Debbie Damant

Experience

• 

  Department of Works

  Jan 1991 - Jan 1997

  Loss Control Officer

  My role here was to monitor and investigate all losses and potential fraud that the department experienced.

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  Tourism Kwa-Zulu Natal

  Dec 1998 - Jan 2003

  Marketing Services Coordinator: Customer Relations
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  ATL Travel (PTY) LTD

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2003

  Trade Marketing Manager

  I was contracted by this Botswana based company responsible for a portfolio of properties within Africa for 12 months.

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  V&A Waterfront

  Jan 2004 - Jun 2005

  Retail Promotions Manager

  Head of Retail Promotions at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Company, which is a multi-purpose property comprising of retail shopping centres, tourism experiences, entertainment, restaurants and hotels. Visit www.waterfront.co.za

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  Tourism KwaZulu-Natal

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2006

  Leisure Tourism / Brand Manager

  Strategically responsible for marketing and promoting KwaZulu-Natal as a leisure destination both domestically and internationally...

• 

  Wesgro

  Dec 2006 - Sept 2012

  Senior Manager: Leisure Marketing (CTRU merged with Wesgro)

  Head of Marketing at Wesgro, responsible for strategic destination marketing, events management, business planning, promotional campaigns for Cape Town and the Western both domestically and internationally...

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  Dretrek Dreams (Pty) Ltd

  Aug 2012 - Dec 2016

  Founder and Owner
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  South African Tourism

  Sept 2012 - now

  Strategic and operation head responsible for all aspects of Visitor Experience at the South African Tourism. This position is responsible for creating and delivering innovative strategies to ensure that the visitor is at the core of everything that we do. Through key initiatives implemented with both traditional and non conventional partners, will enhance that their experience matches our brand deliverables. My role encompasses the entire tourism value chain both locally, regionally and internationally. Show less Strategic country head responsible for the Southern African business unit at South African Tourism, which includes SADC countries and South Africa. Lead South Africa's domestic tourism, develop market strategies including design review with actionable business plans per country. Explore new innovation and technology to inspire travel and tourism to South Africa and influence South Africans to take more frequent holiday breaks and travel their own country. I reintroduced the Shotleft domestic campaign in 2013, which stabilised the domestic tourism decline and was a key catalyst driving growth in the domestic market. Manage and monitor the latest travel and tourism trends to ensure top of mind destination awareness and effective destination tourism performance, including keeping consumer data and market research relevant. Initiate, lead and manage marketing campaigns to achieve revenue/sales and arrival targets. Mentor, manage and inspire team to contribute and efficiently deliver on key performance targets. Launched the 1st "responsive" country site at South African Tourism, www.shotleft.co.za and won 2 awards for successful destination marketing travel and tourism campaigns. My role is a director level and in April 2016, I focused solely on South Africa's domestic tourism market due to additional allocation of budget and political importance. Show less

  • Head: Visitor Experience

    Aug 2017 - now

  • Country Manager: Southern Africa

    Sept 2012 - Aug 2017