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Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
NOVEMBER 2014
Contents Issue 11 (November) 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
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Business: Tourism Grading Council Launches Basket of Benefits
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
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Business: Wikitourism information portal launched by the Tourism Enterprise Programme
ONLINE ADVERTISING BANNER ADS www.tourismtattler.com/advertising_rates BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS www.tourismtattler.com/business-directory
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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BACK ISSUES (Click on the covers below). ▼ Oct 2014
▼ Sep 2014
▼ Aug 2014
16
Event Review: Lilizela Tourism Awards - All the 2014 winners IN THIS ISSUE
▼ Jul 2014
▼ Jun 2014
▼ May 2014
▼ Apr 2014
▼ Mar 2014
▼ Feb 2014
▼ Jan 2014
▼ Oct 2013
▼ Dec 2013
▼ Sep 2013
▼ Nov 2013
▼ Aug 2013
04 05 06 07 08 10 12 13
EDITORIAL Accreditation Cover Story Article Comments BUSINESS Planning your year-end function TGCSA launches Basket of Benefits SATSA Market Intelligence Report Wiki-WOW COMPETITIONS Win 1 of 3 MasterDrive courses
Adrianne Harris Adv. Louis Nel
14 16 19 20 22 27
DESTINATIONS Southern Africa: Island hopping EVENTS SA Awards Trade for Service Excellence South Coast Tourism's Awardees Lilizela Tourism Awards - All the winners Voted South Africa's Best LEGAL Risk in Tourism - Part 4 TRADE NEWS Visit our website for daily travel news
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Kwakye Donkor Quintin Wiehahn Martin Jansen van Vuuren
MAGAZINE 02 OTM-India 06 SATIB Insurance Brokers 09 Tourism Grading Council of South Africa 11 Comair / kulula.com 15 Brochures Namibia 17 Forever Resorts 19 CITY Lodge Hotels 20 Tranquility Guest House 22 Umngazi River Bungalows & Spa 22 Hotel Verde
SPONSORS 23 24 24 25 25 25 26 26 26
Fusion Boutique Hotel Oleander Guest House Birchwood Hotel Soli Deo Gloria - Paternoster Thaba Tshwene Game Lodge Grand Cafe & Rooms ATKV Drakensville Spier Hotel & Wine Estate Tenahead Lodge
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.
NOVEMBER 2014
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Accreditation Official Travel Trade Journal and Media Partner to: The African Travel & Tourism Association (Atta) Tel: +44 20 7937 4408 • Email: info@atta.travel • Website: www.atta.travel Members in 22 African countries and 37 worldwide use Atta to: Network and collaborate with peers in African tourism; Grow their online presence with a branded profile; Ask and answer specialist questions and give advice; and Attend key industry events.
National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA-SA) Tel: +2786 186 2272 • Fax: +2786 225 9858 • Website: www.naa-sa.co.za The NAA-SA is a network of mainly smaller accommodation providers around South Africa – from B&Bs in country towns offering comfortable personal service to luxurious boutique city lodges with those extra special touches – you’re sure to find a suitable place, and at the same time feel confident that your stay at an NAA-SA member’s establishment will meet your requirements.
Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA) Tel: +2711 315 2420/1 • Fax: +2711 315 2422 • Website: www.retosa.co.za RETOSA is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) institution responsible for tourism growth and development. RETOSA’s aims are to increase tourist arrivals to the region through. RETOSA Member States are Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) Tel: +2786 127 2872 • Fax: +2711 886 755 • Website: www.satsa.com SATSA is a credibility accreditation body representing the private sector of the inbound tourism industry. SATSA members are Bonded thus providing a financial guarantee against advance deposits held in the event of the involuntary liquidation. SATSA represents: Transport providers, Tour Operators, DMC's, Accommodation Suppliers, Tour Brokers, Adventure Tourism Providers, Business Tourism Providers and Allied Tourism Services providers.
Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA) Contact: manager@savrala.co.za • Website: www.savrala.co.za Founded in the 1970's, SAVRALA is the representative voice of Southern Africa’s vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management sector. Our members have a combined national footprint with more than 600 branches countrywide. SAVRALA are instrumental in steering industry standards and continuously strive to protect both their members’ interests, and those of the public, and are therefore widely respected within corporate and government sectors.
Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association (SHTA) Tel: +248 432 5560 • Fax: +248 422 5718 • Website: www.shta.sc The Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association was created in 2002 when the Seychelles Hotel Association merged with the Seychelles Hotel and Guesthouse Association. SHTA’s primary focus is to unite all Seychelles tourism industry stakeholders under one association in order to be better prepared to defend the interest of the industry and its sustainability as the pillar of the country’s economy.
International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) Tel: Haleiwa, USA: +1-808-566-9900 • Cape Town, South Africa: (+27)-21-813-5811 • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: +5521 40428205 • Germany: +49 2102 1458477 • London, UK: +44 20 3239 3300 • Australia +61 2-8005 1444 • HongKong, China: +852 8120 9450 • Email: member@tourismpartners.org • Website: www.tourismpartners.org ICTP is a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to Quality Services and Green Growth. ICTP advocates for: sustainable aviation growth; streamlined travel; fair taxation and jobs.
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.
OTM India 2015 Tel: +9133 4028 4028 • Fax: +9133 2479 0019 • Website: www.otm.co.in OTM is India’s biggest travel trade show, in the largest travel market in India – Mumbai. OTM Mumbai takes place from 4 to 6 February 2015, with an attractive add on option in New Delhi from 10 to 12 February 2015. OTM is the most effective platform to market to the Indian travel industry catering to over 15 million Outbound travellers spending over US$ 10 billion and over 500 million domestic tourists – at least 10% of them with an immediate potential to also travel abroad.
World Travel Market - London 2014 - Africa 2015 - Latin America 2015 Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7897 • Email: polly.magraw@reedexpo.co.uk • Website: www.wtmlondon.com World Travel Market - London takes palce from 3 to 6 November 2014, and is the leading global event for the travel industry. It is a vibrant must attend business-to-business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and International travel professionals. It is a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business. Last years event attracted over 50,000 attendees, representing 186 countries. WTM is the place to do business with 5,000 international exhibitors.
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Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
NOVEMBER 2014
cover story
EDITORIAL
This edition of Tourism Tattler is dedicated to the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA).
quality assurance, the best possible value for money and an important focus on customer expectation will be enjoyed by all.”
The TGCSA was established in the year 2000, and operates as a business unit of South African Tourism. Over the past 14 years, the TGCSA has created a globally recognised and credible quality assurance body for tourism products throughout South Africa.
The online grading application process has been operational since October 2010, and approves applications daily. The number of graded establishments is currently just on 6,000.
Simply put, if a hospitality establishment bears a TGCSA star plaque and certificate, tourists can expect outstanding quality and service excellence, appropriate to the star level displayed. The quickest way to tell if an establishment is TGCSA approved or not, is to visit www.tourismgrading.co.za, click on the ‘Search Graded Establishments’ tab and enter the full name of the establishment. If it’s not listed – it’s not (yet) a TGCSA approved establishment. As the TGCSA’s Chief Quality Assurance Officer, Thembi Kunene says: “We are driven by our mission, which is ‘To establish a recognisable and credible globally benchmarked system of quality assurance for accommodation and MESE (Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events) experiences’, which can be fully relied upon by visitors when choosing an establishment.’ As much as the TGCSA promotes Star Grading, it would truly benefit South Africa as a nation if everyone in the Travel and Tourism industry followed suit. In doing so, the highest level of Proudly displaying their ETEYA Award and R50,000 cheque for 2nd Runner Up are Septi Bukula and partner from Osiba Management in Gauteng.
