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Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

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Contents

Issue 03 (March) 2014 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

Business: Tattler launches Tourism Support Services

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING

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

Conservation: Global March for Lions - 15 March 2014

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BACK ISSUES http://issuu.com/search?q=tourism+tattler ▼ Feb 2014

▼ Jan 2014

Visa: Africa's Visa Requirements IN THIS ISSUE

▼ Dec 2013

05 06 09

▼ Nov 2013

▼ Oct 2013

▼ Sep 2013

10 12 14 18 20 19

▼ Aug 2013

▼ Jul 2013

▼ Jun 2013

EDITORIAL Cover Story - Canned Hunting ACCOLADES 2014 Safari Award Winners Article Discussions BUSINESS Financial Reporting Requirements SATSA Market Intelligence Report Tourism Support Services CONSERVATION Global March for Lions Rhino Conservation - time for Plan B COMPETITION De Hoop Nature Reserve break-away HOSPITALITY Property Review - Ocean Reef Hotel

Adv. Louis Nel Colin Bell

INVESTMENT 25 Mozambique Hotel Projects LEGAL 24 ‘POPI’ Act - Part 10 MARKETING 27 Travel Trade Shows 28 Online Marketing PRODUCT NEWS Visit our website for daily product news RISK 30 Under Insurance VISA 31 Africa's Visa Requirements TRADE NEWS Visit our website for daily travel news

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Paul Halley Martin Jansen van Vuuren Peter Tarlow Thys Buitendag MAGAZINE SPONSORS

▼ May 2013

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02 02 06 06 06 06

SATIB Insurance Brokers SYNC Accounting & Business Services White Shark Projects Avis NAA-SA BnB Sure

06 07 11 13 16 30

SandBar Restaurant Tourism Grading Council of South Africa SATSA National Sea Rescue Institute (NRI) Gautrain Intasure Insurance Brokers

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.

▼ Feb 2013

▼ Jan 2013

▼ Dec 2012

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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.

The 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 sustainable development, improved regional competitiveness, and effective destination marketing. RETOSA Member States are Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The 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 of a SATSA member. SATSA represents: Transport providers, Tour Operators, Destination Management Companies, Accommodation Suppliers, Tour Brokers, Adventure Tourism Providers, Business Tourism Providers and Allied Tourism Services providers.

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 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.

The Green Expo - Sustain Our Planet. Sandton, Johannesburg - 10 - 12 April 2014 Tel: +27 (0)21 689 3262 • Email: info@thegreenexpo.co.za • Website: www.thegreenexpo.co.za Three City Events, organisers of The Green Expo, have noted the need for a generally accessible exhibition focusing on sustainability issues appealing to the homeowner as well as the business person. It is with this in mind that The first Green Expo was held at the CTICC in November 2011. The success of this expo led to the launch of the Johannesburg Green Expo to be held in September at the Sandton Convention Centre.

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.

The Safari Awards 2014 Tel: +44 (0)1865 989280 • Website: www.safariawards.com With nominations from over a thousand luxury travel professionals, hundreds of readers of Tourism Tattler, Conde Nast Traveller, Brides and Travel Africa Magazine you can rest assured that any safari business nominated for a Safari Award is amongst the best in its genre. Finalists are amongst the top 3% in Africa and the Safari Award Winners are unquestionably the best, their reputation earned through excellence recognised by people who know what they are talking about.

World Travel Market Africa 2014 Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7897 • Email: polly.magraw@reedexpo.co.uk • Website: www.wtmafrica.com Set to be the leading B2B exhibition for Africa’s leisure travel industry, WTM Africa will bring the world to Africa and promote Africa to the world. With significant global reach and generation of over £1.859 million (GBP) worth of business during its London event, WTM is the world-leader when it comes to travel exhibitions. WTM Africa will utilise all the knowledge, expertise and experience of RTE and WTM to ensure that all those important to the African travel industry are represented at WTM Africa.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

cover story

EDITORIAL

the import of lion/predator trophies, and in this way, the supply of dollars can be cut off, and the industry closed down. All sources of income need to be challenged, especially cub petting, whereby lion farmers are able to externalise the costs of rearing their living targets. The extortionate fees charged to volunteers, who pay to work at lion farms in the naïve belief that they are assisting conservation, also needs to be abolished."

Our front cover for March is dedicated to the lion (Panthera leo) − one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera.

Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia (where an endangered remnant population resides in Gir Forest National Park in India) while other types of lions have disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia. Until the late Pleistocene epoch, about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru.

Spearheading this awareness campaign, South African wildlife activists have initiated a Global March for Lions that will be held in various cities throughout the world to highlight the plight of lions caught up in the canned hunting industry.

The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen The march is to be held on Saturday 15th a major population decline in its African range of 30–50% per two decades during Cover image courtesy of Brian Courtenay. This lion, March 2014 (read more on page00). the second half of the 20th century. Lion named Cecil, was photographed in Zimbabwe as Readers who are old enough to have been populations are untenable outside designated part of Oxford University’s WildCRU research into around in the 60's might recall a band called wild lion populations. The story can be read in the 'The Tokens', who are known for their number reserves and national parks. Numerous private March 2012 edition. one hit song 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'. The game reserves are attempting to preserve the species survival but there are privately owned wildlife reserves and original song was composed in Zulu as 'Mbube' by Solomon Linda game farms whose sole intention is to breed lions for canned hunt and recorded in 1939. In the mid-90's, the song gained popularity when licensed to Walt Disney for use in the film 'The Lion King', profits. A canned hunt is a trophy hunt in which an animal is kept in a which prompted a lawsuit in 2004 on behalf of the impoverished fenced-in area, increasing the likelihood of the hunter obtaining a descendants of Solomon Linda. kill. According to one dictionary, a canned hunt is a 'hunt for animals that have been raised on game ranches until they are mature enough to be killed for trophy collections'. This edition is also dedicated to the Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH), an animal advocacy organisation who maintain that there is no legal definition for 'canned hunting', but that the absence of fair chase is key to the term. With no legal definition, anyone can claim that canned hunting is either banned or permitted, whichever suits the sellers or buyers purpose. CACH has been formed by Chris Mercer and Bev Pervan, the motivation for which is related in their book 'Kalahari Dream' (www. kalahari-dream.com). According to Chris and Bev, "Canned hunting only exists because of a failure of government policy, and then it is ferociously defended by wealthy vested interests. Canned hunting can only be abolished by a sustained campaign to raise awareness, and to change policy. Only then, can an informed public persuade governments to ban

▼

"Thanks to June Stoyer, the Executive Producer of 'The Organic View Radio Station, CACH has been given permission by Phil Margo of 'The Tokens' to use the song as the campaign's theme tune and will even be giving a live performance at the March For Lions event in Los Angeles, USA on the 15th," says Chris. If the tourism industry in South Africa needs a reason to back the CACH initiative, then consider that 'ethical' tourists are already boycotting the country, causing losses to the legitimate tourism industry. Avaaz, with over 113 million members in 194 countries, raised more than a million signatures for their petition against the trade in lion bones, while a typical anti-SA tourism petition at Causes. com already has 13,410 signatures. These boycotts will increase over time. For more information on CACH, visit www.cannedlion.org Tourism Tattler will be Marching For Lions on the 15th, will you? Yours in Tourism, Des Langkilde Executive Editor.

Authors and Directors of the Campaign Against Canned Hunting, Chris Mercer and Bev Pervan.

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOLADES

2014 Winners

In its sixth year, the 2014 Safari Awards, reveal the very best safari lodges, camps and houses alongside the most outstanding safari guides and operators in Africa - the ‘who’s who’ of the safari community. Sponsored by The Good Safari Guide, and led by a team of 15 highly respected independent safari specialists from Australia, Germany, USA and the UK, over 4000 public and travel trade nominations for over 250 safari properties, guides and operators have been whittled down to 18 award winners representing the future of wildlife tourism and conservation in Africa. To view a full list of Winners, visit: www.safariawards.com/winners14/ BEST SAFARI PROPERTY IN AFRICA Winner: Zarafa Camp - Botswana Runner Up: Sausage Tree Camp - Zambia

BEST VALUE SAFARI PROPERTY IN AFRICA Winner: Wolwedans Dunes Lodge - Namibia Runner Up: Kicheche Laikipia Camp - Kenya

BEST SAFARI HOUSE IN AFRICA Winner: Leobo - South Africa Runner Up: Sirikoi House - Kenya

BEST NEW SAFARI PROPERTY IN AFRICA

BEST WALKING SAFARI OPERATOR IN AFRICA Winner: Norman Carr Walking Safaris - Zambia Runner Up: Karisia Walking Safaris - Kenya

BEST MOBILE SAFARI OPERATOR IN AFRICA Winner: Uncharted Africa - Botswana Runner Up: Selinda Canoe Trail - Botswana

BEST RIDING SAFARI OPERATOR IN AFRICA Winner: Ride Botswana - Botswana Runner Up: Okavango Horse Safaris - Botswana

BEST ECOLOGICALLY RESPONSIBLE SAFARI OPERATOR IN AFRICA Winner: Wolwedans Dunes Lodge - Namibia Runner Up: Zarafa Camp - Botswana

BEST COMMUNITY FOCUSED SAFARI OPERATOR IN AFRICA Winner: Sarara Tented Camp - Kenya Runner Up: Grootbos Forest Lodge - South Africa

BEST SAFARI RETREAT / SPA IN AFRICA Winner: Lion in Sun - Kenya Runner Up: Karkloof Safari Spa - South Africa Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BEST SAFARI CUISINE IN AFRICA Winner: Jamala Madikwe - South Africa Runner Up: Alfajiri - Kenya

