George Tourism recently attended Vakantiebeurs – a world-renowned trade and consumer show in the City of Utrecht, in the Netherlands which ran from 8 to 13 January.
“George attended in collaboration with other Southern Cape towns, thereby establishing a strong footprint for the Garden Route,” said George Municipality spokesperson, Debra Sauer.
“Vakantiebeurs, attracts more than a hundred thousand visitors from Europe annually, and exhibitors from all over the world present in an effort to attract this lucrative market.
“Holland is amongst the best overseas arrivals for South Africa and the Dutch return to holiday in South Africa multiple times over their lifetime.”
She said that many Dutch people approached the Garden Route stall interested to find more information for their 2019 South African holiday or wanted general information and were looking for cultural and nature activities in George, Wilderness and Uniondale.
The George Municipality tourism team were also able to meet exhibiting Tour Operators selling Garden Route tours and give them more information about George, Wilderness and Uniondale attractions.
According to George Tourism Manager, Joan Shaw, “The demand is down from previous years and we attribute this to the recent bad press in the Dutch media. However the Netherlands remains one of the top markets for South Africa.”
Gardern Route well-represented at Vakantiebeurs 2019
The George tourism team attended the show with Oudtshoorn and Knysna Tourism.
“Well-known accommodation venues, Buffelsdrift Game Lodge, Tsitsikamma Village Inn and Eight Bells Mountain Inn as well as world renowned activity Cango Caves were co-exhibitors on the stand,” Sauer added.
“Attracting a larger share of the European market to George and Wilderness, many of whom are already visiting the Garden Route, is top priority for the George Tourism Department.”
Shaw, Portfolio Councillor Iona Kritzinger and Marketing Management Officer Sharon House represented George, Wilderness and Uniondale.
“Some of the exciting presentations at Vakantebeurs include artists and musicians from across the globe performing from jazz to reed flute,” Sauer said.
“One of the presentations included a walk through the hundreds of museums available in South Korea, which ranged from a Teddy bear museum to a museum dedicated to chocolate.
“The purpose of this ‘holiday fair for special journeys’ is to create an environment where mass tourism does not set the tone, but where selective destinations are chosen for quality and authenticity! The traveller will have the choice of going on a journey categorised by either authenticity, something exceptional or uniqueness.”
Image: Iona Kritzinger, Portfolio Councillor for Strategic Services, Joan Shaw, George Tourism Manager and Sharon House, George Marketing Management Officer at the Vakantiebeurs show in the Netherlands.
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