Online gurus from some of the biggest names in etourism and Internet marketing are lined up to present at the first ever etourism conference in Southern Africa which will be held in Johannesburg in September.

Google, Microsoft, WAYN, Expedia, Nightsbridge and Eye For Travel are some of the global Internet giants that will make presentations at the conference that is aimed to help businesses in Southern Africa gear up for the 2010 World Cup and the boom in tourism that is expected in the region leading up to, during and after the event.

According to Bizcommunity.com “travel is now the number one selling commodity online and is generating over US$100 Billion annually in sales. The Internet is becoming the leading source of travel information and sales for the modern consumer, yet very little African tourism is sold online and finding and booking African destinations on the web can be a challenge.”

The two day conference will be followed by three days of specialist training workshops for the tourist trade and will, it is hoped, assist tourism professionals, hoteliers, bloggers, ICT professionals, airlines, tour operators and destination managers to harness the incredible potential of Web 2.0 tools, social networking and search marketing.

The E Tourism Southern Africa conference will be held in Johannesburg at the FNB Building at Fairland on the 1st-2nd September and the special training workshops will be on the 3rd-5th September at the FNB Conference and Learning Centre, Sandown in Sandton.

Topics to be covered include:

• Tourism in a Web 2.0 World.
• Trends, Key Markets, Research and Projections for the Online Travel Sector
• How online distribution works, and how you can sell your products online.
• How search can become a strategic part of your marketing plans.
• Using video to promote your business on the web.
• A review of what makes a successful tourism website.
• Developing a complete marketing strategy that uses technology to support, enhance and embolden your various sales and marketing strategies- and strengthen your corporate image.

Lindiwe Mahlangu, the CEO of Johannesburg Tourism Company, which has recently launched an aggressive internationa marketing campaign, including adverts in Zimbabwean newspapers, will give the welcome address.