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The June edition front cover features the awesome Storms River Mouth on South Africa’s Garden Route. Explore this untouched playground by kayak, lilo, scuba or snorkel with Untouched Adventures. Read more about Untouched Adventures on page 13, and about Adventure Tourism in Africa and South Africa on pages 06-15.
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Adventure • Business • Competition • Hospitality • Legal • Marketing • Safety & Security • Risk
ISSUE 06 | JUNE 2016
IN THIS ISSUE:
ADVENTURESouth Africa
EDITORIAL
IN THIS ISSUE:
JUNE 201602 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
EDITORIAL04 Accreditation05 Cover Story
ADVENTURE TOURISM06 Adventure Tourism Rankings
10-15 Adventure Operators in South Africa
BUSINESS16 SATSA Market Intelligence Report
17 Foreign Labour in the Tourism Industry 18 TOMSA Set to Boost Domestic Tourism
COMPETITION20 Win a Kalahari Range Bath Crystals and Fragrance Candle
HOSPITALITY22 Property Profile: Bahia Mar, Mozambique
LEGAL24 The Law of Contracts - Part 19
25 Adventure Tourism from a Legal Perspective - Part 1
MARKETING26 SA Hotels Lag Behind Global Peers in Mobile Tech
RISK28 Understanding Tourism Trade Insurance - Part 6
SAFETY & SECURITY30 Terrorism Challenges in Africa
TRADE NEWSVisit our website for daily travel trade news
or subscribe to our Apple News Feed
PUBLISHERTourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd.PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Website: www.tourismtattler.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Des LangkildeCell: +27 (0)82 374 7260Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080E-mail: [email protected]: tourismtattler
ISSUE 06 JUNE 2016
MAGAZINE ADVERTISINGADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bev LangkildeCell: +27 (0)71 224 9971Fax: +27 (0)86 656 3860E-mail: [email protected]: bevtourismtattler
SUBSCRIPTIONShttp://eepurl.com/bocldD
BACK ISSUES (Click on the covers below).
▼ Aug 2015
▼ MAR 2016▼ APR 2016▼ MAY 2016
▼ Jun 2015▼ Jul 2015
▼ Sep 2015▼ Oct 2015▼ Nov 2015
▼ Dec 2015▼ JAN 2016▼ FEB 2016
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.
CONTENTS
03 World Spa & Restaurant Awards08 The Mozambique Collection
11 Itchyfeet11 Langebaan Divers
12 Southern Right Charters12 Magoebaskloof Adventures
MAGAZINE SPONSORS
Adv. Louis NelDes Langkilde
Josephine Wawira
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
THE OFFICIAL TRADE JOURNAL ON AFRICAN TOURISM
.com
13 UnTouched Adventures13 Venture Forth14 Canopy Tours
15 Nambithi Private Game Reserve21 Spier Wine Farm
36 National Sea Rescue Institute
Martin Janse van VuurenUnathi Sonwabile
JUNE 2016 03Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
G R A N D A W A R D S G A L A c e r e m o n y
GRAND HOTEL KRONENHOF // PONTRESINA // SwITZERLAND
# g r a n d h o t e l k r o n e n h o f # s w i t z e r l a n d # w l s a w a r d s # w l r a w a r d s
S & R Awards Print Ad.indd 1 2016/05/17 9:30 AM
EDITORIAL
JUNE 201604 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
EDITORIAL
ACCREDITATION
The African Travel & Tourism Association (Atta)Tel: +44 20 7937 4408 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.atta.travelMembers in 22 African countries and 37 worldwide use Atta to: Network and collaborate with peers in African tourism; Grow their online presence with a branded profile; Ask and answer specialist questions and give advice; and Attend key industry events.
The Africa Travel Association (ATA)Tel: +1 212 447 1357 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.africatravelassociation.org
ATA is a division of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), and a registered non-profit trade association in the USA, with headquarters in Washington, DC and chapters around the world. ATA is dedicated to promoting travel and tourism to Africa and strengthening intra-Africa partnerships. Established in 1975, ATA provides services to both the public and private sectors of the industry.
Official Travel Trade Journal and Media Partner to:
National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA-SA)Tel: +2786 186 2272 • Fax: +2786 225 9858 • Website: www.naa-sa.co.zaThe NAA-SA is a network of mainly smaller accommodation providers around South Africa – from B&Bs in country towns offering comfortable personal service to luxurious boutique city lodges with those extra special touches – you’re sure to find a suitable place, and at the same time feel confident that your stay at an NAA-SA member’s establishment will meet your requirements.
Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA)Tel: +2711 315 2420/1 • Fax: +2711 315 2422 • Website: www.retosa.co.zaRETOSA is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) institution responsible for tourism growth and development. RETOSA’s aims are to increase tourist arrivals to the region through. RETOSA Member States are Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA)Tel: +2786 127 2872 • Fax: +2711 886 755 • Website: www.satsa.comSATSA is a credibility accreditation body representing the private sector of the inbound tourism industry. SATSA members are Bonded thus providing a financial guarantee against advance deposits held in the event of the involuntary liquidation. SATSA represents: Transport providers, Tour Operators, DMC's, Accommodation Suppliers, Tour Brokers, Adventure Tourism Providers, Business Tourism Providers and Allied Tourism Services providers.
Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association (SHTA)Tel: +248 432 5560 • Fax: +248 422 5718 • Website: www.shta.sc The Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association was created in 2002 when the Seychelles Hotel Association merged with the Seychelles Hotel and Guesthouse Association. SHTA’s primary focus is to unite all Seychelles tourism industry stakeholders under one association in order to be better prepared to defend the interest of the industry and its sustainability as the pillar of the country’s economy.
World Travel Market WTM Africa - Cape Town in April, WTM Latin America - São Paulo in April, and WTM - London in November. WTM is the place to do business.
International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)Website: www.tourismpartners.orgICTP is a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to Quality Services and Green Growth.
International Institute for Peace through TourismWebsite: www.iipt.orgIIPT is dedicated to fostering tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation.
Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA)Contact: [email protected] • Website: wFounded in the 1970's, SAVRALA is the representative voice of Southern Africa’s vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management sector. Our members have a combined national footprint with more than 600 branches countrywide. SAVRALA are instrumental in steering industry standards and continuously strive to protect both their members’ interests, and those of the public, and are therefore widely respected within corporate and government sectors.
The Safari AwardsWebsite: www.safariawards.comSafari Award finalists are amongst the top 3% in Africa and the winners are unquestionably the best.
World Youth Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel ConfederationWebsite: www.wysetc.orgWYSE is a global not-for-profit membership organisation.
World Luxury Hotel AwardsWebsite: www.luxuryhotelawards.comWorld Luxury Hotel Awards is an international company that provides award recognition to the best hotels from all over the world.
EDITORIAL
JUNE 2016 05Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
The June edition front cover features the awesome Storms River Mouth on South Africa’s Garden Route. Explore this untouched playground by kayak, lilo, scuba or snorkel with Untouched Adventures.
Founded by Marthinus and Jenna van der Westhuizen in 2007, Untouched Adventures has grown from strength to strength. The company started out of a passion for the beauty of South Africa and the abundance of unique adventures that tourists can experience in this country. Over the years the team has grown with highly motivated guides trained and developed from the local communities in Tsitsikamma.
