Cape Town taps into social media

Cape Town Tourism’s Facebook fan page, I ♥ Cape Town, has surpassed a quarter of a million fans. The Cape Town fan page allows residents and visitors to share their favorite Mother City experiences, photos, and videos, while Cape Town Tourism shares advice about where to go and what to do, as well as great deals on Cape Town activities, having recently partnered with collective-buying site UbuntuDeal. According to social media and digital analytics company Social Bakers, I ♥ Cape Town is gaining momentum in the digital brand space with a growth rate of just over 2,000 Facebook fans per month. JoburgRSA has 117 Facebook followers; Dublin has 8,856 followers; and Auckland, New Zealand, has 85,213 Facebook followers. Cities such as London and Buenos Aires have in the region of 300,000 followers, while established urban tourism centers such as Berlin, Australia, and New York have well over one million fans on Facebook. Cape Town Tourism recognizes the power of social media in communicating personally and instantly with a diverse audience, and the organization continues to interact with fans on Facebook and Twitter, strengthening the brand through the use of social media networks. Skye Grove, Cape Town Tourism PR and Communications Manager, commented: “The online world has significantly changed the way that we gather information and make buying decisions when it comes to travel. Social media sites have become trusted sources of information, as friends and family have begun advising on travel recommendations. In this day and age, it is absolutely vital to be active online and interacting with potential travelers, but at the same time, these platforms are kept alive by our fans and creates an element of nostalgia for both South Africans abroad and for people who have visited us and would like to return one day. “Cape Town Tourism is proud of our reputation as one of the most connected destination marketing organizations in the world, and we are committed to being a leading voice in e-marketing and social media for the tourism industry in South Africa.”