Cape Town Tourism is celebrating the success of its latest campaign, “Find Your Freedom”, which it says has played a pivotal role in revitalizing the city’s tourism industry post the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cape Town Tourism says the ”immersive travel experience” has not only generated an impressive R147 million in expenditure but has also created around 755 job opportunities.
Leigh Dawber, Chief Marketing Officer at Cape Town Tourism, says the campaign aimed to harness a choice-driven experience to strongly and aggressively drive tourism to the Mother City.
“The results of our Find Your Freedom experience far exceeded what we ever expected. The gamified interface resonated with millennials and brought over 5 000 international bookings through Expedia in a very short period, generating close to R50 million in direct expenditure”.
In addition, the average accommodation occupancy rate in February 2023 was 85%, compared to 78% in February 2019, and average room rates increased to R2 567 in February this year, up from R2 026 in 2019.
That’s a phenomenal recovery compared to the Covid-19 period, where room occupancy rates fell right down.
Dawber states that the campaign was successful in attracting countless visitors to the Mother City and created 248 direct employment opportunities when many were in economic turmoil following the chaos caused by Covid-19.
The creative experience earned Cape Town Tourism numerous global awards, from the Destination Industry Award at the International 2022 ‘X. Awards’ to the title of ‘Most Viral Campaign’ at the Supersonic New Generation Awards, and also being recognized at the City Nation Place Awards with the highest commendation in the category of Best Communication Strategy for Tourism globally.
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Dawber adds that by pushing the right buttons at the right time, Cape Town Tourism was able to reignite travel to Cape Town just in time for high season.
“We needed to be innovative in our approach to grab the interest of those wanting to travel. Find Your Freedom has proven to be our most important, most immersive and most successful travel experience to date. But what added to this success was our brand collaborations and smart partnerships. By collaborating with TikTok, Expedia and exciting GoPro content creators, we managed to transform the way the Mother City is marketed and showed how innovative partnerships can help revive a tourism industry that was rocked by the pandemic”.
Dawber concludes, “As Cape Town Tourism embarks on its next chapter, we remain dedicated to attracting visitors and supporting the Mother City’s vibrant tourism sector. With a focus on providing unique experiences for travelers and bolstering the local economy, Cape Town can continue to thrive as a leading global destination.”
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