider and plan to travel. They should be made well aware of all processes and requirements by the destination or transfer facilities, in order to avoid a mismatch in expectations and allow for smooth journeys.  

Towards this, we launched our Complete Confidence campaign, where we released a series of videos showcasing precautionary measures employed by the destination. These efforts intended to reassure and invite tourists. The videos were shot keeping in mind social distancing norms, making for easy digital guides and information sources.

We are additionally looking at videos highlighting safety regulations for MICE (meetings,  incentives, conventions, and events) experiences, and curating videos displaying precautions that travellers can expect at various other transit touchpoints including international and domestic airports, and car rentals. Car rentals are expected to play an important role in the tourism ecosystem, as a larger number of travellers are turning to self-drives for the assurance of privacy and safety. 

People who do visit would do so after a lot of planning and efforts and there is bound to be some anxiety in regards to safety. How do you plan to ensure their efforts would be worth it despite it all? How would this change the way you look at USP of these experiences? 

In South Africa, we remain committed to the safety and health of our visitors. Over the last few months, a lot of consultative work and focus has been placed on both, de-risking the sector and putting health & operational protocols in place for the safety of all tourists and employees.

With regards to experiences, I think South Africa has plenty of USPs for the evolved and cautious post-Covid traveller. For example, the appeal of a safari holiday has increased given its natural ability to support social distancing. The seclusion from concrete jungles, fresh air, and the wilderness – all aid in the perfect social distancing experience. Travel consultants are now helping couples, families and small groups plan private and safe vacations to luxury game lodges. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by South African Tourism (@meetsouthafrica)

Given that travellers are predicted to seek offbeat destinations, with good connectivity and a large number of activities within confined areas, we’re also looking at heavily promoting our New Regions. For the next couple of months, travellers can enter through cities that have restored international connectivity, so either through the Mother City – Cape Town, Johannesburg or  Durban, and use these cities as a gateway to the rest of these picturesque new regions, including the stunning and relatively unexplored Port Elizabeth, Robertson, West Coast, the Drakensberg in  KwaZulu-Natal, Panorama Route (Mpumalanga) and Garden Route. 

How is India different from other global markets in terms of consumer behaviour and expectations and the marketing communication you have to design in order to tackle these concerns and aspirations? How has it changed because of the pandemic? 

Indian travellers are resilient, with a large appetite for travel and new experiences. They may,  however, now choose to travel differently – the industry can expect to see a rise in FITs, demands for drivecations, and flexible booking dates. 

In India, experience-seeking millennials, HNIs and the family-oriented middle-class segments are anticipated to be the driving force behind leisure travel recovery, while MICE travel can be expected to recover early next year albeit with smaller group sizes. These travellers are now actively seeking safety assurance and good deals – and the competitive pricing edge that South Africa has over most other long-haul international destinations will go a long way in aiding travel conversions. 

What were some of the key challenges you faced as a tourism sector brand when it came to keeping the marketing communication and momentum going despite negligible gains during the lockdown period?  

During the lockdown period, we noticed an increase in screen time by our consumers, and hence promoted virtual tourism in a big way in order to keep our audiences engaged and continue to remain top-of-mind. We believe that virtual reality can be used as an effective destination brochure. It allows consumers a look and feel of the product, and aids in building aspiration – all at no cost to the consumers! 

For example, Kruger National Park, Ulusaba Private Game Reserve and several other national parks are offering virtual LIVE safaris to viewers from across the world. Theses virtual shows enable you to interact with an expert game ranger in real-time! Safari vehicles, guides on foot,  drones, balloons, rovers and remote cams all roam the terrains of South Africa, to bring the best possible safari viewing experience to homes. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by South African Tourism (@meetsouthafrica.india)

During the lockdown, we were constantly communicating with key travel agents and tour operators directly through two-way knowledge exchange webinars. South African Tourism India was invested in virtually training over 150 trade each week – across all travel verticals. We have also been constantly engaging with consumers, corporate CEOs and MICE  leaders to understand consumer travel sentiment firsthand. 

We used digital mediums to educate our trade partners, who ultimately sell the destination. SA Specialist, our fun and interactive online learning programme, has witnessed an increase in the number of Indian travel trade undertaking the training, as trade agents are using the lockdown period to upskill and reskill themselves. 

Do you feel there will be a pent up demand for tourism as cities and countries go through unlock? How do you plan to leverage it? What would be your marketing strategy look like going forward? 

Yes, definitely – there is a pent-up demand for travel. Our travel trade partners tell us that Indians are raring to travel. We are already seeing plenty of interest and queries for destination South Africa, especially from Indian business and leisure travellers. At South African Tourism, we expect to see Indian traffic to the destination early in 2021, subject to border restrictions and connectivity. 

The pandemic has taught us a great deal; people are now more conscious and responsible towards the environment. Travel is changing for the better, and this gives us hope for the future. 

