Tourism Board launches Conservation Destination campaign

As part of efforts to attract more tourists to the country as well as to promote domestic tourism, the Namibia Tourism Board recently launched an online marketing campaign, entitled Conservation Destination.
Through the campaign, two lucky people stand a chance to win an eight-day trip around Namibia courtesy of the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB).
The campaign, which will run until 1 June 2012, coincided with Earth Day and is designed to showcase the remarkable conservation stories taking place around the country and hope to inspire Namibians to become part of the story.
The campaign uses Facebook applications and the NTB’s award-winning website blog to engage communities of travelers who are passionate about wildlife and conservation. During the campaign, the NTB invites online users to use Facebook and Twitter to interact with four conservation ambassadors namely; Dara the Damara Tern, Chase the Cheetah, Roger the Rhino and Holden the Golden Mole. In order to bring the four characters to life, the NTB has worked with four conservation organisations in the country, the Namibian Coast Conservation and Management (NACOMA) project, the Cheetah Conservation Fund, the Save the Rhino Trust and the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDDEET).
“We believe the campaign is a great and engaging way to communicate the wonders and challenges facing conservation success stories taking place in Namibia.” says the director of NaDEET, Victoria Keding.
Throughout the campaign, the ambassadors will be tweeting and posting about real life threats facing their survival and also spread the word about the amazing conservation success stories taking place in the country. As part of the campaign, the NTB is offering an exciting lucky draw to all residents of Namibia by giving an eight day trip for two across the country and offer them an opportunity to spend time with the country’s leading conservations.
To enter the lucky draw, one needs to connect with the Namibia Endless Horizons on Facebook and click on the “Lucky Draw” tab and be automatically entered. Alternatively, one can enter through the blog page on the NTB’s website.
NTB’s public relations officer, Maggy Mbako, said that Facebook was the best medium to use since thousands of Namibians are already using the social network.
“We hope to engage Namibians of all ages with this campaign and alert them to the work being done in the country and also give them the chance to visit it themselves,” Mbako said.
The two lucky winners of the draw will be announced on 8 June at the Namibia Tourism Expo in Windhoek.