Tourism Tattler April 2015

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Contents Issue 04 (April) 2015

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PUBLISHER Tourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd. PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320 KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Company Reg.No.: 2006/015252/07 Website: www.tourismtattler.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Des Langkilde Tel: +27 (0)32 815 0414 Cell: +27 (0)82 374 7260 Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080 E-mail: editor@tourismtattler.com Skype: tourismtattler

CONSERVATION: The Business of Conservation.

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING

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ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bev Langkilde Tel: +27 (0)32 815 0414 / (0)31 813 5326 Fax: +27 (0)86 656 3860 Cell: +27 (0)71 224 9971 E-mail: bev@tourismtattler.com Skype: bevtourismtattler

ONLINE ADVERTISING BANNER ADS www.tourismtattler.com/advertising_rates BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS www.tourismtattler.com/business-directory

EVENTS : Venue Review – Spier Wine Farm.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

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BACK ISSUES (Click on the covers below). ▼ Mar 2015

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NICHE TOURISM: Ecotourism – A Case Study .

IN THIS ISSUE ▼ Dec 2014

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EDITORIAL 04 Accreditation 05 Cover Story 06 Article Comments ACCOLADES 08 Tourism Expert Honoured 09 South Coast Swings Major Awards BUSINESS 10 SATSA Market Intelligence Report CONSERVATION 12 The Business of Conservation EVENTS 16 Venue Review: Spier Adv. Louis Nel Des Langkilde Gerhard Damm

HOSPITALITY 19 Hotel industry must embrace technology LEGAL 20 Risk in Tourism - Part 9 MARKETING 22 Dispelling Negativity in Marketing 23 10 Tips for Tavel Consultants NICHE TOURISM 25 Taking Responsible Tourism to China 26 Ecotourism: A Case Study.

TRADE NEWS Visit our website for daily travel news

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Judy Lain Martin Jansen van Vuuren Dorria Watt Nikki Tilley Lianne Osterberger Rian Bornman MAGAZINE SPONSORS

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Spier Wine Farm World Travel Market Africa SATIB Insurance Brokers City Lodge

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Grootbos Private Nature Reserve Travelogic Southen Africa Tourism Services Assoc.

National Sea Rescue Institute

Disclaimer: The Tourism Tattler is published by Tourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd and is the official trade journal of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA).

The Tourism Tattler digital e-zine, is distributed free of charge to bona fide tourism stakeholders. Letters to the Editor are assumed intended for publication in whole or part and may therefore be used for such purpose. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Tourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd, SATSA, its staff and its production suppliers. Advice provided herein should not be soley relied upon as each set of circumstances may differ. Professional advice should be sought in each instance. Neither Tourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd, SATSA, its staff and its production suppliers can be held legally liable in any way for damages of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages or from any statements made or withheld or from supplied photographs or graphic images reproduced by the publication.

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Accreditation Official Travel Trade Journal and Media Partner to: The African Travel & Tourism Association (Atta) Tel: +44 20 7937 4408 • Email: info@atta.travel • Website: www.atta.travel Members in 22 African countries and 37 worldwide use Atta to: Network and collaborate with peers in African tourism; Grow their online presence with a branded profile; Ask and answer specialist questions and give advice; and Attend key industry events.

National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA-SA) Tel: +2786 186 2272 • Fax: +2786 225 9858 • Website: www.naa-sa.co.za The NAA-SA is a network of mainly smaller accommodation providers around South Africa – from B&Bs in country towns offering comfortable personal service to luxurious boutique city lodges with those extra special touches – you’re sure to find a suitable place, and at the same time feel confident that your stay at an NAA-SA member’s establishment will meet your requirements.

Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA) Tel: +2711 315 2420/1 • Fax: +2711 315 2422 • Website: www.retosa.co.za RETOSA is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) institution responsible for tourism growth and development. RETOSA’s aims are to increase tourist arrivals to the region through. RETOSA Member States are Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) Tel: +2786 127 2872 • Fax: +2711 886 755 • Website: www.satsa.com SATSA is a credibility accreditation body representing the private sector of the inbound tourism industry. SATSA members are Bonded thus providing a financial guarantee against advance deposits held in the event of the involuntary liquidation. SATSA represents: Transport providers, Tour Operators, DMC's, Accommodation Suppliers, Tour Brokers, Adventure Tourism Providers, Business Tourism Providers and Allied Tourism Services providers.

Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA) Contact: manager@savrala.co.za • Website: www.savrala.co.za Founded in the 1970's, SAVRALA is the representative voice of Southern Africa’s vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management sector. Our members have a combined national footprint with more than 600 branches countrywide.

SAVRALA are instrumental in steering industry standards and continuously strive to protect both their members’ interests, and those of the public, and are therefore widely respected within corporate and government sectors.

Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association (SHTA) Tel: +248 432 5560 • Fax: +248 422 5718 • Website: www.shta.sc The Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association was created in 2002 when the Seychelles Hotel Association merged with the Seychelles Hotel and Guesthouse Association. SHTA’s primary focus is to unite all Seychelles tourism industry stakeholders under one association in order to be better prepared to defend the interest of the industry and its sustainability as the pillar of the country’s economy.

International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) Tel: Haleiwa, USA: +1-808-566-9900 • Cape Town, South Africa: (+27)-21-813-5811 • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: +5521 40428205 • Germany: +49 2102 1458477 • London, UK: +44 20 3239 3300 • Australia +61 2-8005 1444 • HongKong, China: +852 8120 9450 • Email: member@tourismpartners.org • Website: www.tourismpartners.org ICTP is a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to Quality Services and Green Growth. ICTP advocates for: sustainable aviation growth; streamlined travel; fair taxation and jobs.

International Institute for Peace through Tourism Tel: +1-802-253-8671 • Website: www.iipt.org The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) is dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, poverty reduction, and the resolution of conflict - and through these initiatives, help bring about a more peaceful and sustainable world.

OTM India 2015 Tel: +9133 4028 4028 • Fax: +9133 2479 0019 • Website: www.otm.co.in OTM is India’s biggest travel trade show, in the largest travel market in India – Mumbai. OTM Mumbai takes place from 4 to 6 February 2015, with an attractive add on option in New Delhi from 10 to 12 February 2015. OTM is the most effective platform to market to the Indian travel industry catering to over 15 million Outbound travellers spending over US$ 10 billion and over 500 million domestic tourists – at least 10% of them with an immediate potential to also travel abroad.

World Travel Market - WTM Africa 2015 - WTM Latin America 2015 - WTM London 20145 WTM Africa takes place in Cape Town, South Africa from 15 to 17 April 2015, WTM Latin America will take place in São Paulo from 22 to 24 April 2015, and WTM - London will take place from 02 to 05 November 2015 in London, England. WTM is the place to do business.

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cover story Our April cover depicts the restored Slave Bell at Spier Wine Farm, which was built

by Van der Byl in 1825. Spier is one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa with a recorded history dating back to 1692.

Sannie invites you to visualise the past by taking your cues from the remnants still at hand — the old buildings, the slave bell, an outcrop of rocks, the trees and the Eerste River. Far more than a tale of suffering, punishment and oppression, there is rebellion, the heartbreak of love, romance, smoking dagga — and happiness, too. We also gain insight into the early days of winemaking in the Cape and an appreciation for the artisanal abilities of the slaves. It is a meditative experience that leaves one refreshed and with a deeper sense of place and time; a more meaningful connection with the past surrounding us gradually made visible.

Recording its African renaissance, the Spier 21 Gables audio walk takes visitors on a journey into the history of South Africa’s ‘Fairest Cape’. The motivation behind this audio project came from the realisation that the Spier farm has more surviving Cape Dutch gables — 21 in total — than any other farm, reflecting almost the full spectrum of architectural styles.