In addition, the second Lilizela Tourism Awards concluded on 09 October 2014, with all of the provincial and national winners announced at a glittering ‘Oscar’ style ceremony event held at the Lyric Theatre in Gold Reef City, Gauteng. An initiative of the National Department of Tourism and delivered by the TGCSA, the Lilizela Tourism Awards are a coveted symbol of recognition for having attained the highest standards of service excellence, and awarded not just by travel industry peers and judges, but more importantly by the winner's own customers and guests. The importance of consumer reviews is highlighted by the phenomenal 854% growth in the number of votes received for 2014 nominees when compared to 2013. Read more on pages 16 to 26. Entries for the 2015 Lilizela Tourism Awards are now open! Yours in Tourism, Des Langkilde. editor@tourismtattler.com ▲
Of the nine main types of establishments that travellers can choose from – namely Hotels, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts, Country Houses, Guest Houses, Self Catering Units, Caravan & Camping Parks, Backpackers & Hostelling facilities as well as Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events (MESE) venues – those establishments that have been graded by one of TGCSA’s Accredited Grading Assessors are entitled to clearly display the Star Graded insignia.
Aimed at increasing the number of members, a new initiative aptly termed the ’Basket of Benefits’ or ‘BoB’ has been launched via a dedicated website, which is loaded with incredibly useful tools and information at www.basketofbenefits.co.za. BoB provides graded establishments with a wide range of pre-negotiated supplier discount deals, new business lead generation, business and legal advice, employee recruitment, and your very own personal assistant, to name but a few of the benefits. Read more on page 08.
Seen at the Lilizela social scene were Mmatšatši Ramawela, CEO at the TBCSA, Thulani Nzima, CEO at South African Tourism, and Edwell Matukane from LEDET.
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▲
Article Comments Article comments, 'Likes' and 'Shares' received on the Tourism Tattler website and Social Media pages.
Wi n
The winning comment, 'Like' or 'Share' posted on the Tattler website or Social Media pages during the month of November 2014 will receive a copy of the Sasol Birds of Southern Africa 4th Edition with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.
Sasol Birds of Southern Africa remains the region’s most comprehensively illustrated and trusted field guide. This fourth edition has been greatly improved by the addition of group introductions, calendar bars showing species’ occurrence and breeding periods, a section on ‘how to use this book’, as well as sonograms depicting the calls of tricky bird groups. The newly designed plates are meticulously illustrated, with labels pinpointing key differentiating features. Distribution maps show the relative abundance of a species in the region and also indicate resident or migrant status. Connect with Livingstones on:
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Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
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www.livingstonessupplyco.co.za
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Planning your year-end function As the end of the year is around the corner and planning a year-end function forms part of wrapping up another year, Quintin Wiehahn Managing Director of The Menlyn Boutique Hotel shares some tips on planning the perfect year-end function. The end of the year is fast approaching and with that comes the pressure of planning a successful year-end function. Whether you are looking at doing something big and fabulous or something small and low key, planning the end of year event for your company does not have to be daunting. Although arranging such an event is time consuming and should not be left to the last minute, hospitality guru Quintin Wiehahn, managing director of Menlyn Boutique Hotel shares some insights and tips on how to make sure that you plan the best end of year function. Choosing the venue This is the most important part of the process, selecting the right hotel for your event is paramount in ensuring that your year-end function is a success. “Organisers need to look for a hotel that can offer them exclusivity, there is nothing worse than hosting an event with another party taking place two tables away from you,” Wiehahn advises. “Factors that also need to be considered when choosing a suitable hotel is the availability of accommodation, this is not only convenient and accessible for guests but it is also the only way to guarantee the safety of your invitees if they have been drinking,” says Wiehahn. Planning, the best time to host your year-end function “As most year-end functions take place during high season, it is important to start planning your event well in advance,” Wiehahn explains. Wiehahn recommends planning three months in advance “this gives you enough time to finalise the finer details.” Many believe that year-end events should take place in December but according to Wiehahn, having your function earlier is better. “It has become common for companies to host their year-end functions as early as October, this avoids the November and December rush. Having your function in October is more enjoyable and is more relaxed.” The theme “A theme is always fun and is the best way to get your guests to relax, however, a theme should not be an effort or a hassle for your guests,” Wiehahn warns. “Incorporating a theme into your event is recommended but a successful theme does not have to include the invitees,” says Wiehahn. “A theme should be simple and should be consistent,” he further explains. “The theme does not determine the success of the event, it is merely an accessory and is purely there to set the tone.”
The Menlyn Boutique Hotel’s new Black Bamboo restaurant.
Food “Making sure that you select the right type of food for the year-end function is significant, the food should be specific to the type of end of year event that you are hosting,” he explains. “The food that you serve is also dependent on the atmosphere that you are would like to create,” he reveals. “If you are hosting a large event for a lot of guests, canapés and finger food are the most ideal, this allows guests to socialise and mingle which is an important component, Wiehahn describes. “If you have a smaller group, then a sit down meal is most suitable. This provides intimacy and offers invitees the opportunity to enjoy a full course meal.” Entertainment “This delivers an extra element, live music is also a great way to the set the mood. Classical and instrumental music is ideal for more relaxed events, whereas a band is more interactive and is the best way to get your crowd going,” Wiehahn says. “Arranging activities is also a great form of entertainment for guests as this is a sure way to get them to engage with one another. It is good fun and planners can be creative when coming up with activities.” Budget “When planning an end of year event, it is very important for the planner to be clear on the budget and to make sure that there is a clear understanding of what the budget entails, this will avoid any disappointment or confusion. When meeting with the venue to discuss the budget, make sure that the venue explains their terms and conditions to you i.e. will they charge a penalty fee if the event ends after a certain time or are there policies in place for noise levels etc. Discussing these factors before the event is helpful in ensuring that you get the best out of your event,” he concludes. About Menlyn Boutique Hotel: Situated in the heart of the Tshwana Metropole, The Menlyn Boutique Hotel provides a 5-star hotel offering the industry’s best in luxury accommodation, fine dining and premium conferencing. Formerly known as the Menlyn Guest Lodge, renovations and re-branding exercises began on what is now known as the Menlyn Boutique Hotel in June of 2012. The intention was to transform the property – originally purchased from the Cuban Embassy – into a world-class luxury destination. This premium hotel caters to business and ambassadorial travelers in Pretoria, as well as to local guests in their chic new restaurant, Black Bamboo. For information visit www.menlynhotel.com NOVEMBER 2014
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BUSINESS & FINANCE
Tourism Grading Council Launches
Basket of Benefits
