‍

In this session, Nadia Aniff, Head of Brand & Marketing at Cape Tourism, and Johannes Brauckmann, Head of Licensing Europe at Gamigo, joined us for a panel discussion on gamification opportunities in destination strategy.

‍

Johannes began reflecting on gamification in the region. Cologne is one of the biggest gaming hotspots. The gaming industry is growing. It is a huge market. It is bigger than video, books and music altogether. Games are for all focus groups. The mobile phone is by far the best seller for casual games, but we also have console games such ad PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox. The PC market is not only dying but getting more robust. Thinking about user acquisition rate, users need to have a reason to buy a game and be motivated to come back to the game. The key thing is to keep users engaged.

‍

Nadia later discussed the impact of avatars on the Find Your Freedom campaign. She mentioned that creating a balance to target millennials but not exclude others was really important to succeed. She continued explaining that the content must be digestible for the audience but also sell the destination. The locals supported the campaign, knowing the city would get more visitors if it succeeded. Additionally, local talents contribute to the execution of the campaign, such as the visual effects. The campaign features soundscapes and music unique to South Africa, making it very immersive and authentic.

‍

In terms of collaboration, Johannes added that gaming associations work on national, regional and international levels. There has always been an intention to collaborate and network, from start-ups to creative giants. He explained that gaming business models are like a sandbox where developers, creatives and any other stakeholder can contribute to. Nadia also commented that to launch new projects, the industry needs to be ready to say yes to everything and grow relationships.