After a weekend of extreme weather caused by torrential rain and destructive gales across the Western Cape, the sun smiled brightly on Mossel Bay on Tuesday morning, when a select crowd gathered at Café Gannet to witness the launch of the town’s latest, greatest tourism drive.
The occasion also served as run-up to the celebration of national Tourism Day, feted countrywide on Wednesday September 27.
And we’re taking about ‘drive’ in all senses of the word, since the new Mossel Bay Tourism campaign involves the branding of five humungous tautliner trucks that will be travelling across South Africa branded with images of the 12 unique municipal areas included in the region’s many coastal gems and scenic inland hamlets.
Partnering with Mossel Bay Tourism in this case is Master Cargo, its impressive fleet of 120 vehicles tasked with delivering the goods not only within South Africa’s borders, but also throughout the SADAC region of our colourful continent.
Colour is key when it comes to making the most of a moving billboard, and here credit is due to the designer of motifs blazed across the five Master Cargo pantechnicons adorned with endemic eye-candy. Equal thanks go to Iconic Mossel Bay and surrounds for providing ample gorgeous landmarks and a glorious natural environment.
Picture this marvel: the front trailer of each Iconic Mossel Bay-branded truck shows the historical St Blaize Lighthouse – among the top three landmarks so intimately associated with the town. Each side of the rear trailer depicts one of the 11 other villages that fall within the Greater Mossel Bay.
Just as the lighthouse is iconic, so too is each of the other locations depicted on the trucks. A unique icon was also created for each of the towns, and these are emblazoned on every truck.
The images include larger-than-life captures of the rugged rocks at Fransmanshoek, an African Black Oystercatcher on the boardwalk at Dana Bay, the quaint little Friemersheim church, and Glentana’s famous wreck that dates back to 1902.
The balance of Mossel Bay-branded Master Cargo trucks display the glittering allure of Great Brak River as it snakes into the Indian ocean, an inviting Hartenbos Beach boardwalk, winelands at Jakkalsvlei in Herbertsdale, safaris at a game reserve adjacent to Little Brak River, and proteas in full bloom at Ruiterbos.
Taking up the mic to welcome those in attendance for the launch breakfast was Alewijn Dippenaar, eventer par excellence and close ally of Mossel Bay Tourism. Fresh back from a global adventure-industry convention in Japan, Dippenaar shared some take-aways from this seminal gathering.
“The Japanese people believe even inanimate objects have souls, and that all aspects of our days – work, leisure, the lot – should be lived in harmony. When it comes to collaborations in and around Mossel Bay, it’s wonderful to see the respect and harmony that exist among all sectors, the willingness to assist, the many people coming forward to further one cause.”
Mossel Bay Tourism COO Lieschke Steven-Jennings explained that, just like the wide array of special people in the town, there is an incredible variety of venues to explore.
“When it comes to our Iconic brand, visitors are often oblivious of its many offerings and we would like them to understand what it entails. We are an inclusive brand, and through inclusion of images of all our municipal areas, we hope to get the message across that there is so much more to Iconic Mossel Bay.”
Master Cargo operations director Mauritz Barnard said they were “proud and honoured to be part of this great initiative”, adding that they lunged at the opportunity to have five of their new vehicles branded with Iconic Mossel Bay images.
Barnard paid special tribute to ace driver Mark Marks for delivering the truck, on display during the breakfast do, right on time despite the treacherous weather conditions en route to the Southern Cape.
Representatives of Mossel Bay Municipality and Tourism, its business chamber and several local enterprises joined him in a round of applause to all involved before stepping outside to admire the truck in its fabulous new jacket.
Call 044 691 2202 or click on www.visitmosselbay.co.za for additional information or to book your stay in Iconic Mossel Bay.
Lorrievragte vol pret – en kontinentale blootstelling vir Ikoniese Mosselbaai
Ná ’n naweek van uiterste weersomstandighede met stortreën en stormwinde oor die hele Wes-Kaap, het die son Dinsdagoggend helder oor Mosselbaai geskyn toe ‘n uitgelese groepie by Café Gannet byeengekom het vir bekendstelling aan die dorp se slim nuwe bemarkingsveldtog.
Die geleentheid het ook gedien as voorloper vir nasionale Toerismedag, wat landwyd op Woensdag 27 September gevier is.
‘Laat die wiele rol’ het nou ‘n hele nuwe betekenis, want die briljante Mosselbaai Toerisme-veldtog betrek vyf yslike vragmotors waarvan die wa-bedekkings versier is met reusefoto’s van die streek se vele kusjuwele en skilderagtige binnelandse gehuggies.
Hierdie reisende uitstalling van 12 unieke munisipale gebiede sal regoor Suider-Afrika vertoon word.