Untouched Adventures offers a variety of activities including Scuba diving, Snorkelling and their very popular award winning Kayak and Lilo Adventure. This unique adventure combines all of the best natural attributes that South Africa has to offer. The Kayak and Lilo adventure includes the marine filled ocean, lush Tsitsikamma forest, mountains and Storms River Gorge − all in one 3-hour adventure that the whole family can do! Activities on the Kayak and Lilo include hiking, kayaking, lilo’ing and cliff jumping.
The unique lilo’s were developed to access the most beautiful section of the Storms River gorge that was previously not
accessible by boat, foot or kayak. Adventurers can relax on the lilo’s, drift into the narrow gorge, and enjoy fantastic scenery viewed from a new angle.Watch the video below.
Group adventures are another area that Untouched Adventures specialise in. School day trips and camps are arranged and coordinated with safety being foremost in the planning and execution of trips. Team building and year-end corporate adventure programmes are also a specialised area of expertise that Untouched Adventures have
built an enviable reputation for excelling in. Read more about Untouched Adventures on page 13, and about Adventure Tourism in Africa and South Africa on pages 06-15.
In the Business & Finance section of this edition we report on the latest tourism arrival statistics and hotel stats for South Africa (page 16), look at foreign labour in the tourism industry (page 17), and report on the new TOMSA ‘Finders Keepers’ campaign that aims to boost domestic tourism in South Africa (page 18). In the Hospitality section, we profile Bahia Mar in Mozambique (page 22). We are auctioning a voucher for 3 nights for 2 at Bahia Mar valued at R18,000. Bidding starts at just R5,000. Click here to bid. The Legal section continues the series on Contracts with Part 19 (page 24), plus the start of a new series on Adventure Tourism from a Legal Perspective (page 25). The Marketing section reveals why South African hotel groups are lagging behind international trends in technology (page26), while in the Risk section, our series on Understanding Tourism Insurance continues with Part 6 on property and medical evacuation insurance (page 28). And finally, the Safety and Security section looks at Terrorism Challenges in Africa (page 30).
Yours in Tourism, Des Langkilde.
COVER STORY:COVER STORY:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxagaT2Zsjw&feature=youtu.be
JUNE 201606 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
ADVENTURE TOURISM
ADVENTURE TOURISM RANKINGS
The fifth edition of the Adventure Tourism Development Index (ATDI), released in March 2015 by the Adventure Travel Trade Association, assesses adventure tourism potential for countries around the world.
The purpose of the ATDI is to facilitate adventure tourism policy and planning aimed at driving economic growth that is environmentally and culturally sustainable. It uses 10 pillars, drawing data from a range of sources, to gauge a country's readiness to compete in the adventure tourism sector.
The 10 pillars are: 1. Sustainable Development Policy2. Safety and Security3. Health4. Natural Resources5. Cultural Resources6. Adventure Activity Resources7. Humanitarian8. Entrepreneurship9. Tourism Infrastructure, and10. Image.
The ATDI can be helpful to destinations considering an adventure tourism development strategy. Tracking performance in the ten pillar areas provides a guideline for responsible development.
The 2015 ATDI Report shows that
many countries are recognising
and prioritising adventure tourism,
by benchmarking resources and
policy against 10 pillars to
drive growth.
The ATDI 2015 contains 28 Developed countries and 163 Developing/Emerging countries. Countries are designated Developed (blue) or Developing (green) based on UN classifications.
Interactive Ranking Map
While the report (downloadable at adventureindex.travel/docs/atdi_2015.pdf) focuses on countries in the high ranking cluster, an interactive ranking map at adventureindex.travel/2010-results-visual.htm shows each country's rank.
Scores do not however reflect a country's current popularity or market presence in adventure tourism.
The interactive map groups countries into three clusters: High (Top Tier), Medium (Middle Tier) and Low (Bottom Tier). These groupings represent nations with similar scores and therefore a country’s competitive set. The idea being that countries ranked ‘Medium’ or ‘Low’ should aim to move into the ‘High’ category.
Adventure tourism, valued at $263 billion is one of the fastest growing categories of tourism that attracts
high value customers, supports local economies, and encourages
sustainable practices.
“
“
ADVENTURE TOURISM
JUNE 2016 07Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
How do African countries compare?
South Africa (ranked 38) is in the top tier, along with its neighbours Botswana (16) and Namibia (54), and North African countries Egypt (18), Tunisia (43) and Morocco (32). According to the map, these countries are on a equivalent level with most countries in Asia, such as China (51) and Russia (24) and in South America, such as Brazil (44) and Peru (22).
In the Middle tier, Zambia (ranked 65) is competitive with Mozambique (98), Madagascar (82), Tanzania (101), Kenya (88), Uganda (91), Ethiopia (107), Ghana (97),
Senegal (76), Mali (108), Algeria (72), Malawi (95). These countries are comparable with India (85), Serbia (71) and Columbia (61).
The rest of Africa’s countries are ranked in the Bottom Tier, with the exception of Western Sahara for which no data was available.
Trends
According to the 2013 Adventure Tourism Market Study:
• The adventure travel market in North America, South America and Europe has experienced an average yearly size increase of 65% from 2009 to 2012.
• The average spend on adventure trips *excluding airfare and gear) increased nearly 20% over the same period.
• The top three factors affecting destination choice are natural beauty, activities and climate.
• 69% of adventure travellers reported online research as their preparation method.
• The percentage of adventure travellers using Facebook has more than doubled between 2010 and 2013.
For information visit: www.adventureindex.travel
JUNE 201608 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
The Mozambique CollectionSmall footprints, real people, exceptional experiences, amazing places ...
The Mozambique Collection is a marketing brand that brings together a collection of stunning properties working together to promote the destination. The hand picked portfolio of members each has it’s own special attractions and experiences to contribute to the plethora of adventures that the country has to offer.
www.mozambique-collection.org | [email protected]
The underlying principle of authentic luxury, in the true sense, resonates with all members – to offer the best possible experiences in idyllic locations, while creating a positive legacy for the local communities and environment in which they operate.
JUNE 2016 09Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
SPECIAL FEATURE
ADVENTURE
AFRICAOPERATORS IN
ADVENTURE TOURISM
Tourism Tattler is proud to announce the launch of a dedicated GeoDirectory locator website of adventure activity operators throughout the continent of Africa.
The new website will ultimately become a one-stop resource for adventure tourism bookings throughout Africa, and will be renamed ‘Adventure(dot)Africa’, under the new dotAfrica (.Africa) gTLD (Generic Top Level Domain) registry, which aims to promote African business, people and culture on the Internet.
Understandably the Tattler’s adventure tourism GeoDirectory is a massive project that will take time to populate and geo-locate by country, and in this issue we are kicking off with South Africa in collaboration with Dirty Boots.
Dirty Boots is a South African based adventure holiday and activity guide book and website resource that has been published for over 10 years. Dirty Boots provides a complete list of credible adventure, activity, holiday, and team building companies, with over 100 outdoor activities in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho, and the printed guide booklet is updated on an annual basis.
Published by Johan and Esna Radcliffe, the Dirty Boots adventure guide prompted Johan to produce a survey on the adventure industry in South Africa back in 2014, and
the report that he published revealed some interesting, and hitherto little known facts. For example, the top 10 activities with the biggest number of participants was revealed as being:
1. Boat Trips, 2. Zipline Tours (Canopy Tours, Aerial Cableway), Tours, 3. Horse Riding, 4. Whale Watching (Boat Based), 5. River Rafting, 6. Shark Cage Diving, 7. Ziplines, 8. Quad Biking, 9. Bungee Jumping, and 10. Segway Tours. Surprisingly, the top activities that were provided by operators turned out to be Horse Riding, followed by Scuba Diving and Quad Biking. By contrast, the highest revenue generating activities were Shark Cage Diving, Zipline Tours, and Boat Trips.
