On-ground events such as ‘Learn SA’ assists the tourism board in setting the ground for aligning trade partners, says the statement
Buoyed by the strong performance in the Indian market, that grew by over 80 in the first six months of current year over the same period in the previous year, South African Tourism has kickstarted its 2023 edition of ‘Learn South Africa’, its destination training programme aimed at the Indian travel trade professionals.
In a press statement, South African Tourism says that over 200 travel agents participated in the first such programme of the current year, that was conducted in New Delhi on Tuesday. The board says that in line with the tourism board’s strategy to surpass pre-pandemic arrival numbers by the end of the year, the hallmark travel trade training session ‘Learn SA’ is aimed at equipping travel agents with the finest tools to sell the destination effectively.
In efforts to propel the strong travel momentum witnessed during the initial six months of 2023, after Delhi, the 6-city training session will be conducted in Pune on October 5, Kochi on October 12, Indore on October 18, Surat on October 26 and Jaipur on November 1.
It adds that on-ground events such as ‘Learn SA’ assists the tourism board in setting the ground for aligning trade partners with the board’s well-developed strategy to boost growth and attract Indian travellers to the Rainbow Nation.
According to South African Tourism, India is currently the sixth largest international source market for South Africa and believes that the country has a significant role to play when it comes to the prospering tourism landscape of South Africa. In Delhi, the workshop garnered the participation of over 200 trade partners. Further, for this year’s edition of ‘Learn SA,’ more than 1,000 trade partners are expected to be in attendance from all over India. The 9th edition of ‘Learn SA’ focuses on novel activities, unexplored provinces, and hidden gems of South Africa.
Neliswa Nkani
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Indian trade fraternity for being a part of this workshop and playing a pivotal role in its success. Their enthusiasm, dedication, and eagerness to learn more about South Africa has not only elevated this initiative but laid the foundation for enduring partnerships that will continue to grow in the years to come. This year, through our collaborative efforts, we have witnessed a significant growth in tourism from India and it further reinforces my belief that this is only the beginning. It will be our endeavour to innovate and to explore newer avenues of association by expanding such programs to tier-2 and tier-3 cities of the Indian market,” says Neliswa Nkani, Hub Head, Middle East, India and South-East Asia, South African Tourism.
The tourism board says that Delhi has been amongst the top three Indian markets for South African Tourism. The destination has been seeing an increased preference from leisure as well as business travellers from India thereby contributing to the flourishing footfalls. In addition, South Africa continues to emerge as a prime location for MICE initiatives by Indian corporates. During the first half of 2023, MICE accounted for 29 pc of total Indian arrivals to South Africa, while business travel comprised 23 pc of the overall inbound traffic.
Owing to its novel initiatives and collaborative efforts throughout the year, the South African Tourism has witnessed over 80 pc growth in arrivals from January–July 2023 in comparison to the same period last year. South African Tourism is deeply invested in India as part of their long-term global strategy, and it is one of the top-3 focus markets for the tourism board globally.
