Tourism Tattler December 2012

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SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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DECEMBER 2012 2012/11/19 9:36 AM

Contents Issue 9 (December) 2012 PUBLISHER Tourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd. PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320 KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Company Reg.No.: 2006/015252/07 Website: www.tourismtattler.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Des Langkilde Tel: +27 (0)87 727 8631 Cell: +27 (0)82 374 7260 Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080 E-mail: editor@tourismtattler.co.za Skype: tourismtattler EDITOR Marjorie Dean Tel: +27 (0)11 886 9996 Fax: +27 (0)11 886 7557 E-mail: communications@satsa.co.za Skype: satsa-comms ADVERTISING MANAGER Bev Langkilde Tel: +27 (0)87 727 8643 Fax: +27 (0)86 656 3860 Cell: +27 (0)71 224 9971 E-mail: bev@tourismtattler.co.za Skype: bevtourismtattler SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: subscriptions@tourismtattler.co.za Skype: subscribetourismtattler

MEDIA PARTNER

Official Trade Journal of:

The Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA) Tel: +2711 315 2420/1 Fax: +2711 315 2422 Webite: www.retosa.co.za

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Competition: Win a Spa & Stay for 4

Attractions : Things to do on the South Coast

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Responsible Tourism: For Guesthouses

EDITORIAL 05 From the Editors Desk / Cover Story 06 Letters to the Editor 08 Competition

ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOLADES 10 Trade Awards

ATTRACTIONS 14 KwaZulu-Natal South Coast

BUSINESS 15 5 Habits of small business owners 16 The role of stakeholders

FINANCE 17 Financial wellness in the workplace

CONSERVATION 18 Partnership for rhino 19 Keeping track of Penguins

EVENTS 20 AFCON 2013 21 Top Gear Festival economic impact

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Risk: A guide to travel trade insurance

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EVENTS TAFI Convention 2013 LEGAL From the Bench - Terms & Conditions MARKETING The law of the tour sale SATSA Market Intelligence Report NICHE TOURISM Cruise Tourism - MSC Opera PHOTO GALLERY Hwange’s lustful lions RESPONSIBLE TOURISM Sustainable Tourism Partnership RISK Insurance - an Underwriters view Travel Trade Insurance Unique insurance benefits TRADE NEWS Trade Snippets

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA-SA) Tel: +2786 186 2272 Fax: +2786 225 9858 Webite: www.naa-sa. co.za

Adv. Louis Nel Anne Fyfe-Hitchings Brian Courtenay Carmel Rickard Christina Moseley Craig Drysdale Denise Parker Deon Binneman

Des Langkilde Dr Andrew Venter Niki Glen Marjorie Dean Martin Jansen van Vuuren Michael Bertram Nigel Willmott Paul Halley MAGAZINE SPONSORS

The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) Tel: +2786 127 2872 • Fax: +2711 886 755 Webite: www.satsa.com

SATSA PROUD SPONSOR

02 Joburg Zoo (Complimentary) 04 A Heritage of African Clothing 04 Globe Lotter Tours 04 Neil’s Transfers 09 TOMSA

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South Coast Tourism Authority Savage Jooste & Adams Attorneys Ascent Underwriting Managers SATIB Insurance Brokers TransMedia Barter

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

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

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SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

• Skype: bevtourismtattler

DECEMBER 2012

EDITORIAL

From the Editor’s Desk It’s the end of another year in tourism, and for most of us in the business, it’s not been the easiest on record. Recession has tightened purse strings, unrest has not given our country the best image either at home or overseas, and politics seems to intrude everywhere.

Events such as the TAFI Convention – a first for South Africa – and the Africa Cup of Nations, both in February 2013 and both taking place in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, are sure to bring the countries tourism arrival stats back on track in the New Year.

And yet... we have done well by world standards to attract as many visitors as we have, and it’s been exciting to see our inbound markets expand to include countries such as India, China, Russia and Brazil. We may moan about what SA Tourism does and does not do, but we have to admit they keep the flag flying whatever.

As always Tattler covers vital issues that we need to know about in our rapidly changing world, from government fraud (read our letters pages) to business reputation management, conservation, marketing, insurance, responsible tourism and the changing landscape of our legal framework.

We must also acknowledge the increasing contribution to successful overseas marketing made by SATSA members such as Derek Houston and On Show Solutions, who are taking workshops into Russia, the USA, Australasia and way beyond.

More and more people are putting a visit to our part of the world on their “bucket lists”, and South Africa is increasingly an aspirational destination.

2012 has been an exciting year from the point of view that the countries of southern Africa are entering into more agreements to work together in so many aspects of tourism.

Despite many setbacks over the past year, we can look into the New Year with confidence that as an industry we are leaner, fitter and better than we have ever been. Let’s face 2013 with confidence in ourselves to make it one of the best!

Yours in Tourism, Marjorie

Cover Story Our cover story for this edition shows a wonderfully colourful beach scene in Margate on South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

fishermen who set out day after day, with their fishing tackle at the ready, hoping they will catch “the big one”. The sun worshippers lay out their bright towels, and soak up those glorious rays. And for children there is always the joy of bucket and spade, shrimp net and shell collecting.

Mums can relax knowing their little ones are happy and enjoying themselves.

For many South Africans, especially those of us who live inland, on the Highveld, this encapsulates just what we look for in an end-of year holiday. So many families have made happy memories on our beautiful South Coast. As a family holiday destination it’s hard to beat, no matter where you go in the world.

Those soft, sandy golden beaches welcome the weary workers and their families to a much longed-for break from routine. And year after year they deliver to the domestic and overseas market. From Durban to Port Edward a variety of resorts, accommodation, attractions and restaurants give tourists great value for money and the experience they want.

It’s not always easy to maintain a standard, and those of us in tourism know just how hard the resorts work to keep the holidaymakers happy. And we must not forget those who work behind the scenes, marketing their resorts and areas, all with delightful names, such as the Hibiscus Coast.

There is something for everyone, from the intrepid divers, who explore the underwater paradise of the Aliwal Shoal, to the

When the sun goes down it’s time to braai, or explore the many great places to eat.

And if it rains – well nowadays the South Coast has its fair share of bright shopping malls, where one and all can indulge in what is reckoned to be the favourite holiday activity – shopping!

Thinking of things to do, don’t miss the January 2013 edition of the Tattler as we will be publishing a special feature on KwaZulu-Natal’s Tourism Routes - including the Southern Explorer Route - a useful guide and directory for the KZN South Coast.

Here you will find what to do, where to eat, where to shop, where to stay and even a nifty event planner for conferencing, team building, weddings and transport services. For more information visit http://southernexplorer.co.za/ Oh yes! We Y the South Coast!

Read more on pages 12 to 14.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

My worst experience concerned a group of young professionals who came to ‘get a quote’ for an upcoming tour of duty in the town.

Half way through the negotiations it became clear that there was a subtext. They seemed to be suggesting that my rate was ‘too low’ – a novel problem.

Dear Editor Government employee fraud in the B&B sector The South African Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela is quite right to be deeply concerned about ‘false billing’ – making the state pay for goods and services that were never supplied. Her statement* that the system of away-from-home accommodation for state employees needs a total overhaul is certainly very valid.

In our little Free State dorp we’ve seen any number of illegal practices.

And it’s not just here: people who do the books of accommodation establishments in other parts of South Africa tell me that some B&B owners, gradually drawn into corrupt deals, now find they can’t escape.

There are long-established practices for guest-management transactions, whether the person comes directly or through a travel agent, that ensure everything is above-board. But when guests don’t stay as private individuals – when someone else is paying the bill – it’s incredibly easy to ‘fix’ the system, and the problem is most acute when government employees are involved.

Smithfield, where I live, often hosts people on official short contracts.

I first became aware of the problems that could arise from the story of my neighbour who had a few such guests staying with her. Meals had become an issue: she’s a good cook but the guests constantly moaned. She realised it might be a scam when they demanded she hand over the ‘food money’ she would otherwise spend on their meals. By then she’d had such a rough time that she was happy to deliver the cash so the problem would go away.

Next on the slippery slope are guests whose employer specifies a meal allowance: they will pay accommodation plus a certain amount for meals. Now some guests are routinely demanding this cash be handed over in full. It’s common, virtually standard, practice for such guests to buy bread and chips for meals and pocket the balance.

Other times guests whose employers stipulate a restaurant meal allowance to a certain amount, insist on bringing a friend along to meals. They ensure their combined bill is no less than the daily allowance.

A colleague in the Eastern Cape tells of a common practice there: the relevant department covers her accommodation rate plus a R200 ‘meal allowance’ that’s way out of line. A couple of cold drinks plus a three course meal cannot possibly come to more than R130, even at the best eatery in town. The guests then buy cigarettes, cold drinks, take-aways, hamburgers – I kid you not, even though they have just eaten a full meal – to the value of whatever remains so that the money is all used.

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Turned out they knew the highest amount payable for accommodation by their department. They had already obtained a quote from the most expensive places in town where the bill would be almost exactly the accommodation allowance. But they specifically wanted to stay at a place with a significant gap between the bill and the maximum allowed.

Don’t think they wanted to save tax payers’ money: their plan was to be billed for the utmost the department would pay and for the difference between my ‘genuine’ bill and the ‘false bill’ to be split between them and me.

One of the guys said he chose where his team stayed when they were away on a job. If we could do this deal and make it an on-going arrangement, he would make sure they always stayed with me in the future. At this crucial point he had to leave, but he said he’d be back for my answer.

So much money was involved that I expect he thought it a done deal. I would have loved to see his face when he read my SMS saying he should immediately stop his illegal deal-making or I would report him.

As he and his group were in town next week on their assignment I presume he found a place more amenable to his proposals. What irked me most was this, however: they were employees of the Department of Justice – accountants, no less, – in town to ensure that the books of the local department were in order.

Our message to you, Madam Public Protector is this: get cracking, find a way to stop these practices. We’ll all be in your debt.

Carmel Rickard Trading Places Guest House Smithfield, Freestate http://www.tradingplaces2night.co.za • * The statement from the Public Protector’s office that Carmel refers to is published below for your information - Ed Public Protector decries conduct of unscrupulous business people Wednesday, 07 November 2012 Public Protector Adv. Thuli Madonsela on Wednesday addressed members of the Durban Chamber for Commerce and Industry, decrying the conduct of unscrupulous business people who engage in trade with the state.

The Public Protector spoke of emerging worrying trends in business dealings between the state and the private sector, saying such conduct could have adverse consequences for constitutional democracy and economic advancement.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Though she noted that the majority of business people hankered for a level playing field marked by clean state contracting practices and worked hard to earn what they have while adding value to people’s lives, the Public Protector spoke strongly against the few who gave the business sector a bad name.

findings of expensively sourced forensic reports and reports of her office, the Auditor General and the Special Investigating Unit.

“That too erodes public confidence while missing an opportunity to exact accountability and restore controls. The key factor eroding public confidence is a sense of impunity, particularly for the so called ‘untouchables’,” the Public Protector said.

Giving examples of overcharging, double billing, price inflation and conflict of interest as revealed in some of her investigation reports, the Public Protector said these emerging trends were threatening to erode public confidence in the state.

She commended the Chamber on its plan to establish an ethical leadership institute, adding that other sections of the business world in the country had also shown to be pro-good governance.

These included South African Property Owners Association and the Business Unity South Africa, which had become a member of the good governance forum pioneered by her office.

With public confidence eroded, the Public Protector said, taking to the streets, as seen in the “Arab spring” and local public protests, became attractive to sections of the population, particularly those marginalized in a socio-economic sense.

Issued by:

She called on players in both business and the public sector to exercise ethical governance through traits of ethical leadership, emphasising that leaders at any level should be in a position to distinguish between wrong and right.

Oupa Segalwe Manager: Communication Public Protector SA Tel: (012) 366 7035 Email: oupas@pprotect.org www.publicprotector.org

Leaders did not need her office, the Auditor General, the Special Investigating Unit or the Public Service Commission to tell them that they had crossed the line, the Public Protector said.

“When you cross the line, which is possible because human beings do make mistakes, you correct those mistakes on your own and if an oversight body red-cards you, you accept accountability without being grumpy or vilifying the oversight body concerned,” she said.

Congratulations, Carmel.

Your letter has been chosen as the winning letter for the December edition.

A copy of National Geographic’s ‘Rhino Rescue’ DVD will be delivered to you with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – suppliers of the finest products to the hospitality Industry.