Johan’s report estimated that adventure tourism operators generated in the region of R4.6 billion in 2014.
The average age of adventure customers was revealed as being 35 years, with an almost equal split in gender (51% male vs 49% female). Johan’s report is certainly an interesting read (view it here).
South Africa’s The National Department of Tourism (NDT) apparently published an Adventure Tourism Report back in 2012, but been unable to find it. What is encouraging though, is the self-regulation initiative for the Adventure Tourism Sector, which is being spearheaded by the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) and mandated by the NDT. This initiative will certainly build the credibility and profile of a reliable Adventure Tourism industry in South Africa.
NDT and SATSA hosted the first in a series of stakeholder workshops on self-regulation for the Adventure Tourism Sector on 19 March 2014 in Cape Town, followed by several workshops in other provinces during 2015. These workshops provided a platform for information sharing, exchange of best practices, and solicited input pertaining to the implementation of stakeholder consultative sessions.
For more information on the self-regulation initiative, email Hannelie du Toit at SATSA at [email protected] or call +27 (0)83 600 3555.
On the following pages are just a few of South Africa’s top adventure operators. Support them with client bookings. ▼
SOUTH AFRICA
JUNE 201610 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
Gravity Adventures is an owner-run, award-winning adventure company based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Gravity offers a variety of micro adventures within one and a half hours of the city - perfect for a quick adrenalin filled excursion.
Coasteering allows adventurers to explore the coastline up close and personal - snorkelling between the rocks and in gullies, doing a series of rock jumps to add some excitement. Swimming with penguins as an occasional bonus.
Sea kayaking on the clear, blue waters of the Langbaan Lagoon in the West Coast National Park can be combined with a stay in Gravity’s beach house, on the houseboat.
White-water rafting on the Palmiet River, in the Kogleberg Nature Reserve, offers world-class grade 3 rapids in an awesome setting. In summer, tubes are used for a more laid back adventure.
(t) +27 (0)21 683 3698 / (0)21 683 1159
(w) www.gravity.co.za
(s) Facebook.com/Gravity-Adventures
(s) Pinterest.com/ak47rivers/
CONTACTAndrew or Marie-Louise Kellett
ADVENTURE TOURISM SPECIAL FEATURE
SOUTH AFRICA Western Cape
adventuresgravity
JUNE 2016 11Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
SOUTH AFRICA Cape West Coast
SPECIAL FEATURE
(t) +27 (0)72 032 1557
(w) www.itchyfeetsa.co.za
(s) www.facebook.com/ItchyfeetSa
(s) www.tripadvisor.com
CONTACTGustav Greffrath
(t) +27 (0)73 543 2289
(w) www.langebaandivers.com
(s) www.facebook.com/LangebaanDivers
CONTACTPiet Meiring
ADVENTURE TOURISM
SOUTH AFRICA KwaZulu-NatalWe know you’ve always been itching to look cool on real rock, test your toughness on proper white water or to personally experience the Drakensberg. Here you will find all of it! You can expect paddling, climbing and hiking on some of South Africa’s best, with legal and professional guiding, skills development, improved knowledge and of course, fun!
Outings vary from the short, very accessible and mellow to the long and isolated rough stuff. Want to
learn how to guide on a white water river? Well, we offer training accredited by the African Paddling Association too.
Nothing artificial about it – real rock, with real rubber on your feet, real chalk on your hands, you pick the
Langebaan Divers assists new and experienced divers to discover and explore the mysteries of the underwater world, in the cooler West Coast waters.
Situated in Club Mykonos, Langebaan Divers is ideally placed to offer a multi- faceted dive experience, with a variety of dive sites suitable for all weather conditions and preferences. The dive shop is fully equipped for both training and rental purposes.
Located just one and a half hours from Cape Town, Langebaan is ideally situated
route you want to climb and you are in charge of the belay. If we cannot offer it on these terms we will not bother in the first place!
The Ukhahlamba Drakensberg, The name says it all! Big, rugged, tough, beautiful and spectacular! Outings can
be of any length, at any time and anywhere in the Drakensberg. Yeah, including the grandest of them all - the Drakensberg Grand Traverse.
Cape West CoastCape West CoastCape West Coastfor a day’s escape, or book a weekend for an unforgettable experience.
A variety of dive courses are offered, from Discover Scuba Diving to Dive Master and Dive Instructor, as well as career development and placement of individuals wanting to follow a specific water-orientated career.
Charters are also catered for, from one day to dive holidays to all destinations.
The Ukhahlamba Drakensberg, The name says it all! Big, rugged, tough, beautiful and spectacular! Outings can
be of any length, at any time and anywhere in
Nothing artificial about it – real rock, with real rubber on your feet, real chalk on your hands, you pick the
Outings vary from the short, very accessible and mellow to the long and isolated rough stuff. Want to
learn how to guide on a white water river?
JUNE 201612 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
SPECIAL FEATURE
(t) +27 (0)82 353 0550
(w) www.southernrightcharters.co.za
(s) Facebook.com/HermanusWhaleWatching
(s) Plus.google.com/+SouthernrightchartersCoZa/posts
(s) Twitter.com/SAwhalewatching
(s) Youtube.com/user/southernrightcharter?gl=ZA
CONTACTRobin Alcock
ADVENTURE TOURISM
SOUTH AFRICA Western CapeSouthern Right Charters operates a purpose-built catamaran that provides superior stability and comfort with viewing decks at different levels to provide great angles for once-in-a-lifetime photographs.
Located in Hermanus, along the renown Whale Coast Route of the Overberg, whale season is from June to December.
Sightings include southern right, humpback, and Byde’s whales, seals, dolphins, and a variety of marine birds, including the African penguin.
Southern Right Charters is a leading operator and as a licensed permit holder operates under the motto of ‘observing not disturbing’. The friendly and knowledgeable crew add that personal touch to ensure that passengers have an experience of a lifetime. All tours are weather dependent and pre-bookings are essential.
SOUTH AFRICA Limpopo
(t) +27 (0)83 442 7429
(w) www.magoebaskloofadventures.co.za
(s) Facebook.com/Magoebsadven
(s) Youtube.com/watch?v=TQA2hc0NJMU
CONTACTJane Allison
Magoebaskloof is a magical place where mountain meets river and the spirit of adventure is born. The Magoebaskloof Adventure centre hosts a large variety of activities on the Great Letaba River.
The Gecko-tubing Trip starts deep in the gorge, with a journey along tranquil crystal clear waters, with breathtaking views, and ends with pulse racing action down roaring white-water rapids.
The Abseiling Trip descends 30 metres down a smooth rock face into the majestic George’s Valley gorge, ending in the river. The trip allows for swimming and relaxing at the bottom, underneath a waterfall.
The guided Magoebaskloof Canopy Tour is an exciting journey through the indigenous forests and over spectacular waterfalls, swinging from platform to platform whilst enjoying the tranquillity of the natural surroundings.
