Incentive Packages Soekershof

2009-11-10

The last few weeks Soekershof; Private Mazes & Botanical Gardens in South Africa has made long term agreements with the first upmarket tour operators regarding Incentive Tours. Except a standard visit this also includes an incentive which is typical exclusive Soekershof Signature and handcrafted in the Robertson Wine Valley.

The Incentive consists of visit plus a Soekershof Signature gift. Choice between a set of 10 plant hangers; laminated wooden seedbox (2 models) with embedded cotyledon; Earth Works Jewellery (earthy necklace and earthly earrings in earthy box) and a one wire lizard.

The Earth Works Jewellery is new and about to go into production. Only earth of Soekershof (different textures and earth colours) is used and the past year Soekershof and their local partners developed a process in sustainable binding the particles. It's weather and shock proof.

Soekershof (also known as The Green Cathedral of South Africa) is a 10 hectare large estate in Klaas Voogds West between Robertson and Ashton/Montagu along Route62. Locally Soekershof is known for its Klaas Voogds Maze with visualised local folklore as orientating beacons. Internationally Soekershof is highly acclaimed for its huge outdoor collection of succulent plants (>2500 different and registered species/subspecies/cultivars/etc.) and is recommended as one of the four 'must visit' gardens in South Africa. BBC's TV garden program presentor and known Irish landscaper Diarmuid Gavin reckons Soekershof as his favourite garden in South Africa (UK Sunday Times). His latest submission to the Chelsea Flower show was clearly inspired by Soekershof. Recently Soekershof was exposed in Garden & Home (Dutch edition), ZAM-Africa Magazine, Sculpture Net (USA), Reckless Gardener and Gardening on the Edge (UK), Saturday Star (SA) and INDWE (inflight magazine South African Airlines). In the near future publications will follow in amongst others Country Life Magazine and The Independent (UK).

The last few months showed a good international media interest in Robertson as destination (and, gratefully, Soekershof played a significant part in this). Not only in South Africa but also abroad there is a slowly growing consciousness that there is more to South Africa than the Big Four (Cape Town, Addo, Kruger and Garden Route). Management, staff and partners of Soekershof endeavour that, to the benefit of all role players within the Robertson Wine Valley, this area has the potential of becoming number 5. What Robertson has to offer is quality of life and a glass of good wine goes well together with this great life in the country side.
In all marketing efforts Soekershof also emphasise the diverse qualities of its 'homeland'.
What Robertson has to offer is unexpected diversity from excellent wine cellars, olive tasting, boat cruises and 'haute cuisine' to game drive, nature reserves, gardens, bicycle rentals, Victorian architecture, Dharma Centre and wellness; all ingredients for great quality time with the whole family.
Diverse blog sites on the internet such as http://qualityoflifeinsouthafrica.wordpress.com can add extra value to this destination.
The wide variety of accommodation (from budget friendly camping sites to 5 star) in and around the valley is another great asset.

Last year Soekershof started with the implementation of a new marketing plan as developed in co-junction with Market Tree in Houtbay and FreshTake in Cape Town (in the background with support of diverse marketing specialists in the UK, USA and Holland). Although a few years more to go with this phase-wise implementation the new marketing strategy seems to spread the benefits of tourism in the whole area with a slowly growing number visitors and an increasing added value (homegrown organically cultivated succulent plants and Soekershof Signature and locally handcrafted gifts) as well as support to local entrepreneurs as shops, restaurants and wine cellars. As the highlighted attraction in this valley Soekershof is described in the latest South Africa edition of The Lonely Planet guidebook. Also the unique more sustainable agreements with tour operators within South Africa and abroad will generate extra visitors.
The certificate of Fair Trade in Tourism in South Africa is mostly recognised as such in Europe and North America.

More info about Soekershof (including times and PRECISE road directions): http://soekershof.com