Turning to leaders within the public sector, the Public Protector said she had been amazed by the differences in ethical standards between leaders who accepted accountability for ethical violations relating to the abuse of executive privileges and those who told her it was their right “to be pampered.”

Ed.

She also took aim at those within state affairs who failed to implement •

Wi n

The winning letter published in the Tourism Tattler Issue 1 (January) 2013 edition will receive a copy of Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s ‘Eye of the Leopard’ DVD with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

Letters should be sent by 17 December 2012 to editor@tourismtattler.co.za This 55 minute film follows the remarkable life of one small leopard from when she is just 8 days old every step of the way until she is 3 years old and on the brink of adulthood. Legadema, as she is named, works her way into your heart as she slips in and out of danger virtually every day, running from baboons and hyenas but also making landmark strides in hunting and surviving. It is the story of a mother and daughter relationship as well as that of an emerging huntress in Botswana’s magnificent Mombo region of the Okavango Delta.

• A Film by Derek and Beverly Joubert • Running Time: 55 minutes For more information visit: www.livingstonessupplyco.co.za

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COMPETITION

COMPETITION

An African Escape Spa & Stay Pamper for 2 couples

With the compliments of:

n READER i W

To enter simply ensure that you are opted-in to the Tourism Tattler mailing list by subscribing at http://www.tourismtattler.co.za/subscribe and answer the following question by email: “ What is the name of the new Spa which opened its doors on 01 December at Indaba Hotel, Fourways ?”

Email your answer with Indaba Hotel Mowana Spa Competition in the Subject field to editor@tourismtattler.co.za by 22 December 2012. Remember to include your contact details (Name, company trading name, telephone numbers, city/town, province and country).

The first correct entry drawn after the closing date will win the prize, which is valued at R4,800 and consists of: • Luxury overnight accommodation for two couples at The Indaba Hotel (check in time: 14H00) • VIP Turndown with Rose Petals • Welcome cocktail with light snacks on arrival at Mowana Spa at 18H00 • Full Body Massage incorporating your choice of Rungu, Calabash or Hot Stones to soothe tired muscles • Decadent 2-course Spa Dinner to feed body & soul • Relaxing Head, Neck & Shoulder Massage • Foot and Lower Leg pamper Massage concentrating on pressure points for the ultimate “time out” pamper • Complimentary Local Beverage to quench your thirst • African Liqueur and Nougat on departure from Mowana Spa at 23H00 • Full South African Buffet Breakfast prior to Departure in Epsom Terrace at the Indaba Hotel (departure: 11H00).

Set in the tranquil bushveld gardens of the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Sandton; the Mowana Spa, which opened its doors on 01 December 2012 is a wellness sanctuary which will revive your senses, rejuvenate your body and soothe your soul. The Mowana Spa, which takes its name from the majestic Baobab Tree of African Lore and Legend, offers wellness journeys based on Tribal Massage in keeping with the healing spirit of the “Tree of Life”.

Drawing on the wisdom of Africa, the Mowana Spa Baobab Signature Product Range harnesses the natural moisturising properties of the Baobab Kernel which produces a rich, golden oil used for centuries by African Women to protect their beautiful skins against the harsh African Sun. Our commitment to service excellence and Staff Empowerment through training and mentoring will ensure that your needs are met and your expectations exceeded.

OPENING SPECIALS Valid for bookings up to and including 31 January 2013, subject to availability: Mowana Full Day African Rejuvenation Pamper Journey only R1099 per person Mowana African Skies Night Spa Pamper Ritual only R799 per person Mowana African Escape Spa & Stay Pamper only R1999 per couple Bookings essential and space is limited – call 0861 Mowana (0861 66 92 62) now to book your well deserved pamper journey.

For more information visit: http://www.mowanaspa.co.za/ The Terms and Conditions of this competition can be downloaded at: http://www.tourismtattler.co.za/IndabaHotelMowanaSpaTourismTattler-Competition_TermsConditionss.pdf

WINNER OF THE MANDELA RHODES PLACE COMPETITION FROM THE ISSUE 8 (NOVEMBER) 2012 EDITION CONGRATULATIONS to Diane Looman, of A Blue Yonder B&B in Bluff, KwaZuluNatal whose competition entry was the first correct entry to be drawn.

Diane won a 4 night stay for 4 guests in a Platinum apartment at Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel & Spa valued at R22,060.00 with the compliments of Three Cities.

For more information visit: http://www.mandelarhodesplace.co.za/

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Tourism Marketing South Africa (TOMSA) is a private sector initiative, set up in 1999 to raise additional funds for the marketing of destination SA. This is done by collecting a 1% Tourism Levy from tourists by Travel and Tourism service providers on a voluntary basis.

By collecting just 1% from tourists since 1999, our levy collectors have contributed more than 1/2 billion rand to market South Africa and more than R100 million in 2011 alone!

The benefits of TOMSA do not end with the millions of Rands of additional marketing that can be conducted to promote SA and your business directly. By being a TOMSA levy collector you also receive very valuable benefits that are only available to our levy collectors.

• TOMSA levy collectors who are also graded receive a 10% discount on Indaba exhibition rates (main stand holders)

• 10% discount on Grading Council fees if you are a levy collector in good standing and also graded. TOMSA

collectors who have not been graded since 1 October 2011 receive the following discounts: o Year 1 – 25% per centum o Year 2 – 15% per centum o Year 3 – 10% per centum • 3% BEE score in terms of the Tourism Charter • Provide input and receive feedback about the SA Tourism Annual Performance Planning Process • Receive preferential profiling to all graded collectors in all accommodation listings on the SA Tourism website • SA Tourism will give preference to TOMSA Levy collectors when selecting product owners to participate in trade shows and services provided to overseas visitors and SAT sponsored familiarization trips.

To find out more about TOMSA please visit our website at www.tomsa.co.za

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Cycad Lodge & Chalets wins AA Travel Guides Award The Cycad has won the National AA Travel guides award for the best self catering large establishment for 2012, that took place in JHB in August.

In November Cycad Lodge also won the Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism award for the Hospitality Large Enterprise in Nelspruit.

For more information visit: www.cycadlodge.com

Prof Ernie Heath receives Alumni Achiever Award Prof Ernie Heath, from the Department of Tourism Management at the University of Pretoria, was one of five recipients of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s (NMMU) Alumni Achiever Award for 2012 that was presented at a gala ceremony in Port Elizabeth on 25 October.

Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa accepted by Virtuoso

Since the early 1980’s Prof Heath has contributed to the advancement of the tourism industry. In the 1990s, he was Deputy Executive Director of South African Tourism, where he helped champion various successful marketing strategies, including the award-winning Explore SA campaign in 1995. He is also a founding trustee of Open Africa, a social enterprise which has established more than 60 tourism routes spread across Southern Africa.

A spokesman for the hotel says: “As a team, we’ve aspired to being accepted as a Virtuoso member for several years and I am very proud that our hard work, world-class hotel and spa, as well as service-oriented team have contributed to the hotel being accepted as a Virtuoso member, joining the association’s luxury hospitality network spanning over 20 countries and more than 7,200 travel advisors.”

Other awards that he has received for his local and international contributions to the advancement of responsible tourism include the Skål International Presidential Award; the Chairman’s Award from the Indian Ocean Tourism Organization; a United Nations World Tourism Organization Themis Award; recognition as a destination champion by Destination Marketing Association International; a Laureates Award from the University of Pretoria; and a Best Teacher Award from the University of Applied Sciences, Bremen, Germany.

Fairlawns won a 2012 Platinum Diners Club Wine List Award for the 8th year, is a 2011 and 2010 World Luxury Boutique Hotel Award winner for South Africa, and nominated for the World Luxury Spa awards for 2010.

The award-winning 5-star Palladian-style Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa in Morningside Sandton has been accepted as a Virtuoso Resorts and Hotels member.

Mercedes-Benz in Top 10 Loeries Official Rankings for Brands The innovative “Active Blind Spot Assist” billboard advertisement contributed to the award winning spot for Mercedes-Benz.

“Creativity not only attracts the best talent in the marketing industry, but also exposes our brand to a younger and more progressive target market – our future customers,” says Claudia Mende, Marketing Communication Manager at MercedesBenz.

A comprehensive explanation of how the rankings are calculated can be found on the Loeries website www.theloerieawards.co.za

STPP runner up in ESKOM Energy Efficiency Awareness Awards The NAA-SA / go2natural partnership, now renamed the Sustainable Tourism Partnership Programme is truly proud to be the second runner up in the ESKOM Energy Efficiency Awareness Category Awards for 2012. .

Congratulations to all the winners.

For more information visit: http://www.facebook.comSustainableTourismPP

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For more information visit: www.fairlawns.co.za

Ulusaba wins Imvelo Award and Virgin Holidays Award Ulusaba’s charitable arm, Pride ‘n Purpose at Ulusaba, has been named the winner of the Best Social Involvement Programme at the 2012 Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards.

The award recognises the tireless work from our team and that of the indispensable volunteers, many of whom are Ulusaba guests. Pride ‘n Purpose was originally established in 2003 by members of the Ulusaba David Khoza and Lindsay from family, and now continues to help over Pride ‘n Purpose proudly pose 35,000 people across six communities. with their Imvelo award.

The Imvelo Awards, now in its eleventh year, recognises tourism and hospitality businesses that make a real, measurable and sustained contribution to Responsible Tourism.

Ulusaba Private Game Reserve, part of Virgin Limited Edition - Sir Richard Branson’s privately owned collection of award-winning luxury retreats, has also won the Gold Award for ‘The Best Hotel in Africa’ at Virgin Holidays annual awards.

For more information visit: www.imveloawards.co.za/ and www.ulusaba. virgin.com/en/ulusaba/pride_n_purpose

ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOLADES

La Motte retains title as Great Wine Capitals winner For the second year in succession, historic wine estate, La Motte of Franschhoek is South Africa’s Best of Wine Tourism champion.

Dating back 300 years, La Motte as South Africa’s national winner joins the illustrious company of some of the world’s most famous wine producers.

The Great Wine Capitals, a network of the world’s leading wineproducing countries that shares international best practice to advance standards in wine tourism across the world, announced the results in Florence, Italy, at a gala dinner attended by leading wine tourism practitioners from around the world.

For more information visit: www.greatwinecapitals.com

Carnival City named Industry Leader Carnival City has been awarded the top spot in its category by the Ask Afrika Orange Index for the second year running.

Based on empirical research from 15 400 personal interviews among a nationally representative sample of the country, across 18 different industries and 118 companies, the Awards aim to honour those organisations that consistently offer service excellence to customers.

The Ask Africa Orange Index® was first established in 2001 with the aim of allowing South African companies to compare their service levels with their direct competitors and other associated players, as well as to provide insights into mass consumer trends.

For more information visit: http://www.askafrika.co.za/content/2012-orangeindex

Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s film “The Last Lions” wins music award at the Wildscreen Festival The couple’s 2011 feature film “The Last Lions,” produced in association with National Geographic, won the Wildscreen Golden Panda Award for Music. The wildlife television and film competition includes over 550 delegates from 40 countries.

While the Jouberts have won almost every major filmmaking award during their careers, it is the message their films convey to global audiences that fuels their boundless energy and mission of wildlife conservation. “To bring a film to the big screen and show Botswana and its cats in this light is a privilege,” said Dereck Joubert. “It gives us a bigger platform to discuss the plight of big cats and to talk about the Big Cats Initiative, which we launched with National Geographic to help stop the decline of big cats in the wild.” Help “Cause an Uproar” to save big cats by visiting CauseAnUproar.org.

For more information visit: http://www.wildlifefilms.co.za/

&Beyond Group adds more awards in their brag book Baghvan Jungle Lodge, situated near Pench National Park in India, has been named India’s Leading Wildlife Resort in the World Travel Awards 2012. &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, set on the edge of the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, has been listed in the Condé Nast Reader’s Choice Awards Top 25 Resorts & Safari Camps in Africa.

Together with the five World Travel Awards we received for both our travel and lodge business, this puts us well on our way to reclaiming our position as a globally recognised and respected leader in conservation, sustainability and the delivery of extraordinary guest experiences.

For more information visit: http://www.andbeyond.com/

Steenberg does it again and ranks on World’s Top 100 list Waterkloof still SA’s Best Architecture & Landscapes champion Waterkloof Estate, a biodynamic marvel on the outskirts of Somerset West renowned for its sustainable wine farming ethics, reaffirmed its status at the Great Wine Capitals (GWC) Best of Wine Tourism Awards 2013 by clinching South Africa’s Best Architecture and Landscape title for the second consecutive year.