BEST SAFARI GUIDING TEAM IN AFRICA Winner: Norman Carr Walking Safaris - Zambia Runner Up: Serian - Kenya

BEST SAFARI GUIDE IN AFRICA Winner (Joint): Alex Walker - Kenya / Tanzania Winner (Joint): Robin Pope - Malawi / Zambia Runner Up: Super Sande - Botswana

BEST SAFARI ROMANTIC / HONEYMOON ROOM IN AFRICA Winner: Greystoke Mahale - Tanzania Runner Up: Wolwedans Private Camp - Namibia

BEST PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION TO WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Winner: Clive Stockil - Zimbabwe

BEST CHARITABLE ORGANISATION OPERATING IN AFRICA

Winner: Chinzombo - Zambia Runner Up: Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge - Zimbabwe

BEST MARINE SAFARI PROPERTY IN AFRICA Winner: Fundu Lagoon - Tanzania Runner Up: Ibo Island Lodge - Mozambique

MARCH 2014

Winner: Uthando - South Africa Runner Up: Wonderbags in Africa - South Africa

BEST WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ORGANISATION Winner: David Sheldrick Trust Runner Up: Mara Elephant Project Commenting on the 2014 awards, Rosanne Cobb, co-founder of The Safari Awards said; “The Safari Awards results truly reflect the views of the seasoned safari traveller and the safari trade professional. This year the emphasis is clearly on conservation, and all of us who support wildlife, particularly in Africa, would like to see this consolidated in 2014. We wish the nominees, finalists and winners all the success they deserve for their incredibly hard work in reaching this point; each and every Safari Awards nominee is a leader in its field.” As a media partner to the Safari Awards, Tourism Tattler agrees. 2014 Awards Data: • 4,405 votes received from travellers, safari specialists and journalists; • 216 lodges/operations made the cut and reached the Finalist stage; • 15 expert judges from independent tour operators in USA, UK, Germany, Holland and South Africa voted on the Finalists in a thrilling and engaging debate during the Judges’ conference at Quaglino’s in London’s West End; • 18 winners in 18 categories chosen. For more information visit: http://www.safariawards.com/

We are the only organisation in South Africa that We are the only organisationin inSouth South Africa that We only organisation Africa that can are givethe your business that competitive advantage. can business thatcompetitive competitive advantage. We aregive theyour only organisation in South Africa that can give your business that advantage. Other benefits include:

can give your business competitive advantage. •Other Exclusive rights to display the globallythat recognised plaque – giving your establishment an immediate include: •benefits Exclusive rights to display the globally recognised plaque – giving your establishment an immediate identity. • quality Exclusive rights to display the globally recognised plaque – giving your establishment an immediate identity. Otherquality benefits include: • Access to millions of global travellers through our online partnerships such as TripAdvisor. quality identity. • Access to millions of global ourstrategic strategic online partnerships such as an TripAdvisor. • Exclusive rights to display thetravellers globally through recognised plaque – giving your establishment immediate Savings on Search Engine Optimisation. Star Graded establishments gettop topresults results on Google Search. • Savings on Search Engine Optimisation. Star Graded establishments get on Google Search. •• Access to millions of global travellers through our strategic online partnerships such as TripAdvisor. quality identity. •• Further access to potential travellers through the global marketing investment made by South • Further access to potential travellers through the global marketing investment made by South Savings Optimisation. Star Graded establishments get top results onTripAdvisor. Google Search. • AccessontoSearch millionsEngine of global travellers through our strategic online partnerships such as African Tourism, worth hundreds of millions of Rands each year. We are a business unit of African Tourism, worth hundreds of millions of Rands each year. We are a business unit of South • Further access to potential through global marketing investment made bySouth South • Savings on Search Enginetravellers Optimisation. Star the Graded establishments get top results on Google Search. African Tourism. African Tourism. African Tourism, hundreds of millions Rands each year. Weinvestment are a business of South • Further access worth to potential travellers throughofthe global marketing madeunit by South • Access tomulti-billion the multi-billion Rand Governmentbusiness. business.Only Only Star Graded establishments • Access toTourism. the Rand Government StarWe Graded African Tourism, worth hundreds of millions of Rands each year. are a establishments business unit of South African can be used by Government Officials. can be used by Government Officials. African Tourism. • Access to the multi-billion Rand Government business. Only Star Graded establishments • Star Graded establishments have an advantage over ungraded establishments. • can Star Graded establishments an advantage over ungraded • Access to the multi-billion have Rand Government business. Only Starestablishments. Graded establishments be used by Government Officials. Other benefits include:

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MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

CLASSIFIEDS

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Reach 30 000+ Travel Trade Readers Monthly • Tel: +27 (0)32 8150 414 +27 (0)31 8135326 • Cell: +27 (0)71 224 9971 • Email: bev@tourismtattler.co.za • Skype: bevtourismtattler

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

Article Comments February 2014's article comments received on the Tourism Tattler website. CONSERVATION €14.4 Million Boost to Fund Rhino Anti-Poaching www.tourismtattler.com/?p=10841

Submitted via Facebook 20 February at 3:41 pm. Wild and Free SA has written to the Department of Environment asking whether this donation (which has mostly been specified for horn treatment) will be instrumental in getting them to change their minds about rhino horn trade! Margot Stewart - www.facebook.com/margot.stewart1

On the subject of rhino poaching, the statistics shown in the table below (as at 26 February 2014) reflect the reality of rhino deaths from horn poaching compared to poacher arrests. A total of 2,599 dead rhinos compared to 1,051 arrests over the past 4 years and 2 months! Perhaps it's time for Colin Bell's 'Plan B' to be put into practice (see page 20 of this edition).

Rhino Poaching Stats in South Africa by Province Year Deaths vs Arrests KNP MNP Gauteng Limpopo Mpumalanga North West Eastern Cape Free State KZN Western Cape Northern Cape TOTAL

2010 Deaths Arrests 146 67 00 00 15 10 52 36 17 16 57 02 04 07 03 00 38 25 00 02 01 00 333 165

2011 2012 2013 2014 Deaths Arrests Deaths Arrests Deaths Arrests Deaths Arrests 252 82 425 73 606 133 95 20 06 00 03 00 03 00 00 00 03 16 01 26 08 10 00 00 80 34 59 43 114 34 14 00 31 73 28 66 92 00 06 00 31 21 77 32 87 70 14 01 11 02 07 00 05 26 03 09 04 00 00 06 04 07 04 04 34 04 66 20 85 63 10 10 06 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 448 232 668 267 1004 343 146 44 KNP = Krger National Par, MNP = Mpumalanga National Park, KZN = KwaZulu-Natal. Source: www.wessa.org.za

Congratulations to Margot Stewart Margot's comment has been chosen as the prize winner for February 2014. Margot's prize of a GOVINO CHAMPAGNE 4 PACK will be delivered with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry. Editor.

Wi n

The winning comment posted on the Tattler website during the month of March 2014 will receive a copy of Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s ‘Eye of the Leopard’ DVD with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry. This documentary follows the remarkable life of one small leopard from when she is just 8 days old every step of the way until she is 3 years old and on the brink of adulthood. For more information visit:

• Running Time: 55 minutes

www.livingstonessupplyco.co.za

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESS

Financial Reporting Requirements for bussinesses in

South Africa In South Africa, business entities can operate in various forms; the first form is what is referred to as incorporated - for example a Company or a Close Corporation. Other businesses can trade as a registered Trust, a Partnership or a sole proprietor., but they all have one aspect in common - they have to prepare and income statement and balance sheet. By Thys Buitendag CA (SA). According to various Acts that are applicable, e.g. the Companies Act, the Close Corporation Act, the Trust Property Control Act and Income Tax Act, business entities must, for each financial period, prepare financial statements of some sort. This month we look at companies and close corporations. All companies and CC’s are required to: • have a registered office; • maintain certain categories of records for seven years; • make the register of shareholders/members and register of directors available for inspection during business hours; • file an annual return (similar to the current annual reports under the 1973 Act) in the prescribed form with the Commission (CIPC). This requirement also applies to external companies; • have a fixed financial year; • maintain accurate and complete accounting records; and • prepare annual financial statements. Annual financial statements must: (Pty and CC) • satisfy the prescribed financial reporting standards which may vary for different categories of companies; • be audited in the case of public companies. Other profit and nonprofit companies must have their financial statements audited if the Regulations require it. • If not, the annual financial statements of such companies must be either: • audited voluntarily if the company’s MOI, a shareholders’ resolution or the company’s board requires it; • or independently reviewed in accordance with the Regulations. • In certain circumstances an independent review will be not be required: 10

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

Exemptions from independent review are provided for private companies where every shareholder is also a director subject to certain exceptions. • include an auditor’s report if the statements are audited; or Accounting Officer report if not audited. • include a directors’/member’s report on the state of affairs, business and profit or loss of the company/close corporation • be approved by the board and signed by an authorised director/ member and • must, if they are required to be audited, include a detailed disclosure of the remuneration and benefits payable to directors or others holding any prescribed office in the company. In conclusion; although the Act allows certain companies and CC’s not to be audited or independently reviewed it does not remove the requirement for annual financial statements. The minimum is a proper set of financial statements signed off by a registered Accounting Officer. The exemption from audit/independent review is only applicable where all the shareholders are also the directors. Where a business trades in a form that is not a Pty or CC, e.g. Trust, sole proprietor, partnership, the legal requirements for financial statements falls away. But SARS still requires some sort of financial statement for income tax purposes. A request for financial statements can also come from a requirement in the Trust Deed, your banker, a purchaser or invester, or the membership compliance criteria of a trade association, such as the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA). For advice or assistance telephone +27 (0)11 475 8422 or for more information visit: www.synbs.co.za. You can also send an mail to tattler@syncbs.co.za.

