Tourism Tattler October 2016

ISSUE 10 | OCTOBER 2016

NEWS, VIEWS, AND REVIEWS FOR THE TRAVEL TRADE IN, TO AND OUT OF AFRICA

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Business • Conservation • Competition • Education • Events • Hospitality • Legal • • Marketing • Transport •

EDITORIAL

IN THIS ISSUE: ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2016 PUBLISHER Tourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd. PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320 KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Website: www.tourismtattler.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Des Langkilde Cell: +27 (0)82 374 7260 Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080 E-mail: editor@tourismtattler.com Skype: tourismtattler ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bev Langkilde Cell: +27 (0)71 224 9971 Fax: +27 (0)86 656 3860 E-mail: bev@tourismtattler.com Skype: bevtourismtattler

SUBSCRIPTIONS

http://eepurl.com/bocldD

BACK ISSUES (Click on the covers below). ▼ AUG 2016

EDITORIAL 04 Accreditation 05 World Tourism Conference - Rwanda BUSINESS 06 SATSA Market Intelligence Report 07 Global Tourist Arrivals Up 4% 09 Africa Tightens Visa Requirements

MAGAZINE ADVERTISING

▼ SEP 2016

CONTENTS

▼ JUL 2016

CONSERVATION 10 Lalibela Repopulates Game Reserve COMPETITION 12 Win 2 CDs: SA Jazz and Songs of Africa EDUCATION 13 Language Skills in Tourism 14 Top 6 Hospitality Degrees EVENTS 16 African Tourism Boards Head for London 17 Sports & Tourism Experts Gather for SETE 2016 HOSPITALITY 18 The Value of Accredited Grading Assessors 20 The Underestimated Value of Housekeeping

▼ JUN 2016

▼ MAY 2016

▼ APR 2016

LEGAL 21 Enforcing a Contract - Part 22 22 Adventure Tourism from a Legal Perspective - Part 4 MARKETING 23 6 Steps to Native Advertising Success 24 The Importance of Online Reviews TRANSPORT 26 Mercedes-Benz Future Van

▼ MAR 2016

▼ DEC 2015

▼ FEB 2016

▼ NOV 2015

▼ JAN 2016

▼ OCT 2015

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Adv. Louis Nel Alexander Kiting Josephine Wawira Martin Janse van Vuuren Paul Diverge Paul Reynell

Raylene Pienaar Refiloe Mothibe Simon Press Stine Bjerre Herdel Unathi Henama Vernon Wait

MAGAZINE SPONSORS 03 Sports & Events Tourism Exchange 08 World Travel Market 10 Lalibela Private Game Reserve 28 National Sea Rescue Institute

Disclaimer: The Tourism Tattler is published by Tourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd and is an official trade journal to Africa’s premium travel trade associations and trade events. 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, its partners, 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, its partners, its staff or 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.

02 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

PARTNER FEATURE

25 - 27 October 2016 Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Menlyn Tshwane The 6th edition of the Sports and Events Tourism Exchange will be hosted in a CONNECT format which will give delegates equal opportunity to attend the conference sessions and schedule one-on-one meetings with international buyers and local stakeholders.

Connect /kәˈnɛkt/ – bring together or into contact so that a real link/business relationship is established.

/SETE.ZA

Sports & Events Tourism Exchange Conference This year the following themes will be focused on:     

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What sponsors are looking for when supporting events; Technology and how it can boost your events visitor attendance/fans; How to measure return on investment of events; Travel behavior, trends and spend of golf tourists; Business opportunities that the 2022 Commonwealth Games could present; Importance of partnerships;

SPORTS & EVENTS TOURISM AWARDS CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The Sports & Events Tourism Awards taking place on the 26th October, is aimed at recognizing events that contribute to tourism growth, destination marketing, sports & event legacies and local economic development.

Event owners, host cities & sponsors can nominate events by submitting impact assessment reports along with supporting documentation of their events.

For more information go to www.sportsandevents.co.za/sports-and-events-tourismawards/ or contact Cathy@ThebeReed.co.za

AWARD CATEGORIES      

Best international event that contributes to tourism growth Best domestic event that contributes to tourism growth Best event Improving the brand profile of the destination Best event leaving a development legacy Best emerging township event contributing to local economic development Best event city or province

www.sportsandevents.co.za Organised by

Event partner

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 03

EDITORIAL

ACCREDITATION Official Travel Trade Journal and Media Partner to: The Africa Travel Association (ATA) Tel: +1 212 447 1357 • Email: info@africatravelassociation.org • Website: www.africatravelassociation.org ATA is a division of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), and a registered non-profit trade association in the USA, with headquarters in Washington, DC and chapters around the world. ATA is dedicated to promoting travel and tourism to Africa and strengthening intra-Africa partnerships. Established in 1975, ATA provides services to both the public and private sectors of the industry.

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: +27 86 186 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: +27 11 315 2420/1 • Fax: +27 11 315 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 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.

Tourism, Hotel Investment and Networking Conference 2016 Website: www.thincafrica.hvsconferences.com THINC Africa 2016 takes place in Cape Town from 6-7 September.

International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)

International Institute for Peace through Tourism

Website: www.tourismpartners.org ICTP is a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to Quality Services and Green Growth.

Website: www.iipt.org IIPT is dedicated to fostering tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation.

World Travel Market WTM Africa - Cape Town in April, WTM Latin America - São Paulo in April, and WTM - London in November. WTM is the place to do business.

The Safari Awards

World Luxury Hotel Awards Website: www.luxuryhotelawards.com World Luxury Hotel Awards is an international company that provides award recognition to the best hotels from all over the world.

04 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

Website: www.safariawards.com Safari Award finalists are amongst the top 3% in Africa and the winners are unquestionably the best.

EDITORIAL PARTNER FEATURE

41st Annual World Tourism Conference The Africa Travel Association (ATA), a division of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), is proud to announce its 41st Annual World Tourism Conference will take place November 14- 17, 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is collaborating on the event.

“The Government of Rwanda is privileged to host the Africa Travel Association’s 41st Annual World Tourism Congress delegates in Kigali, Rwanda,” said Francis Gatare, RBD CEO, “Rwanda has excellent infrastructure and an array of iconic tourism attractions that suits ATA’s event, and Kigali city has a special fascination to visitors. The Government of Rwanda is committed to working with Corporate Council on Africa to ensure that the event is successfully hosted in the country.”

This year’s Conference comes on the eve of 2017, which the United Nations designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The U.N. designation highlights the importance of sustainable tourism, and promotes business and investment opportunities related to tourism as well as intersecting sectors such as infrastructure, information and communications technology, health, real estate development, capacity building and finance.

The 41st Annual World Tourism Conference will be the first time ATA’s flagship conference is hosted under CCA leadership.

CCA is bringing a new emphasis on creating year-long strategic partnerships with attendees and members. Stephen Hayes, president and CEO of the CCA said, “This year’s conference will be a learning and networking opportunity, as well as a launching pad for the exciting work we will be doing with our members throughout the year. We have had great success in creating events that generate ongoing benefits and opportunities and we are pleased to be applying our expertise to the tourism industry.”

The Conference will bring together African leaders, international investors and travel professionals to set the tone for how tourism can be utilised as an engine for economic growth and job creation across the continent, through innovative business models, new technologies and strategic partnerships. The Conference will also provide a platform to network and explore new tourism markets and products including the promotion and preservation of Africa’s rich cultural heritage and wildlife.

