Launched in February, the fun domestic tourism campaign ‘Welcome to Jozi – Make a Visitor’s Day’ (#Welcome2Jozi) is designed to encourage Johannesburg’s residents to make the city’s visitors feel warmly welcomed.

Further to that, the campaign aims to inform and educate Johannesburgers on how to be great Johannesburg ambassadors, to promote the city, enhance the visitor’s experience and ensure that visitors have great memories of the city. It will also illustrate how tourism impacts each and every Johannesburg resident.

As Africa’s most visited city and the continent’s leading business and lifestyle destination, Johannesburg attracts visitors from Gauteng, from South Africa’s other provinces, from other African countries and from destinations around the world. The reasons they come to Johannesburg are as diverse as the visitors themselves. They could be students studying at our tertiary institutions, people who come for medical reasons, business people visiting the city for meetings, business events, exhibitions and incentives, sports enthusiasts, concertgoers, those seeking leisure, lifestyle, heritage and cultural experiences, and those who come to visit friends and relatives.

The ‘Welcome to Jozi – Make a Visitor’s Day’ campaign takes a collaborative approach, encouraging all Johannesburgers to go the extra mile and make a visitor’s day each and every day. They are encouraged to be helpful, courteous and friendly. This may be a simple gesture such as helping a visitor with directions. The campaign will also educate locals on how to interact with visitors. For example, etiquette and conversing in their languages to make them feel welcome

Johannesburgers can also make a visitor’s day by showing them the city’s rich culture, heritage, leisure and lifestyle attractions and activities. This means that they have to be familiar with the city’s tourist attractions and how to access them.

As in many other destinations around the world, residents often remain unaware of their city’s tourism and leisure offerings and the campaign aims to address this. Johannesburg is so much more than a stopover city, with a great deal to experience and explore. Our struggle history and our culture and heritage attractions provide fascinating insights into the city’s past and current developments.

When compared with other global cities, Johannesburg is one of the most affordable to visit for both domestic and international visitors, whether it’s paying for transport and accommodation, entry into the city’s many tourist attractions, shopping, or enjoying its superb restaurants, nightlife and cultural attractions.

The ‘Welcome to Jozi – Make a Visitor’s Day’ campaign will also showcase Johannesburg’s capabilities and credentials as an international destination of choice for business and investment, business events, lifestyle, sports and leisure.

Those organising meetings, conferences or exhibitions in Johannesburg are spoilt for choice when it comes to business event venues. There are a range of four and five star stand-alone international convention centres, expo centres, and multi-purpose venues that can cater for smaller meetings and large conferences of up to 20 000 delegates. There are also a wide range of three to five star hotels that have high-tech meeting rooms, combining the best in accommodation with world-class conferencing facilities.

“Visitors to our city make a significant contribution to Johannesburg’s economy, which benefits development, job creation and transformation. By giving our visitors the best experiences while in our vibrant city, we are nurturing and growing tourism’s contribution to our local economy which is advantageous to all of us,” says Counsellor Ruby Mathang, MMC for economic development at the City of Johannesburg.

He adds that the campaign’s success is dependent on collaboration and co-operation between the City of Johannesburg, its residents and all tourism stakeholders. “By working together we can ensure visitors to our wonderful city experience the best that Johannesburg has to offer - our warm and welcoming people and the fantastic variety of experiences and attractions on offer.”

For more information, visit www.joburgtourism.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.