Online tourism is growing in importance, and helping to drive tourism to Africa.
“With over 59% of travel now being researched, booked and bought online, attributing to over $400-billion in travel sales, ensuring that the African tourism sector is partaking and benefiting from this fast growing space is essential for the sector’s growth and survival,” says Damian Cook, CEO of E-Tourism Frontiers.
“As a local example of the effect and benefit of online tourism, a Neilson report shows that in 2012 over 200 000 travellers went online to book their trips to South Africa, resulting in more than R790-million for the country’s economy,” he adds.
The 7th Annual E-Tourism Africa Summit, taking place on 4 and 5 September at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, was launched yesterday. Following that event, a twin summit will be held in Johannesburg at the Museum of Africa Design (MOAD) on 8 and 9 September.
Mobile will also be a key feature of this year’s summit. Cook points out that the statistics for travel bookings made on smart phones and tablets was increasing each year.
“According to a recent PhoCusWright study, 7% of total hotel bookings in 2013 were made via tablet and mobile phones, a figure 12 times larger than that of 2010, this number is expected to jump to 20% by end of 2014.
“Expedia.com also reports that one in five of its consumers books travel on via mobile (apps or mobile web site), while a majority of its customers use mobile devices to research elements of their booking,” says Cook.
In addition, the Summit will showcase tools and trends on how to best leverage social media for travel and tourism businesses.
Jan Hutton, chief marketing officer at South African Tourism, comments: “Following the success of previous E-Tourism Africa Summits, we are looking forward to once again partnering with E-Tourism Frontiers for what will surely be
another bigger and better event through which the tourism sector is able re-connect and learn about the latest online tourism and travel developments and technologies.
“The role of online is imperative for the growth and success of our tourism sector. The Summit will be a great chance to showcase local solutions, partnerships and opportunities from the South African tech trade and from South African Tourism that the travel trade can access. I am also delighted that this year we will have two events both in Cape Town and Johannesburg.