OVERVIEW
Tourism and events The MICE sector faces special challenges. SECTOR INSIGHT Tsogo Sun Hotels has increased its stake in three hotels post-lockdown.
Credit: AfriCamps at Ingwe
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lthough all projections about the tourism sector and its potential for growth and for job creation were shortcircuited by the Covid-19 pandemic, the fact remains that the sector can grow quickly and it is a good job creator. In the short term, domestic tourism will be the focus but the potential of the sector, and South Africa’s riches in terms of what it can offer, remain significant. According to John Loos, a property strategist at FNB Commercial Property Finance, an overlooked factor in many analyses of the Covid-19 lockdown has been how technology has shown that some business travel can be avoided altogether. Corporate travel budgets will be cut, and fewer physical conferences will be held, he predicts, which will put the meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) sector under even more pressure. A relatively small market currently, but one with massive potential, is Muslim tourism. The Western Cape has already started doing research in its agricultural and tourism sectors and there is no doubt that with good marketing, South Africa could start gearing up for a growing number of Muslim tourists. The fact that most of the country’s major cities have a proportion of Muslim residents and mosques are widely spread across the country means that travelling around the country is easy.
SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2021
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The 16 units that comprise the Buckler’s Africa Lodge by BON Hotels on the banks of the Crocodile River overlooking the Kruger National Park has halal certification. A coastal option that allows for selfcatering is AfriCamps Boutique Glamping site at Ingwe near Plettenberg Bay. Situated on a hilltop with great views of the ocean and the Tsitsikamma Mountains, the luxury tents have fully-fitted kitchens. Virtual tours have been taken up by heritage operators such as Constitution Hill and Liliesleaf Farm and this option is likely to grow as people in other countries seek out a South African experience free from any worries. When the Marriott International hotel group closed three of its South African hotels during the Covid-19 lockdown, Tsogo Sun Hotels, which owns a controlling stake in all three hotels, stepped up its commitment by agreeing to bring them into its portfolio, keep them open and run them. Tw o o f t h e a f fe c t e d hotels were the Protea Hotel by M arriott Haz y view in
