Putting Africa on the Map
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Transcript of Putting Africa on the Map
PUTTING AFRICA ON THE MAP
25th & 26th October 2010
Cape Town E- Tourism Conference
Our Industry is in Distress
Global Economy
Local Currencies are strong
Expensive Destination
Technology Changing the Rules
Opportunity for Growth
Africa has only 4% of global travel
– this must grow!!!
Use technology to:-
Educate (public & industry)
Entice and Encourage more travelers
Make it simpler to sell our products
Make it easy to Book
Access new markets
Tourism in Transition
Over 80% of Travel begins online
Largest Online Commodity
Content is Critical
Increasing travel spend is online
Increased Transparency
Research is part of the Experience
Tourism in Transition
What does this mean….
Middlemen are being removed• Client – Travel Agent – Tour Operator – Product
• Client – Tour Operator – Product
• Client – Travel Agent – Product
• Client – Product
Tighter Margins
Importance of your Online Presence
e-Marketing is vital
Tourism in Transition
The way forward seems clear ………or is it?
While the global travel industry is has been radically changed this is not the case for Africa where traditional channels are still
intact (although under threat)
Tourism in Transition
Why is the channel still intact• Lack of Education• Lack of Information • Fear of the Unknown• Challenging Infrastructure• Security • Technologically Challenged
Tourism in Transition
My Advice
Support the channels that bring Business
• Provide content and tools to help sell the your product
Understand then Invest in e-Marketing
• Content, Social Media, Blogs, Newsletters, Live Availability,
Manage Online Reputations, etc
E-Marketing
Creating good quality content
Distribute it via as many channels as
possible
&
Ensure that the enquiry/ booking process is as simple & quick as possible.
SmartGuide
We use technology to distribute content in an interactive and engaging manner.
Aggregate Content
Edit it
Distribute it
Geo-locate
Input (Create & Aggregate)
SmartGuide Approach Distribution
Text and Audio
Images
Tourism Organisations(National, Regional, Local)
Map
Tour Operators
Tourism Products(Accommodation, Activities, etc)
Hotel Groups
Marketing Groups
Virtual Tours (360 pictures)
Videos
User Generated (You Tube, Flickr and Reviews)
Travel Agents
Providing a powerful platform that the industry can use to promote Africa
Focus on Mapping
• Maps are central to tourism
• Google Maps are amazing
• Geo-located Information more valuable
• Makes Content very accessible
• Interactive and Engaging • Publishing Platform (instantly updatable)
The Interactive Map
Interactive Map
18 000 Points
Each Icon Carries Content
Images
Videos
Audio
Flickr
Text
360s
Zoom in
Zoom In – The Cape
Geo-Located Guides
Geo-located – relevant
Easy to create / customise
Search Facility
Search for Beaches
Zoom In
Using the Interactive Map
Which one represents and sells the product better ?
Resort Layout vs Interactive Map
Tour Operator Integration
Click on the Link to Map
Tour Operator Integration
Distribution of Content
WebsitesProvides:• Destination / Location Guide • Interactive Experience• Large library of Rich Content
WebsitesProvides:• Destination / Location Guide • Interactive Experience• Large library of Rich Content
Sales AgentsAssists with:• Providing information • Education • Empowering them to Sell• A sales tool
Sales AgentsAssists with:• Providing information • Education • Empowering them to Sell• A sales tool
Social MediaUsed in:• Blogs• Twitter• Facebook
Social MediaUsed in:• Blogs• Twitter• Facebook
Email / DocumentationUses:• Insert in all correspondence• Include in Signature • Attach to Quote / Documentation
Email / DocumentationUses:• Insert in all correspondence• Include in Signature • Attach to Quote / Documentation
The Map
VIRTUAL ITINERARY
Revolutionising the way
travel itineraries are presented
The Virtual Itinerary
Virtual Itinerary
Interactive Virtual Itineraries
• Represent an itinerary in an appealing manner• Provide a spatial understanding• Are interactive & engaging• Allow potential travellers to do in-depth research• Provide depth to an itinerary (Rich Media)• Provide confidence in recommendations• Provide confidence in the itinerary
Virtual Itinerary
The Interactive Virtual Itinerary is a
• Marketing tool• Sales tool• Education tool• Conversion tool
The Virtual Itinerary
Car
Scheduled Flight
Charter Flight
The Virtual Itinerary
The Virtual Itinerary
The Virtual Itinerary
The Virtual Itinerary
Distribution of the Virtual Itinerary
Sample / Scheduled Virtual Itineraries• In websites• In specials • In blogs & social media• In newsletters
Personal Virtual Itineraries• Rapid response teaser• Accompany the standard itinerary / quote
The E-Brochure
eBrochure
Paper Brochures
• Expensive to print (each one costs)
• Expensive to distribute
• Out of Date the day it is printed
• At the right time, it is in the wrong place
• Expensive to develop in different languages
What is an e-Brochure
• mini website built for presentations (content & important info)
• Brings your rich content to the fore
• Easy to distribute (email, social media, specials, newsletter, etc)
• Accessible when needed
• Easily branded by Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Marketing Organizations, etc
• Easy / Cheap to produce in many languages (new markets)
• Measurable
eBrochure
How will it be used
Products • Will distribute it widely to use it to educate, promote and sell their property
• Use it as a way to transfer Content & Information
• Place to put Specials
Tour Operators • Place in digital documentation, quotes & itineraries
• Can quickly send a client the link to a few options
• Carries all the information they need (no need to go back to the product)
• Access Specials
Travel Agents • Replace the traditional brochures
• Provide them with the tools to sell the product
• Present or send to clients
eBrochure
eBrochure
eBrochure
eBrochure
eBrochure
eBrochure
Change of Marketing Focus
SmartGuide had been focusing on providing these tools to Online Tour Operators
New Approach• The real power of the tool is to educate and provide tools to the people in the front line – the Travel Agents
The Travel Agents is still a major player yet• They are hard to market to and hence neglected• Most have limited knowledge on Africa •They receive little or no training on selling Africa
And these are our frontline marketers!!!!
Change of Marketing Focus
The average Travel Agent is • Commission based • Sells what they are confident selling• Sells what they know
SmartGuide’s Tools can • Educate Agents• Increase their confidence • Providing the Agents the tools to compete in the computer age• Help them sell Africa
SmartGuide Portal
The Industry’s One Stop Shop for Content, Information & Sales Tools
Interactive Map
Virtual Itineraries
eBrochure
Specials
Growing Africa’s Share
For Africa to increase it’s share of the travel market it needs you to:-
Embrace the Internet
Assist the Industry to sell Africa