KwaZulu-Natal, on the East Coast of South Africa, is currently exhibiting at this year’s International Tourismus Börse (ITB Berlin), in Germany which takes place from today March 7 to 9 March 2023, as it goes all out to grow it German speaking markets to the province which has it all.
ITB Berlin is a premier travel trade show which gathers together the who’s who of the travel industry and is attended by over 180 countries, 10 000 exhibitors and attracts over 50 000 visitors.
The German speaking market is a major tourist source market for South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). It is the third biggest international traveller source market for South Africa and the second biggest international market for KZN after the UK. KwaZulu-Natal attracted 14 418 German visitors in 2022 who spent R232 million in the province.
“TKZN is making every effort to regain and rebuild the province’s international tourism market, decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end we have been engaging with top operators from various European countries to lock deals that will bring international tourists to the province to popular tourist destinations such as the Drakensberg, Isimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Park. Mkuze Game Reserve and the many other game parks in Northern KZN. We are also engaging with international media as they help us to get the message out there,” said Pinky Radebe TKZN Senior PR and Communications Manager.
International tourism is important if we are to rebuild the KZN tourism sector and the province’s economy because international tourists tend to stay longer and spend more than domestic tourists. Last year (2022) 554 156 international travellers visited KZN, they stayed on average 11 nights each and generated income for the year of 4,2bn.
“International travel exhibitions are an important part of international tourism marketing. They enable tourism destinations to engage directly with international buyers and tour operators who are responsible for bringing tourists to each destination. The show is attended by thousands of international buyers, and for us to position KZN as a global player, it is important that we are where key decisions are made.
“TKZN will use this platform to establish new contacts, meet with key partners within this market, negotiate new destination listings, showcase new products and developments and source new joint marketing opportunities.
“Relationships are critical in the tourism sector, and it is important to stay on top of our game keep constantly engage with partners on new developments and changes that are taking place in the province. For instance, we now have a regional flight to Mkuze airport which makes it much easier for international visitors, landing in Johannesburg, to fly directly to their safari destination in northern KZN,” said Radebe.
TKZN will also use this as an opportunity to identify potential hosted buyers to be part of the pre- and post-event educational programmes in the province prior to this year’s Africa Travel Indaba which will take place at the Durban ICC from 9 to 11 May.