Having your hospitality establishment graded now means more than a few stars - it also provides access to a range of meaningful benefits. Tourism Tattler spoke to Thembi Kunene, Chief Quality Assurance Officer at the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, about their Basket of Benefits. Thembi Kunene, TGCSA Chief Quality Assurance Officer
What motivated the Basket of Benefits initiative? 'As the custodian of South Africa's hospitality quality grading system since its inception in 2000, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) has continually been approached by a wide range of service providers who, understanding the power of group buying, want to offer incentives to our almost 6,000 graded establishments. We've collated these supplier incentives under appropriate subject headings, and uploaded them onto a purpose designed dedicated website at www.basketofbenefits.co.za, which is regularly updated on the latest pre-negotiated deals and specials. We have also published an eight page Basket of Benefits (BoB) brochure, which summarises the various sections contained within the website.' (The BoB brochure can be downloaded here - Editor). Is there a fee to access BoB? 'No. BoB is a free service brought to the hospitality trade courtesy of the TGCSA. The only condition is that users must be TGCSA graded establishments.' What benefits does BoB provide? 'The BoB brochure provides a summary of all the key benefits, which are described under five subject headers, namely: The Procurement Warehouse - where users not only save money on pre-negotiated deals and specials but also enjoy the convenience of having someone to search for the best deals and negotiate with service providers on their behalf. Leads Generator - includes the Market Place, where the website system automatically matches the users establishment profile with requests received from thousands of travellers looking for accommodation; and Promotions, where users can run their own promotional campaigns via dedicated websites to large customer databases. Business Advisor - provides access to a virtual team of business experts for free advice and information to help the user make key decisions with confidence. A free legal compliance audit is also available, as are free tourism indemnity form templates. We have prepared about 30 legal documents that users can tailor-make to suit their specific needs. These include agreements for employment, independent contractors, shareholders, loans and sale of property agreements. Financial and tax advice, general business advice, insurance advice and IT advice is included in this section. Recruitment Officer - gives users access to a large database of job seekers in the tourism accommodation space, and provides e-mail alerts whenever a newly uploaded CV fits the users staff requirement. 08
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Personal Assistant - provides the benefit of a PA without the cost of having to employ one. This service can provide the users guests with a list of child-friendly restaurants and activities in the area, source promotional gifts at the best rates, schedule appointments, call service providers for quotes or emergency repairs. Our very capable assistants are on hand 24/7 to log requests and ensure that a specialist responds immediately if urgent, or within 24 hours.' Is BoB only available via the internet? 'No. The BoB services are also available by calling our 24-hour service centre on 0861 444 443.' Are there any other services available on BoB? 'Within the Market Place section, users can sell distressed stock at a discounted rate or promote their services during a quiet or outof-season period. Our Coupon Cafe facility allows users to create their own personalized coupons free of charge and to display these special offer or value-add benefit coupons to large databases of clients at no cost to the user. There is also a Classifieds section, where users can sell used office furniture, swap their services for other products, or search for new or second-hand business products. This service enables users to place an advertisement that runs for 21 days. It’s a great FREE way to buy and sell items. There is also a Training section, for users who want to get their staff trained and specialised in certain areas of their business. We advise on which courses are SETA accredited and where users can benefit from skills development points on their BEE scorecards. Users can save 25% on selected training courses! In addition, we have a Vehicle Dealer section, to alleviate users from the tedious task of shopping for a brand new or pre-owned car, and an Online Shop with discounted packages and deals that are delivered to the users door-step.' Is BoB looking for more supplier discount providers? 'Bear in mind that the BoB website has only just been launched, so the number of benefits are currently limited, but we are always keen to negotiate with new suppliers who are willing to provide meaningful benefits to our graded establishments. There is a section on the BoB website where vendor applications can be made.'
For more information visit www.basketofbenefits.co.za or call the 24/7 help-line on 0861 444 443.
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BUSINESS
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Market Intelligence Report The information below was extracted from data available as at 01 October 2014. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.
ARRIVALS
The latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to March 2014: UK
Current period
Change over same period last year
133 455
-2.8%
97 507
6.6%
Germany USA
81 419
9.8%
India
24 556
-5.1%
42 292
-0.4%
737 374
3.2%
China Overseas Arrivals (excl same day visitors) African Arrivals
1 842 630
5.8%
Total Foreign Arrivals
2 583 034
4.9%
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
Current period
Average Room Occupancy (ARO)
Average Room Rate (ARR)
Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)
All Hotels in SA
60.8%
R 1 000
R 608
All 5-star hotels in SA
60.7%
R 1 765
R 1 072
All 4-star hotels in SA
59.4%
R 949
R 564
All 3-star hotels in SA
61.9%
R 812
R 503
Change over same period last year All Hotels in SA
0.9%
7.4%
8.3%
All 5-star hotels in SA
3.4%
7.3%
11.0%
All 4-star hotels in SA
-0.8%
5.4%
4.6%
All 3-star hotels in SA
2.3%
6.5%
9.0%
ACSA DATA
The latest available data from ACSA is for January to August 2014: Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on International Flights
Passengers arriving on Regional Flights
Passengers arriving on Domestic Flights
1.8%
5.8%
-0.1%
Cape Town International
6.6%
7.1%
2.2%
King Shaka International
12.4%
N/A
-2.1%
OR Tambo International
CAR RENTAL DATA The latest available data from SAVRALA is for January to March 2014: Current period Industry rental days Industry utilisation Industry Average daily revenue
Change over same period last year
4 448 315
2%
73.3%
-1.3%
302
4.9%
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESS The latest data from Statistics South Africa indicates a decline in arrivals from the UK, China and India, but total overseas arrivals have grown by 3.2% on the back of stronger growth from Germany and the USA. China and India's arrivals decline is expected to continue due to the difficulty in obtaining visas. The STR Global data indicates that hotel occupancies have stabilised but the achieved rates are still growing. This trend is mirrored in the SAVRALA data that shows that car rental days have grown by 2% during January to March 2014, compared to the same period in 2013, while average daily revenue has grown with 4.9% over the same period. Airport arrivals data indicates a decline in domestic air travel, which may continue due to weaker economic growth and higher inflation leading to less disposable income for travel.
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For more information contact Martin at Grant Thornton on +27 (0)21 417 8838 or visit: http://www.gt.co.za
The latest available data from STR Global is for January to August 2014:
KINGJAMES 30444
14 routes 6 cities a whole lot of flying When your customers want to go places, kulula is the airline to take them there. O.R. Tambo |
Lanseria |
Durbs |
Cape Town |
George |
East London
NOVEMBER 2014 30444_Trade_279x216.indd 1
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2014/09/17 10:09 AM
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Wiki WOW! Access to tourism-related information has just become a lot easier with the launch of South Africa's home-grown Wikitourism online portal. All content is publicly available with copyright permission, which means that anyone can freely use the information. By Adrienne Harris.
