Tourism Tattler May 2013 by Tourism Tattler

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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Contents Issue 5 (May) 2013 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 Official Media Partner to:

Official Travel 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

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

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

Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association Tel: +248 432 5560 Fax: +248 422 5718 Website: www.shta.sc

SATSA PROUD SPONSOR

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Niche Tourism: Accessible Tourism

IN THIS ISSUE

07 08 10 12 08 16 18 19 20 22 24 26

EDITORIAL From the Editors Desk / Cover Story Discussion Forum - China Tourism ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOLADES Trade Awards - visit our website ATTRACTIONS Mountain Bikers Heaven - Holla Trails SA’s Top Heritage Attractions AVIATION SAA voted Most Punctual Airline BUSINESS Filthy rich, and loving it Starting your own Tour Operator biz SATSA Mobi Sites for members CONSERVATION Rhino - to breed or to poison horn? Rhino Knights COMPETITION Nkwichi Lodge, Mozambique DESTINATIONS 10 Reasons to visit Zimbabwe EVENTS

27 Harley Bike Week EVENTS 28 RETOSA May Events Calendar 29 Vacation Lightly - Green Expo HOSPITALITY 30 African Rock Hotel 31 Finding the perfect Memento 32 Tsogo Sun Book-a-Guesthouse LEGAL 33 ‘POPI’ Act - Part 1 MARKETING 34 Giving by Gifting 35 SATSA Market Intelligence Report 36 Email Marketing - Part 1 NICHE TOURISM 38 Accessible Tourism RISK 40 How risk affects travel decisions 41 Policy wording and exclusions 42 Travel trade insurance - Part 6 TRADE NEWS 42 Trade Snippets - visit our website

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Adv. Louis Nel Chris Naude Ian Solomon Isabel Wolf-Gillespie Janice Ashby Luke Brown Lin Smith 02 04 04 04 04 04 04 06 11 13

Marjorie Dean Martin Jansen van Vuuren Nadia Louw Paul Halley Peter Church Pieter Philipse Storm Fergusen MAGAZINE SPONSORS 15 IDC 17 African Rock Hotel 23 SATIB Trust Elephants Alive 24 Birchwood Hotel 30 Kondwana Marketing 31 Jodam Manufacturing 33 Savage Jooste & Adams Attorneys 39 SATIB Insurance Brokers 41 Ascent Underwriting 44 TransMedia Barter

SATIB Insurance Brokers Live the Land Tours Globe Lotter Tours Neil’s Transfers Heritage Clothing Sports & Events Tourism Exchange BnB Sure SATIB Aloe Health Care Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles South Coast Tourism

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.

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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EDITORIAL

From the Editor’s Desk Another May, another Indaba! So we’ll all be caught up in the excitement and the razamatazz. But once the event itself is over and the caravan has moved on, what next? We’ll be facing the same problems we had before. Economies around the globe are still struggling. Our own sluggish economy means South Africans have less disposable income to spend on holidays, so another revenue stream is slowing. At Tourism Tattler we are well aware of the difficulties of keeping a business going in tough times. So in this issue we have looked at new approaches that can help to keep our readers on track. Looking at niche markets, we have an article (page 10) on how some enterprising farmers in KZN have got together to supply a need – exciting and scenic tracks for mountain bikers, that are well laid out and safe. We have an article on how to upgrade your e-mail marketing, taking a fresh look at how to communicate with both existing and prospective customers (pages 36-37). We look at ways to improve revenue through offering attractive and useful souvenirs in gift shops in accommodation establishments (pages 31 and 34). For new entrants to the industry, we have information on SATSA’s tour operator training courses – an essential if you are venturing

into that particular aspect of tourism, and a course that we at SATSA know gives great results (page 18). Most exciting of all, we have news of SATSA and Tattler’s link up with a South African owned American company, Live Platform, to offer SATSA members and Tattler advertisers a way of expanding their marketing on to the growing mobile website network. Find out how to get your own Mobi Site on page 19. We have news of a great programme that gives expert knowledge to guest house operators, run by Tsogo Sun, again with measurable results. Our discussion Forum looks at the emerging market from China, and its possible pitfalls of stuff you really need to know. We look at the super rich, the wonderful people who find ever more creative ways to fund the fight against rhino poaching, and find out more about South Africa’s heritage Attractions. We take a long look at where Zimbabwe’s tourism industry now stands, and look at why Accessible Tourism continues to be an important issue. And finally we have information and advice on key insurance issues. So this issue of Tourism Tattler is a ‘must-read’ for anyone wanting to keep up with all that’s going on in tourism. Best regards and good wishes for a successful Indaba. Marjorie

Cover Story There were those who found it mildly amusing that the National Press Club made the rhino its Newsmaker of the Year for 2012. It’s not amusing at all, in fact it reflects a tragic news story that appears in our media almost every day now. And that’s the whole point. The rare picture of a rhino, horn intact, on our cover this month, provided courtesy of SATIB Trust photographer Brian Courtenay, says a great deal about the current situation of this animal in South Africa. The figures given in cover story (see pages 20-21) are horrific – 1657 rhinos butchered and shot in three and a half years in both public and private parks and game farms in this country is truly shocking. That’s one rhino killed almost EVERY DAY! And for what? Rhino horn, a substance made of keratin, which has no medicinal value whatsoever, but purveyors of mumbo-jumbo medicine have persuaded gullible fools with more money than sense that it is a miracle cure for everything from impotence to cancer. The fact that many people have more money than brainpower, that desperate people will pay almost anything for a “cure” for whatever ails them, has enabled the evil to prey on the foolish for almost as long as people have walked the earth.

And while it seems that there are many who could not care less, there are plenty of people out there who really do care, and go to great lengths, sometimes even absurd lengths, to try and save the rhino from extinction. Their hearts are in the right place, and it will take both proactive and reactive efforts to win this battle against a crime that is both ugly and wicked. At Tourism Tattler we take this issue very seriously, and have highlighted just one of many initiatives being made to raise awareness on the plight of our rhino. By the time you read this edition, Rhino Knight Isabel Wolf-Gillespie will be well into her 10,000km journey around southern Africa (see page 22). More importantly, we’d like to know what YOU think, as our readers. Are conservationists, game reserve managers and game breeders going about things the right way, or do they have to have a huge rethink? How much can government do, and how much is up to us as individuals? And how do we stop people in Asian countries from being so gullible? Let’s have your views. Comment beneath the articles on our website at www.tourismtattler.co.za MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

ARTICLE DISCUSSIONS

Discussion Forum The dangers of chasing the dragon

How to contribute to article discussions

The global tourism industry seems to be popping its proverbial socks at the moment over the much-publicised boom in outbound travel from China, excited, no doubt, at the prospect of tapping into this “new” revenue stream. After all, China is the mother of all superpowers and, if all of the grovelling and forelock tugging coming from the US and Europe is to be believed, the most important driver of economic markets and future saviour of sustainability. This display of double standards from the world’s political and corporate leaders is more than perplexing, especially for someone like me sitting in South Africa – a country which the world ostracised because of its fundamentally flawed politics and human rights violations. It was not ethically or morally acceptable to support South Africa during apartheid, but these days the world’s compass is driven by money, not morals. The “West” (and by this I generalise by including so-called First World countries who may be geographically further east) has been kowtowing to the might of Beijing for a number of years now, seemingly without question or concern. I’ve watched as successive governments have fawned and stooped in their eagerness to climb into bed with the proverbial “red dragon” with nary a thought on principles and ethics, let alone basic issues such as human rights. The Chinese PR machine has been omnipotent in its ability to hoodwink willing concubines into thinking that the relationships they indulge in are mutually beneficial, when actually they are nothing of the sort. They are and always will be in China’s best interests and are sufficiently sugar-coated only to ensure avid ingestion by the partner of choice. The fear that those of us in the business of tourism and sustainability have is that once all of that saccharine has worn off and the indelible ink on the contract has dried, those same partners will slowly discover that they have done deals with the devil, and have sold-out lock, stock and several smoking barrels with no hope of ever buying their way back out. That fear is most noticeable here in Africa, which China has been buying, nation by suffering, greedy nation, for the past decade. Desperation makes African governments cheap by comparison. Offer them a few roads, some basic infrastructure and a pile of money and they’re in like Flynn without any concern for the long-term consequences. Those same consequences are, however, felt in the short-term, most notably in the rising demand for and consequent decimation of natural resources, from precious minerals to “softer” items like ivory, shark fins and rhino horn. Let us make no bones about the fact that in spite of countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Korea taking the fall for driving the trade in illegal animal parts, China is the market they are chiefly supplying through the back door, as it were. The fact is that Chinese demand for ivory, fins and horn far outstrips that of its far-eastern cousins. It is not surprising that countries with dubious track records in environmental policy making and human rights do not think twice about doing business with China, but what is perplexing is that the alleged major powers of this world are so keen to sell the principles 08

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

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On the Tourism Tattler website, click on the Article Discussion icon located above the ‘Share’ bar beneath each article - this will open the discussion page in a new browser tab. Or simply comment beneath the website article. on which their democracies were founded to a country which is still under communist rule. It may appear that capitalism has successfully infiltrated the corridors of Chinese socialism, but the revolution needed to finally push the stake of democracy, and transparency, through China’s red, beating heart has yet to take place. Until that time the country’s actual policies and manifestos remain clouded in rhetoric and speculation. I have no doubt that there are an untold number of superbly educated, brilliant minds in China who are working for a better future for humankind. But they have no say in the government of their country, a country which openly practices barbarism at all levels of society while the rest of the world is paid to politely look the other way. At the risk of over-generalising and appearing paranoid, I remain exceedingly cautious of China and wary of its motives. There is nothing that leads me to believe that China either aims to be a leading light for humankind or has the best interests of Planet Earth at heart. In fact, all hard evidence points actively to the contrary on both counts. So while the world opens its arms to the outbound Chinese travel market and salivates at the prospect of making a fast buck on the back of Beijing, I worry at what the future really holds and where this is all leading. My father (God rest his soul) had a phrase which, though flippant, quite appropriately sums up the approach I think the world should take with China and its far-eastern cohorts until such time they can demonstrate a willingness to change... He said: “Never trust a nation that eats dogs.” As a dog lover and planet fan, I concur. Sharon van Wyk, Pretoria, South Africa •

Article Comments - April The following are just a few of the comments made beneath certain articles posted on the Tattler website during the month of April: CONSERVATION What can tourism do about wildlife poaching? By Jeremy Smith Submitted on 2013/04/19 at 2:09 pm Knowing how much China is associated with topping the market for wildlife products, I have been alerted since they signed contracts with TTB (Tanzania Tourist Board) in promoting Tanzania to Chinese.

ARTICLE DISCUSSIONS

My concern is whether there are evil motives behind it, will our endanger animals be any safer? Tanzania is leading in poaching elephants in East Africa so far, what will become of us? Am not saying the association between TTB and China is a curse in disguise, am simply being concerned here! Today I have read two articles on ever increasing poaching of elephants in national parks and fishing of Dolphins in Tanga (region in Tanzania) by using dynamite. You can imagine the massive destructions. Am afraid the glory that Tanzania have today on wildlife will come to an end if there are no measures to fight poaching. It is high time to promote tourism but still be responsible, couldn’t agree more. John Lema - karibubongo.blogspot.com CONSERVATION Zimbabwe Awakes. By Shelley Cox Submitted on 2013/04/16 at 8:50 am The author is to be complemented on this review as we in tourism share in the optimism of Zimbabwe coming back to the fore in regional / international tourism. Self-drive tourism will be a popular choice for tourists to see the whole country and its many attractions from Victoria Falls, to the Matopas, Hwange, Kariba, Great Zimbabwe and the Eastern Highlands – Vumba and Nyanga. Gordon Addams - www.innsofzimbabwe.co.zw Submitted on 2013/04/09 at 7:17 am Until you deal with the actual culprits who instigate these and other atrocities against wildlife you will never get rid of the problem. As far as the rhino is concerned, China & Vietnam top the list, did you know that China has permitted 20 new licences for ivory factories to be set up in China???? Whilst these countries perpetuate cultural ignorance of the masses this will continue. Nothing short of boycotting their goods and mass education is required. You can jail as many poachers as you like, this wont go away until you deal with the problem countries. Roxana Kelly - www.celticbushman.com Submitted on 2013/04/11 at 1:46 pm | In reply to Roxana Kelly. Couldnt agree more. Stop buying their goods. However, we can’t because they now make everything on the planet! Carolyn McDonald - www.meetusinafrica.co.za

LEGAL The CPA and Supplier Rights & Recourse. By Adv Louis Nel Submitted on 2013/04/09 at 6:22 am Interesting article, but can’t find part 1 or 2 anywhere? Any help? Hakon - www.7weeks.co.za Submitted on 2013/04/09 at 8:34 am | In reply to Hakon. Click on the ‘Back Issues’ link in the top navigation bar of the Tattler website or insert this URL into your browser: www.tourismtattler.co.za/ back-issues/