“The Africa we want going forward into the next 50 years as envisioned by the African Union Agenda 2063, will start with a visit, in the trade and investment value chain,” said Hon Dr Walter Mzembi (MP), the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry of

RWANDA 14-17 NOVEMBER 2016

Zimbabwe, who is also the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa Chairperson and Africa’s candidate for the position of UNWTO Secretary general in 2017. “To get there we must guarantee barrier free, safe and secure travel that starts with Africa visiting itself, and charming the World with its pristine biodiversity and proliferating marine life secured in its “blue” bowels. The 2.4 billion population boom by 2050, and a fast emerging middle class combined with an ICT driven youth dividend makes Africa the most attractive source market beginning now, and will be mutually enjoyed by partners today that invest in its future. Take a position now,” African Tourism is a $44 billion (USD) industry according to Africa Tourism Monitor 2015: Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potential, a joint report by the African Development Bank (AfDB), New York University’s Africa House and ATA, and it is growing rapidly. The continent’s travel and hospitality industry has quadrupled in size in less than 15 years, and according to the UNWTO, Africa is one of the world’s fastest-growing tourist destinations, second only to Southeast Asia. Travel and tourism’s impact on the economic and social development of African countries can be enormous.

CCA acquired ATA in January 2016, and as a division of the CCA, is the leading global trade association promoting travel and tourism to Africa and strengthening intra-Africa partnerships.

Established in 1975, ATA serves both the public and private sectors of the international travel and tourism industry. ATA membership comprises African governments, their tourism ministers, tourism bureaus and boards, airlines, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, front-line travel sellers and providers, tour operators and travel agents, and affiliate industries. ATA partners with the African Union Commission (AU) to promote the sustainable development of tourism to and across Africa.

To learn more about ATA’s World Tourism Conference, visit the event page at conference.africatravelassociation.org About the CCA: The Corporate Council on Africa is the leading U.S. business association focused solely on connecting business interests in Africa. CCA serves as a neutral, trusted intermediary connecting its member firms with the essential government and business leaders they need to do business and succeed in Africa.

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 05

BUSINESS & FINANCE BUSINESS

Market Intelligence Report

The information below was extracted from data available as at 30 August 2016. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.

ARRIVALS

The latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to June 2016*: Current period

Change over same period last year

222 942

12.7%

UK Germany

142 092

20.7%

USA

163 257

18.6%

India

51 020

27.9%

China (incl Hong Kong) Overseas Arrivals

58 178

63.6%

1 170 148

18.6%

African Arrivals

3 793 492

14.5%

Total Foreign Arrivals

4 969 087

15.4%

Current period

Average Room Occupancy (ARO)

Average Room Rate (ARR)

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)

All Hotels in SA

63.3%

R 1 178

R 745

All 5-star hotels in SA

65.6%

R 2 177

R 1 428

All 4-star hotels in SA

62.8%

R 1 086

R 682

All 3-star hotels in SA

62.6%

R 914

R 572

Change over same period last year All Hotels in SA

3.8%

8.8%

12.9%

All 5-star hotels in SA

5.6%

10.8%

16.9%

All 4-star hotels in SA

4.8%

6.5%

11.6%

All 3-star hotels in SA

3.7%

5.5%

9.4%

ACSA DATA

The latest available data from ACSA is for July 2016:

Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on International Flights OR Tambo International

Passengers arriving on Regional Flights

Passengers arriving on Domestic Flights

3.1%

4.6%

7.2%

Cape Town International

9.8%

24.8%

7.3%

King Shaka International

18.9%

N/A

10.1%

CAR RENTAL DATA The latest available data from SAVRALA is for January to June 2015: Current period Industry rental days Industry utilisation Industry Average daily revenue

Change over same period last year

8 139 127

-1%

70.2%

-0.7%

2 498 944 728

1%

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESS International arrivals continue to recover from the low base in 2015. With the instability of the Rand, tourism enterprises are urged not to compete on a depreciating currency, but on a solid and quality value proposition. *Note that African Arrivals plus Overseas Arrivals do not add to Total Foreign Arrivals due to the exclusion of unspecified arrivals, which could not be allocated to either African or Overseas.

06 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

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

HOTEL STATS

The latest available data from STR Global is for January to June 2016:

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Global Tourist Arrivals

up 4% in 1st half of 2016 According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals worldwide grew by 4% between January and June 2016 compared to the same period last year. Destinations worldwide received 561 million international tourists (overnight visitors), 21 million more than in 2015.

In Africa (+5%), Sub-Saharan destinations rebounded strongly, while North Africa continued to report weak results. Limited data for the Middle East points to an estimated decrease of 9% in international arrivals this six-month period, though results vary from destination to destination.

Asia and the Pacific demonstrated renewed strength this first half of 2016, receiving 9% more international arrivals, the highest growth across world regions.

In the Americas, international arrivals increased by 4%, led by Central America and South America. Europe (+3%) showed mixed results, with solid growth in many destinations offset by weaker performance in others.

“Tourism has proven to be one of the most resilient economic sectors worldwide. It is creating jobs for millions, at a time when providing perspectives for a better future to people of all regions is one of our biggest challenges. But tourism is also creating bonds among people of all nations and backgrounds, bringing down stereotypes and fighting fear and distrust”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

“Safety and security are key pillars of tourism development and we need to strengthen our common action to build a safe, secure and seamless travel framework.

This is no time to build walls or point fingers; it is time to build an alliance based on a shared vision and a joint responsibility.” he added.

Regional Results Comparatively limited data available for Africa points to a 5% increase in international arrivals, with Sub-Saharan Africa (+12%) recovering vigorously, but North Africa down by 9%. International arrivals in the Middle East decreased by an estimated 9%, with mixed results among destinations.

Growth accelerated in Asia and the Pacific with international arrivals up 9% through June, driven by robust intraregional demand. Oceania (+10%) led growth, followed by North-East Asia, South-East Asia (both +9%) and South Asia (+7%).

International tourist arrivals to Europe grew by 3% between January and June 2016, with mixed results across destinations. Northern Europe and Central and Eastern Europe both recorded 5% more international arrivals. Though many destinations posted positive results, growth in both Western Europe (+1%) and Southern Mediterranean Europe (+2%) was slow.

International arrivals in the Americas were up 4% in the first half of the year, in line with the world average. Strong US outbound flows continued to benefit many destinations across the region.

Central America and South America (both +6%) led growth, while arrivals in both the Caribbean and North America grew by 4%.

Positive prospects for the second half of the year The first half of the year typically accounts for around 46% of the total international arrivals count of the year. For the remainder of 2016 prospects are positive overall. Countries that have already reported results till July or August show continued growth in the current Northern Hemisphere summer peak season.

The UNWTO Panel of Experts evaluated the period May-August also favourably and remains confident about the SeptemberDecember period. Confidence is highest in Africa, the Americas and Asia and the Pacific.

Demand for travel abroad varies across source markets China, the world’s top source market, continued to report double-digit growth in expenditure on international travel (+20% in the first quarter of 2016), benefiting destinations in the region and beyond. The United States, the world’s second largest market, increased expenditure on outbound travel by 8% through July, thanks to a strong currency. Third largest market, Germany, reported a 4% increase in expenditure through July. Other markets that showed robust demand for outbound travel in the first half of 2016 were Spain (+20%), Norway (+11%), Australia (+10%) and Japan (+6%).

Meanwhile expenditure from the Russian Federation and Brazil continues to be weak, reflecting the economic constraints and depreciated currencies in both markets.

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 07

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08 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

Africa Tightens Business Visa Requirements Some African countries are getting stricter in terms of their visa requirements. They often require not only a letter of invitation and an itinerary, but also proof of company registration, bank-account statements, taxclearance certificates and a minimum bank balance.

By Raylene Pienaar Contrary to the article published in Tourism Tattler last month (see Visas in Africa for African Travellers - Ed.), some African countries are getting stricter in terms of their requirements. Two, three years ago you could get away with the minimum. Now they are really strict.