One is given a headset and an audio device like the ones used in art galleries and museums and the stations are numbered along the Spier pathways. Theatre director and playwright Brett Bailey researched the history of the farm and set the audio narrative in 1836. The story is told in 12 short chapters narrated by Sannie de Goede, the ghost of a fictional slave on the eve of her freedom, sensitively portrayed by the expressive Jill Levenberg. Emancipated in 1834, slaves still had to work a four-year apprenticeship for their freedom to be finally granted on December 1 1838.

“Ring your bell, meneer, ring it loud for soon it will be quiet,” she says.

EDITORIAL

Besides its historical significance and award winning wines, there is so much more to experience at Spier. In this edition, we review Spier’s Conference and Event facilities (see pages 16-18).

And finally, a reminder to the South African travel trade – don't forget to enter the 2015 Lilizela Tourism Awards. Entries close on 15 May 2015, so the sooner you register, the sooner you can accumulate those all important votes.

Yours in Tourism, Des Langkilde. editor@tourismtattler.com

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Article Comments Article comments, 'Likes' and 'Shares' received on the Tourism Tattler website and Social Media pages.

Wi n

The winning comment, 'Like' or 'Share' posted on the Tattler website or Social Media pages during the month of April 2015 will receive a Dietz Monarch D10 Hurricane Lantern with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

The Dietz Monarch was first introduced in 1900, and has been produced in at least seven distinct variations continuously over the past 108 years. The first and oldest style Monarch had a flat top tank, un-reinforced air tubes, and a 9/16" fuel cap.

Connect with Livingstones on:

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ACCOLADES

Tourism Expert Honoured The African Travel and Tourism Association (Atta) recently awarded Colin Bell an Honorary Lifetime Membership of the association for his outstanding contribution to the African tourism industry.

Atta CEO Nigel Vere Nicoll commented: ‘We are delighted that Colin Bell, co-founder of Wilderness Safaris; co-founder of Great Plains Conservation and co-author and publisher of Africa’s Finest has been appointed by the Atta Board of Directors as a Life Member of the Association in recognition of his outstanding contribution to tourism and conservation in Africa.”

Atta awards Honorary Life Membership to individuals whom the association believes have made an outstanding and sustained contribution towards advancing tourism to Africa. Another Life member of the association is Lew Rood, a well-known and respected personality within the local and international tourism industries, who commented on Colin’s appointment: ‘There could not be a finer candidate than Colin – a legend who continues to have insight into this continent, that many can only dream of!’

Atta’s Southern Africa Director and CEO of Africa Albida Tourism Ross Kennedy said: ‘A wonderful tribute to Colin for his unceasing care, concern, conservation and promotion of Africa, and all that is great and good in our industry. As an industry we are certainly blessed to have such energetic professionals as Colin and Lew’.

About Colin: You could say Colin made his own luck – instead of going into the expected world of finance after completing his economics degree at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1977, he decided his first job would be as a safari guide in Botswana. In those days a cold beer came out of a wet long-sock, tied to the side mirror of his Land Rover and cooled while hanging in the breeze. That was as good

it as got. In 1983 Colin co-founded Wilderness Safaris with one of the best guides in southern Africa, Chris McIntyre. The two of them ploughed all their enthusiasm, energies and limited savings (and one second-hand Land Rover) into creating what became one of the most successful specialist safari companies in Africa.

Over the decades it grew to manage camps and lodges across seven countries and employed more than 2,500 people. Many of these lodges gained their “bush cred” through partnerships with local communities: it was through those negotiations and relationships that Colin started to learn – by trial and error – what worked sustainably and what did not. Back then there were no blue-prints to follow or copy – creating safari partnerships with communities was breaking new ground. He sold his shares in Wilderness in 2005 and went on to co-found Great Plains Conservation a year later.

Colin is now completely independent and this freedom has allowed him to immerse himself in the Africa’s Finest book without any vested interests. The lessons learnt, the battle scars and campaign medals earned, from the many models tried and developed over the decades helped to lay the foundations and principals for responsible, sustainable tourism – what he has termed the 'Green Safari' model.

This, he believes, is the one of the fairest ways to partner with local communities and Governments in order to create viable, long-term partnerships that are a winning scenario for wildlife, wildernesses and people.

For more information on The African Travel and Tourism Association visit www.atta.travel

Colin Bell and Lew Rood: Honorary Life members of the Atta.

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ACCOLADES

South Coast swings major awards South Coast Tourism and its members are doing something right – in March alone, members and the tourism body itself were recognized on two different platforms for levels of excellence and in the past six months, no less than 14 awards have been handed out to members within this diverse destination, writes Nikki Tilley.

A bird’s eye view of the awards list: The TravelGround Awards recognise the most outstanding establishments in various towns, cities, and tourism regions in South Africa. These establishments offer quality customer service to all of their guests and consistently receive excellent customer feedback.

Scooping up four awards, Ugu South Coast Tourism members, Beachcomber Bay, The Homestead, Driftsands and Stephan’s were recognised for their high standards and overall ongoing levels of excellence.

The PMR Business Awards recognise outstanding service and contribution to the economic growth and development of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast Region. Ugu South Coast Tourism received diamond, first overall prize for Companies/Institutions doing the utmost to enhance tourism and conservation, and Justin Mackrory, CEO, Ugu South Coast Tourism was also recognized as a diamond winner in the outstanding service and contribution to the economic growth and development of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast Region in the business persons category.

In December 2014, The World Luxury Hotel Awards gala dinner was held at the Camps Bay Hotel in Cape Town. Attended by all the who’s who, The Gorge Private Game Lodge & Spa walked away with the World’s Best Game Lodge Award. And you thought the South Coast was just about beaches and family fun!

And not to forget the two national Lilizela Awards from last year where Wild 5 and Umthunzi Hotel walked away with national recognition. Umthunzi Hotel and Conference Centre was awarded top prize in the 3-star accommodation awards and Wild 5 Adventures were awarded the top place in the Action and Adventure category for Experience of the Year.

And what a way to celebrate success than over an award winning cappuccino? In the 2014/15 SM Coffee Guide Cappuccino contest, five Ugu South Coast Tourism members were awarded 3-stars. These include Beaver Creek, Burlesque Cafe, Coffee on the Square, Le Petit Café and Tea @ Bay Tree.

The words of Justin Mackrory sums up the sentiment of these awards: "The wonderful aspect about winning an award is that it is an external vote of confidence. Businesses can be as pro-active as they deem fit when marketing themselves (given their individual time and resources available) yet when recognized from an independent body or through public votes, this is really when an endorsement takes place. It is excellent affirmation that not only industry, but the public too, believe in a product. This is when the trade and the public become ambassadors to your business. This being the ultimate goal for any establishment or service provider. We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to our members, for their contribution to tourism and for keeping the bar high."

www.tourismsouthcoast.co.za APRIL 2015

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BUSINESS

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Market Intelligence Report The information below was extracted from data available as at 01 April 2015. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.

ARRIVALS

The latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to December 2014*: Current period

Change over same period last year

UK

401 914

3.50%

Germany

274 571

10.22%

USA

309 255

5.02%

India

85 639

-8.49%

82 905

-24.66%

2 254 709

2.92%

China (incl Hong Kong) Total Overseas Arrivals

HOTEL STATS

Current period

Average Room Occupancy (ARO)

Average Room Rate (ARR)

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)

All Hotels in SA

54.7%

R 1 121

R 613

All 5-star hotels in SA

59.0%

R 2 055

R 1 212

All 4-star hotels in SA

54.9%

R 1 043

R 573

All 3-star hotels in SA

52.3%

R 859

R 449

Change over same period last year All Hotels in SA

-4.0%

5.3%

1.0%

All 5-star hotels in SA

-2.8%

4.4%

1.5%

All 4-star hotels in SA

-4.4%

5.9%

1.3%

All 3-star hotels in SA

-7.4%

7.9%

0.0%

ACSA DATA

The latest available data from ACSA is for January to December 2014: Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on International Flights

Passengers arriving on Regional Flights

Passengers arriving on Domestic Flights

OR Tambo International

0.6%

4.1%

1.2%

Cape Town International

6.1%

6.4%

2.9%

King Shaka International

9.6%

N/A

-0.7%

CAR RENTAL DATA The latest available data from SAVRALA is for January to December 2014: Current period Industry rental days Industry utilisation Industry Average daily revenue

Change over same period last year

15 888 314

-0.2%

69.1%

-2.1%

4 891 660 507

5%

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESS *Statistics South Africa has stopped counting people transiting through South Africa as tourists. As a result of the revision, in order to compare the 2014 figures with 2013, it has been necessary to deduct the transit figures from the 2013 totals.

