Cape Town Tourism launches digital travel experience
Cape Town Tourism has launched its new initiative – an interactive interface called Find Your Freedom.
The digital travel experience, found on the Cape Town Tourism website, uses game-style graphics to help travellers from all over to choose their adventure in Cape Town based on the guide they identify with – the Fearless Foodie, Nature Warrior, or Urban Adventurer.
It’s a first-of-its-kind concept from Cape Town Tourism, launched last Monday, March 28, at the Zeitz MOCCA in the V&A Waterfront.
Visitors to the website are welcomed into an immersive world by an African storyteller, who urges them to choose their guide. All characters are gaming-inspired, Afro-futurist graphics.
Once the Fearless Foodie, Nature Warrior or Urban Adventurer is selected, the viewer is taken down a rabbit hole of rapid videos, showcasing some of the best offerings linked to their interests.
For example, a fearless foodie will “visit” La Colombe, watch an aunty fold samoosas in the Bo-Kaap, and dive into steampunk scenes at Truth Coffee.
CEO of Cape Town Tourism Enver Duminy said Find Your Freedom uses the latest digital technology to immerse viewers in unique Cape Town choice-driven video experiences.
“You choose your guide. You choose your adventure. It’s an interactive journey from start to finish.”
Cape Town Tourism is working with camera company GoPro Global, where six international ambassadors will share what Find Your Freedom in Cape Town means through their lens.
The travel organisation is also in talks with American online travel company Expedia, which will enable visitors to book and enjoy special travel packages and discounts.
CTT chief marketting officer Leigh Dawber said with the creeping onset of the metaverse, choice will continue to govern virtual experiences that feel more real.
“In this campaign, we’ve combined real-life footage of Cape Town with whimsical CGI touches.
“The idea with this initiative is to delve into a different kind of storytelling. This partnership will see these renowned creatives share their stories, their way.”
This method of putting the user in charge increases engagement. “Many of us remember those iconic Choose Your Own Adventure childhood books. This campaign works in a similar way. It’s innovative and inspiring. It lets you dictate how you explore our beautiful city. Millennials, especially, have a keen sense of adventure and desire to travel with purpose. Our aim is to appeal to this. The more personalised you can make your experience of the Mother City, the more likely you are to plan the trip of a lifetime,” she said.
The City of Cape Town's mayoral committee member for economic growth James Vos said the new virtual experience was fast-paced, captivating and unlike anything any other destination marketing organisation worldwide is doing.
“Our goal is to fuel faster recovery in the visitor economy. Following the pandemic, people worldwide are itching to explore, do more, and reclaim that sense of purpose.
“We want to encourage individuals in our key source markets to jump on a plane and come to Cape Town to find their freedom. This new campaign really hits the mark not just in terms of being something original and fun, but most importantly, being enticing enough, I believe, to result in actual bookings.”
Mr Vos said its the the kind of initiative that will kick tourism to Cape Town into high gear.
“Already we have witnessed a great deal of recovery from the national lockdown. I’m happy to share that Cape Town International Airport is reporting a 71% recovery rate for domestic passenger volumes in March and 62% for international travellers for the same period in 2019. The recovery rate for air traffic movements this past month is now at 80% domestically and 69% internationally.”
He said Find Your Freedom works to restore confidence in Cape Town, which suffered greatly from the global travel bans over the past two years.
For more information or to play the Find Your Freedom game, search for CapeTown.Travel