Overview

The new Directorate: Economic and Social Development (DESD) began operating under the Department for Community and Developmental Services since 1 March 2004. The DESD consists of three sections: Marketing, Product Development and Information Management. The Directorate focuses on supporting and encouraging development, and investment into and within the district, in a manner that impacts on job creation and poverty creation. The draft LED strategy for the district has the following objectives:

• To facilitate job creation within the wider CWDM economy.
• To develop small farm agriculture with an agri-tourism focus, where appropriate.
• To promote the creation and growth of enterprises owned and managed by small and black business entrepreneurs.
• To facilitate the development of skills among business owners and employees as a mechanism to enhance sustainable business practices and development.
• To assist start-up, emerging and established businesses with enterprise planning, and development support.
• To develop business support structures in order to cater for the varying needs of area specific businesses, investors and other parties.

Marketing

The Marketing section is responsible for promoting the Cape Winelands as an attractive tourist destination both national and internationally. The specific functions of the Marketing section are to:

• Implement a targeted marketing strategy.
• Develop a strong tourism brand for the CWDM.
• Develop marketing collateral.
• Implement targeted marketing campaigns.
• Participate in national & international tourism exhibitions.
• Produce articles for specific tourism magazines and participate in radio programmes.
• Undertake educationals for the media/tour operators.
• Support district events and festivals.

With the Cape Winelands’ rich cultural and historical heritage, natural beauty and popular wine-route, there is immense potential for growth in the tourism sector. The primary challenges facing the tourism sector are increasing the number of tourists visiting the District; facilitating a better geographical spread of tourists throughout the region; and promoting greater representivity and participation in the sector.

The Tourism Strategy uses various forms of media, including magazines, newspapers, radio, websites and brochures. It also focuses on promoting localities in the district that are visited infrequently, and on promoting small business and black empowerment firms.

Implement targeted marketing campaigns

The Cape Winelands District Municipality launched a new and innovative seasonal marketing campaign in April 2005.   ‘Home-Grown' in the Cape Winelands' features a diverse range of tourism experiences and utilizes that campaign theme and product packages to create linkages for the consumer.   The campaign succeeded in coordinating the efforts of tourism stakeholders in the region behind a common marketing initiative that allowed them the freedom to capitalize on the best they can offer, while being part of an exciting, overall regional identity.   Themes were developed for the campaign, such as Indulgence of Body and Soul, Food and Wine Sensations, Adrenalin Adventure, Celebrating Democracy etc and introduced by ten ‘real life' ambassadors from the district.

Members of the Local Tourism Associations (LTAs) were approached for special campaign offers and visitors to the Cape Winelands were able to take advantage of 150 special Home Grown accommodation offers.   A partnership was forged with Thompsons Tours who assisted with fly and drive packages from Johannesburg and Durban.   A further partnership was developed with Gaffley's Transport to launch a unique and branded ‘Fun Bus' for the organizing of domestic tour groups within the district at reduced rates.   A well attended launch of the Home-Grown Campaign was hosted by the district in May 2005.

Participate in national & international tourism exhibitions

Exhibitions are increasingly becoming more business-orientated and provide not only a place for a meet and greet opportunity but also a sign, seal and deliver opportunity.   Major tourism exhibitions present almost unrivalled public, trade, marketing and media relations opportunities. Tourism exhibitions is a highly cost-effective sales and marketing tool which combines all the best characteristics of advertising, promotions, direct mail and selling, either through tour operators and travel agents or, in the case of the public shows, directly to consumers.

During 2005/06 the following exhibitions were attended by the Cape Winelands:

Exhabition	Date
Cape Town Outdoor	August 2005
Johannesburg Getaway	September 2005
Bloemfontein Getaway	October 2005
World Travel Market, London	November 2005
Utrecht Vakantiebeurs, Netherlands	January 2006
Beeld Holidaymakers Expo	February 2006
Argus Pick n Pay Life Cycle Expo	March 2006
ITB, Berlin	March 2006
Cape Town Getaway	April 2006
Indaba	May 2006
Johannesburg Outdoor	June 2006

Produce articles for specific tourism magazines and participate in radio programmes

The Tourism Strategy uses various forms of media, including magazines, newspapers, radio, websites and brochures. It also focuses on promoting localities in the district that are visited infrequently, and on promoting small business and black empowerment firms.

Support District Events and Festivals

In 2005 the Cape Winelands was positioned as a destination that is supportive of all things local and lekker. This was achieved through a tactical, price driven marketing campaign between May and September 2005, using a mixture of above-the-line advertising, PR, promotions and direct sales.

Following the success of the 2005 Homegrown campaign it was decided to retain the positioning statement "The Cape Winelands: a thousand things to do...and some wine-tasting" as an overall marketing theme and marketing slogan for the area.   The idea is to promote the fact that there is so much more to do in the Winelands than only wine tasting.

This year, we want to build on last years positioning by way of promoting the different events already taking place in the Cape Winelands. The events-driven campaign will run from September 2006 to April 2007. As the Cape Wienlands we want to encourage visitors, both domestic and international (but especially domestic) to experience the diversity of regional events by emphasizing their local content, unique stories and sense of place, culture and traditions.

The different events are introduced by "real life" ambassadors that have been chosen by the different tourism bureaus in the region. These "real life" ambassadors communicates the message: "Authentic, salt of the earth, local people, think that the events in the Cape Winelands offer incredible experiences".