The City of Cape Town’s MEC for Economic Growth James Vos signed an agreement this week with Gecko Digital Global, a local service provider to develop a high-quality virtual tour of Cape Town.
City said the tour will feature attractions, products and experiences that speak to the City’s six-pillar Destination Marketing Strategy which highlights why Cape Town is the ideal place to visit, work, study, play, invest and live.
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‘To stay relevant to a global audience of travellers or investors, destinations need to stay ahead of trends and technology that will help them to highlight their assets,’ explained Vos.
‘With this virtual tour, we will be using an innovative new tool to engage with people sitting in front of their computers or on their phones by showcasing our places and products to boost our visitor numbers,’ he added.
According to Gecko Digital Global, millennials and Gen Z adults are 130% more likely to book a travel experience after a virtual tour (according to Google Analytics). The research further shows that virtual tours influence a 16% growth in Google searches and map appearances.
‘For this reason, I’m excited that the virtual tour of Cape Town will include links to product booking portals,’ said Vos in response.
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City added that Gecko is currently in the process of creating the world’s first virtual tour booking engine which will be accessible to users of the City’s online tour once it goes live.
Gecko Digital Global’s partner at its South African division, Jacques Clarijs, said it is the world’s foremost 360º virtual tour company and looks forward to turning the spotlight on the Mother City.
‘We create unmatched content for the world’s top hotels, destinations and experiences, offering travellers’ unprecedented immersive experiences. In collaboration with our company, the City will be a first-to-market in leveraging this technology,’ said Clarijs.
Once ready, the tour can be accessed via the City’s online destination portal.
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Picture: City of Cape Town / Facebook