SOUTH AFRICA Western Cape
(t) +27 (0)86 110 6548 / (0)82 770 7876
(w) www.ventureforth.co.za
(s) Facebook/VentureForthSA
(s) Twitter/VentureForthSA
(s) Google+/VentureForthSA
CONTACTWalther Meyer
Venture Forth operates adventure activities on the world-famous Table Mountain, which rises majestically above the city of Cape Town. Everyone has seen the postcard picture, but not everyone has come up-close and personal with this magnificent mountain range. Get away from the tourist trail, visit the seldom seen parts, explore hidden ravines and follow the lesser used routes.
Venture Forth offers guided day and overnight hiking, scrambling, sport climbing, and traditional rock climbing on
(t) +27 (0)73 1300 689; (0)76 9592 817
(w) www.untouchedadventures.com
(s) Facebook.com/untouchedadventures
(s) Twitter.com/UntouchedAdvent
(s) Youtu.be/KxagaT2Zsjw
CONTACTEstelle
SOUTH AFRICA Eastern CapeUntouched Adventures 2- to 3- hour Storms River kayak and lilo adventure is the most popular adventure activity in the Tsitsikamma National Park. Explore deeper into the gorge and experience the long, deep, quite pools and the majestic, pristine forests along the cliffs.
Adventurers paddle from the harbour, across the ocean, under the suspension bridge and up the Storms River. If sea conditions are rough, a short guided hike through the Tsitsikamma Forest could be necessary and the trip then starts from inside the river mouth.
At the low-water point, adventurers disembark and jump onto the unique lilos and float through a short section of rock pools, deeper up the river.
Untouched Adventures also offer snorkelling and scuba diving, where divers can marvel at the spectacular underwater world of the protected marine environment.
JUNE 2016 13Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
SPECIAL FEATURE ADVENTURE TOURISM
the peninsula mountains, from Cape Point to Table Mountain and Lion’s Head.
Guided trips are also available in the Boland mountains around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek.
Founded in 1994, Venture Forth International is an accredited:• Mountain & adventure guide service• Adventure tour operator• Mountaineering skills training school• Mountain & adventure guide training centre• Outdoor education provider to schools• Youth adventure travel specialist.
Western Cape
JUNE 201614 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
SPECIAL FEATUREADVENTURE TOURISM
SOUTH AFRICA National
(t) +27 (0)21 3000 501
(w) www.canopytour.co.za
(s) Facebook.com/CanopyToursSouthAfrica
(s) Youtube.com/ user/CanopyToursTV
CONTACTMark Brown
Canopy Tours® take people up into a previously inaccessible realm of nature whereby platforms built high up within the branches of an indigenous tree or against the cliffs of ancient mountains are joined by spectacular long zip-line cable slides high above the forest floor.
An fun, exhilarating adventure experience for all ages! Canopy Tours® are great for the whole family, nature lovers, thrill seekers and corporate groups.
There are now 7 official Canopy Tours® around the country – Tsitsikamma, Karkloof, Magaliesberg, Magoebaskloof, Drakensberg, Swaziland and Elgin (Cape).
FIND MORE ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES IN AFRICA
GET LISTEDEmail [email protected]
to find out how
SPECIAL FEATURE
(t) +27 (0)36 631 9026
(w) www.nambiti.com
(s) Facebook.com/Nambiti-Game-Reserve
(s) Twitter.com/NambitiReserve
(s) Pinterest.com/nambitireserve
CONTACTRobyn
SOUTH AFRICA KwaZulu-NatalNambiti Private Game Reserve is situated in a malaria-free zone, east of Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal – so there’s no need for medication. It is also the only game reserve in the area that can boast of having the Big 5 (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and White/Black rhinoceros), along with 40 other game species. Nambiti’s 22,000 acres offers incredible biodiversity, with grasslands, riverine bush, savannah and thornveld. A perfect environment for soft adventure experiences.
Adventure activities within the reserve include guided walks and game drives, birding, fishing in the river and dams, Battlefield tours, and photography courses to get up-close and personal with Africa’s Big 5.
Less than an hour away from Nambiti, the majestic Drakensberg Mountain Range - a World Heritage Site - offers numerous adventure activities, including hiking, quad biking, white water rafting, 4×4 trails, mountain biking, horse riding, canopy tours, rock climbing, kayaking and fly fishing.
To wind-down after your adventure excursions, there are nine luxurious game lodges on Nambiti, including six 5-star game lodges and one magnificent elevated tented camp, with facilities ranging from self catering to the pampered, including spa treatements. Nambiti also offers accommodation that is fenced in for the maximum safety of younger guests.
JUNE 2016 15Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
ADVENTURE TOURISM
BUSINESS & FINANCE
JUNE 201616 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
BUSINESS
Market IntelligenceReport
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESSData from Statistics South Africa indicates strong growth in foreign arrivals, assisted by the devaluation of the Rand. The strong growth is reflected in the arrivals at international airports and is starting to be reflected in the hotel occupancies and achieved rates. Tourism enterprises should utilise this recovery period to recover previous losses but should be cautious not to rely on a depreciating currency in order to be competitive. *Note that African Arrivals plus Overseas Arrivals do not add to Total Foreign Arrivals due to the exclusion of unspecified arrivals, which could not be allocated to either African or Overseas.
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The information below was extracted from data available as at 24 May 2016. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.
ARRIVALSThe latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to March 2016*:
Current period Change over same period last year
UK 147 639 14.3%
Germany 101 482 19.0%
USA 75 067 17.1%
India 19 960 16.9%
China (incl Hong Kong) 31 556 65.2%
Overseas Arrivals 685 250 13.3%
African Arrivals 2 033 232 19.6%
Total Foreign Arrivals 2 721 005 18.7%
HOTEL STATSThe latest available data from STR Global is for January to April 2016:
Current period Average Room Average Room Revenue Per Available Occupancy (ARO) Rate (ARR) Room (RevPAR)
All Hotels in SA 65.3% R 1 224 R 799
All 5-star hotels in SA 69.0% R 2 301 R 1 588
All 4-star hotels in SA 65.7% R 1 125 R 739
All 3-star hotels in SA 63.4% R 920 R 584
Change over same period last year
All Hotels in SA 4.3% 9.8% 14.5%
All 5-star hotels in SA 5.9% 12.5% 19.1%
All 4-star hotels in SA 5.5% 7.5% 13.4%
All 3-star hotels in SA 4.0% 6.0% 10.3%
ACSA DATAThe latest available data from ACSA is for April 2016:
Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on Passengers arriving on Passengers arriving on International Flights Regional Flights Domestic Flights
OR Tambo International 5.1% 3.4% 9.7%
Cape Town International 5.0% 28.9% 9.6%
King Shaka International 10.7% N/A 10.8%
CAR RENTAL DATAThe latest available data from SAVRALA is for January to June 2015:
Current period Change over same period last year
Industry rental days 8 139 127 -1%
Industry utilisation 70.2% -0.7%
Industry Average daily revenue 2 498 944 728 1%
2015 was possibly the year when the tourism industry got the most public attention after the implementation of the visa regulations. It became a major talking point and because tourism in South Africa has a class character, the class nature of the debate was raised by the main stream media.
The minute something affects the middle class and the owners of the means of production, it is forced into a national issue, whereas issues such as poverty, inequality and unemployment do not get the same gaze in the media. So the #VisaMustFall, stands side by side with #FeesMustFall and #RhodesMustFall as major issues of the year 2015.
I agree that the implementation of the visa regulation had a detrimental impact on the tourism industry of South Africa, leading to declining arrivals and this threatened the livelihood of many.