Also Read: Inside: The Singapore Tourism Board content strategy to nurture post-pandemic travel plans

We anticipate that the immersive travel trend will continue in a post-Covid world, with a greater focus on sustainability. This means that travellers will be more conscious of where they spend their money, what kind of accommodation they choose, where they dine, and how they travel locally.  

At South African Tourism, we have enhanced efforts to make our itineraries, properties and  transport facilities more sustainable. We also intend to market our sustainable product offerings  and ecotourism experiences, like cycling tours, nature safaris, conservation projects and rural  experiences. 

How significant were influencers for the tourism sector during the pandemic? How would the dynamics change in 2021? 

Travel has been and always will be about people and experiences. This means that personal, visual elements go a long way in building aspiration. Influencers bring in that intimate, anecdotal touch and it works, because everyone loves a good travel story!  

Influencers across various media segments and walks of life will be a crucial part of our marketing  mix in 2021, as they build destination familiarity and re-instill consumer confidence in travel. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by South African Tourism (@meetsouthafrica.india)

What are some of the key consumer concerns that would be a priority for you to tackle in your marketing communication going forward?

We are aware of the effect the pandemic has on the global economy, and have been repackaging accordingly, with the intent to offer consumers’ excellent deals and discounts. Safety measures are transparent and well-communicated and have been factored into overall packages so that there is no surprise or extra-cost to travellers. In addition, attractive currency exchange rates make South Africa a lucrative, value for money long-haul destination. There are alluring experience options for both – the high-end planner and those on a budget.  

We are also in conversation with several airlines to figure out how we can best optimize and reduce travel costs – this will be a huge selling point for the destination. 

Prior to the pandemic, we announced the rolling out of e-visas for the India market. While pilot runs were ongoing, the pandemic hit us, thus delaying the process. We want to assure Indian travellers that we are focused on issuing e-visas as soon as possible, as we want to make it as easy as possible for Indians to come to South Africa. 

You may also like:

There’s no pride in coming up with an idea, it's more about execution than planning: Sai Ganesh
[Interview] Crocs India's Bhavna Tewari on the brand's social footprint
Classical thumris to rap: Pranaay on the nuances of composing music for Ads
Golden rule for brands is to keep consumer’s wants at the core: Kedar Apte, Castrol India
From team to metrics, top of the funnel & bottom of the funnel are kept separate at SUGAR: Kaushik M...
Meet Vitamin Stree, reshaping the narrative of young women

Comments

Previous article
#RoadTo2021: 5 Trends that will influence Native Advertising in India 2021
Next article
#OreoPlayPledge: Ziva makes advertorial debut with dad Dhoni
Jagruti Verma
Jagruti is a mass media student in search for all things perfect. A lover of stories, book worlds and signs, she can find magic in almost everything she sees, reads and writes.

SIMILAR ARTICLES

Sameer Seth

Co-marketing is a marketer’s delight: Sameer Seth

Jan 31, 2023
Sukhleen Aneja

Glamming up for 2023: Sukhleen Aneja shares MyGlamm’s marketing game plan for the year

Jan 30, 2023
Prerna Uppal

Experiential Marketing came back with vengeance after COVID-19: Prerna Uppal

Jan 24, 2023
Anuj Gosalia

AI will change a writer’s role; it will be more about supervision than writing: Anuj Gosalia

Jan 20, 2023
Ruchika Varma

Organisations need to make inclusion their central agenda: Ruchika Varma

Jan 19, 2023
experiential marketing

Chaitanya Mathur on Zomato’s history of experiential marketing

Jan 2, 2023
Aditya Mehendale

India’s storytelling potential is underutilised on the global map: Aditya Mehendale

Dec 13, 2022
Shrenik Gandhi

Relevance is key to ensuring longer shelf-life of campaigns: Shrenik Gandhi

Dec 13, 2022

INDIAN SOCIAL MEDIA

Meta’s new Rights Manager website helps curb copyright infringement

Jan 30, 2023

Opinion: With changes at Twitter & Facebook, how to approach social media marketing

Jan 25, 2023

Instagram updates: Quiet Mode, personalization & more

Jan 23, 2023

Social Samosa Superwomen 2023: Nominations open now!

Jan 18, 2023

Road to 2023: AI, social commerce & regional content – How Social Media will shape up

Jan 17, 2023

Opinion: Social change led by MarTech & the way forward

Jan 10, 2023

Road to 2023: Blogging trends to look out for

Jan 5, 2023

[Download] Social Samosa unveils Social Media Calendar 2023

Jan 4, 2023

Road to 2023: A year of inclusive marketing for the BFSI sector

Jan 3, 2023

Social Throwback 2022: The year of revenge & revival in India’s travel industry

Dec 29, 2022

Social Throwback 2022: The changing face of FMCG advertising & packaging

Dec 29, 2022

Social Throwback 2022: Metaverse campaigns that married commerce with creativity

Dec 27, 2022
© 2019 Social Samosa
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Authors
  • Contact Us
  • Contribute
  • Downloads
  • Expert Authors