Anyone with access to a computer these days will know about Wikipedia - and has probably even quoted from it numerous times. But there’s a new Wiki on the block – Wikitourism, the information portal for the tourism industry, by the tourism industry. This project has been initiated by the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP), which has long had 'access to information' as a key pillar of providing support to small tourism businesses in South Africa. The challenge has always been how this can best be achieved. Tourism industry information has been uploaded onto numerous websites, which makes it extremely difficult to source information - in fact, a quick Google search on the words 'tourism industry information South Africa' came up with just over 99 million results. A further difficulty with doing general searches is that many (if not most) of these 99 million webpages do not exist anymore, or have been moved, or are simply out of date. Keeping websites up to date takes up substantial resources, and many man-hours. It is also important that the user of any web-based information is confident in the accuracy of the information accessed. TEP, as the word 'partnership' in its name shows, has always looked to collaboration as means to maximise resources for truly effective impact. And Wikitourism is no different. Taking on the ethos of creative commons used by Wikipedia and various open source initiatives, Wikitourism has been developed as a free information portal for the benefit of the entire tourism industry. All articles, documents and other information are either publicly available, have copyright permission or have been written specifically for the website. This means that anyone can freely use this information. As with the concept of Wikipedia, Wikitourism relies on dedicated tourism role-players who are prepared to contribute their time and knowledge to build up a repository of information of use to all types of tourism stakeholders. The initial incubation of the project has been undertaken by TEP, but as Dr Salifou Siddo, the TEP Chief Executive, explained, “we are hoping that industry individuals and associations will start to 'own' sections of the website and ensure that these sections are kept up to date and relevant. This includes trade associations, academics, specialists and anyone else who feels that they have information to contribute”. In addition, it is vital that TEP forms strong partnerships for the continuation of this important initiative. And the figures certainly 12
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www.wikitourism.com confirm the fact that this resource is already in great demand. Even though Wikitourism is still in its infancy, as at the end of September there had already been more than 45 000 visits to the site, with a total of 43 individuals already registered as contributors. These figures have surpassed even the most optimistic estimate made by the Wikitourism team at TEP. So much so, that the IT department was asked to recheck the figures and ensure that there was no automated system sneaking onto the website and distorting the numbers. TEP is encouraging all role-players in the industry to get involved. Whilst 'Wiki-ing' as a contributor takes a bit of getting used to, the software has been designed to allow for quick uploads, edits and additions. In fact, the word 'Wiki' comes from the Hawaiian word 'quick' and this website is certainly growing “Wiki, wiki”. This is another great advantage of using MediaWiki software as opposed to more traditional web-based software, the website can grow with great ease. The amount of information that can be added is virtually limitless, although it is unlikely that Wikitourism will ever compete in size with Wikipedia’s 39 million pages! Wikitourism could be an absolute game-changer when it comes to how we handle “information overload” in the tourism industry, but only if there are sufficient committed individuals who are prepared to support and promote access to information for all stakeholders. About the Author: Adrienne Harris is currently being retained by TEP as Project Manager for Wikitourism. She is the Executive Director of Harvest Tourism - a company that focusses on tourism development as a tool for poverty alleviation, community benefication, training, strategic planning and implementation. Adrienne was on the very first TEP steering committee in 2000, when it was started as a programme of the Business Trust. For more information visit www.harvesttourism.co.za
WIN
C O M P E T I T I O N
a Hijack RiskManagement workshop OR 1of 2 Driver Training Courses
To enter this competition, answer the question “In what 3 key areas can MasterDrive reduce company costs?” to win one of the following 3 prizes: A Hijack Risk Management workshop for 25 pax valued at R10,675 or one of two Defensive Driver Training courses valued at R1,467 each. The answer can be found in the text below. Submit your answer by logging onto the Tourism Tattler website at http:// www.tourismtattler.com/?p=16898 MasterDrive is an Advanced Driver Training company, with their core focus being Defensive Driver Training. MasterDrive was created by AVIS FLEET SERVICES in 1999. The intention of this driver training service was to improve existing driving skills which would result in reduction of costs to 3 key areas, namely: • Vehicle Maintenance • Fuel Usage • Crashes. These are three of the biggest expenses to a company’s bottom line. This proved to be a successful entity on its own, and MasterDrive now supplies a variety of Advanced Driver Training courses not only to AVIS, but to a host of other companies and individuals as well. MasterDrive are now proudly involved in ARRIVE ALIVE, STAY ALERT, STAY ALIVE, as well as many other road safety initiatives. MasterDrive strives to host a variety of campaigns in association with likeminded organisations, who are committed to road safety. On-Site Training MasterDrive instructors travel all over Africa and abroad to train corporate drivers at locations selected by their clients. The courses are for all drivers and MasterDrive works in your choice of cars, SUVs, LDV’s and/or HCV’s. While professional drivers will benefit immensely from a MasterDrive course, they would be taught in one of the aforementioned vehicles rather than in buses or larger trucks because
they will be working on awareness and attitude rather than just handling skills, and it can be assumed that your professional drivers are individuals who have already passed an adequate test of their truck or bus handling capabilities. There is no need for you to put a large, expensive vehicle temporarily out of commission in order for your drivers to learn what MasterDrive teach. Depending on your requirements, training is either for Defensive Driving or for genuine Advanced Driving. Courses vary in duration and intensity, depending upon the clients specific requirements. Defensive Driving By attending the MasterDrive Defensive Driver Training Course you will drive to prevent a crash despite the incorrect actions of other road users in all weather and road conditions. These skills are not taught when learning or gaining driving experience over the years – these are specialist skills only learnt by taking an Advanced Driving Course. Hijack Risk Management Learn the best way of avoiding potentially dangerous hijacking situations and learn high-level awareness skills to increase your general safety and to avoid smash and grab situations. With the MasterDrive Hijack Risk Management Workshop, knowledge and practical skills are gained through unique audio visual presentation and practical demonstrations. For more information call +27 (0)11 867 4778 or email Justine@MasterDrive.co.za or visit www.masterdrive.co.za. Note: Read the Terms and Conditions of this competition at: www.tourismtattler.co.za/ wp-content/images/Nov2014-Competition-Terms-Conditions.pdf
WINNERS OF THE PASSES & POORTS WESTERN CAPE GUIDE FROM THE SEP & OCT 2014 EDITIONS Visit the Tourism Tattler website to see who won the prizes from this competition. 10 readers each won a copy of Marion Whitehead’s Passes and Poorts Western Cape, with the compliments of Jacana Media. For more information visit: www.jacana.co.za
NOVEMBER 2014
Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
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DESTINATIONS
Southern Africa: Island hopping at its best The Southern Africa region consists of 15 countries, including Madagascar; Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania – perfect island hopping destinations. By Kwakye Donkor.
The Southern Africa region consists of 15 countries, namely, Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Of these countries, 3 of them are islands – Madagascar; Mauritius; Seychelles, and there is the fourth island of Zanzibar, which is actually part of Tanzania. Many of these islands include other islands that make up the whole of each country. Yes, this is island hopping at its very best!
Madagascar Surrounding Madagascar are a number of beautiful islands to explore and experience. First, visitors can plunge themselves into experiencing the rainforests Madagascar is so well-known for, and then head offshore to another island for a more leisurely, relaxing kind of holiday. Here, days can be spent snorkeling and diving, pedaling around on a bicycle, or simply soaking up the rays while lying on the beach. The most popular of Madagascar’s island has to be Nosy Be. The island is fairly well developed with several charming boutique hotels to stay at. And if Nosey Be still isn’t subdued and hushed as a traveler would like, there are even quieter islands where all the cares of everyday life just slips away, such as Ile Sainte Marie on the east coast and Nosy Komba off the northern coast of Madagascar. There are even private islands - Tsarabanjina and Nosy Iranja – waiting to embrace the weary with privacy and deep breaths of solitude and peace. Some of Madagascar’s little islands have villages, offering the experience of watching a dhow sail by and grazing cows in the fields. So undisturbed, it is easy to spot ghost crabs scuttling over the sand and frigate birds soaring on high. Islands within an island – seeming to appear untouched, as visitors feel the soft, warm sand slide through their toes, and the clear, cool water of the ocean washing over them, almost as if being healed. There are regular flights from Antananarivo to Ile Sainte Marie while even more fly to Nosy Be, from where boats reach Nosy Komba, Tsarabanjina and Nosy Iranja. 14
Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
NOVEMBER 2014
Mauritius Mauritius will enchant and uplift the soul, making visitors feel like they belong to the chosen few. The island of Mauritius is set in a turquoise sea and is a land of blue lagoons, scenic streams, and exotic coral reefs, all fringed by undulating stretches of pure white sand dotted with clusters of casuarina trees and coconut palms. In fact, the entire coastline of this lush island is powdered with pure white soft sand, inviting visitors to luxuriate in lazy inactivity, take leisurely strolls, or waft about in the balmy azure waters. In this heavenly setting, there are ample opportunities to explore the mysteries of the marine world by means of snorkeling, scuba diving, and “undersea strolls,” or to participate in water sports such as kayaking, jet skiing, motor boating, parasailing, and much more. Or for those not feeling that adventurous, there is a slow trip in a glass-bottomed boat that provides clear glimpses of the marine life and corals below. Windsurfing is also popular with adventure enthusiasts, who take advantage of the near-perfect conditions of the Mauritian waters to get their adrenaline pumping. Or visitors might choose to go sailing, as conditions are always near perfect, and charter a small sailing dinghy or a yacht. Forming a luxurious backdrop to the exquisite beauty of the island are the world-renowned Mauritius hotels, each of them offering opulent accommodation and scrumptious tropical cuisine, making this the most idyllic destination imaginable. Some of the most popular beaches of Mauritius are the Baie du Tamarin, Flic-en Flac, Cap Malheureux, Blue Bay and the Belle Mare. Le Morne Brabant, a peninsula at the southwestern tip of Mauritius, is characterized by a lone basaltic rock soaring 556 meters above sea level and is one of the most imposing sights on Mauritius. The summit covers an area of more than 12 hectares, housing many overhang caves on its steep slopes, and the peninsula lies in the embrace of a lagoon, its unique natural beauty attracting many visitors every year. It is also one of the last refuges of one of the rarest plants in the world, the Mandrinette. Here, visitors may indulge in diving, fishing, and windsurfing.