The arrivals data from Statistics South Africa clearly show the impact of Ebola and the Visa Regulations on the emerging markets.

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For more information contact Martin at Grant Thornton on +27 (0)21 417 8838 or visit: http://www.gt.co.za

The latest available data from STR Global is for January 2015:

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME, WHEREVER BUSINESS TAKES YOU IN SOUTHERN AFRICA From Bellville to Bryanston and Port Elizabeth to Gaborone, we have 53 conveniently located hotels that will make you feel right at home (and won’t break the bosses’ budget either)

GCL112

Whether it’s at a Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge or Road Lodge, we have a conveniently located hotel to suit all pockets

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CONSERVATION

The Business of Conservation This article is extracted from a lecture presented by Paul Tudor Jones II, at the University of Glasgow's Bute Hall in November 2014. In his lecture titled 'The Business of Conservation' Mr Jones addressed the role of philanthropy as a strong force in key worldwide issues such as tourism, poverty alleviation, education and conservation, writes Gerhard Damm, publisher of African Indaba.

An impressive audience of 400 staff, students, alumni and invited guests filled the University of Glasgow's Bute Hall, to celebrate the award of an honorary degree to Mr. Jones, for his achievements in business and philanthropy. His continuing contributions to conservation are highly complementary to on-going research in the University’s Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine and the Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, which won the Queen’s Anniversary prize for Higher and Further Education in 2013.

Here are some extracts from the lecture: Every year, 12 million hectares of land are lost to drought and desertification at the breathtaking rate of 23 hectares per minute.

The list of species to have gone extinct in just the past ten years includes the Golden toad of Costa Rica, the Baiji dolphin of the Yangtze River, the Pyrenean Ibex of Spain, and the West African black rhino. According to IUCN, more than 17,000 species on this earth are endangered. That includes 21 percent of all known mammals, 30 percent of all known amphibians, 12 percent of all known birds and 28 percent of all known reptiles.

All of this environmental depredation is the result of one species— homo sapiens. Our impact on our world is so great that a growing number of scientists have signed onto the proposal to christen a new geological epoch. Their name for that epoch? The Anthropocene.

For over a century, we have had hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life actively engaged in the conservation movement— scientists, naturalists, government officials, philanthropists, and a multitude of passionate and committed individuals, many who go to heroic lengths.

But there is one group of people that has been conspicuously absent from much of our conservation, a group that we need now, and that is investors. Now, I know that placing investor and conservation in the same sentence will cause some to recoil. But tonight I will propose a few options that might be considered controversial, so let me point to something I read recently by the great biologist and naturalist, E.O. Wilson.

First, let me say to all scientists present tonight, especially biologists, I’m well aware of the bitter fight in biology over Wilson’s new understanding of evolution, and on that battle I am agnostic and therefore neutral. … But to me, more than anything else, E.O. Wilson 12

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is the guy who coined the beautiful term and concept of “biophilia,” which literally means “love of life or living systems.”

We need to be open to involving investors in the conservation movement for two reasons. First, the movement needs money.

Second, the investors have it. Last year, Credit Suisse and the World Wildlife Fund commissioned a joint study on Conservation Finance.

For tonight’s purposes, here are the two main takeaways from that study: Private conservation funding worldwide needs to be 200 to 300 billion dollars per year, which is 20-30 times more money per year than it’s currently getting.

That number, while sounding enormous, is very achievable as it corresponds to about 1% of total private sector annual investments globally.

There are three main segments of investors. First are the High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth folks. Next are the Retail Investors, and last come the Institutional Investors. That first group, the high net worth folks – studies show that these investors are open to putting anywhere from 2 - 5% of their total assets in impact investing. Right now, the bankable assets of these folks is 46 trillion dollars. That asset base is projected to grow at 8% over the next years. If 1% of that were allocated to conservation finance, there’s your first 85 billion. That second group, the retail investors: Their current personal financial assets are around 53 trillion dollars and growing at 2% per year. If one percent of those assets were allocated to conservation finance, we’re talking 65 billion dollars a year. Lastly, the institutional investors. They’re at about 62 trillion dollars and projected to grow at 5% per year. 1% of that is 90 billion.

85 billion plus 65 billion plus 90 billion is 240 billion. Per year. Average.

There are obstacles to raising over 200 billion dollars in capital for conservation finance, but one of them is not that the money isn’t there. Global portfolio managers and asset managers need to start thinking in the direction of conservation finance so that they can advise their investors in that direction. But in order for those managers to do that, there need to be scalable and investable conservation projects available (editor’s emphasis).

To illustrate these projects, I’m going to get specific, and I’m going to focus on sub-Saharan Africa. First, the money’s not there. 78% of all current conservation finance is generated in developed countries,

CONSERVATION

and 59% of it is spent there. Second, unstable governments are bad for the environment. The correlation between corruption levels and the destruction of wildlife is direct. Where governance is strong, conservation is possible no matter the challenge, but where governance is weak, the privatization of conservation could well be the only hope.

And the industry I’m going to focus on is tourism. I can speak to the topic with some familiarity as I operate 13 lodges in three African countries. In addition, tourism is already one of the top five export categories for 83 percent of all developing nations. The potential is massive.

According to IUCN, right now, in Africa, there are 1200 formal protected areas. Many of these areas are imperfect, but they are the last representations of natural habitat on the continent. Preserving and even expanding these areas is what the conservation fight in Africa is about.

There are basically four key categories of threat to the environment in Africa.

The first threat is the demand for high value wildlife products, such as rhino horns and elephant tusks. This is all about poaching for top dollar products.

The second threat is one of energy. Across Africa, many people are dependent upon firewood and charcoal for cooking and heating.

Ninety percent of all wood consumed is used for fuel and charcoal, which leads to a depredation of forests and parks and also an annual revenue loss in African countries of approximately 2 billion dollars.

The third threat is the demand for protein, such as bushmeat, which is a generic term for any animal shot or harvested in the wild. This demand is twofold. First, many people living at subsistence levels in rural areas require the meat to keep from starving. Second, these same people, with little economic opportunity, turn to bushmeat hunting because they can sell the meat for consumption in urban areas.

And the fourth threat is the sheer demand for land, either for agricultural purposes or living space or natural resources.

In other words, these natural habitats are threatened because their economic value is based on unsustainable use (editor’s emphasis). To preserve them and protect them, their economic value needs to be transformed to a sustainable use. Tourism can be, and has been, one of those modes of transformation.

The direct contribution of Travel and Tourism to GDP in Sub Saharan Africa in 2012 was 36 billion dollars. That’s projected to rise to 61 billion by 2023. Tourism directly supported five and a half million jobs, and that will be almost 7 million in ten years. When you include jobs indirectly supported by the industry, the number climbs to over 13 million now and 17 million by 2023.

If we can develop more scalable conservation finance projects in tourism that can be replicated and whose success can be measured, asset managers can then persuade investors to rally around conservation finance, and those numbers can rise, and that is key because tourism in Africa is all about conservation.

A non-profit group called African Parks works with governments to rehabilitate national parks and ultimately make them profitable through tourism. It started with parks in Malawi and Zambia. It now operates seven parks and looks to operate twenty in six years. Its park in Malawi spans 70,000 hectares and, in six years, has been restocked with an array of wildlife that had all but disappeared.

