A Spaniard in the Works

Tag: Wesgro

  • Is local government the saviour of or a hindrance to tourism?

    What sets the Western Cape apart from other provinces — in terms of it’s success in growing tourism — is largely the existence of membership-based, local tourism associations.  (These are a rarity in other provinces where control of tourism is more largely vested in bureaucracies with political agendas.)  The South African Constitution mandates tourism as…

  • Tale of two annual reports, two divergent corporate cultures

    One is an organisation I admire greatly.  The other is one I used to admire.  And it all came into focus when I just happened to read both their annual reports in one week. Wesgro’s annual report is a monster and reminded me of City of Cape Town reports prior to 1976, when departments tried…

  • Take a straw poll, Wesgro… you might be surprised

    The previous post on this blog expressed our dismay with Wesgro.  In our recent newsletter, we stated that Wesgro (Western Cape destination marketing agency) hadn’t delivered on the good news they promised (and noted key staff losses amid poor ongoing communication). Judy Lain, Wesgro’s chief marketing officer, responded to the newsletter with the following email. …

  • Wesgro… gets a #Fail!

    Wesgro, the Western Cape’s trade and investment agency absorbed the province’s beleaguered destination marketing agency (Cape Town Routes Unlimited – CTRU) in April 2012.  I attended Wesgro’s AGM in October 2012 and left unimpressed.  It was all about ticking the boxes with little vision apparent.  As a slick presentation, it was a flop, relying largely…

  • Indaba: Sour grapes… and kudos to Wesgro!

    Visitors to Indaba at Durban’s ICC last weekend were greeted by posters on the lamp poles around the complex saying “Western Cape welcomes Indaba delegates.” And the Independent on Saturday carried a wrap-around (the newspaper’s outer four pages all promoted Cape Town & the Western Cape). This left Durban Tourism fuming and they launched an…

  • “It’s just a jump to the left… And then a step to the right…”

    Recognise that?  It’s from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s astounding Time is fleeting Madness takes its toll… I’ve been somewhat underwhelmed by the announcements about the closure of Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) — the Western Cape’s provincial tourism authority — and its incorporation into Wesgro — the provincial trade and investment promotion agency.…