The articles appear on the following pages: Mar 2013 – Page 33 (Indemnities & Disclaimers Part 2) Feb 2013 – Page 29 (Indemnities & Disclaimers Part 1) Jan 2013 – Page 27 (Terms & Conditions Part 2) Dec 2012 – Page 23 (Terms & Conditions Part 1) Des Langkilde - www.tourismtattler.co.za TRANSPORT Are your guests travelling in a legal vehicle? By Tim Clarke Submitted on 2013/04/09 at 8:37 am Tour operators / brokers / DMC’s who rent cars from rental car companies and have a tourist guide drive their guests in this vehicle on a tour, should take particular note of this article! I know of one instance recently where a tour operator booked a tourist guide with his own personal vehicle to do an overland tour with two guests. The guide’s vehicle does not have a transport permit and both the guide and the operator thought that purchasing passenger liability cover would be enough to make this legal. No, it does not! Eugene Armer - www.wilrotours.co.za SAFETY & SECURITY BAD NEWS Travels Fast. By Marjorie Dean Submitted on 2013/04/11 at 8:22 am This article throws great perspective on the subject of Crime On Tourists. Thanks for contextualising the dilemma we face in this way. Certainly the Minister of Tourism has it well within his power to get all Foreign Embassies, national hospitals and the SAP to supply him with monthly stats on foreign tourists injured by violent crime. Blatantly ignoring this action and rather “going with the flow” of publishing National Crime Stats is a crime itself. Wake up please Minister! Peter Hayward - www.haywardsafaris.com

Wi n

The winning comment posted on the Tattler website during the month of May 2013 will receive a copy of Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s ‘Eye of the Leopard’ DVD with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry. This 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

Congratulations, Sharon Your discussion forum posting has been chosen as the winning comment for April. A LQ Stainless Steel Paraffin Table Lamp will be delivered to you with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – suppliers of the finest products to the hospitality Industry.

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MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

ATTRACTIONS

Mountain Bikers Heaven For tourists seeking an active outdoor experience, Holla Trails in KwaZulu-Natalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dolphin Coast region offers heaven on earth with well marked mountain bike trails to suit all experience levels, writes Storm Ferguson. The clear blues seas of the Dolphin Coast may lie just a kilometre behind you or over your left shoulder, as the crow flies, when you depart the Holla Trails trailhead for a true mountain biking experience of the coastal KwaZulu-Natal environment, but the rolling green sugar-cane covered hills stretching inland will capture your attention. Holla Trails is the vision of Nic Jordan with the cooperation of his farming neighbours that affords mountain bikers, of all skill and fitness levels, 340 kilometres of differing custom trail to ride. The trails rise and fall both gently and sharply, providing challenges to the routes. They course along the cane field contours, but avoid no section of riverine bush or coastal forest available, in pursuit of custom made purist single-track. Not a note of the orchestra of nature is missed by the riders for the trails flow alongside the banks of gurgling streams and rushing rapids under the arching shade of the overhanging coastal forestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trees.

Main pic: A misty morning overlooking Dudley Pringle Dam viewed from the 25km Blue Route. Inset pics: The same route traverses dirt roads through sugar cane fields and winds through several sections of riverine forest single track.

An abundance of different bird species, troops of Vervet monkeys and small wildlife such as the ubiquitous Red Duiker abound for the local Farm Watch not only protect the entire trail area from intruders of evil intent, but the wildlife from poachers. There are nine different routes, the gentlest being the Green of fourteen kilometres to the long distance Black at eighty-five kilometres. The routes, their fun, skill and fitness levels rated, are well described on the Holla Trails web page available at: www.hollatrails.co.za and an interface with members is on Facebook at: Holla Trails Riders. Costs of riding are R55.00 for adults while pensioners and youths 12 to 18 are half price and children under 12 are free. Annual memberships and reduced rate multi-session cards are also available. The trailhead offers cooldrinks and coffee for riders aprĂ¨s ride at benches and tables situated under an ancient Natal Fig tree. So many trails require more time for exploration and nearby Ballito offers a plethora of Bed and Breakfast abodes, as well as upmarket hotels sited above the white sand beaches where sundowners can be enjoyed watching the dolphin frolic or an occasional Humpback whale sounding.

The well maintained trails include wooden slat bridges fording river sections.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Holla Trails is a mountain biking experience designed for mountain bikers and one shared happily with Trail Runners too. MAY 2013

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ATTRACTIONS

Striking Heritage Attractions for 2013 Opinions on South Africa’s heritage landmarks may differ but it’s hard to argue against Moja Heritage Collection’s selection below, writes Ian Solomon. “South Africa’s wide open spaces and diverse natural wonders have entranced both domestic and international tourists for generations, but no journey would be complete without a visit to these five heritage attractions,” says Ian Solomon, CEO of Moja Media who publish Moja Heritage Collection. Bourke’s Luck Potholes This natural water feature marks the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon. Through countless aeons the swirling whirlpools which occur as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River, caused waterborne sand and rock to grind huge, cylindrical potholes into the bedrock of the river. The Potholes were named after a gold digger, Tom Burke, who staked a claim nearby. Although his claim did not produce a single ounce of gold, he correctly predicted that large gold deposits would be found in the area. Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden is the only succulent botanical garden in the southern hemisphere and on the African continent. Spring is the floral highlight of the year, when thousands of annuals and brightly coloured vygies come into flower. Falling within the Succulent Karoo Biome, the Garden boasts some 400 naturally occurring species. It is also a haven for rare and endangered plants, with over 300 species being protected and propagated. Almost 70 bird species have been recorded in the Garden, as well as a wide range of small mammals, such as the Cape grey duiker. iSimangaliso Wetland Park iSimangaliso Wetland Park was listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site in recognition of its unique global values; no other place has comparable ecological processes or the superlative natural beauty and biodiversity of iSimangaliso. The 332,000ha park contains three major lake systems, eight interlinking ecosystems, 700 year-old fishing traditions, most of South Africa’s remaining swamp forests, Africa’s largest estuarine system, 526 bird species and 25,000 year-old coastal dunes, among the highest in the world. The name iSimangaliso means “miracle and wonder” which aptly describes this unique place. 12

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape Mapungubwe is an expansive savannah landscape at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. Mapungubwe developed into the largest kingdom in the sub-continent before it was abandoned in the 14th century. What survives are the almost untouched remains of the palace sites and the entire surrounding settlement area, as well as two earlier capital sites, together presenting an unrivalled picture of the development of social and political structures over some 400 years. Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape The160,000ha Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape of dramatic mountainous desert in northwestern South Africa is communally owned and managed. This site sustains the semi-nomadic pastoral livelihood of the Nama people, reflecting seasonal patterns that may have persisted for as much as two millennia. It is the only area where the Nama still construct portable rush-mat houses (haru om). For more information visit: www.heritagecollection.co.za

How to get more German Tourists to SA Tourism Tattler represents FVW Mediengruppe as their advertising agent for the SA region. FVW TRADE MAGAZINE - www.fvw.de The leading trade magazine for tourism and business travel businesses in Germany. (Subscription rate and reach) Distribution: 31 582

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AVIATION

Most punctual airline in the world revealed South African Airways is the most punctual airline in the world, according to a new report. And with a new CEO at the helm plus a codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles, SAA is set to soar, writes Marjorie Dean. FlightStats, Inc., an independent provider of global flight and airport information services, revealed that South African Airways took the top spot in its airline survey with 92.26% of flights arriving on time during March. SAA was one of the only two major international carriers that delivered over 90% of their flights on time (or within 15 minutes of the scheduled time) in the month, only narrowly beating Gulf Air which delivered 92.11% of its flights on time. Major international airlines on average delivered 78.76% of their flights to the arrival gate within 15 minutes of schedule in March, up slightly from February’s 77.64%. Following on this incredible result it is good to know that SAA has received authorisation to use new safety-enhancing and fuel-saving instrument departure and approach procedures. The approval, which is the first in Africa, paves the way for further developments that could enhance safety and increase operational efficiency throughout SAA’s route network. The benefits of the new procedures, which put SAA on a select list of premier airlines with cutting-edge technology and operational capability, include improvement in safety, decreased operational costs, increased scheduling integrity with direct impact on on-time performance, increased revenue, and reduced environmental impact. The use of the new technology can further decrease travelling time on trips to and from Cape Town, for instance, by 5-10 minutes. Following an approval by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, SAA is now using the new flight procedures in all weather conditions on flights into and out of Cape Town International Airport. The new procedures are known as Required Navigational Performance - Authorisation Required (RNP-AR) and utilise advanced on-board

New CEO to navigate SAA SAA announced the appointment of Monwabisi Kalawe as the new CEO for the airline. Kalawe’s appointment follows the exit of the airline’s acting CEO, Vuyisile Kona, in February after he was placed on precautionary suspension. Kalawe is currently CEO of Compass Group SA, a company that provides food and a range of selected support services. Previously, he was General Manager of Cape Town International Airport from 1998 to 2004.

navigation technology and space-based GPS signals to achieve the enhancements in safety and efficiency. The new RNP-AR procedures will provide shorter flight paths allowing a reduction in flight time and fuel burn on each approach and departure track. This will provide an opportunity for immediate benefit with SAA aircraft potentially saving over 600 000kg of fuel per year. So at least the new CEO is going to get a good news start in his undoubtedly difficult job.For almost all airline passenger surveys reveal that punctuality is one of the most important things travellers look for. Well done to all at SAA- and keep it up!

Air Seychelles signs codeshare agreement with SAA The first phase of the agreement will see South African Airways place its “SA” code on Air Seychelles’ non-stop flights between Johannesburg and Seychelles. South African Airways will also place its code on flights between the two largest islands of Seychelles, Mahé and Praslin, subject to approvals. Subsequent to the launch of the partnership between Air Seychelles and SAA, the airlines will look into expanding the agreement to include Air Seychelles placing its ‘HM’ code on South African Airways’ non-stop flights between Johannesburg and destinations across South Africa. Ticket sales are set to open on April 29, for travel from April 30. The deal follows a strategic move by Air Seychelles to increase its connectivity throughout South Africa and continental Africa. In March 2013, Air Seychelles introduced an enhanced schedule and additional weekly service on its Johannesburg route, bringing the flights to three return services per week with daytime departures and arrivals. The new schedule greatly enhances leisure and business travelers’ ability to connect seamlessly on both airlines across Africa and South Africa, particularly to Cape Town and Durban.

Acting SAA Chairperson, Dudu Myeni, said Kalawe would, based on performance, serve a five-year contract. The airline said the appointment was the first step in its new 20-year turnaround strategy.

Cramer Ball, Air Seychelles Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our flights to Johannesburg have been incredibly successful, reflecting an increasing number of travellers coming out of South Africa to the Seychelles for leisure, business and sport. Traffic from South Africa has grown at a steady pace of 11 per cent each year for the past decade. In the first quarter of this year alone, traffic is up 13 per cent.

“The immediate priority for the airline was to appoint a CEO and start the process of the delivery of the long-term turnaround strategy,” said Gigaba.

“With this code share agreement, guests will be able to purchase flights from SAA destinations onwards to the Seychelles on one ticket, making for a simpler and seamless journey.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

New KZN beach resort opportunity available to hospitality and tourism operators The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Trade & Investment KZN (TIKZN), KwaZulu-Natal Tourism, Ilembe Enterprise and the Inqaba Trust invite hotel management companies and hotel operators with beach resort experience to participate in the pre-implementation process of the Nonoti Hotel Project. An operator and professional team will be appointed to finalise the resort design and costings, pending completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment. This participation will be converted to a management and marketing agreement of the beach resort should the project progress into the implementation phase. There is also an additional option for the potential hotel operator to consider an equity investment in the project. The Nonoti Hotel Project, a first-of-its-kind beach resort development on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, will primarily target the domestic market. The identified project site comprises about 250 hectares of land with beach frontage. The proposed project will include 200 hotel rooms, 100 self-catering rooms, conferencing facilities and restaurants.

Chillibush9258IDC

The successful company should be able to document its past performance and provide references regarding its operations currently under contract. Subject to specific criteria, the successful operator will be involved for the next three to four years before the hotel is operational. However, the hotel operator will only be eligible to receive management fees at the operational phase of the project.

