How the tourism industry can unleash the power of strategic partnerships

By Michael Puffet, senior business development manager, Profitroom Africa

The tourism sector is getting back on its feet. Prior to 2020, the sector accounted for eight per cent of GDP and, given the strong growth the industry is showing, the government is hoping it reaches 10 per cent by 2030. Over the same time period, the sector has set themselves an audacious target of attracting 21 million visitors annually. While those goals may be lofty, they can be achieved by harnessing the power of strong strategic partnerships. By teaming up and integrating with solutiondriven companies, hotel partners can supercharge the growth of the tourism sector and turn tall ambitions into tangible results while making a positive contribution to the country’s economy.

Collaboration is key

Collaborating with the government and the relevant industry bodies is a crucial component in the quest to achieve the ambitious goals set for the tourism sector and hoteliers can play an important role in this. By actively engaging with government initiatives, hotel owners can align their strategies and efforts with the national agenda. This includes participating in tourism campaigns, supporting local initiatives, and contributing to sustainable tourism practices. Open lines of communication and partnerships between hoteliers and government stakeholders can go a long way toward fostering an environment of shared goals and mutual support. As key stakeholders, hotels can also actively contribute to shaping the policies, regulations, and infrastructure development that will ultimately drive the industry forward.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Strategic partnerships help propel the tourism industry forward and foster innovation. By teaming up, hotels can leverage the unique capabilities their partners possess to boost business outcomes. For example, 20 months ago, Sun International partnered with the renowned booking technology firm Profitroom. Since then, Sun International has secured 50,000 direct bookings.

By working together closely and acting on the constant feedback loop they had initiated, Profitroom and Sun International have been able to turn their partnership into a net positive for the South African hospitality industry.

Partnerships and innovation go hand in hand and a high tide raises all boats Collaborating with external partners, such as technology providers, enables hotels to tap into fresh ideas, cuttingedge technologies, and emerging trends. By joining forces, hotels can co-create innovative solutions, enhance guest experiences, and streamline operations. Any hotel looking to take advantage of the sector’s growth should be considering how they can leverage strategic partnerships to grow their revenues.

These partnerships offer numerous benefits including expanded market reach, access to new customer segments, and increased brand visibility. By joining forces with complementary businesses, hotels can tap into untapped markets, attract a wider audience, and drive more bookings. As with the example of Sun International, finding the right partner can yield incredible results.

Fostering strong partnerships within the tourism industry is not just about making hotels money. The sector is a major employer, and its continued growth will go a long way toward helping the country alleviate the current youth unemployment crisis. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the South African hospitality industry can create 800,000 jobs over the next decade if all goes well. Considering that, it becomes clear that building dynamic, resilient partnerships is how we help realise the promise everyone knows South Africa has.

Looking forward

Overall, South Africa’s tourism industry is showing signs of recovery, with foreign tourism beginning to bounce back to pre-Covid levels. The strong rebound in African tourism has been the real driving force though — reflecting a promising opportunity to attract new markets from the continent in the future. Going forward, the performance of our tourism sector will remain closely tied to factors such as affordable flights, competition from other destinations, safety perceptions, and the reopening of borders in key source markets. In the meantime, the industry will be well placed to continue attracting tourists from African countries and exploring untapped markets such as China to ensure sustained growth and recovery.

Who is Michael Puffett?

Michael Puffett is a senior business development manager at Profitroom. Additionally, for over 20 years, he has been developing and training leaders and entrepreneurs around the world. Having resided in the UK for 16 years and presented leadership training in over 25 countries, he has a wealth of international experience and practical know-how. His expertise lies in innovation, strategic thinking, leadership and personal development, business growth, team cohesiveness and long term strategic planning. He is enthusiastic about his training and the lives he impacts, has a wicked sense of humour and an authentic personable approach. Michael is a businessman, entrepreneur, coach, mentor, lecturer and team building expert, with a genuine passion for community impact and authentic transformation. Michael is an adventurer at heart, together with a small overland team he has driven in a 4×4 from London, United Kingdom to Cape Town in South Africa, climbed Kilimanjaro and visited 65 countries around the world.