“To win for a second consecutive year is a great honour for the Waterkloof team. No bribery involved!” shares Waterkloof’s owner Paul Boutinot.In 2009, this magnificently appointed ‘cellar in the sky’ – where even the steep incline provides functional advantages in their winemaking process – triumphed as the first South African architectural feat for Castle Rock Design. NMC Construction was the main contractor on Waterkloof’s building project.

For more information visit: www.waterkloofwines.co.za.

Cape Town’s Steenberg Hotel has been voted onto the coveted Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards’ Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World list for the second year in a row. The celebrated boutique hotel not only made the Top 100 ‘roll of honour’ again this year, it also got the nod from readers of Condé Nast Traveler in the USA as one of the top 10 destinations on the African continent, in the category Top 25 Resorts & Safari Camps in Africa, earning a respectable ninth place overall with an impressive score of 94.4.

Steenberg has earned a string of major international accolades over the past few years.

For more information visit: www.cntraveler.com/readers-choice-awards?intcid=trail_gl DECEMBER 2012

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ATTRACTIONS

‘Great Days Out’ in the Paradise of the Zulu Kingdom I’m often asked for travel advice, such as; “Where can we take the children?” or “What’s the best thing to do with family and friends on a rainy day”.

Often the best advice is to take some time away from the coast and check out hinterland byways – take in the Ingeli or Weza Forests. At 1700 metres above sealevel the climate is very different from the coast and the views are simply breathtaking, writes Michael Bertram.

Here are some of my top tips for visitors and locals alike: • For something very different try a Percheron Shire cart horse on Trafalgar beach or enjoy a canoe picnic up the Umtamvuna River. Make your way up the Clearwater trail to the viewing deck and marvel at the Umtamvuna valley. Stop over at Beaver Creek to awaken your sense of smell to the aroma of freshly ground coffee.

• Visitors will love our game drives at Lake Eland Nature Reserve; and remember to take your mountain bike and head for the hills.

Or try our newest adventure - glide across Oribi Gorge on Africa’s longest and newest 3.2-km zip-line slide and take in the scenic beauty from above.

• There is nothing quite like building confidence of your young visitors – and plunging off Lehr’s Fall into the 156-metre Oribi Gorge if breathtaking. Trust me when I say it’s exhilarating, be brave and try all the Wild 5 activities. .

• Or simply take a stroll with a difference - across one of our Oribi suspension bridges - conquer your fears…. Remember to take our camera and record the adventure.

• There’s nothing quite like a sunset coupled with sundowners at the gorge, the views are absolutely magnificent!

• Oribi Gorge Spa made history this week with the commissioning of our first distillation plant of essential oils; well worth a visit for the whole family. Why not take in the grandeur of Oribi Gorge from a different angle, stay overnight at Leopard Rock and experience a refreshing outdoor shower and enjoy the gorge on foot on mountain bike.

• If visitors are looking to play a round of golf - you are really spoilt for choice – with 11 courses along a 108-km coastal belt: surely guaranteed to beat the rain if you are determined enough. Enjoy 14

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challenging your friends at Umkomaas, Scottburgh, Umdoni, Selborne, Port Shepstone, Margate, Southbroom, San Lameer, Port Edward, Wild Coast and Harding- and enjoy the 19th hole.

• Why not learn to dive. 70% of the world’s mass are oceans; find out what life is like under the water, apart from being wet ! Aliwal Shoal, Rocky Bay, Landers and Protea Banks offer some of the best diving in Africa, with friendly expert tuition only a phone call away.

• If the grandchildren have arrived - take your children on an exciting South Coast weekend excursion to enjoy an indigenous butterfly farm at Butterfly Valley; or a quaint petting farm with pony rides at Granny Goose (opposite San Lameer). Close by enjoy miniature golf at MacBanana’s or try out Riverbend Croc Farm in Southbroom. Watch the reptiles being fed or the little hatchlings coming into this world.

• Croc World in Scottburgh offers so much more than hundreds of Nile Crocodiles ranging from newborn hatchlings to 100-year-old mammoths with over 200 free flying bird species.

• Marvel at the largest reptile farm in Africa at Pure Venom near Izotsha (Shelly Beach) which has an incredible collection of indigenous and exotic reptiles and it’s an ideal way to get up close and personal with different types of snakes, iguanas and crocodiles.

• Treat your family to a weekend getaway at one of our guest houses or plunge into one of our quality hotels for that special occasion.

Camelot Spa has just opened its beautiful facilities at Peermont Mondazur Hotel at San Lameer, and it’s sure to be an outstanding addition to our South Coast experiences.

Michael Bertrum is the CEO of South Coast Tourism and can be conacted at ceo@southcoasttourism.co.za For more information visit http://www.southcoasttourism.co.za/

BUSINESS

5 Habits of the Successful Small Business Owner Outstanding customer service doesn’t have to come from deep pockets and a 24/7 contact centre. In fact, according to the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, small businesses are outstripping their larger counterparts in the customer service arena. Why? Because small businesses can offer a more personalized experience and more immediate action, writes Denise Parker.

Only if small business owners realize that good customer service requires input and effort, and act accordingly, are they rewarded with a worthwhile payoff: increased lifetime customer value and word-ofmouth referrals.

Here are the 5 habits your customer service should stand by: 1. Plan for service. Whether they’re organising a seasonal event, thinking of an ad-hoc promotion or just handling the daily wave of enquiries, good small business owners schedule their customer service. Do you receive most enquiries during lunch times? Then plan to be available at those times. Your customers will appreciate your more immediate response.

Assess and prioritize urgency. Keep track of enquiries that require following-up with external parties. Use smart technology such as Casengo to notify and alert you of incoming enquiries and pending cases. Good entrepreneurs leave nothing to chance or memory.

4. Delegate, refer, or just say ‘no’. Over-promising and underdelivering is the fastest way to disappoint customers. If you overcommit to something you cannot feasibly deliver, you are not trying to compete with larger companies: you’re just showing you’re inferior to them. Either say no and avoid disappointing customers, delegate their question to the most appropriate person in the organisation, or refer them to a more appropriate vendor – they’ll appreciate the assistance.

5. Be accessible. With today’s technology, you can route calls, respond to emails on your smartphone and chat in real-time from a tablet at the airport lounge. Today’s consumers want instant gratification, and if you can attend to this need, you’ll have the edge over your competition.

For more information visit: http://www.casengo.com/_preview2/

2. Record data, data and more data. Knowledge is key. We know small business owners especially are pressed for time, but it’s crucial that information is recorded in a centralised database and that knowledge is shared amongst employees. Effective entrepreneurs record information as soon as it becomes available, usually in a cloud-based repository, and distribute key information outwards.

Information is no use if locked up in one person’s head (and he’s on holiday), or if it’s jotted down on a post-it at the office (and you’re on a business trip). Data shared in the cloud is accessible to whomever, whenever, wherever. At the end of the day a customer would rather speak to a junior support rep with all the answers they need, than to the CTO who doesn’t have a clue.

3. Organize and prioritize. Successful small businesses organise their customer service rather than leave it to chance. Have supplier contact information and canned responses to frequently asked questions at hand.

Download the PDF at www.tourismtattler/downloads/Amex_2012gcsb_ us.pdf

About the author: Denise Parker is the European Marketing Manager for Casengo, an Amsterdam-based tech startup providing social CRM software to SMB and enterprise clients. This social customer support software in the cloud helps companies to respond to their customers with greater ease and a human touch.

DECEMBER 2012

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BUSINESS

• •

Reputation Management

• • • •

Do you have a system for managing relationships with stakeholders?

How do you measure results? What metrics do you use to assess and gauge stakeholder relationships?

In a crisis how quickly can you communicate with your relevant stakeholders?

Do you know the various methods to engage with stakeholders and when not to use it?

Can you state how much you are spending on each stakeholder group and what your ROI is?

Have you developed a set of rules and practices on how best to manage the process of building stakeholder reputation with each stakeholder group?

A Different Definition Another definition says that the term ‘stakeholder management’ refers to the development and implementation of organisational policies and practices (example decision-making) that take into account the goals and concerns of all relevant stakeholders.

The role of Stakeholders The term “stakeholder” may be an overused epitaph used in corporate brochures, but what does it really mean writes, Deon Binneman.

I recently received an e-mail asking me for a modern definition of the word stakeholder. Immediately my ‘humour’ side kicked in, and I thought of vampires `a-la Edward. This is a question that I ask at conferences and in my workshops, and inevitably I will get words such as someone or a group that has an interest, or position, or impact on an organisation. But being a stakeholder is so much more.

So this was my response to my client’s request.

My definition: An Organisation derives its reputation from the way its performance, actions and behaviour is perceived by stakeholders.

A Stakeholder is any group or individual that can affect or is affected by the performance, behaviour and actions of an organization.

These perceptions are influenced by the relationship building, communication and engagement practices of the organisation.

In the King 3 Code on Corporate Governance specific mention is made of the importance of stakeholder inclusivity (,i.e. that the legitimate interests and expectations of stakeholders are considered when deciding in the best interests of the company), stakeholder identification and determination of expectations and needs, the proactive management of stakeholder relationships, and that management should develop a strategy and formulate policies for the management of relationships with each stakeholder grouping.

What You Should Be Asking Here are some typical questions that leaders should be asking about stakeholder and reputation management processes in their organisations: • Who are our stakeholders?

• What are our stakeholders’ stakes?

• What opportunities and challenges do stakeholders present?

• What economic, legal, ethical, and social responsibilities does our organisation have towards our various stakeholders?

• What strategies or actions should we take to best manage stakeholder challenges and opportunities?

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Example: If you have employees in wheel-chairs, surely you should have wheelchair ramps. In SA, the Chinese community went to the highest Court to be included as part of Black Economic Empowerment legislation.

The keywords here are ‘relevant’ (to the outcome or issue on hand) and the word ‘stake’.

The word ‘stake’ can mean an interest, a legal or economic position (example shareholding or ownership), moral ( I do my best even though I am just a salaried employee), it could mean a public interest stake (Media – The public has a right to know) or it can even be emotional in nature (example – I cannot relocate, because my forefathers are buried here – symbolising an emotional connection with the land – often seen at Land Claims Court).

Inclusiveness means to ensure the inclusion of the full range of different stakeholders, including marginalised and vulnerable groups.

Relevance - Include only relevant stakeholders – those who have a significant stake in the process (i.e., not everyone is included).

Remember gender sensitivity. Both women and men should have equal access within the participatory decision making process (and never forget transsexuals as well…real inclusiveness).

If you want to unpack it further: • A stakeholder is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by an organisation’s impact or behaviour – I saw this on a Body Shop delivery truck in Singapore. Definition based on Friedman’s work • Those who are affected by a particular issue, incident or programme; • Those who have information, knowledge, resources or positions which are relevant to the issue; • Those who have some control over the outcome of the issue.

OK, so what does the above teach us: 1. A Stakeholder can be a group or individual (example – a blogger) 2. Stakeholder Profiling is contextual and has to be done EVERY TIME, a situation or issue change. Example – I may decide to become active over certain issues but stay dormant on others.

THUS stakeholders can change positions.

Read this article for more clarity: http://deonbinneman.com/2012/05/21/ understanding-analysing-stakeholder-positions/

FINANCE

Financial Wellness in the Workplace Economic times are tough for both Employers and Employees alike. 2012 was a year where we witnessed increased and more widespread violent strike action. From mining to transport, to textiles and to farming, many industries have been hit by strike action. Arguably there is the debate about minimum living wages and living conditions, writes Nigel Willmott, CFP® professional.

• Unstable workforce and high staff turnover as employees are hunting for better paying jobs.

Some of these arguments may carry some merit but one of the issues at the heart of the dissatisfaction amongst many workers is that many of them carry massive personal debt burdens.

This increase in personal debt has crept in over time. Many people nowadays fund the difference between income and expenditure “with a little credit”. Many people believe that they cannot get by without the help of credit. In many cases this is not true. It starts with us – as a nation we need to review how we manage what we earn. We need to consider carefully where and how we spend our money.

We need to get financially well again. To make sense of our attitude towards money and how we use money we need to get financially educated. This is where employers can and should play a major lead role in assisting their staff to become financially literate and financially independent.

