Book for SA online

The magazine offers international visitors an holistic view of the wealth of cultural and experiential offerings in SA. The site has integrated articles, SA music, tourism, social upliftment initiatives and tourist attractions with comprehensive information on practical considerations for foreign guests. Added to this, is the facility to book tours online, including transport and township visits.

Editor Marc Zandhuis says: "Most foreigners only hear about South Africa in the context of crime, HIV and political intrigue. We are trying to pull the average tourist a little deeper into the essence of South Africa, and encourage visitors to explore the townships, become involved in social upliftment initiatives and turn once-off visitors into regular guests and participants of the country."

CapeTownMagazine.com is a tenant of the IT incubator, the UUNET Bandwidth Barn, and the initiative has included the collaboration of a number of the Barn's tenants, including Neutone and open source software developer, Nitric.

Zandhuis will make the site available in both Dutch and German and says the number of foreign languages will increase over time: "Research has shown there is a sixty percent greater chance of online bookings and purchases being finalised if the site is in a customer's native tongue. Over the next few months we will be looking for partners to translate the site into additional languages and thereby extend the offering to as many potential visitors as possible."

The site will be partnering with, and linked through, a host of international sites, to drive international traffic as well making use of Google ads, guerilla marketing and viral marketing campaigns to grow members.