Telephone: +27 86 069 3888 Email: callcentre@idc.co.za To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to www.idc.co.za

Qualifying criteria are as follows: • Proven experience in operating and managing beach resorts • At least five years’ experience in operating and managing beach resorts • Operating and managing beach resorts of a minimum size of 290 rooms • Operating and managing beach resorts that are multi-graded • Operating and managing beach resorts targeted at the mid-market The following will be taken into consideration during the selection process: • Years in operation • Representation in more than one continent • BEE rating (if South African company or operating in South Africa); if new to the South African market, consideration will be given to the company’s proposed plans to meet the minimum BBEEE criteria • Reputation for sound beach resort management • Reputation for implementing environmental and responsible tourism practices • Having existing target markets that fit well with those proposed for the Nonoti Hotel Project • Operations within the three- and four-star or mid-market • A willingness to work with, support and impart skills to local community members Please contact Tebatso Lewele at tebatsol@idc.co.za

BUSINESS

FILTHY RICH and loving it

New research into South Africa’s super-rich reveals they aren’t just wealthy, they are far wealthier than previously assumed, writes Peter Church. According to the TopEnd 2013 Survey into the country’s most affluent individuals, almost 10% of these ‘economic astronauts’ have a household income of R500 000 or more a month, while 36% earn in excess of R200 000 a month. Their level of income has allowed them to accumulate substantial assets: the average value of their fixed property is R6,2 million, 42% own more than one residential property (3% own six or more) and their average share portfolio is worth R2,6 million. TopEnd 2013, the second survey into SA’s economic upper echelon from RamsayMedia Research Solutions (RMRS), tapped into 1,6 million top-earning households, those with a monthly household income of at least R30 000. Of these, the researchers identified the five percent at the very tip of the wealth pyramid, some 80 000 individuals with a monthly household income in excess of R100 000 – enough to fill the stands and the field at Loftus Versfeld stadium. And there were some surprising results. Among these: the total TopEnd group shows a leaning towards entrepreneurial activity, but when it comes to the über-rich, a remarkable 73% are employed in a company, with only 20% ticking the self-employed box. SA’s millionaires haven’t got rich on their own, they are corporate climbers.

Understandably, financial wisdom is key to this segment of the market; 40% have some kind of sideline income in addition to their corporate jobs, with 59% earning monthly income from their investments. “As time passes, we can expect to see a few things happen to this segment, notably a slow and steady shift in the 76:11 ratio of white to black millionaires. But it’s important to remember, that will represent an expansion of the segment rather than one group diminishing – once you’re in orbit, you really have to mess up spectacularly to come back down to earth,” commented RMRS partner, Alan Todd. “In that respect, the fact that 70% of millionaires feel they are much better off now than they were five years ago speaks volumes for the onward and upward march of South Africa’s most affluent consumers.” The research results are contained in The Millionaire’s Report, the first of five reports to be released by RMRS. Others will focus on TopEnd housewives – the people who actually spend most of the household income; TopEnd black South Africans – those with a personal monthly income of more than R25 000 a month; TopEnd entrepreneurs – self-employed risk-takers; and TopEnd technology and online activities. The TopEnd 2013 Survey was conducted in partnership with Caxton, Edcon, DStv, Pick n Pay, Nandos, YFM, Toyota, Lexus and Sanlam. Their combined customer base allowed RMRS to reach a record 49 000 respondents, making TopEnd 2013 the biggest, most in-depth survey ever conducted into the habits, attitudes and behaviour of the SA’s most affluent consumers: the top 11% of economically active South Africans who account for almost 50% of the spending – a very powerful and exceptionally elusive group to reach. Published with acknowledgement to SA Promo Magazine - www. sapromo.com

About the Author. Peter Church is a writer and author of two novels, Dark Video and Bitter Pill, both of which are set in Cape Town and published by Two Dogs in South Africa. Peter lives in Cape Town with his wife Paula and three children, Christopher, Megan and Ross. For more information visit www.twodogs.co.za/bitterpill.htm

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

LET YOUR GUESTS - BE OUR GUESTS As a Travel Agent, Tour Operator or DMC, you want reassurance that your clients will be in professional hands. Our many satisfied client testimonials speak volumes, not only about our spacious accommodation and facilities, but more importantly about our well trained staff and ‘can do’ attitude to service excellence.

• Blue Hippo Restaurant • Business Facilities AFRICAN ROCK HOTEL is just 10 km from Johannesburg’s • Wellness Packages OR Tambo International Airport • Golf Excursions • Meet & Greet • City Tours

“

What a find this was by our travel adviser Tim Sale. Nothing was a problem. Chef Christine was a revelation coming to the table to choose the meal and the wine to accompany it. The airport pick ups were perfect which got us off to good start. Two nights here gave us chance to appreciate the lovely breakfast, as well as the team rallying round to fix up a location not too far away that was suitable for a 8 kilometre walk. Not only that, the transport was arranged! Whilst I did that my wife relaxed in the bedroom with a well arranged reflexology session.

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Keith B. Comment on Trip Advisor

MEET US AT INDABA 11 - 14 May 2013 Stand ICCV003 Contact: OTTI & ZELDA MEIJER • 48 de Villiers Avenue | Van Riebeeck Estates, Kempton Park 1620, South Africa +27 (0)11 976 3486 • +27 (0)82 000 0000 • res@arhotels.co.za • www.africanrockhotels.com MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESS

So you want to be a tour operator? Then this course is a must for you! The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) offers a comprehensive training for tour operators, in response to the demand of the market. This course is open to anyone and you do not have to be a SATSA member to participate, writes Lin Smith. Tour Operators Course The purpose of this highly specialised course is to provide an introduction to the business of Tour Operating and equip the candidate with a skill for self employment and the sustainability thereof; to create and promote entrepreneurship; to ultimately contribute towards job creation and the sustainability of small and medium-sized businesses and to provide information on all the initiatives available to help. The course covers topics from analysing the tourism product, classifying tourists to company terms and conditions. There are several modules which are covered over the five full days of study. Setting up a new business or growing an existing one Many people were carried away with the hype around the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, going to the great expense of purchasing vehicles and then not knowing where to start. Some even ended up falling prey to repossession! The SATSA course assists candidates to become aware of their responsibilities, optimising the use of resources available to them and co-ordinating their efforts in order to maximise productivity and job satisfaction. Courses we have run The Free State province, Tshwane Tourism and the Northern Cape have enlisted SATSA’s help in training SMME’s, which has been hugely successful. Mr. Charles Tshabalala from the Free State was very ingenious in booking everyone into a resort owned by the Department, which resulted in 100% attendance throughout each day. Tourism KwaZulu-Natal Thomas Mathibela, General Manager of Tourism Development in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Michael Tatalias, CEO of SATSA put their heads together with regard to training of KZN Tour Operators and sixty candidates were trained at three different venues throughout the Province with superb organisation from Ms. Pinky Radebe, Project Manager: Tourism Development KZN. SATSA has also concluded successful training courses in the Eastern Cape, North West Province, Western Cape and Lejweleputswa, organised by Mr. Thami Skele in Welkom. 18

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

Requirements: The course fee includes tea/coffee and a light lunch, but as it is logistically not feasible for SATSA to supply a venue and refreshments away from its head office, this remains the responsibility of the Municipality/Tourism Authority who contracts SATSA’a service. The venue need not be equipped with the latest technology, a simple room with chairs and tables and a flip chart or blackboard will do. Cost: The course runs from 09h00 to 16h00 each day for five consecutive days and costs R3,267.00 per person, excluding VAT. Included in the cost is course facilitation over the five days and a training manual, a CD with templates of contracts, invoices and letters plus extra notes for Provinces when applicable. A Certificate is awarded on successful completion of the course. Special rates for groups SATSA offers a special rate to Municipalities, Government Departments and Tourism Departments, which would amount to every 16th person training for free. Should the Government entity wish, SATSA is more than willing to include their logo on the Certificate, which will be handed out at the end of the course. In this case, a high resolution logo needs to be sent to SATSA’s office as well as the name and designation of the person who will be co-signing the certificate with the SATSA CEO for inclusion as the certificates are printed in-house prior to embarking on the course. Where does one start? Starting a new business in tourism presents many challenges. It is important to follow basic principles and procedures to maximise ones chance of success, which is what the course offers. The amount of effort that the candidate initially invests will enhance success. Lin Smith is the course facilitator and has over 24 years of experience in the tourism environment. She not only has the knowledge to get candidates started in the Tour Operating business, but the passion to ensure that they succeed. For more information, contact Lin Smith at the SATSA National Office on +27(0)11 886 9996 or e-mail: lins@satsa.co.za About SATSA SATSA is a non-profit member-driven association representing transport providers, tour operators, brokers, accommodation establishments, adventure operators, attractions, conference / events organizers and venues, as well as related marketing organizations and service providers. From small businesses to large corporates, SATSA’s varied members find a home in SATSA. SATSA strives to set the highest standards in the tourism industry. Those who belong to SATSA fly a flag that symbolises credibility, stability and integrity. To be accepted as a SATSA member is to know that your tourism business is rated among the best. For more information visist www.satsa.com

BUSINESS

SATSA secures Mobi Sites for members As from this month, ALL SATSA members have access to a FREE mobile website (Mobi Site) solution, for both smartphone and tablet, to assist in marketing their businesses to both travel trade buyers and consumers via the SATSA website, writes Des Langkilde. Finding accommodation, attractions, activities, restaurants, transport and allied services in the southern Africa region, all in one online platform, can be a challenge to both the travel trade and tourists alike. While SATSA has published its Members Directory for the past three years, which is widely distributed to travel buyers and also avaiable as a searchable Desktop Widget, the time and complexity required to maintain the member content has been too costly, resulting in the members information being quickly out of date. And the difficulty of ensuring that this content is found within Google and other search engines has added to the dilemma of attempting to get exposure for members. Until now that is!

Easy to use Uploading of content is seamless and easy. Content can be changed at will by non-technical personnel. As easy as FaceBook. Businesses can add and update items through the SATSA web interface or via a mobile smartphone. For example, a hotel member can change a room price in a few seconds, or a restaurant member can add a menu item by snapping a picture with their smartphone, describing, pricing and uploading the item directly into their Mobi Site. Increased awareness and exposure Google indexes every page within the SATSA member’s mobile site, and as the volume of pages is vastly increased due to the pages for all businesses and the events, attractions, products and services they sell through the SATSA website, the ranking and keyword match volumes are increased, ensuring that SATSA’s site appears at the top of Google for all tourism related searches.

SATSA partners with LivePlatform

Rich content management system

LivePlatform provides an easy mechanism for every SATSA member business to showcase what they sell on the SATSA website. In just three simple steps, the member can import their website’s content to their own Mobi App, add and update their events, attractions, what they sell, the services they offer and even add jobs available. From that point on, every time the member updates an event, an attraction, or any other content on the SATSA website, their Mobi Site will automatically be updated.

Through the LivePlatform administration system on the SATSA website, members are able to manage their own content and to: • Increase their own website traffic, due to cross referencing with the SATSA website, which increases both domains rankings • Update their content through a mobile interface • Receive a free, rich, mobile site with all their content, including videos, galleries and social sharing links • Have the option for a free website, if they don’t currently have an online presence or want to replace their current website.

Each item that a SATSA member adds, becomes its own rich page with images, photos, descriptions, detail, videos and even TV and print commercials.

For more information email des@satsa.co.za

Not a member? Not a SATSA member and probably never will be? No problem! Non-members can still secure their own Mobi App by advertising in SATSA’s travel trade journal, the Tourism Tattler. Just book an advertisement in any monthly edition and receive access to the same LivePlatform mobile application linked to the Tattler website. Increase your promotional communications reach and ROI by cross referencing and leveraging search engine ranking. For more information email editor@tourismtattler.co.za

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

CONSERVATION

RHINO CONSERVATION

To Breed, to Dehorn or to Poison? The debate on how best to conserve Africa’s dwindling rhino population rages on. Is flooding the market with legally harvested rhino horn an option or is injecting poison into the horns of wild rhino a better option? asks Des Langkilde. 1,657 Rhinos have been killed for their horns in South Africa alone since 2010 and despite the arrest of 717 poachers over the same period (refer table below), the illegal trade seems to have no end in sight. Rhino horn is prized for its use as an aphrodisiac and hangover remedy among elitist Asian society – fetching up to US$55,000 per kilogramme in Asia — a price that can exceed the U.S. street value of cocaine, making the hoof-like substance literally as valuable as gold, but as useful a health remedy as the hair on your head.

John Hume is a South African game farmer who owns more than 700 rhinos. He’s part of a group of entrepreneurs who agree with the findings of Biggs.

Despite rhino horn’s proven uselessness as a medicinal aid, the demand is so great that thieves are stealing rhino horns from European museums and taxidermy shops, sometimes smashing them off with sledgehammers before fleeing. According to Europol, the European law enforcement agency, 72 rhino horns were stolen from 15 European countries in 2011, the first year such data was recorded.