As we have seen with the strikes of 2012, strike action can be crippling for the country and for business. Financial wellness in the workplace is thus a priority and is a “bottom line issue” of crisis proportions.

A financially distressed workforce can lead to:

Employers can take the socially responsible lead in South Africa and assist their staff by implementing a financial wellness programme. Through this financial wellness programme employers should primarily focus on three essential personal financial life skills; 1. Managing your Money by teaching people to set up and implement a personal monthly budget planner; 2. Making sense of your Debt by understanding how debt works and how to take steps to reduce personal debt levels; 3. Understand Savings and Investments and set Short / Medium and Longer Term Financial and Life goals.

These three “pillars” are the key to financial freedom. Employers can help their Employees to take back their financial freedom and live financially independent. At motivate | today we can help employers tailor and implement a financial wellness solution to suit both the employer and the employee financial wellness needs.

• Theft and Corruption;

Nigel Willmott CFP® is the Managing Director of motivate | today, an independent holistic financial life skills company focused on the financial education needs of employer groups, universities and schools.

• Rampant garnishing orders; • Advancements on salaries and wages; • Turning to loan sharks for unsecured debt; • Employers can become lenders of last resort; • Problematic and difficult salary/wage negotiations;

For further information visit:

• Attempts to access company retirement fund money;

www.motivatetoday.co.za

• Financially stressed staff can become difficult to manage; DECEMBER 2012

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CONSERVATION

Strategic partnership for

RHINO

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Ezemvelo), the Wildlands Conservation Trust (Wildlands) and the African Conservation Trust (ACT) have formed a strategic partnership aimed at stopping rhino poaching in Ezemvelo’s protected areas, writes Dr Andrew Venter.

“The poaching of our Province’s rhino can only be stopped through a collaborative effort. Wildlands and ACT are key partners. We met to explore ways in which we can work more closely to stop this poaching, and it is with pleasure that I can announce that Wildlands and ACT have agreed to actively help us develop our capacity and secure the resources which we need to effectively protect our rhino”, says Dr Bandile Mkhize, CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

The Wildlands CEO, Dr Andrew Venter, and ACT CEO, Francois Du Toit will meet on a regular basis with Dr Mkhize and senior Ezemvelo staff to develop their understanding of the challenges which the organisation is facing, with a view to channelling the resources of the Wildlands network to address these challenges. “The rhino onslaught has taken us all by surprise. Conservation has made great strides towards becoming inclusive and community-based over the past decade. This sits at the heart of both the Ezemvelo and Wildlands Vision, and Ezemvelo are world leaders in this community engagement interface. Unfortunately, the poaching syndicates are ruthless and willing to exploit any weakness. They are actively developing local criminal syndicates, corrupting individuals and abusing Ezemvelo’s goodwill. As such we’re entering a new era of conservation. We need to continue nurturing and supporting community based conservation approaches, whilst demonstrating an intolerance of lawlessness and criminal activity” commented Dr Venter.

already has a number of strategic partnerships with Ezemvelo, including the Wild Series, Integrated Greening Programme, the Conservation Symposium and the Umgeni Recycling initiative. This Rhino partnership adds to this legacy of working together to address the many environmental challenges which we face. I have absolute confidence in their collective ability and am equally dedicated to making this a success. I call on all our partners and supporters to get behind this initiative help us develop and resource the systems required to stop rhino poaching!”

The Ezemvelo, ACT and Wildlands executive teams will meet soon to begin shaping a strategy. ”Our initial emphasis will be on addressing the issues identified through Ezemvelo’s internal investigation of the recent poaching incidents at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. Over time we’d like this partnership to focus on all Ezemvelo’s rhino reserves, with a view to reversing the recent poaching onslaught and allowing us to once again drive the expansion of Rhino territory across KZN. This remains our collective goal, as it is essential for the long term survival of this iconic species,” stated Dr Mkhize.

The rhino onslaught is not limited to KZN. South Africa has lost a record number of Rhino this year, and there is every indication that the onslaught will continue. Thus the experience gained and systems developed through the formal collaboration between Ezemvelo, ACT and Wildlands, will have benefits way beyond the fences of Ezemvelo’s reserves.

The partnership builds on the foundation laid through the establishment and activities of the ground breaking Project Rhino KZN (www.projectrhinokzn.org) initiative. “We all need to work together to ensure that not only do we stop the poaching of rhino in KZN and South Africa, but also help Ezemvelo grow from strength to strength.

They are the custodians of our wonderful natural heritage. They need our help to nurture, care and protect this heritage. They cannot do it alone,” concluded Francois du Toit, CEO African Conservation Trust.

Prof Rob Fincham, Chairman of the Wildlands Conservation Trust stressed the importance of this partnership: “These are three committed and visionary organisations, trying to find a solution to this appalling onslaught. I believe that their collective effort, supported by their extensive networks, will turn the tide. Wildlands

For more information contact: Ezemvelo - Musa Mntambo - mntambom@kznwildlife.com Wildlands - Kevin McCann - Kevinm@wildlands.co.za ACT - Sheelagh Antrobus - info@projectrhinokzn.org

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Image © QuentinVogel www.kwintinart.blogspot.com

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CONSERVATION

Keeping track of PENGUINS Where do African Penguins go when they’re not breeding? This may sound like the opening line to a lame joke, but currently it’s a fascinating scientific question, the answers to which could help stop the precipitous population decrease of this endangered species, writes Christina Moseley of BirdLife South Africa.

Researchers from BirdLife South Africa and the University of Cape Town have a better idea of how to answer that question. The Charl van der Merwe Trust and the Mohammed bin Zayed Conservation Fund have provided funds for 20 satellite trackers. The study, which is the first of its kind, tracked penguins using the small, waterproof satellite transmitters. “This is the first time that anyone has tracked adult African Penguins that have just completed a breeding cycle,” says Dr Ross Wanless, Manager of the Seabird Division at BirdLife South Africa. Previous tracking studies have focused almost exclusively on breeding penguins, because researchers can be sure that they will return to their nests, which allows the retrieval of small but quite pricey units.

“With the advent of improved technology, satellite devices, which can send data directly to our computers, are now small enough to attach to penguins but still provide enough battery life to be useful” explains Dr Wanless. Satellite trackers were famously used to track how quickly Peter, Pamela and Percy, released at Port Elizabeth, returned to the Western Cape following the Treasure oil spill in 2000.

The aim of the project is to find out where the penguins go once they have finished breeding. This is a crucial period because they need to fatten up to survive two weeks of moult, During the moult, penguins stay on land, don’t eat, and replace all their feathers. The lucky ones lose only half of their body weight.

By knowing if they stay close to their breeding islands or travel away from them, BirdLife South Africa researchers can see if they are likely to come into competition for food with the sardine and anchovy fishery and if implementing special management areas will help.

In mid-September, 10 satellite trackers were deployed on penguins from the west coast, at Dassen Island, with the help of CapeNature, who manage the island. In the east, SANParks, UCT and BirdLife staff went to Bird Island in Nelson Mandela Bay, and deployed the other 10 devices. “The birds went

out to sea for about a month and we can now report that most of them have made it safely back home” says Mr Craig Harding, the UCT student who is leading the study. “There are a couple that are a bit slower in getting back to their island but overall the project has been a success,” he adds.

The penguins on Dassen Island travelled far from the island. One bird travelled north at 50 km/day for 10 days, almost to the border with Namibia. Most went south and then east, as far as 540 km to Mossel Bay, before returning to Dassen. The penguins from Bird Island tended to stay closer to the island, with the furthest travelling penguin going almost as far as East London, a distance of about 170 km. The team now have the tricky task of trying to recover the satellite transmitters so they can use them for further work, possibly to track penguins after they have finished moulting.

For more information visit: http://www.birdlife.org.za/

Image © William Lorenz DECEMBER 2012

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EVENTS

All systems go for AFCON Tournament The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off in South Africa from 19 January to 10 February, will see 16 soccer teams from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) play a total of 32 matches at 5 host city stadiums and is expected to boost tourist arrival numbers from Africa, writes Des Langkilde.

At a National Assembly Parliamentary debate in August, South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Mr. Marthinus van Schalkwyk was asked how he envisaged the hosting of the 2013 AFCON impacting on tourism growth and the hosting cities. “Recent studies on tourist numbers to South Africa have indicated that the African Continent is a key source market for visitors to South Africa. Therefore, by hosting the AFCON event, it will provide South Africa with an opportunity to raise the profile of the country to a number of African countries since the nature and focus of the AFCON event is specifically the African Continent. The broadcasting of games to various African countries will therefore raise the awareness of South Africa as a country but also as a tourist destination,” van Schalkwyk said. He added that South African Tourism, in partnership with the International Marketing Council, has developed a strategy to intensify its African marketing campaign in order to draw larger tourist numbers from the African Continent.

According to South African Tourism’s CEO, Thulani Nzima, the AFCON event will shore up the industry’s drop in arrivals from traditional markets, such as North America and Europe. “Traditional markets are not doing well and we have turned to Africa. By hosting the Africa Cup of Nations we are looking at increasing tourist numbers as people come to enjoy football,” Nzima said at a media briefing held at the ICC Durban in October. He added that there is ample proof that media coverage increases during tournaments such as the AFCON finals and that South Africa would begin an all out campaign to woo tourists from the continent with the introduction of new flight routes, among others.

The host city stadiums announced by the South African Football Association on 04 May are Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium with a capacity of 54,000; Port Elizabeth’s Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium with a capacity of 48,000; Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium with a capacity of 41,000; Rustenberg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium with a capacity of 42,000 and Johannesburg’s Soccer City with a capacity of 94,700 where the opening and final matches will be played.

Durban’s eThekwini Municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government’s preparations for the AFCON Tournament were given the thumbs-up by the Tournament’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) CEO, Mvuzo Mbebe at a media briefing at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 19 November following the LOC’s visit to get an update on the City’s readiness to host the African football showpiece.

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their marketing, mobilisation and transport plans,” said Mbebe.

“The City’s mobilisation plan covers the entire Province. The public transport plan that they have put in place will make it easy for people to come to the stadium. We are pleased with the plans that they have, from the traffic management, to security and risk management plan around the accommodation where the teams will be based.”

He urged fans to use the public transport system provided as opposed to private vehicles, as this will assist to ease congestion around the stadium on match days. “We have allocated parking for buses and taxis closer to the stadium, to accommodate people travelling in large numbers.”

Mbebe added that representatives of all four teams that will be based in Durban - Bafana Bafana, Angola, Cape Verde and Morocco - have inspected the hotels and training venues allocated to them for the tournament. “We are pleased to say that they were satisfied with the conditions, and are ready to start training in their base camps as soon as the New Year starts.” Mbebe claims that the event will create 18 600 jobs.

City Manager Sibusiso Sithole shared the same sentiments, assuring the public that the City and Province of KwaZulu-Natal had put together a plan that will ensure that it delivers a successful 2013 AFCON Tournament.

“We are having on-going meetings with different stakeholders to ensure that they are all part of this tournament and everybody is aware of the plans that have been put in place,” said Sithole. He said that the target was to sell 500 000 tickets and the LOC was confident that this will be achieved. So far, close to 40 000 tickets have been sold and requests for 20 000 more tickets have been received from the corporate sector.

The tournament kicks off on January 19 in Johannesburg and Durban will host its first match on 23 January 2013. Of the 32 matches to be played during the Tournament, 24 are in the qualifying stage, 4 in the quarterfinals, 2 in the Semifinals plus a third place play-off game and the final.

Match tickets can be purchased at selected Super Spars, or call 087 980 3000 or visit http://afcon2013.eqtickets.com/eQtickets/en/index.php The schedule of tournament dates and stadiums as released on 08 September 2012 can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_ Africa_Cup_of_Nationsww

EVENTS

Durban’s Top Gear Festival Economic Impact Results

An economic impact study on the Top Gear Festival hosted in Durban on 16 and 17 June at the Moses Mabhida Stadium and People’s Park in Durban KwaZulu-Natal has been released and the results are outstanding, writes Anne Fyfe-Hitchings.

At a recent event for all partners and sponsors of Top Gear Festival, James Cooke-Priest, COO of Top Gear Live presented the results of two independent evaluations, which were commissioned to assess the success criteria against all objectives (one of which was commissioned by the City of Durban), and the results were reassuringly outstanding.

