Indaba 2013 came to a successful close last month with a total of 2,341 local and international buyers attending the show, up three per cent on the numbers who attended last year. The number of independent international buyers attending Indaba 2013 stood at 1,464 compared to 1,370 in 2012. In addition, South African Tourism hosted a further 249 top international buyers at Indaba this year compared to 208 in 2012.
A welcome sight at Indaba was the Indian participation at the show. According to Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager, South African Tourism (SAT), although Indaba’s timing in the year clashes with the Indian market’s busiest travel period, the number of Indian buyers, both hosted by SAT as well as those who pay for themselves, increases year on year.
Around 3,000 formal meetings were scheduled between buyers and exhibitors during the show. The three Speed Marketing Sessions, one of the most acutely focused business elements of INDABA, was oversubscribed on each of the three days. The sessions gave around 200 global buyers considerable insight into the breadth and depth of the heritage and culture attractions and experiences that South Africa offers, as well as to its national parks and wine routes.
Leveraging Heritage and Culture
The focus of Indaba 2013 was it’s first-ever Heritage and Culture Pavilion which was inaugurated by the National Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. Addressing the press at the Pavilion, van Schalkwyk revealed that, when discussing tourism in South Africa last year, Ministry authorities felt the need to introduce new products and niches in the market. In addition, the need was felt for a convention bureau to increase MICE tourism to the country.
“We also said that when a visitor comes to South Africa he wants to experience the authenticity of the destination. And we realised that as South Africans our culture and heritage was an important selling point. We have eight heritage sites recognised by UNESCO. We felt that since we are blessed with these we need to do something more to highlight them. Furthermore, I never realised that the fashion of South Africa was another USP. These are some of the facets we have showcased at this Pavilion,” he said.
The Minister also made an announcement about the country’s first ever National Tourism Awards, designed to recognise and felicitate excellence in tourism, and encourage growth and new talent. “Over the years, we have had different institutions hosting their own awards. But these were not coordinated and sometimes they overlapped. We felt the need to consolidate all of these and introduce new categories. We want the industry to continue to improve in standards and create new role models for youth that want new career options,” he stated. The Awards, named the Lilizela, will be held in September 2013 with five categories.
CEO Breakfast
South African Airways (SAA) and SAT jointly hosted a CEO Breakfast during the course of Indaba to highlight their growth so far and their plans for further improvements. Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer, SAT started by lauding Indaba on its rapid growth. He further added that SAT and SAA have a responsibility to increase tourism to South Africa. “SAT did not have enough money to market the destination, so we looked for partners to invest in destination marketing. The results of these efforts show in the tourism numbers we have been receiving. Our focus in emerging markets reflect in SAA’s forecasts as well. Wherever we see potential, SAA is behind us. For instance, the new Beijing direct flights have increased our Chinese footfall by 53 per cent, making them the fourth largest market last year,” he said.
Manoj Papa, Acting GM-Commercial, SAA commented that the airline focuses on reinventing itself and facing challenges. He stated that most of the carrier’s expenditure is in US$ while the revenue is in SAR, making the aviation scenario in South Africa a challenging one. But he stressed that it did not take away from the importance of the airline. “SAA serves over 1,000 destinations in 153 countries and carries seven mn passengers annually.”
“We have enhanced our product; revisited our flight routes and entered codeshare agreements with Etihad Airways, Air Seychelles and Jet Airways. Our revenue and passenger numbers have increased as a result of these measures. Going forward continued growth is a business imperative. We are relocating to T2 at the Mumbai International Airport and have acquired a new slot in Heathrow Airport,” he added. Sajid Khan, Country Manager – India, SAA stated that flights to the country out of Delhi are definitely on the cards once the Mumbai operations are consolidated.
