Newsletter | December 2024

SCTIE NEWSLETTER | December 2024

KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE ON THE SOUTH COAST

Dr Vusumuzi Sibiya

CEO of South Coast
Tourism & Investment Enterprise (SCTIE)

I would like to welcome you to our final newsletter of the year, as we prepare for the busiest tourism season on the KZN South Coast. Taking on the role of CEO of South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise has been a positive experience, largely thanks to the exceptional support of my colleagues, our tourism establishments, investment entities, and other stakeholders.

Thank you for such a warm welcome!

I’m looking forward to showcasing the many diverse tourism assets and investment opportunities, while growing this region as a key destination on a global scale. My vision for the KZN South Coast is clear:

•	To expand our tourism sector, increasing visitor numbers and spreading economic benefits across the region.
•	To leverage world-class tourism infrastructure, ensuring our global competitiveness.
•	To diversify our regional investment portfolios by identifying and showcasing lucrative opportunities.

The position of marketing the KZN South Coast as a tourism destination is a privilege, made even more welcome by the fact that the region once again boasts the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the province (read more below). As our holidaymakers seek seaside destinations over the summer holidays, we are sure they will be turning to our shores to meet their needs, encouraged by our messaging that highlights the region’s many holiday attractions (read more HERE).

Working with our local tourism establishments, community organisations, and government departments, we will continue to highlight these and our many other tourism assets, while finding new and exciting ways to entice visitors to the KZN South Coast.

As we begin to welcome holidaymakers on the KZN South Coast, I would like to wish you all safe and happy festive season, and a prosperous 2025!


	Blue Flag Beaches

	The Blue Flag status remains the international gold standard for quality beaches, and on 28 October 2024, it was announced that the KZN South Coast has retained its position of having the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the province.

	The announcement, made by WESSA (The Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa) at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, is a testament to the quality of KZN South Coast beaches, one of our regions biggest tourism attractions and a significant contributor to the local tourism economy.


	New Tourism Packages

	We continue to work with local stakeholders to uncover hidden gems and develop new routes that offer tourists unique KZN South Coast experiences.

	Summer Family Tour Package

	We created the Summer Family Tour Package to meet the trend of outdoor adventure with the family this summer. This comprehensive package includes visits to the Upside Down House, Mac Banana Adventures, The Pont Holiday & Water Sports Resort, and Lake Eland Game Reserve as well as ocean safaris and Selsdon Park Beach horse rides.

TOURISM NETWORKING

We continue to maximise our region’s many tourism assets and latest experiences through in-person trade shows and exhibitions.



Mall Activations		Trade & Media Familiarisation Trips

We had a mall activation at Shelly Centre Mall on 8 November to market the Chilla Nathi Festival which welcomed many supporters on 30 November at St Michaels Beach.		One of the best ways to showcase our incredible tourism assets and packages to the media, tour operators, and other stakeholders is by hosting fam trips.



Summer Event Guide		SAT Speed Marketing

With our many Blue Flag beaches attracting visitors to our shores, we have some great summer season events lined up. These have been uploaded onto our Events page, and shared with media and online. These extend from Christmas markets and shows to our popular Love Summer beach programme which is running from 14 December 2024 to 12 January 2025.		The KZN South Coast continues to shine as a premier destination for business and leisure, with local product owners recently engaging national buyers at the South African Tourism (SAT) Speed Marketing Session held at Pumula Beach Hotel on 18 September 2024.


	Summer Launch & Activation

	The Magical Zulu Kingdom Summertime 2024 launch in November aimed to enhance international and domestic travel, highlighting that tourism opportunities are accessible to all South Africans. Welcoming Reverend Musa Zondi, MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, as the keynote speaker, The KZN South Coast played host to the event which encouraged KZN citizens to explore the beauty of their local environment and promote the value of intra-travel.

MARKETING UPDATE

Our tourism marketing campaign continues to highlight the region’s tourism offerings to a wider audience across print media, online media, television, and radio.



Tourism Awareness Campaign		Buy Local Campaign

This quarter’s theme, ‘Now’s the Time’ has encouraged visitors to act quickly on the many great tourism deals, outdoor experiences, and unique attractions to visit the KZN South Coast.		The #buylocal campaign continues to attract new members and gain more support, particularly in the run-up to the festive season.

PUBLIC RELATIONS UPDATE


	We continue to build and leverage our strong network of media to generate significant positive exposure for the KZN South Coast’s many tourism assets. Through this quarter’s press releases, we have highlighted the region’s many Blue Flag beaches, outdoor experiences, MICE destinations, festive season events, and more, with coverage garnered through local and national publications, networks, and stations.