Some African countries also require all documents to be translated into the local language, while still others require a tax-clearance certificate in addition to the other paperwork. Foreigners working for South African companies need to produce a residence or work permit valid for at least six months.

While South Africans do not require business visas for many countries – and especially those within the South African Development Community – those requiring permits are becoming more demanding.

If there’s not a six-month validity period, they will not consider the application. South African passport holders also have to ensure their passports are valid for at least six months.

Apart from a written invitation from a local company, South African passport holders also need to provide a letter from their company in South Africa, a certificate of incorporation and three months’ bank statements, reflecting a balance of at least R18 000.

They’re also very particular about the documentation. So, for example, to visit Nigeria, Angola and Ghana, you cannot just have any letter of invitation. It needs to be very specific. The addressee is specific and the name on the invitation has to be exactly the same as what’s in the traveller’s passport. For example, if your name is William but everybody calls you Bill, the invitation has to be addressed to William.

Business travellers are urged to make sure they are acquainted with whether they require visas, as well as with the documents needed, as it be can be arduous and expensive to get an emergency visa (if the option exists). Business travellers need to start thinking about getting their visas as soon as they start planning their trip. They can no longer afford to wait until the last minute. Forewarned is forearmed when it comes to securing a business visa.

Below are a few frequently asked questions from South Africans about securing business visas:

FAQ on securing a business visa for South African business travellers Q: Which countries require business visas?

South African passport holders don’t need business visas for Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. They do, however, require visas for Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Q: Do I have to apply from South Africa?

Several countries, such as Tanzania and Rwanda, allow you to procure your visa on arrival. For others, such as Angola, Nigeria, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, you need to apply before you fly.

Q: What if I have a foreign passport?

Then you generally need a visa. But you can get it on arrival in many countries, including Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Q: Is a business visa more expensive?

There is generally little difference between the cost

of business and tourist visas. However, for Tanzania, a business visa is 30% more expensive than a tourist visa.

Q: How long does it take to process?

Business visas typically take longer to process than tourism visas because you are required to produce more documentation.

Q: How do I pay?

It differs from country to country, but the most common is a bank transfer / deposit. Nigeria allows you to pay online, but you have to use your personal credit card. Ghana however deems that the only acceptable proof of payment is a bank deposit slip and does not allow electronic fund transfers (EFT).

You should contact the relevant consulate to find out which form of payment is deemed acceptable.

Q: What if I don’t have much time to get a visa?

Some countries will allow you apply for an emergency visa, which is typically more expensive. Ghana and Angola, for example, both offer emergency visas. For Angola, it takes three days to process and, once the visa is issued, the traveller has 72 hours to arrive in Angola. Travellers on emergency visas to Angola may only stay for seven days.

Nigeria has two options: express and regular. The express option takes anything from 48 hours to four days, while the regular option takes between seven and 10 days. The difference in cost between the two visas is about R500.

About the author: Raylene Pienaar is the General Manager of Corporate Traveller - a travel management company based in South Africa and a division of the Flight Centre Travel Group.

For more information visit www.corporatetraveller.co.za OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 09

CONSERVATION

Watch video footage of these animals being released at Lalibela Game Reserve: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpqlKdkJYCk and www.youtube.com/watch?v=sieSGXHHsxM

10 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

CONSERVATION SPONSORED FEATURE

Lalibela Repopulates Game Reserve The three main aspects of any African safari are the gameviewing, the accommodation and the food, but the main reason why tourists go on safari is game viewing and, as an inbound industry, we should try to remember this as there is sometimes a risk that we allow other, less significant, factors to determine where we send our clients for their safari experience.

By Vernon Wait.

Since the sale of Lalibela Game Reserve to new owners in late July 2016 (read more here) and the acquisition of additional land, the reserve now stretches over 8,555 hectares (approximately 21,140 acres), with the Big-5 area now being some 7,000 hectares combined with the adjacent breeding area of some 1,500 hectares.

Lalibela is unique in the Eastern Cape in that it has substantial areas of savannah grassland, the vegetation type with the highest carrying capacity for herbivore grazing. This is a very significant asset because it means that Lalibela is able to sustain vast herds of plains game and this, in turn, determines the number of predators that Lalibela can have. Lalibela has the densest population of free-roaming predators in the Eastern Cape. To determine the ideal carrying capacity of game on the reserve, based on the five flora biomes found here, Lalibela recently commissioned a team of game management experts. Their analysis determined the ideal numbers of various species of game. There have been significant purchases of game which have been introduced to both the “Big-5 area” as well as in the new breeding area. Additional to the game repopulation programme, Lalibela also has embarked on a long term project that aims to eradicate alien invasive plant species and re-establish the endemic flora (read more on this aspect here).

“To date an additional 19 Cape buffalo have been purchased as well as over 200 black wildebeest, 42 zebra and numerous kudu, giraffe, impala, and blesbok. This is an on-going process and we have a while still to go with more game purchases in the pipeline. We have a plan and a vision that we are working towards” said Rob Gradwell, MD of Lalibela. “Our conservation vision is to have the flora and fauna at Lalibela in equilibrium with itself. Because of this pro-active game management approach and the large areas of savannah grassland

which sustain dense populations, game viewing is always excellent at Lalibela and this is reflected in the reviews that we get from visitors,” concludes Gradwell.

Being curious about Rob’s statement regarding visitor experience reviews, I had a look at Booking.com, which encourages their customers to review properties that they stay at. Guests are asked to rate their experience by giving scores out of 10. With 113 reviews, Lalibela has an aggregated score of 9.5, which is excellent when compared against the six other, similar properties in the area.

Since game-viewing is the principle reason for guests visiting game reserves, a logical conclusion of the high overall ranking of 9.5 is that the game experience at Lalibela is of a superior standard.

TripAdvisor reviews are also a good barometer. I had a look at some of the comments and the quality of the game viewing experience is certainly a common thread, which backs up the high Booking.com score. Comments like “We saw lions roaring in the dark, elephants, buffalo, rhino, hippo, deer (sic), antelope, giraffe, cheetah, zebra and lots of other animals…”; “… the experience of seeing the big five is inexplicable…”; and “What can one say apart from the statement that words and photos cannot capture the beauty, spirit and peace of this reserve, both the landscape and the wildlife.”

“There is an old proverb: ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’”, says Rob Gradwell “After all, you don’t know the quality of something until you have experienced it yourself. So why not contact Lalibela and do just that.”

For reservations email stay@lalibela.co.za or visit www.lalibela.net

About the Author: Vernon Wait is an owner of Pembury Tours - a leading SATSA accredited tour operator established in 1996, offering tour itineraries across Southern and Eastern Africa. For more information visit www.pemburytours.com OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 11

COMPETITION

The winning 'Like' or 'Share' during the month of October 2016 will receive 2 CDs: 1x Essential South African Jazz (the Jo’burg sessions) CD plus 1x Songs & Stories of Africa CD with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

Wi n

'Like' / 'Share' / 'Connect' with these Social Media icons to win!

Livingston Supply Company

+

TourismTattler Competition Rules: Only one winner will be selected each month on a random selection draw basis. The prize winner will be notified via social media. The prize will be delivered by the sponsor to the winners postal address within South Africa.

Should the winner reside outside of South Africa, delivery charges may be applicable. The prize may not be exchanged for cash.

•

Win ne r

Congratulations to our August 2016 Social Media winner

@PrideLodgesZA

Specialising in the lodges of the Sabi Sand Reserve, Pride Lodges has been selected as our prize winner for August.

