TourismZA

28/05/2026

A rare Gordon Wright sighting on the stoep and Mike Baker breaking cover in mid shot 😄

Caught here at the De Krans tasting hosted at PSG during Stoep Tasting The Sibling — good wine, good people, and exactly the kind of relaxed Karoo energy that makes this event so special.

Have a look around in 360° and soak up the atmosphere.

23/05/2026

Stoep Tasting The Sibling is in full swing, and this 360° moment from the Deetlefs wine tasting at Drostdy Hotel, Graaff-Reinet captures the atmosphere beautifully — relaxed, social, and full of people clearly enjoying the weekend.

The official Stoep Tasting map is now heading towards 10,000 views, showing just how useful it has become for helping visitors explore producers, hosts, fringe events and key visitor information.

If you can’t be here in person, you can still experience a taste of it online:

Official map:
https://maps.tourismza.co.za/stoep-tasting-2026-SIBLING

20/05/2026

WELCOME TO STOEP TASTING 2026 | THE SIBLING

Visitors to Graaff-Reinet and Nieu-Bethesda can now explore Stoep Tasting 2026 on the official interactive Google map, built by tourismZA to help guests navigate the weekend more easily and discover more of what the event has to offer.

The map brings together 42 wine producers, their stoep hosts, fringe events, selected vendors and key visitor information in one easy-to-use digital guide.

Each listing gives visitors a clearer introduction to the producer, venue or event, together with directions to the correct location, helping you plan your route and make the most of this special Karoo wine weekend.

If you can't make it in person, explore the map online — it includes an introduction to each of the producers, as well as direct links to their wine clubs and sales where available.

Explore the official map here:
https://maps.tourismza.co.za/stoep-tasting-2026-SIBLING

Event organisers wanting to take their event to the next level are invited to partner with tourismZA in building an interactive event map that enhances visitor experience, strengthens participant visibility and adds lasting value to the event.

06/05/2026

“My view from the most tranquil, private office.”
(Then tap and drag the 360 image in my comment below to look around - see inside my tent)

One of the things immersive 360 imagery does particularly well is help you understand the feeling of a place before you arrive.

This was captured at Tent Site 2 at Camdeboo National Park’s Lakeview Tented Camp while tourismZA was working on the Park’s flagship Google Business Profile project for SANParks.

What struck me most here was the secluded silence.

No traffic.
No crowds.
Just the stillness of the Karoo, the occasional bird call, and the feeling of being completely immersed in nature.

Sitting quietly outside the tent with my laptop, looking out across the landscape, it felt less like “working remotely” and more like borrowing a small piece of tranquillity for a while.

This is also where immersive 360° imagery becomes so valuable.

A normal photograph shows you a scene.
A live 360 lets future visitors explore the space for themselves — helping them understand the privacy, layout, atmosphere and surroundings before they arrive.

For tourism destinations, conservation areas and accommodation providers, that creates a far more human and informed way for travellers to plan.

This particular 360° image was captured using the Labpano Pilot Era — still one of the best dedicated Google Street View and tourism mapping cameras available for this kind of immersive storytelling.

As part of the broader Camdeboo National Park project, tourismZA is helping demonstrate how Google Business Profiles, Google Maps, immersive 360 content, visitor information and review systems can work together as both:
• a practical visitor planning tool
• and an AI-ready source-of-truth asset for tourism discovery.

And honestly… there are worse places in the world to answer emails from 😄

05/05/2026

https://maps.app.goo.gl/n9oPBEsbHDiHANeGA Virtual Game Drive Through Three Valleys - Bathurst

Udforsk et sted via et 360°-billede.

16/04/2026

“Wine tasting in the hallways of the CTICC… not a bad way to do WTM Africa 😄
(tap and drag the 360 image to look around)

This was one of those unexpected highlights — a festive wine tasting where exhibitors could pause, connect, and enjoy a glass together after a day of meetings.

But as good as this was… it also reminded me of something important:

Nothing beats tasting these wines where they truly belong —
like the historic setting of Graaff-Reinet and Nieu-Bethesda, in the heart of the Karoo.

That’s what Stoep Tasting is all about.
Real places. Real stories. Real connections between people, producers, and place.

And this year, we’re taking that experience a step further.

We’re preparing to unveil a Google-based interactive map for Stoep Tasting that pulls through qualifying Google Business Profiles — giving each wine producer a permanent, searchable presence online.

Not just during the event.
Not just when someone scrolls past a post.
But 24/7 — discoverable in Google and AI-powered travel search.

We’ll also be photographing the 2026 edition of Stoep Tasting using a Labpano Pilot Era 360° camera, publishing immersive content directly to Google Maps — allowing visitors to explore, experience, and plan their journey before they even arrive.

From a glass in a conference hallway…
to a stoep in the Karoo.