Die maatskappy wat onlangs bladgeskud het met Mosselbaai Toerisme is Master Cargo, wie se indrukwekkende vloot van 120 voertuie belas is om goedere te vervoer binne Suid-Afrika se grense, en ook regdeur die SADAC-streek van ons kleurryke kontinent.
Kleur is inderdaad van belang wanneer mens die meeste wil maak van ‘n bewegende advertensiebord, en hier moet die ontwerper van motiewe waarmee die vyf Master Cargo-vragmotors versier is erkenning ontvang. Eweneens verdien Ikoniese Mosselbaai se omgewing krediet vir die verskaffing van soveel pragtige bakens, mooi ou geboue, en verruklike natuurskoon om af te neem.
Verbeel jou net hierdie gesig: die voorste sleepwa van elke vragmotor versier met die Ikoniese Mosselbaai-handelsmerk, vertoon die historiese St Blaize-vuurtoring – een van die top drie bakens so diep met die dorp verbind. Elke kant van die agterste sleepwa beeld een van die 11 ander dorpies uit wat binne Groter Mosselbaai val.
Net so ikonies soos die vuurtoring is elk van die ander gebiede wat op die vragmotors uitgebeeld word. ‘n Unieke kenteken is ook vir elkeen van die dorpies geskep, en pryk saam met die gepaste foto op die betrokke vragmotor.
Die foto’s sluit in reuse afbeeldings van die ruwe rotse by Fransmanshoek, ‘n blinkswart Oestervanger op die promenade by Danabaai, die historiese kerkie by Friemersheim, en Glentana se beroemde wrak wat uit 1902 dateer.
Die res van die Master Cargo-vragmotors wat met Mosselbaaise beelde pronk wys ‘n glinsterende Groot-Brakrivier wat kronkel na die Indiese Oseaan, ‘n hartlike Hartenbosstrand, wynlande by Jakkalsvlei in Herbertsdale, safari’s by ‘n wildreservaat wat aan Klein-Brakrivier grens, en proteas in hul volle glorie by Ruiterbos.
Alewijn Dippenaar, geleentheidsorganiseerder van formaat en noue bondgenoot van Mosselbaai Toerisme, het gaste by die bekendstellingsontbyt verwelkom. Dippenaar, pas terug van ‘n internatioale avontuurbedryf-konvensie in Japan, het ‘n paar gedagtes van hierdie insiggewende byeenkoms gedeel.
“Die Japannese glo dat selfs lewelose voorwerpe ‘n siel het, en dat alle aspekte van ons dag – werk, ontspanning, die lot – harmonieus uitgeleef moet word. Wanneer dit kom by samewerking in en om Mosselbaai, is dit wonderlik om die respek en harmonie te sien wat daar tussen alle sektore bestaan, die bereidwilligheid om hand by te sit, die getalle mense wat hand opsteek om saam ‘n saak te bevorder.”
Mosselbaai Toerisme se bedryfshoof Lieschke Steven-Jennings het verduidelik dat, net soos die wye verskeidenheid spesiale mense in die dorp, daar ook ‘n yslike verskeidenheid van spesiale plekke is om te verken.
“Wat ons Ikoniese-handelsmerk aanbetref, is besoekers dikwels onbewus van die veelsydige aanbiedinge op ons drumpel, en ons wil graag hê mense moet verstaan wat dit behels. Ons handelsmerk is inklusief, en deur afbeeldings van al ons munisipale gebiede in te sluit hoop ons om die boodskap oor te dra dat daar ‘n magdom skatte is om in Ikoniese Mosselbaai te ontdek.”
Mauritz Barnard, bedryfsdirekteur van Master Cargo, het gesê hulle is “trots en geëerd om deel te wees van hierdie wonderlike inisiatief”, en bygevoeg dat hulle die geleentheid aangegryp het om Mosselbaai-kiekies op vyf van hul nuwe voertuie aan te bring.
Barnard het ook hulde gebring aan ervare bestuurder Mark Marks vir die aflewering van die vragmotor, wat net betyds vir die ontbytaangeleentheid in Mosselbaai aangeland het, ondanks die verraderlike weerstoestande op pad na die Suid-Kaap.
Verteenwoordigers van Mosselbaai Munisipaliteit en Toerisme, die sakekamer en verskeie plaaslike ondernemings het by hom aangesluit in applous vir alle betrokkenes. Toe is almal buitentoe het om die vragmotor in sy spoggerige nuwe baadjie te bewonder, in die helder morelig van Mosselbaai se sonskyn.
Skakel 044 691 2202 of klik op www.visitmosselbay.co.za vir bykomende inligting of om jou verblyf in Ikoniese Mosselbaai te bespreek.