DESTINATIONS
Zanzibar
Seychelles
The island of Zanzibar is actually a partner state in the United Republic of Tanzania. It is known as the majestic spice island of the Indian Ocean and actually consists of two main Islands of Unguja (commonly referred to as Zanzibar Island), Pemba and about 51 other surrounding small islets.
Seychelles is actually made up of 115 islands that fall under two distinct groups. The tall granite, Inner Islands cluster mainly within the relatively shallow Seychelles' plateau, 4° south of the equator and roughly 1,800 kilometers from the east coast of Africa, while the low-lying coralline cays, atolls, and reef islands of the Outer Islands lie mainly beyond the plateau up to 10° south of the equator.
The paradise shores of Zanzibar are as exotic as its name. Rugged coral and limestone scarps form a sheltered backdrop to tranquil, caster sugar beaches that slope gently down into crystal-clear waters, abundant with marine life. Tall coconut palms and stalking pandanus cast their wondering shadows over the white sands and swaying hammocks, while green wood hoopoes and Weaver birds flit and flutter between the green leaves and pendulous fruit high above. Mangapwani is rather remote and, therefore, more peaceful and less visited, and its golden sands – fringed with palm trees and screw pines – have the tranquil atmosphere of a lost paradise. Further up, on the northern tip of the island is the popular Nungwi Peninsular, with its boat-building industry, coral lagoons, and Turtle Aquarium. On the southern tip of the island are some remote and rugged beaches, yet there are adventures and activities here to suit all tastes – including the Zanzibar dolphin safari at Kizimkazi, which lies within the Menai Bay Conservation Zone. Beach activities include schools for diving, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. The islands of Unguja and Pemba are endowed with some of the best and most varied dive sites in the world, with diving courses catering to the novice up to dive master standards. Steep wall dives, drift dives and world-class coral formations make this area a prime location for experienced deep water divers. Diving from a boat in the clear blue ocean off Zanzibar is one of the most exhilarating experiences to be had on a holiday in this part of Africa. The visibility is usually very good, the water warm, and the marine life diverse and innumerable - swaying weeds and soft coral all seethe with minute organisms that are food for the larger species.
These Outer Islands are divided into five groups: the Amirantes group lying 230 kilometers from Mahé, the Southern Coral Group, Alphonse Group, Farquhar Group, and finally the Aldabra Group, some 1,150 kilometers from Mahé. There are 43 Inner Islands in all - 41 granitic and 2 coralline and a total of 72 coralline Outer Islands. This wide variety of islands that makes up the Seychelles, each has its own particular geography, character, and history. Whether visitors choose a day excursion to one of the many inner granitic islands, or an extended stay at one of the exotic island hideaways, Seychelles has something exceptional to offer. Experiencing more than one island during a visit is a must and will add a dimension to a holiday experience that will never be forgotten. A regular network of air and sea transport operating out of the principal island of Mahé will cater to most itineraries, and most island hopping trips include Mahe, La Digue, and Praslin islands. Ferry services, domestic flights, and even helicopter transfers are also available on a daily basis to many of the islands. About Retosa The Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) institution responsible for tourism growth and development. RETOSA aims to increase tourist arrivals to the region through sustainable development initiatives, regional competitiveness, and marketing. For more information about RETOSA, go to www.retosa.co.za
The Namibia Tourism Trade Directory
Available free of charge to Tour Operators & Travel Agents www.booknamibia.com NOVEMBER 2014
Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
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EVENTS
Event Review South Africa Awards Trade for Service Excellence
The 2014 Lilizela Tourism Award provincial and national winners were announced at glittering ceremonies across South Africa during Tourism Month in September (Free State and Gauteng in October). Tourism Tattler attended the National awards ceremony held at the Lyric Theatre in Gold Reef City in Gauteng. Des Langkilde reports on this prestigious national recognition initiative. ▲ The MCs for the evening were Metro FM DJ, Idols Judge and media personality Unathi Msengana and TV presenter Katego Maboe, who announced the winners, while Deputy Minister Tokozile Xasa and the Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom did the hand-over honours. Ingrid Anderson accepted the Tourist Guides award trophy for Rob Caskie, Culture Tourist Guide.
Lilizela is an Nguni word, which means to ululate: a uniquely African act of congratulating work well done. Lilizela is a name that truly distinguishes this uniquely South African award.
The award process follows four steps, namely; NOMINATING / ENTRY, VOTING, JUDGING and AWARDING. The travel industry and, more importantly, the consumer of products and services offered by South Africa’s tourism industry, are invited to vote for tourism businesses via the website at www.lilizela.co.za. Note that only tourist guides are nominated, everyone else enters.
Participating in this years ‘Visitor Experience’ category judging panel for the 2014 Lilizela Tourism Awards has been an eye opener for me. One seldom gives thought to the effort and logistics involved behind the scenes in putting together an annual industry award, specifically one which aims to recognise and reward the diversity of tourism players and businesses who work passionately and with pride to deliver world-class products and services, and whose delivery grows South Africa’s global destination competitiveness.
Entries are made under 4 Focus Areas reflecting 8 Categories with the 9th Category being the Minister’s Award. 1. Service Excellence This Focus Area has three Categories, and how well tourism products do in this area is, to a large degree, based on guest feedback. The Accommodation sector was the only one recognised during the first year of the awards. For 2014 (and onward), Visitor Experience of the Year as well as the Tourist Guide of the Year have been added and recognised. Visitor Experiences include Scenic Beauty, Roots and Culture, Adventure and Activities, Wildlife, Lifestyle, Beach Experience and Lap of Luxury. Tourist Guides include Nature Guides, Adventure Guides and Culture Guides.
The Lilizela Tourism Awards have been running for two successful years and are the new premier awards in South Africa. They are an initiative of the National Department of Tourism (NDT) and delivered by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA). The award winners are selected based on the feedback provided by guests, TripAdvisor guest reviews and through the deliberation of a panel of judges.
2. Entrepreneurship
In my opinion, the organisers and hosts of the Lilizela Tourism Awards - including each provisional tourism authority - can be justifiably proud of their collective efforts in terms of transparency, fairness in the adjudication process and organisation of the award ceremony events, which are akin to the film industry’s Oscar Awards, with regional award ceremonies convened in each of South Africa’s nine provinces and the final national event held in Johannesburg.
Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
NOVEMBER 2014
3. Sustainable Development This focus area includes three categories – Imvelo, Universal ▲
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Tony and Sandy Foce from Umthunzi Hotel and Conference - Best 3-star hotel.
