indaba 2012 - daily news - issue 2 - 12 may 2012

INDABA DAILY NEWS 2012 | 1

Co-opetition ... a new way for the future of tourism

“Co-opetition is the name of the new game.”

This is according to South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

Officially opening Indaba 2012 last night, Van Schalkwyk said by 2020 we want to see 15 million international arrivals, a much greater emphasis on travel within and from Africa and and an unprecedented travelling culture among South Africans as the mainstay of the industry’s sustainability.

While the industry had proved its resilience in tough global economic conditions, achieving the National Tourism Sector Strategy targets would require ‘co-opetition’ a phrase the minister coined at last night’s opening ceremony.

“There are some areas in which we need to work

with those international players with whom we also compete. Competition brings out the best in all of us, but cooperation is what is urgently needed, especially on the African continent, where we have to work together to remove barriers to international travel and tourism.

“We must harness technology to take the trouble out of travel. By 2020, I am convinced that we will have implemented a system of e-visas that will improve security while also facilitating hassle-free travel. We must work with likeminded partners in other long-haul destinations to fight the aggressive unilateralism with which new taxes on international tourism are imposed. We must unlock the benefits of aviation on our continent, create space for the new-model low-cost airlines and advance competition in the skies.”

“We want to see 15 million arrivals by 2020 and a much greater emphasis on travel within and from Africa” - South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

Tokozile Xasa, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Jabu Mabuza, outgoing Board Chairperson of South African Tourism and Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Tourism, meet Given Lubinda, Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.

There is a renewed vigour into growing domestic tourism. This is made feasible through the launch earlier this month of the Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy and South African Tourism’s new domestic tourism campaign.

South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer Thulani Nzima said more so than in most industries, we need each other to succeed, and to grow.

“All of us are equal partners in building, growing and sustaining South Africa’s tourism industry.

“Shaping the future of our industry together is the responsibility of all in the tourism value chain, the thousands who will be attending Indaba over the next three days and the hundreds of thousands more who directly and indirectly depend on this industry for their livelihood. I am confident the show will again be a wonderful showcase and tribute to South Africa’s world-class, professional, diverse and exciting tourism industry,” said Nzima.

Earlier yesterday, Minister Van Schalkwyk went on a walkabout of Indaba, visiting the exhibition stands of the Southern Africa Development Community and other continental destinations, the national carrier South African Airways, Fair Trade in Tourism and exhibition host, South African Tourism. He was accompanied by the South African Deputy Tourism Minister, Tokozile Xasa, outgoing South African Tourism Board Chairperson, Jabu Mabuza and incoming Board Chairperson, Frank Kilbourne.

“Indaba is not only the highlight of our destination marketing year, it is a personal highlight for me, too,” said Van Schalkwyk.

“Every year Indaba is a reminder to me that the nicest people in the world work in tourism. The warm smiles and friendly welcomes one receives here are a reflection of a wider culture of hospitality pervasive all over South Africa. It’s what makes our destinations unique... and it’s one of the most important drivers of sector success.”

2 | INDABA DAILY NEWS 2012

The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency is highlighting the province’s green tourism initiatives at this year’s Tourism Indaba.

Growing concerns about climate change, a loss of biodiversity, and the poor management of natural resources have prompted the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency to go green.

Some of the green initiatives on display include the “green” stand design as some parts are constructed using recycled material and, as well as ECPTA’s own programmes, a number of its private product owners will be showing their efforts in contributing to a greener environment.

One of the ECPTA’s green strategies to look out for this year is its use of QR codes (or 2-D bar codes) which will be used to disseminate marketing information. QR codes are similar to bar codes used on supermarket products, but can store a lot more information.

The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency will also use this year’s Indaba to launch a new Coastal Route.

This route covers nearly 900km of pristine coastline spanning the length of the Eastern Cape. Contrasting landscapes, coastal forests, the most scenic hiking and horse trails in the world, clean sandy beaches, rugged

coastlines, and many other geophysical features offer the intrepid explorer an adventure of a lifetime. The new Coastal Route aims to appeal to both self-drive and group tourists looking for an authentic, memorable travel experience. Ultimately visitors to our province will be able to access the new Coastal Route area via a number of ports dotted along the coast, a well-maintained road network, or through airports at Port Elizabeth and East London.

TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT:www.openafrica.org/route/Coastal-Route

Come and visit ECPTAand see what our wonderful Adventure Province has to offer ECPTA MAIN STAND: DEC1G02 ECPTA SMME STAND: DEC1F08

goes greenEastern CapeParks & Tourism Agency

www.ecptaonthego.co.zaScan QR code or visit

Status Hotels has identified Nkonyeni Lodge & Golf Estate in Manzini, Swaziland, as a prime golfing destination that can help attract the global golf tourism market, worth about R60 billion per year, to southern Africa.

“Golf tourism is recovering from the economic downturn and many golf tour operators booked an increased number of golf breaks last year,” says Reg Ferreira, marketing director of Status Hotels. “While the quality of the golf course remains the most important factor for the golf tourism market when choosing a destination, the package price is equally important.”

He says Nkonyeni offers an attractive combination of a top-class course and well-priced packages. “For this reason, and because of its range of exceptional facilities and luxury accommodation, the destination is highly appealing to golfers, as well as other leisure and business guests.”

The premier 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Phil Jacobs, is set against a breathtaking backdrop of the Lebombo Mountains and the Great Usutu River. Both professionals and amateurs find the course an exciting and pleasurable challenge, with the final hole requiring a shot onto an island in the river.

According to Nkonyeni’s owner, Johan Rudolph, “the course blends perfectly into the natural environment and features some unique elements.” Golfers also have access to a driving range, Golf Pro and well-stocked Pro Shop.

Nkonyeni, which recently appointed Status Hotels to manage their marketing, is also set on a 400-hectare game reserve. Guests have ample opportunity to view the rich animal and birdlife in their natural surrounds.

Other activities include quad biking in the game reserve, clay pigeon shooting, tubing, tennis, horse riding, mountain biking and walking. The Club House restaurant serves a full buffet breakfast and à la carte meals for dinner, while the spa is a blissful retreat for guests who enjoy being pampered.

“Status Hotels will be showcasing Nkonyeni, our second Swazi property, to both inbound and golf tour operators,” says Ferreira. “We’re also proud to be representing Nkonyeni at upcoming international golf tourism expos.”

For more information visit stand ICCU018.

Today’s programme – Sunday 13 May 2012

Exhibition times: 09:00 – 18:00

08:30 – 15:00 Cities at Indaba Seminar 2012 Olwandle Suite Hotel & Conference Centre

The seminar serves as a platform where tourism officials, stakeholders and practitioners meet to discuss issues pertaining to tourism development. The aim is to improve tourism development at local authorities and thereby impact tourism growth at national level.

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Nkonyeni helps attract golf tourism


Enchanting Limpopo -Home to lush putting greens and spellbinding safaris

After spending the day enjoying the gentleman’s game in the sunny and delightful warm weather of Limpopo, wile away your evening enjoying dinner around the boma fire and under great Africa starry skies. Take part in the traditional dance and find yourself encircled by ululating maidens as they display their dancing prowess. Experience the region’s wildlife on a guided game drive and witness the thrill of close encounters with nocturnal prey and predators.

T: 015 293 3600, F: 086 525 1804

Go to www.golimpopo.com

Shaheed Ebrahim of the Western Capes is the 2012 ETEYA winner.

Ebrahim, founder of Cape Town-based tour operating company, Escape to the Cape, received the 2012 Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award (ETEYA) at the Indaba 2012 opening ceremony last night.

Escape to the Cape offers a variety of tours around Cape Town and the Western Cape, and has made a name for itself by paying attention to the needs of today’s discerning and technologically savvy travellers.

“I believe that I won the award because of the technological innovation I have brought to the tour- operating industry in South Africa. What I do is not a secret, I would like to see all operators offering on- board Wi-Fi to customers, it can only help grow the industry and benefit all role players as a result. I also offer comprehensive tours at affordable rates – it’s this value for money that tourists are looking for,” says Ebrahim.

Ebrahim is passionate about Cape Town and even when he was working as a private banker he would take time off to take friends and relatives on a tour of the city. When he completed a tour-guiding course, more as a hobby than a career move, he quickly identified a gap in the market for a tour company that was in touch with what today’s traveller is looking for.

What has really got people talking is the technology services Escape to the Cape offers its clients. There is free Wi-Fi on board the tour bus as well as a roving iPad, enabling international customers to access the

internet with ease in between tour stops. He also offers free phone calls to his US clients, who make up a large percentage of his clientele.

Ebrahim’s tour bus also comes equipped with a fully- stocked fridge and there is no shortage of snacks or toys for his younger guests. He provides all the other paraphernalia required for young children, as well as flexible itineraries that take into account the needs of young families.

One of the reasons for his success, says Ebrahim, is the fact that his tours are all inclusive, unlike many tours which are filled with hidden costs. His photography skills also come in handy, with clients often surprised to receive a CD of quality images after the tour.

