Joburg encourages locals to discover 365 species in their own backyard

KayaFM will be broadcasting live from the iconic Joburg Zoo today, Friday, March 22, from 1500 to 1800 hours, as part of Joburg Tourism’s Discover Your Own Backyard campaign, aimed at beefing up domestic tourism.

Johannesburg Zoo is visited by over half a million people annually and was nominated as the top attraction in Johannesburg during the 2012 PMR Africa survey. The zoo adds great value to the community by providing a safe family-orientated facility where people can be close to nature in the heart of the city. The Joburg Zoo gives many people the opportunity to see South African indigenous animals and many exotic animals such as bears and pandas, which they might never see in the wild.

The Joburg Zoo provides a variety of activities and programs perfect for all ages. These programs enable Zoo visitors to understand and develop a sincere appreciation and respect for wildlife. The “Animal of the Month” program is a monthly interactive program that focuses on a specific animal group. The zoo also hosts the “Breakfast with a Keeper” and the “Animal Talk & Feeding” interactive programs and additionally offers guided tours through the zoo.

The Discover Your Own Backyard campaign aims to educate Joburg locals about the diversity of their city and urges them to become knowledgeable Joburg ambassadors. The campaign includes a Facebook-driven outreach competition where locals can upload and share their favorite Joburg experiences. In addition, visitors to the Facebook page can test their knowledge of Joburg by entering the Facebook quiz, a unique-to-Joburg competition.

On Friday, March 22, 2013, 4 lucky winners who participated in the competition will receive one of the following prizes: 5 tickets for the Joburg Zoo “Behind-the-scenes” Tour where one can gain an inside look into the daily life of the Joburg Zoo staff; Taste Buds Cooking Experience & Best Way to See Joburg Tour for 4 people, which includes a trip on the newly-launched open-topped, hop-on-hop-off bus to the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill; 5 tickets for the Joburg Zoo Night Tour – an amazing experience where one may explore the zoo at night on a Night Safari and learn more about nocturnal animals such as owls, cats, and bats; and lastly, a romantic dinner and a pamper session for the winner and a partner at the Life Day Spa and Bulls Run Restaurant, valued at R500.00.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/JohannesburgTourism , www.joburgtourism.com or follow @Joburgtourism.

Johannesburg, represented by the Johannesburg Tourism Company, is a founding member and academy member of the International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP), a grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth.