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TOURISM MARKETING: BIG SPENDERS TOURISM MARKETING: GOING ONLINE Wide awake to tourism’s online potential Kenya-based SleepOut.com is setting itself up to become one of Africa’s biggest online accommodation booking portals. This was reinforced in late 2013 when it was named by WebSummit – the ‘Rolls Royce of tech events’ – as one of the world’s top 50 early-stage start-ups. HE OFFERING, SAYS co-founder and CEO Johann T Jenson, is simple. “SleepOut Above left: Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. The Pacifc island is one of those working to target wealthy Chinese Above right: Lake Victoria in Uganda is a potential drawcard for upmarket tourists connects travellers looking for a cool place to stay with (accommodation) hosts looking to earn extra income from their empty beds.” Strategic Marketing Shanghai hosts an annual International start to allocate marketing budget to Uganda is actively Africa caught up with Jenson to quiz him Luxury Travel Market where 500 of the our (Chinese) market,” Travel Link’s marketing to about marketing an online website in world’s best hotels and resorts have the He explains. She also encourages Africa, the challenges the start-up has opportunity to showcase their offerings Travel Links partners to start working Chinese travellers faced and the venture’s future plans. directly to this target market. together to attract the Chinese tourist, However, attracting people of such by, for example, getting hotels to divert Tell us more about SleepOut’s vastly different cultures and languages marketing budgets to offering special accommodation services aimed at beginnings? can be tricky. Paul Kerr, CEO of UK- room rates to tour operators bringing Chinese tourists; establishing dedicated We noticed that accommodation based Small Luxury Hotels of the World Chinese tourists to Hawaii. airport lounges and hotels for these occupancy rates in Africa and the Middle (SLH), is ensuring his business caters to travellers; and asking the Chinese to help East were just far too low, while prices the Chinese elite and is mindful of this Uganda’s China strategy train local personnel to service visitors remain inexplicably high. We also saw > cultural and communication gap. SLH has African countries are also keenly aware from their country. the need for an efficient and secure therefore created a Chinese language of the economic benefits of attracting Uganda is also looking at improving marketplace to book accommodation website to make bookings easier and luxury tourism and Uganda, in particular, air travel to the country’s various tourist options at all price points. The solution offers a variety of accommodation is actively strategising around appealing highlights, as well as ensuring better lay in providing better digital marketing options, from central city locations to to more Chinese tourists. In 2011, only transport options, especially to Uganda’s and distribution for tourism products – more rural resorts and villas. 7 000 out of the 1-million tourists who islands on Lake Victoria. such as accommodation. the Middle East and the Indian Ocean Hotel group Starwood has also visited Uganda were Chinese. Back then, An all-important closing tip for African So we focus on helping our hosts islands in a campaign we’re calling We saw the need for designed a mobile app especially for Maria Mutagamba, Uganda’s Minister nations keen to attract China’s luxury- prepare their empty beds for demand ‘#occupyemptybeds’. By making the an e†cient and secure the Chinese market and, as a result, has of Tourism, was quoted by First World minded tourists comes from Professor from both inbound and domestic booking process easier for our hosts, we marketplace seen a remarkable increase in bookings Tours as saying: “Marketing is not easy, Ian Goldin of Oxford University. He notes travellers. We are now targeting hosts aim to make travel to the region more from China – to the point where bookings especially when you are marketing that governments should guard against across 30 priority countries in Africa, affordable and accessible to all. trebled in just one year to more than something to people with different values complacency and a slow response to 1-million in 2012. and cultures.” In order to find common consumer demand. They should also be Hawaii’s Travel Link is another ground, Mutagamba’s ministry is now aware of the damage caused by harmful company that has customised its engaging with the Chinese embassy to regulations, such as exorbitant taxes. PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO, GETTY/GALLO IMAGES customer services centres to optimise find partners to help promote Uganda to And therein lies a hidden gem for Africa’s sales to the Chinese. “We really need potential visitors from China. high-end operators and the marketers all the industry partners to have a Some ways in which Uganda is promoting their offerings: Affordable separate Chinese sales team, hire at working with the embassy include luxury is a real draw card … even for least one Chinese receptionist and seeking assistance in setting up the super-rich. 22 strategicmarketingafrica First quarter 2014 First quarter 2014 strategicmarketingafrica 23