The ETEYA Lilizela Award (Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award) recognises black owned SMME’s who have achieved notable success since starting up.
Jane Lello and Suzette Main from Grand Cafe and Rooms - Best 4-star hotel.
EVENTS
▲ Bheki Dube and colleague receiving Maboneng Precinct's award for Best Culture and Lifestyle.
Accessibility as well as BBB-EE. The Imvelo Awards include: Best Social Involvement Programme, Best Practice Economic Impact, Best Overall Environment Management System and Best Single-Resource Programme (Water, Energy and Waste). 4. B-BBEE To achieve transformation in the tourism sector and to encourage enterprises to view B-BBEE as a business imperative, a part of good corporate citizenship and good governance and as a contribution towards socio-economic cohesion, the BBEE Award recognises Exempted Micro Enterprises, Qualifying Small Enterprises as well as Large Enterprises.
Nominees and winners were announced on a giant screen.
tourism, conservation and information technology. He has also been extensively involved in the transformation and restructuring of stateowned entities, namely SA Tourism, South African National Parks (SANParks), the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) as well as the Department of Home Affairs. He also set up the Tourism KZN provincial organisation, which he briefly led as its CEO.
Voted
SOUTH AFRICA'S BEST
The Minister’s Award This esteemed award recognises outstanding, unique, impactful people, events, and organisations that have performed in a manner that urges the industry closer to tourism’s 2020 vision (to grow arrivals to 15 million and create 225 000 new jobs by 2020 with a total direct and indirect GDP contribution target from R189, 4 billion (2009) to R499 billion (2020). The 2014 Minister’s Award was presented by the Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom to Mr. Mavuso Msimang, who is currently the CEO of the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation and also sits on several company boards, for corporate and non-governmental organizations. During his illustrious career, he has been called upon to work in fields of discipline ranging from international development through Recipient of the 2014 Minister’s Award, Mr. Mavuso Msimang.
NOVEMBER 2014
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▲
EVENTS
A lighter moment as Tony Rubin leaves the stage with Maropeng's award.
Critical considerations for establishment owners to remember:
Phenomenal Growth
• You can enter your establishment in up to 6 different categories and not just one – this means that a Guest House, for example, can enter in the Accommodation Category, the Visitor Experience Category, the B-BBEE Category, the ETEYA Category, and the Universal Accessibility Category as well as in the Imvelo Category. This gives you 6 chances to win with the Lilizela Tourism Awards.
This year’s Lilizela Tourism Awards experienced a growth of 854% in the number of votes received from 2013 to 2014 (784 vs. 7 480), which highlights the importance of consumer reviews. In addition, visitors to the Lilizela Tourism Awards website spent an average of six minutes compared to the two minutes they spent last year. This indicates that the two-year old brand is gaining traction among consumers.
• Once you have entered, you are allocated a username and password to access the Online Toolkit which you can use to encourage all your guests to vote for your establishment. This includes e-mail signatures, online banners, etc. You will also receive a unique QR code which you can immediately print and ensure that it is displayed prominently for your guests to scan and cast their vote.
Transparency Audit Company, Grant Thornton were appointed as independent Auditors of the 2014 Lilizela Tourism Awards programme. The entire process was scrutinized thoroughly by the auditors. This included the entries, the voting and consumer reviews, as well as the final adjudication that produced both Provincial and National Finalists and Winners. The 2014 Lilizela Tourism Awards programme received a clean audit for all the Award Categories that were audited.
• You can also send all your guests a ‘’Thank you for staying with us’’ e-mail or phone text message with a link to the voting platform on the Lilizela website for the guest to indicate how happy they were with the experience.
Why you should enter the 2015 Lilizela Tourism Awards. The Lilizela Tourism Awards give you an opportunity – and a brilliant opportunity at that – to celebrate excellence, creativity and innovation, and provides national recognition to raise your establishments profile both in South Africa and around the world. The award will bring you and your business great publicity and profiling on a number of platforms.
As Mr Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer at South African Tourism says; “It is important for people to remember that entries for the awards are free, but businesses need to comply with certain requirements before their application will be accepted. We encourage everyone to visit the official website to get all the information they need and to watch out for the announcement of critical dates.”
Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
NOVEMBER 2014
▲
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Alastair Dooley, Divisional Director - Financial of City Lodge Hotels Ltd, who received three awards on behalf of the group.
For more information visit www.lilizela.co.za Tourism Tattler's Bev Langkilde poses with Lloyd Edwards from Raggy Charters.
EVENTS
South Coast Tourism congratulates its 2014 winners It is with great pleasure that we would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to two of our South Coast Tourism’s members. These members have been awarded the highly coveted national Lilizela Awards at a ceremony held on Thursday 9th October in Johannesburg. Umthunzi Hotel and Conference Centre was awarded top prize in the 3 star accommodation awards and Wild 5 Adventures were awarded the top place in the Action and Adventure category for Experience of the Year. Umthunzi Hotel and Conference Centre has 49 exquisitely decorated rooms with stunning sea views each with its own balcony and accommodating up to 98 guests. It is an idyllic place for honeymooners too given the attention to detail and personalized service that this boutique hotel offers.
Conveniently situated only 5 minutes north of Port Shepstone in Umtentweni, Umthunzi has become one of the first choices for conferences and weddings too, given the spectacular and contemporary décor and hands on attitude from all the staff. And with the driving force behind this, the ever energetic and passionate owner Sandy Foce, this surely has led to it being chosen as the top 3 star accommodation in the 2014 Lilizela Awards. Wild 5 Adventures, situated in the millennia old majestic Oribi Gorge, found in the hinterland of the South Coast and only 40 minutes from Port Shepstone, was awarded the top place in the Action and Adventure category for Experience of the Year. This is not only a win for Wild 5 but also for Tourism on the South Coast, as they were competing against products like Moses Mabhida Stadium, Giba Gorge and Four Rivers Rafting, the other three finalists.” said Paul Jefferys, owner of Wild 5 Adventures. ‘This award follows our nomination as one of only four products to make it into the list of The 10 Best Adventures in the Kingdoms, made up of Swaziland, Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal made by SA Tourism,’ concludes Jefferys.
South Coast Tourism’s CEO Mr Justin Mackrory says `It is fantastic that our members are being recognized for their hard work and commitment to excellence. We are very proud of their accomplishments and wish all our members the very best of luck for the 2015 awards’.