Ebrahim’s prize includes a R100 000 cash injection into his business and a 12-month mentorship programme facilitated by the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP).

There are three runners-up.

The first runner-up is Dees Govender of Sanchia Guesthouse.

The second runner-up is Salome Tshungu of Orchards Executive Accommodation. The third runner-up is Nkele Motsoaledi of SA Reatswelela Travel Centre.

They receive R75 000, R50 000 and R25 000 respectively and access to the TEP mentorship programme.

Entry to ETEYA is open to black entrepreneurs who have operated a small, medium or micro-level tourism or hospitality-related businesses for less than five years, employ less than 50 people and have an annual turnover not exceeding R5 million.

And the ETEYA winner is…

The smile of a winner - Deputy Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa shares Shaheed Ebrahim’s triumph

From left SA Tourism CEO Thulani Nzima, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, ETEYA winner Shaheed Ebrahim, Deputy Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa and Chief Executive of TEP Salifou Siddo.


Milestones along Avis’ green route

Visit www.avis.co.za, call 0861 021 111 or contact your nearest travel specialist.

When Avis embarked on its “green journey” it was with a “no-holds-barred” approach. There were to be no cosmetic dabs at a few limited environmental initiatives that would be blown up artificially through marketing propaganda.

“This was the philosophy behind our drive to become carbon neutral,” explains chief executive, Wayne Duvenage. “To date, we are still the only CarbonNeutral® accredited car rental company in South Africa, and we have taken this policy through to almost every dimension of our operations, including power and water conservation, water and waste recycling and the introduction of hybrid vehicles.”

The green mindset has been inculcated in all staff throughout the country and countless initiatives proposed by Brand Ambassadors keep the green

ball rolling. These range from innovative water coolers that condense water from the air to recycling Avis uniforms and producing mattress covers and other useful items for various community projects.

CSI goes green

“When we had to choose new projects for our current carbon offset portfolio, we insisted that The CarbonNeutral Company find a South African based project. Basa Magogo is an environmental project that combines not only our green philosophy but our drive to uplift the standards of living of those less privileged,” continues Duvenage.

“Basa Magogo” means “Light it up! Grandmother!” in Zulu and refers to an improved cooking technique. The project and its methodology have been

developed by the Nova Institute, a not-for-profit organisation which provides practical solutions to poor communities and is recognised by the Gold Standard, the world’s only independent standard for creating high-quality emission reduction projects that has measurable contributions to sustainable development.

The project teaches residents who use anthracite or coal for cooking, heating and ironing to reverse the order of ignition material in their stove or brazier, putting the coal at the bottom. The fire burns from the top down, burning off noxious particle and volatiles instead of emitting them into the atmosphere. This reduces cooking time from an hour to ten minutes. It also decreases coal consumption and saves hundreds of rands annually.

SA’s carbon neutral car rental company*

*Company emissions offset by The CarbonNeutral Company

B-BBEE Level 2 Contributor

“What are they doing, dancing, let me see!” This was the overwhelming reaction to people seemingly spontaneously breaking into dance to the infectious song Absolutely Everybody. Random people joined in and started dancing in unison to the music and the crowd went wild. This flash, of dancing, was the brain child of the Three Cities Exceptional Hotel Group

together with The International Hotel School to attract attention to their stand Indaba yesterday.

Every year, exhibitors spend a lot of time and energy attempting to create a unique attraction to their stand in one form or another because of fierce competition. This ‘flash’ of brilliance worked like a charm.

The 2011/12 summer season proved to be a successful period for Cape Town-based hotels, recording a noticeable year-on-year increase in occupancy figures during December, as well as the first quarter of 2012.

This is according to Bruce Deneys, Director of Sales and Marketing at Pepperclub Hotel & Spa, who says the hotel recorded year-on-year occupancy increases of 12,4 percent and 23,1 percent for December 2011 and January 2012 respectively. The first quarter of 2012 also showed positive occupancy growth, with a year-on-year increase of 12,47 percent.

Deneys says they have also noticed a shift in markets visiting the hotel over this period, which has contributed to the positive occupancy figures. “In the past we relied on traditional markets such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany, and while we still receive business from these regions, we are now noticing growth in emerging market visitors, from countries such as Brazil, Columbia, Chile and India. We have also seen a significant increase in

visitors from China due to the South African Airways’ newly introduced direct flight from Beijing to Cape Town.”

He adds that the quality of business generated over the summer months has also improved. “While lead times for bookings continue to be very short, we have experienced a 20 percent increase in the average daily rate this season, as well as length of stay, which averaged at 4,5 days, up from last year’s three days.

“We have had a positive start to 2012 and the increase of visitors from emerging markets is a good sign for Cape Town and South Africa as a whole. Visitor numbers are also expected to grow as these economies expand,” says Deneys.

For more information visit stand ICCT009.

Granny Mouse Country House & Spa is no stranger to the digital realm, having already explored a number of online marketing channels. With an enthusiastic and positive response from guests and customers, the hotel is now expanding its online presence.

One of the very first online initiatives was the publication of i-brochures. With guests enthusiastically embracing this easy to access source of information, the distribution of electronic newsletters has become another convenient communication channel, while a blog and website have been established to ensure fans are kept up to date with developments at the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands establishment.

At the same time, Granny Mouse has created a Facebook page which, together with its profiles on LinkedIn and Trip Advisor, is a great tool for maintaining dialogue with guests eager to learn more about the property. Those who wish to experience a virtual tour can see first-hand what the hotel has to offer by visiting YouTube.

But the establishment’s digital forays don’t end there as next in the offing is the development of a calendar widget.

While Granny Mouse may be ahead of many industry peers in taking advantage of the myriad benefits offered by a digital presence, the move to online

marketing is in line with its ‘green’ ethos. By reaching out online, the hotel has avoided printing thousands of brochures and, simultaneously, ensured that guests and fans are informed of any changes that may take place at the destination as soon as they occur.

Moreover, as a channel that provides a platform for dialogue, the online environment is priceless. After all, the hospitality industry is all about relationships – which is why Granny Mouse Country House & Spa is proud to be making use of a medium which enables it to remain in touch at all times.

For more information visit ICCQ004.

Taking the lead New markets crucial – Pepperclub

Granny Mouse goes online


Lonrho Hotels, a wholly owned division of Lonrho Plc, has announced the launch of the group’s five-star premium hotel brand – Lansmore – with Lansmore Libreville opening in Gabon in the coming quarter.

The brand will complement Lonrho’s existing hotel properties in the DRC, the Grand Hotel Kinshasa and Grand Karavia, the Hotel Caroso in Mozambique and the Leopard Rock in Zimbabwe, all playing a role in assisting the business traveller to traverse the continent’s high growth destinations.

Lonrho Hotels commenced 2012 successfully, securing the 10-year management agreement for the 450-room Grand Hotel Kinshasa, formerly the InterContinental Kinshasa. Following on from that in April, the group announced that easyHotel Rissik Street, Johannesburg should open near the new Gautrain station in the heart of Johannesburg’s central business district at the

end of the year.

Guests can look forward to enjoying a number of outstanding features when staying with Lansmore – an arrival concierge, the pressing of the next day’s shirt upon arrival, high-speed Wi-Fi powered by a designated satellite connection, connection lounges, an ‘African’ tray of teas, coffees and local fruit, and guest service one button away.

“Lansmore is a true international hotel brand focused on the needs of business travellers in Africa,” says Chief Executive Officer Ewan Cameron. “As a team we aspire to build strong trust with travellers. We see our role as more than just providing a great night’s sleep and a fantastic breakfast. We are committed to being the traveller’s friend in Africa.”

For more information visit ICCP008.

Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) is about to activate a new programme of work to scale up its current certification programme and, in collaboration with regional stakeholders, expand into the southern Africa region. This will see South Africa and its neighbouring countries taking a firm lead in responsible tourism development on the global stage.

A new programme of work for 2012 to 2016 will be implemented with the support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, other local and international donors and in partnership with tourism industry partners including government, business associations and the tourism private sector.

FTTSA will transform itself from a hybrid certification-cum-development organisation into a professional

market development organisation with one or more outsourced certification service providers.

It will work with regional stakeholders to scale up the supply of fair trade tourism products in eight Destinations – Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania.

In parallel, demand will be stimulated in at least 10 source markets – Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, the UK, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA – in collaboration with South African Tourism and other tourist boards.

For more information visit stand ICCL022.

A sparkling wine trip on a ‘bakkie’, crayfish and mussel soup - all lead to a life-long commitment to Paternoster.

In the traditional fishing town of Paternoster on the West Coast – one of the last of its kind – the local community, mostly fishermen, is very much part of the tourism fraternity that serves tourists who visit the town from all over the world.

The fishermen still use traditional small fishing vessels called ‘bakkies’ to catch snoek, crayfish and other fish – all of this a big tourist attraction. Visitors walk to the bakkies on the beach to buy fresh fish, while most of the women of the community work in the hospitality industry.

