Connecting Africa through radio
2016-05-18 02:20:00

Now in its fourth year running, the project unites four radio stations in
Durban, with the aim of helping to scope the economic future of the Zulu Kingdom
by promoting the province to potential investors and tourists in the continent.
Representatives from Phoenix FM from Lusaka, Zambia and Star FM from Harare,
Zimbabwe have flown in to Durban to join East Coast Radio and its sister
station, Jacaranda FM, to experience what KZN has to offer. The stations
collectively broadcast to an audience of 13 million listeners.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative at The Oyster Box this morning, East
Coast Radio's Marketing Manager, Rene Burton, said, Connecting Africa is more
than just a project. It is about key stakeholders amplifying future
opportunities within Africa. It's the richness of all the cultures that are
involved that also serves to set this initiative apart from other ventures.
(Above: Rene Burton (Marketing Manager of East Coast Radio), Mxolisi
Miya (Executive Manager for Corporate Affairs at Trade and Investment
KwaZulu-Natal and Boni Mchunu (GM: Marketing at Tourism KwaZulu-Natal)
Connecting Africa is a platform that enables the strategic promotion, branding
and marketing of the province of KwaZulu-Natal as the premier investment, trade
and tourism destination, says Zamo Gwala, CEO of Trade and Investment
KwaZulu-Natal. This is an opportunity to further expand trade relations with
Zimbabwe and Zambia.
In addition to forging greater, mutually-beneficial socio-economic relationships
with our neighbours,
Connecting Africa is also a learning exchange programme; a chance for the four
radio stations to share intellectual property and cement cross-border
collaborations.
Connecting Africa provides Tourism KwaZulu-Natal with the platform to market
and promote the destination to our key domestic markets namely KwaZulu-Natal and
Gauteng and the SADC markets of Zimbabwe and Zambia with the aim of showcasing
our tourism offerings within the province, says Boni Mchunu, General Manager :
Marketing at Tourism KwaZulu-Natal. It further enhances our efforts to increase
tourist arrivals and encourage visitors to experience the diverse regions within
our exceptional Zulu Kingdom. Our intentions are to maintain and sustain the
relations among key role-players within the tourism sector created by the launch
of the direct flight route by SA Express from Lusaka in Zambia and Harare in
Zimbabwe to Durban in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
The teams from Star FM, Phoenix FM and Jacaranda FM will experience a range of
business and tourism-related offerings during their stay in our province, with
visits to the KZN Midlands, along the north coast to St Lucia and then back in
Durban for experiences in and around the city.
Connecting Africa rounds off with live broadcasts by the teams on 11 & 12 May
2015 to their respective audiences in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Gauteng, where their
experiences in KZN will be relayed to a collective audience of 13 million
listeners.