Pride Lodges will receive 1x Kalahari fragrance candle (wild honey blend) plus 2x Glodina Luxury Hand towels (710gsm – Storm blue colour) with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

For more information visit www.livingstonessupplyco.com

12 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

EDUCATION

LANGUAGE SKILLS&Tourism Tourism is the only sector that can alleviate the challenges of unemployment, but South Africans must learn as many international languages as possible, and that starts at school level.

By Unathi Henama I have noted before that tourism is the only sector that can alleviate the immediate challenges of more than 27% unemployment and create the jobs that will restore human dignity to the majority of our citizens.

South Africa remains a dream deferred if the majority of its citizens are faced by the daily reality of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Another worrying factor is that South Africans have low levels of patriotism, maybe because of our divided past and that we are still in the infancy of national state building. What always comes as a shock is our ability to be the worst advertisers of the most beautiful country in the world. South Africans ability to talk bad about their country is second to none and this has a knock on effect on tourism. We don’t have pride as citizens, which is an important ingredient in the tourist experience when engaging with locals.

Anyway back to the issue of language skill, its imperative that South Africans learn as many international languages as possible.

This would of great benefit to the citizens of the country as this would open up employment opportunities in tourism domestically and in other countries. The reason is linked to the fact that many tourist companies are compelled to hire foreign labour because of proficiency in several international languages such as French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Increasingly the emergence of Chinese outbound tourism, means that Mandarin is a language of interest.

South Africa as a former British colony has great English proficiency which has always been a strong point when the Tourism White Paper was finalised in 1996. A glance at the major international inbound markets indicates that UK, USA, Germany, France and China when one looks at tourists statistics. In as much as the UK and USA can be English proficient, they are experiencing demographic changes that mean that they can’t be regarded as purely English speaking markets. Visit Florida Miami and you will get an idea of how much Spanish has become the norm rather than the exception.

The National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS) creates a vision that South Africa must be in the top 20 tourism destinations by 2020, which is just around the corner. So now what is to be done.

The institutional arrangements where the destiny of the tourism industry is not defined by one department is a challenge, which reflects the cross-cutting and complex nature of a tourism.

For example, Mauritius seeking to use tourism as the number one economic sector took a decision to ensure that each learner at school learns three language, French, English and Creole, the local language. This has meant that Mauritius is able to cater for the two prominent international languages and this has a knock-on effect on the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. Mauritius is able to present a more cost effective call centre product because each potential employee can speak both English and French, which is not the case in South Africa. As many French speaking African increasingly come to experience the beauty of South Africa, their service experience is dampened by the low levels of French proficiency. Tourism companies in the pursuit of French speaking employees, are then forced to hire foreign labour. This foreign labour then leads to economic leakage which limits the developmental potential and ability of the tourism industry as they send remittances to their home countries.

This is the unspoken reality of tourism employment, tourists want to be served in their own language. Now South Africa must take a decision, whether it will seek to devise plans to increase international language teaching in the schooling system.

If international language training is able to reduce unemployment, poverty and inequality, then let’s support it. This is part of the broader conversation we should be having as part of the Tourism Red Tape Initiative (TRTI), which seeks to create an institutional framework that will identify across all government departments, the stumbling blocks stifling the growth of the tourism to create jobs and drive the economy.

About the Author: Unathi Sonwabile Henama teaches tourism at the Department of Tourism Management at the Tshwane University of Technology. The views expressed in this article are private.

Unathi can be contacted via email at: HenamaUS@tut.ac.za or by calling: +27 (0)12 382 5507.

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 13

EDUCATION

Top 6 Hospitality

The hospitality industry is always being pursued by job seekers due to the numerous opportunities presented by hotels, restaurants, resorts, casinos and theme parks among other related institutions.

By Josephine Wawira With the tourism industry booming worldwide (see UNWTO report in page 07), the hospitality sector in particular is bombarded with employment applications from aspirant job seekers.

Degree in Hotel Administration

Possessing a formal qualification from a recognised education institution will certainly support your job application. As the six degrees shown here equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills, they also provide an opportunity to become self employed; making them all worth a try. They are offered in numerous universities and colleges across the globe.

Studying Hotel Administration enables students to understand the market in a manner in which they can research, analyse and teach on trends in the hospitality industry. The program enables participants to develop wide-ranging knowledge and expertise with a solid foundation in driving the industry. Possible jobs in this program include, but are not limited to, hotel managers/administrators and hospitality industry analysts, consultants, corporate staff positions and casino managers among others.

Degree in Hospitality Management

Degree in Dietetics and Nutrition

Students undertaking hospitality management studies become knowledgeable in the dynamics of management in commercial food service operations, which include fast food restaurants.

Diet and its effects on health is one of the most crucial factors that determine the success of any hospitality business. Hygiene is key in ensuring customer retention for commercial food service providers; and therefore it is important for these businesses to have professional knowledgeable on nutrition and dietetics to ensure food safety for quality food service delivery. The program provides job opportunities in food safety, dietetics lecturing, event and meeting management, and airline catering among others.

With relevant qualifications and skills, graduates are highly employable as a: hotel manager, fast food restaurant manager, restaurant manager, accommodation manager, public house manager, customer service manager and retail manager among others.

14 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

Degree Programmes

EDUCATION

Degree in Travel Industry Management

Hospitality & Catering Degree

A degree in Travel Industry Management provides a multidisciplinary and fundamental understanding of both national and international relations with regard to the travel and tourism industry, whose contribution rose to 9.8% of world GDP at US$7.2 trillion; according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. The program offers the foundation for divergent careers such as a director of cultural programs for governments/organizations or even a minister of tourism portfolio, to mention but a few.

Taking a course in hospitality and catering prepares students to understand areas of gastronomy and culture, culinary art, nutrition, health and safety among others. The program tends to be practical and vocational in nature and careers will include being a chef, caterer, events management, etc.

Language Translation and Interpretation This is a field that in recent years has attracted attention as stakeholders in the hospitality industry seek to eliminate language barriers; be it for international travellers or during international conferences and events. Professionals in linguistics are able to interpret one spoken language to another, either simultaneously or consecutively as well as translate written documents in languages they choose to specialise in. With an increase in Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE) across the world, different languages are brought together and language translation therefore becomes highly sought after. There is still a large gap in meeting the demand in this profession and taking up this program might just be the beginning of a life-long rewarding career.

It is important to note that the hospitality industry is on a continuous upward trajectory and the need for skilled labour in the different areas related to the industry will also continue to rise. If any of these is the career path you intend to take, ensure that you do a comprehensive background check on your field of interest to ensure that after investing in your education, you will end up not only in a remunerative career but most importantly a motivating one.

About the author: Josephine Wawira is a Global PR Assistant at Jumia Travel - Africa’s No.1 hotel booking website, allowing you to get the best prices for more than 25,000 hotels in Africa and more than 200,000 hotels around the world.

For more information visit the Jumia website at: www.travel.jumia.com OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 15

EVENTS PARTNER FEATURE

Africa Heads for London Visitors to WTM London 2016 will have the opportunity to talk to all the major African tourist boards as the region continues to raise its profile at the leading global event for the travel industry.

By Simon Press From established destinations such as Egypt and Morocco to emerging destinations such as Botswana and Senegal, Africa will have a presence at this year’s WTM London event to reinforce its potential to become one of the travel and tourism industry’s most important regions.

For example, more than 30 suppliers will be exhibiting as part of the Tanzania Tourism Board’s stand, ranging from coastal hotels to upmarket safari lodges.

The Egyptian Tourism Authority will relaunch its Red Sea Riviera logo for marketing activities in the UK, as part of plans to extend the Red Sea Riviera brand to other resorts.

Tourism boards from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are each taking individual stands but working together to create an area devoted to East Africa tourism.

