Maboneng and Cradle of Humankind Speed Marketing

“I would recommend Maboneng to my clients not only for the art but for the vibe itself. It’s got a fantastic vibe; it makes you feel like you’re somewhere else. I felt warmth, I felt comfortable, loved and apart of the whole festive feel while walking the streets. The culture is positively overpowering,” says tour consultant Alethea Josephs of Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays.

MMr Dube did an excellent job at bringing together a narrative of street art, culture, history and explaining the significance of each. It’s without a doubt that his tour sparked emotions that resonated among the tour operators as they walked about. Moroezka Williams of ANIMA TOURS feels that Maboneng is quite big and to have such incredible art in close proximity is amazing. “It’s everything in one space, which is great,” she says. Ms Williams suggests that when you visit the precinct “you can feel the people’s energy” and that “they come alive here.”

Early Monday morning everyone settled down at the Hallmark House hotel conference centre (where they also overnighted) for an engaging session of Speed Marketing. Tourism products from around the province including Maria Malepa of Lebo’s Soweto, Vince Nkwezane of Once Travel and Rinkie Nqolwana of Sophiatown Urban Experience showcased their very best. Jo Buitendach of Joburg Inner City Specialist says: “I’ve been doing this for nine years and have never been disappointed with Speed Marketing. One of the benefits of these sessions is definitely the personal interaction with meeting big tour consultants and operators.”

SShortly after, it was off to the Cradle of Humankind in the North West province to delve into the evolution of humanity, learn about palaeontology and do several site inspections at TGCSA-graded establishments such as Rose Well Spa. After an eventful day, everyone looked forward to checking in at Riverstone Lodge, but not before enjoying a six-course dinner along with award-wining wine paring at Forum Homini, a five-star establishment that boasts pure opulence.

The final day concluded with another Speed Marketing session to wrap up the three-day event, and tourism products certainly did not disappoint. From De Hoek Country Hotel and Sundowner’s Fly Fishing Adventures to Shepherd’s Fold Trail Rides, each tourism product was given an opportunity to present what makes their establishment special and worth visiting. Assistant Manager Jackie Saleka of The Monkey Sanctuary mentioned that she hoped to achieve more visitor numbers thanks to the Speed Marketing session and is thrilled with the outcome. “It’s my first time and everything went very smooth. I’m so happy that I attended,” says Ms Saleka.

It’s evident that the three-day event of exploring Gauteng and the North West province along with the Speed Marketing networking sessions was a resounding success, and Linda Olsen of Zulwini Safaris couldn’t agree more. “I was really impressed with the areas, I was excited to see the vibe and it’s fantastic to see the mix of communities,” she says.

For more information about what we saw and did, take a look the blogs on our website.

To enquire about upcoming events, please contact Noluthando Mazibuko.

Email: noluthando@southafrica.net

Tel: +27 11 895 3138