The fishermen operate according to a fishing permit system which does not allow fishing all-year round. The fishing industry is also weather dependent and during bad weather spells they can’t go out to sea to fish and do not earn any income.

To provide more job opportunities, Paternoster-Accommodation started a tourism partnership with

the local community and the fishermen.

Paternoster-Accommodation’s Naomi le Roux says it is facilitating packages for self- drive and small groups of up to 16 people to Paternoster.

“Accommodation on the beach front or with sea views will be on offer. Meals will be arranged at different venues in the fishermen’s village, with the local women preparing famous traditional meals like crayfish, snoek and mussel soup. Local people will also be trained as tour guides for the cultural tours that will form part of the programme.

“As Paternoster is famous for honeymoons, anniversaries, proposals and special occasions, couples are offered a sparkling wine trip with the fishermen in their famous bakkies.

“We are delighted with the local community’s enthusiasm for the project and are looking forward to sustained future cooperation,” says Le Roux.

For more information contact [email protected] and visit stand DEC1H23.

Lonrho launches premium hotel brand

Fair trade tourism system expands

Paternoster-Accommodation strikes deal with local fishermen

Travellers trust portfoliocollection.com


Maybe you’ve only recently heard about Responsible Tourism - it’s a concept that’s caught on especially quickly since the Responsible Tourism in Cities conference at last year’s Indaba - but Face Adrenalin, which was established in 1990 (and has been offering bungy jumping at the Bloukrans Bridge since 1997), was founded on the principles of Responsible Tourism.

“Bloukrans is situated in the Tsitsikamma area, on the border between the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces and about 150 kilometres from the nearest economic centre,” said Face Adrenalin’s Devan Tuohey.

“It’s a neglected area which doesn’t have much of an economy, and we realised from the start that the only way we’d be able to develop a sustainable business there was by building relationships with members of the local community - and so, as part of our agreement with our landlords, SANRAL, we decided to pay a significant percentage of our turnover to the local community trust.

“But we also knew that our greatest security would come from providing as many secure jobs as possible - and we’ve grown to the point where 60 people from neighbouring communities - Coldstream, Thornham, Storms River, Covie, and The Crags - now work in the young, fun and exciting environment at the Bridge.”

Mr. Tuohey said that Face Adrenalin has paid more than fourteen million rand to the Trust since 1998, “and our contribution’s on a sliding scale, so it grows every year.”

The Bloukrans operation is unique, he said, because it’s the only bungy in world that uses a national road bridge as its base. “So a national asset becomes an important source of upliftment for its local communities.”

He said, too, that Face Adrenalin is working with the authorities to develop standards for safe bungy jumping in South Africa.

“We do all our batch destruct testing at Mvelaphanda Resources’ equipment testing facility in Mossel Bay - which certifies our equipment. But we’ve also developed our code of operating

procedures based on the Australia and New Zealand Code of Practice For Bungy Jumping, and we’re currently talking to the SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) about adopting this protocol for bungy jumping in South Africa as a whole,” he said.

Since Responsible Tourism is defined as ‘developing better places to live in, and better places to visit,’ Face Adrenalin is clearly leading the way in Adventure Tourism in South Africa.

www.faceadrenalin.com

Bloukrans bungy: lifeblood of a community

Newmark Hotels is proud to announce their representation of the Strandloper Ocean Lodge, the perfect complement to its prestigious portfolio of elegant and chic hotels in the Western Cape. This exclusive new property on the Cape West Coast, only 90 minutes from Cape Town, offers an unspoiled ocean getaway on the shores of the quaint fishing village of Paternoster – a coastal destination with great charm.

The exquisite rooms and suites boast a contemporary fusion of beach-style comfort and luxury, with organic lines, hues and textures that match the overall feeling of simplicity. Each room has its own terrace, with small splash pools, and wide doors that open out onto breathtaking views of sky, sand, sea and seemingly infinite space.

The historical town of Paternoster is an all-year destination famed for being a seafood and lobster Mecca. Inspired cuisine with a local and organic slant is created daily at the onsite Ocean Lounge.

Depending on your desired level of activity, you can

take a leisurely stroll along the beach, hop onto a mountain bike or brave the waves in a kayak. Nature lovers can explore the untainted coastline with delightful whale, dolphin and bird watching with over 250 species of seabirds taking the coast on as their own scenic breeding ground. Whether on a romantic breakaway or just looking for some me-time, the Strandloper Ocean Lodge offers the best in West Coast hospitality and fuss-free luxury.

Looking for something out of the ordinary for a wedding, executive conference or team-building getaway, sister venue, La Baleine set in an exquisite part of Paternoster, is ideal for intimate meetings and inspired gatherings.

Driven by the teams’ passion and focus, Newmark Hotels calls on 30 years of hospitality and management expertise to ensure the Strandloper Ocean Lodge experience is as gratifying and graceful as the destination itself.

For further information visit stand ICCS010.

Strandloper Ocean Lodge joins Newmark stable

“Africa is open for business and sub-Saharan Africa is ready to play its part,” said Tourism Business Council Chief Executive Officer Mmatšatši Marobe at the closing of the sixth annual Hotel Investment Conference Africa (HICA) in Durban last week.

“The overwhelming sentiments emanating from speakers and delegates alike were of hope, confidence and positivity about the future of the region,” says Marobe.

The conference programme covered almost every aspect of the business of hospitality, hotels and tourism. In all, over 200 delegates attended the conference. Topics discussed ranged from the state of the hotel industry, to dealing with distressed hotels and what can be done to fix them, the building and operation of ‘green hotels’ and the role of architecture

in the development, building and operation of hotels.

The recurring themes of the day included the need for investment in infrastructure on the continent and the urgent imperative to bring down the costs of doing business in sub-Saharan Africa.

MEC Michael Mabuyakhulu of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism KZN emphasised that development taking place in any part of Africa, be it in the SADC region, east or west Africa, was good for the continent as a whole.

The variety of options and choices now available to potential tourists at the click of a mouse, has forced players in the hotel, airline and tourism services to find ways of doing business differently or suffer the consequences. This reality formed the basis of a discussion on ways to improve hotel operations in order to increase efficiency and profitability.

Almost to a person, the panel of industry role-players highlighted two aspects: the importance of hotels being customer driven in order to foster customer loyalty and the need to take care of human capital to secure staff loyalty.

In their efforts to cut and reduce costs, many operators had stopped asking customers what they wanted and were incurring costs on items that were not essential or necessarily complementary to the business of generating revenue.

It was also emphasised that the consistent training, development and up-skilling of staff, made for happier, more enthusiastic and confident people, happy in their work and completely focused on doing their best for their customers.

Stuart Pennington, Chief Executive Officer of SA The Good News, brought the conference to a close with an enlightening insight into what makes the countries of sub-Saharan Africa so competitive a force for the future.

For more information visit stand ICCF019.

HICA 2012 ends on a high note

“Africa is open for business” - Tourism Business Council Chief Executive Officer Mmatšatši Marobe


Visitors to Gauteng can now see South Africa’s big five – buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino – at the Dinokeng Game Reserve.

Speaking at the trade launch at Indaba yesterday, Gauteng Tourism Chief Executive Officer Dawn Robertson said the reserve offers tourists a game reserve experience on par with – or beyond – that offered in traditionally popular reserves in other parts of South Africa.

“In the past year both lions and elephants have been introduced into the reserve. With the addition of buffalo before the end of the year, the Dinokeng Game Reserve will be home to South Africa’s iconic big five animals.

“In Gauteng we like to say ‘it all starts here!’ and we have extensive evidence of that fact. The reserve is both a visionary geo-spatial project and one of the pioneering public-private partnerships in the country.

“The Dinokeng Project is also about ensuring that local people are empowered to be in a strong position to gain employment from the thriving local economy. Local people throughout the country remain economically marginalised because tourism developments take place around them, yet they do not have the experience or qualifications to benefit from these developments. For this reason, the Dinokeng Project has extensive plans to empower local communities with skills that have a value related to these tourism developments,” she said.

“The tourism sector is a vital and growing sector of the national economy. A significant proportion of this sector entails of eco-tourism and nature tourism which are worth hundreds of millions of Rands annually. Gauteng already hosts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, but many of these are just passing through on their way to game reserves in other provinces.

“Now that the Dinokeng Game Reserve is open they can have these wild experiences without leaving Gauteng.”

The Dinokeng Game Reserve is conveniently located in the north-east of Gauteng, just 90 kilometres from Johannesburg and 40 kilometres from Pretoria. The 18 500-hectare reserve offers local and international visitors the opportunity to experience the magic unique to the African bush, all just a short drive from the country’s biggest metropolis.

In addition to the wealth of wildlife and birdlife, the reserve offers visitors a wide variety of leisure activities from which to choose, including game drives, boat cruises and guided bush walks. Guests can also take advantage of an exciting range of adventure sports, world-class spas and fine dining options in the reserve, not to mention an impressive array of quality accommodation to suit any budget.