Kenya in particular is looking forward to a busy three days as it prepares to build on the success of Born Free’s Year of the Lion which highlighted the plight of lions in the wild to mark the 50th anniversary of the classic film based on Joy Adamson’s book of the same name.

16 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

Other confirmed tourism board exhibitors include South Africa, Ghana, Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius and St Helena.

Elsewhere, Go Zambia, a consortium of tour operators, accommodations and activity partners across Zambia, is exhibiting at WTM London for the first time. The country is home to Victoria Falls, one of the World’s Seven Natural Wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ethiopa’s Dinknesh Tours and the Egyptian upmarket resort of Sahl Hasheesh are also making their WTM debuts this year.

From established destinations such as Egypt, Morocco and South Africa to the exciting East African collaboration, Africa’s presence continues to grow not only as part of WTM London but also as a significant player in the global travel and tourism industry.

WTM London is the event where the travel and tourism industry conducts its business deals. Buyers from the WTM Buyers Club have a combined purchasing responsibility of £22.6 billion (£15.8bn) and sign deals at the event worth $3.6 billion (£2.5bn).

WTM London 2016 will be revamped as a three-day event from Monday 7 – Wednesday 9 November, with opening hours extended from 10am – 7pm for all three days.

Buyers and visitors can also learn about new hotel properties in the pipeline, such as the Kempinski Gold Coast City Accra. The hotel About the author: Simon Press is a Senior in the centre of the Ghanaian capital will be West Africa’s largest luxury spa when it opens Director at WTM London - the leading global event for the travel industry were almost in early 2017.

50,000 senior travel industry professionals, Africa is growing as a tourism destination government ministers and international press, and this year’s WTM London 2016 is an embark on ExCeL – London every November ideal opportunity for buyers to immerse to network, negotiate and discover the themselves in this region’s dynamic and latest industry opinion and trends. For more varied tourism product. information visit www.wtmworld.com

EVENTS PARTNER FEATURE

Sports & Tourism

EXPERTS Gather for SETE 2016 The 6th Sports & Events Tourism Exchange CONNECT EDITION, hosted by the City of Tshwane, from 25 to 27 October 2016, has already attracted a panel of experts from an array of countries to share leading global-trends with local audiences.

By Paul Reynell These Captains of Industry include Mike Keech of Impact Sponsorship, Ed Schmidt “the Golf Travel Guru”, and Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark.

Sharing knowledge gained from more than 25 years in multiple sports codes, brands, agencies, global properties, and athlete management, Keech’s speech will touch on topics such as sales, education, strategy to delivery, management, contracts, reporting and renewal of agreements.

Lundov’s main focus as head of the national Danish sports event organization has been the securing of more than 250 major international sports events for Denmark. The lessons Lundov will share could have groundbreaking economic and social impact in South Africa and beyond.

Schmidt, publisher of the popular website The Golf Travel Guru, has written three books and more than 3 000 articles and columns which have been published in international, national and regional publications/ websites.

His insight into content marketing of sports events, franchises and individuals, both long form and via social media, promises to be extremely valuable.

The Sports & Events Tourism Exchange, organised by Thebe Reed Exhibitions in partnership with National Department of Tourism, is considered a game-changer for the South African tourism landscape. The conference will be held at the Protea Fire & Ice! Menlyn.

For more information visit: www.thebereed.co.za/sportsandevents.co.za About Thebe Reed Exhibitions Thebe Reed Exhibitions is a joint venture agreement between Thebe Tourism Group Pty Limited and Reed Exhibitions. It is Southern Africa’s most forward thinking and successful exhibition and venue management company responsible for exhibitions such as the Africa Travel Week consisting of ILTM Africa, ibtm africa and WTM® Africa; the Small Business Expo; #BuyaBusiness Expo; Decorex SA; 100% Design South Africa; Africa Automation Fair; Mediatech Africa and the Sports & Events Tourism Exchange (SETE). Thebe Reed Exhibitions aims to provide the best platform for showcasing industries and nurturing business and networking opportunities on the African continent. www.ThebeReed.co.za www.sportsandevents.co.za

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 17

HOSPITALITY

The Value of

Accredited

GRADING ASSESSORS What exactly does an Accredited Grading Assessor do, and why are their jobs so important?

O

By Refiloe Mothibe

ne of the things that makes travel so exciting is its wild unpredictability. A tourist may have an inkling of what a destination is like from the Internet or TV, but tasting the mustard on a hot dog in Central Park is very different to reading a review of the experience. That unpredictability is what makes travel exciting – but it also means that when it comes to accommodation, it can be comforting for a traveller to know exactly what they’re getting.

That’s why the work of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa’s (TGCSA) Accredited Grading Assessors is crucial. Think of it this way: if a visitor fancies a little luxury when they’re on holiday – soft gowns, in-room wifi and the option of a good cup of coffee from their filter machine when they wake up – they’d be disappointed to find that the five-star hotel they had so carefully researched offers none of these amenities.

In a word, it’s about uniformity. And while that might not sound like the most exciting concept, it’s the bedrock on which an efficient and successful tourism industry is built.

This is where grading assessors come in. TGCSA works with a team of carefully vetted individuals with extensive experience in the hospitality industry to ensure that

18 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

HOSPITALITY

accommodation and conferencing establishments’ standards in South Africa are not only globally competitive, but most importantly what they promise to be. Grading assessors need to be confident, accurate, knowledgeable and mindful during their assessments.

Attention to detail and knowing what to look for during the grading process is what makes quality assurance a success. The TGCSA ensures that assessors are able to do this through the Annual Assessors Conference* where they receive refresher training and accreditation from the TGCSA. Ad hoc workshops are also are also conducted which are in line with the TGCSA objectives. This ensures consistency of graded establishments and the assessors themselves within the tourism industry.

Assessors use the same principle applied by leading global brands to ensure consistency in the experiences provided by their brands: wherever in the world you experience the brand, your experience should be the same. Thus, a traveller who has, in the past, booked into a three-star bed and breakfast anywhere in South Africa and was happy with the service and product provided would expect to encounter the same quality standards at another establishment offering the same type of accommodation, with the same star grading status.

There is no better judge of an establishment or service than a paying guest or customer, hence the development of the Tourism Analytical Program (TAP). The team now have access to this honest and informative online platform developed by the TGCSA, which provides a holistic assessment of an establishment straight form the horse’s mouth, so to speak. This online platform aids and allows assessors access to guest reviews about their experiences at the various establishments, which in turn allows for improvements and amendments where necessary.

Of course, one person’s impression of a venue may be dramatically different from that of their friend – perhaps the establishment’s service was a bit off that day, or maybe their definition of what constitutes ‘luxury’ is different. This is why assessors work according to a stringent set of criteria and minimum requirements of entry.

These criteria and requirements outline what must be in place for an establishment to qualify for a certain number of stars, ensuring that the process is as open and objective as possible. Rather than basing the criteria and requirements on nebulous factors, like

the view or vibe, the TGCSA globally benchmarked standards take a pragmatic look at the type of linen on offer, the type of flooring in place, curtains and window coverings, the quality of the furnishings, electronics and accessories, security, spaciousness and even the wardrobes to name a few.

Also important is the fact that different establishments offer different types of experiences. For example, at a game lodge, the experience is just as important as the accommodation itself.

Similarly, it may not be possible for a guest house to provide the same atmosphere as a hotel – and it wouldn’t be fair to compare a self-catering establishment to either of these. This is why different criteria have been laid out for each of the different accommodation types, from game and nature lodges to backpackers and hostels, campsites and meetings, exhibitions and special events venues.