Employment has risen from 10 people to over 150 permanent jobs with an additional 100 people employed in a temporary capacity.

Visitor numbers have grown from 0 to over 7,000 each year. Three different tourism operations have been established, each employing additional people. It is a transformation from a 'consumption economy' with environmental disaster as the inevitable end point to a 'conservation economy' which is sustainable.

In Botswana, tourism revenues have grown from 300 million in the 1990s to 3 billion dollars today, and approximately 40% of the country is under some type of wildlife protection. In Tanzania, in 2012, the contribution of tourism dollars to the national economy was 13.2% of the GDP. Many of the tourism dollars are coming from wildlife watching and photographic safaris.

But another form of tourism that generates a significant amount of revenue is hunting, and for those who are bitterly opposed to all forms of hunting, I ask you to hark back to E.O. Wilson’s line about a greater independence of thought (editor’s emphasis).

Photographic tourism is great in places where large animals roam and the scenery is spellbinding, but that’s not always the case in Africa. In places where landscape and wildlife are mundane, trophy hunting is the better land-use option. Resource economist Jon Barnes confirmed this with a detailed analysis. He concluded that for the sake of wildlife in large areas of Botswana, a ban on consumptive use, such as hunting, “would seriously jeopardize wildlife conservation.”

Here’s why that’s the case. Governments have to justify all use of the land in economic terms. If trophy hunting is not available to some communities, then their alternative is raising livestock, which takes a heavy toll on land and water resources. So it really does make more sense to lose an individual animal of an individual species now and then rather than risk losing an entire ecosystem. Other stakeholders agree.

Wilderness Safaris, a leading photo-tourism operator, has a position paper on trophy hunting, stating that ecotourism, on its own, cannot ensure the conservation of Africa as a whole and that hunting has been vital in destinations like South Africa, the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso.

Species to have become extinct in the past ten years: The golden toad (Incilius periglenes) of Coasta Rica, and the Baiji dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) of the Yangtze River in China,

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CONSERVATION

In South Africa, game farms have literally changed the landscape.

In 2002, there were fewer than 5000. Today, there are over 12,000.

Those farms generate revenue in various ways, ranging from ecotourism to the sale of live animals, but hunting makes the most money by far. And it’s been good for the ecosystem. Today, there are 20,900 white rhinos in the country, more than in all the rest of Africa.

And the wildlife population has gone from 575,000 in 1966 to 18.6 million today.

None of this would come as news to Teddy Roosevelt, one of the fathers of the conservation movement as well as an avid hunter and fisherman, like myself (editor’s emphasis). After he left the White House, he toured Africa and recorded his experiences in his book, African Game Trails. In it, he argues for a program of game reserves set aside for hunting in order to preserve animals. It stands to reason: if the long-term survival of an animal means the long-term financial sustenance of a community, then that animal will likely survive. The hunting industry has its flaws and failures. The goal must be to establish a tourism that benefits the communities living with these animals in a way that is ethical and sustainable.

But it’s not just about hunting or even ecotourism. There are a lot of innovative, private economic projects around conservation in Africa.

In Kenya, the Northern Rangelands Trust is pioneering a community project. It’s establishing a slaughterhouse for local farmers and herders; they can fatten and process their cattle in order to sell for top dollar in the city, and in return, they have to participate in conservation work, such as planting trees. In Namibia, 6.5 million hectares of its land are currently supporting 230,000 people through small, innovative community projects. And the amount of that country’s wildlife has increased 60% since the 1960s.

One more thing I’d like to touch on briefly is the importance of research. All the funding I’ve been talking about is for doing things, but some of that money definitely needs to be used for researching what to do. One quick example of how that works in African conservation: a place very near and dear to my heart: Serengeti.

Every year, the wildebeest migrate across the Serengeti, truly one of the most awesome spectacles in nature. At one time, they were dying out because of a virus they contracted through cattle, rinderpest. By the 1950’s, only, 200,000 were left.

But research led to a vaccine for the cattle, and today, the wildebeest population is 1.5 million. And many people get to witness that migration through eco-ourism, all of which is possible because the migration occurs through the Serengeti National Park.

It all links and can be linked: conservation practitioners with conservation research, to health practitioners with health research, to national governments and local governments and the communities that live closest to the land and depend most on it. Investors truly have a unique opportunity to streamline the various work into a

single, coherent effort that benefits the world. It’s already happening.

All across Africa, and in other parts of the globe, the privatization of conservation is reaping incredible benefits for wildlife (editor’s emphasis). But we need more of these efforts, and we need them quickly.

We don’t know where our current ecological road will lead, but we know that if we continue down it, we’re going to end up at a place we’d prefer not to be. We don’t have to end up in that place, and in my deepest of hearts, I truly believe we won’t, and here’s why (Paul holds up a solar jar): This is a solar jar. It works very simply. Set it outside during the day, and at night, it provides four hours of light. It costs only twelve dollars, and it is life-altering. 1.2 billion people in this world have no electricity. Imagine the intellectual capital to be gained if those 1.2 billion people got four more hours of productivity each day. Last year, 12,000 solar jars were distributed throughout Zimbabwe. 12,000 times four is 48,000 hours of more productivity in Zimbabwe. These jars are empowering the next generation of scientists, researchers, portfolio managers, conservationists and government officials of Zimbabwe to work and study and learn an extra four hours each day.

And that’s why I believe we will find the solution to our environmental problems.

Things look bad now, but all the darkness in the world (lights are turned off in the room as Paul holds up the jar) cannot overcome the power of a single light.

To listen to the full speech of Mr. Jones – highly recommendable – click HERE. Article published with acknowledgment to African Indaba. www.africanindaba.com

About Paul Tudor Jones II: A graduate of the University of Virginia, Paul is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Tudor Group of Companies. In 1983, he formed Tudor Investment Corporation as the Tudor Group’s primary asset management affiliate. Mr. Jones regularly commits a substantial amount of his personal time to philanthropic and natural resource conservation efforts. He also serves as Chairman of The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and is the founder and a director of the Robin Hood Foundation, an organization dedicated to the singular mission of ending poverty in New York City.

Species to have become extinct in the past ten years: The Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) of Spain, and the West African black rhino (Diceros bicornis longipes).

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The Natural Choice in 5-Star Luxury

Celebrating Diversity

Tel: +27 (0)28 384 8000 | Fax: +27 (0)28 384 8042 | reservations@grootbos.co.za | www.grootbos.com

APRIL 2015

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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Venue Review

Discovering Spier It's been a while since I've visited the Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch, South Africa. To say that I'm impressed with the farm's conference facilities would be an under statement, writes Des Langkilde.

Due to travel commitments at the time, I missed the 2014 Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) conference, which was held at the Fair Trade certified Spier Wine & Conference Estate in August. My gorgeous wife and business partner, Beverley did however attend, and by all accounts it was a resounding success, made all the more memorable by Spier's location and facilities.

This statement is borne out by the many testimonials received by SATSA after the 2014 conference. Here's a few samples: "Thank for a superb conference! It was extremely well organised, in a pretty spectacular setting. The presentations and discussion sessions were extremely worthwhile and of high quality, and I found a lot of the information provided very useful as well as insightful.

The networking opportunities were well-used also! I was delighted by the gifts – the wine and the sapling which was certainly an inspired choice. The food was great despite the odd glitches, and the entertainment a delight." Karen Kohler, Research Manager, Tourism Information Services, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal.

"A quick note to give you and your entire team involved with setting up the recent SATSA AGM at Spier a big thumbs up. Well done guys, I thought the entire event was excellent, well prepared, well managed with great content. I heard great feedback from amongst the delegates regarding the conference and many people commented on the discussion on small business. As an independent hospitality participant I am all too aware that the larger groups often tend to dominate proceedings. If I may suggest, an action for the future would be to do a SATSA road trip with the new Ministry dedicated to the SME business development." Kobus Botha, Managing Director, Urban Hip Hotels.