In his speech, James commented, “There is plenty of both factual and anecdotal evidence that the Top Gear Festival more than achieved what it set out achieve in partnership with the Province of KwaZuluNatal and the City of Durban. Whether it be the hard statistics, of having attracted over 67,000 visitors more than 20,000 of them (more than 31%) from outside eThekwini, or that having projected an economic benefit of R62 million, it has independently been calculated as nearer R93 million, which is a fantastic result”.

Over and above the research and hard facts, the positive impact of the event could be felt on the ground in a very real way. The flights were full; the hotels were full; the restaurants were full and new jobs were created. A well-defined development and legacy programme also plays a huge role in providing benefit to the local community and the Top Gear Festival more than achieved this.

A new CSI programme was initiated providing education and inspiration to the next generation of kids and already the initial plans have been further developed to create apprenticeships and work experience placements with local businesses.

From a publicity perspective, the show generated over R90 million worth of coverage in the print, online and digital realm. The ‘Deadly 720’ world record double loop the loop, which was specifically commissioned to attract global media interest in Durban has been viewed online by over 1.4 million and covered by the press around the world.

This year’s Top Gear Festival in ‘the warmest place to be’ attracted over 67,000 and achieved massive success in terms of its economic benefits and ongoing legacy programmes in the region. James CookePriest concluded the formalities by saying, “Durban, in conjunction with the wider KwaZulu-Natal Province is a city with a world-class attitude and aptitude for attracting, supporting and hosting world class events. Thank you for having us, we look forward to many more years working together and supporting you in ensuring Durban remains in the top tier of destinations to host world class events”.

After the overwhelming popularity and success of this year’s event, plans are already underway to further cement the successes of this year and ensure that Top Gear Festival in partnership with the Province of KwaZulu-Natal and the City of Durban goes from strength to strength.

For more information on the event or to register interest in next year’s event visit www.topgearfestival.co.za

Said Philip Sithole, CEO of Durban Tourism, “‘The Province of KwaZulu-Natal and the City of Durban are proud to have hosted this prestigious festival of motoring. The objective of the City in hosting major events is not just about the event itself, but to create interest in the destination and thereby attract future visitation as well as boosting the local economy – short and long term. Successfully hosting high profile global brands such as the Top Gear Festival enhances the City’s profile as a city capable of hosting such major events and provides excellent opportunities to bid for and host other world-class events in the future. We are delighted with the achievements this year and look forward to taking the event to new heights in 2013. ” DECEMBER 2012

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EVENTS

TAFI Convention 2013 24 to 27 February

Message from the SATSA President As President of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) I look forward to welcoming the delegates of the Travel Agents Federation of India to the beautiful province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in February 2013. We are most honoured that TAFI has chosen the City of Durban to hold its 2013 convention.

the years hosted leaders from countries around the globe.

The International Convention Centre (ICC) Durban will be the setting for the TAFI conference, and we trust that our travel agent guests from India will feel both welcome and excited to find out more about South Africa – a country which they can then introduce to their discerning clients as a new destination that promises, and delivers, so much to visitors. They will experience all the comfort and familiarity of home, but with the bonus of the excitement, sounds, sights and smells, that only Africa can offer.

The City of Durban shows in its civic architecture, a similar Victorian colonial heritage to that of India. However it also has a strong Zulu heritage, apparent in new buildings like the magnificent Moses Mabida Soccer stadium, built for the Soccer World Cup in 2010.

Visitors to the city are encouraged to explore its considerable Indian heritage, created by those who arrived in poverty in the mid 19th century, many of whose descendants are among the leading businessmen and politicians of the country today. That is a heritage of which we are very proud.

People of Indian descent living in South Africa have made, and continue to make, a huge contribution to the creation of the new South Africa. Through membership of BRICS, our two countries share many economic goals and aspirations, as we emerge as new, powerful players on the word stage.

For several years, SATSA has had the pleasure of working with TAFI, and finding out about what Indian visitors expect and want from South Africa. Our two countries have many things in common — from amazing wildlife and scenery to booming cities and great shopping! And we share a love of great food that draws inspiration from many different traditions.

Nowhere is the friendship between South Africa and India demonstrated more clearly than in KwaZulu-Natal, and it will be our privilege to host members of the Indian outbound travel trade in this exciting destination, which has so much to offer the visitor, from traditional villages to sophisticated cities such as Durban, which through its magnificent International Conference Centre has over 22

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I trust that the South African travel trade, both within KwaZulu-Natal and from the other eight provinces, will avail themselves of the opportunity to participate in the TAFI Convention as delegates and as hosts to organised pre and post convention FAM trips.

On behalf of SATSA I look forward to welcoming TAFI to our shores, and hope that all members will have a really special and successful convention in Durban.

Craig Drysdale SATSA President, CMP ® [Certified Meeting Professional] HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE: ADVERTISING: The Tourism Tattler will be distributed to delegates at the TAFI Convention. Contact Beverley for special rates bev@tourismtattler.co.za EXHIBIT: Secure your space (3m x 3m sq.) in the Exhibition Area. Forms can be obtained from: ashna@africanlink.co.za The Exhibition Opportunities brochure can be downloaded at: http://www.tourismtattler.co.za/downloads/taficonvention2012.pdf

For more information contact Bunny Bhoola on +27 83 632 2420 or +27 333 453175 or email: bunny@africanlink.co.za

LEGAL

The CPA and

Supplier Rights

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS – PART 1 – WHAT YOU’RE ENTITLED TO AND MUST DO It is amazing how many businesses seem to be under the impression that the only thing the CPA has an impact on is their Terms and Conditions (T&C) and that if they ‘fix’ that, they’re fully CPA complaint! As I’ve stated a number of times, that’s just one of the contract management jigsaw pieces, but not a bad place to start.

Firstly I’ll deal with the matters you must attend to when reviewing your T&C and in the next installment I’ll deal with what you should not, and in fact are prohibited, from doing.

At the outset the misconception that you are not entitled to have T&C must be buried. You are fully entitled to have T&C provided the content and how you introduce it to the consumer are both CPA compliant.

The overriding consideration is that the content must be ‘fair, just and reasonable’ (48) viewed objectively. The test for the latter is somewhere between the consumer’s and industry’s perspective.

As you may be aware a consumer can treat goods as unsolicited and reject and return them if not provided on the time, date and at the place quoted (19.6 & 21.1.c). Avoid this by providing adequate wording entitling you to provide the goods on an alternative date, time and place.

Your T&C as well as any ‘notice, document or visual presentation’ must be in ‘plain language’ (22). You have to read through all your material and ensure that complex language and legalese is excluded or adequately explained.

The CPA wants to avoid unscrupulous suppliers hiding behind restrictive T&C. It requires suppliers to draw the consumer’s attention to any T&C which limits the consumer’s rights, amounts to an assumption of risk or liability or has the effect of the consumer indemnifying any party or acknowledging any fact (49). The supplier must also explain ‘the fact, nature and potential effect’ of any ‘unusual’ or ‘not reasonable expected’ risk and risks where the access or activity may entail the possibility of injury or death e.g. horse-riding, quad-biking, white water rafting, etc.

The aforesaid must be done at the earliest of the following: when the customer enters into the contract, pays, enters the premises or participates in the activity.

I would suggest that a narrow, conservative view of the above be taken, and suppliers must thus look beyond the norm and include in the term ‘unusual’ or ‘not reasonable expected’. Issues such as nonrefundable deposits and the minefield relating to passports, visas and health requisites spring to mind.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a brief overview of legal matters pertaining to the travel and tourism industry and is not intended as legal advice. © Adv Louis Nel, BENCHMARK, October 2012.

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MARKETING

The Law of the

TOUR SALE

Sometimes it’s useful to look at things from the other side of the fence. This article was written for travel agents in the USA - Ed.

In my experience, most agents working at home are very knowledgeable about selling tours and packages and are aware that these sales can create an excellent revenue stream. But there are certain issues that you should be familiar with when selling tours and packages in order to protect yourself, your host agency and your customer, writes Jeff Miller.

As an initial matter, you need to be familiar with the terms and conditions of the tour or package so that the correct information can be provided to your clients during the sale process. For example, if the cancellation penalties apply within 60 days of travel, you need to make certain that any consumer disclosure notice issues from you or your host agency follow the same time frame.

In my experience representing travel agents for more than three decades, the biggest warning sign of financial default is the supplier’s refusal to accept credit cards, or if that supplier runs a significant, deeply discounted sale for which credit cards are not accepted.

Historically, this has demonstrated that the supplier is on shaky financial ground and will ultimately go out of business.

It’s also essential that your consumer disclosure notice set forth the principal-agency relationship between you as the travel agent and the supplier in order to minimise potential liability if there is a problem with the travel arrangements. Included in the consumer disclosure notice should be a statement indicating that your client was offered travel insurance and that you recommended the use of a credit card.

You also need to put in language reconfirming that you and your host agency are merely agents of the supplier and not a principal.

There are some travel insurance policies available to consumers that cover supplier default, but there are generally restrictions to such policies and to some suppliers who are specifically not covered by them. Furthermore, it is unlikely that your errors and omissions or general liability insurance policies will cover a claim by a client as a result of a supplier default and thus you could be a defendant in a lawsuit with no insurance coverage.

Generally, under federal law if a credit card is used to pay for goods and services not delivered, the cardholder has certain rights to obtain a credit if payment has been made, or alternatively, he or she can have the charge removed from the credit card if payment has not been made. Please keep in mind that these protections under federal law do not apply to the use of debit cards for which there is no protection under federal statutes.

It also is important to keep in mind in selling tours and packages to make certain that the issue of supplier default has been addressed by a consumer disclosure notice, and by the offer of travel insurance.

The number of these defaults has continued to decline over the past several years, but as the industry is well aware, many well-known, long-established suppliers are no longer in business.

The best protection against supplier default is for you, your host agency and your client to use common sense in maintaining awareness of industry developments that may impact suppliers. You need to speak with other agents, particularly those in different geographic regions of the country, to keep abreast of changes in a supplier’s operations. These can include consistent complaints from consumers about being “walked” to another less desirable property, changes in acceptance or overall refusal to accept credit cards, and feedback from other agents and their clients that specific items described as part of a package were not provided or that there was significant substitutions.

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It is extremely important that you and your host agency book preferred suppliers on the assumption that your consortium or franchise has negotiated a preferred supplier agreement that includes updates on a supplier’s financial information. While this does not provide a 100 percent safety net or guarantee of performance, it certainly is better than booking suppliers with which you have no preferred relationships.

If the supplier belongs to the U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA), - a similar organisation to SATSA - there is a programme in place to protect consumers booking with one of their members.

However, such protection will likely not cover a 100 percent refund to each customer if the supplier goes out of business, because there is a cap on the total coverage.

Unfortunately, over the years some of my clients have been involved in disputes with consumers as a result of supplier default. But many have avoided problems because they were able to detect warning signs of a supplier’s potential financial difficulties before that company defaulted. While there is no guarantee that you can protect yourself and your clients from supplier default, putting in place sound business practices can minimize the risk you and your clients face.

Jeff Miller is a Columbia, Md.-based attorney specializing in travel law.

He is a regular columnist for Agent@Home magazine and this column is adapted from one appearing in the October 2012 issue. For more information visit www.jmillerlaw.com or email jrmiller486@gmail.com.

MARKETING

Market Intelligence Report The information below was extracted from available data as at 13 November 2012, writes Martin Jansen van Vuuren.

ARRIVALS The latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to July 2012:

UK

Current period

Change over same period last year

247 046

4.7%

Germany

133 757

12.4%

USA

190 355

15.2%

India

62 011

17.9%

China

72 348

65.6%

Overseas Arrivals (excl same day visitors)

1 370 133

16.4%

African Arrivals

3 824 534

8.5%

Total Foreign Arrivals

5 209 618

10.5%

NB: 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.

HOTEL STATS The latest available data from STR Global is for January to September 2012: Current period

Average Room Occupancy (ARO)

Average Room Rate (ARR)

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)

All Hotels in SA

58.3%

R 871.19

R 507.98

All 5-star hotels in SA

56.1%

R 1 545.81

R 867.81

All 4-star hotels in SA

58.2%

R 838.85

R 488.33

All 3-star hotels in SA

58.4%

R 706.37

R 412.86

Change over same period last year All Hotels in SA

7.4%

3.8%

11.4%

All 5-star hotels in SA

11.7%

2.0%

14.0%

All 4-star hotels in SA

8.0%

3.5%

11.8%

All 3-star hotels in SA

5.3%

4.4%

9.9%

ACSA DATA The latest available data from ACSA is for January to October 2012: Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on

International Flights

Passengers arriving on Regional Flights

Passengers arriving on Domestic Flights

OR Tambo International

1.9%

-0.9%

-2.4%

Cape Town International

5.7%

18.3%

1.7%

King Shaka International

16.0%

N/A

-5.1%

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESS The growth in arrivals and hotel performance are in contrast to the decline in passengers arriving on domestic flights at OR Tambo and King Shaka International Airports. Given that 1Time Airline ceased operations on 2 November, it can be expected that arrivals on domestic flights would decline for the last two months of the year.