The timing of the visa regulations led to a perfect storm as the South Africa Rand was one of the most volatile currencies that depreciated against major currencies. This was an opportunity lost to market destination South Africa as being on ‘’sale’’ to attract price sensitive markets and deepen penetration in other market segments. The share of mining’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased further, whilst the commodity prices decreased. The growth rate of the economy in South Africa decreased to less than 2% and the tourism industry had a greater responsibility to play but because of the visa regulations, its developmental ability was dampened by the visa regulations. The visa regulations were relaxed after government was successfully lobbied and the government has taken steps to ensure that tourism red tape is reduced.
The Tourism BEE Act indicated that it seeks to integrate the previously disadvantaged in
FOREIGN LABOUR in the Tourism Industry
tourism as consumers and product owners and secondly, to ensure that tourism in South Africa remains globally competitive. The National Tourism Sector Strategy is very clear that South Africa must be one of the top 20 tourism destinations in the world.
Tourism destinations attracts tourism because of the positive economic impacts such as labour intensive jobs, tourism acting as a catalyst for other industries, the attraction of foreign exchange, and foreign direct investment that comes with tourism. Tourism which today attracts more foreign exchange than mining has its own gold rush. Just like the growth of mining led to an inward migration of people looking to exploit the opportunities that mining created, so too do people migrate to areas that have a lot of tourism opportunities.
According to the SARB Financial Stability Review (2015), unemployment remains one of the biggest concerns in South Africa, where more than 25 per cent remain unemployed. The biggest contributor to poverty in South Africa is rampant unemployment, feeding into the inequality levels, some of the greatest in the world. I then find it odd that the tourism industry (inclusive of hospitality) appears to have taken a position to employ foreign labour.
The employ of foreign labour is a travesty to the development potential of tourism, leading to economic leakage. The employ of foreign labour in menial jobs adds insult to injury as locals are able to do the same jobs.
Related story: Tourism & Migration - Ed.
Tourism is developed to improve the standard of living of locals, and especially their quality of life. Therefore in 2016 I call on
SATSAs CEO, David Frost to lead #ForeignLabourMustFall as he so succesfully led
#VisaMustFall.
“
“
About the Author: Unathi Sonwabile Henama teaches tourism at the Department of Tourism Management at the Tshwane University of Technology. The views expressed in this article are private. Unathi can be contacted via email at: [email protected] or by calling: +27 (0)12 382 5507.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
JUNE 2016 17Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
BUSINESS & FINANCE
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HOW TO PARTICIPATE
There are different ways in which the South African travel trade can participate in this exciting campaign:
• Host the Sunday Times team of journalists who will be generating newspaper content for the competition (provided this is in line with the competition route);
• Contribute prizes for the competition’s weekly prize draws;
• Pledge your support, and have your establishment profiled on the TOMSA website;
• Register as a TOMSA levy contributor and stand a chance of winning an advert in the Times newspaper, valued at over R200 000.
To participate, email Boitumelo Moleleki at [email protected] or contact 012-664 0120
TOMSA SET TO BOOSTDOMESTIC TOURISM
By Des Langkilde
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Launching on Sunday 26 June 2016, Finders Keepers is a new Tourism Marketing South Africa (TOMSA) promotional campaign that aims to promote domestic tourism in the country by showcasing the products of existing tourism levy contributors, and to raise industry-wide awareness about the important role of TOMSA.
This was announced during the campaign pre-launch activation at Tourism Indaba in Durban, which was hosted at the SA Tourism stand on Sunday, 8 May. The campaign will be implemented in partnership with South African Tourism (SA Tourism) and Times Media Group’s Sunday Times newspaper.
The TOMSA initiative is a Public-Private-Partnership established in 1998 between the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) and the National Department of Tourism. The initiative enables businesses in the sector to play an active role in the funding of the country’s destination marketing programs undertaken by SA Tourism. This is done through the collection and contribution of a 1% tourism levy charged on travel and tourism products and services rendered. The funds collected are administered by the TBCSA.
Currently, just 578 tourism businesses are registered with TOMSA as levy contributors. Of these, the accommodation sector is the largest contributor by number with medium to large hotel groups such as Southern Sun, Peermont, Forever Resorts, and Gooderson Leisure, having registered individual hotels. The actual number of individual collectors is: 711 in the accommodation sector, 7 car rental companies, 13 tour operators, 11 travel agents, and 5 tourism attractions (view the full list of contributors here). Despite these low numbers, they have collectively contributed in excess of R120 million towards SA Tourism’s overall destination marketing budget (approximately 10%). Imagine then what could be raised if the entire South African travel trade were to come on board the TOMSA initiative.
I spoke to one of the TOMSA levy initiators, Gail Westphal of Gooderson Leisure, who at the time was the CEO of SATSA, and is currently a TOMSA board member. “Back then (1998) South African Tourism received very little budget appropriation from government to market the destination abroad, and the private sector of tourism had very little say on how that budget was spent. We needed to contribute financially, and a 1% surcharge levied on every guests
JUNE 2016 19Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
bill seemed the best way to achieve this objective. Initially the funds raised were used for JMA’s, whereby SA Tourism matched the TOMSA budget with a call-to-action,” said Gail. “This years’ Finders Keepers campaign is an extension of that original plan, and as Gooderson Leisure we are 100% behind it.”
Speaking during the campaign pre-launch activation, TBCSA Chief Executive Officer, Mmatšatši Ramawela said the campaign is part of a broader objective to raise a level of awareness about TOMSA, whilst at the same time generate added value for businesses that support the initiative.
“Our objective in hosting the pre-launch activation of the campaign at Indaba was to generate excitement amongst tourism operators and to make them aware of the opportunities that are available for them to participate in the promotional campaign. So far, the industry’s reception of the campaign and level of response in terms of pledges to support the campaign have been overwhelming,” Ramawela said.
Operators who wish to get involved can sponsor special prizes for the weekly prize draws, pledge special travel packages that can be promoted as part of the campaign or host the team of journalists who will be covering the competition for the Sunday Times travel section. “The marketing and media profiling opportunities this campaign will generate are substantial and we are elated to see the number of operators have already come forward to pledge their support”.
The Finders Keepers competition will be in the form of a treasure-hunt and will run for 12 weeks from the launch date in June, ending in September to coincide with the sector’s Tourism Month celebrations. It is envisioned that the competition will encourage domestic travel by unravelling tourism gems across the country.
“The concept for the competition is fairly simple” explains Times Media Group’s Marketing Manager, Gail Nel. “Using clues found in the Sunday Times, competition entrants will hunt for treasure focusing on TOMSA levy contributor products across the country. Entrants will have to identify where the treasure is being hidden and answer a number of travel and tourism related questions correctly in order to proceed to the next level of the competition. Those who make it to the end will take part in the final draw for a prize worth R1 million”.
Nel says the treasure-hunt will follow a specific route, across the different Provinces,
which is designed to showcase various domestic travel and tourism offerings and attractions, particularly the ‘hidden gems’.
The paper’s travel editor, Paul Ash, reiterated: “The main aim for me is to share travel and tourism experiences, both from the mouth of the product owner and the travel consumer. Also, the value for the TOMSA levy contributor from their involvement in the campaign is incalculable. As we stop over at each establishment or tourism product along the Finders Keepers route, we will publish and showcase that product and the experience that goes with it.”
