FlySafair evolves its Business Booster into a new platform
Travel Booster - a new platform dedicated to South Africa’s tourism economy. Four tourism businesses will be selected to receive flights, brand exposure and a media platform, turning local experience into national discovery
FlySafair evolves its Business Booster into a new platform – FlySafair has evolved its popular Business Booster competition into a new, tourism-focused platform. The Travel Booster. Launching this week, the initiative builds on the foundation of the Business Booster. This has given a number of South African SMEs access to air travel since 2022, and sharpens its focus on the tourism, hospitality and experience sector. Four tourism businesses will be selected to receive a package of flights, brand exposure and visibility across FlySafair’s owned channels. Giving South African tourism operators a meaningful national platform to grow their reach.
Business Booster to Travel Booster
The evolution from Business Booster to Travel Booster reflects a deliberate strategic alignment between FlySafair’s core purpose and the businesses it supports. As an airline, FlySafair connects South Africans with destinations every day. Travel Booster recognises that the experiences, accommodation providers, attractions and guides at those destinations are what give people a reason to travel in the first place.
“Business Booster taught us that there is real power in giving a growing South African business a national platform. With Travel Booster, we’re applying that same thinking to a sector that is directly linked to what we do. South Africa has extraordinary tourism offerings. From hidden gem accommodation to incredible guided experiences. Many of the businesses behind those offerings are small, passionate operators who simply need exposure to grow. We want to be the platform that helps people discover them.” ~ Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair.
Travel Booster winners
Each of the four Travel Booster winners will receive a prize package valued at over R350 000 from FlySafair. This, comprising of 10 return domestic Business Class flights, a full-page feature in FlySafair’s digital InFlight magazine, brand exposure on the FlySafair website, and social media visibility across the airline’s platforms. Reaching more than 1.5 million followers. Partners First Car Rental and Vodacom SA further enhance the winner package, contributing car hire coupons and tailored business solutions respectively.
Travel Booster is open to registered South African tourism businesses, attractions, accommodation providers and experience operators. Any business whose offering gives people a genuine reason to travel. Entrants are invited to share their story across five dimensions. Who they are, and what makes their experience worth travelling for. The impact they have on their destination and community, where they want to grow, and their vision for how national exposure could help them do so.
Judging Criteria
A panel of judges will select the winners by evaluating entries against six criteria. Tourism appeal and uniqueness, storytelling potential, growth potential, local and community impact. Also, domestic tourism contribution, and campaign and brand fit. The competition is open to businesses that are genuinely visitable, bookable or experience-led. Those who are operational and able to respond to increased consumer interest.
“South Africa’s tourism sector is an engine for economic growth, employment and community development,” adds Gordon. “But too many excellent tourism businesses are invisible to national audiences simply because they don’t have the marketing budget to compete. Travel Booster is a way for FlySafair to use its platform to change that, to spotlight businesses that are creating real value in their communities and give them the visibility they deserve. If we can help more South Africans discover these experiences, we create a reason to travel, and that is good for everyone.”
The competition’s winner package
Business Booster, which Travel Booster now succeeds, has given several SMEs across South Africa access to air travel over the past four years. Spanning a wide range of industries, from construction and fashion to fitness, pets and travel. The competition’s winner package has grown over time, with the prize evolving. It now offers 10 return domestic Business Class flights per winner from 2024 onwards.
Previous winners cited tangible benefits including new business relationships, increased brand credibility, expanded customer bases and, in several cases, connections made directly through the Business Class flights themselves. That legacy of impact forms the foundation on which Travel Booster has built its success.
Terms and conditions apply.