Find a Business Travel Partner Fast

Download the SATSA Desktop Widget www.satsa.com/widget/widget.html Whether you are looking for a Destination Management Company, a Tour Operator, a Professional Conference and Event Organiser, an Airline, a Shuttle Service, Car Hire or City and Safari Lodge Accommodation, SATSA members are just a click away - right on your desktop in fact. Besides the member search function, the SATSA Widget will also keep you updated on local travel trade news, events and topical information relating to the region. By doing business with a SATSA member, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have peace of mind knowing that your selected travel trade partner in southern Africa adheres to strict annual compliance criteria in terms of legal, financial and insurance credibility. And youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find it reassuring to know that our members are Bonded* to cover advance deposits against your bookings.

For more information visit: www.satsa.com or contact: 086 12 SATSA (72872) E-mail: membership@satsa.co.za * The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) is the only inbound tourism NGO to have established a Lost Advances Fund whereby members, and clients of members, have access to a measure of financial protection to cover forward booking deposits in case of the involuntary liquidation of a member. We call this SATSA Bonded (Terms and conditions apply).

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESS

Market Intelligence Report

The information below was extracted from data available as at 26 February 2014. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.

ARRIVALS The latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to October 2013: Current period

Change over same period last year

351 248

0.2%

Germany

234 532

14.8%

USA

290 086

5.2%

India

92 559

5.3%

China

126 653

17.1%

Overseas Arrivals (excl same day visitors)

2 144 760

6.1%

African Arrivals

5 676 692

3.3%

Total Foreign Arrivals

7 838 833

4.0%

NB: African Arrivals plus Overseas Arrivals do not add up to Total Foreign Arrivals due to the exclusion of unspecified arrivals, which cannot be allocated to either African or Overseas.

HOTEL STATS The latest available data from STR Global is for January to December 2013: Current period

Average Room Occupancy (ARO)

Average Room Rate (ARR)

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)

All Hotels in SA

62.1%

R 978

R 607

All 5-star hotels in SA

62.5%

R 1 733

R 1 083

All 4-star hotels in SA

61.9%

R 940

R 582

All 3-star hotels in SA

62.3%

R 783

R 488

Change over same period last year All Hotels in SA

3.6%

10.2%

14.1%

All 5-star hotels in SA

7.7%

9.8%

18.2%

All 4-star hotels in SA

2.6%

9.9%

12.8%

All 3-star hotels in SA

4.1%

9.7%

14.1%

Passengers arriving on Regional Flights

Passengers arriving on Domestic Flights

4.5%

7.1%

-3.5%

Cape Town International

-0.1%

-1.8%

-2.1%

King Shaka International

20.3%

N/A

-6.4%

ACSA DATA

The latest available data from ACSA is for January to December 2013: Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on International Flights OR Tambo International

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESS The STR and ACSA data provided above reflects the performance for the full year of 2013. The additional data from STR and ACSA for January 2014 seem to indicate that the tourism industry experienced a good festive season. STR data for January 2014 indicate that occupancies for all hotels in South Africa has grown by 0.8% over January 2013. The growth in average room rates of 11.4% contributed to the growth of 12.3% in RevPAR. ACSA for January 2014 indicate that arrivals on international flights grew by 4.8% at OR Tambo International, 4.1% at Cape Town International and 32.4% at King Shaka International. Arrivals on domestic flights grew by 1.8% at OR Tambo International, 5% at Cape Town International and declined by 3.7% at King Shaka International. For more information contact Martin at Grant Thornton on +27 (0)21 417 8838 or visit: http://www.gt.co.za

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

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

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESS

TOURISM SUPPORT SERVICES The business of tourism has become a fiercely competitive global cyber-market. To many, this cyber-market is as confusing to the layman as the terminology or 'Geek-Speak'. But never fear, for Tourism Tattler have launched Tourism Support Services just for you. By Des Langkilde. Tourism Support Services is our flagship support center, created specifically for the African Tourism and Hospitality industry. This new service provides free online marketing tools and incorporates superior online solutions aimed at assisting African Businesses to compete successfully in global markets. Services include Website Design, Facebook Business Pages, Social Media Marketing, Online Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Business Collaboration. Additional services include a free Travel Trade Directory listing section, Mobile Website Builder application and B2B Advertising channels. HelpDesk Support The Service Center is fully integrated with an online HelpDesk 'Chat' facility, which is located at the bottom left-hand corner of every service center page. Questions that the user may have are answered in 'real-time' by a 'real-person' at the other end of the ServiceCenter. Enquiries can also be submitted through our Support Center Enquiry form. Service Center Commitment Through the service center we look forward to supporting your business, responsibly and confidentially with your goals, aims and expectations in mind. Host & Post! Host and Post is the Support Center’s Website Installation Service. With this website upgrade or new website installation service you get a fully operational WordPress website that is user friendly and fully supports both PC’s and mobile devices. In addition, each website has owner / user admin access, which means that you have total control over your website's page content and can make changes or upload new content and images directly from your laptop, tablet or smartphone at any time, no matter where in the world you happen to be (provided, of course that you have WiFi access). New websites include a choice of .com domain name and web hosting for one whole year. The price per installation or upgrade is competitively priced at just $395 (USD)*. This service is intended for those wishing to start their own website or for those who wish to upgrade their old website to a new design. The service installs all the necessary functions to perform online business remotely. 14

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Each website design is provided complete with your homepage header section pre-filled (your images and text included). Where the homepage includes an image slider, your best images will be shown here. Websites are pre-setup with a Contact Page, including contact form; a Reservations page (for those who take room-bookings); an About Us page and a Blog Page. Website Designs: A wide range of website design templates are available to suit just about any travel and tourism product or service. Scroll through the templates at www.tourismtattler.com/websitewebdesign-installation-hosting. Online Marketing SEO Use the Service Center's search optimisation tools to check your current website's Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) performance and improve your website's ranking. The SEO Tools provide direct help with Backlinks and PageRanks, Keywords and Meta Tags, Compatibility, Source and Reference, DNS and Web, and Lookup. If these words sound 'Geek' to you, click on the links to get an explanation. Give it a try at www.tourismtattler.com/apps/seo. Facebook Business Pages Normally a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate is required to create a Personal Facebook Page online. With Tourism Support Services, this is not required as we provide the certificate on our servers, thus saving you the cost of securing your own SSL certificate, while providing an excellent Facebook Business Page Service. Let the Tourism Support specialists convert your Facebook presence into a potent business tool or opt for the monthly assisted content update service. We’ll be happy to provide you with a personal quote any time. Read More at www.tourismtattler.com/business-facebook-page.

BUSINESS

Social Media Marketing

B2B Advertising channels. Make use of the Support Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Social Search engine. Get help and advice to take full advantage of Facebook and other Social Media Websites. (This is a paid for service but the search engine tool use is free of charge). Read More at www.tourismtattler.com/ online-marketing.

Support Center Suggestions Suggestions about Services needed but not listed here can be made through the Support Center Suggestions Form at www.tourismtattler. com/support-center-suggestions. Travel Trade Directory Tourism Tattler has over 33 000 registered subscribers, now imagine if every one of these businesses had a listing in the directory. It would mean that buyers would have a quick reference tool for finding suppliers across the entire continent of Africa. This is the objective of the trade directory feature and we have kept listings free of charge to help you, in helping us, to achieve this objective. Each listing takes less than 15 minutes to create and includes Google Maps with location pins, images, address / contact details and website hyper-links. And best of all; it's free of charge! To list your tourism service go to www.tourismtattler.com/business-directory. Eco Atlas Is your hospitality establishment environmentally friendly? Tell the world by listing your property on our partner's website at a nominal fee of just $6 per month. Mobile Website Builder Travellers are using their mobile phones and tablets to find information on destinations, products, attractions, restaurants and transport services. If your website is not mobile friendly, then this services provides an ideal solution and can be created in under 30 minutes. And the cost? Just $6.95 per month! The application is filled with usable, interactive features, including a mobile simulator (how the user will see your page), Google Maps for quick-find directions, Social Media Buttons and much more. To get started, go to www.tourismtattler.com/mobile-website-builder.

Advertising is about getting your business and brand recognised for its unique differentiators in products and services. Research shows that people want to interact with brands that they recognise, find commonality with and can create a relationship with, and there is no better way to do so than to advertise on the Tourism Tattler's various channels. Magazine Ads The Tourism Tattler Trade Journal is recognised as the official magazine of Africa's pre-eminent private sector travel trade associations and public sector organisations for its credibility in reporting on matters that affect the travel trade in Africa. The magazine is distributed globally on a monthly basis in both print and digital formats. The digital format enables hyper-linked content for websites, email enquiries and video informational content, directly from the advertisement page. Banner Ads With over 400 000 page views per month, the Tourism Tattler website has become the preferred online portal for news and information on the travel trade in, and to, Africa from both an inbound and outbound perspective. A wide range of banner ad sizes and position options are available at competitive pricing and can be tailer-made to suit your specific objectives and marketing budget. Publia News Publia is an online news facility for trade news and advertorial articles. This service is available in 'self-upload' or 'assisted-upload' options and every article posted onto the Tattler's Publia portal, includes full SEO, RSS and Social Media functionality. To download the Print and Online Rate and Data Cards, go to www. tourismtattler.com/advertising. * We require all customers to utilise disk space and bandwidth in a manner consistent with the normal operation of a personal or small business website. Please note that companies using more then normal bandwidth or disk space due to excessive use will be advised and moved to a different hosting plan. We reserve the right to determine what constitutes a personal and small business website, as well as normal or excessive use; please ask us if you are not sure. MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

