Limpopo Business 2019-20 edition

LTA 2pp interview, pp

LTA 2pp interview, pp 28-29 INTERVIEW BIOGRAPHY Nomasonto Ndlovu has wide experience in brand marketing, communication and events in the private and public sector. She worked as Strategic Executiv Director for the City of Tshwane before taking senior marketing positions in South Africa’s most visited province pulls South African Tourism. ahead fields as varied as banking (Standard Bank) and fast-moving consumer good (Unilever in South Africa and Kenya). In 2005 she joined KwaZulu-Natal’s tourism board and then worked as the global manager of business tourism at South Africa’s most visited province pulls ahead The CEO of the Limpopo Tourism Agency, Nomasonto Ndlovu explains how The CEO of the Limpopo Tourism Agency, Nomasonto locals can become valued tourists. Ndlovu, explains how locals can become valued tourists. Nomasonto Ndlovu BIOGRAPHY Nomasonto Ndlovu has wide experience in brand marketing, communications and events in the private and public sector. She worked as Strategic Executive Director for the City of Tshwane before taking senior marketing positions in fields as varied as banking (Standard Bank) and fast-moving consumer goods (Unilever in South Africa and Kenya). In 2005 she joined KwaZulu-Natal’s tourism board and then worked as the global manager of business tourism at South African Tourism. How How many visitors has has Limpopo Limpopo had had in in recent recent years? years? Destination Limpopo enjoyed a lead a lead as the as the most most visited visited province province in the coun the since country 2016 from to 2018 2016 despite to 2018 despite fluctuating fluctuating figures. figures. Limpopo’s Limpopo’s performance can b performance depicted over can the be past depicted three over years the as past follows: three years as follows: Year Domestic Trips International Arrivals 2016 8.3-million 1.5-million 2017 5.1-million 1.8-million 2018 3.3-million 2.1-million Do Do you you have have a strategy strategy to to increase increase these these numbers? numbers? LTA has a marketing strategy which gets reviewed annually for purposes LTA has of a maintaining marketing relevance. strategy which It is aligned gets to reviewed the National annually Tourism for purposes of Sector maintaining Strategy relevance. (NTSS), Limpopo It is aligned Tourism to Growth the National Strategy Tourism (LTGS) and Sector Strategy the (NTSS), Limpopo Limpopo Development Tourism Plan. Growth The Agency Strategy has developed (LTGS) and another Limpopo strategy Development that would Plan. address The Agency the visiting has developed friends and another relatives strategy (VFR) that would segment address to the be visiting transformed friends into and holiday-makers. relatives (VFR) This segment makes to be transformed in up holiday a big number makers. of This our segment domestic makes tourists up but a big with number less spending, of our domestic touris as but they with often less do spending, not view as themselves they often as do holiday-makers. not view themselves This plan as holiday make seeks This to plan increase seeks the to increase domestic the tourists domestic that tourists visit the that province visit the for province for holidays, against those that are VFR, thus improving spend, length of stay and geographic spread. LTA will develop consumer insights that will assist in developing well-targeted campaigns and interventions. We will also develop a targeted all-year-round campaign that focuses on the VFR market in order for them to explore extending their stay to enjoy the tourism attractions in the province, thereby positively contributing to tourism and economic growth. What sectors are you focussing on? The Agency focuses on several clusters to achieve its vision of being a leading tourism destination in Southern Africa. LTA reviewed its clusters and has finalised a new structure. The clusters are as follows: LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2019/20 28

INTERVIEW Culture and Heritage, Family and Recreation, Sport and Wildlife Safari, Safari and Hunting, Business and Events and Special Interest. Our campaigns are all-encompassing with specific events supporting other respective clusters such as adventure events like 4x4 off-road challenges and cycling events. The Agency also sometimes invites media and influencers to the province to familiarise them with some products and attractions in the province. These trips often provide positive feedback which lead to more visits to the province. What role do festivals play in the tourism offering of the province? Events play a key role in driving people from one place to the other. LTA partners with several festivals as they draw people to the province. The role of LTA in these events is to assist by bringing the marketing element to make sure they are successful. Provincial flagship events like the Limpopo Marula Festival and the Mapungubwe Cultural Festival are the two government-organised events that LTA annually partners with and assists in marketing for their success. The Agency has identified several other events and festivals that have the potential to grow to the level of the two provincial festivals. Other festivals that also draw more people are organised in various districts and local municipalities such as the Phala Phala Royal Festival in Vhembe District, Collins Chabane Cultural Festival, Thobela FM Gospel Festival and Sekhukhune Gospel Festival. Festivals contribute immensely to the provincial economy. Please comment on the first Tour de Limpopo cycle race in 2018. Limpopo Tourism Agency Board and the MEC for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) officially welcomed the organisers and the teams that participated in the inaugural Tour de Limpopo road race, at Park Inn Hotel in Polokwane on 22 April 2018. This was the first international road cycling stage race to be hosted in Limpopo Province and South Africa. The fully-catered stage race is a UCI Africa Tour 2.2 stage race for professional teams. The Tour de Limpopo aimed to set a new precedent in stage racing, one that would develop and leave a legacy of continued and sustained cycling development and investment into community SMMEs as service providers to the event. This was an opportunity to showcase Limpopo Province as a premier Adventure Tourism destination with so much to enjoy. This was a perfect platform to showcase via livestreaming the beauty of attractions such as Magoesbaskloof, Moria Zion City, Modjadjiskloof, the Sunland Baobab and Debengeni Falls. What is the mandate of LTA? Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA), established in respect of Limpopo Tourism Act No 2 of 2009, has witnessed a metamorphosis since its inception 14 years ago. Limpopo Tourism and Parks (LTP) at the time was also responsible for conservation including management of provincial nature reserves, but in 2007, the Limpopo Executive Council resolved to transfer the conservation function to Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET). It was against this background that the legislation for the establishment of the LTP Board, Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board Act No 8 of had to be repealed to give way to the new one. From then on the entity remained with the management of state-owned resorts (Limpopo Wildlife Resorts) in provincial nature reserves. In August 2015, the Board underwent a strategic workshop to internalise the new piece of legislation governing it, Limpopo Tourism Act No 2 of 2009. The entity was commissioned to review its marketing strategy in line with the new Act. The Executive Council also issued Resolution No 7 of 2015/16, which further directed that Limpopo Wildlife Resorts be transferred to LEDET. This left LTA with only one focus or mandate, of marketing Limpopo Province as a leading tourist destination in Southern Africa. Limpopo Wildlife Resorts (LWR) would be promoted like all other tourism products in the province. 29 LIMPOPO BUSINESS 2019/20