We’re all going to Durban next week for the annual South African Tourism Indaba, and once again we’ll be seeing those pictures of the Big Five, hearing those rousing African drums, and listening to those stirring African voices telling us to “Visit South Africa!”

So what’s wrong with this?

I’ll tell you: every other country in sub-Saharan Africa will be there, too – with the same Big Five, the same rousing African drums, and the same stirring African voices telling us to “Visit (Enter Country Name Here)!”

And if everyone else is showcasing the same things – they can hardly be called South Africa’s ‘Unique Selling Points,’ can they?

So – what’s to do?

Now I’m not usually a fan of those aggressively happy campaigns for whom the cup is always overflowing, because I tend to believe that the truth generally lies somewhere south of perfection, and north of perdition.

Still, the people who run those campaigns are passionate to be sure – so I decided that South Africa The Good News  could have some pointers for me – because, like Richard Pace of the USA’s Southern Sky Adventures, I believe that we need to sell the things that set us apart. (See ‘If We’re Going To Re-Think Tourism In SA – Let’s Rethink The Marketing Of SA.’)

Richard, of course, was the man who said that South Africans “should be running advertisements touting the high standard of living, pictures of Cape Town, the Garden Route, Wine Lands, infrastructure, etc. Yes, most every American comes to Africa to see the animals first and foremost – but they are awestruck by the variety of South Africa and the ease with which they can travel.

“For instance, South Africa should not be marketing itself by showing pictures of tribal dances and the like. Americans see those types of pictures and photos all the time and recognize them as African.

“South Africa needs to advertise everything else that the rest of Africa does not have. That is a big gap.”

So I went to the Facts and Stats Page of South Africa The Good News, and had a look at what they – The Good News people – believe set us apart.

The list is very, very long, and many of its entries are imminently  marketable – but I wonder how much we’ll hear about the following when we get to Durban next week? -

  • The South African rand performed second amongst the 26 emerging market currencies monitored by Bloomberg in 2009.
  • South Africa is home to the world’s largest individually timed cycle race (the Cape Argus), the world’s largest open water swim (the Midmar Mile), and the world’s largest ultra-marathon (the Comrades Marathon).
  • Amongst the countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa, Johannesburg ranks 2nd in dealing with urbanisation and environmental challenges (MasterCard Insights Report on Urbanisation and Environmental Challenges.)
  • According to the Index of Economic Freedom 2007, South Africa ranked 57th out of 157 countries in the world in terms of economic freedom – ahead of Italy (64), Brazil (101), the United Arab Emirates (63), Greece (94th), India (104th) and China, (126).
  • South Africa houses one of the world’s three biggest telescopes (at Sutherland, in the Karoo).
  • And – OK, we might hear something about beaches next week – we have no less than 29 Blue Flag Beaches.

A high standard of living (for a large proportion of the population), a high level of sophistication, and infrastructure unparalleled in Africa – those are the things that set South Africa apart, so those are the things that we should be selling.

Happily, as I sat down to write today’s article, I received an invitation to a workshop to be run during the Indaba by the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Economic Development: a workshop that will look at finding ways of “transforming Joburg into a global shopping destination.”

And why not? (Have you seen those glittering shopping malls of theirs?)

As the Department said in its invitation: “We have the infrastructure… We have a range of accommodation and hospitality options to suit any taste and any pocket.

“We have all of the tourist attractions including culture and history, a vibrant people and lots to do…”

I think it’s a brilliant idea that exactly addresses the issue of what sets South Africa apart.

Will ‘Shopping’ become the first of South Africa’s Sophisticated Five?

Again – why not?

(The City of Johannesburg’s Department of Economic Development event will take place at Durban’s Hilton Hotel at 12:30 on the 10th of May. If you’re going to attend, please advise Kerry Knowles kerry@rsvpsolution.co.za on or before the 30th of this month).

This Tourism Week at Indaba

  • Once again, I’ll be working with Junxion Communications to publish my scintillating (and humble) column in the Indaba Daily News on every day of the show. Read it on line at www.thistourismweek.co.za – or look out for it in your in-box: This Tourism Week will be mailed to you on each of the four days of the Indaba.
  • If you haven’t joined the Indaba Daily News Facebook group – now’s the time.
  • What? You aren’t on Facebook?
  • If you want to meet with me during the show – please call me on 084 951 0574 when you get to Durban.

Now – after you’ve been to Indaba – go away on holiday. It’s in the economy’s best interests.