CONSERVATION

What to do when Sustainable Use, becomes Sustained Abuse Join the Global March for Lions to stop the canned hunting industry in South Africa and put pressure on governments to stop the importation of lion parts. And if you think that canned hunting doesn't affect the tourism industry, then read our Cover Story on page 05. By Des Langkilde. CANNED HUNTING is a practice that is legal in South Africa, where lions get bred in captivity, hand reared for use in the cub petting industry, then when these tame lions are big enough, they are shot in an enclosure for an enormous sum of money. People around the world are calling for the South African government to ban canned hunting (and petitioning 'ethical' tourists to boycott South Africa). “Our goals are to have trophy and canned hunting banned; to get lions on the Endangered Species List where they belong, to stop the export of lion bones to China, to stop the import of lion trophies in to the USA and EU,” says Christine Jordaan, who initiated the idea of this march in collaboration with the Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH). And support for the march is BIG, with over fifty five cities in seventeen countries already planning their marches for the 15th (see the updated list with Facebook links at www.globalmarch4lions.org). In South Africa, marches are being planned in Cape Town, Durban, East London, George, Grahamstown, Hoedspruit, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria. Other African countries include Kenya (Mombasa), Senegal (Dakar) and Ugan da (Rogando & Kampala), and of course, Africa's inbound tourism markets − Asia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, UAE, UK and the USA. How can you support the campaign? Even if you are unable to attend a march in your city, you can contribute by: • Joining in a Global Prayer for lions at between 10:00 and 11:00 on the 15th March 2014. Research has shown that focused intentions and prayer is incredibly powerful, especially with community participation. So wherever you are and whatever your religion or belief system, be mindful of the intention of this campaign and add your powerful energy to it.

• Donate to any of the associated organisations listed on the campaign website. They are all ethical and are all working to help save our lions. • You can also write a personal letter to the different governing bodies in South Africa, stating your objection to canned hunting and why you feel it should be banned (a list of South African Government email addresses is provided on the website). The Memorandum of Protest can be viewed at www.tourismtattler.com/wp-content/images/March-For-Lions-Protest.pdf Tourism Tattler is an official media partner to the Durban march, which is being organised by Wild & Free, a local Non Profit Company (NPC No. 2013/153622/08. Website: www.wildandfree.org.za). “The vision of Wild & Free South Africa is to be an active and influential non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that the wildlife of South Africa remain WILD and FREE and protected from degradation and commercialisation,” says CEO, Margot Stewart. The Durban march will take place on the beachfront, starting from the Suncoast Casino complex (Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club) at 10:30 am, and proceed along the 'Golden Mile' promenade to finish at the New Beach amphitheatre (opposite the Tropicana Hotel) at 1:30 pm. About the Campaign Against Canned Hunting Established at the turn of the new millennium, the Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH - www.cannedlion.org) is a registered charity at the forefront of efforts to expose the harm being done by an industry whose business model is to make egregious cruelty to helpless animals a routine.

• Educating local tour operators.

Chris Mercer, CACH spokesperson, is a recognisable face who has appeared on many local and international TV programmes, in interviews and documentaries. After a legal career as an Advocate in Zimbabwe and Botswana, Chris came back to South Africa in 1984, and decided to retire from practising law. He claims that he was dragged in to animal welfare work by his partner Bev Pervan, who dreamt of founding a wildlife sanctuary. Once they were working hands-on with wildlife rehab, he became sensitised to the suffering of animals.

• Many schools take children to visit cub petting places. If you have school going children, write to the principal and educate them about where cub petting leads to.

When the Cook Report exposed the shocking cruelty of the canned hunting of lions, he made up his mind to spend the rest of his life campaigning for the abolition of canned hunting.

• Signing the Avaaz petition to end the export and trade of lion parts (It's interesting to note that Avaaz took ACSA to court last year for removing

For an updated report on the issue please watch this video by Trevor and Susan Barrett, featuring Chris Mercer: www.youtube.com/user/TourismTattler

• Spreading the word about only promoting or visiting ethical tourist destinations in South Africa. No one should indulge in cub petting; no volunteer should bottle feed lion cubs; in fact, no facility that breeds lions or offers cubs for interaction, should be supported.

campaign posters in airports and won their case when the court ruled that ACSA's censorship violated free speech rights under the constitution).

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

n i W 1 of 2 Mid-week Breakaways for 6 people at COMPETITION

De Hoop Nature Reserve

To enter this competition, simply find the answer to the following question (the answer can be found in the text below) and visit the Tourism Tattler website at: www.tourismtattler.com/competition

"What is the name of the restaurant run by the De Hoop Collection in the De Hoop Nature Reserve?" The first TWO correct entries drawn after the closing date of 28 March 2014 will each win one prize, which consists of two mid week nights for six people sharing on a self-catering basis in an Opstal House in the De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa. Each prize includes a guided marine walk for six people, with the compliments of The De Hoop Collection. The vast and ageless landscape of De Hoop Nature Reserve is home to over a thousand rare and endemic plant species, as well as prolific amounts of fynbos vegetation and flowering plants, meticulously maintained and offering visitors a wealth of discovery and a joyful walking experience. The De Hoop Marine Reserve is the second largest marine reserve in Southern Africa after the St.Lucia estuary. In addition to this, it is one of the world’s most important and aesthetic calving grounds for the Southern right whale and a significant nursery area for depleted angling fish species. These waters are home to approximately 4 000 of today’s global population of Southern Rights. Every year, more than 300 come to mate and calve at De Hoop between June and November. The less common Bryde’s whale and the rare humpback sometimes show up, making this one of the most desirable destinations for ocean wildlife. About the De Hoop Collection The De Hoop Collection opened in the De Hoop Nature Reserve in 2008 under the creative and entrepreneurial hands of Carl Trieloff and William Stephens, who worked closely with Cape Nature to offer guests a unique experience of unparalleled peace and tranquillity in a spectacular and unspoiled setting, which is scrupulously conserved by Cape Nature.

Accommodation: The De Hoop Collection offers a wide range of accommodation, from affordable options for families on a budget, couples wanting a romantic getaway which is reasonably priced to the more seasoned guest accustomed to high-end luxury. There are camping and caravanning sites for outdoor fanatics, charming selfcatering rondawels, slightly more luxurious self-catering cottages in addition to the five-star lodges with fine dining. Nature’s diversity is reflected in the accommodation on offer. Most accommodation is self-catering, however The Fig Tree Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and supper. Activities: Avid bird watchers will be overwhelmed by the birdlife here and with an annual Bird Fair, De Hoop should be a destination to diarise! The more adventurous and energetic guests can set out on the picturesque hiking and mountain biking trails. With a swimming pool, tennis court, boules courtyard, mountain bikes and a specially-tailored kids’ programme complete with baby-sitting services, what more could you wish for in such beautiful surroundings? Bookings: Reservations can be made at +27 (0)21 422 4522 or Email res@dehoopcollection.co.za. Website: www.dehoopcollection.com Note: Read the Terms and Conditions of this competition, which can be downloaded at: www. tourismtattler.com/wp-content/images/DeHoop-Competition-March2014-Terms-Conditionss.pdf

WINNERS OF THE AQN ONLINE TRAINING COURSE COMPETITION FROM THE FEBRUARY 2014 EDITION CONGRATULATIONS to the following 6 winners: (1): Harry During of Philippolis Old Jail; (2): Angela Wheeler of Capebuzz Tours; (3): Phillip Bokaba of Motsethabo Tours; (4): Jasmin Johnson of UkubonaAfrica Tours; (5): Grant Hine of FGASA; and (6): Linda Hodgkinson (freelance Tourist Guide). Each person has won either a Generic Adventure Site Guide or a Trail Smart Outdoor online training course, with the compliments of Adventure Qualifications Network Campus. www.adventure-qualifications.com OR www.trailsmart.wordpress.com MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

CONSERVATION

Rhino Conservation:

It's time for Plan B The tragedy of the horn debate is that South Africa’s highly respected rhino custodians (park authorities, field rangers, anti-poaching, monitoring teams) and even politicians have embraced a failed, pro-trade economic model as the answer to the rhino crisis. By Colin Bell.

Image courtesy of Brian Courtenay .

We do not get a second chance if we get the economics of rhino trading wrong; rhino in the wild will be gone. We have to get our policies right and there's no room for risky, unproven experiments as viewing rhinos in small secure breeding farms is no substitute. Let's look at the economics. Pro-traders argue that supply of rhino horn can equal demand through free-trade pricing. This may work for large, visible items like Ferraris, but it has not worked for other consumer goods where counterfeiters thrive and expand markets by attracting new buyers by selling goods at discounted prices. Nor has it worked for perlemoen! With the real cost of obtaining a rhino horn being a little above the cost of a bullet, there will always be too much of a price difference between the legal selling price of rhino horn and the cost of poaching that horn. To assume that free-trade pricing economics will stem demand and solve the poaching crisis is nonsense when criminal syndicates have the ability to expand markets by supplying discounted goods and perverting the legal market. The pro-trade price theory simply has not been proven – it is pure conjecture, nor does it take into account the massive potential size of the market. What if the demand for rhino horn is much greater than supply? With close to a billion potential Asian consumers, this could easily become a reality, especially when criminal syndicates can induce increased demand by selling at lower prices. Then what? In my view, the horns of just 25,000 rhinos simply cannot satisfy the demand from just a few million Asian consumers. Furthermore, SA’s snub of the recent London wildlife trafficking conference will make it almost impossible for SA to convince the world that trading rhino horn is the way to go. And even if SA could persuade CITES, it will take another five years before we can trade rhino horn. Do we waste these years and thousands more rhino deaths before we wake up? I'm surprised that SA has no 'Plan B', because it's going to need one. My suggestion is that all sides get together and create a strategy that's a wide ranging, multi-faceted approach covering the entire scope of the crisis to ensure that rhino have a chance of surviving in the wild. Here are suggestions (over and above those that are already work in progress): • To stem the poaching avalanche, we declare all forms of trade in rhino products illegal. This means we have to switch mindsets from creating value from rhinos to taking away all their value in order to save them in the wild. It's a big ask for pro-traders to change mindsets, but the horn must become as close to worthless as possible for rhino to survive in the wild. • Very little has been done to target the middle man. They're the poaching syndicate’s weakest link. Middlemen pay poachers to kill rhino and they 20

