A foreign line will not call you
Dialling a South African number from abroad costs money and takes a format the caller is unsure of, so many simply will not. A message costs them nothing and works the moment they find wifi, which for a business in a tourist city is the difference between reachable and theoretical.
- A WhatsApp button that opens a chat with you
- Your own page with its own web address
Most of it is chosen in advance
Tours, transfers, tables, hair appointments and where to buy something specific are largely decided before anybody lands, from photos, by somebody comparing options. Your listing is what they are choosing between.
- Photos of your goods, your shop or your work
- A real page search engines can read, not a photo in a group
The city has two seasons and they pull in opposite directions
Summer fills the place with visitors and returning families from the middle of December, and the trade that serves them is booked weeks earlier by people who are still somewhere else. The rest of the year runs on locals, conferences and the students. Being listed matters in both, but the summer one is decided furthest in advance, which makes the quiet months the ones worth using.
Free, with nothing sitting behind a payment
Every part of a listing is open to every business, there is no paid placement, and there is no commission on anything you are paid.
- Free to list, with nothing to pay later
- No commission on anything you sell
- Customers can leave a rating and a review
Be reachable before the visitor lands
Free listing, one short form, and anybody can message you from anywhere.
Questions
Can somebody abroad really message me?
Yes. Messaging works from any country to any number, which is why the listing leads with it rather than a phone number.
What does it cost?
Nothing to list, and no commission on bookings or sales.
Do photos matter that much?
For anything chosen before arrival they usually decide between one business and another.