Hume is frustrated with South African laws that require hunters to kill rhinos in order to export the horns as a trophy. He explains a few reasons for this law:

The challenge faced by conservationists is how to preserve this species from rapid extinction. This article explores a few of the more popular approaches. Farmed Horn Harvesting Writing in the journal Science, lead researcher Duan Biggs and his colleagues contend that humanely shaving the horns of live rhinos could produce enough horns to meet global demand. According to the scientists, rhinos grow about 0.9 kilograms of horn a year and contend that “farming” rhinos to “harvest” their horns would only pose minimal risks to the animals. A central selling organization could oversee the legal harvest and sale of rhino horn, which would sell for less than on the black market. A DNAfingerprint could be taken from the horns’ shavings and make them traceable worldwide.

“We take wool from sheep, why not horn from rhinos?” Hume asked National Geographic. “If you cut the horn about three inches above its base, it will grow back in two years. That means there is a never ending supply of rhino horn if we’re smart enough to keep the bloody animals alive.”

Among the misconceptions, Hume says, is that ivory and horn are the same. Ivory is an elephant’s tooth, while rhino horn is keratin, similar to a horse’s hoof. When an elephant’s tusk is severed, the nerve inside can become infected, killing the animal. Also, darting an elephant is much more dangerous than darting a rhino, because of its greater size and the protectiveness of its herd. Hume also disputes the charge from conservationists that the legal and humane harvesting of rhino horn will simply encourage poachers. He believes as more legal horn enters the market, poachers will be driven out of the business by decreasing profits – eventually it just won’t be worth risking the jail time. “The fundamental difference is that poachers go after rhino horn for easy short-term profit. Farmers are in it for years of steady returns.” Dehorning According to Save The Rhino, Namibia was the first country to use dehorning to protect rhinos from poaching. Between 1989 and the early 1990s, dehorning coupled with rapid improvements in security

Rhino poaching deaths vs arrests (Source: Department of Environmental Affairs Jan 2013) South Africa 2010 2011 2012 2013 TOTAL Deaths Arrests Deaths Arrests Deaths Arrests Deaths Arrests Deaths Arrests KNP (SANParks) 146 67 252 82 425 73 145 36 968 258 MNP (SANParks) 00 00 06 00 03 00 00 00 09 00 Gauteng 15 10 09 16 01 26 00 03 25 55 Limpopo 52 36 74 34 59 43 13 11 198 124 Mpumalanga 17 16 31 73 28 66 10 01 86 156 North West 57 02 21 21 77 32 18 08 173 63 Eastern Cape 04 07 11 02 07 00 00 00 22 09 Free State 03 00 04 00 00 06 00 00 13 00 KwaZulu-Natal 38 25 34 04 66 20 17 01 155 50 Western Cape 00 02 06 00 02 00 00 00 06 02 Northern Cape 01 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 02 00 TOTAL 333 165 448 232 668 267 203 60 1657 717 South Africans are urged to report incidents of poaching and tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

CONSERVATION

“Sabi Sand is leading this programme because we are located at the epicentre of the problem at the southern end of the Kruger Park, which suffers up to 70% of the rhino killings. Poaching syndicates are here in large numbers and we are vulnerable as a western buffer between them and the Kruger Park.” The only possible danger to rhinos having their horns infused is the stress caused by being immobilised. For this reason, says Andrew Parker, the Sabi Sand treatments are performed outside the hottest part of the day, and the animals are brought round as quickly as possible. The toxin-dye injections are administered into the horn’s inert (painless) keratin by compressed air.

In this photo taken on 13 March 2012, Nguyen Huong Giang, 24, grinds rhinoceros horn with water at her apartment in Hanoi, Vietnam, demonstrating how she makes a liquid concoction she ingests after drinking too much alcohol or when suffering from allergies. (Image courtesy of Kin Cheung).

and funding for anti-poaching was perceived by stakeholders to have contributed significantly to reducing poaching losses. However, for dehorning to be effective, it must be coupled with extensive antipoaching security and monitoring efforts as poachers will still go after the stub of horn that is left after removal due to the current high prices and demand for rhino horn. Poachers may also kill dehorned rhinos out of vengeance. In Hwange NP, it was thought that poachers killed dehorned rhinos, to avoid tracking them again. Just days after completing a dehorning campaign on all adult rhinos at Nambiti Private Game Reserve at Elandslaagte, near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal, the reserve lost two sub-adult males in February 2013, as both were too immature for the procedure. “The fact that the older dehorned rhinos were untouched is proof that the procedure, performed in the best interest of the rhinos, was successful,” said Rob Le Sueur. Horn Poisoning, Dye and Microchiping Toxic infusions are the latest weapon to counter rhino poaching in the big game areas adjoining South Africa’s Kruger Park. Consumers of the powdered horn in Asia risk becoming seriously ill from ingesting a so-called “medicinal product” which is now contaminated with a non-lethal chemical package. The 49,500 hectare Sabi Sand Wildtuin has launched the country’s first largescale operation to toxify the horns of its rhinos, together with an indelible pink dye which exposes the illegal contraband on airport scanners worldwide. The Sabi Sand Wildtuin Association (SSWA) rhino horn toxification campaign, is as much about sending a message to the illegal trade worldwide as it is about rendering the rhino horns inside its perimeter both worthless and hazardous as traditional medicine. Andrew Parker, CEO of the SSWA, says that compromising the product is the most effective deterrent to the illegal market. Customs officers stand guard near seized rhino horns at the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department when they seized a total of 33 unmanifested rhino horns, 758 ivory chopsticks and 127 ivory bracelets, worth about US$2.23 million, found inside a container shipped to Hong Kong from Cape Town, South Africa in February 2011. (Image courtesy of Kin Cheung).

The Rhino Rescue Project’s Lorinda Hern explains that the toxin is a compound of parasiticides which are used to control ticks on farm animals like horses, cattle and sheep. It is also ox-pecker friendly. While the treatment is for the benefit and improved health of the animals, she said, it is toxic to humans. Symptoms of ingesting the drug cocktail - in powdered rhino horn, for example - would include nausea and vomiting. Says Andrew Parker: “We are not aiming to kill the consumers, no matter what we think of them. We want to kill the illegal trade that is preying on our herds. Once the poachers discover that rhino horn from Sabi Sand has no value they will move on. Once the risk/ reward balance changes, making incursions against our own very experienced security counter measures will no longer be worth the risk.” The Rhino Rescue Project was founded by Ed Hern, owner of the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve near Johannesburg, after a poaching incident at the end of May 2010, when he contemplated many methods of fighting the poaching scourge: from de-horning of animals to microchips and tracking devices. The problem he found with all of the alternatives, however, was that they were largely reactive instead of proactive, and did not deter poachers from striking again. For more information visit www.rhinorescueproject.com Logically, a permanent solution is to eliminate the demand for rhino horn altogether. To this end, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) announced in March 2013 that it had partnered with Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV), a Vietnamese non-profit NGO, to develop a hard hitting rhino protection campaign for countries where rhino horn is in great demand, starting with Vietnam. “We are certain that our campaign, with this crucial buy in from a respected and well known Vietnamese NGO, will help us to turn the tide on the plight of the rhino. Our message: Say NO to rhino horn” said Rynette Coetzee, Project Executant of the EWT’s Law and Policy Programme. The campaign consists of posters, media outreach and an online component and will be executed in both English and Vietnamese. Education will go a long way towards teaching consumers that rhino horn contains no nutritional or medicinal value, however, education will not produce an immediate result, and results are what we need at this point. Initiatives to save our rhino from extinction abound and are commended for their passion and sincerity, such as our Rhino Knights feature article in this edition of the Tattler. But some initiatives take the cause to the extreme, such a recent pledge campaign that reads; “Since we all know that Rhino horn is made of KERATIN - the same substance as finger and toe nails - we would like you to join us in sending your nail clippings to South Africa by the next COP meeting in 2016. This gives everyone enough time to start saving them from now on.” The campaign already has 564 pledges! All comments on this article will be published in the June edition. MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

CONSERVATION

A Rhino Knight’s Tale In early 2009, the entire population of eleven Rhino were killed on an Eastern Cape reserve where we ran our horse trail business. This was the first time that rhino poaching became real to Lloyd and me, which sparked deep anger, sadness and complete helplessness, writes Isabel Wolf-Gillespie. Today every 12 hours about 2000kg of Rhino life is slaughtered for about 5kg of horn weight, and despite all that is being done Rhino poaching is still very much on the increase. At this rate the children of today will not lay their eyes upon this species as adults. A demand for horn in Asian countries has caused symptoms of large-scale slaughter, poaching, violence, greed and corruption. When we moved away from the Eastern Cape in 2011, we synchronistically met Dr Ian Player who has since become our mentor and friend, guiding us in our quest to find ultimate purpose in life. After many conversations between Ian, Lloyd and myself, the ‘Rhino Knights’ campaign under the banner of our non-profit company Earth Awareness was born. Earth Awareness resulted from our 7,411km life changing journey around South Africa with horses (Ebook “Between Fire and Shadow” available on Amazon) and is all about creating awareness of self, others and the environment, which ultimately creates greater care for our planet. Rhino Knights Campaign ‘Rhino Knights’ mission is our contribution to solving the rhino poaching problem, by creating global awareness and raising funds for the Rhino initiatives of the Magubu Ntombela Foundation (founded by Dr. Ian Player) and the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization (Founded by Lawrence Anthony, author of The Elephant Whisperer and The Last Rhino). Rhino Knights is the start of our commitment to Africa´s wildlife and we are 100% dedicated to this. Phase 1 of the campaign (Phases 2 and 3 to follow afterwards) is a 10,000km journey around Southern Africa and every day on the move. I will run a half marathon (21km); cycle 60-80km and, on the same day in some parts of Southern Africa, horse ride an entry level endurance event of about 20km. Covering an average of a 100km a day, our route will take us through some beautiful, yet harsh and very remote countryside in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique back to Durban. Assisted by a support vehicle with my husband Lloyd and my sister Raphaela, I will cover the total distance in about 5 months. Lloyd has been training for this but an old injury has played up and after an MRI scan he was advised by an orthopaedic surgeon that it would not be a good idea to go on an extreme physical journey like this. Now he will fullfil the vital role of campaign coordinator and filmer. Some parts of the journey will be done without the horse component and the travelled distance on foot and bicycle will therefore increase. 22

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

Rhino Knights and Earth Awareness couple, Lloyd Gillespie and Isabel Wolf-Gillespie During the campaign we are networking with as many conservation organizations and individuals from reserves and parks as possible, to show support and gain knowledge and information on the current Rhino situation. The awareness drive involving the public aims to cover the world with Rhino Knights, uniting our voices as one for Rhino and we are inviting the public to run and cycle with us wherever they can. Information on dates for fun runs and the proposed route can be found on our website www.earthawareness.co.za. Along our route we have arranged talks at schools to motivate and inspire younger generations to listen and hear nature´s desperate cry for help! We live in a country flooded by rubbish and litter, 668 dead Rhino last year and 232 dead this year already, a list of endangered species worldwide that continuously grows, natural resources being used and exploited beyond the limits. Overpopulation by man hungry for food, space, power and more has led to a dwindling animal and plant kingdom. The preparation and organization of the campaign has been challenging, filled with daily disappointments and successes in between. I find myself caught up, sometimes stuck in the battles after yet another disappointment or downturn and I have to remind myself why I am doing this again... But the harsh reality of the situation brings me quickly back on track along with new found energy and motivation to forge ahead. In today’s world animals can not make choices for themselves and we need to make good choices for them! Through this campaign, we encourage the real social change that’s needed for the betterment of our planet! In our own private capacities we all have the power to create change for the future of this planet and its children. If you would like to get involved in the campaign, become a sponsor, or to show your support email us on isabel@ridingforhorses.co.za Donations for as little as R10 ($1.13USD) can be sent via SMS to 48716 with the words RHINOKNIGHTS in the text field.

CONSERVATION

ELEPHANTS ALIVE, IN ASSOCIATION WITH SAVE THE ELEPHANTS, IS A RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION BASED ORGANISATION INVOLVED IN CREATING AWARENESS OF ELEPHANTS AND THEIR SURVIVAL AT A TIME WHEN POPULATIONS ARE BEING DECIMATED ACROSS AFRICA. Our studies have shown that

Ever expanding infrastructure

has resulted in excessive poaching of elephants for their ivory and compression of elephants within their range. We are left with fragmented populations and disrupted migration routes.

These beautiful animals and what they represent have become tainted by human greed. Their image distorted! If you would like to see their social life restored and their linking corridors maintained,

join us at Indaba

where you can help us raise funds for the research and conservation programs aimed at rectifying and restoring their former lives.

11 - 14 May 2013, Albert LuthuliConvention Centre (Durban ICC), South Africa For more information contact: Brian Courtenay Satib Trust P O Box 427, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320,South Africa Email: brian@elephantsalive.com

Supported by:

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

COMPETITION

n A 4 Night Getaway in Mozambique i W

With the compliments of NKWICHI Lodge - www.mandawilderness.org Email: info@mandawilderness.org

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:

NKWICHI Lodge supports The Manda Wilderness Community Trust to ensure that local communities also benefit from the growth of responsible tourism in the region.