All this combined with a large number of conferencing venues and teambuilding options makes Dinokeng an ideal location for a conference or corporate getaway.

The Dinokeng Project is an initiative of the

Department of Economic Development, the Dinokeng Game Reserve Management Association and private landowners. The dream that was a long time in the making was to establish a world-class game reserve in one of Gauteng’s most poverty-stricken regions, providing job opportunities for the surrounding communities and developing the local economy by investing in tourism infrastructure.

The area offers various other experiences. Cullinan is a turn-of-the-century mining town that gives visitors insight into the diamond mining way of life. The Cullinan diamond mine is world famous for producing the Cullinan diamond, the largest uncut diamond ever found. The diamond weighed 3 106 carats and was cut into several stones. Two of the largest stones were given to the British royal family and incorporated into the crown jewels. Visitors can tour the mine or even buy a diamond of their own.

Adrenalin pumping is the order of the day with quad-biking, cycling safaris, hot-air balloon rides, scuba diving lessons or horseback riding.

If one is looking for an authentic South African cultural experience, Dinokeng is the place to be. Visit a local township, sip on a draught at the local shebeen or visit a local brewery and try one of the flavoured beers and soak up South African culture. A spa experience at one of the many spa and wellness centres in Dinokeng relaxes and unwinds visitors to the soothing sounds of the African bush.

There are over 5 000 beds in Dinokeng so finding a place to stay is no problem. From small and intimate guest houses, self-catering chalets to luxurious five- star lodges and boutique hotels, Dinokeng has plenty of accommodation. Whatever one’s budget or preference one will find something suitable in Dinokeng.

There is a wide variety of places to eat out in Dinokeng. At relaxed street-side cafes or elegant and sophisticated fine dining establishments, hearty and traditional South African meals can be found to satisfy any appetite.

Dinokeng Game Reserve Management Authority Chief Executive Officer Etienne Torien says “We have worked tirelessly with the Dinokeng Project to see the reserve come to fruition. We believe that soon this malaria-free game reserve will be the first choice for visitors looking for an authentic bush experience close to the city.”

Robertson said she was confident about of the success of the game reserve and its value to Gauteng.

“This project deserves the support of tour operators, tour guides and other participants in the tourism sector. This vibrant, exciting new destination shows that the wildest dreams can survive, close to the golden heart of the country.”

For more information phone the Dinokeng Information Office on 0861 346 653, e-mail [email protected] and visit stand DEC1C11.

See the big five –in Gauteng

Experience South Africa’s iconic Big Five - only 90km from Africa’s buzzling metropolis Johannesburg and 40 kilometres from South Africa’s capital city Pretoria.

Chairman of the GTA board, Khehla Mthemba, CEO of Tourism Authority, Dawn Robertson and CEO of SATSA, Michael Tatalias, celebrate the trade launch the Dinokeng Game Reserve.


The Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) has announced an injection of R2,5 million for learnerships that will benefit learners from South Africa’s most disadvantaged areas.

In all, 29 learners from KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo have been selected for a one-year learnership programme in the tourism and hospitality sector. This initiative is the result of a partnership that the training authority has established with Tourvest Destination Management, Tourvest Travel Services, Thompsons Tours, BCD travel and Rennies Travel.

The companies involved have committed to absorb these learners at the end of the learnership programme in 2013, especially those who have potential to work in the industry.

Of the 29 learners, 10 are from the rural areas of Manyiseni and Dambuza in KwaZulu-Natal, 9 are from Lusikisiski in the Eastern Cape and 10 are from Vhembe in Limpopo.

CATHSSETA Chief Executive Officer Mike Tsotetsi says volunteers and or recruitment agents residing in those areas were used to facilitate the distribution of adverts and find potential candidates. “These would be learners who were studying towards a tourism qualification at their local FET colleges. The potential employers later went to interview all candidates and suitable learners were selected.”

Nompumelelo Majiya from Dambuza, who is disabled, had given up hope of finding any employment. The learnership has given her a new lease on life. “I am determined to succeed through this opportunity so that I can assist myself and my family in future,” she says.

For more information visit stand ICCN001A.

R2,5 million injection for learnerships

THE Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World has surpassed the halfway mark in its massive R1-billion construction upgrade which will add a conference centre, hotel and spa to Nelson Mandela Bay’s Port Elizabeth beachfront esplanade. Completion of the upgrade is expected in December 2012. The conversion of the old conference area into a brand-new smoking casino has already been completed and doors were opened in early December 2011.

The new-look Boardwalk will include a 140-key five-star hotel with its own health spa, fitness centre and heated pool, an international-standard, multi-purpose convention centre, a new smoking casino, the latest gaming machines, more retail shops, an 874-bay parkade under the new convention centre and hotel, and the Boardwalk Multimedia Lake Spectacular – the largest musical water extravaganza in South Africa.

“The completed development will put Nelson Mandela Bay in a new league in the meetings, conferences and the business tourism industry,” said Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism Marketing Manager Titus Chuene. “The Boardwalk’s upgrade epitomises the integration of business and leisure tourism and acknowledges the growing need for such services.”

Developers of the complex followed environmentally friendly practices during their construction and when the team arrived in 2011 they were immediately faced with two unique challenges before earth-moving equipment could be brought in. One involved the creation of a temporary arboretum for about 70 trees and several small plants that needed to be preserved. The other entailed relocating the Koi fish from the lake at the Oriental Village, which had to be demolished to make way for the new hotel.

“Things are looking good for the development to finish this year December as scheduled and our main focus is to have the grand opening early December,” says events co-ordinator, Rachel Greensmith. She says the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World and all its facilities will create the biggest entertainment complex in the Eastern Cape.

The Boardwalk has already become synonymous with key events on the Nelson Mandela Bay calendar and has played host to and sponsored various major events. These include the increasingly popular Boardwalk Birthday Festival in October, the Metro’s Summer Season over Christmas and the annual Splash Festival in Easter.

For more information visit stand DEC1G06.

Massive building upgrade well underway in the Bay

Construction and upgrading of the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World on Nelson Mandela Bay’s Port Elizabeth beachfront is nearing completion.


Another exceptional day in KwaZulu-Natal,

WARMTH

ZULUZULU

HERITAGEHERITAGE

FUNFUN FAMILY-ORIENTATEDFAMILY-ORIENTATED BEACHESBEACHES

ADVENTUREADVENTURE TRADE GATEWAYTRADE GATEWAY

another experience to savour. Zulu Kingdom. Exceptional.If it’s fun in the sun you want, then our Zulu Kingdom is the exceptional choice. Anything but conventional, feel the warm embrace of a province where warmth is more than just the all-year-round warm weather; it’s a climate of sunny smiles, people singing warm welcomes to exceptional times. A province that’s blessed with two beautifully diverse World Heritage Sites of such magnitude; the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg and the iSimangaliso Wetland Parks, inspiring a call for the feeling of adventure in any direction you choose, with family-orientated sea-side getaways or party weekends on our 600km coastal stretch of sun-kissed beaches. A land with a legacy of Zulu royalty unravelling back to the time of the great King Shaka and beyond, with a history of trade going back even further. The gateway to Africa, KwaZulu-Natal is home to two of Africa’s largest

seaports and the continent’s � rst aerotropolis, the Dube TradePort. Map out your experience in our Zulu Kingdom. Exceptional.

Visit us at stand DEC1B29 and let us share with you more about this exceptional destination.

Come and experience the “Senses of KZN” at Mystrals, daily at Indaba between 10h00 and 16h00.

www.zulu.org.za

South Africa will cooperate with neighbours Lesotho and Zimbabwe to grow tourism.

With Lesotho the cooperation will focus on the exchange of information with both countries sharing information, best practices and marketing and promoting investment opportunities in the two destinations. The countries will also facilitate study tours to their respective tourism institutions, work closely together to enhance tourist movement between the countries and collaborate and share information related to their achievements at multi-lateral forums.

With Zimbabwe South Africa has signed a memorandum of understanding to promote and increase tourism between the two countries.

The cooperation will focus on sharing best practices on integrating culture and heritage into tourism, identifying tourism investment opportunities that will create employment opportunities for their nationals and implementing joint capital investment and entrepreneurship in the field of tourism.

Furthermore, it will focus on collaborating and sharing expertise in the area of research, policy planning and monitoring and in marketing and promoting tourism offerings in both countries. Both countries will develop common standards for tourism products, facilities and services and will harmonise the grading and classification procedures. Facilitating the exchange of professionals in tourism and sharing expertise in the promotion of human resource development in the tourism sector are also part of the deal. Promotion and strengthening of public and private sector collaboration are among the areas of cooperation.

Both countries will also promote and practise sustainable and responsible tourism in accordance with regional and international standards, sharing expertise on how best to position each country as a

sustainable tourism destination.

