You might also like:
With KPCB’s global trends indicating that business in developed countries is mainly conducted through Internet-based platforms, digital initiatives are starting to drive tourism bookings in Southern African countries.
Tourism Update looks at a new initiative, RTG Gateway, and the success of rainmaker VISTA.360 virtual tours over a one-year period.
RTG Gateway
Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG), a Zimbabwean hospitality service, has launched an integrated mobile application called RTG Gateway. The app allows users to book hotels, restaurants, boat cruises, transport services, apply for airport transfers, and make purchases and online payments via mobile.
The app is expected to increase the visibility of smaller brands in the country, while providing convenience in service delivery across value chains.
The RTG Gateway App already has 200 partners signed up, which include 40 restaurants, 30 private houses, 72 virtual partners, and shuttle transport service providers among other hospitality products and service providers. The platform caters, not only for RTG products but for every tourism and hospitality product and service available in Zimbabwe and is expected to sign up more partners.
RTG CEO, Tendai Madziwanyika, said that, in the long term, the app is expected to have a positive impact on pricing of hospitality products and enhance job creation. Adding that it will also increase competition in the sector, which will ensure quality products and services for the market.
Rainmaker VISTA.360 virtual tours
In January 2017, rainmaker VISTA.360 virtual tours, powered by Google Street View Trusted, was viewed by more than 3.84 million people.
Chris McIntyre, Managing Director of the tour operator, Expert Africa, says: “Rainmaker’s great 360s have helped us bring Namibia, and many of its lodges and camps, to life for our website’s visitors. Working with them has vastly improved the images and perspectives that our prospective visitors can see on Namibia, and they have certainly helped us to persuade more visitors to visit this country.”
The virtual tours, as with the hospitality application, have served to increase destination visibility, placing Namibia and its participating hotels, lodges, guest houses, and guest farms, at the forefront of the digital marketing landscape in Southern Africa.
“We have been overwhelmed with more than 330,000 views of Twyfelfontein Country Lodge in just seven months,” said Riaan Brand General Manager of Operations at Twyfelfontein Country Lodge.
Thomas Müller, CEO of rainmaker digital, says: “Rainmaker provides the respective virtual tour footage free of charge to local and global tour operators to further improve the visibility and the business of our customers. It is all about partnering and collaboration within the Namibian hospitality and tourism industry.”
Source: tourismupdate.co.za