That’s where the magic really happens. Email [email protected] and we'll send you a sneak preview 😄

16/04/2026

“Hijacked” by St Helena Island at WTM Africa 😄
(tap and drag the 360 image to look around)

I was in the middle of another meeting at WTM Africa when Donovan Ncube quite literally hijacked me and, together with Tyanne Williams, brought me over to meet Jonathan Passaportis.

And WTM Africa 2026 took a turn for the better!

What struck me immediately was Tyanne and Donovan’s enthusiasm when they saw my Labpano Pilot Era 360 / Google Street View camera. They wanted to know everything — how it works, what it captures, how it publishes, and what it could mean for St Helena.

That excitement mattered, because for an island like St Helena this is about far more than just content.

And with that, Tyanne pulled Jonathan Passaportis, Head of St Helena Tourism, into the conversation.

With the right foundation in place, training on the Pilot Era camera could become a real long-term skills asset for Tyanne in her social media role — not only to help promote tourism businesses on the island, but also to help document the island’s extraordinary history, culture, scenery, and natural heritage in immersive 360°.

That opens up some powerful possibilities:

tourism businesses becoming more visible in AI-driven travel search
attractions and accommodation being experienced virtually before visitors arrive
important heritage and nature sites being documented in a way that is engaging, modern, and lasting
local skills staying on the island and continuing to grow after the initial work is done

What I really like about this is that it goes beyond SEO.

It becomes about sharing, skills transfer, and building bridges.

And imagine how powerful it would be if members of the St Helena Nature Conservation Group joined parts of the mapping journey too — helping draw attention to some of the island’s lesser-known natural treasures, while building a unique visual record that can keep growing over time.

That is the kind of work that can create value on many levels at once.

And yes — full credit to Donovan Ncube for the “hijack” 😄

14/04/2026

Some conversations at WTM Africa stay with you.

Meeting Thandi Shabalala from iSimangaliso Wetland Park was one of them.

Her deep connection to the place - not just as a globally significant protected landscape, but as a lived cultural and heritage space shaped by memory, people and belonging. That matters, because iSimangaliso is not only beautiful. It is one of South Africa’s most important environmental and heritage assets, and one of those rare places that carries local meaning and global significance at the same time.

In a setting like that, visibility should never be only about promotion. It should also be about respectful record-keeping.

We spoke about how 360 imagery and Google Street View can help do exactly that: record landscape, atmosphere, visitor access points and layers of place in a way that is immersive, useful and lasting. Used well, this kind of visual documentation can strengthen interpretation, draw attention to lesser-seen stories, and help more people understand why a place like iSimangaliso matters before they even arrive.

That has growing relevance in an AI-driven travel environment. More and more travellers now use AI to research destinations, compare options and shape itineraries in minutes. In that world, well-linked visual content, trusted map information and strong Google Business Profiles around concessions and visitor touchpoints help a destination present a far clearer and more credible story.

What I appreciated most was Thandi’s passion for protecting not only the ecological value of iSimangaliso, but also its people, culture and heritage. That kind of leadership is exactly what gives digital storytelling substance. The technology matters — but the deeper value lies in whose story is being told, how it is being told, and whether it helps protect what is precious.

There is also a deeper conservation thread here. The wider region carries the legacy of Dr Ian Player, whose work helped shape the conservation story of northern KwaZulu-Natal. That legacy still reminds us that preserving wilderness is inseparable from how we honour memory, meaning and human connection to place.

A thoughtful and inspiring conversation — and a strong reminder that the future of destination visibility should be as much about stewardship as it is about reach.

Sonke siyabonga, Thandi. Njengefa likaDkt Ian Player, umeluleki wakho, nelakho ifa liyohlala liphila phakade.

14/04/2026

Heard first at WTM Africa: Stoep Tasting 2026 is stepping into a new kind of destination visibility.

One of the most encouraging conversations I had in Cape Town was with Aljonè Meyer of Graaff-Reinet Tourism. What stood out was her clear understanding that destination marketing can no longer stop at a brochure, a poster, or a once-off event listing. It needs to be useful, current, and easy for visitors to engage with in real time.

That is exactly why the Stoep Tasting 2026 Google Map matters.

During the event, it can serve as a live visitor resource — carrying practical updates such as logistics, safety notices, visitor information, special offers, and related event details as things evolve. But what makes it even more valuable is what happens afterwards: the map does not disappear when the weekend ends. It continues working online, extending visibility for Graaff-Reinet, Nieu-Bethesda, and the participating producers throughout the year.

That kind of continuity matters more than ever. Travellers are increasingly using AI tools to compare destinations, build itineraries, and make decisions quickly. In that environment, well-structured digital information helps real places stand out. A destination with connected map content, up-to-date information, and clearly linked businesses becomes easier to discover, easier to understand, and easier to choose.

It was great to reconnect with Aljonè at WTM and to see Graaff-Reinet Tourism thinking ahead in such a practical way. Thoughtful destination marketing is no longer only about promotion — it is about creating a living, useful digital footprint that keeps working for visitors and local businesses long after the event is over.