The agreements between South Africa and its neighbours will contribute to the regional integration agenda of the Southern African Development Community and the African Union. According to South African Tourism there was a growth of 6,9 percent or 395 466 tourist arrival figures from Africa mainland markets, with tourist arrivals from Lesotho growing by 19,7 percent or 250 759 tourists between 2010 and 2011. Tourist arrivals from Zimbabwe increased by 2,6 percent or 39 294 during the same period.

Tourism expenditure from Africa land market was about R12,5 billion in the third quarter of 2011, an increase of 9,8 percent – from R11,4 billion in the same period in 2010. The growth in tourism expenditure increased by 23, 1 percent or R0,9 billion from this region.

In April 2001, South Africa and Lesotho signed the Joint Bilateral Commission for Cooperation agreement with significant cooperation between most government departments of the two counties. In 2008 a Bilateral Coordinating Committee was established for the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area. Since then various projects being implemented through this agreement.

A joint technical committee will now be established to monitor the implementation of the agreement and will be working closely with the existing structures.

South Africa and Zimbabwe cooperate under the umbrella of the Joint Cooperation Commission, signed in 1995. Following the formation of a unity government to support the reconstruction of Zimbabwe, South Africa undertook a high-level bilateral political and economic engagement with Zimbabwe. The Department of Tourism started negotiations with the Ministry of Tourism of Zimbabwe to conclude the memorandum of understanding.

Thumbs up for South African cooperation with Lesotho and Zimbabwe

The new Cape West Coast Biosphere portfolio of trails – three hiking, one canoe and one cycle trail – have been launched.

The trails are an exciting way to grow the local economy by supporting existing and emerging tourism and hospitality services in the region and sustaining the livelihoods of the guides, caterers and drivers. The economic impact is estimated to be R21 million over five years.

The trails are guided and catered, making them comfortable and safe. They are for everyone, from hard-core mountain lovers, birders and botanists, to family groups and modern-day strandlopers. Hikers only carry a small daypack. Lifts and luggage are cared for, whilst local folk and restaurants prepare meals in traditional West Coast style.

Places of interest en route could include wine and olive tasting, a visit to the !Khwa ttu San centre, a visit to the West Coast National Park and the West Coast Fossil Park, depending on your choice. Eve’s Trail, a hiking trail from Yzerfontein along the 16 mile beach, veering into the West Coast National Park and along the Langebaan Lagoon, is already an accredited Green Flag trail. The other trails are in the process of being certified.

These five new responsible tourism products are operated by Cape West Coast Biosphere, a non-profit organisation, which has appointed and is training a team of people from local communities to manage and run the trails.

For more information visit their stand DEC1 H23.

New West Coast trails boost economy


NEW WAYS TO UNWIND AT SPIER

We have so much to show you, from wholesome dining at our farm-to-table Eight restaurant and new picnics at Eight to Go, to our stylish new wine tasting venue, where we celebrate over 300 years of wine-making history.

As always, our spacious 4-star Spier Hotel offers a relaxing stay in the heart of the Stellenbosch winelands, with a range of conferencing venues to suit intimate or large gatherings.

Stand number ICCL002

Enjoy a new food and wine experience during your stay

COME AND VISIT US ON • STAND DEC1B05 • INDABA 2012GOODERSON LEISURE PROPERTIES

Bushlands Game Lodge, Hluhluwe • Drakensberg Gardens Golf & Spa Resort, Southern Drakensberg• DumaZulu Lodge & Traditional Village • Fabz Estate Hotel, Lonehill • Kloppenheim Country Estate Hotel, Machadodorp

• Natal Spa Hot Springs & Leisure Resort • Sanrock Resort & Conference Centre, Modimolle • Tropicana Hotel, Durban

There are many tourism products and operators challenging their ethics and general approach to voluntourism in the current environment where operating responsibly has to become the norm.

Examples of a tourism product operating responsibly range from conservation and awareness programmes (this includes environmentally friendly systems), social upliftment projects and sustainable projects where the local economy is stimulated at no cost to the environment or social system from within which that product operates.

How does voluntourism fit into this’ responsible’ realm of tourism in a way that the said volunteer works within a system that is operating with integrity to both the volunteer and that broader system – socially, environmentally and economically?

The acid test is currently being designed by volunteer associations who deploy volunteers internationally and who need to know that their clients are being deployed responsibly and their clients’ contribution will result in the net gain to that area, whether this be socially or ecologically. Key to this acid test is

the question of how measurable the volunteers’ contribution is to that ‘system’.

Responsible operators offering volunteer experiences should be able to highlight their philosophy and value systems that will ensure a volunteer’s contribution does not amount to abuse of their ‘free’ services. Volunteer associations deploying volunteers around the world will soon have a code of ethics to guide them and a set of standards that defines that volunteers contribution, but more importantly, the volunteer will understand without any doubt that their contribution has resulted in the net gain to that system. They’ll understand that their contribution has added to job creation rather than taken a job away from a local person, or that their contribution has been meaningful to the environment and in so doing contributed to the broader system, rather than their deployment being restricted to menial tasks.

For more information visit www.conservationgloanl.org or visit stand ICC E007.

Greg Vogt

Visitors to the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site, one of South Africa’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, can now enjoy meals at a restaurant the Interpretive Centre near the park’s entrance gate.

The lack of catering facilities has long been a restriction for some travellers, discouraging them from visiting Mapungubwe, until the official opening of the Mapungubwe Interpretive Centre - voted World Building of the Year at the prestigious World Architecture Festival Awards 2009.

The restaurant currently operates from 07:00 to 16:00. There is a comprehensive breakfast and light lunch

menu on offer and the restaurant is licensed. In the next few weeks a curio shop, basic supply store, tuck-shop at the confluence, bush breakfasts and braais (barbecues) are some of the additional services that should become available.

Tour operators are invited to secure a meeting with the Sefapane Team on stand DEC2 G05 for more information on how this new service offering at the National Park could add positive value to existing or new itineraries. Alternatively, visit SANParks at stand DEC Hall 1- DEC1F11.

Act local, impact global

Mapungubwe gets own restaurant

And bloggys, Pinteresters and LinkedInners. And children.

Children?

Here’s a tip: sign up for a free account on slideshare.net, and search for Marta Kagan - and particularly, look for her social media presentations (you’ll know them by all the double ** asterisks). Now read, and download for future reference.

The numbers are scarier than a thousand feral teenagers in idiot mode. Just a few examples: Twitter processed an average of twenty seven million (27 000 000) tweets every day in 2011, which is eight (8) times more than it handled in - are you ready for this? - 2010.

Then: when it comes to travel, 73 percent of Asians search the net before they buy.

And again: more than half of the world’s population is under 30, and a long-term survey by Ogilvy PR Worldwide revealed that more than 90 percent of Hong Kong’s eighteen- to thirty-year-olds used social media every single day in 2006. By 2008, that number had climbed to almost 100 percent.

Also: the Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2010 report ‘Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds’ reckoned that “Kids are leading the world’s transition to digital media. This is in part because kids aren’t afraid of technology and in part because kids haven’t spent years getting used to anything else.”

So you see why social media is the biggest, no, I mean

the Biggest challenge to traditional marketing? And why traditional marketing is like a Model T Ford? (Attractive but quaint - and lost on 99 percent of the population. Because it’s so, like, nineteenth (19th) century.)

And it’s not only social media - it’s social media by mobile. *They* are already telling that by 2014 we’ll be using more Internet on our mobiles than on our desktops. And this year? Google predicts that eight percent of mobile users will book their travel on phones or tablets in 2012.

Oh, and the Apple App store: 25 billion downloads thus far. (25 billion? Forget it, I’m not writing that one out for you: there’s not enough space here for all those zeros.)

And all of this is changing our daily habits because the mobile/social net is personal, touchable, instant, shareable, sticky, largely free, cross-device and cross-platformed, linked to the physical, location-aware, and - never forget this - transactionable.

And if you don’t know what any of that means, you’re definitely a Model T. (Which, as their inventor said, you can have in any colour you like, as long as it’s black. But today’s children want their cars hybrid, built to suit them - and not Henry Ford - and very, very colourful. Just like their information.)

So. How are *you* doing in the social media and mobile worlds?

Comment

Hello, Twitizens!by Martin Hatchuel


The new Victoria Falls Safari Club wing at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge will provide the Victoria Falls area with a much needed boost in luxury rooms.

Construction of the lodge’s new wing began in late November 2011 with completion scheduled for August this year. The $2,7 million development entails 16 club rooms and four club suites. The rooms are 50 percent larger than the current rooms, featuring a modern, open-plan design with features such as an exclusive butler service, private check-in and check-out and a multi-functional club lounge area that includes a bar, lounge and terrace.

Africa Albida Tourism Chief Executive, Ross Kennedy says the lodge’s offering is VIP premium experience with larger, more opulent rooms and bathrooms.

“From Victoria Falls Airport and back – private transfers in Mercedes Benz saloon cars and attention to detail will prevail.