www.tourismsouthcoast.co.za
2014 Accommodation Award Winners
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME, WHEREVER YOU GO ON HOLIDAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
Town Lodge Port Elizabeth • Road Lodge East London • City Lodge Lynnwood • Town Lodge Midrand • Road Lodge Centurion • Road Lodge Bloemfontein
B-BBEE Award Winner City Lodge Hotels Limited
From Cape Town to Umhlanga and George to PE, we have a hotel in all of SA’s favourite holiday spots that will make you feel right at home (and won’t break the bank either)
www.clhg.com NOVEMBER 2014
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EVENTS
ALL 2014
WINNERS
ACCOMMODATION AWARDS
Northern Cape
KwaZulu-Natal
75 On Milner Lodge
Guest House
St Lucia Wetlands Guest House
Bed & Breakfast
Oleander Guest House
Guest House
Sanchia Luxury
Guest House
Ize Khaya Guest Lodge
Lodge
Fairmont Zimbali Lodge
Lodge
Fairmont Zimbali Resort
Hotel
Ghost Mountain Inn
Hotel
Umthunzi Boutique Hotel
Hotel
Limpopo Orion Magoebaskloof Hotel
Hotel
23 Hotel
Fusion Boutique Hotel Jock Safari Lodge
Mpumalanga
Lodge
Forever Resorts Blyde Canyon 3* Chalets 17 Self-catering Shared Vacation
Tarentaal Oorslaap
Bed & Breakfast
Eastern Cape
Welgelegen Manor
Country House
Loerie's Call Guest House
Guest House
Tenahead Mountain Lodge & Reserve 26 Country House
Longtom Farm Guesthouse
Guest House
26 On Chamberlain Guest House
Guest House
Country Link
Guest House
Sarili Lodge
Lodge
Valbonne House at Tomjachu Bush
Self-catering Exclusive
Prana Lodge
Hotel
Badplaas A Forever Resort : Chalets 17 Self-catering Shared Vacation
Tsitsikamma Backpackers
Backpacking & Hosteling
19 Town Lodge Port Elizabeth Hotel
Casambo Exclusive Guest Lodge
MESE*
Road Lodge East London Hotel 19
Dulini Private Game Reserve
Lodge
North West
Tanamera Lodge
Lodge
Ecolux Boutique Hotel & Spa
Hotel
Stirling Manor Boutique Guest House
Guest House
Thaba Legae Guest House
Guest House
Ivory Tree Game Lodge
Lodge
StayEasy Emnotweni
The Royal Marang Hotel
Hotel
Gauteng
17 Forever Hotel @ Badplaas Hotel
Western Cape A Sunflower Stop
Backpacking & Hosteling
Gaikou Lodge
Bed & Breakfast
Dibiki Holiday Resort
Caravan & Camping
ATKV Hartenbos Caravan Park
Caravan & Camping
Kurland Hotel
Country House
Lawhill Luxury Apartments
Self-catering Exclusive
Orange Grove Farm
Self-catering Shared Vacation
Platbos Log Cabins
Self-catering Shared Vacation
Bed & Breakfast
Legodimo Game Lodge
Country House
Menlyn Boutique Hotel
Guest House
Three Rivers Lodge & Villa Anna Sophia
Guest House
Maropeng Conference Centre MESE*
Guest House 20 Guest House
Tranquility Guest House
Hyde Park Villas
the forum | the campus MESE*
De Doornkraal Historic Country House Country House Strandloper Ocean Lodge
Hotel
African Pride Irene Country Lodge
Lodge
Villa Amor
Hotel
Protea Hotel OR Tambo Airport
Hotel
19 City Lodge Lynnwood Hotel 19 Town Lodge Midrand Hotel Road Lodge Centurion Hotel 19
Sanbona Game Reserve - Gondwana Lodge Lodge
Free State
Leisure Isle Lodge
Lodge
Mont d’Or Hotel
Tri Active Lodge
Lodge
Peermont Frontier Inn & Casino
Andros Boutique Hotel
Hotel
Grand Cafe & Rooms
25 Hotel
Hotel
Hotel 19 Road Lodge Bloemfontein Hotel * MESE = Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events. Note: National Award winners are highlighted. 23 See page numbers for more info.
Protea Hotel Saldanha Bay
Hotel
Cape Flame Guest House
Eastern Cape
UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY AWARDS 25 Western Cape
Soli Deo Gloria
National Winner
Garden Court Ulundi
KwaZulu-Natal
On-The-Wheel Guest House
Gauteng
ETEYA AWARDS Anwil Guest House
Northern Cape
Ozzie's Golf Guide
Discover Durban Tours and Transfers KwaZulu-Natal 1st Runner Up
Park Place Boutique Hotel
Osiba Management Gauteng 2nd Runner Up
Eastern Cape
3rd Runner Up
Dash Lodge
ENJOY CAPE TOWN IN STYLE t: +27 (0)21 782-2060 m: +27 (0)84 319-4488 e: info@tranquil.co.za www.tranquil.co.za
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Western Cape
Limpopo Guest Manor Limpopo National Winner
Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
NOVEMBER 2014
Free State
ALL 2014
EVENTS
IMVELO AWARDS
Category: Best Single Resource Management
WINNERS
V & A Waterfont
(Western Cape)
Large
Riverside Sun Resort
(Gauteng)
Waste - Large
The Backpack
(Western Cape)
Large
Sandton Sun
(Gauteng)
Waste - Large
Bulungula Lodge
(Eastern Cape)
Small
26 (KwaZulu-Natal) Water - Large
Umlani Bush Camp
(Mpumalanga)
Small
Maliba Lodge
(KwaZulu-Natal) Small
ATKV-Drakensville Vakansieoord Umhlanga Sands Resorts
(KwaZulu-Natal) Energy - Large
Badplaas Forever Resort
17 (Mpumalanga)
Water - Large
Thaba Tshwene Game Lodge
25 (North West) (Western Cape)
Energy - Small
V & A Waterfront Holdings
(Western Cape)
Energy - Large
Beacon Island Resort
(Western Cape)
Energy - Large
ATKV GOUDINI SPA
(Western Cape)
Waste - Large
Southern Sun Newlands
(Western Cape)
Waste - Small
Southern Sun Bloemfontein
(Free State)
Waste - Small
ATKV GOUDINI SPA
Water - Large
Category: Best Overall Environmental Management System Hotel Verde Spier Wine Farm African Game Farm
22 (Western Cape) 26 (Western Cape)
Large
(Western Cape)
Small
Large
Category: Economic Impact
Category: Investing In People The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa
(Western Cape)
Large
Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference (Gauteng) 24
Large
The Backpack
(Western Cape)
Large
Garden Court Hatfield
(Gauteng) ISmall
Garden Court Eastgate
(Gauteng)
Small
Bulangula Lodge
(Eastern Cape)
Small
Category: Best Social Involvement Programme African Impact
(Western Cape)
Large
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve
(Western Cape)
Large
Peninsula All-Suite Hotel
(Western Cape)
Large
Bulungula Lodge
(Eastern Cape)
Small
!Kwa Ttu San Culture & Educations Centre (Western Cape)
Small
Edge of Arica
(Western Cape)
Small
(Western Cape)
Scenic Beauty
Aquila Private Game Lodge
(Western Cape)
The Big Hole Kimberley
(Northern Cape) Lap of Luxury
Cape Point in the Cape Of Good Hope
Amarula Lapa
(Limpopo)
Lap of Luxury
Monkeyland, Birds of Eden & Jukani Wildlife (Western Cape)
Zebula Golf Estate & Spa
(Limpopo)
Lap of Luxury
Wild 5 Adventures
(KwaZulu-Natal) Action & Adventure
(Eastern Cape)
Lap of Luxury
uShaka Marine World
(KwaZulu-Natal) Culture & Lifestyle
Beach Experience
uShaka Marine World
(KwaZulu-Natal) Marine Adventure
Lap of Luxury
Amamboma Travel and Tours
(KwaZulu-Natal) Roots & Culture
(Eastern Cape)
Lap of Luxury
The Midlands Meander
(KwaZulu-Natal) Scenic Beauty
22 (Eastern Cape) (Eastern Cape)
Lap of Luxury
Amakhosi Safari Lodge
(KwaZulu-Natal) Wildlife Encounters
Scenic Beauty
Harties Aerial Cableway
Large
VISITOR EXPERIENCE AWARDS
Untouched Adventures Umngazi River Bungalows & Spa Amapondo Backpacker Lodge Raggy Charters Umngazi River Bungalows & Spa Tsitsikamma Segway Tours
22 (Eastern Cape) (Eastern Cape)
Wildlife Encounters
(Mpumalanga)
Scenic Beauty
Brauhaus am Damm
(North West)
Lap of Luxury
Inyati Game Lodge
(Mpumalanga)
Wildlife Encounters
Harties Aerial Cableway
(North West)
Scenic Beauty
Bill Harrop's "Original" Balloon Safaris
(Gauteng)
Action & Adventure
Gravity Adventures-Western Cape
(Western Cape)
Lap of Luxury
The Maboneng Precinct
(Gauteng)
Culture & Lifestyle
Strandloper Ocean Lodge
(Western Cape)
Beach Experience
Stonehaven on Vaal
(Gauteng)
Marine Adventure
!Khwa ttu San Culture & Education Centre (Western Cape)
Lap of Luxury
Maropeng
(Gauteng)
Roots & Culture
Gravity Adventures
(Western Cape)
Marine Adventure
Basotho Cultural Village
(Free State)
Roots & Culture
Robert Craig Caskie
(KwaZulu-Natal) Culture Guide
Tom Ntombela
(KwaZulu-Natal) Nature Guide
Tshamane Isaiah Banda
(Limpopo)
Mornay Marais
(Mpumalanga)
Culture Guide
Romano Sylvester Bezuidenhout
(Northern Cape) Culture Guide
Bethuel Dennis Mkhonto
(Mpumalanga)
Nature Guide
Mpho Cedrick Setlhako
(Limpopo)
Culture Guide
Linda Leung
(Gauteng)
Culture Guide
Craig Ronald Duffield
(Eastern Cape)
Culture Guide
Tony Horn
(Free State)
Culture Guide
Marcus Cillers Kruger
(North West)
Culture Guide
Jan Fourie
(Free State)
Nature Guide
Robert Charles Howell
(Western Cape)
Culture Guide
Apple @ J-Bay
(Eastern Cape)
Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME) 0 – R2.5 Mill
Elangeni Lodge
(Mpumalanga)
Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME) 0 – R2.5 Mill
Ubuhle be narha Tours
(Gauteng)
Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME) 0 – R2.5 Mill National Winner
TOURIST GUIDE AWARDS Nature Guide
B-BBEE AWARDS
City Lodge Hotels Limited
19 (Gauteng)
