Destinate

Thought leadership

Destinate is widely known for thought leadership. Chief Destineer Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold is in demand locally and internationally as a tourism and marketing strategist, as well as a speaker. Topics she covers include tourism, marketing trends and the role of digital- and social media in destination and tourism marketing.

PR & communications

Destinate’s strength lies in our understanding of global travel markets, consumer trends and how to complement traditional PR with innovative digital marketing. Our clients are able to tap into our extensive international network of bloggers, digital editors, online storytellers and social media platforms. We assist clients with:

• Traditional PR and communications
• Targeted social media campaigns, including strategy, management and content creation
• Blogger relations, including placement, blogger trips and cooperations with vetted professional bloggers
• Press trips with contracted content agreements
• Digital content creation including blog articles, emailers and eNewsletters
• Packaging
• Trade engagement and direct consumer promotions

Marketing campaigns 

The agency has gained recognition globally for digital marketing campaigns like #Stellenblog for Stellenbosch, #72hrsSoweto for Gauteng Tourism and the Soweto Wine Festival, #WeOpenAfrica for Open Africa and #gotoReunion for Reunion Island Tourism.

Online community reputation management

Social media can be an effective tool to market and sell your destination or brand, provided you use each platform effectively. We are experts at creating shareable content, guiding conversations, growing communities, unpacking in-depth reporting and building relationships with the influencers who can take your message to millions of engaged followers and fans. Our team of talented photographers, videographers and storytellers create thumb-stopping content tailor-made for each client’s target market and budget.

Events development & management 

Destinate’s approach to event management is strategic, using events as powerful marketing and brand platforms. Annual events executed include Constantia Fresh and the Elgin Cool Wine and Country Food Festival. The Joburg Wine Club brings a series of prestigious wine events to the right consumers during the course of the year. These events are unlike any other wine event or festival, designed to deliver something unique to our target audience and members.

Strategy development & implementation

The team believes in strategy-led marketing. They work with clients to develop strategies informed by global trends and insight, but within a local context. Destinate provides support and mentorship to ensure that new strategies are successfully implemented. Destinate has great insight in wine tourism. Mariette developed South Africa’s first national wine tourism strategy and the team led the first phase of implementation thereof.

Business & brand development 

A number of new business concepts and brands have been developed over the past years. In November 2017 Destinate launched the Joburg Wine Club to grow the local wine market. The Club’s prestigious wine events are complemented by PR and media promotions, consumer competitions, winelands travel packages, interesting wine selections and sales. We are here to help you identify your unique brand identity and to help tell your story through shareable and meaningful content, campaigns, video, imagery and an effective trade strategy. Brand development work for Vergenoegd Wine Estate saw their Runner Ducks take centre stage in the marketing of this historic wine estate, leading to a record increase in visitors.

Organisational design & change management 

It's not enough to envision your future as an organisation or have a strategy – you need accurate roadmaps to get there. You also need the right vehicles and the right drivers. Before her appointment as CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Mariette was responsible for restructuring Cape Town’s tourism sector and establishing the first unified tourism organization for the city. This equipped her with vast experience in navigating the complexities around local and regional tourism development and management. Destinate can assist with these aspects of organisational design and change management.

Destination management services

Through Destinate Travel we offer a comprehensive portfolio of destination management services, with an emphasis on ethical and sustainable options. By doing this, we aim to provide a platform for small businesses to benefit from the tourism value chain.

Our curated travel experiences and packages are all about making real connections with people and places, sharing their stories and contributing to the greater good in one way or another. We pride ourselves in doing travel differently and work with partners and brands who deliver to this mantra. Travel trade, groups, government agencies and conference organisers interested in travel programmes that truly align with and complement their programmes, events, conferences and meetings can liaise with Destinate to tailor-make a programme that offers real value to travellers, delegates and the host destination.