Who we are
Ypie Kingma grew up in The Netherlands where she graduated in International Business, specializing in International Marketing. After graduation she moved to Moscow, Russia for 6 years. She headed up the Client Services departments of Independent Media (The Moscow Times, Cosmopolitan, et al.) and Hachette Filipacchi (ELLE Magazine, Premier, et al.). In between she held the position of Events & Promotions Manager with one of the leading MICE services and event organizing companies in Moscow at the time.
In 1999 Ypie relocated to Knysna on the Garden Route, South Africa where she entered the hospitality industry. She co-owned and managed three medium-sized guesthouses consequently. She was responsible for the local, international and online marketing of these establishments. Ypie increased occupancy rates by managing their social media profiles and managing the (international) travel trade relations through digital marketing and presenting the properties at travel workshops and trade shows.
She also ran an inbound golf tour operation, winning ‘Africa’s Best Golf Tour Operator’ in the World Golf Awards in 2014 and 2015. As a qualified, multi-lingual tour guide for the Eastern and Western Cape she would often be guiding small groups as well.
Ypie recently established Destination Garden Route: a marketing company aiming to grow the tourism industry on the Garden Route. More specifically through introducing more local individuals to (international) visitors and vice versa. Creating additional job opportunities and growing the regional tourism industry are within the objectives of Destination Garden Route.
Ypie served on the Skål International Garden Route chapter committee, the Knysna Accommodation Association committee as well as almost three years on the Knysna Tourism Board. After having been on the Executive Committee of Knysna APD (Association for Persons with Disabilities) she currently serves on the SATSA Garden Route Chapter committee.
Destination Garden Route in the media:
Great success for collaborative workshop in Cape Town; SATSA; Jul. 19, 2019;
Knysna shines at World Travel Market; Knysna-Plett Herald; Apr. 29, 2018.
Ypie Kingma in the media:
Road to recovery: Local Economic Development, Tourism and Open for Business; Garden Route Rebuild; Oct. 5, 2017;
A message of hope for Knysna; Visit Knysna; Jun. 23, 2017;
Garden Route represented at World Travel Market; Knysna-Plett Herald; May 17, 2017;
Fire damages Knysna Info office but business continues; The Gremlin; Sep. 21, 2016;
Local enterprise wins international award; Knysna-Plett Herald; Nov. 11, 2015.