“This investment is but one of many positive indicators that Zimbabwe tourism is on a steady revival path after a faltering past decade. There is a perceptible momentum and Africa Albida Tourism has put its money where its mouth is by embarking on the construction of the new 20-room wing, the Induna Club. it will also spend $300 000 on refashioning the

public areas of the existing lodge.

“Other Zimbabwean highlights include the modernisation at the Victoria Falls Airport, including the lengthening of the runway to four metres, while a number of international airlines are in discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe regarding direct long-haul access to Victoria Falls.

“Emirates has commenced its five-times-a-week schedule from Dubai to Harare via Lusaka to open up the Middle East to Zimbabwe for the first time. South African Airways has increased its capacity to Zimbabwe by 66 percent, introducing a daily flight from Johannesburg to Harare and Victoria Falls. The carrier’s monthly capacity is now about 70 000 – a sure sign of resurgence for tourism. Air Namibia is reported to be launching a four-times-a-week schedule from Windhoek to Harare, while a local airline, SolAir has been licensed and is set to announce domestic routes soon.”

Kennedy says the World Tourism Organisation has endorsed Victoria Falls for its global summit in 2013, expected to draw 3 000 delegates and spouses from 158 countries across an eight-day programme.

“The African Travel Association will stage its conference for up to 600 delegates at Victoria Falls from 18 to 22

May this year.

“It’s still a way off the heady days of 1995 but the New York Times recently rated Zimbabwe as one of three fast-emerging and worthy destinations. In 2011 tourism earnings increased by almost 50 percent to 2,3 million visitors and the trend is continuing. In the same year arrivals into Victoria Falls grew by 19,6 percent with growth from existing markets and increased arrivals from new markets such as Eastern Europe, Middle East and Asia.

“With the introduction in 2009 of the American dollar as the base currency and a process of reconciliation currently underway, Zimbabwe is fast becoming a viable and popular holiday destination for tourists. With a wealth of natural treasures, including the Victoria Falls, luxurious and affordable safari and hotel accommodation all serviced by reputedly the most hospitable people in Africa, Zimbabwe has much to offer local and international visitors. People, culture, history, monuments, wildlife, art, sport – Zimbabwe has it all,” says Kennedy.

Vic Falls gets a boost in luxury rooms

Joburg Tourism Entrepreneur Award:

Directors: C Molusi (Chairperson) P Mangcu (Acting Chief Executive Officer) K Parirenyatwa M Moavodi N Batyi S Childs W Roodt N Mametja Statucor ( Pty) Ltd (Company Secretary) Company Registration No. 2003/008973/08

City of Johannesburg Johannesburg Tourism Company NPC

Grosvenor Corner 195 Jan Smuts Avenue Parktown North Johannesburg South Africa 2193

P.O Box 1293 Parklands Johannesburg South Africa 2121

Tel +27 11 214 0700 Fax +27 11 214 0715 www.joburg.org.za www.joburgtourism.com Celebrating those that

set the Gold standard

A s t h e c o n t i n e n t ’s f i n a n c i a l a n d c o m m e r c i a l c a p i t a l , J o b u r g a l s o b o a s t s a t h r i v i n g c u l t u r e o f u r b a n t o u r i s m a r o u n d p l a c e s o f h i s t o r i c a l , c u l t u r a l , e c o n o m i c a n d p o l i t i c a l i n t e r e s t , a s w e l l a s l e i s u r e a n d l i f e s t y l e - i n c l u d i n g r e t a i l , f a s h i o n , n i g h t l i f e , e n t e r t a i n m e n t , m u s i c a n d s p o r t s . T h e t o u r i s t i n d u s t r y i n t h i s C i t y o f G o l d s t r i v e s f o r a g o l d s t a n d a r d o f i t s o w n : t o n o t o n l y m e e t , b u t t o e x c e e d t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f o u r l o c a l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l g u e s t s - t o e x c i t e a n d d e l i g h t o u r v i s i t o r s , l e a v i n g t h e m w i t h f a b u l o u s m e m o r i e s a n d a b u r n i n g d e s i r e t o r e t u r n . To u r i s m m e a n s b u s i n e s s , j o b s , g r o w t h . N e w i d e a s , n e w S M M E s a n d n e w l e v e l s o f s e r v i c e e x c e l l e n c e a r e t h e l i f e b l o o d o f t o u r i s m . T h e J o b u r g To u r i s m E n t r e p r e n e u r A w a r d c e l e b r a t e s a n d r e w a r d s t h e s t a r s o f t h i s i n d u s t r y, w h e r e s p i r i t , p a s s i o n a n d p e r s e v e r a n c e a r e t h e n o r m , c r e a t i n g t h e v i b e i n w h i c h t o m o r r o w ’s b u s i n e s s e s f l o u r i s h . C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s t o t h i s y e a r ’s w i n n e r, T h e S o w e t o H o t e l & C o n f e r e n c e C e n t r e .

J o b u r g - w h e re e n t re p re n e u r s h i p d r i v e s t h e s u c c e s s o f o u r C i t y.

Visit • Work • Play

[email protected]

Tel: +27 11 214 0700

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South Africa will be among those destinations offered by new Munich-based long-haul tour operator, One Touristik, run by Lamia Azimi of last-minute ticket consolidator, 5 Vor Flug fame.

Operating as a joint venture between Germany’s largest scheduled flight consolidator AER Ticket AG and dynamic tour operator JT Touristik, One Touristik has a strong B2B strategy, selling commissionable packages through travel agents primarily.

Azimi says the German market is a huge market for pre-packaged dynamic packaging. “We are focusing on long-haul and city destinations because there’s a gap in the market in these areas. We also have exclusive

flight content offered through our shareholder AER Ticket AG.”

Unlike other European markets whose tourism numbers have remained stagnant or even declined, South Africa is seeing good growth from the German inbound market with nine percent growth and 236 000 arrivals reported by SA Tourism for 2011. The market is said to have recently gained an increased awareness and positivism towards South Africa, particularly around the country’s lifestyle.

South Africa, says Azimi, is one of the most important destinations for a long-haul German tour operator and the company has thus formed a partnership

with Johannesburg-based destination management company, Your Africa.

“Your Africa is well known for their professionalism and focus on quality. They are an important partner for us because of their wide experience in services and because of the great variety of products they offer in South Africa,” says Azimi.

Your Africa Sales and Marketing Director Monika Iuel says dynamic packaging will be a possibility in future. “The vision will be to establish an XML connection that automatically feeds into our dynamic strategy, with dynamic airfares and dynamic hotel rates.”

For more information visit www.yourafrica.co.za.

One Touristik launches SA programme with Your Africa


Indaba visitors may not have heard of Crumpled City Maps as they haven’t hit Africa yet, but they’re coming!

They sold more than 250 000 maps worldwide last year and won the Design Plus International Award and European Consumers Choice Award for design, ease of use and innovation.

These lightweight, indestructible, waterproof maps that use DuPont Tyvek instead of paper, can be crumpled, squashed and crushed into a ball and the more battered they are, the better they look.

They are taking Europe and America by storm and are now coming to South Africa. Carrie Hampton, also known as Safaritart.com, has been commissioned to supervise a Southern Africa Safari Map and if you wish to have a presence on this map, contact her at Indaba on 082 976 5905 or after Indaba on [email protected]

Oude Werf Hotel, South Africa’s most historic inn and vintage hotel landmark in the heart of Stellenbosch, has recently completed extensive refurbishment and restoration.

The hotel, a South African National Monument, has been restored to its former glory, with an added modern edge.

“We can now boast with a restored exterior façade,

50 newly refurbished, modern bedrooms and a new reception area. As part of the renovations, we added an impressive superior wing, consisting of 21 compact open-plan en-suite rooms – all eclectically styled with the latest contemporary features – all overlooking the leafy courtyard and pool. The entire process took more than a year’s hard work, but the results are definitely worth it,” says General Manager Elanie Fourie.

For more information visit stand ICCT002.

Visit us at theKenya Stand No.

SADC 004

Three Cities hospitality group has signed up five new properties to their portfolio. Among the new additions are the Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel in Cape Town, the Docklands Hotel in Durban and three new game lodges that will fall under the group’s recently launched Exceptional Safaris brand.

Three Cities Chief Executive Officer, Mike Lambert, says the group is confident that the additional products will only enhance clients’ travel opportunities within Southern Africa.

The Grand Daddy Hotel on Cape Town’s vibrant Long Street, is famous for its Airstream Rooftop Trailer Park which provides accommodation in the form of customised trailer homes with a South African twist. The hotel also offers business facilities as well as a restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine.

The Docklands Hotel in Durban’s upmarket Point Waterfront has 83 rooms with views of either the harbour or the Indian Ocean.

Three Cities’ Exceptional Safaris brand which was launched in March now has three new properties in its stable. These include Jaci’s Lodges in the Madikwe

Game Reserve, Cheetah Plains in the Kruger National Park and Mushroom Lodge and Presidential House in Zambia.

