MEET THE GM

The man behind Sun International’s only beachfront resort

Peter Tshidi, general manager, Wild Coast Sun.

• Age – 44

• Place of birth – Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria

• Family – Two sisters and two brothers, three children, including a daughter and two sons

• Years in industry – 25

Peter Tshidi was appointed general manager of Sun International’s Wild Coast Sun on 1 May 2019. His return to the Sun International stable came after he had begun his journey with the group 22 years ago at The Palace at Sun City.

Mr Tshidi began his career as a luggage porter at The Palace of The Lost City in 1997. Since then, he has gained a wealth of experience in local and international hotel operations, retail, operations management and casino operations, both with Sun International and elsewhere.

Today, he sees himself as the custodian of a national and significant provincial tourism asset — The Wild Coast Sun. The Wild Coast Sun is Sun International’s only beachfront resort and second oldest property after Sun City, having celebrated its 40th birthday at the end of 2021.

“Being back with Sun International makes me feel like I have been around the world and have come home,” he said on his appointment at the Wild Coast Sun.

Mr Tshidi is hugely passionate about South Africa as a destination and sees the Eastern Cape largely as an undiscovered jewel, a wonderland of people, natural beauty and products.

He studied hotel and tourism management with Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s national tourism authority based in Galway.

“But, during my career, I’ve done many other managerial short courses and management classes on a wide range of topics and skills within the industry,” Mr Tshidi said.

“But what I found most memorable was gaining personal knowledge by talking to the people I met during these classes. I am still learning today, by engaging with people from all walks of life.”

He is not a man to rest on his laurels. He simply said: “My biggest achievement is yet to come. I am always looking to achieve more tomorrow than I did today.”

So, even though the hospitality and tourism sectors were among the hardest hit by the pandemic, Mr Tshidi and his dedicated team have steered the Wild Coast Sun’s ship through the worst of the storm.

“During December 2021, our room nights sold rose to 99 per cent of that of December 2019, the closest metric we have achieved before the pandemic began,” he said. “What is interesting to note is that the beginning of December was buoyed by an increase in conferencing business, but by midDecember our guests were upcountry, domestic travellers booking holidays for their families. They also booked longer stays with the minimum period being three days.”

Mr Tshidi credits good rates and offering value for money as a key factor in the resort’s success. “We focused on what was within our control, which is how rates became the success story of the month.”

He believes that pent-up demand from the domestic market and easing of Covid-19 restrictions are the other factors which will help drive the recovery in the domestic tourism sector this year.

It is this drive, passion and focus that fuels a man who is family-orientated and describes his greatest achievement as his four children — a daughter and three sons.

Mr Tshidi is a keen sportsman, enjoying running and surfing and who, in his youth, turned out for Mamelodi Sundowns Under 21s. He is a huge supporter of the Brazilians, he supports Sundowns locally and internationally, he is an Arsenal fan. During rugby season, his allegiance is split between the Sharks and the EP Kings.

Musically, he is a fan of Mi Casa and lists their song La Vida as his personal favourite. He has also grown to love the seaside. “Anywhere that has gorgeous white, sandy beaches.”

Has he ever considered other careers? “Not really. Hospitality offers me a job that changes me all the time. It is a fast-paced environment where I am doing varied tasks each day. I am on my feet and moving around a lot, which helps me think, feel, and react better. And, I am not stuck in a cubicle all day.”

For those seeking to enter the industry he has the following sage advice. “There are many and varied job roles available in hospitality. Waiters and chefs often come to mind when one mentions a career in hospitality. In truth, the hospitality industry is one of the largest sectors in the modern world, with enough variety in job roles for any kind of person, from the creative person to the corporate-minded.”

And travel the world. “From a young age, I wanted to travel and see the world. Hospitality became the best way to fund my travels and extend my qualifications in the industry. It helps grow you as a person,” Mr Tshidi concluded.