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export the horns. Without them the whole poaching chain would start to implode. Communities will give information if the rewards for poaching information are greater than what they earn from poaching. There are laws in Mozambique that allow assets to be confiscated. There are reputable people with the necessary skills, expertise and contacts who are prepared to tackle this problem if they're given the go-ahead and budget. • South Africa’s tourism and wildlife policies have often not sufficiently included rural communities living alongside national parks into their business models and it is from these communities that many poachers emerge. So long as these neighbouring communities remain marginalised, they'll seek to claim wildlife, either in their cooking pots or through illicit activities. In order to redress this, I propose the creation of a “Natural Capital Fund” to: 1. bolster conservation and anti-poaching work, 2. remunerate and uplift communities who live alongside parks and reserves 3. pay for information leading to the arrest of the middlemen and poachers. • The South African tourism industry generates well over R100-billion a year. My proposal is that a 1% levy is charged on all tourism accommodation and related services to support this “Natural Capital Fund”. This could generate as much as R1-billion a year. Getting tourism industry buy-in would take some persuasion, but it’s possible if there was leadership. In my experience, tourists do not mind paying a small levy if they know it's going to a worthy cause. • Elevate the crisis to Presidential priority level with Mozambique, Vietnam and China to speed up agreements and implement effective policies. • We need left-field thinking to ensure that technology is created to help monitor and protect vast wildernesses such as Kruger. Fortunately there are a number of innovative systems that are available. Some pro-traders concede that their policies may result in rhinos becoming extinct in the wild and only found on small well protected farms. Is this what we want? Will this not impact negatively on SA’s tourism industry? The bottom line is: which is the safer bet - test the insatiability of market demand, or creating an effective Plan B with no trade, ensuring that rhinos do survive in the wild? In my view, we cannot risk rhinos becoming extinct in the wild and South Africa becoming merely a “Big 4” tourism destination through unproven high-risk economic policies. Colin Bell is a tourism professional with 35 years of experience. He is also co-author of “Africa’s Finest” a new book out on the good, the bad and the ugly of the tourism industry (www.africasfinest.co.za). His operations have successfully re-introduced rhino into the wilds of Botswana and pioneered sustainable partnerships with rural communities in Namibia that ensure that rhino thrive outside of protected areas.

HOSPITALITY KwaZulu-Natal

Property Review

Zinkwazi South Africa

Ocean Reef Hotel

Tucked away in the holiday village of Zinkwazi along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline of South Africa, this unique gem nestled among the coastal dunes and indigenous milkwood forests, deserves to be recognised for its architectural ambiance and spacious serenity, writes Des Langkilde. The Ocean Reef Hotel and Villas is located on the beach in the holiday village of Zinkwazi, at the gateway to KwaZulu-Natal's game reserves - a pleasant 46 minute drive (67.7 km) heading North along the N2 freeway from Umhlanga, and 39 minutes (57.7 km) from King Shaka International Airport. The understated entrance, through electronic roller gates do not do justice to the hotel property, although the Afro-Indonesian architectural style of the buildings, painted in neutral colours and rustic tones that blend with the natural environment, do offer a visual reprieve from the modern minimalist style of hotels that have sprung up to the South, in Ballito and Umhlanga, over the past few years. There are ample open parking bays with sufficient room for coaches to manoeuvre, while guest parking is catered for with 54 undercover bays beneath the hotel. Owned by Owen Smit and launched in 2010, to cater to the influx of soccer fans attending the FIFA World Cup, the hotel with its penthouse suite, spacious hotel rooms and two or three bedroom self catering villas, kicked-off with near capacity bookings. The luxury villas were subsequently sold on a fractional freehold ownership basis as holiday homes to private investors and the hotel has rental access to this inventory. Signature Life handled the initial marketing of the property during its launch phase but this is now handled inhouse. "Repeat bookings form a significant part of our occupancy, especially from upcountry guests during peak holiday seasons, while the business tourism sector, in the form of meetings, conferences and corporate team building incentives, makes up the bulk of occupancy during low-season periods. The hotel has also become a popular venue for weddings and special occasion functions," says Vanitha Moodley, Ocean Reef Hotel's General Manager. Rooms with a view The penthouse and hotel rooms are situated on the third floor and command outstanding elevated views from the sea-facing timber decked balconies, over looking the milkwood

forest beach dunes and pristine Indian Ocean coastline. An idyllic vantage point from which to appreciate the notorious African sunrise over the Eastern horizon or to serenade a romantic full moon reflecting over the ocean while sipping on sundowners. The villas are located on the lower garden terrace and the balcony views are no less stunning, as one gains the impression of being ensconced in the forest itself with glimpses of the sea through dense foliage and the soothing sound of waves crashing along the shoreline, interspersed with the serenade of Cicada beetles in the trees. Each luxury self-catering unit consists of two or three bedrooms, with two bathrooms of which the main is en-suite and a fully fitted and equipped kitchenette. The dining or entertainment area is openplan, the lounge equipped with comfortable seating and satellite television, and the balcony has gas braai (barbecue) facilities. Only the main bedrooms and dining / lounge areas are air-conditioned, although all bedrooms are currently being fitted with 14,000BTU air conditioners. My wife, Beverley and I stayed in the Penthouse, and when we walked in, the first thing we noticed is the spaciousness of this apartment. Bev was particularly impressed with the fact that the room is supplied with a hair dryer, complete with a DEFUSER attachment. "I've never come across this in any other hotel that we've stayed at," said Bev. Just shows, it's the little things that count. "I noticed how well the hotel had been built, when on the second evening there was a function for a 70th birthday party for eighty guests in the Bamboo Restaurant directly below our apartment. The restaurant doors were wide open so sound could travel freely, but I heard only a very faint sound of music when closing the sliding doors from the balcony," Bev enthused. Fine Dining The Bamboo Restaurant provides a reasonably priced and diverse Mediterranean theme Ă la carte menu that caters for children and special dietary requirements. A range of buffet style menus cater to the selective needs of weddings and conferences, while guests booking into MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

Ocean Reef Hotel F&B Manager, Desmond Perumal

the self-catering villas will find the inroom catering service to be a special treat. The restaurant and pool deck, with its tranquil view over the rim-flow pool to the forest dunes beyond, is an ideal setting for guests to celebrate special occasions. We booked a table for Valentine's Day on 14 February, and whilst the menu was well planned and the cuisine delectable, the attention to detail in creating a memorable romantic ambiance for such an event was lacking in terms of the venue decoration, lighting, table dressing, patron dress code and music selection. Two local DJ's, Lucky and Philani, attempted to provide what was supposed to have been dance music, but failed dismally on the romance side as their genre selection was limited to House music. Needless to say, the patrons disappeared straight after desert. But then, Zinkwazi is notorious for its relaxed holiday atmosphere, so when dining in the Bamboo Restaurant, don't expect your food to be rushed out, as meals are cooked at the time of ordering to ensure absolute freshness - this is a place you would really want to come to if you just want to slow down and take in the beauty of the North Coast.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

â&#x2013;ź

House-proud DJ's Lucky and Philani pose with Beverley Langkilde

While staying at the hotel, we decided to order room service as the restaurant had a function that evening. We were very impressed when having placed a 3-course dinner, it arrived within 30 minutes! The fact that one of the mains was an Eisbein, makes the timing even more impressive! The meal arrived at our door with Chef in tow helping to carry plates. Starters were brought up first, and within 15 minutes the mains arrived with desserts. Bev ordered the prawns which were nothing to write home about in terms of the size, but they were not over cooked and were fresh. This dish at the price of R110 for 6 small prawns, served with just rice could do with a little improvement on presentation, however the same cannot be said for the Eisbein, which was outstanding even if the Sauerkraut was not present! To be honest, there just wasn't space for it! Tender pork, falling off the bone from the inside, but wonderfully crispy on the outside, it truly is one of the best I have ever tasted. Eco-friendly As the property uses on on-site sanitation system, 'grey' waste water is stored in silio's and used for garden irrigation. "Recycling of garbage is a problem in Zinkwazi, as the local municipality does not

Ocean Reef Hotel waitresses ▼

Ocean Reef Hotel Housekeeping Manager, Vincent Soobramoney

have waste separation collection system in place. We do separate our kitchen waste but due to residential bylaws we cannot create a compost heap for wet waste on the property, but we do collect glass, tin and plastic, which a private operator collects," says F&B Manager, Desmond Perumal. Having previously worked at Bushman's Neck Resort in the Drakensberg and First Resorts' La Montagne Resort in Ballito, Perumal understands the importance of supporting the local community in procurement. "We have tried to procure perishable products locally, such as eggs and poultry, but their prices cannot compete with those provided by wholesale suppliers such as Bidvest and Triple-3 Foods," says Perumal. Disabled Access At first glance, one would think that wheel-chair access would be problematic, considering the steep incline from the hotel section to the villa buildings below, but the architects clearly gave some consideration for disabled guests. The villa section can be accessed from the under cover parking via brick paved garden pathways to the ground floor units and the hotel section does have lift access to each floor. However, wheel-chair ramps and bathroom facilities do not cater for guests with physical disabilities. "We are busy upgrading the facilities to make the property more accessible for guests with disabilities," says Housekeeping Manager Vincent Soobramoney. • Tourism Tattler, in collaboration with the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA), have published a useful booklet titled 'Sawubona Disability - Myths, Manners, Do's & Don'ts about Disability', which can be viewed at http://issuu.com/ tourismtattler/docs/qasa_disability_booklet-tourism_tattler

