As a part of its aim to attract 100,000 inbound travellers from India by the end of the year, South African Tourism (SAT) has returned with its 2024 edition of the ‘Learn South Africa’ initiative. 

In a press statement, South African Tourism says that the flagship travel trade training workshop, which will be entering the Tier-2 and Tier-3 outbound tourism markets of India, will enlighten the tourism board’s travel partners with renewed strategy and equip them with tools to market the Rainbow Nation effectively. 

SAT says that in recent years there has been a strong uptick in the number of arrivals from India to South Africa. 

Capitalising on this momentum and in efforts to target emerging markets from the country, South African Tourism’s 3-city destination workshop is set to commence in Chandigarh on September 27, followed by Nagpur on November 8 and Kochi on December 13. 

The tourism board says that the workshop not only enables the tourism board to share its learnings with the travel trade fraternity but also support its partners in overcoming any obstacles they experience while promoting the destination.

SAT says that India, which is among the top three focus markets for South African Tourism, is also a potential inbound market for South Africa’s long term goals.

The board says that it has a strong foothold across key metro cities and is observing a trend of rising discretionary spendings from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of India.

SAT says in light of this, it is vital for the tourism board to continually target newer markets to uphold the increased inclination towards international travel. 

It adds that programmes such as ‘Learn SA’ are instrumental in projecting the Rainbow Nation as a premier leisure and MICE destination.

Aligning with South African Tourism’s objective of encouraging equitable spread of tourism across the country, the ‘Learn South Africa’ workshops will continue to focus on promoting lesser-known tourism destination, beyond the mainstream tourist areas of Johannesburg and Cape Town, the statement adds. 

It says that this strategy enables the travel partners in offering unique itineraries to discerning Indian consumers who prefer exploring newer geographies across provinces such as Mpumalanga, Free State and Limpopo.

Gcobani Mancotywa

“We are thrilled to bring the 10th edition of “Learn South Africa” to India, marking a significant milestone for us. At South African Tourism, our mission is to welcome an increasing number of Indian travellers to the Rainbow Nation each year, which also means expanding our reach into new target markets,” says Gcobani Mancotywa, Regional General Manager for Asia, Australasia, and the Middle East, South African Tourism.

“This year, we are extending our flagship training program to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of India with appearances at Chandigarh, Nagpur, and Kochi, empowering our travel trade partners in these regions. By highlighting South Africa’s diverse offerings beyond Cape Town and Johannesburg, we aim equip our trade partners with knowledge and expertise in crafting unique and memorable itineraries while also encouraging Indian travellers to explore lesser-known provinces of South Africa,” adds Mancotywa.

The statement adds that the 10th edition of Learn SA is expected to train over 600 trade partners across three cities. 

Marking its third activation in the current year, events such as Learn SA, Corporate Think Tank and the Annual India Roadshow 2024 are a testament to the tourism board’s commitment to the Indian travellers and the Indian market. SAT adds.