IGNORE DIGITAL PROGRESS AT YOUR PERIL
THERE was a time when planning a holiday was a daunting project, with information on diverse tourism offerings not easily available.
But travelling anywhere these days is just a click away, usually preceded by Trip Advisor searches and recommendations. A savvy potential tourist checks to see what other people have to say about their experiences before booking.
Businesses which therefore deliver exceptional service to their guests can only benefit, as the power of the digital space runs supreme.
Digitalisation was the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) theme for 2018. And that’s why we at Tourism Kwazulu-natal are encouraging the tourism trade, particularly emerging tourism enterprises, to embrace it.
When tourism businesses go digital, they can gain important insights on what consumers look for when making travel decisions, and can package their offerings to be in line with market trends, ensuring business growth and sustainability.
A new, independent, global study has revealed that nearly half of travellers in South Africa were now using voice search to research their next trip, more than those in Australia, Germany and Japan.
Travellers were also shown to rely heavily on their smartphones. Almost 50% research and book their trips entirely via their mobile device.
When on holiday, on average, travellers in South Africa use 11 different categories of apps, higher than the global average of nine.
Tourism KZN has long realised the power of digitalisation in our own marketing programmes. We have embraced advancements in the digital world and have been making strides in smart technology.
We have introduced a KZN Travel App which is helping travellers and visitors to navigate their way around the province with ease. It is a free app and can be downloaded via Google Play and istore.
Using the power of the internet, our website (www.zulu. org.za) enables users to explore the province’s tourism offerings, including the hidden gems of our region, while our DOKZN domestic destination marketing campaign provides an array of packages that demonstrate how affordable exploring KZN truly is.
Stepping up the technology yet further, we have introduced a Virtual Reality experience for visitors to our consumer shows allowing potential tourists to experience, digitally, some of our attractions before they visit.
Phindile Makwakwa is the acting chief executive of Tourism Kwazulu-natal.