• Meetings Conference seating configurations Boardroom 15-20

▼

HOSPITALITY

Cinema

Schoolroom

Banqueting

50-60

U-Shape 30

The Ocean Reef Hotel provides a total event management service through its conference venue facility, which accommodates up to 50 delegates with unique outdoor breakaways and numerous team building activities. For larger groups, the Bamboo restaurant can accommodate up to 100 guests. For reservations, telephone +27 (0)32 485 3776 or for more information, visit the website at:

www.oceanreef.co.za

OCEAN REEF HOTEL & VILLAS FACT SHEET AT A GLANCE Address:

17 Magai Drive, Zinkwazi Beach, Ocean View 4480, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Coordinates: Type: Star rating: Eco Certification: TOMSA registered: Disabled friendly: Rooms:

Latitude = 29°17’33.300”S : Longitude = 31°26’4.860”E Boutique Hotel and Self Catering Villas 4-Star (TGCSA) No No No 4 standard twin rooms, 6 three bedroom / two bathroom apartments, 7 two bedroom / two bathroom apartments, and 1 penthouse with 2 bedrooms, all on suite. Capacity: 36 beds in 18 units STO Rates: Available on application Facilities: Double or single bed configuration, En-suite bathrooms, Private balconies, open-plan air conditioned lounge and dining area, pool deck and sun bathing area. Services: Coin operated laundromat with ironing service available. Activities: Beach access with water activities on lagoon and shore fishing from the beach. Excursions include deep-sea fishing charters, and guided tours to game reserves, golf courses and heritage sites. Spa: No Gym: No Parking: Secure under cover parking WiFi: Yes - complimentary to guests Restaurants / Bars: Bamboo Restaurant and bar in reception area Business facilities: Fully equipped meeting room Conference facilities: Up to 50 conference delegates or 100 guests for weddings MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

Travellers Want Personalised Service Primary research of 7,000 international globetrotters worldwide reveals the latest needs and desires of today’s traveller.

The expectations of 21st century travellers are evolving – and the standards expected of global hotel brands are high, according to new research published by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). In the past, the hospitality industry has traditionally focused on how to be 2D – global and local. This research shows that given the rapid rise of technology-enabled personalisation travellers now want hotel brands that are 3D – global, local AND personal. Last year, IHG published: ‘The New Kinship Economy’, highlighting a transition from brand experiences to brand relationships in the hospitality sector. This year’s, Creating ‘Moments of Trust’: The key to building successful brand relationships in the Kinship Economy”, builds on this work to help IHG gain a deeper understanding of what it is that travellers around the world are likely to want from their relationships with hotel brands. It shows that travellers are reshaping their expectations of global hotel brands and are now looking for hotels to not only deliver consistently good service and to reflect local trends and customs, but to also tailor their stays to meet their personal preferences.

Preferences for what is personalised also vary: • Americans are most likely to value choosing their exact check in and check out time • Britons are most likely to appreciate surprises with a personal touch • Russians are most likely to look for travel guides in their own language • Travellers from China most want interactive apps to find special things in the local area.

According to the research, travellers’ expectations of tailored experiences at every touch-point are increasing: • Nearly three in five (59%) travellers say their hotel stay is significantly more comfortable if services are personalised and more than half (54%) admit it makes them feel more valued.

Whether in New York or New Delhi, people are increasingly looking for reliable, familiar services every time. For many travellers only global hotel brands can provide this reassurance, with nearly three in four (71%) saying global hotel brands are more likely to be consistent and more than half saying they like knowing what to expect (60%).

Factors such as age and geography mean travellers view personalisation differently:

However, despite placing a high importance on consistency, travellers don’t want cookie cutter experiences. Travellers from emerging markets (Brazil 68%, UAE 60%, and China 58%) purposely choose global hotel brands because they feel they are considerate to local tastes, customs and cultures. For these travellers, the more a brand demonstrates its respect for the local culture, the more trusted that brand is likely to be.

• Millennials (people age 18-34) are particularly interested in access to personal content, such as movies or music while travellers over 65 are most interested in healthy food and beverage choices. • Three in four of these Millennial travellers believe that global hotel brands do a better job at being innovative in comparison to local hotel brands. • “New Global Explorers” (travellers originating from emerging economies) have higher expectations for personalisation than travellers from developed markets. For example, 64% of Chinese and 62% of Brazilian travellers expect a hotel to tailor the experience they have to their personal needs, compared to 43% of US and 42% of UK travellers. • These “New Global Explorers” also prize personalisation more highly than developed market counterparts, seeing it as a sign of respect. 62% of Chinese, 54% of Brazilians, and 46% of travellers from the UAE feel more respected if their experience is personalised. 24

Richard Solomons, IHG Chief Executive said: “This report shows us that today’s traveller trust global brands to deliver on a promise of quality and consistency. They also increasingly expect these same brands to deliver localised and personalised experiences, whether they are travelling for business or leisure – to experience truly 3D brands. That is why IHG has developed our ground-breaking HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts and EVEN Hotels brands and why we are focused on supporting technology-enabled personalisation across our whole brand family.”

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Regional spokesperson, Karin Sheppard, Chief Commercial Officer AMEA at IHG says: “People now expect products and services in all aspects of their lives to be completely personalised and the travel industry is no exception. This research shows that travellers are increasingly demanding more from their hotel experience – they want authentic and exciting experiences as well as the comforts of home, wherever in the world they are. With this new paradox of desires for both innovation and consistency, IHG continues its focus on delivering a higher degree of localisation and personalisation across our portfolio of trusted global brands.” For more information on the IHG 2014 Trends Report, visit: www.ihgplc.com/Trends_Report

INVESTMENT

Hotel Projects in Mozambique Boundless Southern Africa has two tourism based investment opportunities located in the Limpopo National Park. By Des Langkilde The World Bank lists Mozambique among the fastest growing economies of 2013. Foreign direct investment continent-wide is expected to reach $56 billion by 2015, from $38 billion in 2012 and investment opportunities are boundless, as this article shows. Boundless Southern Africa are seeking investors for the following two separate opportunities within the Limpopo National Park inside the boundaries of Mozambique. Opportunity 1: Massingir Dam houseboats Mapai Community Lodge. This investment opportunity envisions the development of rustic chalets (20 beds) constructed of pole and reed/wood structures and 20 campsites situated along the Limpopo River. Activities at the site will include a self-drive 4x4 trail and cultural tourism. A concession model will be developed for this opportunity and concession agreements will be negotiated with the respective stakeholders (i.e. affected communities, the district administration and the Ministry of Tourism). Estimated cost of project: US$4.8-million The first opportunity is the Massingir Dam houseboats. There are two concessions that will operate from a base on the eastern shores of the Massingir dam. This node will be adjacent to the Massingir resort which will act as a staging post for clients undertaking a houseboat safari. Each concession will consist of two self contained house boats with access to the dam and various bays for overnight mooring. Tender boats will allow guests to undertake game viewing and fishing outings. Each boat will have between 8 and 16 beds and facilities will include the house boats, mooring sites and service infrastructure. Boating, fishing, game viewing and hiking are also envisaged. Opportunity 2: Community-based tourism facility Estimated cost of project: US$2-million per lodge Situated in the buffer zone of the park (a strip of land about 5 km wide, running along the periphery of the park) is the community areas of Chibutane and Mapai. These areas have been earmarked for the development of rustic chalets and campsites. The French Development Agency has supplied a grant for the development of the projects detailed below. This grant will facilitate the planning and development of the buffer zone in the next two years.

Chibutane Community Lodge. This investment opportunity envisions the development of rustic chalets (20 beds) constructed of pole and reed/wood structures and 20 campsites. This site, situated along the Olifants River in the buffer zone of the Limpopo National Park, will include self-drive 4x4 trails and cultural tourism activities. Both of the above investment opportunities must be a joint venture between the local community and the private sector. Community equity is the land and capital up to US$500,000. The financial resources are granted by Government subject to financially viable project proposal. For more information contact Roland Vorwerk: +27 (0)12 310 3092 or email: rvorwerk@environment.gov.za MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

LEGAL

The NEW ‘POPI’ aka PROTECTION

OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ACT – PART 10 – PRINCIPLE #8

DATA PARTICIPATION This section entitles the Data Subject (‘DS’) not only to have access to information but also to correct or delete any inaccurate personal information (‘PI’). The right of access is dealt with as follows: • DS may ask the responsible person (‘RP’) whether or not it in fact holds any PI of the DS – no fee may be charged for rendering this advice; • DS may then ask for details (fee applicable) of: • PI held as well as; • Details of third parties who have or may have had access thereto. • The application by the DS must meet the following requirements: • It must be done within a reasonable time (of the initial enquiry)

The right to correct personal information (‘PI’) is dealt with as follows: • The request of the Data Subject (‘DS’) may be for one of following: • ‘Correct or delete’ PI if it is: ‘inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, out of date, incomplete, misleading or obtained unlawfully’; • ‘Destroy or delete’ PI if it may no longer be retained in terms of POPI i.e. the purpose for which it has been collected and/ or processed has been achieved (see also ‘destroy or delete’ obligation in terms of section 14.4). • The request by the DS must be dealt with by the RP as follows:

• Upon payment of the prescribed fee (‘not excessive’);

• Correct, destroy or delete the PI, as the case may be;

• It must be in a ‘reasonable manner and format’;

• Provide the DS with ‘credible evidence in support of the information’ i.e. that its been done (read with section 22);

• It must be ‘generally understandable’ – compare with the CPA ‘plain language.’ • Obligations of the RP • Must advise the DS of the right to correct information (see below); • Must provide the DS with a written estimate of the fee; • May refuse to provide PI (in whole or in part) on grounds contained Parts 2 and 3 of Chapter 4 (sections 63, 64 and 65) of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (‘PAIA’) e.g. if the PI;

• If the parties (DS and RP) cannot agree a note must be attached to the PI indicating that a correction was requested but not agreed to; • If changes to the PI has an ‘has an impact on decisions that have been or will be taken’ then each person to whom the PI has been disclosed must be advised; • It must advise the DS of any of the above steps taken. The requests by DS must comply sections 18 and 52 (Form of request: information it must contain) of PAIA.

