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NOVEMBER 2012 03SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
EDITORIAL05 From the Editors Desk / Cover Story 06 Letters to the Editor08 Competition ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOLADES10 Theuns Vivian receives doctorate 11 Trade Awards BUSINESS 12 German Travel Contracts Act FINANCE15 Strike action solution CONSERVATION16 Protecting the albatross17 More SA birds in the red EVENTS18 Indaba 2013 launches19 TAFI 2013 dates confirmed HOSPITALITY20 New tourism grading fees launched LEGAL21 From the Bench - The CPA
PUBLISHERTourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd.PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Company Reg.No.: 2006/015252/07Website: www.tourismtattler.co.za
MANAGING EDITOR Des LangkildeTel: +27 (0)87 727 8631Cell: +27 (0)82 374 7260Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080E-mail: [email protected]: tourismtattler
EDITOR Marjorie DeanTel: +27 (0)11 886 9996Fax: +27 (0)11 886 7557E-mail: [email protected] Skype: satsa-comms
ADVERTISING MANAGER Bev LangkildeTel: +27 (0)87 727 8643 Fax: +27 (0)86 656 3860Cell: +27 (0)71 224 9971E-mail: [email protected]: bevtourismtattler
SUBSCRIPTIONSEmail: [email protected] Skype: subscribetourismtattler
Issue 8 (November) 2012
The Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA)PO Box 7381, Half Way House, 1685Tel: +2711 315 2420/1Fax: +2711 315 2422Webite: www.retosa.co.za
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.
Abigail GermanyAdv. Louis Nel Des LangkildeDr. Cleo SmalDr. Elinor GarelyIngrid N Roding-Tudor
Contents
MARKETING22 Southern Africa Regional Brand
Communications and Management Strategy
26 Destination Branding29 SATSA Market Intelligence Report NICHE TOURISM30 Cruise Tourism given a boost31 Importance of Wine Tourism PROCUREMENT32 Wildlife clothing33 Gadgets & Gizmos SAFETY & SECURITY34 Cape Town boat capsizing incident RISK35 Lockton Global appoints local broker TRANSPORT36 Best of breed coaches TRADE NEWS38 Trade Snippets
12
36
Business: German Travel Contracts Act
Transport: Coach Developments
The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA)PO Box 900, Ferndale, 2160Tel: +2786 127 2872Fax: +2711 886 755Webite: www.satsa.com
Official Trade Journal of:
01 Mercedes-Benz02 Tourism Grading Council of SA04 Globe Lotter Tours04 A Heritage of African Clothing07 TOMSA
Marjorie DeanHannelie SmitMartin HatchuelMartin Jansen van VuurenNigel WillmottReinhardt Mecklenberg
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
MAGAZINE SPONSORS
SATSA PROUD SPONSOR
14 Cushman E-Z-GO20 Sani Pass Hotel & Leisure Resort21 Savage Jooste & Adams Attorneys35 SATIB Insurance Brokers40 TransMedia Barter
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22
Competition: Win 4 nights in Cape Town
Marketing: RETOSA Brand Strategy
NOVEMBER 201204 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
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EDITORIAL
From the Editor’s Desk
Cover Story
For all of us in tourism there are many new issues that have to be taken into account in the running of our businesses. Some are local, but some have their roots overseas, although they can still affect us in important ways, that can prove costly.
In this issue, we have a most insightful article on The German Travel Contract Act (PP 12-15). It makes a very important point – that while we may think that legislation passed by the European Union is then applied in the same way in all countries, this is not necessarily the case. Any tour operator/travel agent who books with you from within the EU is bound by the laws as they are applied in the country in which they do business. Therefore it is vitally important, before entering into contracts, to know what these are. As Germany is a major market for Southern Africa, please read this article carefully, as it makes some very practical suggestions.
We also operate in a global universe when it comes to marketing. Our article on Destination Marketing (pp 26-29) is written by
NOVEMBER 2012 05SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
an acknowledged expert in the field, and taken together with our reportback on the RETOSA Southern Africa Regional Brand Communications’ Strategy Workshop held recently, outlines the way we should be thinking about marketing for the future.
A long-established policy for international tourism marketing success, and one discussed in depth at the workshop, says that you brand and market the destination first. The customer is not primarily coming to YOUR establishment – he is coming to Southern Africa. So you have to get him to make that decision first. Then you can market individual countries, then regions within those countries, and then, and only then, your product. And all those marketing campaigns and all the branding have to dovetail into the package he eventually wants to buy. One great way to achieve this is by using and promoting the use of the SATSA logo by members. It is an internationally accepted brand and SATSA works closely with RETOSA as a private sector association.
As ever we have ranged far and wide to bring you the latest and best thinking on many aspects of inbound tourism in the Tattler. And there are lots of great reads besides... enjoy this great issue.
Marjorie
Our cover for this edition features Southern Africa’s most sought after luxury coach brand - Mercedes-Benz.
A specialised division within Mercedes-Benz South Africa, known as People Transport has been formed with the sole purpose of providing an integrated solution to bus and coach operators of any size or make within South Africa and the SADC (Southern African Development Community) regions. The division aims to identify, pioneer and implement continuous best practices within the people transport industry.
People Transport has formed extensive partnerships with different body builders across the country and internationally to ensure that specific customer needs on body building requirements are met. These body builders have met stringent internal and external body building requirements and as such are able to provide the best advice on any bus or coach bodybuilding that needs to be done. Bus conversions are done from a Sprinter bus, right up to the bodybuilding of super luxury coach buses. These body builders form part of the recommended body builders of buses for Mercedes-Benz South Africa.
The coach market in South Africa buys “custom- built” coaches. The coach is ordered from a Mercedes-Benz dealer, and the chassis is imported from Brazil, as a CKD (completely-knocked down kit), assembled at the Mercedes-Benz plant in East London. However, the
body of the coach is put together by one of a number of South African body suppliers to meet the customer’s specifications, such as livery, degree of luxury, “extras” such as on board toilet and kitchen, sound system and so on. That way the client has a fully hands-on approach to his vehicle and can customise it to his liking. Not every tour operator has the same needs.
Most Mercedes-Benz coach owners choose to take advantage of the CharterWay service, very flexible maintenance contracts offered by the company, with guaranteed workmanship and genuine parts, ensuring that their vehicles are at all times in tip-top condition. As an added value, the company offers training for coach drivers.
Driver development is of significant importance in the transport industry as latest
technology on modern commercial vehicles requires upgraded driver skills. FleetBoard Professional Training provides tailor made courses and programmes to achieve this goal.
A new service, just introduced, is TRUCKSTORE. Not quite what it might sound, because it was first applied to trucks, TRUCKSTORE enables trade-ins to be offered for both sellers and buyers of commercial vehicles. South Africa is the first country outside Europe to have this service. So even if you are not able to afford a brand –new Mercedes-Benz coach, you are offered the very best deal on a pre-owned product depending on availability.
Read more on pages 36 and 37.
NOVEMBER 201206 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
Dear Editor
Lack of support for small business, the big contradiction
Government has confirmed its support for SMMEs, stating its awareness that these small and medium enterprises are the answer to economic growth and job creation in South Africa and that banks and funding agencies are to assist SMMEs where possible. Where then is this support for SMMEs and how does one access it?