ADVERTISING UPDATE


	The affordability and vast exposure offered on digital platforms have seen SCTIE leveraging this format over the past year. With smartphones the preferred tool for consuming news and information, we can reach our target audience in real-time, with clear and impactful messaging.

DIGITAL MEDIA UPDATE


	Our continuously updated websites and digital assets, featuring advanced functionality and user-friendly navigation, provide visitors with real-time, relevant information directly to their devices. By ensuring all platforms are regularly refreshed with the latest updates, we deliver accurate, engaging content that encourages direct interaction, enhancing our communication and marketing effectiveness.



	Buy Local Campaign		Social Media

	The Buy Local Campaign is gaining traction by leveraging social media, push notifications, and digital tools to promote new tourism members and encourage local support.		Our data-driven social media strategy has been instrumental in driving awareness and engagement, delivering over 1 million impressions last quarter, growing our audience to more than 14,000 Facebook (Meta) followers, and driving significant cross-platform engagement.



	Website		Push Notifications

	The SCTIE website continues to evolve as a central hub for regional tourism. Key updates include the expansion of the ‘Specials & More’ page, improvements to the ‘Events Calendar’, and enhanced user-friendly navigation for local, national, and international tourists.		Our Push Notification strategy has doubled its impact since the last quarter. By focusing not only on events, blogs, and milestones, but also on specific tourism features and attractions, we’ve significantly boosted audience engagement both online and offline.

	Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

	Our enhanced SEO strategies continue to drive growth in website traffic and visibility. Using optimised content tailored to search algorithms and user intent, we’ve achieved improved organic rankings and online engagement.



	SCTIE Event Calendar & Guide		Database Management

	Our digital Events Guide & Calendar has become an indispensable resource for showcasing the vibrant array of happenings on the KZN South Coast. This quarter, we’ve expanded our listings to include more festivals, community events, and seasonal celebrations, particularly during the busy summer months.		By maintaining up-to-date online listings through monthly POPI-compliant push notifications, internal mailers, and communications, visitors can easily access accurate information for contacting operators, making bookings, and exploring accommodations, adventures, products, and services.

	Blog & Explore the KZN South Coast App

	Our Blog remains a vital tool for sharing fresh and engaging content with our audience while attracting new visitors. Coupled with continuous updates to the ‘Explore KZN South Coast’ app, we’ve ensured both platforms are aligned and updated through an integrated CMS, which offers convenient features such as Google Maps integration, contact options for operators, and real-time information on events and specials.

DEVELOPMENT UPDATE


	One of our key roles is developing and supporting our sustainable tourism initiatives while upskilling our local communities. Through this, we are growing our tourism economy and creating a more inclusive tourism economy that extends into the rural areas. This quarter, we have undertaken several projects to bring our youth and rural communities into mainstream tourism.

	Product Development

	The KwaXolo Caves Adventures is currently under construction with new facilities being built, including a restaurant and a 106km zipline, to enhance rural tourism and create local employment opportunities. The upgrade is set for completion by April 2025, however, the site continues to welcome tourists to explore the caves and walk across the suspension bridge.



	SMME Support		Youth Support

	On 21 August 2024, in partnership with South African Tourism (SAT), we conducted a virtual training for 41 SMMEs on how to market their tourism businesses, including techniques and demonstrations.		Tourism World Academy was appointed by the Department of Higher Education and Training to implement the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Project on behalf of the National Skills Fund (NSF).

Keep Updated

There is always so much happening on the KZN South Coast! Please feel free to share our newsletter with other interested parties and encourage them to sign up for updates. Please also submit any specials, events, images and blog content for digital marketing to info@sctie.co.za.

We’ve made it easy for people to sign up for our mailers via email communication and the website so everyone is updated with relevant information.

	If you haven’t already, be sure to download the free ‘Explore KZN South Coast’ app from Google Play and Apple app stores. We urge you to encourage visitors to also download the app for regular updates on our tourism offerings. Information can also be found by visiting South Coast Tourism on Facebook; South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise on YouTube; @infosouthcoast on Twitter or Instagram; sctiekznsouthcoast on TikTok; Info Ugu South Coast Tourism on LinkedIn; the SCTIE website to check out the Events Calendar, the KZN South Coast Meeting Planner Guide and more! Watch why KZN South Coast is a top tourism destination here. And click here to check out previous SCTIE press releases.

	To find out more about the KZN South Coast’s investment opportunities, contact 039 682 7944, email info@sctie.co.za or visit www.investkznsouthcoast.co.za.