Some passengers would move to other airlines and still fly, but the passengers that depended on discretionary spend to fly on 1Time might cancel their trip altogether.

For more information contact Martin at Grant Thornton on +27 (0)21 417 8838 or visit: http://www.gt.co.za DECEMBER 2012

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NICHE TOURISM

MSC Opera starts her maiden SA season in style To mark the luxury cruise ship’s maiden call in the ports of Cape Town (refer article in November edition of Tattler) and Durban, MSC Cruises hosted VIPs, dignitaries, media and travel industry representatives to celebrate the launch of the MSC Opera’s cruise season in Southern African waters, writes Des Langkilde.

Hosted guests boarded the MSC Opera on 23 November 2012 at Durban’s N-Shed for an overnight programme filled with entertainment, gastronomy and unlimited quantities of liquor and beverages, which is probably why our host included overnight accommodation onboard – it wouldn’t do to have their distinguished guests drive home inebriated – a distinct possibility considering that the bars opened from midday through to 2 am.

To say that the MSC Opera is impressive would be an understatement.

From the grand reception hall on deck 5, to the plush carpeted passageways leading to tastefully furnished restaurants, lounges, bars, entertainment venues and boutique shops, the visual impression is one of understated luxury and elegance, leaving one with a sense of spaciousness that belies the ship’s 12 decks and 856 cabins spread over a length of 251,25 metres by 28,80 metres wide. Considering that the liner can accommodate 1,700 passengers, attaining an illusion of spaciousness is quite an extraordinary design feat.

Clearly yours truly and glamorous wife were not considered to be VIP’s as our allocated cabin was not one of the 172 balcony cabins or 28 balcony suites. Thankfully, our cabin on the 8th deck did have a large port hole, which I imagine would have afforded a panoramic ocean view had she set sail. Although small by landlubber standards, the cabins have been designed to optimise the limited space although I cannot imagine any of the more portly guests actually fitting into the confines of the shower unless he or she were to do so one limb or buttock cheek at a time.

The ship has four restaurants, eleven bars, two pools, and two whirlpools. The liner boasts the MSC Aurea Spa and Solarium, a disco, video games room, internet café, casino, team building facilities and a medical centre. Conference facilities include a theatre for large corporate events and meeting rooms complete with technical infrastructure.

It was in the Teatro dell’Opera that proceedings kicked off with a presentation at six pm. “MSC Cruises is the only cruise line sailing regularly in South Africa, with two ships operating for almost 6 months from the home ports of Durban and Cape Town,” said MSC Cruises COO Mr Niel Palomba. “I am particularly proud of this, not only because I have a special bond with this incredibly beautiful country, but because I truly believe that South Africa has huge potential for cruising and can grow with us and gain the international recognition it deserves.”

I couldn’t agree more with Mr Palomba. Cruise tourism is definitely

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▲ MSC Cruises COO, Mr Niel Palomba

set to explode once Durban’s new cruise terminal is completed (read more on this subject in the Issue 3, 2011 edition of Tattler).

Charity But it’s not all take and no give. MSC Cruises has a benevolent side, where the company has been an active donor to the Ukuthemba Foundation since 2009, and MSC Opera’s maiden call in Cape Town was used as a fund raising opportunity for 2012. Speaking to MSC Starlight Cruises Marketing Director Allan Foggit on the pool deck before the presentation, he said that the auction raised R470,000 for Ukuthemba’s children’s homes.

Conferences and Incentive Groups The MSC Opera serves as an ideal resort style venue to host a conference, teambuilding or incentive event as there are few landbased venues in South Africa where accommodation, all meals, entertainment and a company conference can be arranged with one call and it’s all included in the fare.

The return of MSC Sinfonia with 777 cabins, and the addition of MSC Opera provides an exciting prospect for both the business and leisure travel trade as it is the biggest and most ambitious cruise programme in South Africa’s history.

MSC Opera will be based in Durban until early March 2013, operating three and four-night cruises to Maputo, Portuguese Island and Barra Lodge in Mozambique. A Christmas cruise will sail to Portuguese Island and then on to the tiny beach village of Anakoa in Madagascar.

An 11-night festive New Year cruise will see New Year’s eve celebrated on board MSC Opera under La Reunion skies, and then onward to Mauritius on New Year’s day, where she will remain in port for three nights non-stop, allowing guests to enjoy this enchanting island to the full.MSC Opera’s itineraries will also include Port Elizabeth towards the end of her season, and she will also operate several of cruises out of Cape Town to Mossel Bay, Walvis Bay, and Luderitz before leaving South African shores for the European summer.

MSC Sinfonia will operate out of Cape Town before taking over the Durban itineraries after the departure of MSC Opera in early February 2013.

For more information visit: www.msccruises.co.za

PHOTO GALLERY This month’s Photo Gallery features a stunning series of action shots submitted by wildlife photographer, Brian Courtenay.

Mid October in Hwange National Park Mid October in Zimbabwe is a stressful time for all animals in the park as the summer rains are only due mid-November. There is no surface water in the park (+/- 15,000 square kilometres in extent), the only water is man-made/pumped waterholes. For the past 12 years Hwange Lion Research, a project of Wildcru/Oxford University, have monitored the lion prides in their core areas, the South Eastern side of this park. Certain pride members are deployed with satellite collars and 10 lions have been collared to date.

Early one morning we set out (before the heat of the day +/- 40°C) on a routine research drive, following much lion vocalization the night before. We knew there were intruders into the established core area belonging to a +/- 9 year old dominant lion called Cecil, who held this home range for some time (+/- 3 years). Cecil’s core area is a prime location with a couple of water points and excellent diverse stock of

prey species. Cecil enjoys a healthy pride consisting of 21 individuals.

Two nomadic lions (brothers ages +/- 5 years old) had come into Cecil’s turf intending to topple the “King of the Castle” in his own backyard. To add insult to injury these two youngsters had lured one of Cecil’s girls into joining them. She was in oestrus so needless to say the brothers had fought for her the night before, the victor being badly bitten on his hind quarter, his eye and nose.

We found the one brother mating as expected, the other brother without injury some 800 metres away! The two brothers came together; we could see a stand-off, each keeping their distance and no female to view. Suddenly the female at great speed, presented herself for mating to the uninjured suitor. He mounted immediately and as the mating began his brother leaped into the arena to stop what he had enjoyed for the past 12 hours.

This resulted in a free for all, which at one stage looked like the “boys” were fighting her. She was bowled over and ended up fighting a vicious attack from her lovers! She managed to escape and headed for the hills while the ‘boys’ continued to fight. At the same time Cecil was doing his morning patrol and, hearing the commotion, announced himself with some very vocal roars. The two “lover boys” took flight with Cecil in hot pursuit, which he kept up for 4.5 kilometres! Cecil returned to the honeymoon suite sniffing around and grunting in disapproval. He sat around for a while calling for her “Ladyship” but to no avail. We caught a glimpse of her a mere 100 metres away from him slinking and cowling and getting away before the “boss “gave her a hiding for being permissive!

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RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

Acting Responsibly, Growing Sustainably So the holiday season is finally here, and for some establishments, this means going on holiday. For others, it means working harder than they have worked the entire year, as their occupancy rate remains at 100% for two months. Now there is no time to worry about admin, compliance and entertaining myriads of sales people trying to sell your establishment the latest and greatest tool, technology or solve-all-your-problems solution, writes Niki Glen.

Looking back over the past year, a typical day in the life of a guest house owner is not simple, and focus is not always on the guest. The year usually starts with a bang (whether after a relaxed holiday or a stressful busy season). Now the bills start coming in for Association Membership, Tourism Grading, Liquor Licenses, SAMRO, SAMPRO, TV Licenses, Health and Safety Compliance, Electricity, Water, Rates and Taxes, Tourism Levies, DSTV, Accommodation Booklets, On-line Booking Systems, Public Liability Insurance, Credit Card Machines, Banking Charges, VAT, SARS, More Marketing - the list goes on.

Running an establishment successfully and profitably is by no means an easy feat. Just having time to sit down for a cup of tea is not possible. When you are not busy with managing guest comforts and requirements, you are busy buying daily food supplies or monthly groceries – often from many different sources. Then you have to sit and listen to at least one sales person per week, trying to convince you to buy an on-line booking engine, a worm farm, new light bulbs, a security system, iron free bed sheets, conservation memberships, more association memberships, better telephones, better smelling guest amenities and bigger marketing space.

On top of that , you need to start making sense of new grading requirements, as your re-grading is due in two months’ time, new public liability insurance requirements, new by-laws, new fire regulations, new health and safety requirements, more signage, increased pressure to get certified for responsible tourism and still costs keep escalating each month. And all you are trying to do is run an establishment full of happy guests.

Smaller Accommodation Establishments For Smaller Accommodation Establishments (SAEs), all of these requirements may become overwhelming. Running an SAE is a cut throat business, and to remain on top of your game requires constant hard work and dedication.

SAEs are generally defined as establishments with less than 15 rooms and are often owner managed and privately funded. Large hotels are often publicly funded. On a day-to-day basis, SAE owners and managers grapple with compliance to various costly standards and regulations – larger hotels can employ teams of people to look after compliance. SAEs often employ only a small number of people, each 28

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of whom fulfils many different roles. Large hotels can employ one person per role, and those people often are able to employ more team members. SAEs have very low margins and battle to keep their costs down in the face of rising utility, food and transport costs.

Large hotels can rely on economies of scale to overcome these issues.

SAEs struggle to maintain high occupancy rates throughout the year, while larger hotels (often parts of a group) have greater market access through their brand strength.

SAEs suffer most when the tourism industry has a down turn, and in 2010 / 2011, many had to close their doors for business. Various types of regulation and by-laws make little distinction between an SAE and their larger counterparts, yet they have distinctly different business models. However, it would appear that the attention is being drawn to SAEs when it comes to sustainable tourism planning. The National Tourism Sector Strategy has set out bold plans to become a top 20 tourism destination by 2020.

Caroline Ungersbock, the President of the National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA-SA) and Chairperson of the Growth & Development Cluster of the National Tourism Sector Strategy, believes that the only way to grow tourism sustainably is by focusing on the SAE sector and for SAEs to be recognised as a separate sector from their larger hotel counterparts.

Sustainable Tourism Partnership Programme formation Through the work that Caroline has been doing with the NAA-SA, she has teamed up with the writer of this article Niki Glen, a Responsible Tourism Consultant and doctorate student in Responsible Tourism Implementation. Bringing together our industry experiences, Niki and Caroline have established the Sustainable Tourism Partnership ProgrammeTM (STPP).

The STPP was established as a collaborative framework to address the requirements of Responsible Tourism in a sustainable way and to create better understanding amongst stakeholders of the needs of SAEs. The STPP helps to build linkages between compliance requirements, environmental best practice, conservation, skills development, job creation, local community beneficiation and stakeholder collaboration for SAEs and their sector.

The programme focuses on tourism business communities at a large scale, rather than single business-to-business interventions, and uses Responsible Tourism Guidelines, as set out in SANS 1162:2011 as the backbone of their implementation model. The programme provides practical solutions to the day-to-day management of an SAE and hand holds establishments through every step and over every obstacle. The programme has succeeded in forming many partnerships with industry stakeholders and together they develop fit-for-purpose SAE specific solutions.

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

Many of the programme offerings to SAE owners / managers are free of charge or at reduced rates, e.g. through their partnership with STPP, Media Company Alive2Green, the programme is setting up a series of Tourism Dialogues and Seminars, which are aimed at better understanding the requirements of SAEs, facilitate conversations between SAEs and other tourism stakeholders such as municipalities, local government and other tourism service providers (the first event was on 27 July 2012 as part of Sustainability Week).