Chief Marketing Officer at South African Tourism, Margie Whitehouse, says SA Tourism is fully behind this exciting promotional campaign. “As recipients of the TOMSA tourism levy, SA Tourism fully supports the Finders Keepers competition. The competition will further encourage South Africans to travel their own country and also make South Africans proud to call this country their home. We believe it is important to build a culture of travel as there are plenty of hidden gems across all nine beautiful provinces to be uncovered. The campaign also provides the participating levy contributor with massive exposure when their tourism product is placed in the Sunday Times publication.
In closing, Ramawela said she looked forward to the campaign creating a ‘buzz’ about the significance of travel and tourism beyond Tourism Indaba; as well as the important role the private sector and consumers can play in stimulating growth – especially in terms of domestic travel. “We also hope that through this campaign, many travel and tourism product owners and service providers will see the value of TOMSA and sign up for levy contribution – thus helping us grow the funding for SA Tourism’s work of promoting our country”.
“We all know that the foundation of any successful tourism destination is its domestic market. Through this campaign we hope to demonstrate the value of TOMSA, to persuade all industry role-players to rally behind this important industry initiative and to ultimately inspire South Africans to travel and explore their own backyard”.
For more information about TOMSA and the Finders Keepers competition visit:www.tomsa.co.za
JUNE 201620 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
'Like' / 'Share' / 'Connect' with these Social Media
icons to win!
Livingston Supply Company
Tourism Tattler
Competition Rules: Only one winner will be selected each month on a random selection draw basis. The prize winner will be notified via social media. The prize will be delivered by the sponsor to the winners postal address within South Africa. Should the winner reside outside of South Africa, delivery charges may be applicable. The prize may not be exchanged for cash.
Congratulations to our May 2016 Social Media winner
Amakhosi, a 5-star and big 5 private game lodge, is situated in the heart of Zululand on the banks of the Mkuze River, on the private Amakhosi reserve in South Africa. Amakhosi will receive 1x Bormioli Moncayo Crystal Glass Ice Bucket (32oz) with Tongs plus a set of 6 Bormioli Riserva Crystal champagne glasses (20.5cl) with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.
•
For more information visit www.livingstonessupplyco.com
COMPETITIONCOMPETITION
The winning 'Like' or 'Share' during the month of June 2016 will receive 1x Kalahari Range Bath Crystals and 1x Fragrance Candle (Khoi San) with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the
Hospitality Industry.
Win
Winner
@amakhosilodge@amakhosilodge
JUNE 2016 21Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
HOSPITALITY
JUNE 201622 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
MOZAMBIQUE
HOSPITALITY
The Bahia Mar Boutique Hotel and Conference Centre is located on an amazing beachfront property in Vilanculos, in southern Mozambique.
With panoramic vistas of the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, the hotel boasts an infinity pool and bar, and elegant à la carte restaurant and fully equipped wellness centre to pamper and cater every indulgence.
The hotel consists of four separate buildings, each with two sea view bedrooms on the upper level and one beach suits on the ground level. Bahia Mar provides the choice of either a spacious, fully serviced en-suite luxury room or an optimally equipped pied à terre (French for “foot on the ground”). Friendly people, unspoiled ambiance and stunning scenery – this is Bahia Mar!
With the emphasis on style and comfort, the accommodation is both luxurious and personalised. Here you can mix and match
JUNE 2016 23Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
lodgings depending on the group size and requirements. A choice of either a spacious, fully serviced en-suite room, an optimally equipped self-catering pied à terre, or combinations of both, provides guests with a perfect base from which to explore the beauty of thesurroundings.
Activities at Bahia Mar include diving and snorkelling; fishing; traditional dhow sailing trips to the islands; kite-surfing; paddle boarding; horse riding; bird watching and many many more!
Health and well-being are also a focussed activity at Bahia Mar Club, where a holistic approach has been applied in the development of the wellness centre, which comprises a gymnasium, aerobics area, outside jaccuzzi and zen meditation garden. Relax and let our therapists pamper and spoil you!
For more info visit www.bahiamarclub.com
- The Mozambique Collection - About The Mozambique Collection
The Mozambique Collection showcases some of the most exciting, unique and intimate destinations, accentuating the variety found in Mozambique, one of Africa’s most incomparable, rapidly developing and beautiful country.
The brand brings together a collection of stunning properties working together to promote the destination. The hand picked portfolio of members each has it’s own special attractions and experiences to contribute to the plethora of adventures that the country has to offer.
The underlying principle of authentic luxury, in the true sense, resonates with all members – to offer the best possible experiences in idyllic locations, while creating a positive legacy for the local communities and environment in which they operate.
For more information visit www.mozambique-collection.org
PROPERTY PROFILE
The Bahia Mar Boutique Hotel and lodgings depending on the group size and
- Part 19 -
LEGAL
JUNE 201624 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a brief overview of legal matters pertaining to the travel and tourism industry and is not intended as legal advice. © Adv Louis Nel, 'Louis The Lawyer', June 2016.
RISK IN TOURISMTHE LAW OF CONTRACTS
HAVE THE REQUISITES BEEN MET (continued)The sixth question is whether the parties to the contract have the capacity to contract – in other words are they of age and/or they duly authorized?Something that is often glossed over is whether or not the person(s) you are dealing with has the capacity to contract or has been duly authorized by the party or parties he or she purports to represent. What we are alluding to are such matters as the age of the party, transactions on behalf companies or group bookings.As the law stands at the moment, the age at which any individual can enter into a binding contract is 18. Any agreement with a party under that age will NOT constitute a binding and legally enforceable contract unless such a party is emancipated (see below) or the parent or guardian has signed the agreement on behalf of the minor child. ‘OK’, you may be thinking, ‘This kind of thing simply does not happen’. Let me tell you, you may as well bet your bottom dollar because it does. I recently had the case of a youth booking with a Johannesburg based travel agent and travelling all over Europe. When the youth returned the travel agent approached her for payment of the balance of the trip, but no payment was forthcoming. Many telephone calls later they approached the parents who (No doubt after speaking with a friend in the legal fraternity) declined to pay, insisting that they knew nothing about it and that the travel agent’s sole right of recourse was against the child, which was of course based on a contract that was null and void!A more prevalent situation, which has criminal sanctions, is the employment of an under age (18) person. Again such a contract will not be enforceable. There is the issue of emancipation which means that a person under the age of 18 may be deemed to have reached maturity due to certain business dealings or via a court order, but it would be better not to attempt ‘going down that road’ – it is simply too complex.It is therefore imperative when you enter into ANY contract with ANY individual that you obtain a copy of their identity document. It is not only good risk management and will be crucial in the (hopefully unlikely) event that you have to trace the individual because the debt becomes bad but also good business practice. It will provide you with irrefutable proof of the person’s age and if under 18, you will have to obtain the signature of a parent or legal guardian of the person. Do NOT enter into any transaction without doing that, e.g. make reservations with airlines, hotels etc. as you will have NO right of recourse and will have to put your hand into your OWN pocket!! How many travel agents and tour operators have not been ‘stung’ when making ‘group bookings’ (By this I mean one person coming into your office purporting to represent a group of people and then making extensive holiday arrangements with you on their behalf)? Recently I had a situation of a coastal travel agency who had made extensive bookings (flights, car hire & accommodation) for overseas travel for an inland based group of people. They had been making bookings for this group over a period of years and always dealt with
Enforcing Your Contract: Homework – What To Do Before You Go Ahead
one of the customer as being the group’s (assumed) ‘duly authorized representative’. Ten days before this group was about to depart, one member of the party decided she not longer wanted to go! She conveyed this to the ‘team leader’ who in turn conveyed it to the travel agent. The latter in turn pointed out that the ‘team leader’ had signed the travel agent’s terms and conditions (‘STC’) and that these contained a cancellation provision which (penalties) the travel agent intended enforcing. Well, the customer found a clever lawyer (Please note that is not an oxymoron!) who pointed out that his client had never had sight of or signed the STC!! Oh dear! Of course he was right and some fancy footwork later we managed to negotiate a settlement but guess who lost out (by & large)? The travel agent of course!So what is the answer?• Make sure that the ‘team leader’ is ‘duly authorized’ i.e.
can present you with a document (e.g. a power of attorney) authorizing him or her to contract on behalf of the group.
