Marketing Update
This quarter, we have continued to promote the KZN South Coast as a premier beach destination, highlighting the fact that we retain the highest number of Blue Flag Beaches in the province, with abundant outdoor adventure experiences on land and in the water. The Sardine Run was a major drawcard for our winter tourism, with a focus on September as Heritage and Tourism Month allowing us to feature the great hinterland tours and experiences.
Marketing Campaigns
Uncover Adventure has been our overriding message, with the quarterly campaigns tying in with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s theme of Tourism and Green Investment – Investing in people, planet and prosperity.
1. Tourism Awareness Campaign
This is an internal campaign that encourages our residents and local businesses to be proud ambassadors of the KZN South Coast, particularly in the run-up to Tourism Month. Our beautiful beaches, hinterland experiences, and warm communities are all important promotional tools we’ve shared. The fantastic work done by Tidy Towns is commended and the benefit of such private-public partnerships is also central to this campaign.
2. #buylocal Campaign
The Tourism Awareness Campaign also ties in well with the #buylocal messaging which encourages support for our local businesses to create a more resilient economy. This is an integrated campaign with our investment arm, encouraging support for local businesses that have signed up as Buy Local members.
3. #greatestshoalonearth Campaign
Finally, the long-awaited Sardine Run arrived! This is one of our biggest annual tourism attractions and we kept the public updated on all our social media platforms, as well as in the mainstream media. The #greatestshoalonearth is the perfect way to further market our Blue Flag Beaches, dive sites, and other tourism offerings.
3. #extendyourstay Campaign
Promoting the KZN South Coast as a year-round holiday destination is vital for our tourism economy. This continues to be supported through the #extendyourstay digital campaign which showcases our ‘Member Specials‘ on the destination site as well as social media posts. Peak times like the Easter holidays and public holidays are ideal for encouraging extended vacation time.
Activations
The Sardine Winter Festival
From 16 June to 16 July, holidaymakers were welcomed to various beachside and hinterland locations where they enjoyed family-friend activities. Organised by One Way Productions and supported by SCTIE, the Sardine Winter Festival was promoted via traditional and social media platforms. Holidaymakers were also encouraged to share pictures of themselves in the Margate Beach selfie frame for further exposure.
Media Fam Trips
KZN has the Warmest Winters & Best Beach Experience Media Fam Trip
From 9 to 10 June, we launched the winter campaign alongside Tourism KZN (TKZN) which welcomed the media to explore the KZN South Coast. It was a fun-filled weekend that showcased our diverse tourism offerings on land and water, with the weather proving why we’re a year-round holiday destination. The trip included a horse ride at Selsdon Park Estate, an ocean safari with Offshore Adventures, extreme adventures with Wild 5 Adventures and shisanyama at Senzi’s on Faya.
Walk4Africa Fam Trip
We were delighted to welcome The Fossil (aka Desmond Langkilde) and his rescue husky, Jaxx, from Walk4Africa.org who are on a charity expedition raising funds for the SPCA and Husky Rescue South Africa. They stopped in at The Waffle House in Ramsgate on 20 July, which is renowned for its delicious waffles and for being a pet-friendly establishment.
South Coast Culinary Experience and Cappello’s Port Shepstone Grand Media Fam Trip
We played host to local media while celebrating the launch of Cappello’s Restaurant in Port Shepstone on 26 and 27 August. This media fam trip, organised by TIKZN, was an opportunity to showcase both our tourism and investment offerings.
New Tourism Packages
Beach-to-Beach Tour Package Launch
Media representatives, tour guides and other stakeholders were invited to experience part of the 38km Beach-to-Beach Adventure Hike at the official launch on 23 June. This is a guided hike extending from Port Edward to St Michael’s beaches and was launched to coincide with our world-famous Sardine Run as well as the annual humpback whale migration. The journey starts with the Sao Joao Portuguese Monument before heading to Glenmore Beach where remains of the Nightingale Shipwreck can be viewed. Hikers cross our beaches, lagoons, estuaries, coastal forests and grasslands, with sightings of animals and seabirds. There are a number of Blue Flag Beaches on the route, as well as one of our three Marine Protected Areas – Trafalgar.