It’s worth noting that establishment owners usually have an idea of how many stars they might be able to earn. TGCSA encourages this self-grading, but also reminds owners that it’s important to be realistic. Once they have applied online for assessment, owners can then select the assessor they feel is best suited to adjudge their property. Assessors enjoy working with property owners to ensure they know exactly how the process works, what it costs and how they will benefit. They’re also on hand to advise on how to improve a star grading through possible quality and service enhancements.

Ultimately, while every accommodation owner may dream of securing a five star grading, it’s worth remembering that not all tourists have the budget – or desire – for this kind of experience.

What they do want, however, is to know that they’re getting what they signed up for. And when they do, they have the TGCSA assessors to thank.

For more information visit the recently revamped TGCSA website at www.tourismgrading.co.za *The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa hosted its Annual Assessor Conference at the Riverside Sun Hotel from 25 to 27 September to co-incide with Tourism Month. One of the many key themes at this year’s conference was Universal Accessibility, keeping in line with the national campaign of #TourismForAll for Tourism Month.

Be inspired. Watch the TGCSA video at: https://youtu.be/Clwd4r70EhU About the author: Refiloe Mothibe is an Account Executive at FCBJOBURG. www.fcb.co.za Image: Long Lee Manor Bedroom, Shamwari OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 19

HOSPITALITY

The Underestimated Value of

HOUSEKEEPING There are many factors that contribute to a guests’ enjoyable stay, however, one aspect that is often underestimated and overlooked is the housekeeping.

By Paul Duverge There are various departments in the workings of a hotel that greatly contribute to an enjoyable stay for their guests. When staying at a five star establishment, small things like a warm welcome at the door or a speedy check-in time can greatly improve a guest’s overall impression. However, one aspect of a guests’ stay that is often underestimated and overlooked is the housekeeping.

Housekeeping is a vital mechanic that has the potential to make or break an establishment’s reputation. The way in which a room is cleaned, tidied and presented to its guests is in direct relation to the level of service the hotel prides themselves on. Housekeeping provides guests with a clear indication of how they are valued.

Dependent on the rating of the hotel at which you stay, standards and the level of housekeeping may vary. Remember, hotels with various ratings may not provide the same service. However, having said this, no hotel should compromise on the cleanliness of their establishment.

Housekeeping is comprised of many different aspects such as the cleaning of guest rooms, public areas, carpets, furniture, metal

20 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

wares, et cetera. For many hotels, big and small, the housekeeping staff are the unsung heroes of their establishment and more often than not go unnoticed. Housekeeping staff ensure that the rooms are cleaned daily, stocked with in-room amenities and that common areas like the reception and restaurants are presentable, tidy and welcoming.

Although housekeeping staff do not necessarily interact with their guests on a daily basis, the quality of their service is critical in moulding the experience and memories their visitors will take with them when they leave. A guest who has had a wonderful experience at a hotel will most likely return in future, ensuring customer loyalty for the business.

The role of housekeeping staff is vital for any hotel that wants to maintain a high level of success in the hospitality industry.

Housekeeping is not just about cleanliness, but is in fact about the standard. It is one of the most important services a hotel can offer and therefore time should be dedicated to training staff correctly to ensure an enjoyable and pleasurable experience is had for their guests.

About the author: Paul Duverge is the General Manager of the Menlyn Boutique Hotel. Situated in the heart of the Tshwane Metropole, The Menlyn Boutique Hotel provides a 5-star hotel offering the industry’s best in luxury accommodation, fine dining and premium conferencing.

For more information visit: www.menlynhotel.com

It’s not about the number, the exposure or even the CTR. Follow these 6 steps if you want native advertising success.

By Stine Bjerre Herdel.

Few companies who have the money to buy media space in the form of branded content are aware of the production process behind native advertising content, which determines if the campaign will be successful or not. So what follows is targeted advice for native advertising success – based on experience.

The ideal process behind native advertising success follows these six steps: 1. Accept that time is a good thing The typical experience with a client who wants to run a campaign with sponsored content is that they want it – and they want it RIGHT NOW. They have a campaign budget and a product/message that needs to go out in May, so they call in the beginning of May to book a native campaign for… the beginning of May. This is a bad idea. Native advertising is strategic storytelling, and you cannot just do that overnight.

2. Use journalists or other skilled writers, not (only) marketers It is not that I do not like marketers. But when it comes to Native Advertising, their roles have to fade into the background at some point. The time comes when the campaign has been booked and the production is about to begin.

At this point it is important that the company is available with sources, cases, and strategic communications contacts, so that the person writing the story has a nuanced, human, toolbox to dive into. You can truly create more authentic, human, fascinating, an engaging stories if you have a super-skilled expert-nerd writing the story.

3. Allocate internal resources to create good stories (REALLY good stories) If you, as a company, think that you can “order 6 good stories for the native campaign in xx media”, and then just lean back, relax, and wait for the results, you are in for a surprise. Best-case scenario is that you are wrong. Worst case scenario is

6 Steps to

MARKETING

NATIVE ADVERTISING

Success

that you are wasting a lot of money and a lot of time. You cannot grab good stories out of thin air.

My advice: Give access to anyone and everything that may be available to deliver facts, inspiration, anecdotes, advice, etc. Give us something real; an awesome story with real knowledge. Something fascinating or relevant – that is what native advertising is about. It is ok if it is also about your product, but please: Make sure it actually creates value to the reader and is told in an interesting way. Which brings us nicely along to my 4th process point: 4. Quantity is not a parameter for success.

Quality is Make sure the native content is well thought out on all parameters. Think about whether, or how, the story: • Reaches the medium’s audience spot-on – right now (think newsjacking, customer journey, annual cycle of activities, etc.)

• Is as engaging as possible • Is as fascinating as possible • Creates as much value as possible • Is as sharable as possible (this will really multiply your results) 5. We are working with “fluffy” material here. Adjust your KPI’s accordingly Native advertising can be a fluffy thing when it comes to measuring, especially if you’re the type of person who likes a cold-hard ROI. Usually we spend a lot of time looking at impressions, CTR (Click through rates), leads, and sales, when we’re discussing traditional banner campaigns.

CTR is definitely still interesting and relevant for native campaigns, because it indicates how many people are showing interest by clicking into the article. But that is where I personally believe the relevance stops. Because what does it help if readers click on it, if they click right back out again?

It is far more relevant to look at the factor known as “Time Spent”; that is, how long they spend reading the article. Time spent can be very high when it comes to native, and that means that readers are actually choosing to spend several minutes of their valuable time – with your brand! How often does that happen?

6. Do it well. Anything else is killing native AND journalism (and we don’t want that) At the start of this article I wrote that I would explain why I believe it is so important to focus on the process behind native advertising: My hypothesis is that we will far too easily water out native advertising if we do not respect that it is a special format that comes to life under special conditions. It is not a product ad. It is not an advertorial. It is not a banner ad. It should not just “look as much like the other stuff in the magazine as possible.”

Native advertising is strategic storytelling.

It is good stories communicated with ideal respect for the reader and for the identity and the content of the media in which is brought. It is an honest format, which should never cheat its way to more readers through link-bait articles, or by pretending to be editorial content. Native stories should be of a high enough quality that the readers choose to read them, even though they can tell that a company has sponsored the content.

Most importantly: Native must never disturb or take priority over the editorial content.

Native advertising survives on a strong editorial identity and journalistic credibility in a responsible medium. If you slack on credibility and integrity, native cannot survive.

It will die. As will the media. And there goes a great business model. So do it well.

About the author: Stine Bjerre Herdel is the Nordic Concept & Content Lead at Nordea in Denmark.