According to a post-conference survey conducted by SATSA, 94.74% of the conference delegates were happy with Spier as a venue, while 65.71% of respondents who stayed over, were happy with the hotel. 81.08% found the food to their liking, and 91.89% were happy with service levels.

Intrigued by the survey results, I decided to visit Spier and see for myself what has changed over the ensuing years since my last visit in 2012.

I met with Tony Romer-Lee, Managing Partner of PMR Hospitality, who have been managing the Leisure experiences, including the hotel and conferencing on the Spier estate since December 2013.

Over a light lunch on the hotel restaurant terrace, I commented that the pan African style restaurant Moyo had still been operational on the Spier farm when I had visited last.

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"Moyo was still operating when we took over managing the estate and although it was a unique attraction at the time and brought a lot of day visitors to Spier, their service levels had dropped and the group was put into business rescue. They eventually closed in June 2014, giving us the opportunity to restore the 300 year old Werf. Our ample restaurant facilities have filled the breach and we are bringing exciting new concepts and tenants to the Werf (the historical farm yard area in which Moyo was located), which will be able to accommodate outdoor functions," said Romer-Lee. After lunch I was escorted on a guided tour of Spier's expansive conference and event facilities, which are graphically depicted in the graphic map below.

Amphitheatre Starting the tour at the outdoor Spier Amphitheatre, there are three meeting rooms in an adjacent building, which can accommodate between 40 to 20 delegates depending on the seating arrangement, and are completely private (no public access) with their own facilities.

These are ideal as breakaway rooms or for smaller gatherings.

The entrance to the Amphitheatre meeting rooms reveals part of Spier's famous art collection adorning the walls.

EVENTS

This outdoor function at Spier during the 2014 SATSA conference, and sponsored by 'We Are Africa' demonstrates the venues versatility.

Auditorium

Old Wine Cellar

Located within the main Spier Conference Centre, the auditorium has capacity for 430. The beautifully decorated public areas are furnished with antiques and contemporary South African art from the Spier Collection. In winter, delegates can relax around fireplaces, and in summer, chill on the cool, shaded terrace.

This historic Cape Dutch style building dates back to 1767, and is situated next to an oak-shaded courtyard. This venue is spacious at just over 200m2 and is perfect for large gatherings, whether broken up in small groups or in a theatre-style setting.

Adjacent to the auditorium are three breakaway rooms - the Simonsberg, Helderberg and Stellenberg, which can be used separately or combined to seat 250 people. The conference rooms are adjacent to the Eerste River and have views of the Helderberg mountains.

Manor House

â–˛

In my opinion, Manor House is the most impressive of Spier's venues with stylish antique furnishing that includes sofas, armchairs, oriental rugs, chandeliers and priceless art. It is comprised of three meeting rooms; the Van Lievens Lounge; the De Clerque Room with seating for 12 delegates around the boardroom table is perfect for a meeting, workshop or small seminar; and the Reynolds Room, which is an ideal venue for a stylish lunch or dinner with its exquisite table that can seat up to 22 people for a meeting or workshop.

The SATSA 2014 conference utilised a unique 'Theatre in the Round' delegate seating arrangement in the Spier Auditorium.

An exterior view of the Old Wine Cellar venue with ample seating under ancient oak trees for outdoor functions.

Reinholds Room at Manor House can seat up to 22 people.

The superbly decorated Van Lievens Lounge at Manor House.

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EVENTS

The Spier Hotel Boardroom - an ideal venue for corporate meetings and presentations.

Hotel Boardroom

The Spier Art Collection

Located within the main hotel building, the elegant boardroom is a convenient meeting space for business guests at the hotel, or groups requiring a smaller meeting facility. The boardroom can seat up to 12 delegates, and includes an outdoor lounge area.

One of the unique aspects that sets Spier apart from other conference venues is its art collection, which is one of the most extensive collections of contemporary South African art in the country.

Artworks are displayed throughout Spier’s meticulously restored Cape Dutch buildings, meeting rooms and spaces of the Spier Hotel.

Each venue, treated as an exhibition space, is dedicated to artists of both emerging and recognised talent.

Wine Tasting Venue Concluding the conference and meeting venues tour at Spier, is the Wine Tasting Venue that overlooks the Spier dam and has views of the Helderberg mountains. The venue features a large reception area, lounge with comfortable seating around the fireplace and an outside area that maximizes the views. The venue is ideally situated for a wine and canapé experience, and can also be used for a seated event. The building combines contemporary décor with the heritage for which Spier is renowned. A chandelier - made by renowned artist Heath Nash from 334 recycled Spier wine bottles - hangs about the state-of-the-art tasting counter.

The Wine Tasting Venue with its unique chandelier.

Art innovations instigated by Spier include art partnerships with The Association For Visual Arts (AVA), The Africa Centre, The Spier Public Arts Festival, The Artist Patronage Programme, The Spier Art Academy, and The Creative Block Project.

Activities For delegates and their accompanying spouses and children, there is certainly no shortage of things to do at Spier. From picnics to Segway Tours, Eagle Encounters, Craft Markets and Guided Tours or a rejuvenating spa treatment at Camelot Spa there is something for everyone.

For more information visit www.spier.co.za Picnic spreads can be selected from the Eight to Go delicatessen.

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HOSPITALITY

SA Hotel industry must embrace technology to stay competitive South African hotels, like their global peers, must expedite the adoption of technology to meet customer-led demand, according to a new report from Grant Thornton, writes Lianne Osterberger.

Internationally the hotel industry has lagged behind other sectors in adopting technology and as a result, hotels must now put mobile technology at the centre of their customer experience as they race to catch up and compete in the ‘sharing economy’, where services such as AirBnB are challenging the traditional business model.

However, the report cautions against de-humanising the hotel experience, stressing that the most successful companies will be those that master the balance between using technology to respond to customer preferences and keeping the personal touch where human interaction is a value-add.

Hotels 2020: Welcoming Tomorrow’s Guests highlights the changing nature of hotels and their guests. This is in part due to the increasing spending power of millennials, digital natives looking for local, authentic experiences when travelling. This demographic group are set to outspend baby boomers in hotels by 2017 and expect increasingly tailored services, such as mobile room customisation and special in-app offers. With the number of Chinese tourists alone expected to double to over 200 million by 2020, rising numbers of travellers from emerging markets mean hotels need to change their services to cater for new needs and preferences.

Gillian Saunders, Head of Advisory Services at Grant Thornton Johannesburg and Global Leader for Hospitality and Tourism at Grant Thornton International said: “Hotels need to work to understand their guests’ requirements, making the most of big data to analyse and establish where personalisation through better use of mobile can really add value. It’s all about striking the right balance between apps and technology, as well as human interaction, which is still hugely valued. Get it wrong and you risk alienating your customers. Get it right and you can reap the rewards.

“The battle for tech talent with other industries is fierce, and the sector will need to think creatively and work with external strategic partners to get it right. This could include technology providers, app developers and existing services such as Uber, as well as local hosts adopting the home-from-home aspect of the sharing economy.

“With millennials and tourists from emerging economies set to dominate future reservations, tomorrow’s guests will expect tailored services that break down language and cultural barriers, while still offering an authentic, personal touch that gives travellers the unique experience they value.”

The report points out that the hotel industry has been lagging behind other industries when it comes to mobile personalisation; from retailers and personal finance providers to travel companies and restaurants, mobile technology – and especially apps – are

being developed at a rate of knots to provide accessible, customised customer services.

Gillian Saunders says: “With the rise of digital enterprises like AirBnB, TaskRabbit and Lyft demonstrating the power of the sharing economy, it would be tempting for hotels to simply follow the ‘there’s an app for that’ mantra and just push out mobile technology that adds little value to the customer experience or subsumes it.

Hotels must take their efforts further. Developed carefully, with a real understanding of what the consumer wants, technology can go a long way to build unique customer experiences that meet today’s demands. From ensuring the minibar is stocked with a guest’s favourite drink to providing details of local restaurants via their smartphone, hotels must retain the personal touch that keeps consumers coming back.”

