Cape Town Tourism announced on the 17th October that they would be changing the positioning ofCape Town to “You don’t need a holiday, you needCape Town.”
On the one hand, at least there is a concerted effort taking place to get out and marketCape Town, which has been almost invisible internationally, despite being voted a favourite destination in a number of tourism surveys.
If you were to read the news and blogs you would conclude thatCape Townhad undergone a total business collapse in tourism, which is the city’s biggest business. This would suggest a degree of urgency and focus was needed. My problems with the approach being taken are:
- Cape Townis not alone in trying to attract hard-strapped tourists. Every detonation in the world is shouting at the top of their voices. Even Azerbaijan is advertising on CNN.
- In that clutter, with limited funds, it is vital that something different and true is said. This slogan is so generic that you can add any product to the end and it will sound valid:
“You don’t need a holiday, you need Pantene shampoo!”
- This may be cased by the city trying to position both for living and as a tourist destination. That is simply lazy.
- The days when travellers choose a destination based on a media campaign are probably passed. Where is the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, word-of-mouth in all this?
- We are a very, very long way from our main markets. Would you take an 18 hour flight in coach because you don’t need a holiday?
