Read all about the South Coast

GAUTENG residents are hearing – and reading – all about the South Coast’s many attractions as a holiday destination.

According to Ugu South Coast Tourism’s marketing specialist Nikki Tilley, her organisation has allocated a significant amount of its resources to a progressive marketing strategy aimed at the important Gauteng market and at potential visitors from other provinces. The South Coast is marketed as the ‘Paradise of the Zulu Kingdom’.

Recently the South Coast Herald and the tourism team produced a 16-page tourism supplement, `Walk Into Paradise’. The 150 000 copies that were printed, which are expected to be reach about 375 000 readers, were inserted into 11 community newspapers in Gauteng. They will also be handed out at various trade and consumer shows like Pietermaritzburg’s Royal Show, Gauteng’s Rand Easter Show, the Cape Getaway and Indaba. The supplements will be available at all tourism offices and at key marketing events and functions.

Part of the new marketing strategy consists of a more strategic focus on social media and to this end the supplement has been digitised into an e-magazine. It is available on the KwaZulu-Natal looklocal website, which attracts a significant number of unique visitors to the site monthly. Looklocal is also connected to 43 additional websites. Given that the web offers no geographic boundaries, the supplement will reach a far greater number of potential visitors than the print copy readers.

As well as the print and electronic media, the tourism team is using radio to promote the area. In addition to its bi-monthly slots on Ugu Youth Radio and Radio Sunny South, it has secured a five-minute interview on Radio Laeveld’s breakfast show twice a month. Ukhozi Radio will also work closely with the tourism team. With 7.7-million listeners nationally the radio reaches a growing tourism market with cash to spend. Furthermore, Metro FM, which attracts approximately 6-million listeners, will fly the South Coast flag soon.

The sunny South Coast will also be featured on television. Recently the tourism team has come to an arrangement with Tourism KZN. This area is to be featured in a television series called ‘Holiday Swap’ that will be filmed later this year and broadcast on SABC. There is even talk of a second television series to follow.

“We are very excited with the new plans. Our five-year plan is certainly an optimistic one but we are achieving and, in some instances, over-achieving our targets. We have a great team. I thank all members, our local area committees, our board, the various municipalities and the media for their contributions and tireless commitment to growing tourism on the South Coast and its hinterland.” said tourism chief executive Justin Mackrory.

“I have been blown away by the vibrancy and energy that exists on the South Coast and about how our campaigns are reaping results. It truly is a privilege to be working in the Paradise of the Zulu Kingdom,” said Nikki.