Digital Visitor is playing a huge role in a new initiative to develop Africa’s tourism and travel sector. For the first time in Africa, E Tourism Conferences will be held across the continent to assist Africa’s tourism sector to better understand the internet and the range of online marketing opportunities now available, especially in the lead up to the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The E Tourism Africa conferences, which are being held in South, East, North and West Africa will bring together global online and digital experts. Digital Visitor will be there along with companies such as Expedia, Microsoft, Eviivo, New Mind and WAYN (Where Are You Now?). The conference delegates will be introduced to new technologies available as well as highlighting marketing and e-commerce solutions, the best use of social networking, the implications of blogging and the importance of user generated content and online video for the travel trade.

Damian Cook, Managing Director of E Tourism Africa, the company behind the conferences, explains how Africa is moving out of the digital darkness. “With global online travel generating sales of more than US $100 billion, and almost no African tourism sold online, it is crucial that Africa begins to harness the web, especially with the World Cup looming. The E-tourism Africa conferences will help educate the sector to move online and take advantage of all the new opportunities – especially in the world of Web 2.0”, said Cook.

“We have taken time to identify leading companies in leisure and tourism industry and are bringing these companies together to advise and guide this rapidly developing market. Digital Visitor has established itself as the leading company for online video and solutions for user generated content in the UK and they will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to these conferences.”

“Tourism numbers to Africa are rising and broadband speeds are increasing across the continent” said Anthony Rawlins, the Managing Director of Digital Visitor. “An increasing number of tourism players in the African market will move to online marketing in a much bigger way and the experience that we have gained in this industry will ensure these businesses make the most of the opportunities available to them.”

“In particular user-generated content presents a huge opportunity for businesses to collect a huge amount of content for them to promote themselves at little or no cost at all. Our multi-media platform, Visitor Review, is branded individually for each business and enables them to collect text, photos and video easily and effectively.”

There is an impressive lineup of speakers presenting at the E Tourism Africa conferences and Digital Visitor is presenting alongside major players such as Microsoft, Expedia and Google. “This is great testament to the journey we have undertaken over the last few years. We have helped develop online video for the leisure and tourism industry in the UK and this obviously has not gone unnoticed around the world.” Anthony added. “We are very excited to be working on a project of such importance and significance.”

The first E Tourism Africa conferences were held in the Southern and Eastern African regions in Johannesburg (September) and Nairobi (October) respectively, with additional conferences planned for Cairo and Ghana in early 2009, culminating with a pan African event mid 2009.

For more information on the project please go to www.e-tourismafrica.com