MyGardenRouteInfo Sees World Cup Tourist Boom

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- MyGardenRouteInfo, part of the MyDestinationInfo network, and other tourism businesses in the Eastern Cape believe that an online presence played a significant role in driving visitors to the province during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

EC Tours, the private sector marketing organisation for the Eastern Cape, claim that the region saw a steady flow of international visitors during the months of June and July, but still believe that a solid marketing strategy for all tourism-related businesses is needed in order to showcase everything that the region has to offer.

Industry experts believe that an online presence is crucial to development of tourism in the region, as visitors from around the world are making greater use of the internet in order to plan their vacations.

Locally owned website MyGardenRouteInfo.com, part of the global MyDestinationInfo travel website network, saw a marked increase in site visitors during the months of the World Cup, as tourists gathered information on restaurants, activities and accommodation options in the Garden Route region.

Statistics also showed an increased interest in the range of travel features on their website, including their comprehensive Garden Route trip planner, various interactive and customisable Garden Route maps, as well as user-generated comments and reviews.

MyGardenRouteInfo.com believes that tourists are starting to show less interest in straight package tours and are instead turning to local websites and online resources to plan their trips. The company believes the reason for the increased interest in online travel guides is that they specifically target potential customers, offering comprehensive information on a more relevant level. According to the website, 80% of tourists have already decided where they are staying and what they will be doing before they leave home and, as such, websites are critical planning tools for local and international tourists.

At the same time, such websites offer an extremely cost-effective way for tourism-related businesses to target potential customers, which ultimately results in better deals for tourists, offering a win-win situation for both travellers and local businesses.

About Mydestinationinfo.com
Mydestinationinfo.com was founded in 2006 by two young entrepreneurs -- Neil Waller and James Street. The key to the success of the network is the high level of support a committed team provides and the fantastic group of local franchisees who run their sites to the highest standards.

The two young entrepreneurs have reached the finals of a number of major competitions such as Online Business of the Year in the StartUps Awards 2009, Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the GBA Awards 2009, winners of the UKFAST 'Travel' Digital Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2009 and the 2010 UK Trade & Investment London Exporters Award.

SOURCE Mydestinationinfo.com