Published with acknowledgement to the Native Advertising Institute, who help marketers become successfull with native advertising by providing insights and tools such as case studies, best practices, how-to guides, analysis, industry news and research. www.nativeadvertisinginstitute.com

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 21

MARKETING

The Importance Of

Online Reviews Many people who are travelling, use online reviews to help them figure out where to stay and where they should go eat while in town. Very often, they will use Online Travel Agency review sites to help them make their decisions, even if they don’t book the trip online.

By Alexander Kitingan Reviews that have been written by real people are trusted over any advertisement that the business itself may publish. Even though there have been known to be fake reviews, people are on the lookout for them and still use online reviews to make decisions.

Hotel and restaurant managers have started using reviews to give them an advantage. It’s an excellent resource for finding out just how well the establishment is taking care of its guests. This is an excellent way to spot any problems in the services they offer and will allow them to take the appropriate measures to remedy these situations which leads to greater customer satisfaction.

Hotels and restaurants must monitor and respond to reviews and will need to put systems in place to take care of them. A large hotel is more likely to have a dedicated team who can handle this.

Regardless of whether it’s a negative or positive review or comment, your business will need to respond.

22 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

These are excellent opportunities allowing you to talk to and engage with your guests to better serve them.

It is quite easy to reply to reviews that are positive but you still have to be careful. You need to say nothing more than “Thank You” for positive reviews. You don’t need to give them any type of compensation since that may actually look like a bribe being given for good reviews.

Positive feedback is always welcome and the fact is that most people who leave online reviews end up giving a positive review.

Some restaurants use their ratings as a way to attract new guests by actually having signs on their door letting people know that they have good reviews on Yelp. Widgets on a website can be used to highlight ratings on TripAdvisor and Yelp and can be used to link customers to web pages that have the reviews posted on them.

MARKETING

Respond to comments within 24 hours If you get a negative review or comment, you should respond right away. Be sure that when you respond, you address the areas of concern that guest brought up and how you are going to fix it.

You need to make sure that you follow up on these issues and take care of the problems, otherwise, you will continue to get negative reviews and when the same problem shows up in the comments, it will appear to anyone reading that you really don’t care.

You have to be aware that people are more apt to be rude when they are leaving a review online because they are not face to face. Try not to take it personal. You will need to read beyond the rudeness and instead focus on the experience. If the review points to any particular person, address these problems in private.

There should be one person who handles online comments or reviews. If you have the resources, a team can be assigned to reviews. Be sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to representing your brand and have a predetermined process for dealing with negative reviews. Be sure that you respond to any comments within 24 hours.

A situation may call for you to respond privately. However, if the customer is claiming a situation that could not have happened, such as, complaining about a menu item that you don’t even serve, a public response is a great way to clear up this confusion.

Even if you get a negative comment or review, this gives you an opportunity to show people that you actually care by taking care of the problem and the guest. This negative review now shows prospective customers that you will do everything in your power to make things right.

When you do respond to a comment, be sure to use the guest’s name and thank them for responding. You want to apologize for the experience. Be sure to sympathize with them and that you understand why they should feel the way they do. If you have their contact information, be sure that you send compensation if the situation warrants it. If you are unsure of what to give for compensation, just ask the guest what you can do to make it right.

Most people are honest and will be fair.

When you are in the hospitality business, whether you own a hotel, a restaurant or any type of establishment where you service people, word of mouth is one of the best types of advertisement and in this online age, it’s more important than ever. Be sure that you have a plan or person in place to deal with online reviews and that you use the reviews to improve your service and to go above and beyond your guests’ expectations.

About the author: Alexander Kitingan is a successful marketer and two time Amazon Kindle best selling co-author. Learn more about Alexander and his powerful and effective marketing techniques at Agency1Alexander.com OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 23

LEGAL SUMMARY: (Click on the MONTH / YEAR to download the PDF) Part 1 (page 36 AUG 2014), categorised risk into five sections; 1. PEOPLE, 2. MONEY, 3. LAW, 4. SERVICE and 5. ECOLOGY. Part 2 (page 22 SEP 2014), covered PEOPLE under four sub-categories: Staff (discussed in Part 1); Third party service providers (‘TPSP’); and Business Associates.

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

RISK

IN TOURISM

Part 4 (page 27 NOV 2014), started the discussion on MONEY in terms of CASH and CHEQUES. Part 5 (page 23 DEC 2014), covered CREDIT and CREDIT CARDS. Part 6 (page 25 JAN 2015), started the LAW category with CONTRACTS - an introduction and Requisite #1: Offer & Acceptance.

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

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

Part 9 (page 20 APR 2015), covered Requisite #4: Performance Must Be Possible.

THE LAW: CONTRACTS

Part 10 (page 31 MAY 2015), covered Requisites #5: Performance Must Be Permissible, and #6: Capacity of the Contracting Parties.

Enforcing Your Contract: Homework – What To Do Before You Go Ahead

Part 12 (page 23 JUL 2015), covered Requisite #7 Negotiating a Contract.

THE NEXT STEP I.E. STEP 3 IS TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF YOUR BUSINESS (REFRESHER: STEP 1 WAS: HOW ENFORCEABLE IS YOUR CONTRACT & STEP 2 WAS: HAVE THE REQUISITES BEEN MET]

Part 18 (page 23 MAY 2016), Requisite #10 Enforcing a Contract (cont’d)

- Part 22 -

The general topic is enforcing your contract and what to do before you do so. The suggestion is that you should proceed with caution and not simply ‘jump in at the deep end’/’shoot from the hip’.

Thus we have guided you through the process of checking that the contract under discussion is enforceable by revisiting all the requirements for a valid contract.

As a next step, before you instruct an attorney and he/she in turn an advocate (and more than likely a junior AND a senior!) and start incurring debilitating legal fees, there are a number of other aspects to address.

We will start with assessing the impact of litigation, the nonlitigious options and finally how to prepare for trial.

The impact of litigation is always traumatic, pervasive and if not carefully considered and managed, debilitating not only on management time, but also cashflow and relationships. The loose language ‘Don’t talk to me, talk to my lawyer’ and ‘See you in court’ has come to haunt many a businessman, so be warned, especially those ‘serial litigators’ out there!

Please note this is not in order of importance, but to keep things simple let’s consider the impact on shareholders and the share price (I use the term ‘shareholders’ for ease of reference but this applies equally to members of a close corporation, partners in a partnership, trustees in a trading trust and any other form of ‘business associate’ who has injected money into the enterprise).

Shareholders invest for a return of their investment (‘ROI’) and unless litigation is justifiable and the only option and this has been clearly communicated, they may well ‘vote with their feet’ and invest elsewhere in fear of their ROI, which may well be with your competitor!

How many business leaders will regularly proclaim that their main asset is their employees – really? Those very same leaders, driven 24 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal OCTOBER 2016

Part 11 (page 21 JUN 2015), continued with Requisite #6: Capacity of the Contracting Parties.

Part 13 (page 30 AUG 2015), covered Requisite #8 Drafting a Contract.

Part 14 (page 30 OCT 2015), covered Requisite #9 Contract Management.

Part 15 (page 26 NOV 2015), covered Requisite #10 Enforcing a Contract Part 16 (page 22 DEC 2016), Requisite #10 Enforcing a Contract (cont’d) Part 17 (page 23 JAN 2016), Requisite #10 Enforcing a Contract (cont’d) Part 19 (page 24 JUN 2016), Requisite #10 Enforcing a Contract (cont’d) Part 20 (page 32 JUL 2016), Requisite #10 Enforcing a Contract (cont’d) Part 21 (page 24 SEP 2016), Enforcing a Contract: the 8th & final question.

by testosterone and the (misplaced) ‘excitement’ of litigation, will quickly forget about these comments and more often than not employees will learn about the litigation via the grape vine!