“Which local community trust does NKWICHI Lodge support?” Email your answer with NKWICHI Lodge Competition in the subject field to editor@tourismtattler.co.za by 27 May 2013. Remember to include your contact details (Name, company trading name, telephone numbers, city/town, province and country).

The Trust also manages the Manda Wilderness Community Conservation Area, which was created to protect and manage a 120,000 hectare community reserve on the shores of Lake Niassa. The Trust is registered as a UK charity. The Community owned Conservation Area protects 120,000km² of brachystegia forest, savanah, streams and rivers, mountains and freshwater lakeshore.

The first correct entry drawn after the closing date will win the prize, with the compliments of NKWICHI Lodge.

NKWICHI Lodge employs 59 local staff members, who directly support over 1,000 family members.

The prize, which is valued at R23,760.00 consists of: • Four nights for two adults sharing a chalet at NKWICHI Lodge. • Inclusive of full board accommodation (all meals including tea and coffee), laundry, non-motorised activities, community bed-night levy and government taxes; • Excludes air fares to and from Mozambique, land or marine transportation to and from NKWICHI Lodge, drinks, motorised boat activities, items of a personal nature, gratuities, insurance, flying doctor service and medical evacuation. drinks, motorised boat activities, items of a personal nature, gratuities, insurance, flying doctor service and medical evacuation. NKWICHI is a hidden hand-built lodge located on the dazzling Mozambique shores of Lake Niassa. By entering this competition, you stand a chance to savour an unspoilt corner of real Africa and to see for yourself how responsible tourism supports local people, besides sugar-white ‘’squeaking’ sands, washed by clear fresh water teeming with tropical fish.

The Manda Wilderness Community Trust, in partnership with local communities has built ten schools, a maternity clinic, a maize mill, two church roofs and many bridges in the 16 villages in the area. It also runs a number of community upliftment projects. The Manda Wilderness Agricultural Project has assisted over 350 local farmers and contributed to the improvement of nutrition in the area. Just your presence helps develop local communities and preserve the natural environment they live in - US$5 is donated to the Manda Wilderness Community Trust for every night you stay. Arriving at this idyllic location by boat one would never know that a luxury lodge is secluded in the tropical bush. The lodge itself and each of the six chalets have been carefully tucked away in the tree line so that the pristine lakeshore scenery is unspoilt and each chalet is located far enough apart to provide privacy. Note: Read the Terms and Conditions of this competition, which can be downloaded at: www.tourismtattler.co.za/Downloads/NKWICHI-LodgeCompetition-TermsConditions.pdf

WINNER OF THE MANTIS L’AVENIR COUNTRY LODGE COMPETITION FROM THE APRIL 2013 EDITION CONGRATULATIONS to Sharon Hunink of Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Johannesburg and to Alanna Baulch of Alakat Publishing in Rickmansworth, United Kingdom whose competition entries were the first and second correct entries to be drawn. TBA have each won a Wine Weekend Away for 2 valued at R9,600.00 each and consists of: Two nights for two people sharing in an Icon Suite, a full South African breakfast each morning, a dinner for two, a wine tasting in the L’Avenir tasting room and a 3 bottle L’Avenir wine hamper on arrival.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

www.lavenir-lodge.com / www.mantiscollection.com

DESTINATIONS

Ten reasons why Zimbabwe is a true Luxury Destination

It is no secret that in the last ten years or so Zimbabwe has been struggling with its perception as a luxury travel destination, writes Luke Brown. For various reasons the country has been labelled as “unsafe” to travel to, and so it is understandable that those who have never been here and read this believe most of those words. It is time to dispel the myth that we are not a country where a luxury journey can be enjoyed! Here are ten reasons why Zimbabwe IS a genuine Luxury Travel Destination: 01

Incredible diversity of landscape

Zimbabwe is unrivaled in its ability to provide a diverse offering of landscapes. This is luxury that cannot be bought – it just is. It shares one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the Victoria Falls, with Zambia and has arguably the best view of it. It also shares an enormous inland fresh water lake, Kariba, with the same neighbour and has kept its shores and waters a pristine wilderness. It is home to Hwange National Park, one of Africa’s biggest conservation areas and possibly the best place to go on a walking safari anywhere in Africa. Its concentrations of elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, cheetah and wild dog are well documented. Two more World Heritage Sites include the understated and authentic beauty of the balancing rock kingdom of the Matobo Hills and the Garden of Eden that is Mana Pools. To the east of the country is a range of mountains filled with fresh streams, waterfalls and endemic flora and fauna. All these things combined plus many others unmentioned provide a luxury like no other. 02

Venues that match world standards

There are a number of world-class venues in the country, many of which have been recently refurbished or are in the process of being so. The Meikle’s Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, and the Victoria Falls Hotel, which overlooks the spray of the Falls, are two such establishments. Both have a rich heritage and both are long time members of the prestigious “Leading Hotels of the World” group, a collection that has rigid rules governing its membership. Bumi Hills Safari Lodge and Spa in Kariba and the Hide Safari Camp in Hwange are two more properties that have undergone multi-million dollar refurbishments recently. Both are repeat and prestigious award winners and each of them is listed as the number one property in their region on Trip Advisor. These are just a sprinkling of a number of luxury venues in the country either being refurbished or newly constructed. Zimbabweans have a history of wanting to be the best

in their chosen field, no matter what the challenges are that they face. It is this attitude and spirit that has kept each one fighting for a position at the top. 03

Friendliness and professionalism of the people

Zimbabweans have the highest literacy rates in Africa and are among the most well educated people on the continent, but it is not this alone that makes them such a special people. They have a prevalent natural friendliness and warmth about them that is hard to come by on such a grand scale in other destinations. When you put that professionalism and amicability together you have a powerful blend for hospitality. Zimbabweans in luxury tourism are well travelled, widely read and naturally gifted in their ability to deal with the most discerning of world travellers. 04

Non-volume driven environment

Zimbabwe is not generally known for dealing in mass tourism. The country is not overcrowded and therefore the luxury of space that one expects in Africa is emphasised when travelling to Zimbabwe. In Hwange National Park, for example, it is very unlikely that during your safari you will have to share your experiences with more than a handful of other people. This makes your trip so much more private and personalized. 05

Journeys are created by real people

For the most part Zimbabwe has managed to avoid outsourcing how it sells itself and how it facilitates its luxury services. Zimbabweans have control of their resources and are proud to showcase these themselves. In the same way it is more likely that early on during the planning phase of your journey you will deal in some way with a Zimbabwean that knows and understands which of the country’s best assets to showcase to you. 06

The weather is amazing

Zimbabwe’s weather is ranked as one of the best in the world. Again this is a luxury that just is! And what a difference it makes knowing MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

DESTINATIONS

that when you come here you will have every chance of blue skies and warm temperatures.

Zimbabwe also accepts many major world currencies including the Great British Pound, Euro and the South African Rand.

07 High culinary standards and availability of fresh produce

In 2009 when Zimbabwe adopted the United States Dollar a remarkable resurgence in the economy happened literally overnight and empty supermarket shelves were once again filled not just with basic foodstuffs, but also with exotic offerings to fit a diverse taste on demand in the country’s luxury venues. Coupled with the availability of top quality ingredients is the presence of top chefs and food and beverage specialists in the country’s leading establishments. An eclectic mix of contemporary fusion cooking with an African hint is a common feature of the menus.

Zimbabwe has two main air gateways into the country, namely Harare International Airport and Victoria Falls International Airport. In the last year Emirates Airlines and KLM are the two most internationally recognized premium airlines to resume flights into Harare. African carriers, Egypt Air, Ethiopian, Kenyan, British Airways (Com Air), LAM, Air Botswana, Air Namibia and South African Airways also ply the route into Harare regularly. More world class airlines are due to fly in soon and when they land in Harare their passengers will be welcomed into a clean, modern airport with international features like air bridges and quick check in and baggage delivery services. The Victoria Falls Airport is currently being expanded to accommodate 1,5 million passengers per annum with a runway that can receive widebodied aircraft. It currently links with OR Tambo in Johannesburg, South Africa, with regular daily flights operated by South African Airways and Com Air.

08 Arguably Africa’s best guides To become a qualified guide in Zimbabwe is one of the most difficult career courses to follow. It takes a minimum of four years to obtain a Professional Guide’s qualification and during this time individual earnings are basically nil. Learner guides must past theory exams, but it is the practical application that is the most challenging part. Dedicated young men and women who complete the course will have endured long hours, dangerous encounters with wildlife and rough living conditions. At the end of it they come out with bush knowledge and an ability to interact with diverse clientele that is possibly second to none on the continent. Above all, their strict adherence and understanding of safety in the wilderness is impeccable. 09 Easy monetary transactions Since the adoption of the US Dollar money transactions have become simpler and are continuously being improved on with plastic money being readily accepted and processed in the top establishments.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

World class access growing all the time

For more information visit www.vayeni.com About the Author: Luke Brown is the Marketing Director at Vayeni (pr. VAI-YE-NEE) - a handpicked portfolio of accommodation venues in Zimbabwe and southern Africa. Luke and his partner Suzanne have twenty years of combined experience in the international luxury travel industry. They have worked in “Leading Hotels of the World” acclaimed properties in Europe and the Middle East. They have managed, sold and marketed for ground operations and properties in Botswana and Zimbabwe with great success. Most recently their contractual work with Bumi Hills has helped it become one of southern Africa’s leading luxury accommodation products.

EVENTS

80 000 Bikers hit KZN South Coast

Africa Bike Week, the largest free motorcycle rally in Africa, took place from Friday 26 to 29 April in Margate KwaZulu-Natal attracting over 80 000 enthusiasts and visitors, writes Nadia Louw. The 110th Anniversary celebrations kicked off in Milwaukee in August 2012 and over the course of an entire year, millions of fans from 11 countries across six continents are celebrating their shared passion for freedom and the stories that unite them. An estimated 25 000 riders attended the event and the highlight of the weekend was the Mass Ride on Sunday morning. Led by Bill Davidson and the Honourable Madam Mayor Cynthia Mqwebu of the Hibiscus Coast Municipality, 3242 bikes participated in the ride equating to approximately 11km of bikes on the road at the same time.

▲ joined enthusiasts in celebrating Harley-Davidson’s 110 years of rich history.

Bill Davidson said, “It was an amazing experience to visit South Africa and to join our fans in Africa in celebrating Harley-Davidson’s 110th Anniversary. It was a pleasure to meet, speak with and ride alongside Harley-Davidson enthusiasts from Africa. I hope I can come back one day,” concludes Davidson.

Those who only dreamed of riding had the opportunity to try out the jumpstart which gives you a feel of riding a Harley without worrying about balance. Visitors also had the opportunity to get to grips with the basics of riding at the Learn to Ride introduction course. Current riders went on free Harley demo rides where they had a choice of any of the Harley model families.

Throughout the weekend visitors were entertained with a thrilling array of activities and live entertainment which guaranteed extreme excitement for the whole family. Activities included official HarleyDavidson dealers and exhibition tents, a ride in bike show and VIP lounges and bars.

There was also an incredible line-up of live music which included Dilana, Mark Haze, Alter Irving, Spitfire Choir, December Streets, Daai Girl Band and Classic Rock Project, to name a few. DJ Fistaz Mixwell, one of South Africa’s most popular DJs and Harley-Davidson Africa’s first official ambassador ripped the decks on Saturday afternoon. Through the support of the partners Hibiscus Coast Municipality, UGU Municipality, South Coast Tourism and Carling Black Label, the event provides a trading boom for the local businesses in Margate. “The Africa Bike Week festival weekend is bigger than December! It represents a massive cash injection into the business which filters all the way down into our communities,” says John Fisher from the Margate Hotel.

▲

To find out more about the weekend’s events and celebrations visit the South Coast Tourism website at www.southcoasttourism.co.za or www.facebook.com/HarleyDavidsonAfrica Honorable Madam Mayor Cynthia Mqwebu of Hibiscus Coast opened proceedings at the Africa Bike Week in Margate. MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EVENTS

RETOSA EVENTS CALENDAR - MAY 2013 Date

Event

Description

Venue

BOTSWANA TBA

National Culture Day Commemoration

DAC and Area Community

Good Hope Main Kgotla

MALAWI Kamuzu Day

14 May

Kamuzu Day is a day of celebrations held in honour of the country’s very first president, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda

National

SEYCHELLES 25 May

Miss Seychelles another world 2013

After 4 year’s absence from the events calendar, the Seychelles Tourism Board is proud to be hosting the 2nd edition of the Miss Seychelles.

Victoria, Mahe

SOUTH AFRICA 11 - 14 May

INDABA Tourism Fair

09 - 10 May

Hospitality Investment Conference

25 – 27 May

Bushfire Festival

One of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar.

