Wesgro - the official Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape - has appointed Monika Iuel as new Chief Marketing Officer. Iuel brings a wealth of experience and knowledge and will lead the Destination Marketing Organisation and Communications & Marketing teams at Wesgro from 15 March 2021.
Monika’s career began in 1992 when she worked for an outbound tour operator in Berlin, followed by boutique DMCs in Johannesburg, and thirteen years at Tourvest Destination Management.
After this, Iuel spent four years at South African Tourism (SAT), initially as Regional Director for the Americas, during which time she opened the office in Sao Paulo and ultimately as General Manager for International Marketing, supporting all international SAT offices in Europe, Americas and Australasia.
Since 2016 Iuel has been CEO of Private Safaris Southern Africa - a destination management company owned by Fairfax Financial Holdings based in Toronto, where she led the reinvention of the business and helped it to weather the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, commented: “We welcome Monika Iuel to the team. With the tourism industry hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic we are grateful to have someone of her calibre and experience on the team to promote Cape Town and the Western Cape so we can rebuild the industry and save jobs in the Western Cape.”
“Marketing is key to ensuring that Cape Town is top of mind as a destination of choice for both local and international travellers. This has become even more vital as we navigate our recovery from consequences of lockdowns due to COVID-19. The visitor economy is everyone's business and the economic lifeline for many businesses in Cape Town, supporting thousands of jobs. I therefore welcome the appointment of Ms Iuel and trust that her extensive experience will add to the Province's impressive tourism recognition,” added Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management.
Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris, concluded: “Monika has had a stellar career that demonstrates extraordinary ability and passion for marketing and tourism. She has a deep knowledge of the destination marketing and communications space, and strong industry relationships locally and abroad. She will advance Wesgro’s work promoting Cape Town and the Western Cape as a world-class leisure and business tourism destination, and a leading business hub for Africa.
“Monika’s connectivity will also help to ensure continued messaging alignment between national, provincial, and local government, and the business community in the Cape. We look forward to having her as part of our team as we take Cape Town and the Western Cape’s wider economic and tourism offer to the world, to help drive a strong recovery.