• Contains privileged information; • Contains confidential information; • Contains commercial information of third parties.

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MARCH 2014

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, BENCHMARK, March 2014.

MARKETING

Travel Trade Shows

how to attract the best of them

Trade shows have long been seen as an important marketing tool for a large number of industries that need to exhibit their products to a specific audience, writes Dr Peter Tarlow. Since almost the beginning of time, business people have known that trade shows offer merchants the opportunity to market their goods before huge crowds in a relatively short period of time. Trade shows can also be an important tourism and economic development generator and bring thousands of dollars into the coffers of hotels, restaurants and attractions. From the tourism perspective, trade shows are more than mere platforms for marketing one’s wares. These shows are an important part of the convention and meetings industry. Tourism industry leaders are well aware of the fact that trade shows produce not only primary business (the business that takes place on the trade show floor) but also secondary business (business that is the result of servicing the trade show participants, such as hotels and restaurants) and even tertiary business (business that comes from trade show participants returning at a later time to the trade show’s host community). Many tourism leaders view trade shows as ‘conventions with a product to sell’. From the perspective of the tourism industry trade shows then provide a number of important challenges and opportunities. For example even a small or medium size trade show may attract as many as 10,000 people from out-of-town who will fill hotel rooms and eat at local establishments. For many of the reasons mentioned above tourism professionals compete to gain trade show market share. They also realize that people who come to their community for trade shows may return at a later time for additional recreation and fun. While there are great similarities between the classical convention and trade shows there are also major differences. Trade shows often need large amounts of convention hall space, and easy access for products and trade show booths. Because trade shows have multiple events occurring at the same time, the trade show floor must be designed to allow people to hear against a cacophony of sounds and permit private conversations in a public arena. Tourism communities that seek to attract trade shows should consider some or all of the following: ☞ Have both a pre-show plan and a during-show plan of action. Many communities offer the trade show planners a set of show benefits, good lighting, easy access, security guards at the entrances and exits. Communities that also offer pre-show ad-ons including free nights at places of lodging, discount tickets to local attractions, and restaurant coupons have an additional advantage in attracting trade shows. ☞ Provide clear and precise information about what services your local community can provide to and for trade show hosts, guests and participants. Make sure that your community’s information appears in a font size that is easy for most people to read. In a like manner provide information regarding secondary and tertiary site locations that is clear and not cluttered. To avoid these problems create ‘Trade show check lists’ that can be reviewed with the tradeshow organisers prior to the start of the show.

☞ Do not overestimate what you can handle. Many communities ‘bite off’ more than they can chew. Remember that the success of a trade show is determined not only by what takes place within the show, but also by what happens off the trade show floor ☞ Use your security team as a selling tool to attract tradeshows and to encourage people to consider post-trade show vacations in your community. Trade shows are places where all sorts of merchandise are available and are soft target spots for pilferage. One way to win trade shows for your community is to demonstrate to potential trade shows hosts that there is a total security plan and that the local police department has been trained in tourism security issues. ☞ Make sure that you use the fact that people are at tradeshow to promote your community. Think of give-away bags promoting local products and services, interesting posters and regular information updates on things to do before and after trade show hours. Make sure that your community is part of the local trade show rather than merely as passive location. Ask yourself who is exhibiting in your community and what special needs to these exhibitors. The best way to get brilliant results in attracting trade shows is to demonstrate that you understand what the trade shows’ hosts’ needs are and that you have a plan to meet their needs. Make sure you demonstrate to the trade show host that you understand who their target audience is and the message that they are trying to get across. Take the time to ask the organizers how they will define a successful show and what part the local tourism industry can play in making sure that they meet their objectives. Remember that there are really two shows occurring at the same time. The first is the actual trade show in which merchants are exhibiting products. The second trade show is that your community is also on exhibit. To gain brilliant results use the personal touch and a sense of caring to distinguish your community from other communities that are also seeking to attract the trade show business. About the Author: Dr. Peter E. Tarlow publishes a monthly ‘Tourism Tidbits’ newsletter, is the President of T&M, a founder of the Texas chapter of TTRA and a popular author and speaker on tourism. Tarlow is a specialist in the areas of sociology of tourism, economic development, tourism safety and security. Tarlow speaks at governors' and state conferences on tourism and conducts seminars throughout the world and for numerous agencies and universities. For more information e-mail ptarlow@tourismandmore.com

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARKETING

Online Marketing for your small

Business

The internet has expanded dramatically in the last decade and is becoming a part of every aspect of daily life. Businesses are recognising that their customers spend a considerable amount of time online and are coming up with innovative ways to market and promote their services on the web. Where should you start? Do I need to be online? Definitely. McKinsey & Company − one of the worlds' top market research companies − estimate that in Africa alone, more than 720 million people have mobile phones, 167 million use the Internet, and 52 million are on Facebook. By 2025, these figures are predicted to grow to 360 million smartphones, 600 million internet users, and $75 billion in annual e-commerce sales (read more on pages 12 to 14 in the February edition of Tourism Tattler). Learning about the internet is the first step Before you dive into online marketing, the first step you should take is to learn about the internet world. If you are unfamiliar with online behaviour, lingo and tools, you could do considerable harm to your brand image. Masha du Toit, an experienced internet teacher, says that web skills are highly sought after in our interconnected world, and that no forward-thinking businessperson can afford to ignore the internet. Create a solid foundation of web know-how so that you can build appropriate, responsive and lucrative online marketing campaigns. You can achieve this through the Tattler's Tourism Support Sevices facility (see pages 14 - 15 in this magazine) or by taking an online course in the subject. Basic principles Once you feel comfortable online, you can start to plan your online marketing strategy by keeping the following basic principles in mind. • Create a holistic strategy. To be truly successful online, you need to create a varied and interconnected strategy across various platforms. For example, there’s no sense creating a beautiful website if you neglect to optimise it for search engine and don’t spread the word on social media and in emails. Each marketing channel must feed into and build on the others. • Only use what you need. Some people who venture into online marketing try to do it all – they open profiles on every social network, build websites, send emails, launch SMS campaigns – but never take the moment to consider what is best for their brand and target audience. Only use the tools that are appropriate to your image and that you know your customers are also using. • Start slow. Online marketing takes years to perfect and optimise, so don’t be afraid to start with one or two tools and expand from there. Doing too much at once will create added stress and raise 28

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MARCH 2014

your expenses, and will usually mean that you cannot devote yourself to any one aspect fully. • Don’t focus on the hard sell. Very little of internet marketing involves proper advertising and hard selling; it’s usually more about subtle approaches, community building and public relations. Pushiness and blatant self-promotion are generally not appreciated online. When you get these aspects right online, the sales will follow naturally. There are many aspects or approaches that you can take when marketing your business online. The most popular ones are creating a social space for your customers, creating an online “office” and getting word out about your brand. Building a community Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are perhaps the best-known online marketing tools and are ideal for social branding. Social branding is the process of marketing your brand in an online social space. It’s all about creating brand equity, increasing awareness and fostering loyal communities. Social media are less about making direct sales and more about building a community of fans and followers. Social networks are used for chatting, sharing information and photos, writing recommendations and passing on links to friends. They are a place for having a conversation with your customers, responding to questions, addressing complaints, offering special deals and sharing media and offers. In basic terms, social branding involves creating profiles on social media websites and filling them with brand-related content that is geared towards reinforcing the business’ desired brand image. It’s not enough to create a Facebook, Twitter or WordPress account, however; you need to engage daily, meaningfully and appropriately with your social networks. Conversations, good and bad, will happen around your brand regardless of what you do. Therefore, it’s vital that you participate in them and steer them in the right direction. Participating involves both acting – creating and adding content, links and information – and reacting – listening and responding to customers. Having an active and engaging social media strategy is a large element of building a reputable brand image. If customers see your

activity frequently, they will begin to trust your business over the long term. Your business will appear supportive, legitimate and enduring. While it won’t happen instantly, this goodwill will build and will become incredibly valuable. Creating your online office Before the advent of the internet, companies needed an office or some sort of physical presence to interact with customers. This included the need for high rental fees and reception staff, and severely limited the scope of the business. Online, the picture is very different. Many companies now have a virtual presence, and some exist as a website alone – their “office” is a digital address on the web. Customers are comfortable interacting with a business through the digital portal and often find it more convenient, efficient and rewarding. They can examine the product offerings, do research, read testimonials and contact the company in one place, without having to travel physically. A website is the cornerstone of any marketing strategy – all of the adverts, social media, email messages and so on must direct to one central space to be truly effective. It is possible to replicate the intimacy, personality and interaction of the physical office through a website, and it allows the business to market itself globally. The market reach potential is endless – but make sure that your infrastructure can handle doing business internationally. Having an attractive, professional and informative website is essential. It is the definitive source of information about your business, and a place where you can include the most up-to-date information available. Spreading information The internet seems to be an endless database of information, so getting the word out about your business requires careful thought and targeting. Conveying your message over the clutter can be difficult, so it is very important to be original and visible. The more precisely you can target your information to people who are interested in your business, the more successful you will be in generating sales. A few ways of doing this are creating content, optimising your website and sending email marketing campaigns. Content and search engine optimisation (SEO) go hand in hand. Creating content involves writing website copy, articles, blog posts, brochures and any other written or multimedia information about your business. SEO is the process of optimising this content so that the right people can easily find it by using a search engine like Google. SEO is a highly specialised skill and usually requires an expert touch, but you can learn to do some basic SEO yourself.