ICC, Durban

HICA is an established business to business networking platform focused on showcasing Southern Africa as a viable investment destination in the hotel and hospitality sector.

Durban

SWAZILAND Bushfire is Swaziland’s biggest live music happening, attracting 20 000 visitors during the three days of the event.

House on Fire

TANZANIA 31 May – 02 June

Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair

An annual event where by East Africa’s travel and tourism industry congregates to exhibit products and services to regional and international travel agents and tour operators

Arusha

ZIMBABWE 01 – 06 May

Harare International Festival of Arts (HIFA)

HIFA is one of Africa’s largest international arts festivals. It was established in 1999 and it takes place in Harare. The weeklong festival encompasses five principal disciplines which are theatre, dance, fine art and poetry which all promote different tourism enterprises.

Harare

RETOSA Annual Events Calendar

RETOSA has launched an annual events calendar aimed at keeping the travel trade informed on forthcoming events in each of the 14 RETOSA member countries, namely: Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Each month’s events will be published in the Tourism Tattler and the full year’s events for each country can be downloaded at: www.tourismtattler.co.za/donwloads/retosa2013calendarofevents.pdf 28

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

EVENTS

Vacation Lightly Going on a vacation can often make a large difference to the impact that one has upon the environment. The carbon emissions from air and road travel are well known but some of the other issues such as the environmental cost of constructing and running luxury hotels and the impact on the local communities, resources and the local fauna and flora are less obvious, writes Chris Naude. Eco-friendly tourism can play a huge role in reducing the environmental impact of your holiday without foregoing the luxury or the experience that is expected from holiday travel. It is therefore with great enthusiasm that The Green Expo in association with National Geographic channels welcomes the Tourism Tattler as a media partner. Southern Africa has many eco-friendly destinations to choose from and we have so many hotels, lodges and guest houses that not only minimise their own carbon emissions and environmental impact but also place the visitor in the midst of the magnificence of Africa to witness some of the last remaining pristine spaces of the world. These establishments are those that have energy and water saving processes and recycle or compost their waste. Most will source their food locally and in some cases they grow their own vegetables.

DID YOU KNOW Recycling aluminum cans saves 95 percent of the energy used to make aluminum cans from virgin ore.

The majority of them will also support in some way the biodiversity of the area and campaign for the benefit of endangered species. Very few visitors come away unaffected by such an experience and since many tourist destinations and operators will be affected by climate change in the coming years, we would like you to join us and promote Eco-friendly tourism as a driver of change and make it a conscious decision for all holidaymakers. The Green Expo will run from 1-3 November at the Sandton Convention Centre and from 30 November â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 December at the CTICC in Cape Town Contact Chris to find out how to promote your destinations or tourist services at The Green Expo. Tel: 021 689 3262 or email: info@thegreenexpo.co.za For more information visit www.thegreenexpo.co.za

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

The Rock that proved to be a Gem Nestled in a tranquil suburb, African Rock Hotel is an exclusive fivestar boutique property - the first and only one of its kind in Kempton Park, South Africa and just a short drive away from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport. Offering guests unparalleled service in an unforgettable setting, the African Rock Hotel has a distinctly earthy feel, with a serene atmosphere and calming ambience. Created by owners Otti and Zelda Meijer, the property was thoughtfully designed to create a space that is both roomy and practical. The natural colour palette blends harmoniously with the carefully selected artwork, most of which was created by Zelda herself. This personal touch is echoed in the hotel’s one-of-a-kind furniture pieces, many of which were designed by Otti and custommade to his specifications. The contemporary architecture of the African Rock Hotel is the result of a collaborative effort between two different firms of architects, both of which were commissioned to create the exclusive yet comfortable space that the owners had dreamed of.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

Ensuring the economic benefits of the hotel are widespread, the actual construction was supervised by the owners and carried out utilising the skill and handiwork of local South African labourers and craftsmen. Now that the hotel is operational, this dedication to the local community continues with all resources being drawn from Kempton Park and its immediate surroundings. The hotel’s commitment to sustainability extends to being mindful of environmental issues – African Rock Hotel is proudly ‘green’ and endeavours to recycle whenever possible. The property has created facilities to cater to the needs of its primary markets – both leisure and corporate inbound. This includes speciallydesigned wellness treatments to revitalise even the weariest of travellers, along with fine dining created by a top chef, in its on-site petit restaurant, the “Blue Hippo”. As reviews on TripAdvisor testify; “We wish we’d stayed for longer.” For more information visit www.africanrockhotels.com

HOSPITALITY

Finding the perfect

MEMENTO

After a lifetime in travel, my home is full of souvenirs and mementos of places I have visited. From the outrageously tacky to the downright bizarre, the list of trinkets sold to tourists is endless. And the memories they bring back as I look at them are still a treasured part of that travel experience, writes Marjorie Dean. That’s why they are important. The lodge/hotel/ship “gift” shop, with its mix of essential practical sundries, souvenirs and branded merchandise, has been a predictable if uninspired lobby fixture for years. But as hotels scramble to distinguish themselves, many are rethinking their shops, upgrading and expanding the merchandise and positioning their shops as destinations for both guests and local residents, much as they did with restaurants a decade ago. With the development of electronic technology, guests and others can use an in-room iPad to shop for an expanded list of minibar offerings, including branded towels and vanity bags. Items are delivered to the room in 10 minutes. With occupancy rates and the number of travellers on the rise, industry experts predict growth in high-concept hotel shops. “Shops are one of the remaining opportunities hotels have for people to

say ‘This place is different, better, cleverer and more exciting than I expected.’ But to do that they need to stock items that people will want to buy and take home. These are often the property’s branded items that people “lift” from hotel rooms, thus requiring expensive replacements by the property. So why not give them the opportunity to buy these covetable souvenirs from the gift shop? But there are some points to consider. Most travellers are flying home, so souvenirs must be small and light for ease of packing. Also it’s preferable if they are not breakable, and can be used after getting home. For some great products and ideas, contact Jodi on: +27(0)11 887 7736 / 9478 or email: jodi@jodam.co.za For more information visit www.jodam.co.za

Quality Branded Merchandise PVC & MESH RANGE

MANUFACTURING SUPPLIERS TO THE SOUTHERN AFRICA TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY TRADE

LADIES RANGE MENS RANGE TOWELS GOLF & SPORTS RANGE GIFT SETS SUNDRIES & SPECIALS

www.jodam.co.za Tel: +27 11 887-7736 / 9478 E-Mail: jodi@jodam.co.za or adam@jodam.co.za 29 Wynberg Road • Wynberg • Johannesburg • South Africa

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

Tsogo Sun develops entrepreneurs I was privileged to attend a truly positive tourism event recently, writes Tattler Editor Marjorie Dean. This was the Awards and Graduation ceremony for those guesthouse owners who were fortunate enough to participate in the most recent Book-aGuesthouse Programme run by Tsogo Sun, as part of its Sun Cares initiative. Tsogo Sun Book-a-Guesthouse is a skills-based entrepreneurial development programme that provides support to black South Africans, particularly women, but also open to men, who operate their own guesthouses. The initiative was first implemented in 2005 and supports over 60 entrepreneurs who own and operate guesthouses in four provinces across South Africa, in Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. The Tsogo Sun Book a Guesthouse programme is the only programme of its kind in South Africa – with 92% of the programme’s members being black South African women. Through the programme, Tsogo Sun has contributed directly to the creation of 258 jobs and indirectly to the creation of more than 2000 jobs in the value chain since the programme’s inception. 92% of the guesthouses supported by the programme have shown sustained growth since joining. The programme has provided 84 formal training interventions to members, as well as 2 880 instances of individual business support and coaching during the last twelve months. Book-a-Guesthouse is positioned within Tsogo Sun’s SunCares programme, which was launched in July 2012 as Tsogo Sun’s commitment to sustainability in tourism plan, incorporating entrepreneurial development, community relations, and environmental management. All initiatives within SunCares are united and enable Tsogo Sun to serve as a catalyst for change within every aspect of its upliftment and environmental programmes. The Awards Dinner was held at the Bill Gallagher Room in the Sandton ICC, which is managed by Tsogo Sun. In his address, Rob Collins, Chief marketing officer of Tsogo Sun, spoke of the fact that the group felt it had to do a bit more than just give money to social development – it tried to give hope! The group is very large nowadays, looking after 45 million guests a year, in its 94 hotels, 15 casinos and numerous tourist attractions. But it wanted to contribute meaningfully to creating shared value with the community, and in a way that is measurable. Participants are carefully selected as being those most able to benefit from the programme. All seventeen participants had completed Guest House Management courses run by the University of Cape Town, and were awarded their graduation certificates, to huge applause. Rob congratulated all those who were graduating, and reminded them that as entrepreneurs they were the people who were responsible for making change happen.

Emmah Makatu of Zwinoni Lodge proudly holds her trophy aloft.

their role as Guesthouse of the Year, should they win. The workshop was a whirlwind of specialised training sessions, media interviews, cameras rolling, coaching activities, lunches and dinners with wellknown South African businesswomen. The winner The overall winner was Emmah Makatu of Zwinoni Lodge, Milnerton Ridge, located adjacent to the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Zwinoni – which means ‘birds’ in Venda – is a favourite for bird-watchers and guests seeking beauty, luxury and tranquillity. Zwinoni Lodge was built by Emmah on a good-sized 1 200 square metre property with the idea of living there and running her tax and accounting consultancy from the premises. But she then decided it was a perfect place for a guesthouse. Zwinoni has 10 elegant bedrooms, all en suite, and overlooking the beautiful gardens. It also features a conference room for about 25 people, as well as outside braai facilities. The guesthouse is just about fully booked from December through to the end of February with business people, bird watchers, and some international tourists, while the Easter holidays bring in flocks of Gautengers. Emmah has been with Tsogo Sun Book a Guesthouse since 2010 and is deeply impressed by the organisation’s offering to entrepreneurs. “Most of my time with Book a Guesthouse has featured highlights of one sort or another – the excellent training, the annual conferences, interacting with other women entrepreneurs, as well as with directors of Tsogo Sun, the internet services, and more. Last year I bought a second guesthouse, a four-bedroomed property overlooking the sea, called The Penthouse, which caters for the corporate market. It was only on the strength of being a member of Book a Guesthouse that I had the know-how and confidence to make this investment.” Emmah has a staff of four full-time people and four part-timers who help with special events at both of the properties.

Tsogo Sun was delighted to showcase its five 2013 finalists: Florence Mondi of Flossie’s B&B in Soweto, Pam Maistry of Taunton House in Pietermaritzburg, Siphiwe Nhlapo of Temaswati Guesthouse in Meredale, Emmah Makatu of Zwinoni Lodge in Milnerton Ridge and Lizzy Mphahlele of Lizvilla B&B in Acacia.

Tsogo Sun’s partners on the course were: Johannesburg Tourism Company; Limpopo Parks and Tourism Board; Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency; Nestlé Professional; South African Chefs Association; Stone; Tourism Grading Council of SA; Tourism KwaZulu Natal; and Wesgro.

Tsogo Sun hosted these five elegant and industrious entrepreneurs at Montecasino for a two day coaching workshop to prepare them for

For more information about Tsogo Sun Book a Guesthouse, go to www.bookaguesthouse.com

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

LEGAL

• Promotion Of Access To Information Act, Act #2 Of 2002 (‘Paia’) • Regulation Of Interception Of Communications Act Act #70 Of 2002 (‘Rica’) • Consumer Protection Act Act #68 Of 2008 (‘Cpa’)

The NEW ‘POPI’ aka PROTECTION

OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ACT – PART 1 – INTRODUCTION

As most of us are aware this has been around for a long time (Over 4 years) but it is eventually coming to fruition and should become law later this year. It is a new act that brings South Africa (‘SA’) in line with international data protection laws and it enacts SA citizens’ constitutional right to privacy. It is not to be confused with the much publicized Protection of State Information Bill. It must be read with other relevant statutes such as: • Electronic Communications & Transactions Act, Act #25 Of 2002 (‘Ect’)

The foundation comprises eight principles or standards such as accountability to ‘data subject’ participation and it applies to: • the ‘processing’ (‘collect, disseminate or merge’) of • the ‘personal information’ (as defined e.g. race, gender, identity number, religion, education, blood type, etc )[‘PI’] • of the data subject (individual & in some cases a juristic person) [‘DS’] • ‘entered into a record’ (‘any form or medium in possession or under the control of a responsible person’: written, electronic, photo, graph) • by or for responsible person (‘private [‘natural person or partnership’] or public body’) i.e. ‘who determines the purpose and means of such processing’ [‘RP’]. It does NOT apply to for example, information that pertains to a personal or purely household matter. It is certainly not a ‘toothless tiger’ and offences include hindering, obstructing or unlawfully influencing the Information Protection Regulator (‘IPR’) and contravening confidentiality - penalties for non-compliance are as follows: Offenders can be fined up to R10 million and imprisoned for between 12 months and 10 years! 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, May 2013.

