MAM
South Africa Tourism ropes in Jonty Rhodes to drive marketing effort in India
MUMBAI: Eager to attract more Indians to the rainbow nation, South Africa Tourism (SAT) has appointed former South African cricketer and one of the most well-known faces of world cricket Jonty Rhodes as brand ambassador in India.
The decision comes after the former cricketer penned down a travel guide on his South African holiday experiences for Lonely Planet on behalf of South Africa Tourism.
South African Tourism India country manager Hanneli Slabber said, “It has been our constant endeavour to engage with like-minded partners who showcase their passion for South Africa and believe in the huge tourism potential that our country has to offer to core markets like India.
“Jonty has a huge fan-following, his credibility, stellar cricketing career and love for travel, adventure and South Africa, makes him the ambassador of choice to promote South Africa‘s varied and exciting tourism experiences in a growing market of Indian travellers.”
According SAT, there has been double digit growth from the Indian market for South African tourism in the last five years with the numbers increasing substantially each year. The country‘s tourism department hopes that this year will see South Africa cross the 100,000 mark for arrivals from India.
According to the arrival figures, South Africa had received 97,664 Indians visitors between January to November 2012 which is an increase of 18.1 per cent to the corresponding period last year.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
