Cape Town has been steadily marketing itself in the Chinese market since 2007. The city’s efforts have translated into numbers with Chinese annual arrivals to the Western Cape doubling from 2008 to 2010 with 20 724 arrivals in 2008 and 41 532 arrivals in 2010. Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO Cape Town Routes Unlimited, comments: “Next to India, China is the emerging market with everyone scrambling to get a piece of this lucrative market. Since 2007, Cape Town and the Western Cape have aggressively pursued this market.”
Gilfellan says CTRU adopted a three-pronged approach to the Chinese market with targeted media hostings; education of local property owners, service providers and tour operators on the needs of the Chinese market; and attendance at international platforms in the East.
He says that after studying the Chinese markets, it becomes clear that the Chinese trade is interested in the following experiences and products: the West Coast flowers, golf tours, shark-cage diving, experiencing a South African cultural village, motorcycle tours, wine farm tours, beach quad biking and sand boarding. He adds: “Although the Chinese trade has no problem with English, they strongly urged us to at least print some of our basic collateral in Mandarin. It would also help if at least one page of our website is translated.”
Source: SATourism Update
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