Month: February 2024

Are our destination marketing and development efforts showing early results?

Our team would be the first to say that it is probably too soon to tell, but we keep looking for ways to measure our impact. We recently reached out to the technology company supporting our Waterberg Safety Network and asked them if they could pull traffic data from the CCTV camera network covering our district to help us compare Easter Weekend 2022 with Easter Weekend 2023?

The results are tabled below…

A growth of +38% in vehicles entering and moving through the Waterberg… that is fantastic news! The provincial data is even more interesting with further away provinces showing higher growth rates. This could well mean that for many of these visitors the Waterberg was their ‘Easter Holiday Destination’ of choice.

We are surely not claiming ‘statistical significance’ with this data yet, but at least it is an interesting attempt in measuring movement into and through the Waterberg that is showing very promising trends.

Waterberg Tourism at the Africa Indaba

Armed with maps of the Waterberg, tourism product owner information and ‘digital’ business cards to easily convey contact details and our social media pages, Syd Catton – one of the Directors of Waterberg Development Initiative – and three of our Waterberg Tourism Ambassadors made their way to the recent Africa Indaba at the Durban ICC.

Many Indaba delegates that did not know of our ‘Wonder-Filled’ Waterberg are now much better informed thanks to the energetic sharing and boasting by our ambassadors. Our attempt in spreading the ‘Waterberg’ word was a resounding success, but as all our ambassadors remarked… we must start our planning for 2024 earlier and be better prepared to share the Waterberg with the world. Many tour operators we engaged with all said they are looking for something ‘different’, and we have what they want!

The Explore Waterberg Newspaper

In 2022 Waterberg Tourism partnered with Essential Marketing to bring you the Explore Waterberg Newspaper. One Hundred Thousand copies were printed and distributed widely through Gauteng, Limpopo and the Waterberg.

Engeline Gericke, the owner of Essential Marketing and a valued partner of Waterberg Tourism, made sure that the recent Easter Weekend traffic did not drive through the N1 tollgates without receiving a copy of the Explore Waterberg. Great exposure to all our advertisers and a great example of how Waterberg Tourism is driving destination marketing in support of our tourism industry.

If you missed the opportunity to advertise in the 2022 edition, don’t despair, the 2023/4 information and rate card is available now. Make sure you book your space with one of our tourism ambassadors!

Meet our Waterberg Tourism Ambassadors

Meet our Waterberg Tourism Ambassadors

In October 2022 Waterberg Tourism partnered with various volunteers across our different tourism hubs to become Waterberg Tourism Ambassadors. Our ambassadors are individuals passionate and committed to the development of the Waterberg as a tourism destination of choice in South Africa.

Our Waterberg Tourism Ambassadors help us engage with product owners and share the various initiatives we are busy with in our destination development efforts. Each required activity or program is pre-agreed with a set commission-rate or fee-for-service to reward the hours of effort often required to implement the destination development programs.

Waterberg Tourism Ambassadors help with product owner communication, data-gathering, advertising sales, tourist and tourism information, booking services and event calendaring, promotion and in some cases event management.

It is exhilarating to see the cross-sharing and camaraderie developing among our tourism ambassador team and how it enriches what we offer product owners and tourists alike. We try and have a weekly videoconference where we share, ask and plan together across our tourism hubs (currently Bela-Bela, Thabazimbi, Vaalwater with Lephalale and Modimolle-Mookgophong in development).

If you are interested in learning more about our Waterberg Tourism Ambassador Program, call 083 303 9230.

Meet our current team below…

Riaan van Zyl, Vaalwater

Hi there, my name is Riaan and I am an Ambassador for Waterberg Tourism (Vaalwater Hub). I am a Conservationist by heart.

Tourism is the most sustainable way to protect our Natural Environment. The saying by David Attenborough sums it up best: “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced”. Therefore, come and experience the Waterberg and its natural beauty and wild creatures and go home with a changed heart !!

 

Nico, Vaalwater

Thobela! I am Phire Nico from Vaalwater, Leseding.

Escape the city for a day and come to taste and breathe tourism in our wonder-filled Waterberg. Your life will change forever!

#BreatheOurTourism

 

 

 

 

Daniel Langa, Vaalwater

I handle tourism administration, including providing information, responding to inquiries, managing memberships, social media, databases, event documentation, and recommendations for accommodations and activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicolette, Thabazimbi


Hi there!  I’m Nicolette, one of the Thabazimbi tourism ambassadors.  Tourism gives me the perfect platform to do the things I love and that is sharing the story of Thabazimbi, the place I call home, and also to connect with people from all spheres of life.  Getting to know the #wonderfilledWaterberg in the process is the cherry on the tourism cake for me!

 

 

 

 

 

Pulane, Thabazimbi


Hello, Dumelang

My name is Pulane, I live in Thabazimbi. I am a tour operator.  I believe in creating a memorable tourism experience that “wonderfill’s” your travel memories. I support tourism development because it can promote inclusive economic growth and improve the quality of the community.

 

 

Portia, Bela-Bela

Hello, my name is Portia Bila from Bela-Bela, Leseding.
Always say YES to new adventures, because we only go to places that spark joy.
#Tourismalwayswins. #Waterbergambassador