• It is crucial that the power of attorney be worded as widely as possible e.g. allowing the ‘team leader’ to accept the STC, making choices about hotels, etc.
• Ensure that all your documents (especially when you are faxing) contain either the complete STC or a legally adequate reference thereto (Yours and the third party service provider’s)
• Ensure compliance with the CPA such as full disclosure, etc. (sections 41, 48, 49 & 51)
Bookings with separate legal entities such as companies, close corporations and trusts are another ‘can of worms’. Two issues are pertinent here: On the one hand the aspect of authority to bind the entity and secondly when you have an existing corporate customer who has accepted your STC due to e.g. a travel management agreement or credit application (which thus means the STC will apply to all subsequent bookings), but where individual employees (including directors) of the entity then approach the travel agent to make personal travel arrangements – RED FLAG!! Let’s deal with the first issue: no dealings with a party purporting to represent ‘the entity’ will be legally binding and enforceable against the entity unless the party is duly authorized to do so. If not your sole right of recourse will be against the individual and that can be messy! By the same token regarding the second issue, do NOT assume the STC accepted by the entity will be enforceable against the individuals booking for their personal travel! A couple of years ago I had a situation where directors of a ‘blue chip’ client approached the in-house travel agency to make bookings for hotels in Cardiff for the (then) Rugby World Cup. The travel agent assumed their STC and that of the hotel applied and happily made the reservations. When they wanted to cancel at ‘the 11th hour’, the travel agent tried to rely on the cancellation provisions in the STC and hotel booking form – NO LUCK! Now, if you ever had to negotiate a ‘messy’ settlement, this was one! Why? Not only because none of the STC were applicable but mainly because the travel agent was ‘caught between a rock and a hard place’: lose the ‘blue chip’ client or settle!! Capisce? The CPA also addressed this aspect i.e. the consumer who is the so-called end-user and linked to this the (Completely incorrect) perception that the CPA does (never) apply to juristic persons (such as the above) if the turn-over or asset value is in excess of R2m! So what is the answer?• Make sure the individual who purports to represent the entity is
‘duly authorized’.• The resolution must be adequately worded (see above re groups)• If it turns out that the individual actually wants to make a personal
booking, ensure that he or she signs and accepts the STC (Yours and the third party service provider’s) in his/her personal capacity!
• Do NOT try to rely on ‘ostensible authority’ i.e. due to the person’s position in the entity e.g. general manager you assumed he or she had authority – it is ‘tricky’ and expensive to prove.
JUNE 2016 25Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
DEFINITIONS
Before we start on this series of articles relating to the legal aspects associated with operating an adventure tourism business, we need to clarify what the term ‘Adventure Tourism’ entails. There are a variety of definitions but the key elements seem to be incorporated in the following definitions:
Adventure travel is a type of tourism, involving exploration or travel with perceived (and possibly actual) risk, and potentially requiring specialized skills and physical exertion. Adventure tourism has grown in recent decades, as tourists seek different kinds of vacations, but measurement of market size and growth is hampered by the lack of a clear operational definition. According to the U.S. based Adventure Travel Trade Association, adventure travel may be any tourist activity that includes the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange and connection with nature. Source: Wikipedia.
The above is expounded more graphically in the following definition:
Adventure Tourism may be defined as a leisure activity that takes place in an unusual, exotic, remote, or wilderness destination and tends to be associated with high levels of involvement and activity by the participants, most of it outdoors. Adventure travellers are explorers of both an outer world, especially the unspoiled, exotic parts of our planet and an inner world of personal challenge, self perception and self mastery.Source: Thompson Rivers University.
Derivatives of the above include ‘Disaster tourism’ i.e. the act of travelling to a disaster area as a matter of curiosity (Remember the movie ‘Twister’?) and
ADVENTURETOURISMfrom a legal perspective
This series of articles explores the legal aspects
associated with the risks of operating an adventure
tourism business, with specific relevance to the legal framework
applicable to South Africa.
‘Extreme tourism’ which involves travel to dangerous (extreme) locations or participation in dangerous events or activities (Wikipedia) and participation can be guided (professional guide) or self-guided, with or without commercial operator.
ACTIVITIES
There are a number of activities that are deemed to comprise adventure tourism and here are a few examples (from Wikipedia, R. Buckley & Johan Ratcliffe of ‘Dirty Boots’):• Back Packing (including ‘Slackpacking’)• Biking – Mtb or Motorized• Boat Trips• Bungee Jumping• Canoeing & Kayaking• Experiential Travel• Horse Riding• Hot Air Ballooning• Mountaineering• Parachuting & Paragliding• Rafting (Including White Water)• Safari – On Foot (Guided Trails)• Shark Tourism• Skiing & Snowboarding (including ‘Heli-
skiing’)• Tunnel Tourism• Wildlife Watching• Zip Lining.
CATEGORIES
Broadly speaking, the following appears to be the generally accepted categories of adventure tourism but clearly some of these can over-lap:
SOFT– This is for non-adrenaline junkies and families and would include adventure holidays e.g. canopy tours.
NATURE BASED – Elephant walks, gorilla tracking and swimming with Dolphins.
HARD/EXTREME – A higher element of risk and professionalism is involved.
To be continued.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a brief overview of legal matters pertaining to the tadventure tourism industry and is not intended as legal advice. © Adv Louis Nel, 'Louis The Lawyer', June 2016.
Part 1
By ‘Louis The Lawyer’
Image courtesy of Canopy Tours
MARKETING
JUNE 201626 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
MARKETING
JUNE 2016 27Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
South African hotels continue to lag behind their global peers in adopting technology to meet increasingly sophisticated customer demands. These hotels risk being cut adrift in a digital economy, according to Grant Thornton.
Gillian Saunders, Head of Advisory Services at Grant Thornton South Africa and Global leader for travel, tourism and leisure for Grant Thornton said the firm’s latest research indicated an urgent need for hotel and tourism companies to leverage cutting-edge technology, in order to personalise the customer experience, but always in balance with the traditional human touch.
“My team has surveyed the various online application stores including Google Play and Apple Store and we could find only one app from the South African hotel chains. What the industry needs to realise is that in the modern digital economy, business travellers in particular expect convenient mobile services and options which is something that the South African hotel industry is yet to grasp.
“While we don’t expect local hotel groups to have complete end-to-end solutions overnight it’s imperative that they have some sort of mobile friendly online presence not only to facilitate travel but to enhance the customer experience. The technology available through smart phones and tablets is growing exponentially and the market is increasingly expecting to facilitate transactions, and by extension their travel, from their mobile devices.”
