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Germany's Europa-Park to showcase SA

By Helmo Preuss

Europe's second largest theme park, Europa-Park, located in Southern Germany near Freiburg, will hold a special 10-day long celebration in honour of the tenth anniversary of democracy in South Africa.

This will help to showcase South Africa as Europa-Park attracts approximately 20 000 visitors per day, mainly from Germany, France and Switzerland, during the peak summer season with the festival running from July
31 to August 8.

This showcasing will be achieved through the creation of a South African Village, South African food served at the Park's three hotels and at various restaurants around the site, wine tastings, South African music performed by a South African band, crafters working on producing authentic crafts, and evening braais.

In its continued efforts to position South Africa as a globally preferred tourism destination, the South African Tourism office in Germany has - together with Europa-Park, South African Airways (SAA), Cape Town and Western Cape DMO, Cape Craft and Design Institute and Wines of South Africa - formed a partnership that will see Europa-Park host a promotion to reverse the current decline in German visitors to South Africa.

In May 2004, German visitors to South Africa declined by 7.5% y/y to only 13,635, pushing Germany into third place as the source of overseas visitors.

Its traditional second place position was usurped by the United States, as American visitors to South Africa rose by 16.4% y/y to 17,959.

Last year there were 110,768 German visitors to South Africa, 57,2% more than American visitors, but still far less than the 212,808 British visitors to South Africa.

During the promotion, the Europa-Park Information Channel will broadcast a two-minute promo on South Africa and the SA Village in all its hotel rooms and reception areas, inviting visitors at the theme park to be part of the South African experience at the SA Village.

SAA will run a competition throughout the promotion where a family of four stands to win return tickets to Cape Town from Frankfurt with all ground arrangements being donated by a local tour operator.

"I am extremely proud to host South Africa at Europa-Park as it celebrates its 10 years of freedom and democracy. The park attracts large numbers of visitors daily, and we will encourage them all to visit the SA Village and immerse themselves in experiencing what that great country has to offer," said Roland Mack, managing director of Europa-Park.

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