This came as a shock to me because it use to be a tourism region that combined the some splintering associations with in and around the previously known Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park. It is also now the sole right of The Elephant Coast Tourism Association to advertise products "Advertising, business management, office function, tourism region." in this region. Since the region was named through many public meetings of which many was postponed.
At the end of the meetings the name was put forward for the region to be The Elephant Coast. As such a new tourism region was declared by the Authorities and people have since been trading with reference to this tourism region. It now dawn on some web site owners that by way of trade mark proclamation it is no longer their to use the phrase Elephant Coast in your marketing material. It is not clear how one that trade in this region will refer to the region and how will you be able to market your self with in this confines.
We are living in a very Interesting Democratic South Africa.
At the end of the meetings the name was put forward for the region to be The Elephant Coast. As such a new tourism region was declared by the Authorities and people have since been trading with reference to this tourism region. It now dawn on some web site owners that by way of trade mark proclamation it is no longer their to use the phrase Elephant Coast in your marketing material. It is not clear how one that trade in this region will refer to the region and how will you be able to market your self with in this confines.
We are living in a very Interesting Democratic South Africa.
The True facts:
ReplyDelete1. A domain dispute was lodged due to the use of www.elephantcoast.co.za as a site just leading to another, thus robbing the broader Elephant Coast community from the benefit of their region's name.
2. We actually encourage the use of the name Elephant Coast, as it heightens awareness and establishes the region as a top of mind area.
3. The Logo and certain caricatures were trademarked, just as Coke and Microsoft did with theirs
You are thus welcome to use Elephant Coast as much as possible in literature, but the logo will only be available to members
Please feel free to contact ECTA should you require further factual information
Kind Regards
Danie Smit
Chairman ECTA