Large Enterprise
National Winner
22 See page numbers for more info.
NOVEMBER 2014
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Voted
SOUTH AFRICA'S BEST
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Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
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Voted
SOUTH AFRICA'S BEST
NOVEMBER 2014
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Voted
SOUTH AFRICA'S BEST
28 Carrington Avenue • Belgravia • Kimberley • 8301 +27 (0)53 832 7088 • info@oleander.co.za • www.oleander.co.za
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Voted
SOUTH AFRICA'S BEST
ONE VENUE - ALL OCCASSIONS WEDDINGS • CONFERENCES • ACCOMMODATION • WILDLIFE • t: +27 (0)82 896 2452 e: info@thabatshwene.co.za www.thabatshwene.co.za
café & rooms
PLETTENBERG BAY
GRAND CAFE & ROOMS 27 Main Street, Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa TEL: +27 (0)44 533 3301 www.GrandAfrica.com
NOVEMBER 2014
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Voted
SOUTH AFRICA'S BEST
drakensville@atkv.org.za | 036 438 6287 | www.drakensville.co.za | www.atkvoorde.co.za | www.facebook.com/ATKVOORDE
riverhotels.com
A heavan like place between sky and earth
live the farm life
AT SPIER HOTEL
Best Overall Environmental Management System In a secluded region of South Africa where the hand of man has brushed but slightly, you will find a secret gem. Tenahead Mountain Lodge is a spectacular 5 star country house situated 2500 meters above sea level, surrounded by the breath-taking Drakensburg, Witteberg and Maluti Mountains. The spacious living areas of the lodge explicate classic and calm interiors that are elegantly decorated. The seven luxurious en-suite rooms have been stylishly furnished to complement the lodge's rustic natural appearance. Tenahead is a magnificent treasure that offers a truly unique experience as if you we on top of the world. Contact Information: Tenahead Mountain Lodge & Spa Tel: +27 (0)45 971 8901/2 Fax: +27 (0)45 971 8903 tenahead@riverhotels.co.za
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LEGAL
RISK
IN TOURISM – PART 4 –
MONEY & PAYMENT In Part 1 (page 36 - August issue), I categorised risk into five categories, namely; 1. PEOPLE, 2. MONEY, 3. LAW, 4. SERVICE and 5. ECOLOGY. I will be dealing with the risk profile of each, i.e. broadly speaking the areas of risk that any business is exposed to can been allocated under these five categories.
cheque in order to record the supplier on the accounting system. Try and avoid the latter, and rather ask your bank to send the business a letter confirming you as the account holder.
In Part 2, (page 22 - September issue), I covered the category of 'People' under four sub-categories: Staff (discussed in Part 1); Third party service providers (‘TPSP’); and Business Associates.
• Have a clause in your T&C addressing e.g. interest, bank charges and lost/declined cheques;
Part 3 (page 24 - October issue), continued with 'People' as Customers. I will now discuss the 2nd category, namely 'Money'.
• Preferably insist on a bank cheque/bank guaranteed cheque;
CASH The original form of payment of course was barter. The latter has been resuscitated in recent years but is still mostly done on a handshake basis. Even the CPA refers to it i.e. the definition of ‘consideration’ includes ‘barter’! As with most agreements of course the danger lurks in areas such as who owns the intellectual property (‘IP’) i.e. copyright. And what about accountability and responsibility? It is therefore important to record even something as ‘trivial’ as a barter agreement in writing. Money as a form of payment eventually superseded/supplemented barter as a form of payment. Unfortunately as in all walks of life the creative con-artists evolved and as quickly as ‘the real thing’ and soon counterfeit currency appeared. Over time this ‘practice’ has become so sophisticated that very advanced equipment if required to identify counterfeits. It is made available mainly by banks and often at competitive prices and no cash business should be without it! Linked to such ‘blatant & direct’ fraud is the more sophisticated method of purportedly depositing cash into someone’s account and the ‘depositor’ having the cheek to fax/scan and e-mail the creditor the ‘deposit slip’! Suppliers are cautioned not to act upon such purported payments/deposit slips until payment has been verified with the bank and is reflected in the creditor’s bank account as received and cleared. Supplier T&C, invoice and statement should contain clauses to that effect. Cheque However antiquated the cheque may be, there are still some people using them, be it the account holder or business asking for a cancelled
If your client insist on paying you by cheque, then implement as many of the following safeguards as possible:
• See ‘cash’ above re the payment reflecting in your account • Ensure that the party issuing the cheque is the party you’ve contracted with, thus ensuring your T&C are applicable; • Do not accept personal cheques. If your have to pay by cheque, then implement the following safeguards: • Cross the cheque by writing in the top left corner in between two parallel lines ‘Account payee’ + ‘Not negotiable’ + ‘Not transferable’; • Delete ‘order’ (Above the amount in figures) and write above it ‘only’; • Payee: • Ensure that the payee’s full registered name as it appears (or should appear) on your records is stated on the cheque; • Do not use abbreviations; • Do not use a trading name (i.e. ‘trading as ….’); • If the name does not fill the space provided for on the cheque, draw a horizontal line to fill the space as possible to avoid any skulduggery!; • Never issue a personal cheque on behalf of your company or close corporation in order to avoid personal liability and ensure that below your signature you insert ‘for and on behalf of …’ followed by your business’ name. Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a brief overview of legal matters pertaining to the travel and tourism industry and is not intended as legal advice. © Adv Louis Nel, 'Louis The Lawyer', November 2014. NOVEMBER 2014
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