More than 12,000 travelers and visitors to Germany's Munich airport were treated to eclectic beauty of the Eastern Cape in October with a photographic exhibition which included 40 photographic larger-than-life displays.

"The exhibition aimed to take the Eastern Cape to the people of Germany and others in order to encourage visits to the province, particularly in the light of the Word Cup which is less than 600 days away. Several towns within the province such as Port Elizabeth and East London are expected to benefit from this global event," says Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) investment head Josef Neumeier.

Aptly named, Eastern Cape from Above, the exhibition is an aerial account of the province's major attractions such as the Spandau kop volcanic hill in the Karoo, the breathtaking Hole-in-the-Wall on the Wild Coast and the Bathurst "Big Pineapple" in the Albany area. A photograph that drew interest was the aerial view of the 2010 World Cup Stadium in Port Elizabeth which is currently under construction and once completed in 2009, should accommodate 45,000 spectators.

Neumeier, who spearheaded the complex project, was inspired by a similar project in Europe some time ago.

"Photographs, particularly when done well, can capture the essence of a message. From the responses already received, EC from above, has done exactly that. The photographs captured the enormous beauty of our province's landscapes.  The intensity of Africa is communicated through the visuals of mountains, sea, rivers and wilderness areas."

The point is also borne out by Hannover resident who had spent three years in East London, Jorgen Godowsky, and the "stunning exhibition" meant "we felt like being taken back to our beloved second home at once."

In order to maximize access, the photographs were also loaded on to Google Earth, a first time for ECDC in terms of its marketing.  This is works well according to Brower Graham Hobbs who says that it was "great to see my old hunting grounds (I lived in the East Cape for a few years and really loved it) from a new angle".

ECDC chose Germany for the launch of the exhibition because of the strong ties the province has with that country. 

The province, particularly the eastern part such as East London, Sutterheim and Berlin, points to its rich German cultural heritage.  Numerous other villages and towns have been named after German cities - these include Frankfort, Hanover and Hamburg.  The German Settler Monument on the East London Beachfront, unveiled in 1958, commemorates the landing of the first German settlers in the province.

"Germany is an important investment and business partner of the Eastern Cape because of the province's growing automotive sector.  We are home to Volkswagen in Port Elizabeth and Mercedes Benz in East London.  The East London Industrial Development Zone also houses a world-class automotive supplier park, currently manufacturing 11 of the components used in Mercedes Benz' latest C-class".  Aerial photos of these three sites have also been included in the exhibition.

These links are largely responsible for Germany being South Africa's largest trading partner in Europe. During the first five months of 2008, exports from South Africa to Germany rose by 26% while exports from Germany to South Africa increased by 16%. In 2007, trade between the two countries was estimated at €12 billion.

It is one of South Africa's largest overseas tourism markets, second only to Britain, with the number of German tourists visiting South Africa increasing by 4% over the past six months. "Our province's scenic beauty is its most popular feature. These photographs point to the kaleidoscope of opportunities which tourists and investors can enjoy. Our year-round sunny climate, our rich abundance of wildlife, our malaria-free status and our tapestry of fascinating cultures is also hugely attractive for Germans who are avid supporters of eco-tourism," says Neumeier.

Furthermore, over the past 12 years the international partnership between the Eastern Cape and the German State of Lower Saxony has seen successful cultural and sport exchanges, high-level technical and skills transfers as a result of the provincial VW Mechatronics engineering programme and co-operation in the field of rural tourism. 

The photographs used are the work of experienced local photographers, Mike Holmes, Rob Pollock and John Castello.

The long term goal of the exhibition is to create awareness of the Eastern Cape as well as encourage investment, trade and tourism. It was piloted in Luneburg, Germany, between 21 September and 6 October where it reportedly drew "tremendous public interest".

The exhibition, Eastern Cape from Above, was supported by the national carrier South African Airways and is expected to travel to other parts of the European Union such as Greece, France and Austria, amongst others.

Photographs featured in the exhibition can be viewed at www.ecdc.co.za/fromabove.

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For more information, contact:

Antoinette Panton
SMG Africa
Telephone 043 726 8833
Cellular 083 618 7557
Email antoinette@smgafrica.com