Some hotel chains are already using technology well to personalise the guest experience. For example, during the London 2012 Olympics, Holiday Inn partnered with Samsung to enable guests to control their rooms’ TV, air conditioning and lighting with their smartphones. Hilton Worldwide are developing a mobile check-in and checkout service, and the Ritz-Carlton app, launched last year, provides concierge services including booking reservations, local city guides and special offers.

A snap survey conducted by Grant Thornton South Africa has found that unlike the foreign hotel chains, South African hotel groups are not addressing the advances in mobile technology.

Martin Jansen van Vuuren, Director and Hotel Consulting Leader, Grant Thornton South Africa says: “Domestic hotel groups do not have the R&D muscle of the big international chains, but they certainly need to have a strategy in place if they want to continue to appeal to the markets of the future; international and domestic. These markets are increasingly tech savvy and will have high expectations of personalised delivery. After all they will be getting it elsewhere in the world and will expect nothing less locally.”

However, with recent privacy concerns around the amount of data shared through cloud platforms and mobile devices, the report warns that hotels must be mindful of how much data is likely to be shared by guests, and therefore work closely with consumers to ensure that personalisation is introduced at a level that is comfortable.

Gillian Saunders concludes: “Hotels must act now to differentiate themselves. They must make a reality of mass personalisation - whilst keeping the human touch - to surprise and delight guests.”

The 'Hotels 2010' report can be downloaded in PDF file format (1.7MB) at www.grantthornton.ie or visit www.gt.co.za APRIL 2015

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Legal

In Part 1 (page 36 August 2014), I categorised risk into five categories, namely; 1. PEOPLE, 2. MONEY, 3. LAW, 4. SERVICE and 5. ECOLOGY. I will be dealing with the risk profile of each, i.e. broadly speaking the areas of risk that any business is exposed to can been allocated under these five categories.

In Part 2, (page 22 September 2014), I covered the category of 'People' under four sub-categories: Staff (discussed in Part 1); Third party service providers (‘TPSP’); and Business Associates.

RISK

IN TOURISM – PART 9 –

THE LAW: CONTRACTS REQUISITE #4: PERFORMANCE MUST BE POSSIBLE Something that is often glossed over is whether or not the deliverable you have offered, be it a service, performance or goods/products, can be delivered i.e. is possible or quantifiable!

It is a requirement for a valid contract that the performance or goods/products envisaged by the parties and as provided for in the agreement, must be possible.

So, if the passenger can no longer visit the Pacific island of his or her dreams because, unbeknown to either party, there is a coup d’etat and no visitors are allowed, or if the airline on which he/ she has been booked has gone into liquidation, or the specific goods/product promised/reserved e.g. a car hired or cruise booked (again unbeknown to either party) is no longer available, then the performance envisaged is not possible and no contract will come into existence and no rights or obligations will arise from the communications between the parties (subject to the wording of the contract/T&C). However, again if the seller owed a duty of care to the customer e.g. to obtain the latest information, and it is found that that duty has been breached, then the customer could sue you for misrepresentation (delict or tort) on the basis that you owed him a duty of care, i.e. not breach of contract.

The relevant time for determining whether the performance is possible, is the time when the parties enter into the agreement. If the performance is possible at that time, but becomes impossible later, then a legally binding agreement was established at the time of signature, but the issue may be addressed on various possible bases: (1) misrepresentation; (2) breach of contract, unless of course the cause of the impossibility is beyond the control and not due to the negligence of the party concerned; (3) force majeure. As always the parties will have to take cognizance of the contractual terms of the travel agent and the tour operator that were applicable at the time. Conversely it is important for the passenger to ensure that adequate insurance arrangements have been made.

Given the nature of force majeure and the different types of insurance cover available, it is imperative that the passenger discussed the nature and extent of the cover with the insurance company as in this context there are from time to time events that the passenger thinks are covered, but are not.

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Part 3 (page 24 October 2014), continued with 'PEOPLE' as Customers.

Part 4 (page 27 November 2014), started the discussion on the 2nd category, namely 'MONEY' in terms of CASH and CHEQUES. Part 5 (page 23 December 2014), looked at CREDIT and CREDIT CARDS. Part 6 (page 25 January 2015), looked at LAW and CONTRACTS, with an introduction and Requisite #1: Offer & Acceptance.

Part 7 (page 18 February 2015), continued with Requisite #1 covering telephone enquiries, e-mails, websites and advertising.

Part 8 (page 17 March 2015), covered Requisites #2: Legally Binding Obligation, and #3: Consensus in contracts.

The situation would of course be different is the agreement is conditional upon a certain event taking place/something being done or if it contains a guarantee or warranty. The guarantee could specifically address the event in question or be general enough to cover it. A well-known guarantee or warranty is one where the quality or existence of snow on a skiing holiday is guaranteed. On the other hand, some agreements may specifically state that performance may not be possible e.g. “We cannot guarantee that you will see the Big 5”.

I recently had a case where the passengers arrived at the hotel and lo and behold: the hotel was busy with substantial renovations!

It was of such a pervasive nature that performance was simply not possible and was addressed by the passengers on the basis of breach and/or negligence i.e. the travel agent knew, or should have known about the state of affairs. However it was resolved amicably as the passengers could fortunately be accommodated in a nearby hotel of like standing (although there was an unresolved issue about the standard of the meals!).

The Consumer Protection Act has specific provisions regarding unavailability and therefore impossibility of performance – the one pertaining to over-booking (which is of course not limited to airlines) (Section 47) as well as so-called ‘bait marketing’ (Section 30) where certain products used as ‘loss leaders’ are often out of stock, or sometimes well before the period of the ‘special’ has expired. Regarding ‘bait marketing’ limitations may be expressed but if the goods are not available, similar goods at the same price must be offered to the consumer. The over-booking applies to taking a reservation and then not honouring it, unless it is beyond the control of the supplier and the supplier has advised the consumer timeously, or if due to the fault of the supplier if the supplier has offered the consumer comparable goods or services.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a brief overview of legal matters pertaining to the travel and tourism industry and is not intended as legal advice. © Adv Louis Nel, 'Louis The Lawyer', April 2015.

The Mark of Quality Tourism The SATSA logo is your assurance of credible hospitality, transport and affiliated tourism service providers, who comply with a strict code of business practice and ethics. Booking with a SATSA member ensures a top quality holiday and peace of mind. * Subject to Terms & Conditions

To find a member visit www.satsa.com for more information or call +27 (0)11 886 9996 or email memberships@satsa.co.za APRIL 2015

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MARKETING

Dispelling Negativity in Destination Marketing Life would be so simple if consumers of travel followed a logical decision making process, with an abundance of time when planning their next holiday, writes Judy Lain.

Numerous factors – many completely unrelated to the decision they are making – will exert influences on their choice and consumption.

Our visitor's mind is not a white canvas, free of perceptions and beliefs that follow a linear decision making process when planning a holiday. If the information we provide them is inconsistent with those beliefs, the marketing message is likely to be ignored.

Understanding how perceptions work can help solve some common marketing challenges for DMOs Health food is often believed to be unpalatable, bland, "not that tasty". This perception is a significant barrier to purchasing it. This negative perception is top-of-mind when the consumer is walking down the aisle or when consuming it. Having a negative effect on repeat purchase.

The problem is not the food, but our negative perception is so strong that it overrides our personal experience. To solve this challenge, we need to get consumers to have a new positive experience first, then describe the health claim. A potential solution to overcome this would be to have the flavour claims on the front of the packaging and the health claims on the side panel.

So how is this relevant to destination marketing?

Learning from the “most dangerous place” in the world Colombia, identified tourism as a priority sector and opportunity for sustainable job creation and economic growth. Its global reputation as “the most dangerous country in the world” compromised its ability to capitalise on this. The Colombian government took drastic steps to end the conflict and restore order to society, along with making the country safe for foreign visitors. Along with this aggressive internal approach, the tourism authorities launched a media campaign that addressed the countries long-standing negative perception that you would probably be kidnapped if you went to Colombia.

