Durban - The Midlands Meander, the first tourism meander in South Africa, was started 28 years ago by a handful of KZN crafters, who produced a simple brown-paper guide with a map to their studios.
Since 1985, the Meander has grown to 160 members and offers a greater variety.
While the Meander is still known for its superb handcrafted goods and fine arts, it has experienced the most growth in the accommodation, wedding and conferencing sectors – from good value to four-star luxury.
It is famous for its Midlands hospitality, with great food, crackling fires and pampering spas. The days of sedentary holidays have gone – many of today’s Meander visitors enjoy sailing, fishing, birding, golf, mountain-biking and other activities.
Over the years, the famous Meander Guide has become a r annual full-colour publication.
In addition to the Guide, the Midlands Meander Association has kept up with the latest technology. This is what is available at the click of a mouse:
l The Midlands Meander website www.midlandsmeander.co.za provides all the information any avid Meanderer could want, including Garmin co-ordinates.
The familiar Meander Guide can be viewed online in flip-book format or can be downloaded as a PDF. There is an interactive Meander map that offers a zoom function and a click-through to individual member pages for pictures and contact details.
A sophisticated search engine allows site visitors to look for what they need – categories include not only the usual “self-catering”, “bed and breakfast” or “fishing”, but also more unusual requests such as “pet-friendly”.
l Cellphone visitors to the Midlands Meander website are automatically redirected to a Midlands Meander mobi site, which provides the same search functions as the main website with rapid downloads.
l Look out for the Quick-Response (QR) code on Midlands Meander information material, which provides instant access to the Midlands Meander website. The QR code appears on the Meander Guide and in other publicity material.
l The Midlands Meander invites visitors to join its Facebook friends. Visitors will get the latest news and updates; hear about Meander member specials available – and can enter giveaways. The Meander also has a keen following on Twitter.
l For more information call 033 330 8195, e-mail [email protected] or www.midlandsmeander.co.za - Sunday Tribune