Exceptional Safaris offers a range of eco and game lodge experiences across Africa’s wildlife destinations. Jaci’s Safari or Tree Lodges provide luxury accommodation and five-star service in the Madikwe Game Reserve, while Cheetah Plains offers a bush escape with accommodation in eight thatched chalets. Mushroom Lodge and Presidential House on the Mfuwe Lagoon in Zambia’s South Luangwa Park, hosted several heads of state and VIP guests in the seventies. Abandoned after the Kenneth Kaunda era, the lodge was restored to its former glory and now boasts chalets with all the modern conveniences expected of a luxury lodge.

Lambert says each lodge is situated in an African setting where game is abundant and big-five sightings are frequent.

“We believe they uphold the Exceptional Safaris promise to provide authentic bush experiences in the African wildernesses.”

Five new properties for Three Cities

Safari map going crumpledNew look for Oude Werf


Following the finalisation and adoption of the National Minimum Standard for Responsible Tourism last year, certification agencies can now apply for accreditation from the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).

The minimum standard was developed by the National Department of Tourism and all relevant stakeholders over a period of two years and includes the three fundamental elements of responsible tourism namely environmental, economic and social sustainability.

The objectives of the standard are to establish a common understanding of responsible tourism, harmonise the different sets of criteria and act as a baseline standard for tourism businesses.

The agency accreditation process was explained by SANAS at a workshop at Indaba on Friday.

Reportedly, the standard has been welcomed in the tourism industry. Among others, the Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards programme has ensured that it is in line with the standard, as has the Heritage Environmental Management Company.

For more information about the accreditation process phone SANAS on 012 394 3888 or visit stand DEC1C12.

CityInfo TV, the dedicated in-room hotel television

show giving guests entertainment and information

about what to see and do in KwaZulu-Natal – is now

in its third year of business since launching at Indaba

2010.

The company has produced shows for nine different

seasons since then and has won the support and

confidence of all the major players in the travel,

tourism and hospitality industries in the province.

The next exciting development for CityInfo TV its

imminent launch in the Western Cape, followed by

Gauteng.

Spearheading this expansion is Wesley Neilson who

brings his enthusiasm and passion for the tourism

industry to the team.

“CityInfo TV is currently screening in leading hotels

across Durban and all of the province’s major

attractions are on board as advertisers,” says Neilson.

“The obvious next step is to take this concept

countrywide and there has been a demand for this

from both hotel groups and national advertisers.”

CityInfo TV is provided to hotels and guest houses free

of charge. A reasonable fee is charged to companies

and attractions who wish to be featured in the show

– and this includes the production of a professional

television advert.

Participants in the show get the opportunity to

showcase their product or service to an exclusive

target audience every 30-something minutes, 24

hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information call Wesley Neilson on

071 895 7536.

A photo taken in Mossel Bay’s Ocean’s Shark and Ray Aquarium has won the first annual Mossel Bay Toyota Responsible Tourism Photo Safari competition.

The safari was organised as part of Responsible Tourism Week – an international on-line collaboration facilitated by Planeta.com, one of the world’s oldest responsible tourism websites.

The winning image – “Look Dad Shark” – was captured by professional photographer Fiona Ayerst, who lives and works in Mossel Bay. It shows her husband, shark researcher Ryan Johnson, and their son, Finn, watching a smooth-hound shark (Mustelus mustelus) in the aquarium.

“What was important to us was that the photos should convey the essence of responsible tourism in Mossel Bay and since responsible tourism is defined as tourism that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit, this event succeeded because it generated a body of work that helps people to see Mossel Bay in new and exciting ways,” said organiser Sean Snyman.

Mossel Bay town councillor and Mossel Bay Tourism board member Emil Scheepers said that Ayerst’s photograph told a touching and important story.

“Sharks don’t often get the best press, but they are powerful symbols of the marine environment – and the environment as a whole is the foundation on which Mossel Bay’s tourism industry has been built.

“This picture of Ryan and Finn says so much about why it’s important to conserve our natural resources for future generations,” he said.

As her prize, Ayerst received a voucher for a weekend

with her family at the Garden Route Game Lodge, outside Mossel Bay.

The competition was judged in three categories –professional photographers, amateur photographers and Smart Phone photographers.

All entries can be viewed on flickr (search Mossel Bay) and the winning images have been uploaded to www.facebook.com/visitmosselbay.

For more information visit stand ICC U012.

Responsible tourism – accreditation roll-out

CityInfo TV goes digital

Mossel Bay announces top responsible tourism photo

EXPLORE TSHWANE'S NATURAL HERITAGE

www.twitter.com/City TshwaneCity of Tshwane I Official (Page) www.tshwane.gov.za

The City of Tshwane is home to the only Big Five game sanctuary in Gauteng, the Dinokeng Big 5 Game Reserve and the first proclaimed game sanctuary in Africa, the Groenkloof Nature Reserve.

Mossel Bay’s Responsible Tourism Photo of the Year: Fiona Ayerst’s

“Look Dad Shark.”


TEP IS HEADING IN A NEW DIRECTION

What does TEP Offer? Registered TEP clients, having paid an annual administration fee, gain access to:

• Asourceofrelevantanduptodateindustryinformation

• Anetworkoflikemindedbusinessownersandentrepreneurs

• Accesstoservicessuchasskillsdevelopmentandmarketaccess

• TEP’sBusinessDevelopmentFund,whichcanassistwithupto50%costsharing ofapprovedbusinessservicesthatmeetimpactandjobgrowthcriteria

Private and Public Sector organisations gain access to:

• TEP’sEnterpriseDevelopmentPortfoliowhichoffersupfrontpointsforB-BBEEscoring

• Taxdeductibilityoncertaininvestments

• Tourismprojectdevelopmentandmanagement

For more information please visit us at stand DEC1D04 or at www.tep.co.zaTel: 011 880 3790, e-mail: [email protected]

With flights from Cape Town or Jo’burg to Walvis Bay, Accra, Frankfurt, and New Routes Harare and Gaborone via Windhoek our Hub.

Contact your Travel Agent or Our Offices >> +27 11 783-1181 / 6415 • [email protected] or Book Online: www.airnamibia.com.na

Air Namibia Connecting you to Africa

The Wilderness Safaris portfolio of luxury camps and safaris in Southern Africa remains a sought-after product and is constantly expanding. Products comprise a selection of progressive and innovative programmes in iconic Africa destinations. New properties will be opening in The Republic of Conga, Botswana and Kenya this year.

The new Odzala Wilderness Camps in the Republic of Congo open in early July 2012. The camps are found in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, which lies in the remote north of the country in the heart of the Congo Basin – the world’s second largest expanse of tropical rainforest. The camps have been constructed to leave as light a footprint as possible and blend into this remote forest environment. Activities will range from gorilla tracking, canoe rides along lush river systems, night drives in the savannah and walks along lush forest streams.

The new DumaTau Camp in Botswana is scheduled to open on 1 July 2012. The new site on Osprey Lagoon has amazing views over the floodplains. The camp will be elevated on tented decks with a spacious main area, allowing for varied dining and guest interaction. The camp will have 10 units and 24 beds – including two family rooms with en-suite bathrooms.

Segera Retreat, the first Wilderness property in Kenya, is set to open in early November 2012. Located on the Laikipia Plateau, five standard private double-storey villas, one family villa, the Villa Segera and Segera House – all made of wood and thatch – will offer accommodation. The exceptionally scenic and truly African landscape will allow guests to reconnect with nature and embrace a new way of viewing their relationship with the natural world.

Segera is at the forefront of change in Kenya; its mission is to achieve a healthy, holistic balance in terms of conservation, community, culture and

commerce – the so-called four Cs. Another highlight will be the founder’s extensive African art collection which will be on display.

A number of existing Wilderness Safaris properties and products throughout Southern Africa have undergone exciting and extensive developments recently.

Mombo Camp in the heart of the Okavango has had a facelift, resulting in a new look for the premier Wilderness Safaris camp. All units have been re-thatched and all decking has been repaired, replaced or treated and chandeliers added to the main area. The interiors have had a soft refurbishment, new vanities have been added to the rooms and new mesh/screens in front of the rooms, allowing for better visibility.

The main area of Little Mombo Camp was redesigned last year, which included the expansion of the deck overlooking the floodplain and moving the pool into the open. The camp recently switched to renewable solar energy.

Wilderness Adventures Camps in the Sossusvlei area are currently undergoing important changes. The main area at Kulala Desert Lodge is being completely redesigned and four additional rooms are being added to bring the total number of rooms to 23. The lodge will reopen on 2 July 2012 and will offer a great product in the Sossusvlei area due to both its close proximity to the gate and access to the dunes. During this time, the Kulala Wilderness Camp will remain open to accommodate guests looking for the full Sossusvlei experience. It will then close permanently on 2 July 2012.

Jacana Camp in the Okavango Delta recently underwent a facelift as old tents were replaced. The camp was closed over January and February 2012 and reopened on 28 February with all rooms now in a similar style to the family room that opened last year.