Debt collection. Cashflow is the lifeblood of any business - bad debts threaten viability. SJA assists, from issueing summonses to executing judgements. Contact: tinal@savage.co.za

Commercial. Registration of companies, trademarks & searches. Drawing up of contracts - leases, sales of business, joint ventures, partnerships & franchises. Contact: jonathanh@savage.co.za

Liabilities. Specialising in Professional Indemnity, Insurance Law, Travel and Tourism liability. Contact: waynef@savage.co.za

Commercial. Corporate Advisory Services, Liquidations, Commercial Contracts, Company Registrations and Intellectual Property Law. Contact: hennies@savage.co.za Labour and Administrative Law. Specialising in Labour Law as well as public and private partnerships in the environmental context. Contact: mariuss@savage.co.za

Personal Injury. SJA’s specialist departments have many years of experience with the Road Accident Fund and this area of the law. Contact: robh@savage.co.za Property. Specialising in Sectional Title and Game Lodge development conveyancing matters. Contact: marleeng@savage.co.za

Johannesburg: Pretoria: (011) 325 0830 (012) 452 8200 E-mail: info@savage.co.za

www.savage.co.za

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARKETING

Giving by Gifting Hand crafted gifts provide the safari industry with a way to give back to the African communities in need who produce the products, important in the marketing and culture of Game Lodges and African tourism in general. When award winning graphic designer Janice Ashby visited Zimbabwe to see the Victoria Falls for the first time, she came across a different kind of hand made paper in the hotel gift shop. A different kind of hand-made paper, unique, textured, rough, and powerfully African in nature. Her excitement peaked with the idea of designing a line of paper-crafted gifts, which in turn could provide poverty stricken rural communities with income to feed their families. These she marketed through New York trade shows along with her other designs under the branding of The Janice Ashby Paper Collection. The turning point came when a group of buyers from a large crafting wholesaler based in Utah came into her stand and discovered the line. They worked with her to come up with a line of products under their own branding and ordered three containers. With a quarter million dollar order in hand, and armed with US dollar bills wrapped around her middle, she returned to Zimbabwe. Her job was to start training programmes for 400 desperately poor women to earn much needed income by producing hundreds of thousands of components to assemble into products for the three container order. Eco Africa Papercraft, a job creation social enterprise, was born and a non profit was started in New York to support the wellbeing of the women and their families. From there her designs evolved into handmade paper gifts and stationery aimed at the Fair Trade market worldwide. It turned out that the products had a colourful, contemporary, African flavour that also appealed to the tourism industry in Africa. As the recession hit worldwide, Janice decided it was time to relocate and return to Cape Town to be closer to her family - and to the organization in Zimbabwe. From there it was natural to tap into retailers in tourist hubs whose customers loved the new line.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

Each hand-crafted paper doll comes with its own African Fairy Story and is available with either loops or magnets.

With a new website that showed off the products with t h e i r colourful appeal to visitors, Eco Africa Papercraft began to attract a new sort of customer. Tour operators began purchasing them as gifts for their Safari clients. They have all the attributes that make them ideal for such gifts. Lightweight for packing in luggage, made from recycled hand-made papers that are acid free and tree free, and every product sold means that a woman in poverty is empowered with income producing skills that will help her feed her family. Most Safari clients are passionate about the environment and love supporting local African causes. The job creation workshops began to hum as work poured in. More and more women were being empowered with income producing skills. Now a new side of the business emerged. Custom Products. The tourism industry always needs specialized custom items to carry their branding and re-enforce their culture. Strong folders are needed to hold their clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; itineraries and trip information. Eco Africa designed imaginative interpretations of folders with inside pockets for just that purpose. Quantities of envelopes made from the unique papers on which to send out literature are a popular item. Folding gift boxes that deliver flat and spring into shape when needed are the perfect vehicle in which to present all kinds of specialised gifts for clients, or at promotional events. Both leisure and business travellers love being â&#x20AC;&#x153;giftedâ&#x20AC;? They enjoy taking small items home to their children, family and friends. This is truly a perfect new and appropriate resource for the tourism industry as a whole. For more information contact Janice on +27(0)72 473 5596 or email info@ecoafricacocialventures.org or visit: www.ecoafricapapercraft.org

MARKETING

Market Intelligence Report The information below was extracted from available data as at 24 April 2013, writes Martin Jansen van Vuuren.

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

Current period

Change over same period last year 4.2%

438 023

Germany

266 333

13%

USA

326 643

13.6%

India

106 774

18.2%

China

132 327

55.9%

Overseas Arrivals (excl same day visitors)

2 505 762

15.1%

African Arrivals

6 656 458

8.5%

Total Foreign Arrivals

9 188 368

10.2%

NB: African Arrivals plus Overseas Arrivals do not add up 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 February 2013: Current period

Average Room Occupancy (ARO)

Average Room Rate (ARR)

Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)

All Hotels in SA

62.7%

R 1 010

R 633

All 5-star hotels in SA

66.8%

R 1 830

R 1 222

All 4-star hotels in SA

63.1%

R 958

R 605

All 3-star hotels in SA

60.8%

R 761

R 463

Change over same period last year All Hotels in SA

9.7%

8.9%

19.4%

12.2%

7.7%

20.9%

All 4-star hotels in SA

6.9%

9.7%

17.3%

All 3-star hotels in SA

11.5%

8.3%

20.8%

Passengers arriving on Regional Flights

Passengers arriving on Domestic Flights

All 5-star hotels in SA

ACSA DATA

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

4.1%

-0.2%

-8.7%

Cape Town International

-6.4%

-5.0%

-3.3%

King Shaka International

15.1%

N/A

-8.9%

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESS The Statistics SA data for the full year of 2012 indicates strong growth in the overseas arrivals following the decline experienced in 2011. Traditional (USA, Germany, etc) as well as new markets (India and China) have shown strong growth. The Chinese arrivals should however be read with care as there is a large share of transit visitors included in the Chinese arrivals to South Africa i.e. the Chinese arrivals are travelling via South Africa to other destinations.

For more information contact Martin at Grant Thornton on +27 (0)21 417 8838 or visit: http://www.gt.co.za MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARKETING

• EMAIL MARKETING • EMAIL MARKETING • EMAIL MARKETING • Email Marketing is one of the best advertising sales tools around. You could say that it is the pipeline through which sales reach your business, easily returning R500 to every R12.50 you spend. Integrate this with social networks and the return is even higher, writes Pieter Philipse.

– PART 1 –

Newsletters. Where to start! No two businesses are the same, and therefore it’s obvious that no two email marketing campaigns are the same either. As far as the message you want to convey is concerned I assume that you are trying to generate more value for your customers, which in turn generates more sales right? The first thing you have to do is “NOT” to start writing a newsletter. What you have to do is determine what your personal angle, your main strategy is going to be. There are two parts of communications that you have to work out at the start, one is who are my sales prospects exactly (e.g. holiday, business travellers, or travel and hospitality colleagues), in other words what are their personalities, and secondly how do I communicate my company’s brand and products to them. Sounds easy? Well it isn’t, but “there is” a very easy way to find out.

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MAY 2013

The first thing you do when you have the power of email marketing at hand, assuming you have a customer mailing list that is up to date and you can segment the different types of customers, is to send them an email. This is really an email, or survey if you want to call it, to find out what your customers think about your company’s destinations, its services, your colleagues, and you. After all It’s about what impressions they have. Impressions translate into values; and it’s those values that form the basis of your communication with them. Key is to know exactly how your clients like you to communicate with them. You can do this by setting up a simple and effective survey letter. First of all you need to place yourself in your client’s situation and a good introduction paves the way to getting good answers back. Above all “Keep it simple!” So perhaps this message to travellers will suit:

MARKETING

• EMAIL MARKETING • EMAIL MARKETING • EMAIL MARKETING • Subscribers to the Tourism Tattler magazine receive 30% discount on all our Email Marketing, Web Design and other media services. Go to the Kondwana Communications Email Marketing Page at KONDWANA.COM and start email marketing today.

Response handling using autoresponders Now that you have hit the send button your email is on its merry way, and there is no telling what the response might be. Have I checked for any eventualities you might think. Well here is how to prepare for that. In the email marketing application you setup your first autoreponder. An autoresponder is really another email that you create which is sent out when a certain condition or a number of conditions are met. For example if a certain number of recipients haven’t responded to your first email within a number of days. In this event the autoreponder email can be scheduled to be sent out to those recipients that didn’t answer within the specified time limit. An autoresponder message might include:

Notice that the first email has a personal touch whereas the second email is kept shorter and appeals for help. Also notice that the word “evaluation” is deliberately left out of both messages. This is done because too many travel companies ask their clients for evaluations which results in many people deleting messages containing this word the moment they arrive. The social marketing paragraph in the second email is added after the email signature, this is done to keep the message content to a minimum. Read next month’s email marketing article, where I will show you how to add originality, individuality and theming to your newsletter. For more information visit www.kondwana.com

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

NICHE TOURISM

Accessible Tourism Accessible tourism is ‘Tourism For All’. It’s about making travel and hospitality more reachable and pleasurable for travellers with universal access requirements. It’s also about sensitising yourself to the language of disability, writes, Des Langkilde. Accessible Tourism Etiquette

Specific needs and requirements

How does one communicate with people with disabilities? What language should one use to write or talk about people with disabilities? What is the etiquette when meeting a blind person or a wheelchair user? How much can one expect of a person with a disability, and what help should be given or offered?

Specific problems found by travellers or tourists with disabilities include: • Inaccessible, or only partly accessible, web sites; • Lack of accessible airport transfer; • Lack of wheelchair accessible vehicles; • Lack of well-adapted hotel rooms; • Lack of professional staff capable of dealing with accessibility issues; • Lack of reliable information about a specific attraction’s level of accessibility; • Lack of accessible restaurants, bars, and other facilities; • Lack of adapted toilets in restaurants and public places; • Inaccessible streets and sidewalks; • Lack of technical aids and disability equipment such as wheelchairs, bath chairs and toilet raisers.

To provide answers to these questions, the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) has published an informative booklet aptly titled ‘Myths, Manners, Do’s & Don’ts of Disability’. “Many people without disabilities will have felt shy or embarrassed when meeting people with disabilities. People tend either to blurt out commonly used but discriminatory language, or tie themselves up in knots trying not to offend. That is why QASA is proud to have published the Sawubona Disability booklet,” says Ari Seirlis, CEO of QASA. Tourism Tattler has reproduced the QASA booklet for on-screen viewing (flip-page format) here or for quick downloading (PDF 2.7MB) here. What is accessible tourism? Accessible tourism enables people with access requirements, including mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access, to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universally designed tourism products, services and environments. This definition is inclusive of all people including those travelling with children in prams, people with disabilities and seniors. (Darcy & Dickson, 2009, A Whole-of-Life Approach to Tourism: The Case for Accessible Tourism Experiences. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management - p. 34).