The Columbia Tourism video 'The only risk is wanting to stay' addressed the negative perception with an underlying positive.

By showcasing its natural beauty, people, food, fairs, handicrafts, colours and experiences – the only risk you would have is wanting to stay longer and experience more.

Do you know what negative perceptions your guests have while they are dreaming and planning their holiday (before they even book)?

So often when we do our research we ask questions such as (a) how many people in the party?, (b) what time of the year do they travel?, and (c) how long do they stay?, or we jump straight to trends 22

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Know your guests (a little better) Target market: • Country of origin • Size of party they travel in • How long they stay Why are you marketing?

• Fill slow times • Reach new visitors • Capture repeat visitors • Capitilise on special occasion or event What are you offering?

• Accommodation • Meals • Transport • Tours • Tickets

Beliefs: (especially first timers) What do they think about: • Your country?

• Your province?

• Your city or town?

• What does travel fulfil in them? (need) • Why they chosse what they choose?

• What are the barriers to choice? (safety, diversity, distances) • Expensive destination of value for money?

Trends: • Rise of the silent traveller • Blurring of business and leisure traveller • Curation coming to life • Visuals - the new language

(I must do something on Facebook). But do you spend enough time understanding what your visitor thinks about your region or town before they even book and how are you working to change the negative perception?

By spending a bit of time asking the right questions to develop the right insights and then providing the right messaging, you will drive success.

Taking insights into practice North American visitors are showing year-on-year growth into the Western Cape province of South Africa, along with nice geographic spread. As the Destination Marketing, Investment and Trade Promotion Agency for the Western Cape, Wesgro is partnering with Orbitz to run a digital marketing campaign that inspires those looking online during the "dream phase and planning phase" with the goal of driving bookings to the province up over the April September period. Wesgro's content and messaging is based on insights provided to by Orbitz and South Africa Tourism.

About the author: Judy Lain (nee During) is the Chief Marketing Officer at Wesgro - the official Destination Marketing, Investment and Trade Promotion Agency for the Western Cape, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Judy is incredibly passionate about the Western Cape and driving the tourism, trade and investment into this region.

For more information visit www.wesgro.co.za

MARKETING

10 Digital Marketing Tips for Tavel Consultants In this article, digital marketing specialist Priya Unger shares insights into what digital marketing is, how it works and what online tools are available for independent travel consultants (ITC), writes Rian Bornman.

Being an independent travel consultant (ITC) can be very satisfying but also overwhelming. You may be faced with challenges such as how to increase your network, determine your price and market your business. To help you get off the ground, myriad digital marketing opportunities exist. Yet understanding how to use them isn’t always easy. At the recent FlightSiteAgent ITCs workshop – held in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban in early February 2015 – digital marketing specialist, Priya Unger shared insights into what digital marketing is, how it works and what online tools are available.

Here are her top ten digital marketing points:

01

Understand digital marketing and why you need it

As an ITC your business model depends on building and maintaining personal relationships. Digital marketing can be put to good use to help you first find and attract your ideal customer using targeting and then to maintain ongoing communication with them.

02

Which digital platforms best represent your brand

The main deciding factor here should be time and budget. There are a few options to choose from and all three have their pros and cons.

• You can choose to have a fully customised website built for you from scratch, but this is if you have a very large budget.

• A blog is a great option if you have a limited budget. Platforms such as Wordpress, Joomla, or Drupal are all recommended and allow you to use themes custom-made for you by a designer or you can utilise many of their free themes. You can also choose to purchase a domain or sign up for a free domain on these platforms.

• Social media platforms like Facebook work very well at no extra cost. You can deal directly with customers, share ideas, give advice, deal with problems first-hand and invite fans to call or email you.

03

Plan what goes onto your digital platforms

The online space is very competitive and crowded especially in the travel industry. To stand out from the crowd you need to know your audience well. Do this by asking them directly. Should you have an

existing client base use a survey (for instance use a free online tool, such as SurveyMonkey to prepare your survey). Or if you don’t yet have any clients, download the free online tool, Google Keyword Planner. It helps identify what types of keywords and phrases your potential customers use on Google to find your products. This helps produce the right type of content for your digital platform that will attract potential customers.

04

Let internet surfers find your digital platform

Just remember that they usually look at what they find on the first page so that’s where you need to be. The two ways to ensure this is through Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Google Ad Words.

• SEO is a lengthy, expensive and complex process. It works by using your social media platforms, newsletters or existing network of colleagues to share content you’ve developed for your digital platform. This helps to position you as an authority in the area of travel you focus on.

• Google Ad Words is much quicker to execute than SEO. However it does cost money. Once you’ve determined your budget you can set a cap so that you don’t overspend. The beauty of Google Ad Words is that you can study the results and tweak the different aspects of your account to improve performance over time.

05

Create a monthly newsletter

Once a potential customer has found your digital platform it’s crucial that you retain their details for future marketing purposes. Setup a newsletter to encourage traffic to sign-up to your newsletter database. This way you can communicate your specials, travel tips or any competition you might be running with them on a regular basis.

One newsletter a month is a good place to start.

Tattler editor's tip: Most email hosting service providers restrict the number of emails that you can send per day, so be careful not to send too many at once or you will be blacklisted. Rather use a bulk email client, such as MailChimp, Kondwana or Power SMTP, which will also report on the number of opens and click thru's, and manage bounced (non-deliverable), add new subscriptions and delete unsubscribe requests from your mailing list.

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MARKETING

10 Digital Marketing Tips for Tavel Consultants 06

Track your website’s performance

Using a free online tool like Google Analytics will help you track your website’s performance. It will tell you who is visiting your site, where they are based and what channels they’re using to find you.

07

Use social media to promote your website or blog

09

Use competitions to drive traffic

Competitions always excite people. Prizes need to be appropriate for your audience and don’t necessarily need to be high in value.

Always link a competition to a newsletter subscription so you can continue marketing to them in future. Just remember there are rules around competitions.

10

Establish your budget

Once you’ve established your budget and how much time you want to spend developing it, choose a relevant digital platform.

Research plays a crucial role in knowing whether to choose Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Find out which tool your audience is using by looking at what your competitors are doing. As an ITC you might find that Facebook is a safe bet as it’s well-known; people are also in browse mode and could potentially be looking for inspiration to plan their next holiday.

08

Understand the do’s and don’ts of social media

Facebook should not be a timeline of travel offers, but also of inspirational and informational content. Keep the conversation lighthearted and pay careful attention to customer service by dealing with requests as soon as possible in a polite and friendly manner.

A channel like Twitter is fast-paced and would be better suited to promoting your travel offers.

n i W

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You don’t need to rush into spending a lot of money on the most expensive digital platform and web support. Start off slowly and as you make more money, phase in what you’d like to add. Digital marketing can seem overwhelming, so best you leave some of it to the experts. But learn as much as possible along the way so you have insight into what’s best for your brand.

There are over 1,000 ITCs in South Africa. And this number is growing significantly. More and more people are turning to Google and other search engines to find their next big holiday or to compare flight prices. It’s important that you stand out from the crowd and stake your claim in the market.

Priya Unger is an expert in the field of digital marketing and can be contacted for assistance on all of the above mentioned points and tools. You can call her on +27 (0)82 044 9747 or email her at priya. unger@gmail.com About the author: Rian Bornman is the founder of B2B travel provider FlightSiteAgent - a registered online travel provider that gives its independent agents access to competitive net fares to sell onto others under their own brand.

Launched in March 2013, FlightSiteAgent is an extension of FlightSite (PTY) Ltd, an online travel supplier. It is part of Club Travel, and a subsidiary of Thebe Tourism. While FlightSite Agent’s headquarters are in Tygervalley, Cape Town, its network of affiliated agents can work anywhere in South Africa, providing they have an internet connection.

