The International Marketing Council (IMC) has launched a South African Web portal intended to serve as the country`s official online presence.
The Web portal - www.safrica.info - provides a range of information about the country, covering everything from trade and investment, arts and government services to sport.
The portal is designed and maintained by Internet company BIG Media, run by Anton Harber and Irwin Manoim. It carries links to the Department of Trade and Industry, Proudly South African, South African Airways and Trade and Investment SA.
It is not intended to replace existing Web sites, says the IMC, but will improve access to them. Manoim says that as far as he knows, the portal is a world first, since it combines tourism and trade to create a starting point for anyone wanting to find out about SA.
Safrica.info is part of a campaign by the IMC, which was established by President Thabo Mbeki as a public-private sector initiative to improve the country`s image, particularly among international investors. The IMC says that eventually, all roads to every aspect of South African life will lead out of Safrica.info as the site grows into an entry point for all government online services, all parastatals and South African businesses. In addition, links have also been forged to the European Union, the Southern African Development Community and many more important international sites.
The portal is aimed at four different audiences: potential foreign investors who need to know more about SA`s business climate, opportunities and legal safeguards; tourists or business travellers who want information about the country, including its attractions but also its history and institutions; South African residents who would welcome the opportunity to interact with government agencies online or need advice on their rights; and South Africans living abroad who may need all of these services and may also want to contact other homesick South Africans.
Share