Quantifying the Accessible Tourism market As of 2008, there were more than 50 million persons with disabilities in Europe, and more than 600 million around the world. When expanded to include all beneficiaries of accessible tourism, as defined above, the number grows to some 130 million people affected in Europe alone. In addition to the social benefits, the market represents an opportunity for new investment and new service requirements, rarely provided by key players in the tourism sector. According to ENAT, the European Network for Accessible Tourism, accessible tourism includes: • Barrier-free destinations: infrastructure and facilities; • Transport - by air, land and sea, suitable for all users; • High quality services - delivered by trained staff; • Activities, exhibits, attractions - allowing participation in tourism by everyone; • Marketing, booking systems, web sites and services - information accessible to all. 38

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Europe and the United States of America are home to the majority of the existing companies in this niche. However, companies worldwide are starting to appear as the result of a growing need, largely driven by senior tourism, due to increasing life expectancy in developed countries. The United States requires ADA compliant ramp access to virtually all businesses and public places. Accessible Tourism in South Africa In line with the principles of South Africa’s Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) initiated the Universal Accessibility Grading Scheme, which aims to encourage the hospitality sector to address challenges faced by the disabled and is the first country in Africa to introduce disability grading for the accessible tourism industry. The Universal Accessibility Grading Scheme provides tourism establishments with guidelines on factors such as slip-resistant surfaces, size of door openings, lettering on signage, flashing lights on phones and voice amplification. Depending on compliance, hospitality establishments can achieve ratings on 4 levels, from Bronze to Platinum, assisting disabled visitors in planning their trip. There are many South African establishments with excellent track records in this regard already, such as SANParks, where most of the camps and visitor destinations in all of the parks provide ramped access. In many cases accessible ablution facilities are provided and many of the parks boast selected accommodation units that have been adapted for use by the mobility and visually impaired. However, searching the South African Tourism website (www. southafrica.net) for accommodation using the keyword ‘disabled’ delivered just two results! If you know of any truly accessible establishments or attractions, leave a comment under this article at www.tourismtattler.co.za

How Risk Influences Travel Decisions

Insuranc

RISK

Tourists are faced with a multitude of decisions when deciding on a holiday destination and one of these is definitely insurance. If something goes wrong, they want reassurance that they will be financially compensated for their loss, writes Paul Halley. Tourism is one of the most dynamic industries in any economy. This is driven largely by the highly global and competitive nature of the industry as well as the perceptions of customers or tourists. Trends come and go and are influenced by many obvious, and just as many not so obvious factors that are at play at any one time. Given this highly exciting dynamic coupled with the less exciting and unpredictable issue of risk and security, succeeding in the tourism sector can be challenging to say the least. Operators, irrespective of where they sit on the value chain need to be adaptable and versatile. They need to have an almost sixth sense for local and global trends in travel and the factors influencing tourist spend decisions. They need to select their suppliers very carefully. As if this weren’t challenging enough, operators are also highly affected by the tourists’ perceptions of security and risk, factors which are very often well beyond their control. Aside from the real adrenalin junkies who actively seek out the highest risks when making travel decisions most tourists want some peace of mind when it comes to their personal safety and security at their intended destination. This is even more prevalent when families travel and when inbound tourists travel from a more secure home environment such as Europe or the US. Travellers from these “first world” markets are accustomed to certain standards and controls. Risk Management Whilst local operators have very little direct control over the socio economic or even political stability of their country they do have a significant control over their own risk management practices and attitude toward risk control within their establishment or operation. This can be as simple as ensuring all their drivers carry the necessary driving permits and have a minimum number of years’ driving experience, to employing a full time security and risk management expert at their premises. This subtle, yet fundamental focus on risk management, is indicative of the operators’ general attitude toward their customer or guests safety and influences tourists decisions significantly. Insurance Notwithstanding, the nature of risk is that it cannot always be avoided or managed entirely. This is where the correct insurance protection becomes essential. Not as an alternative to risk management but as means of appropriately transferring the financial implications of such risks an extension or component of the risk management and security process. The correct cover, placed following a thorough assessment of risk, mitigation of the obvious exposures and selective transfer of 40

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those risks which simply cannot be predicted or avoided completes the risk management process. Selecting the correct insurer is as important as the identification of the need for risk management in the first place. After all, as the saying goes, you hope you may never need to use the parachute, but when you do it had better open. Given the dynamic nature of the tourism sector, the ever changing risk environment, the legislative and moral safety issues involved, a thorough understanding of the underlying market by your underwriter and broker is essential. Nothing replaces experience in expertise and a specialist focus when it comes to an understanding of a tour operator’s risk management requirements. Certain insurance underwriters, such as Ascent Underwriting Managers, have the necessary expertise to advise their clients accordingly. With Ascent, the tour operator gets over 15 years of industry specific risk management understanding and experience. Ascent’s specialised focus translates into an innovative product range, as dynamic as and designed specifically for the tourism sector. With an understanding of the local environment and the tourism sector’s risk and exposure extending from the point of reservation, transport, accommodation and through to the leisure aspects enjoyed by the tourist, Ascent offers a comprehensive range of covers and integrated risk management understanding, which assists their clients by ensuring that their guests safety and security comes first. For a firsthand understanding of the benefit of experience and specialisation when managing your risk ask your broker to contact Ascent Underwriting Managers directly and see why Ascent’s slogan pretty much sums it up: “insuring your business, ensuring your future.” For more information visit: www.ascentsure.co.za About the Author: Paul Halley has over two decades in underwriting and Risk Management experience, fifteen years of which have been dedicated to developing and innovating products focussed specifically toward the Tourism, Hospitality and Entertainment Sectors. As an entrepreneur with experience in both the corporate insurance market and having been involved in the founding of a number of small to medium sized companies, Paul has industry specific knowledge and an understanding of business generally. Paul has been involved in the underwriting and risk analysis of operators from the smallest bed and breakfast to multinational and global hotel chains and pretty much everything in between. Paul has a passion for tourism and is an avid traveller and adventurer himself giving him the unique ability to see and understand the effects of risk from many angles.

RISK

Policy Wording, Gaps and Exclusions Having an insurance claim declined just when you need it most could cripple your business. Here are some pointers to avoid being left in the lurch, writes Des Langkilde. Exclusions and gaps in insurance cover, which can cause a claim to be rejected or not paid in full, are a reality and it is imperative that you understand the fine print in your insurance policies and take steps to counter these uninsured gaps. To avoid exclusions, it is essential to discuss the terms of your insurance cover with a broker who is able to explain all the terms and conditions of a policy with you and advise you as to what additional cover is available to cover the instances when your policy will not pay out. Some events, like losses incurred as a result of riot or terrorism can be included in your policy as an extension of cover at minimal cost.

Non-disclosure is a policy clause that all insurers can use to decline a claim. Check with your broker before undertaking any risk that you may be unsure of. If it’s not covered, you may find that the insurer will accept the additional risk at a very small premium increase if at all. Your broker can also assess whether you may have too much insurance which can allow insurers to avoid payment under the “allocation” argument. Although full coverage is available under a single policy, the possibility that another insurance policy might apply provokes argument that the insurer is only responsible for its “allocated share” of the covered loss. Buyers who purchase extra insurance may, then, be subject to more rejected claims than those who purchase less. There may also be other policies which are more suited to your particular circumstances and which will not have the same exclusions. Your insurance broker is not just a commission earning paper pusher - they’re there to provide advice. And if they get it wrong, and a claim is declined, the insurance ombudsman can hold them accountable.

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

RISK

Travel Trade INSURANCE PART 6 The previous four parts of this series, extracted verbatim (with slight editing) from the SATSA Insurance Directive booklet, were published in the December 2012, January, February, March and April 2013 editions - Editor. TYPES OF INSURANCE Basically there are five kinds of insurance that really apply to the tourism industry: 1. Financial Guarantee (Insurance Bond) - Refer December 2012 2. Liability Insurance - Refer January 2013 edition • General Public Liability - Refer January edition • Passenger Liability - Refer January and February editions • Road Accident Fund Amendment Bill - Refer March edition • Personal Accident insurance - Refer April edition • Professional Indemnity insurance - Refer April edition 3. Vehicle - Refer April edition / Property Insurance 4. Travel Insurance / Medical Rescue 5. Other Business Insurance (Buy & Sell, Key Person, Provident Fund) PROPERTY INSURANCE This insurance covers basically two categories, that of the actual structure of the buildings and that of the actual contents. Structural This insurance will cover you in the event of your lodge or hotel being destroyed by fire, flood, wind, falling trees or any other such eventuality. In the tourism industry, the biggest risk is usually fire and here once again, one must make sure that you are sufficiently covered to survive the cost of restoring your establishment to new at the current building costs. Such insurance will exclude certain circumstances such as subsidence (the sinking down of land resulting from natural shifts or human activity) and will demand certain precautions in the event of lightning, etc. Make sure to check that your policy covers any unusual construction materials such as thatch or indigenous wood and take note of any special requirements such as maintained fire breaks. Two additional items that must be included in this cover are that of loss of income during the period of repair or rebuilding due to cancelled bookings and refunds and that of covering yourself against a claim from a neighbour in the event of a runaway fire, which could be proven to have originated on your farm or property. Contents This cover is for when you specifically wish to cover the contents of your hotel or lodge in the event of one of the above disasters happening. It is all very well rebuilding your establishment, but it is often more expensive to furnish it. Contents normally have to be itemised on a policy in order to justify replacement. The random theft of an item would also be covered under this insurance. 42

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MAY 2013

Extensions - The following is a list of some of the property insurance policy extensions, which can be included, either at an additional premium or included in the cover: • Money held on your premises or in transit • Computer equipment • All Risk items as specified • Fidelity: Loss of money or stock as a result of theft or fraud by your employees • Business Interruption: Loss of income as a result of one or more of the insured perils, including prevention of access and failure of public utilities • Machinery Breakdown: Cost of repairs or replacement of damaged machinery. Also extended to include any consequential loss of stock or income as a result of breakdown • Goods in transit • Contents cover: To cover all contents as per buildings, with optional theft cover • Accidental Damage: Accidental physical loss of or damage to your property at or about the premises not otherwise insured or for which insurance is available and described in terms of any other section (other than Business All Risks) listed in the index of the policy • Deterioration of Stock: normally for perishable goods as a result of an electrical fault or failure of supply • Glass: Loss of or damage to internal and external glass (including mirrors), signwriting and treatment thereon at your premises for which you are responsible • Office Contents: Loss of or damage to the contents (other than documents and electronic data processing equipment unless otherwise stated in the schedule) including landlord’s fixtures. D. TRAVEL INSURANCE / MEDICAL RESCUE This is insurance that only applies to the individual travelling. Such insurance is often compulsory in certain parts of the world, and as stated before, you should make this a compulsory condition for any clients using your facilities or travelling on any of your tours. This insurance is usually purchased by the client when choosing the tour or package and is sold by agents all over the world. It covers the client against the following eventualities. Cancellation Should a client, prior to travelling, have to cancel their holiday for any legitimate reason, they would normally be subject to a cancellation penalty, which could cost them dearly. However if they carry this insurance and this eventuality does arise, then the policy would cover the penalty payable. Curtailment Should a client, whilst already on holiday, have to cancel their holiday for any reason, they would normally forfeit any amounts paid and still be liable for the whole cost of their booking. This insurance would compensate for the unused portion of their stay. Obviously, the reasons for such curtailment must be genuine.

RISK

MEDICAL EVACUATION INSURANCE If your accommodation establishment is located in a very remote area and you are concerned that this fact may inhibit your potential to attract tourists, you may want to consider taking out your own medical evacuation insurance.

Lost baggage and theft This will cover the loss of baggage and other personal items while travelling, although they should be itemised beforehand. Should the client specifically wish to cover he loss of cash this can be covered but is very expensive. Obviously airlines cover baggage they have lost, and banks will cover lost travellers cheques, but this insurance is more far-reaching. Medical and rescue A huge fear for any traveller is that of falling ill whilst on holiday, or worse still, being involved in an accident in a foreign country. Fortunately for clients travelling within Southern Africa, medical expenses are relatively low, but the cost is still a concern. This cover is very important and will cover clients for any major medical expenses and specifically in the case of hospitalisation. What is also very important is that these policies will normally cover the medical rescue from the scene of the accident, and if necessary, the transfer of the client to any other hospital where better medical attention may be available. These policies will also cover the repatriation of an injured client to their country of origin, if necessary, and the repatriation of the mortal remains should the accident prove to be fatal. This insurance is not very expensive and yet many travellers will insist on travelling without it. TIP: Remember when compiling your rooming lists or your tour mandates to record the details of each client’s insurance cover, so that in the event of them being ill or injured, you can access this information in order to alert their insurance company.

These policies cover your guests the event of them sustaining a life threatening Medical Emergency following bodily injury or acute illness, where: • Local facilities are not suitable to treat the medical condition • You consider the local medical services available to be inadequate • The attending doctor, in agreement with your guest, recommends hospitalisation of a kind not available locally. You will contact one of the specified service providers who will arrange, monitor, supervise and pay for the following services, which will then be reimbursed by underwriters: • The evacuation of the guest to the nearest appropriate hospital • The relocation, with or without medical supervision, by means considered to be suitable by you or the attending doctor (including ambulance, chartered or commercial flight or road transport) to a hospital more appropriately equipped for the particular emergency • The repatriation, including road ambulance transfers, to and from the airports with necessary medical supervision to an appropriate hospital or other healthcare facility near the residence of your guest. Remember that quite often the individual involved in an accident on your property or in one of your vehicles could be a staff member. It is advisable to have a clear policy in this regard. Most medical aids are adequate but, specifically with guides, a personal accident policy is advisable in the event of a vehicle accident in a remote area. However such cover is taken out in the individual’s name and would depend on company policy, risk and demand. TIP: Part-time guides are not automatically covered for any medical emergency and should therefore carry their own private cover as they are in effect self-employed and therefore do not necessarily enjoy the benefits of a full time employee.

This article, to be continued in the June 2013 edition of the Tourism Tattler, will look at Other Business Insurance - Ed.

Get the Tourism Insurance Directive booklet DOWNLOAD (PDF)

www.tourismtattler.co.za/satsa-insurance-directive.pdf

PRINTED COPY

Collect at SATSA’s offices: 3rd Floor, Petrob House, 343 Surrey Avenue, Ferndale, Johannesburg or email communications@satsa.co.za (Note that a nominal fee will be charged for admin, postage or courier costs)

MAY 2013

Tourism Tattler Trade Journal