Setting up a regular email newsletter is an excellent example of how to keep your current customers up to date on information about your business and to inform them of special offers, discounts and deals. Email is an excellent way to reach people because you can target your recipients very specifically; you can gather data from your own customers and find other likely people to approach online. If you include good content and offers that your customers enjoy, it will be easy for them to pass the email on to their friends and grow your customer base for you. Measuring your effectiveness Perhaps the biggest benefit to marketing yourself online is being able to monitor and track your efforts accurately. The web offers a wide variety of analytics tools that can help you understand your customer by tracking and reporting on their online behaviour on your website. Analytics tools can show you, for example, how many people are visiting your site, which pages are the most popular, and how they spend their time on your page. Measuring your key performance indicators gives you valuable insight into your online marketing return on investment. For example, seeing how many people opened your marketing email and clicked on the link to your website will immediately tell you if your approach was successful. The immediacy of online marketing means you can test and adapt your strategy to better reach your audience. Remember the risks While online marketing is easy, accessible and very powerful, it also comes with its own set of risks. The biggest one is that an online presence leaves you exposed and transparent – everybody on the internet can potentially see your content, comments and strategies, so any misstep will be magnified considerably. While a small typo on your website will be excused, the aggressive comment you leave on an unhappy customer’s Facebook page will not. The adage “think before you speak” should always be on the forefront of your mind. The other big risk is legal trouble, especially in light of South Africa's new Consumer Protection Act. It is never acceptable to spam or harass anyone online, so be very careful with any direct marketing that you do. Customers should always have the option of opting out of email communication, for example. Breaking the law when marketing is not only ethically unsound, it also makes your business look bad – nobody will want to do business with you. For assistance with Online Marketing visit www.tourismtattler.com/ tourism-support-center. The University of Cape Town also provides short online courses on this subject www.getsmarter.co.za MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

RISK

Under Insurance

The protracted devaluation of the rand over the last two years has left many insured’s with inadequate cover. The effect on claims payments can be catastrophic for clients already under pressure from an unforgiving economic climate. By Paul Halley.

In recent trends the effect of average is becoming more and more prevalent and more significant too. In times of economic hardship even a medium size loss can result in business failure due to the uninsured portion (average) of the loss. The inset table shows some examples of total claims and settlement percentages due to average from three recent claims.

Restaurants, hotels and guesthouses now face an ever increasing Given recent trends in accountability out of the ombuds office and possibility of receiving limited indemnity due to underinsurance indeed the courts, insurers and brokers can no longer simply get and average on insurance claims. Together with real inflation close clients to sign off on underinsurance. We also believe that this effort to double digits and food cost can be a real value proposition Cause Province Loss Material Business inflation rising meaningfully, refor the intermediated model and Value Damage Interruption engineered menus and revised will be initiating opportunities to Western Cape R 675,000 12% 06% room rates can only go half Wind improve this area of our portfolio way in counteracting the trend. Hail over the coming year. Gauteng R 608,000 40% 32% The reality is the full increase in Storm North West R 186,000 29% To ensure clients have costs cannot be passed on to adequate protection in place Total claimed: R1,469,000 the consumer, patron and tourist we recommend a review of if the operator is to remain Average: R1,150,000 all asset registers and building (client cash or professional indemnity?) sustainable and competitive. values. We are willing to assist in R 319,000 Whether it be the cost of Total paid: managing and protecting sums imported mattresses and bedding material, labour rates in the construction or automotive sector, imported coffee machines or locally supplied meats and poultry, the increase in these prices is now set to far exceed any automatic sums insured increases of the last two years. Despite “official” inflation sitting around 7% and rising real economy inflation is linked to the currency.

insured against average. This is in the interests of adding value in the intermediated model and preventing disastrous outcomes on claims where insured’s are significantly underinsured. About the Author: Paul Halley is the Managing Director of Ascent Underwriting Managers. www.ascentsure.co.za

Tourinsure

Reliable Cover for the Tourism Sector Do you work in the tourism or hospitality industry? If yes, then you’re probably acutely aware about the importance of cover in the face of uncertain events. Tourinsure is an established insurance product that has existed for over 10 years. It was developed to put your mind at rest by alleviating you from unnecessary stress or worry – after all, you should focus on what you do best without any distractions. Perhaps you’re a tour operator who spends most of their time on the road and requires cover for your vehicle? Or maybe your concerns focus more on passenger liability, public liability or professional indemnity? One of our latest products, the Motor Personal Accident, addresses such concerns and was launched due to the changes in the Road Accident Fund. It comes highly recommended in addition to the popular Passenger Liability Cover and offers up to R5 000 000 disability cover for the fare paying passengers and the driver. We also cater to the risk transfer needs of tour operators who work from home and require cover for their domestic assets.

We are here for you! Please contact us if you have any questions or require a formal quote. Accredited broker to: Contact Person: Nikki Berga Contact Number: 021 712 6686 E-mail: Nikki@intasure.co.za Website: www.intasure.co.za/tourinsure.php

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARCH 2014

www.ascentsure.co.za

VISAS

Africa's Visa Requirements Africa is one of the regions in the world with the highest visa requirements. Visa restrictions imply missed economic opportunities for intra-regional trade and for the local service economy such as tourism, cross-country medical services or education. During the African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Marrakech, Morocco, on May 31, 2013, a high-level panel – organized jointly by the World Economic Forum and the African Development Bank – discussed the benefits of relaxing visa restrictions throughout Africa. Dr. Ibrahim Bocar Ba, ECOWAS Commissioner of macroeconomic policy, underlined that Africans mainly migrate to Africa. In ECOWAS more than 80% of all migration is intra-regional. Nonetheless, Africans need visas to go to 80% African countries, these restrictions are higher for Africans travelling within Africa than for Europeans and North Americans. In his opening remarks, Professor Ncube, the Chief Economist and Vice-President of the African Development Bank, underlined that “The movement of talent and people is at the core of regional integration and is a core pillar of the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy. Twenty-five percent of all trade in Africa is informal; it is the strongest in West Africa. If there were no visa requirements, informal sector trading would boom.” Razia Khan, who is head of research in Africa for Standard Chartered Bank, introduced herself rather as a citizen of an African country, travelling extensively within Africa – who often measures the time that it takes to get visas against the amount of economic research that could have been developed. Leonard Rugwabiza, Director, General Planning at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Rwanda, shared the lessons of Rwanda, which has moved to biometrix border management, low restrictions on transfer of services in engineering and legal services as well as visas on arrival for all African citizens since January 1, 2013. Rwanda, with a limited number of embassies abroad, has also introduced e-visas in order to reduce the costs and time constraints of people in obtaining visas. He confirms that “since we opened our borders, tourism from African countries has increased by 24%.” Furthermore, “trade actually shifted from being oriented to Europe and North America, and is now oriented to neighbouring countries. Trade with neighbouring countries increased by 50% last year, and trade with neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo rose by 73%”. Important points regarding passports and visas

appearance now, apply for a new passport and avoid possible problems at border frontier points. RSA (South Africa) passport holders may need to obtain more visas in advance of arrival compared with passport holders of other countries such as the UK or Australia. If an RSA passport holder, check your personal visa requirements carefully. Some countries may deny you entry, if you don’t possess a visa obtained in advance of your proposed entry. For a short trip through Africa, get all your visas before you leave home. For a longer trip, it’s easier to get them as you go along. Most countries have an embassy in each neighbouring country, but not all, so careful planning is required. Some visas are valid from when they are issued, so you may have to enter the country pretty soon after getting them. On other visas you say when you plan to enter the country and arrive within a month of that date. Sometimes it’s convenient (and relatively cheap) to get several visas in one place – South Africa or Kenya, for example. Prices vary widely, but you can expect to pay US$10 to US$50 for standard one-month single-entry visas, and up to US$200 for threemonth multiple-entry visas. If you want to stay longer, extensions are usually available for an extra fee. Rules vary for different nationalities: for example, British and Aussie citizens don’t need advance visas for some southern African countries; French citizens don’t need them in much of West Africa; Americans need them nearly everywhere. The price of a visa also varies according to nationality, and where you buy it. Most visas are issued in 24 or 48 hours – and it always helps to go to embassies in the morning – but occasionally the process takes a week or longer. You may have to show you have enough funds to cover the visit, or prove that you intend to leave the country rather than settle down and build a hut somewhere. (This could be an air ticket home, or a letter from your employer stating you’re expected to return to work on a specified date). For most visas you also need up to six passport photos; so take what you’ll need, although you can get new supplies from photo booths in most capitals. Some embassies ask for a photocopy of your passport data page, so it’s always worth carrying a few spare copies.

Also ensure that your passport possesses at least 12 months validity beyond the date of your return from Africa.

If you’re travelling in West Africa, ask about a Visa Touristique Entente – a five-country visa covering Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire. It costs around US$38 and is usually valid for two months.

If there is a big dissimilarity between your passport photo and your

Published with acknowledgement to: www.lonelyplanet.com

Ensure that your passport has at least 12 free pages if undertaking any expeditions of 57 days or less.

MARCH 2014

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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