APRIL 2015

NICHE TOURISM

Taking Responsible Tourism to China Deborah Calmeyer is a woman on a mission. She is the first South African businesswoman to speak at the prestigious ‘Her Village International Forum’ in Beijing, China and she will be taking Africa's responsible tourism message to over 200 million viewers, writes Dorria Watt.

As a successful businesswoman, entrepreneur and CEO of ROAR AFRICA, a luxury travel company offering handcrafted experiences in Southern and East Africa, she believes in responsible tourism.

Calmeyer has been invited to speak at the prestigious ‘Her Village International Forum’ during April 26th and 27th in Beijing, attended by 400 of China’s top women and men business leaders, an elite and influential audience, and broadcast to a further 200 million viewers. As South Africa’s first woman to be given this platform she will be talking tourism – which contributes 9.2% to the GDP of South Africa and is the fastest growing sector of the economy – while highlighting the crisis of the decimation of our wildlife.

She is not afraid to speak her mind when it comes to protecting endangered species and the sustainability of the environment. Which is why she is embracing the opportunity to talk to this influential audience about what Sub-Saharan Africa has to offer – in terms of the safari and travel experience – and what we stand to lose if we don’t protect our wildlife.

“It is a fantastic opportunity to promote our destination and inbound tourism and an ideal platform to talk about Africa.

We design and deliver personalised experiences, our clients are wealthy and intellectually savvy. Their presence creates employment and development at a global level. We do what we can to help communities, promote conservation and work with socially and environmentally sound properties.

“2015 is the 'Year of China' in South Africa, with our entire country welcoming the Chinese with open arms to come and explore,” she says. “The invitation came via Ms Yang Lan, the most influential and powerful media woman in China (known as the Oprah of China), who was one of my guests in South Africa.”

She believes South Africa should undertake more initiatives that send a clear signal to visitors that they are wanted. “We need more direct flights, lower airport taxes, easier visa processes, more credit card facilities and more guides who speak our visitors’ languages, if tourism is to thrive.”

Calmeyer will proudly fly the South African flag in esteemed company. Other guest speakers include Susan Rockefeller, President Debora Spar of Colombia's University’s Barnard College, Pat Mitchell the former present and CEO of PBS Television and Phumzile MlamboNgcuka, Executive Director of UN Women and former Deputy President of South Africa, who is the keynote speaker.

Deborah Calmeyer bird watching while on safari.

Last year Calmeyer spoke at a BRICS Economic Forum, Das Americas held in New York, where she illustrated the importance of protecting key species. It’s not often a female entrepreneur gets the opportunity to present to an audience of this calibre. Her presentation, entitled ‘The Battle for Africa’ was picked up by Reuters and Mario Gernero, chairman of the BRICS conference, referred to her speech as ’the talk of the town and his most favourite’.

“I believe it is necessary to go beyond the conservation sector and involve the business community who have an important role to play.

Who better than the business elite to help stigmatise the trade and ownership of illegal wildlife products?” she asks.

Her presentation is bound to shock as she talks about the sheer numbers of wildlife lost hourly and daily. Elephants killed at the rate of five an hour with only 350,000 left, a rhino killed every nine hours, now only about 18,000 left and lions killed at a rate of five a day, with only 20,000 left.

She also addresses the economic and emotional impact on Africa.

“There is something unique about the experience of seeing animals in their natural habitat. Having grown up in Zimbabwe and South Africa I believe that it’s not just about economics and tourism, but about respect. We are all part of this planet and as we destroy our planet and species we destroy ourselves and our dignity. It is not only through people we get to express the best side of our humanity but with the animals we share this world with. The African bush is about the smell, the sights and the silence. And it is only when people visit and experience it that they truly understand the connection.”

She highlights the interdependence of local communities and their surrounding wildlife in southern and East Africa. “If the US$80 billion tourism economy of Africa is to be maintained and grown, then the battle being fought to prevent further decimation of the species that sustain that economy cannot fail”, she says.

Education and awareness is key and she is living proof that a female entrepreneur can be highly effective in communicating the importance of protecting these animals, while offering life-changing experience and sharing her passion for Africa.

Calmeyer is a woman on a mission, determined to make sure that the answer to Sir David Attenborough’s question is never turned into a reality: ‘Do we really want our grandchildren to only see lion, rhino and elephant in picture books?’

For more information visit www.roarafrica.com APRIL 2015

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NICHE TOURISM

Ecotourism: A Case Study Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. This means that tourists who participate in ecotourism activities want reassurance that their host follows defined ecotourism principles.

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, located along the Cape Whale Coast region of South Africa is a prime example, writes Des Langkilde.

30% of bird species at Grootbos are endemic to Southern Africa.

Ecotourism Definitions In his book 'Ecotourism: An Academic Definition' (1999 p.43) David A. Fennell defines Ecotourism as "… a sustainable form of natural resource-based tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature, and which is ethically managed to be lowimpact, non-consumptive, and locally oriented (control, benefits, and scale). It typically occurs in natural areas, and should contribute to the conservation or preservation of such areas."

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines Ecotourism as "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people."

In a nut shell though, the principles that define Ecotourism include destinations that: • Minimise human impact on the environment; • Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect; • Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts; • Ensure direct financial benefits for conservation and empowerment for local people; and • Raise sensitivity to the host countries’ political, environmental, and social climate.

Case Study: Grootbos Private Nature Reserve A visit to Grootbos provides a prime example of Ecotourism principles in action - it's more than just five star accommodation and eco adventures; it’s about making a real and effective contribution to the unique natural environment of the Walker Bay region and its people.

From the beginning, Grootbos has been committed to the conservation of the region’s biodiversity as well as the upliftment of the local community.

Back in 1991, when Heiner and Eva Lutzeyer purchased a 123 hectare farm on the mountain slopes overlooking Walker Bay between the villages of Stanford and Gansbaai, little did they realise that their enterprising sons Michael and Tertius would succeed in establishing what has become a pristine botanical treasure trove, wildlife sanctuary, 26

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Horse riding tours through the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve are conducted by locallly trained field guides. international 5-star eco-lodge and a world leader in luxury Ecotourism (read our property review feature in the February 2015 magazine (pages 16 - 17) or read the online feature article here.

A student from the Grootbos Foundation checks plants grown from cuttings.

Over the years, Grootbos staff have cleared all alien vegetation from the property, restored damaged areas, and now manage the land in accordance with strict ecological principles. The rehabilitation and development of this 2500 hectare property is well chronicled in the book 'Field Guide to the Flora of Grootbos Nature Reserve and the Walker Bay region' by Sean Privett and Heiner Lutzeyer. Of the 9 250 species of flowering plants to be found in the UNESCO protected Cape Floristic Region, 760 species are found within Grootbos, of which six are totally new to science, and found only in this particular part of the reserve.

The friendly and knowledgeable guides at Grootbos take pride in sharing their love for nature and the outdoors, and they know Grootbos and its surrounds like the palm of their hand and display an eagerness to share it’s many secrets with guests. Their humorous commentary and intriguing tales aim to convey science and history through stories that bring the landscape to life. Coming from different backgrounds, cultures and schooling, each guide adds an individual quality and flair to the Grootbos experience - a personal touch and friendliness beyond mere service.

In terms of empowering local people and associated non-profit programmes, Grootbos now employs in excess of 150 full time staff, some 80 percent of whom are from local disadvantaged communities (read more on 'How to Apply Responsible Tourism Practices' (pages 22 - 26) or online here.

Conclusion In conclusion, if I were a lodge owner / general manager, tourist attraction or destination manager looking to apply Ecotourism principles into my business operations, I’d certainly look at tapping into the Grootbos Foundation’s expertise for assistance.

For more information, visit www.grootbosfoundation.org or www.grootbos.com APRIL 2015

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Advertisement sponsored courtesy of Ogilvy & Mather / Tourism Tattler as a service to the travel trade.

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