afrol News, 28 July - The South African Tourism has appointed Dow Jones to monitor, analyse and evaluate media in the country’s 15 international target markets in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup and beyond.

The news corporation company announced today that it had signed a three-year agreement with South African Tourism to provide mainstream, Web and social media monitoring, evaluation and strategic analysis in support of the organisation's work in promoting South Africa as a destination for international business and leisure travel, particularly as the country gears up to host one of the biggest sporting showpieces on the planet, the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

Dow Jones will provide media intelligence across South African Tourism's 15 target markets, which, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Southern African Development Community (Botswana, Mozambique), Australia, China, India, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, UK and USA, in eight languages (English, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Dutch and Portuguese).

"The next three years is a hugely important period for South African Tourism. With more than 450,000 people expected to travel to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, combined with billions more watching on television, the eyes of the world and its media will be on South Africa. It was therefore imperative to select the right partner for media monitoring, analysis and evaluation," said Roshene Singh, chief marketing officer of South African Tourism.

"We were truly impressed with Dow Jones's unique combination of global reach with extensive local content. In addition, Dow Jones impressed us with its strategic thinking, the functionality of its technology and most importantly, its understanding of our brand and business needs," added the SA Tourism marketing officer.

"South African Tourism has an unmatched platform on which to promote South Africa to the world over the next three years," said Martin Murtland, managing director, Dow Jones PR & Corporate Communications Solutions.

He further Dow Jones is well placed to assist South African Tourism in meeting the communications challenges and opportunities that will arise in the coming months.

“News, information and opinion travel with greater speed and reach more people in less time than ever before. Dow Jones tools will enable South African Tourism to monitor, analyse and evaluate mainstream and social media in its target markets, in up to eight languages,” he said.

He also saod the South African Tourism's marketing and communications initiatives will be informed by Dow Jones tools to analyse trends and spot opportunities from conversations taking place around South Africa as a travel destination, allowing it to shape and refine communications campaigns over time.

South Africa hosts the first African world cup in June next year, having also hosted the Eight-nations Confederations cup this year which saw teams such as Brasil, Italy, Spain, USA, Irag, New Zealand and Egypt participating.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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