The Western Cape government launched the first phase of its international tourism campaign called “We Are Open” to encourage German business and leisure travellers to “Soweit weg fuhlen” (“get that faraway feeling”) by booking their next trip to Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier said with the arrival of the first international travellers last week, it is important that Cape Town and the Western Cape is front-of-mind for visitors planning their next trip.
"As one of our only key source markets for leisure travel that can now visit South Africa under the risk-based approach regulating international travel, German travellers can once again take advantage of the Western Cape’s warm culture, pristine weather and abundance of natural assets.
"It’s no secret that the German market has been in a long-distance relationship with the Western Cape for quite some time with well over 129 000 tourists from Germany visiting the Western Cape in 2019.
"Our ’We Are Open’ campaign, which was launched at the end of August and which was initially targeted at domestic tourists, was designed to be adaptive for the uncertain environment that we are currently operating in as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
The campaign is expanded for international visitors, starting with a first phase targeted at the German market and which will be followed by other markets in later phases.
The digitally-led campaign will highlight popular outdoor activities relevant to the target market and show them in the context of the unique wide-open spaces we have to offer in the Western Cape, and which are sought after in the Covid-19 world. The campaign will also include in-market events led by Maynier and a small delegation from Wesgro.
"We have worked hard to ensure that Cape Town and the Western Cape is safe for travellers and ready to welcome international visitors for our summer season. Following months of being confined in homes and restricted from travelling, the Western Cape offers weary travellers the ultimate cure from 2020’s cabin fever. Especially now – as more and more holiday-makers shy away from over-tourism, maddening crowds and congested subways and trams, there’s never been a better destination to enjoy," he said.
The Western Cape boasts 33 blue-flag beaches, over 22 protected nature reserves, thousands of kilometres of hiking trails, over 400 000 square kilometres of semi-desert and 20 wine routes.
Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris said the province is ready to welcome the world back safely and responsibly.
"Europe has and always will be an important market for us as they are familiar with our world-class local tourism products and well-priced with our favourable exchange rate. We look forward to welcoming back the German market which we believe will have a positive economic impact on our local tourism sector,” he said.