This became clear during three webinars hosted by SA Tourism over the past two weeks. The aim of these webinars - which drew between 700 and 2 000 participants each time - is to assist SA Tourism in developing a recovery plan for the industry.
For Jon Howell, CEO AviaDev Africa, who facilitated the webinars, the lockdown brings an opportunity to reset and reinvent what the tourism industry offers and to use digital platforms in the process. For Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, founder of Destinate, the focus should be on what South Africans would want once the lockdown is lifted.
She suggests tourism businesses use the lockdown period to share their stories on social media platforms, not in an attempt to advertise or sell to an audience, but to make genuine connections. "We must offer good deals to local travellers. They would want to initially visit places they can easily reach by car. We must make travel affordable for our local people again," he emphasised.
Fin24 Yes, tourists can’t wait to get robbed the minute they get off the plane
Fin24 How the hell is that going to happen? no work no job no money