And even when management is approached for clarification, it will often be denied or played down as a ‘minor hiccup’. The concept of ‘internal branding’ goes way beyond the sexy marketing slogans and advertising – it includes involving and taking into your confidence the staff, whether by internal memos or discussing the matter with employee representatives, unions etc. At the end of the day, who keeps the business ‘ticking over’? Of course: the customer and that applies even when you have a captive audience/ market.

This sector is often treated by management with the same disdain and ignorance as the employees with rumours ‘flying around thick and fast’. If the brand is not managed carefully, they will react like shareholders i.e. ‘vote with their feet’ and purchase their wares elsewhere, which may well be your competitor. Managing and continually polishing your brand is a key component of ongoing success and should be extended to the approach suggested above as far as disputes are concerned.

Finally let’s talk about the one ‘commodity’ we all never seem to have enough of: time. The negative impact on time is astronomical – just ask anyone who has even been involved in litigation and I’m not just talking about time as in hours of the day. ‘Yes’ you (and your staff) will be wasting away valuable time searching for documents, compiling evidence and attending meeting after meeting with your legal team, but that is not all. The most damaging aspect is that the issue is constantly on your mind – so much so that the preoccupation with the dispute can have a major negative impact on the creative side of your brain and may lead to the loss of material business opportunities!

LEGAL

This series of articles explores the legal aspects associated with the risks of operating an adventure tourism business, with specific relevance to the legal framework applicable to South Africa.

Part 1 can be read online HERE, Part 2 HERE, and Part 3 HERE.

Part 4 By ‘Louis The Lawyer’

ADVENTURE TOURISM from a legal perspective Part 1 provided definitions for the term Adventure, while Part 2 looked at risk in terms of Nationality of Participant, Service Providers, Bookings, and Terms & Conditions, and Part 3 covered Indemnity and Requirements of the CPA. Risk Identification All the risks pertaining to and inherent in the activity must be identified and addressed.

This is done by a theoretical (and regular) brainstorming session(s) and a physical inspection/visit of the entire terrain.

The Service Provider (‘SP’), owner (of the venue, equipment, etc) as well as experts and the insurance broker should be involved.

A very important aspect to address in the process is the issue of products liability in terms of the CPA – the latter makes the supplier of the product (e.g. canoe, kayak, and zip line) absolutely liable for any liability – this means there is no requirement of negligence, and an indemnity will not ‘get you out of jail’!

Furthermore an intermediary arranging the supply can be deemed to be the supplier and thus also liable.

Image courtesy of Canopy Tours

Risk Acknowledgement, Ownership, Culture & Management It is amazing how many entrepreneurs simply jump in to make a quick buck without doing any of the above.

Conversely it is equally surprising that some parties will go ‘to the end of the earth’ in limiting their risk vis a vis the Pax, but then they will engage a dubious SP to provide e.g. the river rafting without doing the due diligence etc – often price (and sadly greed) is the motivating factor.

As suggested by Andre du Toit of SATIB, such a culture of ‘shooting yourself in the foot’ creates short gain but long term loss.

Ownership and management of the entire risk profile is imperative – this entails what I call the critical transactional path, which includes the documentary (e.g. T&C, indemnity, etc) and physical (e.g. signage) one (as discussed above).

It is not a crime to be risk averse and it will certainly not harm your business in the long run – hand in hand with that is creating a culture of ‘prevention is better (and certainly cheaper!) than cure’ AS WELL as a ‘do as I do’ and NOT do as a say approach.

Staff Training

Where the SP is not the actual supplier of e.g. the bungee jump, the supplier of the latter should be subjected to a (regular and not just once off) due diligence.

Many SP will engage untrained/non-skilled employees but do so at their own peril and in doing so can not only do their own business serious harm but also the industry at large.

Over and above addressing the ‘onsite’ risks/ physical issues by means of e.g. removing imminent and unnecessary dangers e.g. rocks and trees on a downhill mountain bike run, signage and documentation should form part of the exercise.

Vetting and training of staff is paramount, not only regarding the ‘hands-on’ skills but also knowledge about the CPA, POPI and insurance cover.

Signage Indemnity/waiver signage must be used/go in hand with a sound indemnity and waiver form.

As with the indemnity, particular requirements of the CPA must be met.

To be continued in Part 5.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a brief overview of legal matters pertaining to the tadventure tourism industry and is not intended as legal advice. © Adv Louis Nel, 'Louis The Lawyer', October 2016.

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 25

TRANSPORT

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TRANSPORT

Mercedes-Benz

VISION VAN

Unveiled at the IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016, Mercedes-Benz Vans shows a revolutionary van study for the urban environment with the Vision Van. The Vision Van evolved as part of the strategic future initiative adVANce. With adVANce, Mercedes-Benz Vans is developing from a mere van manufacturer into a supplier of holistic system solutions. The company is underscoring this strategy with the Vision Van as a visible manifestation of its innovative strength. The Vision Van boasts an unprecedented level of connectivity of information and technologies. It is the first van worldwide to serve as an integrated concept for a completely digitally connected process chain from the goods distribution depot to the consignee.

The Vision Van features a fully automated cargo space, integrated drones for autonomous air deliveries and a state-ofthe-art joystick control. Powered by a 75 kW electric drive system with a range of up to 270 km, deliveries with the Vision Van are locally emission-free.

The electric drive system additionally guarantees that it will remain possible to operate the Vision Van in inner-city zones where the introduction of bans on vehicles with internal combustion engines is planned. The virtually silent electric drive system facilitates late deliveries in residential areas for the purposes of same-day delivery.

“With the Vision Van we are presenting the intelligent, clean and fully interconnected van of the future”, says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of MercedesBenz Vans.

The futuristic design by provides a foretaste of future generations of vans. It fuses the vehicle’s intelligence, efficiency and connectivity in an unprecedented manner.

The front design alone is enough to transport the beholder into the distant future. The face is defined by the extremely wide windscreen, which curves around to the sidewalls like a high-tech visor, the Black Panel radiator grille with integrated LED matrix via which the Vision Van communicates with its surroundings and the progressively designed LED headlamps. The

sharp contours of these elements contrast with the vehicle’s smooth surfaces, engaging in a fascinating dialogue between passion/ emotion and technology/functionality. The vehicle communicates with its surroundings via LED displays on the front and rear.

Warnings appear when the delivery drones take off, when the vehicle stops or when the deliverer alights, for example.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter The Sprinter is the benchmark in its vehicle class: large vans with a gross vehicle weight of around 3.5 t are widely called Sprinter.

This flagship model has given its name to an entire vehicle class. The first generation was unveiled 21 years ago, and today more than three million Sprinter are on the road in over 130 countries of the world. Now a variant with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 5.5 t has been added to the already varied product portfolio of the successful Sprinter.

The Sprinter crewbus now has more seats.

There is a model available with 16 passenger seats (Sprinter Tourer 16+1, 4.6 t permissible gross vehicle weight) and another with 19 passenger seats (Sprinter Tourer 19+1, 5.0 t permissible gross vehicle weight).

Mercedes-Benz Vito The Vito is the first and only vehicle in its class to be available with a choice of frontwheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. As such, the Mercedes-Benz among mid-size vans perfectly accommodates a whole range of different requirements.

From skilled crafts and trades to retail, service providers, shuttle services and taxis - the Vito is truly one vehicle for all. For example, the Vito panel van is available in a choice of three lengths. There is also the particularly favourably priced WORKER panel van for cost-conscious buyers. The Vito Mixto combines the advantages of a panel van and crewbus.

The Vito Tourer is available as the functional Vito Tourer BASE, the versatile Vito Tourer PRO and the premium Vito Tourer SELECT. By virtue of this complete model family, the Tourer can accommodate all types of passenger transport.

OCTOBER 2016 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 27

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

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