Two new Wilderness Explorations have been introduced in Malawi: Landscapes of Malawi and Rift Valley Explorer. The first takes guests through the north of Malawi, via the central Viphya Mountains to the iconic Nyika National Park and then on to the pristine beaches of Lake Malawi. The Rift Exploration is a classic combination of bush, beach and mountain, which includes the languid scenery of Zomba, the Liwonde National Park and the fabled Mumbo Island, one of the world’s most romantic destinations.

Rhino tracking has been introduced at Mvuu Camp and Mvuu Lodge in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. The experience comprises an introduction to the plight of the black rhino, a three-hour guided walk into rhino territory, accompanied by armed rhino protection team scouts and Wilderness Safaris guides, and ends with a bush breakfast or dinner. In this way, guests

have the unique opportunity of tracking black rhino and seeing them on foot, while also getting involved in the practicalities of monitoring and contributing to rhino conservation in Malawi.

Travellers to Botswana will in future benefit from the majority of Wilderness Air flights now operating on a scheduled route basis. Wilderness Air will provide daily access between the main safari hubs of Maun and Kasane Airports and the camps in the Okavango Delta, Linyanti and Central Kalahari. The routes will operate twice a day: in the morning, the routes will meet up at Maun Airport in time to meet the departing Air Botswana flights and in the afternoon, the routes will depart from Maun to service guests arriving off Air Botswana.

For more information visit stand ICCH016.

Luxury safari specialist extends and refurbishes portfolio

The new Odzala Wilderness Camps in the Republic of Congo opening in early July 2012 are located in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, which lies is the remote north of the country in the heart of the Congo Basin – the world’s second largest expanse of tropical rainforest.


An African first is on show at Indaba.

The first truly multimedia digital brochure, it is an iBook comprising video-clips, animated images and maps and concise crafted copy. Engaging all the senses, and rolled into one on an iPad, it is a demonstration of what is possible.

Designed and produced by African Storybook Digital, the digital brochure is the result of a collaboration between two award-winning operations, Cape Town’s African Storybook media house and Durban digital pioneers immedia. immedia director Kevin Leo-Smith says in the post-PC era “we can now jump past difficult and go straight to easy”.

The iPad has become a powerful tool for the tourism industry, removing the ‘difficult’ factor often associated with personal computers and digital technology in general, as evidenced by the fact that both three- year-olds and octogenarian grandparents can use it. According to African Storybook’s Angus Begg, it’s actually fun to use and when the designer presented him with the first draft, it was a liberating experience.

“There is now place to tell real stories, with sharp, good editorial and strong visuals that both inform and educate the potential customer in a happy space, where he or she doesn’t need to feel like they are being sold something.”

He says deciding on the look and feel of the iBook was a bit like directing a documentary, with this new technology removing the constraints of traditional brochures, like available space.

“No longer do game lodge brochures, for example, have to look the same. After all, it’s their individual stories, their narratives, that distinguish them – not the number of ‘awesome’ and ‘endless’ adjectives they use.”

As an example, Begg points to one of the chapters in the iBook prototype they have created, on Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park. “It’s a wonderful tale, a sort of ‘Phoenix rising from the ashes’, involving a very wealthy man trying to restore what was destroyed by

the civil war in that country – both in terms of wildlife and people. With animated images, a video clip and just a few words we have done that.”

He says that is just an example of what can be done. As Leo-Smith says, “Literally anything is possible. Whether game lodge, tour operator or hotel, you just have to decide what you want.”

The simplicity is apparently not the only good news. “An iBook brochure is far more affordable than printing traditional brochures and it allows for the immediate or eventual removal of paper altogether. And with the immediacy now allowed, prices don’t have to be decided a year in advance so they can make the brochure print run in time – they can be inserted in the brochure the day before a trade show.”

iBooks are both downloadable and updatable. So when a hotel is adding a new suite, or a lodge adding a children’s playroom, the information is simply added. No new print-run is needed. These aren’t only the most convenient, compelling selling tools for on the road, but back at the lodge they serve as the new coffee-table books.

Asked that inevitable question about that potential customer who doesn’t have an iPad, Leo-Smith says eBooks or other tablets can also be produced, although their functionality would be less rich and it would likely be more expensive. “If you had a choice of being given a database of 100 000 people with landline telephones, or 5 000 with cellphone connection, which would you choose?”

immedia has already produced Apps for the likes of Supersport, Computicket and Moneyweb, and with some big corporate tourism clients already in the offing, it appears that African Storybook Digital is on the right path, going past ‘difficult’ to ‘easy’.

As a reference point, over 150 million iPads have been sold thus far, with just 65 million this past year alone – a number expected to double this year. In all, 55 million in the US, the balance made of Europe and China, and 250 000 in South Africa as of Feb 16.

In today’s time of options, the Fair Trade Travel Pass is the sure way to travel.

The pass gives you choice of freedom, the choice to spend as long as your holiday allows and the knowledge that the community where you spend your money is going to see the benefit.

Fair Trade Travel Pass’ Toni Shona says the pass takes the hassle out of trying to make the right choice and has a positive impact on local people and environs.

“It takes you to the most breathtaking parts of our country - from the mountains to the sea. Travel by bus, drive, walk or cycle the paths of our heritage around battle fields and through museums. You may take up volunteering if you wish, adventure with shark diving, surf or meander along beaches that are mostly undisturbed by man.

“Local guides will show you the hidden gems, learn something new like fishing or horse riding, taste authentic local food you have never tried before or just relax in a hammock and read a book.

“How you travel is your choice – by plane, bus or car. You can also choose the length of your travel – from

14 to 21 days. Accommodation is in backpacker establishments that are all Fair Trade-accredited and each one has a community project that is benefiting the local community just by you staying there.”

Shona says travellers can use the pass in either direction – you can start either in Cape Town or Johannesburg but once the direction of your journey is determined, you can only continue in that direction.

“You will meet wonderful people, experience their culture, see parts of South Africa that is off the beaten track, taste food that is mostly home grown and fresh and lovingly prepared. By staying in these chosen establishments and going on these selected tours, you are assured that your travel benefits local communities and economies, and that the business is operated ethically and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Travelling with respect – that makes for a good night’s sleep,” she says.

The pass is available from The Backpack in Cape Town, Soweto Backpackers in Soweto or online [email protected].

For more information visit stand ICCG006.

Tourism & the iPad – time for ‘easy’ Choice of freedom – the Fair Trade Travel Pass is the answer

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

By collecting just 1% from tourists since 1999, our levy collectors have contributed more than ½ billion rand to market South Africa and more than R100 million in 2011 alone!

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

• Earna3%scoreintermsoftheBBEETourismCharter.• ReceivediscountedexhibitionratesatexhibitionshostedbySAT.• PreferencewillbegiventoorganisationsthatareTOMSALevyCollectorsandgradedwhenselecting

exhibitorsforanytradeshowsthatSATparticipatesin.• PreferencewillbegiventobusinesseswhoareregisteredLevyCollectorswhenSATselectsproductsto

be used during sponsored familiarization trips. • ProvideinputforthepreparationoftheSATAnnualPerformancePlanningandCampaignspriortothe

planning process in March of each year.• PreferentialprofilinginallaccommodationlistingsontheSATwebsite(ifestablishmentisalsograded).• SATwillgivepreferencetobusinesswhoareTOMSAcollectorswhenselectingserviceproviderstotake

part in speed marketing sessions

If just 1% can do all of this, imagine what it can do if everyONE supported TOMSA.

Is 1% a drop in an ocean? Does 1% really matter in the bigger scheme of things?

We believe 1% is the difference.1% is the difference between pass and fail, between average and exceptional.1% Makes a difference.TOMSA IS 1%.

Join now!

1% MAKES A DIFFERENCE

differenceis the

By collecting the 1%

Tourism Levy since 1999,

TOMSA has contributed

more than billion rand

to market SA. This has

resulted in thousands

of new tourist arrivals,

major investments and

new job opportunities.

big

help

ke

ep touri

sm alive!

Visit us at stand no ICC F019. To find out more about TOMSA please visit our website at www.tomsa.co.za


S(c)ene@INDABA 2012

Sally Grielson, Barbara Elshove-Shmidt and Lauren Maker receiving Indaba Daily News first hand.

Zinhle Muyandu and Boitumelo Diseko of the National Department of Tourism gave a warm welcome to guests.

The media centre - a hive of activity.

The Executive Mayor of Ehlanzeni, LN Shongwe and the Mpumalanga MEC for tourism Norman Makoena meet with Peter Rose at the Durban stand.

Lungisile Sinqe of River Hotels South Africa enjoyed a thorough welcome at Indaba.

Portfolio Collection - perfection?

The Groupon hand-out team proved that gowns are the new cool - Tim Miller, Karyn Lee and Chelsea Laskey.

Richard Mabanga of Shakaland enjoying a jet-ski ride.

Salaton Ole Ntutu and Sabore Oyie of the Kenya Tourism Board welcomed Paul Mange of West Rand Tourism.

indaba 2012 - daily news - issue 2 - 12 may 2012

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