NMBT Tourism App captures Wide Open Spaces

Nelson Mandela Bay Open Spaces App

NMBT Tourism App captures Wide Open Spaces

Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism and EDTA has innovated its visitor experiences offering to meet the challenges of closed beaches and the COVID-19 restrictions.

The new Wide Open Spaces initiative is based on a deep appreciation for the visitors who have chosen to retain their bookings in the destination despite the challenging situation. “We are very appreciative that these holidaymakers have given us the privilege of hosting them after a year of challenges,” says NMBT Chairperson Shaun van Eck. “We care deeply about their time with us and we are focussed on them returning home feeling revitalised and missing us.” Nelson Mandela Bay is different from many other coastal destinations that tend to attract large crowds throughout the season.

Regular visitors know that it is more about wide-open spaces as a holiday spot. It features an abundance of activities that are, by their nature, more socially distanced and less crowded. When the Metro was declared as a Hotspot, the destination team challenged themselves to express this competitive advantage and the result was the Wide Open Spaces initiative. 

The team have loaded activities under 5 new un-crowded activity categories on their Tourism App. These categories list experiences under Walk or Pedal, Sea Adventures, Hidden Gems, Kids Cool and Drive and See. “The App will allow our valued visitors to get excellent guidance on what their experience options still are,” says Executive Director of the Municipal EDTA Division, Anele Qaba. “We are focussed on supplementing the banned activities with alternatives that will fill their days with un-crowded fun.” The App categories have unearthed some new, more immersive experiences. “At times it takes a crisis to drive a new way of looking at a tourism destination,” observed Van Eck. “Our brainstorming has led us to the realisation that our offering strongly matches the fears and desires that now drive the holiday choices after a year of lockdown.”

A Wide Open Spaces reply email has also been drafted for local tourism establishments to send to visitors who had current bookings and were considering cancelling these. One NMBT tourism member has already reported saving a R12000 booking with this initiative. While he appreciates that business owners are in crisis, Qaba’s is also concerned about the many community members who are affected by reduced business levels and closures. “The impact of the closures is devastating for the many employees and those that are dependant on their income. Sadly those who loose their jobs will have little prospect of re-employment in the sector in 2021.”

The impact stretches even further than the direct business owners and employees. The many businesses in the local economy that are part of the supply chain into the tourism industry will also be devastated. Many of these small businesses rely on the tourism sector to keep their operations sustainable and open. NMBT is relying on their tourism products to encourage visitors to download the App. “The use of the information on the App can ensure that the holidaymakers that are still visiting us have an incredible holiday and tell others about it,” says Van Eck. “Our future as a destination, in these difficult times, depends on our hosts turning them into our promoters through their social media posts and ratings on sites such as TripAdvisor.

We are just starting our journey to becoming the most recommended destination in Africa.” The Wide Open Spaces experience options will be available on the NMBT Tourism App from noon on Thursday 24 December.

For enquiries by the media, we ask that you call Shaun van Eck on 0828034298 or writing to shaun@thetourismcoach.com.