Free energy retrofit Through a partnership with an international energy product and service provider, the STPP has set up a country-wide roll-out of free retrofit for various energy components. This programme launched in early November 2012. Through employing economies of scale, the programme has put into place various offerings for ‘mass participation’ i.e. 10 – 30 establishments at a time – depending on the offering. These include offerings such as Basic Compliance for an SAE; Greening your Establishment; Waste Management Solutions and Growing your Own Vegetables, which are aimed at SAE operational staff.

Through its networks with suppliers, government, corporates, NGOs and other SMMEs, the STPP is finding reliable and more sustainable sources of products and services for SAEs. While the programme is pro-actively sourcing funds to cover costs as far as possible, the collaborative approach allows for SAEs to participate at a marginal cost compared to other offerings in the market. The STPP is also working in association with Nedbank to formulate various financial services offering to assist the SAE market in their going green efforts.

What is Sustainable Tourism?

There is often confusion about the terms Sustainable and Responsible Tourism. The following excerpt from Wikipedia may help clarify the issue - Ed. Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make as low an impact on the environment and local culture as possible, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves.

Responsible tourism is regarded as a behaviour. It is more than a form of tourism as it represents an approach to engaging with tourism, be that as a tourist, a business, locals at a destination or any other tourism stakeholder. It emphasizes that all stakeholders are responsible for the kind of tourism they develop or engage in.

Whilst different groups will see responsibility in different ways, the shared understanding is that responsible tourism should entail an improvement in tourism. Tourism should become ‘better’ as a result of the responsible tourism approach.

Global economists forecast continuing international tourism growth, the amount depending on the location. As one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries, this continuous growth will place great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats and indigenous cultures, which are often used to support mass tourism. Tourists who promote sustainable tourism are sensitive to these dangers and seek to protect tourist destinations, and to protect tourism as an industry.

Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways:

The programme has been nominated for 3 industry awards since its inception in April 2012, and is a finalist in the ESKOM ETA awareness category.

What are the benefits?

Making it easy to implement sustainable business practices, which in the end reduces an SAEs operational costs significantly. The STPP aims to help individual SAEs to succeed, but more importantly help the SAE sector to come into its own right.

By facilitating all the necessary processes and requirements, which are unique to your establishment and your association’s members, we are able to help you prioritize. For some establishments basic compliance may be a priority, for others security, and yet for others, recycling and waste management might be on the agenda.

While the programme is not a responsible tourism certification company, it encourages its participants to work towards certification, therefore creating a win-win for the entire industry.

What does the programme require?

An SAE needs to commit to the programme for at least three years to receive all the benefits the STPP is putting in place, provide the STPP with small amounts of data and finally, help the STPP to help SAEs. The more SAEs within an area that participate in the programme, the more cost effective implementation becomes, so working through local associations and chambers is more beneficial.

For more information visit: http://www.facebook.com/SustainableTourismPP

• • • • • •

Informing themselves of the culture, politics, and economy of the communities visited; Anticipating and respecting local cultures, expectations and assumptions; Contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance; Supporting the integrity of local cultures by favouring businesses which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values; Supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with small, local businesses; Conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of non-renewable resources.

Increasingly, destinations and tourism operations are endorsing and following “responsible tourism” as a pathway towards sustainable tourism. Responsible tourism and sustainable tourism have an identical goal, that of sustainable development.

The pillars of responsible tourism are therefore the same as those of sustainable tourism – environmental integrity, social justice and economic development.

The major difference between the two is that, in responsible tourism, individuals, organisations and businesses are asked to take responsibility for their actions and the impacts of their actions. This shift in emphasis has taken place because some stakeholders feel that insufficient progress towards realising sustainable tourism has been made since the Earth Summit in Rio. This is partly because everyone has been expecting others to behave in a sustainable manner. The emphasis on responsibility in responsible tourism means that everyone involved in tourism – government, product owners and operators, transport operators, community services, NGOs and CBOs, tourists, local communities, industry associations – are responsible for achieving the goals of responsible tourism.

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RISK

INSURANCE

from an underwriters view Insurance underwriting should integrate with the clients risk management procedures and established practices ensuring that the benefits accrue directly to clients by way of innovative cover options and effective pricing structures with delivered value through closer integration of product to customer, writes Paul Halley, Managing Director of Ascent Underwriting Managers.

Ascent Underwriting Managers, an authorised financial services provider (FSP 35519) is a specialist niche underwriting manager that provides integrated underwriting and risk management solutions to select insurance brokers with portfolio’s in the well integrated Tourism, Hospitality and Entertainment Sectors.

Ascent combines the dynamic approach of Infiniti Insurance and the proven credentials of the respected and long established Swiss Re brand with a dynamic delivery based approach to business with innovation, entrepreneurial flair and extensive experience of over 15 years in the underwriting management market and, particularly, the Hospitality and Tourism Sectors.

Ascent only conducts business via select accredited licensed brokers and believes it will become the market respected underwriter with a clear vision for the future. It’s corporate vision is to be:

“The partner of choice to select Tourism, Hospitality and Entertainment Sector operators, ensuring their sustainability through integrated, quality driven risk transfer and management solutions.”

The primary focus of this enterprise is on sustainability and a holistic approach to risk management through the development of partnerships. Ascent is committed to providing a supportive role to it’s target segments in South Africa and Namibia, which are not only the most exciting and vibrant commercial sectors in the country, but are also essential to the success of the economy and the future of these countries.

Our vision will not only be evident in our policy design and claims servicing ability, but also through our distribution model strategy and initiatives aimed at pro-actively dealing with sector specific challenges and risk factors on a broad level.

To achieve this and to ensure that our iniatives are easily recalled, our insurance product bundles are all prefixed with “THE”. This is an anagram for TOURISM, HOSPITALITY and ENTERTAINMENT, and includes the following service categories and disciplines:

• Providing simplified and innovative product bundles to the Tourism,Hospitality and Entertainment Sectors.

• Customising and branding user integrated products based on segment specific and individual client needs.

• Integrating underwriting and risk management with related services to provide a client specific, dynamic holistic solution to risk.

• Leveraging existing market experience, knowledge and extensive broker and supplier networks to position the brand in the Tourism, Hospitality and Entertainment Sectors.

As an underwriter, we have tremendous passion for, and take a direct interest in, the sustainability of our target sectors. Although it is always difficult choosing which initiatives to support we have chosen the two we feel are the most important to the long term success of the sectors themselves.

One of South Africa and Namibia’s strongest differentiators as tourist destinations is our renowned climate. Whether it be the number of days sunshine we enjoy every year, our beautiful beaches, our rich bio diversity, our flora and fauna or ability to hold uninterrupted sport events, we rely on our weather. Although scientists are still debating over climate change we believe that we can all make a difference.

This initiative supported via our website allows us to offer a paperless option on all policy administration. Fee discounts on this option are also available under certain circumstances.

It is commonly accepted that the perception of crime levels in South Africa can be a major limitation to the growth in tourism arrivals. Ascent has pledged its support of the Tourism Safety Initiative, a South African tourism industry initiative that is funded by TOMSA under the umbrella of the TBCSA and managed by SATSA. A percentage of premiums are collected by the SAIA, who on 11 July 2012 handed over a cheque for R1.8 million to BACSA / tsi. We believe that all stakeholders need to play an active role in sustaining their industries. We hope to do our bit by improving crime intelligence and information sharing through this initiative.

For more information email Paul Halley at paul@ascentsure.co.za or visit: http://www.ascentsure.co.za/ 30

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DECEMBER 2012

RISK

Travel Trade INSURANCE We all know that insurance is an essential component of risk management that requires annual review to adjust to changes in the commercial circumstances and legal environment in which we operate. What we may need reminding of are the specific risks that are unique to the travel trade and need to be considered when mitigating and transferring risk. The following article, which will be published as a series each month, has been extracted verbatim (with slight editing) from the SATSA Insurance Directive booklet with acknowledgement to SATSA and the sponsor of the booklet, SATIB Insurance Brokers, in whose employ I originally re-wrote the text in 2005 and updated in 2011, writes Des Langkilde INTRODUCTION Insurance is an emotive issue and viewed by most as a ‘grudge purchase’. No-one likes paying insurance premiums for something that may or may not occur but it just might happen to your company and you owe it not only to yourself and your clients, but more importantly to the tourism industry at large, to be adequately insured and fully aware of the procedures in the event of an accident or a claim.

The SATSA Insurance Directive is intended as a general guide for companies operating in the tourism field within Southern African. It is directed to all companies undertaking tours, offering accommodation of any nature, those providing an auxiliary activity, and operating or hiring out any form of transport whatsoever.

It is not the intention of this Directive to frighten anyone, in fact quite the contrary. It aims to put forward a realistic set of parameters that apply to Southern African conditions and circumstances and is not based on threats and prohibitive laws that may govern other countries. As a professional tourism service provider you live, work and operate in Southern Africa and it is imperative that it is the tourism industry itself that set the guidelines by which you are prepared and in fact able to function. Obviously these must be based on world norms and the industry must aspire to first world standards.

EC DIRECTIVE The European Community Directive 90/314/EEC relating to the Package Holidays and Travel Trade Act, 1995 is legislation that governs the conduct of Tour Organisers operating from within European Community member states.

The Act seeks to protect the consumer by making the Tour Organiser liable for the proper performance of the whole tour package, even if the failure or improper performance is due to the fault of a supplier outside of the EC of one or more of the services provided.

If a tourist books a safari holiday in South Africa through an organiser in the UK and is injured at a Game Lodge in South Africa, he need only prove that the Lodge was liable for the injury in order to succeed in a claim against the organiser. Thus, the UK tour organiser is held legally liable for an incident where there is no ‘fault’ on their part.

In light of this ‘liability assumed by contract’ ruling, tour organisers in the EC member states are very cautious in their dealings with Southern African tourism service providers and will want reassurance that the service provider’s liability insurance will respond to valid claims and extends to cover the service provider’s sub-contractors.

In effect, the local tourism service provider would need to ensure that their liability insurance policy wording extends to cover the EC Directive as ‘liability assumed by contract’ would generally be excluded in most insurance policy wordings, unless specifically requested.

RISK MANAGEMENT The first thing to understand about risk is that it is part of our everyday lives.

“Risk is universal, present in all things, all lives, inherent in being. The concept of a person free from risk is as theoretical as the concept of perfection” (Jawarharlal Nehru - 1889-1964).

Given that risk is inherent in being, the question is not so much about how to avoid risk as it is about how to minimise the consequences of risk occurrence, from both a financial and reputation point of view.

Consider these three basic theoretical principles: • Whenever an event results in the loss of tourist lives (especially international tourists), the global media are almost certain to report it, forcing the local tourism industry to be embroiled in acts of crisis management.

• Perceptions about a particular tourism related crisis tend to be almost as devastating as the crisis itself.

• The farther away one is from a crisis location, the worse the crisis will appear to be and the longer the crisis will remain in the collective travel subconscious.

These principles highlight the need for responsible risk management procedures in every aspect of the tourism industry, from transport to attractions, from hotels to conferences. What is important for tourism stakeholders to understand is that it is significantly less expensive to manage a risk prior to the event than to deal with a crisis after it has occurred.

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RISK

circumstances where no first aid is available or no proper evacuation plan is in existence.

THE SIZE OF A PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM

LEGAL ISSUES The concept of a legal duty is a device that law courts (in South Africa specifically) use to determine whether or not it is reasonable to impose liability. A tour operator has a duty to conform to reasonable standards of care. The test of ascertaining the existence of a duty of care in any particular case is the ‘foresight of a reasonable person’.

This means that one owes a duty of care to persons to whom harm may be reasonably foreseeable.

In this regard the following questions must be asked: • Would a reasonable person, in the position of the defendant, have foreseen the possibility of his or her conduct injuring another; and • Would a reasonable person have taken steps to guard against this danger?

• If so, did the defendant take the steps in question? If not, the defendant would probably be considered negligent.

In the tourism industry, most claims that give rise to liability are personal injury claims. It is also possible for a liability to arise under

Look for unique benefits when appointing an insurance broker Most insurance companies include value-added benefits in their policies at little or no additional premium to differentiate themselves from competitors, but to find an insurance broker who does the same is rare, writes Des Langkilde.

Your insurance broker’s job is to know that all the terms and conditions of an insurance contract - including policy wordings - are appropriate before policy inception. But is your broker looking beyond the policy wording for value-adds that have meaningful benefits? And if they can’t find them, are they negotiating with insurers to provide benefits for their clients?