With separate research showing that plans to boost R&D spend are low across the global tourism industry, and as Airbnb’s success shows no signs of abating, Grant Thornton warns that firms who fail to act on personalisation enabled through digital risk being cut adrift and growth could suffer as a result.
A new report from Grant Thornton, ‘The power of Personalisation: Hotels’ roadmap to 2020’, identifies key pressures
SA HOTELSMOBILE TECHLag Behind Global Peers in
facing hotels today include the growth of sharing economy providers, the increasing influence of online travel agents in the booking process, and the rapidly evolving needs and expectations of guests.
In addition to personalisation, the industry will be forced to consider new business models or respond to those disruptors entering their space with new business models. It will be critical to adapt to a fluid environment where disruption is inevitable. The changing nature of the hotel industry is evident in global statistics that indicate: • Two million listings on Airbnb, which is
increasingly setting its sights on business travellers;
• US $335bn projected value of the sharing economy by 2025, up from $40bn in 2014; and
• US$14.4bn value of Marriott International’s acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in March 2016.
Saunders noted that Airbnb had more than 21,000* listings in South Africa making it a significant player in the market and in some instances real competition to the traditional hotels. *i.e rooms, not properties - Ed.
She said that innovation in the sector could encompass radical shifts; incremental change or a blend of both.
Saunders cited Marriot’s new room entertainment services in partnership with Netflix and Virgin’s new bed design that accommodates laptops for business travellers as key international examples of how much innovation is currently taking place.
“South African hotel groups will have to stress the advantages they have in terms of better services and facilities; security, consistency and certainty and they will need to communicate these effectively. Radical shifts such as exploring partnerships with the likes of Airbnb as well as introducing new flexible pricing structures and creating internal innovation teams would assist hotel brands to be relevant going forward.”
For more info visit www.grantthornton.co.za
SAFETY & SECURITY
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The hotel industry goes hand in hand with excellent security, as it is an integral part of the hotel’s success. In modern day, hotels invest heavily in security measures, given that lack of it can render both guests and staff susceptible to a glut of perils; not to mention damaging the hotel’s repute. Nevertheless, hotels offering accommodation in high security threat regions, despite their in-house acquiescence such as use of CCTV and camera control, face pervasive risks which require professional handling to avoid escalation.
The recent attack by al-Qaida at a beach in Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast, was a big blow to the West African country’s hotel industry, with effects likely to foil the government’s target of 1 million tourists this year. Reports show that over the past three years, the Ivorian government has invested 151 billion CFA, approximately $266,000 in hotels, in a bid to improve
TERRORISMCHALLENGES IN
By Josephine Wawira, Jovago
AFRICA
the industry and revitalize tourism. Attacks by gunmen in a hotel in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso earlier this year, plus other terrorist attacks and politically instigated conflicts across African countries such as Mali, Somalia, Burundi, Chad, South Sudan - Juba, Central African Republic and north parts of Nigeria such as Borno; continue to undermine the African efforts of tapping revenue from the hotel and tourism industries.
While combined efforts from the United Nations Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the government of Somalia and other organizations of good will to restore peace and security in the war torn country are seen to be gaining mileage, security concerns remain inevitable with frequent terrorist attacks from the notorious Al-Shabaab militant group.
Jazeera Palace Hotel is one of the most popular hotels located in Mogadishu,
Somalia. The hotel bore the weight of terror in Mogadishu after it was struck by a suicide bomber in July 2015, causing massive destruction. In the aftermath of such a major security incident, in any given scenario, causes incredible loss of property and in some cases loss of life and lifelong injuries. Huge revenues are also lost to competitors who take advantage to advance their business while the victim takes time to re-build, if at all.
Speaking to Jovago.com, Mr. Justus Kisaulu - the General Manager of Jazeera Palace Hotel, which re-opened in November 2015, notes that the security situation in Somalia and specifically Mogadishu is improving day by day. “Despite the negative publicity we get, sometimes we may go for months without any major incidence. Crime and terrorism has been largely deterred by mounting road blocks at various roads, intelligence led operation and professionally training
SAFETY & SECURITY
JUNE 2016 29Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
the police force among other measures,” he explained.
Jazeera Hotel is a proof of resilience and optimism of the hotel industry in the face of terror. The hotel’s occupancy rate remains high at roughly 80%, hosting mainly business people, government officials, government delegations, foreign diplomats and NGOs. Kisaulu acknowledges that guests remain concerned about their security when on transit, prompting Jazeera to provide armored vehicles to mitigate the level of risk.
The hotel industry in Bauchi State in Northeast Nigeria has also reached its nadir from being targeted by Boko Haram insurgents. In spite of the spate of insurgency, Bauchi is bestowed with rich natural assets, being home to Ankara National Park and some of the best accommodation facilities in the area. Juliet Okere, the manager of Polycon Guest Inn
in Bauchi, says the presence of security personnel in the recent past as a panacea to the insurgence menace has gone a long way in bringing calm in the state, thus boosting guests’ confidence to tour the area.
Remarkably, Juliet credits local Nigerians for their trust and contribution in restoring the hotel industry in the region, which has for years been debilitated by the presence of Boko Haram. While uncertainties surround the future of the industry in Bauchi and other Nigerian states such as Borno which are still writhing against the insurgents, Juliet, like many other hotel stakeholders, remains optimistic that collective efforts will show light at the end of the tunnel.
Despite the security challenges, the hotel industry is defying all odds to remain relevant and competitive. Internet uptake in these terrorism prone countries has also contributed highly to revolutionizing
the sector, with the use of online booking platforms such as Jovago and Expedia; which enable travelers to book their accommodation online. According to Jazeera’s GM, “Internet in these countries is so crucial because of the increase in International guests and does reduce human movement within the city, thus reducing risk of being targets. This is the driver of the business now and in the future.”
A report by the International peace Institute shows that, while last year saw Sub-Saharan Africa overcome a number of important challenges, it also saw the continuation and often the creation of social, political, and economic obstacles that will define the continent’s security outlook in 2016. Hopefully, concerted efforts to curtail terrorism will pave the way to writing a different script, with a positive outlook for the hotel industry in regions with high security threats.
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UNDERSTANDING Tourism TradeInsurance
Part 1 in this series covered an introduction to insurance, an outline on the EC Directive, the basics of risk management, and financial guarantees. Parts 2 and 3 looked at liability insurance, Part 4 continued the subject of liability with
specific reference to the Road Accident Fund in South Africa, and Part 5 dealt with Vehicle insurance.
- Part 6 -
TYPES OF INSURANCE
The five kinds of insurance that apply to the tourism industry:1. Financial Guarantee (Insurance Bond) - Refer January 2016 issue.2. Liability Insurance - Refer Feb, Mar & Apr 2016 issues. 3. Vehicle / Property Insurance4. Travel Insurance / Medical Rescue5. 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.
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.
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JUNE 2016 31Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
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.
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.
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.
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.
Get the Tourism Insurance Directive booklet
This article will be continued in the June 2016 edition of the Tourism Tattler, and will explain Other Business insurance applicable to the tourism trade - Ed.
DOWNLOAD (PDF - 4.4MB)www.tourismtattler.co.za/downloads/SATSA-Insurance-Directive-2015-Digital.pdf
PRINTED COPYCollect at SATSA’s offices: 3rd Floor, Petrob House, 343 Surrey Avenue, Ferndale, Johannesburgor email [email protected] (Note that a nominal fee will be charged for admin, postage or courier costs)
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JUNE 201632 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