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A personal injury claim can range from between ZAR5 000 for a minor whiplash injury to several million for one that results in a victim becoming a quadriplegic.

Bearing in mind that the tourism industry attracts high net worth individuals, personal injury claims have the potential to be substantial. It is not uncommon for an injury claim to far exceed the operator’s insurance cover limits, which can ultimately lead to the relevant employee of the tour operator being declared insolvent and his or her employer (the tour operator company) being liquidated.

Case Study: While on a game drive at a private nature reserve in Namibia, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which subsequently rolled. One passenger sustained life-changing injuries while two others were seriously injured. These three guests sued the driver and the safari lodge as the owner of the vehicle. The guest with life-changing injuries was awarded a settlement of NAD80 million and the two other guests were awarded NAD2.9 million and ZAR3.5 million respectively. Legal fees incurred in defending the case amounted to NAD10 million, with a combined claim value of NAD96.4 million. policies, SATIB have effectively provided a unique benefit.

Additional benefits that SATIB provide to their clients include risk surveys, property valuations, access to capacity building and legal assistance.

Another benefit that SATIB provides to its clients is the SATIB Green Digital Portfolio through which clients can not only access their portfolio summary and print certificates when abroad but also request policy amendments on a 24/7 basis.

Providing insurance cover certification is another beneficial innovation - the ‘SATIB Certified’ seal of approval logo is provided to clients for use on their marketing material. The website version of the logo has a ‘mouse-over’ pop-up window that testifies to the fact that the clients insurance complies with minimum tourism industry requirements and with the EC Directive on Travel Trade Act. These benefits and innovations have been made possible by SATIB’s reputation as a specialist broker responsible for the placement of assets cover in excess of R20 billion.

One insurance broker has been doing so for over 22 years. By specialising in the insurance placement needs of the travel trade and understanding the trade’s unique needs, SATIB Insurance Brokers have introduced some truly remarkable value-added benefits for their clients.

SATIB have developed skilled teams dedicated to each of their six business units to ensure that they retain the highest level of focus and expertise required by a particular business or client. Their six business units include Tourism and Leisure, Wildlife, Life and Investment, Commercial and Industrial, Domestic and Sport.

One such benefit is the SATIB24 Crisis Call facility. By convincing insurance underwriters that the likelihood and quantum of a liability claim can be mitigated through timely emergency medical response and post event trauma counselling, SATIB successfully introduced this value-added benefit across all of their clients insurance policies.

Emergency medical evacuation insurance can be expensive as a stand-alone policy, but by introducing the facility as a benefit to all

SATIB has become recognised throughout Africa as a symbol of quality in risk transfer programmes, with A+ rated security, prompt claims settlement and efficient, personal service.

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A final and perhaps less obvious benefit is that SATIB have retained their level 3 BBEEE status in South Africa.

For more information contact Gavin Courtenay on: +27 31 564 4200 or email: info@satib.co.za

RISK

QUANTIFYING RISK EXPOSURE

TYPES OF INSURANCE

Compiling a detailed list of all potential hazards within your tourism service that could give rise to potential public liability risks / incidents would be a first step. After carefully implementing procedures and practical measures to minimise each hazard, one should then attempt to quantify, in financial terms, those risks that are unavoidable in order to decide on which would be sustainable using internal resources and which risk exposures would need to be insured.

Basically there are 5 kinds of insurance that really apply to the tourism industry: 1. Financial Guarantee (Insurance Bond) 2. Liability Insurance 3. Vehicle / Property Insurance 4. Travel Insurance / Medical Rescue 5. Other Business Insurance (Buy & Sell, Key Person, Provident Fund)

THE CONCEPT OF INSURANCE Insurance is a means of transferring risk. In other words, it is a means of covering those risks that are sufficiently large in financial terms that if they occurred, the consequences could cripple your business.

Insurance is therefore undertaken not for profit, but to place you in the same financial position as you were immediately prior to the loss.

The objective should be to compile and manage a risk portfolio with minimal exposure, thus ensuring that insurance premiums paid over a period of time accumulate to your benefit by virtue of incentives (noclaim bonuses) being accumulated on an annual basis. Thus a much higher level of exposure and indemnity limit is obtainable at vastly reduced premiums when compared to premiums required for the same level of cover.

1. Financial Guarantee A financial guarantee, (also referred to as a contingency policy or indemnity bond) is a non-cancellable insurance policy that is created to offset losses arising from specific financial transactions. It is common practice for tourism service providers to ask their clients for upfront deposits to secure travel or accommodation bookings.

A financial guarantee protects the tourists’ deposit in the event of the insured service providers’ involuntary liquidation. It is important to note that this type of insurance cover will not respond to claims for the reimbursement of deposits where the insured entity has voluntarily gone out of business.

TIP: SATSA Bonded – SATSA has a contingency policy in place to cover their members at an indemnity limit of R900,000, limited R150,000 per member. Join SATSA to obtain this insurance cover at http://www.satsa.com/pages/Membership_Join_Form.asp This article will be continued in the January 2013 edition of the Tourism Tattler - Ed.

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TRADE NEWS

KENYA

SEYCHELLES

Jambo Jet readies for take-off

Countdown for 2013 Seychelles Carnaval has began

Kenya Airways’ low-cost subsidiary, Jambo Jet, recently received its first route licences from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and is looking to commence operations by the end of the year. The airline plans to operate six domestic and 16 international routes within Africa from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport operating a fleet of B737 aircraft.

Emirates has again this year come forward as the Official Airline for this unique Carnival of Carnivals to be held from 08 to10 February 2013. For this edition of the Carnaval International de Victoria, Seychelles, La Reunion and Madagascar of the Vanilla Islands Regional Organisation have been joined by Zimbabwe as joint co-hosts.

It plans to operate domestically across Kenya and internationally to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Comoros Islands and Mayotte. The launch of Jambo will not affect Kenya Airways’ services to and from South Africa.

For more information visit http://www.seychelles.travel/en/ carnaval/index.php

For more information visit http://www.kenya-airways.com/

MAURITIUS Luxury Mauritius hotel re-opens The deluxe six-star Constance Le Prince Maurice Hotel in Mauritius re-opened in September after undergoing an extensive refurbishment. Key features of the upgrade included: Refurbishment of all suites and luxury bathrooms in the suites and villas; an upgrade of L’Archipel (main restaurant), a new wine cellar adjoining the restaurant; additional rooms to the Spa de Constance, and a revival of the spa menu; a new heated lap pool, bringing the number of pools at the resort to two; and a new menu at Le Barachois – the only floating restaurant on the island. There is also a hip new floating bar near Le Barachois.

For more information visit http://princemaurice.constancehotels.com/

NAMIBIA Wilderness Safaris announces Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp Wilderness Safaris has announced the development of its newest property in Namibia, the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp.

Located 90 km south-east of our previous Skeleton Coast Campsite on the Khumib River, this exclusive camp is located on the Hoanib River in the most remote part of the Kaokoveld. The Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, comprising just seven twin-bedded tents and one family unit, will be a Classic Camp with all the attendant luxuries and amenities, and is expected to open in June 2013.

For more information visit http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/

SOUTH AFRICA Sprinbok Atlas Charter joins Global Passenger Network Springbok Atlas Charter is proud to announce that it has been voted in Lisbon, Portugal as South Africa’s exclusive representative to the prestigious International Global Passenger Network (GPN).

GPN’s objective is to be the leading international organization in the field of surface passenger transportation, assuring its clients elevated benchmarks of safety, quality and service in all its member countries around the world.

For more information visit http://www.gpn.travel

Three Cities Group in for a Whale of a Time The Whale Coast Hotel in Hermanus has announced that the resort has joined the Three Cities Exceptional Hotels Group.

Chief executive, Mike Lambert, said that this move enhances the offering from one of the country’s foremost hospitality groups. So far this year, the company has signed up 11 new properties – nearly triple the number added in 2011. It now manages and markets 35 quality tourism and leisure properties stretching from Cape Town to Zimbabwe.

For more information visit http://www.threecities.co.za.

Tau welcomes new GM Lodge Manager, Markus Kleinhans, has been joined by Giles King, who took up the permanent post as General Manager in September 2012. Having worked in the hospitality industry in Southern Africa for over 17 years, Giles’ previous positions include specialising in antipoaching techniques for the UN, after which he held positions in developing, managing and operations of lodges, and spent several years as a management consultant.

For more information visit http://www.taugamelodge.co.za

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SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

DECEMBER 2012

TRADE NEWS

Valley Lodge & Spa welcomes new GM and HR Managers

Eastern Cape lodge reveals new look

Laurence McGrath has been appointed as General Manager of the Lodge. Laurence was Southern Sun trained and worked internationally, including managing hotels in Cumbria, Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique. Most recently he was at the Mont Aux Sources Hotel in KZN and Pemba Beach Hotel & Spa in Mozambique respectively.

Great Fish River Lodge in the Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape re-opened its doors at the beginning of September following an interior re-design.

The lodge now features a more classiccontemporary style.

Claudine Roux has joined the hotel as Human Resources and Operations Manager. Her previous experience includes: Operations Manager for the ICC Durban, Southern Sun Pretoria and Bloemfontein, Restaurant Manager at Le Quartier Francais, La Maison de Chamonix and opening GM of Coastland on The Ridge, Durban.

For more information visit http://www.valleylodge.co.za

Granny Mouse Country House & Spa appoints SA Leisure Connexion Further to the recent appointment of African Insignia Hotels as the general sales representatives in KZN for Granny Mouse Country House and Spa, owner Gill Bowmaker is proud to announce that moving forward the Gauteng leg of this role will be filled by SA Leisure Connexion.

For more information visit http://www.grannymouse.co.za/

Urban Park to open in Umhlanga The Three Cities Urban Park Hotel & Spa will add something new to the face of the Gateway and Umhlanga accommodation environment when it opens on 15 December 2012. Urban Park Hotel & Spa offers selfcatering apartments for daily letting as well as long leases at affordable prices allowing guests to experience the best of the north coast for as long as they need.

For more information visit http://www.urbanpark.co.za

Many ways to sightsee in Cape Town In addition to the well-known Red City and Blue Mini Peninsula Tours that City Sightseeing offer on board the iconic red double-decker open top buses, City Sightseeing also offer a unique Night Tour, which runs through the Summer months, and the company recently launched its latest offering – the Cape Point Sidecar Tour.

For more information visit http://www.citysightseeing.co.za

Book-a-Guesthouse programme sees strong growth

For more information visit http://www.kwandwe.com/great-fish-river-lodge/

TANZANIA New Rubondo Island Camp opens in Tanzania Opening on December 15 2012, Rubondo Island Camp will be the only camp on Rubondo Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania.

With an area of 456 km2 it is the largest Island National Park in Africa. Forest ecosystems are increasingly scarce in equatorial Africa and across the world.

For more information visit http://www.rubondoislandcampproject.com

ZIMBABWE GWM hands over 4x4 to Hwange Lion Research Dr Andy Loveridge receiving the GWM Stead from Brian Courtenay in Hwange National Park. Back row left to right: (Researchers) - Lovemore Sibanda, Brent Stapelkamp, Jane Hunt. Front row: Professor David Mac Donald – Oxford University, Dr. Andy Loveridge – Oxford University, Brian Courtenay – SATIB Trust Chairman For more information visit http://www.satib.co.za/SATIB_Trust.aspx

Shearwater launches two new tours Shearwater in partnership with the Victoria Falls Steam Train Company has announced the launch of two brand new products, the Victoria Falls Tram Morning Bridge Tour and the Victoria Falls Tram & Bridge Champagne Sunset Tour.

For more information visit http://www.shearwatervictoriafalls.com

Victoria Falls Hotel revamp underway The Victoria Falls Hotel is currently under major refurbishment. The Livingstone Room, the hotel’s flagship dining venue, will undergo a complete refurbishment, with incorporation of a new verandah and entrance from the courtyard. It will be closed for the entire month of February 2013.

For more information visit http://www.victoriafallshotel.com

The Tsogo Sun Book-a-Guesthouse programme for entrepreneurial development of accommodation establishments is growing strongly. In the past year it has seen an increase of 17 guesthouses, bringing the total to 60, located in four provinces – Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape.

Mantis has purchased the entire shareholding of the companies, which owned the Zambezi Queen as of October 22.

For more information visit http://www.bookaguesthouse.co.za/

For more information visit http://www.mantiscollection.com/

Zambezi Queen changes ownership

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