Vaalnest Boutique Hotel, the Gauteng winner of the 2010/2011 Entrepreneur of the Year Award (ETEYA), is an 85% black owned and managed company and the owners have invested more than R8 million into the business. Yet when applying for funding little or no response is received, despite being the Gauteng ETEYA winner.
In 2010 the hotel was given the opportunity to expand its capacity with an order that arose as the result of the World Cup. The development is zoned as Guest House Special and Other in the Midvaal Municipality. It is stated in the title deed that 50% of the land may be built up. With the extensions to the hotel, only 38% of the land would be utilised; being well within the 50% limit.
The correct avenues of approval were followed and confirmation of approval was received, yet when the manager of Vaalnest, Keith Attwell, arrived at Midvaal Municipality to collect the approved plans he was advised that it had actually not been approved as the project is too large. Vaalnest sought relief from the Head of Department at the Town Planning offices, the Mayor of Midvaal and, finally, the Premier. Vaalnest was eventually contacted by the MEC of the Housing Office who stated that the matter was being dealt with. A year and a half later the first meeting was held with the Midvaal Municipality and a representative from Gauteng Tourism, Sedibeng district. The outcome of the meeting was that the Municipality would assist Vaalnest with an application for re-zoning to hotel status.
Vaalnest now needed funding in order to finance the development of the hotel, as the window for funding from sales had lapsed. Being directed to GEDA by the head of department in the MEC’s office, an application for funding was made. A prompt response was received, an assessment was executed of the property and the site plans and a report was given confirming that the account had been handed over to the GEP. After six weeks it was established that GEP does not recognise GEDA’s assessments and a new application had to be made. After the application had been completed again, Vaalnest was advised that the GEP was taking a break from funding due to new management. Once notification was received that GEP was again supplying funding, but no response has been received to date. The frustrated management of Vaalnest has experienced similar
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
grievances with the Job Fund.
There is great disappointment in the manner in which Government has handled the various requests by Vaalnest management. Should this funding have been received, 128 permanent jobs would have been created with a further 60 temporary jobs arising and ten new businesses would have been developed in the Mamello township.
As a result of the delay in the above, Vaalnest came under financial pressure and this led to Vaalnest being put into liquidation. Notice boards were put up on the 2nd of October 2012, confirming that it would go on sale by auction on the 9th of October 2012. Despite urgent communication and requests for help sent to Sedibeng Tourism, CEO of SA Tourism, CEO of Gauteng Tourism, the MEC and HOD of Economic Development, the CEO of GEP, Chief Director Sector Transformation of the Department of Tourism and the Minister of Tourism, no response has been received. The owners of Vaalnest will have to bid on the hotel along with other buyers and invest even more money to keep their business.
Until Government takes its municipalities and Government agencies in hand, turning them around to become more competent, with faster turnaround times and more reliable systems, SMMEs will continue to fail at the current rate of 96% and South Africa’s economic and employment crises will continue on.
Ziyaad SharifKramerville
Dear Editor
The SANParks Honorary Rangers West Rand Branch have decided to stage a bicycle tour from Unions End to the Nossob Rest Camp in the Kalahari Transfrontier Park a distance of approximately 155 km during September 2013.
It is stated that an entrance fee of R4000.00 per participant is charged and the number of participants will be restricted to 50 and that this will raise R200 000.00 for conservation.
It springs to my mind that a few years ago the Honorary Rangers Lowveld (Phalaborwa) Branch arranged a sponsored fishing competition in the Reënvoël Dam south of Masorini in the Kruger National Park also to raise funds. The funds were used to repair the roof of the lapa in the Letaba rest camp staff village. Just more than 100 persons participated, my opinion about this is that it was just an outing for a selected few.
The Kalahari Transfrontier National Park is an arid park which is vulnerable to destruction and overutilisation. The roads in the KTP are terrible; not due to lack of effort by SANParks to maintain them but due to overuse. The roads are said to be graded regularly and dragged weekly, but due to the nature of the surface (loose sand) the many vehicles traversing them soon return them into the original very poor state. The Nossob Rest Camp is already short of potable water, suitable water has to be brought in by tanker.
SANParks also have plans to do even further developments in this gem, and now a bicycle tour in a conservation area - this cannot be
•
For more information visit:www.livingstonessupplyco.co.za
Win The winning letter published in the Tourism Tattler Issue 9 (December) 2012 edition will receive a copy of Dereck and Beverly Joubert’s ‘Rhino Rescue’ DVD with the compliments of Livingstones
Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.
Letters should be sent by 21 November 2012 to [email protected]
Congratulations, Ziyaad.
Your letter has been chosen as the winning letter for the November edition. A copy of National Geographic’s ‘Big Cat Odyssey’ DVD will be delivered to you with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – suppliers of the finest products to the hospitality Industry.
Ed.
This is the intimate story of hope in Africa and it surrounds the up and down tale of rhinos in Botswana. In the 1990s the Botswana Defense Force launched a massive military action to stop poaching and this marked the turning point in rhino conservation there, as they are gathered up as a national effort and secured, then brought back to the wild. It covers new behavior, adventures with lions, hyenas and elephants. It solves one of the great mysteries about rhinos and why they move away from where they are introduced and what they go in search of. The film is shot in places like Top Gun, with low angles and action sequences. At other times it is a personal story of a man who is determined to see rhinos running free in his country again and steeped in African mythology about how we, like the ancients have a connection to these animals. This heart-warming story is a personal journey and testament to the efforts of humans when we are at our best.• A Film by Derek and Beverly Joubert • Running Time: 51 minutes
NOVEMBER 2012 07SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
allowed to happen. My reason for saying this is this: imagine the number of support vehicles in this convoy transporting seconders and camping gear and medics and whoever else is required to make this idea take place.
I do not know what the costs in Rand value will be, but it should be quite hefty. Unfortunately the damage to the area cannot be determined no matter what the defenders of this venture will be saying. It is also stated that this is a once off event. If so, why at all?
You can read more about this on:http://www.roxannereid.co.za/1/post/2012/10/good-bad-or-ugly-riverbed-cycle-challenge-kgalagadi.html”http://www.roxannereid.co.za/1/post/2012/10/good-bad-or-ugly-riverbed-cycle-challenge-kgalagadi.htmland h t t p : / / w w w . s a n p a r k s . o r g / f o r u m s / v i e w t o p i c .php?f=38&t=66245”http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=66245
Gerhard SmitConvenor of the AIKONA GROUP.
Dear Editor
Further to my letter published in the October edition of the Tourism
Tattler (E-Tolls – THE STATE OF PLAY NOW), I would like to update readers following a report in The Star newspaper in October that parts of the high court review of the project to be heard in November
may be held in camera because of the fact that SANRAL may wish to retain the confidentiality of parts of the agreement.
Agreeing to keep the ETC contract confidential was the only way OUTA could have access to the contract (ETC) to prepare for its court case. This means that taxpayers may never know the full agreements and pricing surrounding e-tolling.
According to OUTA, the public have every reason to doubt the confidentiality of these contracts, barring any intellectual property. The details of the ETC contract should not be kept confidential. It is taxpayers’ money that is being used to pay the tolls so the taxpayer
should know what the money is being used for.
During the Constitutional Court hearing in September, the legal team representing the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) had made selective references to the ETC contract, which Outa had not seen. In order to see them we were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement.Sanral and National Treasury appealed against the interdict granted by the High Court in April 2012 and in September the Constitutional Court found that the High Court in Pretoria had not considered the separation of powers between the high court and the executive role of cabinet. They set aside the interdict granted by the high court which had prevented Sanral from levying or collecting e-tolls pending the outcome of the review.
OUTA is now in the final stages of preparing for the court review and believes its case is as strong as ever. Obviously, there is no guarantee and we trust that on the day, the case will be judged for what it is, that e-Tolls are irrational and too expensive for SA. Not to mention the shocking consultation process and ever changing numbers, poor preparation and inefficiency of the system.
OUTA is still in need of funding support and urges business and Individuals to contribute to the legal costs at www.outa.co.za.
The review is expected take place in the High Court in Pretoria onNovember 26.
Wayne DuvenageChairperson – OUTAwww.outa.co.za
•
COMPETITION
WINNER OF THE GOODERSONS LEISURE COMPETITION FROM THE ISSUE 7 (OCTOBER) 2012 EDITION
To enter simply ensure that you are opted-in to the Tourism Tattler mailing list by subscribing at http://www.tourismtattler.co.za/subscribe and answer the following question by email:
“What are guests offered on check-in at Camelot Spa?”
Email your answer with Mandela Rhodes Place Competition in the Subject field to [email protected] by 21 November 2012. Remember to include your contact details (Name, company trading name, telephone numbers, city/town, province and country).
The first correct entry drawn after the closing date will win 4 nights for 4 guests in a two bedroom Platinum apartment including 100mb Wi-Fi access, breakfast, dinner each night at Doppio Zero restaurant and a 60 minute Swedish massage for each guest at Camelot Spa. The value of the prize is R22,060 redeemable at Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel & Spa.
Staying at Three Cities Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel and Spa offers not only a central city location that soaks up the atmosphere of the historic part of Cape Town but offers some adrenalin-pumping ideas. If you are looking for a memorable trip to Cape Town and a hotel that thinks out of the box, then the new adventure packages, offered exclusively by this hotel, are just up your street! For adventure seekers, the action is just a hop away from the Hotel.
But if your requirement is for guests to simply relax then Camelot Spa is the ideal stress reliever. Situated within the hotel the Spa offers luxurious pampering treatments that soothe and rejuvenate. Guests are offered a complimentary Body Composition Analysis upon check-in, enabling their experienced therapists to recommend the perfect wellness treatment. The 7th floor restaurant Shandiz offers Middle - Eastern food around a glorious pool deck while on the ground level Doppio Zero caters for Italian food.
With a variety of apartments, the hotel offers full service or self catering options that make the traveller feel right at home. The friendly staff are
there to assist and “ubuntu” is the underlying philosophy of this hotel. Studio, one or two bed-roomed apartments offer flexibility while the Platinum apartments in the hotel are the ultimate in luxury. A queen-size bed in the main room and a double bed, or two single beds in the second room provides ample space for families with their own en-suite bathroom, open-plan fully equipped kitchen and lounge, entrance hall, dining room and private balcony.
Equipped with simply the best, guests can enjoy unsurpassed views of the city from their rooms and, with Table Mountain a hop away,
the Company’s Garden almost on your doorstep, the surrounding area is teeming with shops, top- class restaurants, museums, galleries and more, central city is abuzz.
The hotel offers a number of special packages, for example: Book a one or two bed-roomed apartment at STO rates and they’ll throw in free 100mb Wi-Fi per day and one Hop-on Hop-off bus ticket per person per stay plus, of course, breakfast for two. Add on the adventure package and the bicycle comes as a free add-on for a day.
For more information visit: http://www.mandelarhodesplace.co.za/The Terms and Conditions of this competition can be downloaded at:ht tp : / /www.tour i smtat t l e r. co .za /Mande laRhodesP lace -TourismTattler-Competition_TermsConditionss.pdf
Win4 Guests in Cape Town
CONGRATULATIONS to Karin Olsson, of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa whose competition entry was the first
correct entry to be drawn. Karin won a function venue hire to the value of R10,000.00 at Fabz Garden Hotel & Conference Centre with the compliments of Goodersons Leisure.
For more information visit: http://goodersonleisure.co.za/
With
the
com
plim
ents
of:
4 Nights for
READER COMPETITION
NOVEMBER 201208 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
NOVEMBER 2012 09SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
To find out more about TOMSA please visit our website at
www.tomsa.co.za
Tourism Marketing South Africa (TOMSA) is a private sector initiative, set up in 1999 to raise additional funds for the marketing of destination SA. This is done by collecting a 1% Tourism Levy from tourists by Travel and Tourism service providers on a voluntary basis.
By collecting just 1% from tourists since 1999, our levy collectors have contributed more than 1/2 billion rand to market South Africa and more than R100 million in 2011 alone!
The benefits of TOMSA do not end with the millions of Rands of additional marketing that can be conducted to promote SA and your business directly. By being a TOMSA levy collector you also receive very valuable benefits that are only available to our levy collectors.
•TOMSA levy collectors who are also graded receive a 10% discount on Indaba exhibition rates (main stand holders)
•10% discount on Grading Council fees if you are a levy collector in good standing and also graded. TOMSA collectors who have not been graded since 1 October 2011 receive the following discounts:
o Year 1 – 25% per centum o Year 2 – 15% per centum o Year 3 – 10% per centum•3% BEE score in terms of the Tourism Charter•Provide input and receive feedback about the SA Tourism Annual Performance Planning Process•Receive preferential profiling to all graded collectors in all accommodation listings on the SA Tourism website•SA Tourism will give preference to TOMSA Levy collectors when selecting product owners to participate in trade
shows and services provided to overseas visitors and SAT sponsored familiarization trips.
ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOLADES
NOVEMBER 201210 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
You don’t get Doctors of Tourism in every guesthouse. Especially for smaller businesses, the title of Dr. Vivian’s thesis must draw immediate attention: ‘Tourism business growth with specific reference to black economic empowerment in the tour operating sub sector in South Africa’.
Just a quick bit of background: Theuns, who currently works for the City of Cape Town as its Destination Development Manager, has a BEcon from the University of Stellenbosch (1984), a BCom honours from Unisa (1987) and an MCom from Stellenbosch (2000) - and he is also the holder of a Good Samaritan Award (from the then Minister for Tourism, Pallo Jordan) for his dedication and commitment to tourism and the people of South Africa. His master’s thesis was titled ‘Increased tourism flow through utilisation of excess capacity in air transport’.
And when I asked him how me managed all this – he’s married with children - he said, “Through this long and hard struggle I developed my own bit of wisdom: To be successful, you need at least one person to believe in you... even if it’s just yourself.”
For his doctorate, he studied the level of black economic empowerment (BEE) amongst tour operators, and also tried to determine measures that would expedite the establishment of BEE in the sub-sector. “My research indicates that the vast majority of tour operators in South Africa are small businesses - with 62,3% reporting turnovers of R 2,5 million or less per annum, and 63,9% indicating that they employ two people or less. Only 14,3% of respondents were 100% black owned” he said.
He said that the size of the enterprises he studied makes it difficult for them to attract investment or for them to involve previously disadvantaged individuals (PDIs), since it’s almost impossible to offer equity or stock options - and these are important vehicles for bringing PDIs into positions of ownership.
“72% of respondents indicated that they support BEE in principle, but only 61,8% of them have been able to implement any of the seven pillars of BEE scorecard, and the degrees of implementation vary according to the different components of the scorecard.”
In the scorecard - unlike in narrow-based economic empowerment models - equity ownership counts for 20%, while management counts for 10%. The other five pillars of the scorecard – the indirect empowerment pillars – are employment equity (15%); skills development (15%); preferential procurement (20%); enterprise development (15%) and socio-economic development (5%).
“Not surprisingly, the procurement and social investment pillars achieved the best results,” said Theuns.
Doctoral thesis questions the mechanisms of BEE in
tourism Congratulations to Theuns Vivian – readers in the Western Cape might remember him as the general manager of the old Western Cape Tourism Board – who received his doctorate (DTech) in Tourism & Hospitality Management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology on 21 September, writes
Martin Hatchuel.
In general, he believes that his findings might be a little controversial, “Because it’s about a principle, and the fact is that people like to apply principles when it suits them. In fact, BEE is not a punitive measure – it’s a new opportunity to expand into new markets. In order to grow the tour-operator sub-sector and create opportunities for the expansion of BEE, government needs to provide training and education as well as dedicated incentives to help gain access to markets and capital.
“The thing is, though, that the bulk of the people I interviewed have not made use of the existing incentive schemes because they’re looking for finance for marketing – and this is where SA Tourism and similar provincial bodies have such an important role to play.
“It isn’t government’s job to create and sell things like packages: government’s job is to create an enabling environment in which the operators can do that – and that often means subsidising the cost of trade shows. The second point that seems clear to me is that we’re making a big mistake by looking only at the numbers in BEE – we’re not comparing apples with apples. There’s a lot of good will amongst small operators, which are predominantly white-owned. They do a lot of work in their communities, and they usually source from local suppliers wherever they can. But it’s difficult and expensive for them to comply – or even to measure their compliance. There are so many entities to which they need to subscribe – the Tourism Grading Council, the green labels – that if government wants the operators to verify their BEE status, it needs to subsidise the process heavily”.
Theuns’ research questions the suitability of all the pillars of the tourism BEE scorecard – because, he said, the scorecard was written for big business, who have the means and the expertise to put BEE into practice.
Theuns also posed a question which must be on the minds of many small business owners: “If BEE and equity are the principles through which you provide PDIs with a slice of the cake – does the principle apply to 100% black-owned businesses too? You can’t have an obligation that affects only one section of the economy,” he said.
So what’s the answer if we want to see BEE really take off?
“We need to relook at the score card but the bottom line is that we need growth. Government’s package of incentives should strive to support this to enable expansion of business, the development of start-ups, the effective implementation of BEE, and so forth. If we merely switch the hands of ownership, the nett effect won’t bring change to South Africa. Look at Malaysia - they achieved their equivalent of BEE in a much shorter time than planned, and they ascribe this to massive growth. But how we achieve that – well, that wasn’t part of this study” said Theuns.
Martin Hatchuel is the author of This Tourism Week http://www.thistourismweek.co.za/
Legend Golf & Safari Resort wins double gold
For the fourth year running Legend Golf & Safari Resort has won double gold at the prestigious World Travel Awards. The resort has been named Africa’s Leading
Sports Resort and South Africa’s Leading Golf Resort.
Peet Cilliers, CEO of Legend Lodges, Hotels & Resorts, said: “To our staff, visitors, colleagues in the industry, suppliers and business partners we have a simple message. We are doing what we have said we will do and will continue to do it – to be the best. We will drive new ideas and innovations to new levels to continue to create the finest resort in Africa.”
For more information visit: www.legendgolfsafari.com
Gondwana wins ‘South Africa’s Leading Nature Experience’
On winning the award at the World Travel Awards, Mark Rutherford, owner of Gondwana Game Reserve said; “We have made a concerted effort to develop and promote Gondwana’s
complete nature experience beyond the wildlife and game drive experience. The reserve’s 1000-hectare protected area gives us a fantastic facility to get up close and personal with nature whether on horseback, on foot or on bike. We are truly fortunate that the reserve is situated in a Fynbos biome and feel honoured that we can help protect the critically endangered Cape Floral Kingdom.”
For more information visit: http://www.gondwanagr.co.za/
&Beyond wins five World Travel Awards
The company was named both Africa’s Leading Responsible Tourism Company and Africa’s Leading Game Reserve Brand. In addition, &Beyond Ngala Private Game Reserve was recognised as South Africa’s Leading Safari Lodge, while &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge was honoured as Botswana’s Leading Safari Lodge and &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge was named Tanzania’s Leading Safari Lodge.
“Guided by our core ethic of Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People for more than twenty years, &Beyond has a proud history as a pioneer in innovative conservation and sustainability,” says Joss Kent, &Beyond CEO.
For more information visit: http://www.andbeyond.com/
ACHIEVEMENTS & ACCOLADES
NOVEMBER 2012 11SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
Kenya Tourism Board voted Africa’s leading Tourism Board
Kenya’s coveted World Travel Award places the country in the limelight as a tourist destination having beaten South Africa which has been topping for the last four years. Other African countries which competed with Kenya included Egypt, Namibia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Morocco among others.
“Kenya stood out for its sustained innovative and cutting edge marketing campaigns targeting both the traditional and new niche market segments, in an increasingly competitive global tourism industry,” says KTB Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa.
For more information visit: www.magicalkenya.com
Fancourt Singled Out Among World’s Top 10 Golf Resorts On Leading International Travel Website
The Garden Route’s top leisure and lifestyle destination was singled out among the world’s 10 Best Golf Resorts on CNNGO, the online travel hub of Cable Network News (CNN), the world’s highest rated and most widely available cable news channel.
Says Fancourt Director of Sales and Marketing, Carl Reinders: ‘We are delighted with this international recognition of our golf and hospitality offering. It’s especially rewarding to be handpicked among all the golf resorts globally, and this kind of acknowledgement spurs us on to continually refine our services and facilities. This is a very proud occasion.’
For more information visit: http://www.fancourt.co.za/
International accolades for Uthando
At the 73rd Skål International World Congress in South Korea - Uthando was named the winner
of a prestigious Sustainable Development in Tourism Award in the category ‘Cities - Villages (Community and Government Projects).’
In addition, Uthando has emerged as a finalist in the 2012 Safari Awards to be announced on the 5th of November in London. Uthando also received a certificate of excellence from Trip Advisor for the feedback received from guests on our tours.
For more information visit: http://www.uthandosa.org/
African Pride Melrose Arch Hotel wins Taste Of Joburg
The hotel’s culinary team led by Executive Chef Hanroe Erasmus won the best dish award at the Taste of Joburg in October, beating chefs from 13 other top eateries, including three-time winner and Masterchef SA judge Andrew Atkinson. Erasmus’ Kudu Wellington with baby spring vegetables and a port jus came out tops after voting by the 22 000 discerning members of the public who attended the 6th annual event held at Montecasino.
A delighted Erasmus said he was humbled and gratified by the award. “The Kudu Wellington is a dish that I worked at perfecting for a long time, and I think what we presented at the Taste of Joburg Festival made all the hard work worth it.”
For more information visit: http://www.africanpridehotels.com/melrose-arch-hotel.html
BUSINESS
NOVEMBER 201212 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
Is there any obligation for S. A. firms to accept German Law?
As a tour operator, hotel or lodge owner based in Southern Africa, obviously YOUR rules and regulations apply. There is absolutely no obligation on you to accept the terms and conditions pertaining to a foreign country’s law. Your services are rendered in Southern Africa and they are under the jurisdiction of YOUR country’s Law. The only time where I doubt that you can bank on your local law, is when you contract out of negligence. I guess Common Law Rights would apply in case of a dispute. Having said that, please appreciate that the foreign tour operator that markets your product abroad has to adhere to the rules and regulations that are applicable in the country where their business is registered. And should you believe that the often quoted EU directive number 90/314/EWG dated 13thJuly 1990 has been implemented in all EU member states, I have to disappoint you - implementation of the EU directive (not law, mind you), is totally different between Helsinki and Palermo. The implementation of EU-wide Cancellation & No Show Fee regulations pertaining to package tours has been left to the individual. EU member countries EU Quote: Member States should be at liberty to adopt, or retain, more stringent provisions relating to package travel for the purpose ofprotecting the consumer. Unquote. Germany has chosen the “more stringent provisions”.
Your Mediating Clause is verboten in Europe
One matter, however, on which all EU member countries - plus Switzerland - seem to have agreed upon, is the fact that no tour operator or travel agent may hide behind the mediating clause, e.g.:
“We are not responsible for “this and that”, and our arrangements are subject to the conditions imposed on us by the relevant third parties, acting as our agents.”
In EU-land: The party that collects the money from the consumer is responsible.
Terms & Conditions in Tour catalogues are regulated by Civil Law
Our powerful consumer protection organisations always insist on the maximum advantage for the end user. In Germany, advertising is regulated within two systems: statutory rules and self-regulatory codes. The codes mainly cover questions of taste and decency and some specific types of advertising, e. g. aiming at children, concerning alcohol and car advertising, and are dealt with by the
While reading this article concerning the German Travel Contracts Act and the relevant Consumer Protection issues, kindly note that I am not a professional Legal Eagle - my views are the result of “donkey’s years” of hands-on experience in circumventing detrimental European Union trade barriers, and is presented as an unbiased and (hopefully) understandable background to information
concerning these tricky regulations, writes Reinhart Mecklenburg.
An unofficial guide to:The German Travel
Contracts Act
German Advertising Council (Deutscher Werberat). Other matters, such as misleading statements, sales promotions, prize competitions, unfair marketing practices, price labelling and shop opening hours are regulated by law. Consequently the “terms & conditions” published by German tour operators are indeed regulated by Civil Law. (Not EU)
Meet the “Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition”
The most important law concerning advertising is the Act against Unfair Competition (Gesetzgegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb). It is part of civil law. Accordingly competitors, certain trade associations, chambers of commerce and consumer associations are authorised to enforce statutory law if competition rules are infringed. The most acrimonious institution which has a formal, i.e. judicially authorised, right to initiate legal action against those who infringe laws concerning unfair competition is the Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition. And that’s the very organisation that presently donners the poor German tour operators and travel agents!
“Unflippingbelievable”
Consumer protection organisations have ruled that it is against the law when a tour operator publishes a late cancellation/no show fee of 100%. Allegedly even though the terms & conditions specifically say that such a tough cancellation fee is exceptional, and only applicable to certain named lodges, trains, and government rest camps – who in turn – impose such a regulation on the tour operator. In fact that particular rule has existed for many years and most German tour operators are adhering to it. Most – definitely not all!
Some operators – especially scheduled group tour operators – may have concluded special deals with their African suppliers and are able to publish late cancellation fees ( = 7 days to No Show) of as low as 60% of the tour price. However, some large operators and numerous smaller boutique-like destination specialists without any in-house legal departments fall short of adhering to the law – by mistake and not by purpose. Now many of them have to face costly official warnings (Abmahnungen) from the Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition. Why, you may ask, does the Centre for Protection, etc. concentrate so much on our sunshine trade? I am not sure. Perhaps the present recession leads to a much rougher business climate and some operator predators try to intimidate their competitor(s) by launching complaints with the consumer protection associations?
NOVEMBER 2012 13SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
BUSINESS
A very expensive experience
A German tour operator that gets caught has to pay the “admin” penalty immediately, sign and return a cease and desist document (Unterlassungserklärung), and delete/amend all “faulty” text copies in his catalogues and website presentations forthwith. Should the inspectors find a catalogue or a website that has not been amended as ordered, the tour operator has to pay a further penalty of 4.000 Euro. The problem is that the guns seem to be directed against the travel trade right now. It is the most critical time of the year, because all the brand new catalogues are being launched. It could well be that hundreds of thousands of allegedly “illegal” tour catalogues have to be destroyed and reprinted with the correct wording. Thinking of it: Perhaps it’s the ailing printing industry that is behind the present wave of accusations?
The tour operator’s right to cancel a tour due to lack of sufficient participation
Official warnings have recently been served on several tour operator colleagues who omitted to inform the consumer of their detailed minimum participation conditions. It is NOT sufficient to state on the “General Terms & Conditions” pages - mostly in the back section of a brochure - that the tour operator reserves the right to cancel a tour 25 days prior to departure if the required minimum number of XYZ pax has not been achieved by that date. Instead a detailed explanation has to appear on the very page (print as well as web) where itinerary & price are shown. Even well established tour operators fail to provide this information in their catalogues. The risk of being punished by the Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition is extremely high.
Indemnity Forms
In terms of German Civil Law the consumer enters into a contract with his tour operator – not with the retail travel agent where he books the tour, and certainly not with you as the service supplier in Southern Africa. Even if a German guest signs one of those famous “we are not responsible for” forms at a safari lodge, such a document has no legal consequence in terms of the customer’s rights back home. His “contract of carriage” has been entered into with his German tour operator. In the event that a package tour tourist who claims that he/she was not properly informed by his/her German tour operator that dangerous animals may walk around the swimming pool area, he/she can sue his tour operator in the event that his/her hairy leg has been bitten off by a hyena.
So what’s all the fuss about that German Travel Law?
Basically the “German Travel Contracts Act” (Reisevertragsrecht) is a set of very stringent regulations protecting the tourist against problems that may arise on a package holiday. I underline the word “package”, because in the event of a consumer booking a service directly with you, no German consumer protection law applies. Also of importance is the definition of a package holiday: Any two services (like airline and hotel) sold to a customer at a combined tour price is regarded as “package tour”. The trick of issuing two separate invoices - one for the land arrangement and one for the air ticket has been tried a lot – no chance! And if an over enthusiastic retail agent still dares to put a package tour together he/she is liable to a fine of € 10.000. On top of that the poor guy is fully liable for any problem that might happen on tour.
Anyone with a PC and a 220V power supply can start a tour operating business
Only registered tour operators are permitted to market and sell packages. “Registered” means that a would-be tour operator only
has to show proof of a valid insolvency insurance. In contrast to the UK, where registered (ATOL) operators have to cough up an expensive bond guarantee, any German based Tom, Dick, Fritz & Abdul can open a tour operating business over night. No experience needed, no Pty Limited (GmbH) registration needed and no bond required. Just a valid insolvency insurance – that’s basically it. For low volume and ad hoc operators, insolvency insurance cover is available at about €400 premium per year. In Germany we are light years behind the British Bonding System. So – admittedly – there is some plausible justification for the activities of the Watchdog Association. In fact they also check whether shower lotions contain cancer causing chemicals, and whether the dosage of urine in a public pool is above the permitted limit. In all fairness - let’s accord them their raison d’etre.
Again: Does this law affect Southern African Suppliers?
From a legal point of view: Not at all! But be aware: From a German tour operator’s point of view it means that he will choose his African partners very carefully indeed. The guys will ask you for your third party and passenger liability insurance, check whether your cars/buses have permits to carry fare paying passengers, that driving hours without regulated rests for the driver are not exceeded and if your fire extinguisher has been regularly serviced. Accommodation establishments will need to ensure that their public liability insurance covers them adequately against claims resulting from faulty equipment, slippery pool surfaces, food contamination, noise, flooding, electrical failure etc. As mentioned before: The convenient mediating clause is illegal. Hence the German tour operator is fully responsible for the services rendered by his partners and their subcontractors in Southern Africa.
No wonder that most German tour operators prefer to cooperate with partners who are aware of Germany’s tough legal requirements and whose terms & conditions are as compatible as possible with the rules and regulations in the source market.
True: It’s not the number one selection criteria, but it certainly disadvantages a supplier that sticks to his 100% cancellation charge strategy, whilst his competitor offers more relaxed cancellation conditions.
Cancellation and No Show Charges
The most commonly used terms are shown below. They also apply for “critical”* Game Reserves, Safari Lodges, Fly-In Safaris and Luxury Train Operators. As a waterproof industry example the following scale of charges has been taken from the DERTOUR Africa catalogue2009/10:• until 45 days before departure 15% of the tour price• 44 to 30 days before departure 25% of the tour price• 29 to 22 days before departure 50% of the tour price• from 21 to 0 days before departure 80% of the tour price.
*The majority of what I have termed “critical suppliers” usually insist on a 100% late cancellation and/or No Show fee. Well informed DMC’s are familiar with the German consumer protection laws. They can, of course, successfully convince such “critical suppliers” to restructure their conditions in accordance with the market requirements at the point of purchase.
Clever clogs can get away with peanuts
If a clever clog tourist proves to his German tour operator that the seat (bed) which he/she cancelled at short notice was sold by you to another person, he/she can get away with a tiny handling fee instead of a fixed cancellation fee. Law and justice aren’t the same!
BUSINESS
NOVEMBER 201214 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
Of course there are loopholes and exceptions to the rules
For example if a tour operator proves beyond doubt that his admin and other charges have been higher than above “averages”, he can charge more. He has to mention this clause in his terms, of course. However, this is a terribly time consuming nuisance and tour operators try to avoid this at all costs. The law maintains that any published tour price is inflated by 25% to 30% for profit and commission payments – and those two ingredients are not accepted as “cost items”. The law makers ignored the fact that a cancelled pax has incurred as much in marketing costs, working time and processing costs, perhaps even more, than a “regular” client. Believe me: Every one hates cancellations and no one aims at making an unfair profit from this. In any case: Most long haul travellers take out a cancellation insurance. So the whole issue isn’t really such a big deal after all.
OK then: 100% Cancellation Charges are illegal in Germany. But where do you actually draw the line: 99%, 97%, 95%, 93%, 91%? One of Germany’s most respected lawyers – specialised on the travel law – claims that everything above 90% is subject to legal interference from the Centre for Protection against Unfair Competition. And he added: “Don’t be silly and provoke these guys by publishing anything higher than 90%.” In any case, our debate isn’t really about “how many percent”, but rather about a reasonable “Win-Win” compromise, tailored to the specific needs of the relevant tour operator. Group tour operators and Incentive organisers certainly have different priorities to FIT specialists.
Payment regulations
In general a tour operator is not permitted to charge more than 20% of the tour price at the time of booking, provided the date of travel
is further away than approximately 1 month. In case of a booking between 30 days and 1 day prior to departure, he can usually charge 100% of the tour price. Payments for package travel made by a consumer in a retail travel agency, normally goes directly to the tour operator and NOT to the retail agent (who might go bankrupt after cashing in!). Hence the good old days, when retail travel agents lived off the “transit cash flow” are gone! They normally claim their commission in the month after the departure date.
Alterations and amendments
In essence there is NO CHANCE to alter or amend price and product of a “brochurized” product without the risk of being sued. What’s printed in the brochure is “claimable”. Period!
Last year the legislator permitted people to change catalogue prices if the operator can prove that the hotel room or tour which the clients wants to book is no longer available under the negotiated free sale agreement, and that consequently a new booking – at a different price - has to be made. Not a huge improvement, but in times of flexible website presentations it’s about time that the legislator understands that printed brochures cannot be treated differently to websites.
Justified price changes
Not withstanding the above - German tour operators can only alter a price when the time lapse between date of booking and date of departure is longer than four months. Should a price hike be higher than 5% the client is entitled to cancel free of charge. Under certain conditions – like a sudden VAT increase – the relevant price difference may be collected up to 21 days prior to departure. After this deadline it is almost impossible to pass on any increases.
Advertise the JNB/CPT flight on SAA – but fly the pax on 1-Time Airlines
By law German operators are NOT permitted to exchange one carrier for another without prior notice. And if a change becomes necessary the agent has to come up with a very good reason for the change. Even the type of aircraft can be part and parcel of the contract. If we say in the brochure that you fly from Eros to Etosha in a Cessna 210, and the tourist has to board a Piper, you can expect a “money back complaint”, because in a Cessna the tourie sits under the wings and can take mooi photos, whilst in a Piper all he sees is a shaky piece of aluminium. Indeed a 100% correct and honest product description and the relevant product delivery is of utmost importance.
Conclusion
Apply the good old Southern African pragmatic approach! My win-win suggestion to solve any possible problems is that you certainly don’t change your “normal” terms and conditions that are valid for all markets - worldwide.
However, and only on request, PLEASE consider to agree to a “side letter” for your German partners, reducing pax fees to a mutually acceptable level.
I sincerely hope that I haven’t discouraged you from penetrating the German market. Please don’t worry too much about all those strange laws, rules and regulations. Southern Africa has very unique products at affordable prices – and at the end of the day: That’s what really counts.
Reinhart Mecklenburg is a director of AfroSales Tourism Marketing Services – contact: [email protected] or visit: http://www.afrosales.de
CENTURIONTelephone: +27 (12) 653 8945Email: [email protected]
CAPE TOWNTelephone: +27 (21) 905 0242Email: [email protected]
GEORGETelephone: +27 (44) 874 5041Email: [email protected]
DURBANTelephone: +27 (82) 781 6839Email: [email protected]
© 2012 E-Z-GO All rigts reserved.
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FINANCE
At the heart of strike action:
Money and Financial Education
Let me first start off by saying that this article does not condone nor support strikes in any way. This is not a debate about whether or not strikers are paid too littel or about what a living wage is. How much is enough? R10,000pm, R15,000pm…maybe in excess of R20,000pm – who decides how much is enough and on what do you base
the benchmark? asksNigel Willmott, CFP® professional.
My concern is more about what unions, employers and government are doing to help educate people about money. It is all very well that people get paid more, my concern is what people do with the money that they earn, no matter how much they earn.
Just because you may earn more doesn’t mean that miraculously your life will change. I have watched the media coverage of the strike action, listened to what the strikers have had to say and listened to their demands. Yes, maybe some of what has been said about living conditions and living wages in some instances may be true but what I have not seen much coverage about is how people [and the strikers] go about their daily lives, and how they use [and often squander] money.
Many of the strikers [miners, truckers, textile workers and so on] are heavily indebted. Many of the strikers and indeed the South African population at large are beginning to rack up dangerously high levels of unsecured debt and credit. Yes, some may argue that because they earn so little they need a little credit to close the gap at the end of the month.
Maybe so, but many people exhibit poor personal financial habits in the first instance such as “I want it now”, gambling, greed, materialism and so on. Many people land up in debt because they have abused money. Our debt predicament is often self-inflicted and as we are not prepared to change our lifestyle or our bad habits then we just spiral further into the debt trap.
Who can then turn around and blame the employer when you are equally guilty of not looking after yourself financially by doing what you can in the bargain? It is all very well blaming the employer for your predicament and blaming the past and everybody else under the sun but at the end of the day Joe Public South Africa is also going to have to take half of the blame for the predicament that he/she is in.
Nigel Willmott CFP® is the Managing Director of motivate | today, an independent holistic financial life skills company focused on the financial education needs of employer groups, universities and schools.
For further information visit: www.motivatetoday.co.za
NOVEMBER 2012 15SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
So when we waste money on material objects, booze, social addictions, gambling, second and third girlfriends, mistresses and so on, are we going say that it is the employer’s fault? Certainly not, we are going to have to get honest and say, “It also starts with me”.
The South African public desperately needs many life skills. Personal financial life skills are one of these critical life skills that are needed. If people, as a start, could just master the art of running a successful personal household budget by managing their income and their expenditure then we would start to see a decrease in the dependency on credit. If we wean ourselves off our dependency on credit and we begin to free up cash flow then we can begin to move forward and save. By saving and investing we can begin to set short, medium and longer term financial and life goals. This is when we begin to break the poverty cycle and we begin to achieve financial freedom.
Make personal financial education a priority. Remember, financial freedom, in part, starts with you. Take a good hard long look in the mirror – are you perfect and faultless or are there things that YOU can do right now to make a difference in your life?
Financial Freedom is not about how much you earn but more about how much you have left over at the end of the month.
CONSERVATION
NOVEMBER 201216 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
IOTC moves to protect Albatrosses
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) has agreed to measures that, if appropriately implemented by tuna longline fishing vessels, will result in significant
reductions in albatross mortality, writes Dr Cleo Small.
The Indian Ocean is home to globally important populations of eight albatross species, including the Critically Endangered Amsterdam Albatross. Each year hundreds of thousands of seabirds are killed unintentionally during the course of longline fishing. This is the primary reason behind the fact that 17 of the world’s 22 species of albatrosses are threatened with extinction. Tuna longliners usually deploy several thousand hooks, attached by branchlines to a main line that can be >100 km long. Seabirds, especially albatrosses, are vulnerable to becoming hooked when they take the bait, and are drowned as the line sinks to setting depth (known as ‘bycatch’).
Although an understanding of the scale and nature of this threat has been known for a long time, the development of measures to reduce bycatch has been slow. BirdLife International and researchers in Australia, the USA and UK have been particularly active in devising and testing technologies and fishing practices to reduce bycatch.
In November last year, the tuna commission for the Atlantic (ICCAT) agreed to a strong set of measures (that are based on scientific evidence) that fishing vessels must deploy when working in areas where albatrosses occur. BirdLife has worked hard since then to pave the way for the IOTC to harmonise its seabird conservation measure with that of ICCAT.
From now on, all longline vessels will be required to use two seabird bycatch mitigation measures from a choice of bird streamer (tori lines) which scare birds away from the hooks, adding weights to the hooks to make them sink more quickly, or setting hooks at night when most birds are less active.
Concerns of fishermen centre around the addition of weights to lines, which ensures that they sink out of the reach of seabirds rapidly. Large sharks or fish can place such strain on lines when being hauled onboard that the line snaps. When this occurs, lead weights attached to the line can fly back towards the hauling station and pose a significant safety threat. BirdLife has developed a new type of lead sinker that slides off the line when it snaps, thereby eliminating the safety risk.
After long deliberations, stretching across five days of the Commission meeting, agreement was finally reached for the new measure. Dr Ross Wanless, Seabird Division manager at BirdLife South Africa, represented BirdLife International at the meeting.
“The fact that none of the nations challenged the effectiveness of the measures proposed, and that none insisted that measures which do not have scientific support be included in the proposed measure, represents massive progress in itself. The willingness by all to find a way forward was encouraging.” said Dr Wanless.
The delegation from Japan offered US$20,000 to support training workshops for fishing skippers to ensure safe and appropriate use of line weighting measures. BirdLife International and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation will work with Japan and other nations to secure additional funding and provide the training.
For further information contact: Dr Cleo Small, +44 1767 693586 [email protected]
The IUCN lists three species as critically endangered: the Amsterdam Albatross (pictured above), the Tristan Albatross and the Waved Albatross.
Sandton Sun Gives A Hoot
The Sandton Sun and its dedicated “Green Team” have proven that decadent opulence and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive concepts. As one of Tsogo Sun’s deluxe hotels to have achieved the coveted Gold Status Certification from the
Heritage Environmental Management Company during the 2011 audit, the Sandton Sun is a pioneer in hotel ‘greening’. Through their partnership with the Owl Rescue Centre, the Sandton Sun management team has yet again proven that they give a hoot by contributing to the longevity of the natural owl population in the greater Sandton area.
In March this year, the Owl Rescue Centre installed a Hacking Aviary on the roof of the Sandton Sun with the purpose of reintroducing rehabilitated owls that originated from the Sandton area back into their natural habitat through a ‘soft release’ process.
The Owl Rescue Centre, situated in Broederstroom close to Hartebeespoortdam, places owls in the final stages of rehabilitation in the Hacking Aviary for a period of approximately 6-weeks to assist them in becoming re-accustomed to the area as well as teaching them how to hunt.
More South African birds “in the red”
Of the 10 064 bird species recognised by BirdLife International, the status/categories of 208 have changed. Approximately 13% of the world’s birds are now listed as threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable) as compared to 12% in 2008. Another 880 (almost 9%) have been classified as Near-Threatened in 2012.
It is concerning that of the 208 category changes in 2012, only two changes were improvements (downlisted); whereas 180 were deteriorations (uplisted). Twenty-five changes resulted from taxonomic revisions and 63 were a result of improved knowledge of the species’ status, population numbers or threats faced by the species.
The status of three bird species in South Africa has deteriorated, and they were therefore uplisted.
White-backed Vulture Gyps Africanus, the most widespread and common vulture in Africa, has been uplisted by two categories: from Near-Threatened to Endangered. It occurs from Senegal, Gambia and Mali in the west, throughout the Sahel region to Ethiopia and Somalia in the east, through East Africa into Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa in the south. The species is currently undergoing a rapid decline in population numbers and faces similar threats to all the other African vultures. In East Africa, White-backed Vultures are primarily threatened by poisoning (particularly from the highly toxic pesticide carbofuran); whereas in southern Africa they are utilised for the muti trade (as they are
CONSERVATION
BirdLife International has announced the 2012 update of the IUCN Red List for birds. This is the first update since the 2008 Threatened Birds of the World, a comprehensive
assessment of the status of the world’s birds, writes Hanneline Smit.
NOVEMBER 2012 17SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
perceived to have medicinal and psychological benefits); and the decline and possible extirpation in West Africa has been attributed to the trade in vulture parts for traditional ‘juju’ practices. Other threats include the loss or reduced availability of carrion, electrocution by powerlines and poisoning.
Another vulture species, Rüppell’s Vulture Gyps Rueppellii, a vagrant to South Africa, has similarly been uplisted from Near-Threatened to Endangered. This species, which is native to western, central and eastern Africa, faces a suite of similar threats to the White-backed Vulture.
The second species, Grey Crowned Crane Balearica Regulorum, has been uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered, resulting in a single category change. This species’ survival is largely threatened by habitat loss and the illegal trade of birds and eggs from the wild which has driven an especially rapid decline during the past three generations (45 years). The species occurs in eastern and southern Africa with two subspecies confined to the different geographical regions. Electrocutions and collisions with overhead powerlines are largely responsible for the highest mortality of this species in South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania. An increase in coal mining, with the resultant negative impact on our wetlands, poses a major threat of habitat loss and degradation to the Grey Crowned Crane in South Africa.
The third species, Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus Coronatus, a widespread species in sub-Saharan Africa, has been globally uplisted from Least Concern to Near-Threatened. This species is undergoing a decline due to a number of threats, including deforestation across the African continent.
Both White-backed Vulture and Grey Crowned Crane are listed as Vulnerable in The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Barnes 2000). Crowned Eagle has a parallel regional and global status of Near-Threatened.
The revision of the regional Red Data Book is currently being undertaken under the auspices of BirdLife South Africa with funding from Eskom. The completion of the publication is scheduled for early-2013. Fifteen percent of South Africa’s 844 bird species are currently red-listed in our regional Red Data Book.
For more information on BirdLife South Africa’s threatened species conservation, contact Hanneline Smit: [email protected], or for information about the revision of The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland contact Martin Taylor [email protected] or +27 (0)11 789 1122.
White-backed Vulture © Yathin SK - WikiMedia Commons
Gray Crowned Crane © epsen WikiMediaCommons
SA Tourism promises shorter and more impactful INDABA in 2013
As South Africa’s traditional tourism markets show strong signs of recovery and the emerging markets are showing double digit growth, South African Tourism is giving Africa’s flagship travel and tourism trade show, INDABA, a revamp to ensure it remains the premier platform to capitalise on resilient global travel interest.
After extensive consultation with tourism industry stakeholders, South African Tourism has taken the decision to reduce INDABA from the usual four to three days next year, with INDABA 2013 taking place from 11 to 13 May 2013.
INDABA 2013 will be a shorter, sharper show, geared at giving visiting buyers easy access to the widest cross section of the South African tourism industry – all eager to showcase their innovative offerings and to do business in a destination which saw over 10% growth in tourist arrivals in the first half of 2012.
While the reality of the aftermath of the global economic recession saw a decline in the number of buyers and visitors at INDABA 2012, the show retained its stature as the premier showcase. INDABA has maintained its global status as a business platform for international tour operators and buyers serious about growing their business in Southern Africa’s burgeoning tourism industry.
Attracting 3 722 travel buyers and 1 458 exhibitors from every conceivable aspect of South Africa’s leisure and lifestyle travel experiences, the numbers were still impressive at INDABA 2012, with the overall execution of the show of a very high standard.
“South Africa offers potential international tourism buyers and tour operators a tangible opportunity for business growth, and to be a part of South Africa’s tourism success story. INDABA undoubtedly remains the tourism industry’s premier business networking event and will remain one of the most exciting travel trade shows on the annual tourism business calendar. INDABA is not about breaking attendance records, but is focusing on attracting quality buyers, exhibitors and visitors. Although delegate numbers dropped slightly this year, we attracted a number of quality hosted buyers and exhibitors that compare favourably with 2010 attendance statistics,” said Thulani Nzima, Chief Executive Officer at South African Tourism.
Speed Marketing
While the overwhelming call from the tourism industry in forums with previous INDABA attendees and with the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) was for a shorter, more impactful INDABA, major positive feedback received was on how useful the
EVENTS
Known all over the world for its wildlife tourism attractions and now also forging a global reputation as a lifestyle mecca and world leader in responsible tourism, South Africa continues to be a major draw-card for both
established and emerging tourism markets, writes Allison MacDonald.
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‘speed marketing’ sessions were in showcasing South Africa’s tourism product.
“In 2013 there were three speed marketing sessions, each focussing on South Africa’s tourism offerings in the fields of responsible and sustainable tourism; adventure tourism; and culture and heritage tourism. They were very well attended – oversubscribed in fact - and proved to be an exceptionally useful business introductory service for both exhibitors and buyers. So we’re making them a feature of INDABA next year and will be having them on every day of the show,” said Nzima.
Another feature of INDABA will be an exhibitor workshop to discuss key tourism trends and industry updates with the world’s leading travel industry experts.
Important for the tourism industry to note is that TOMSA levy payers will get 10% discount for the exhibition stand costs. To ensure a good quality of experience for INDABA attendees, South African Tourism has changed the registration form for INDABA 2013 to ensure ‘products’ can’t register as buyers, with a view to maintaining strict controls for INDABA access to ensure the event’s quality.
“We’ve been working on ensuring we take on board as much feedback as possible on what worked and what didn’t work at previous INDABAs, in order to ensure the show remains a major attraction for international visitors and buyers – a crucial business networking platform for the South African tourism trade. We’ve held three INDABA road shows in October in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, with over 360 attendees, and there wasn’t a single complaint about us reducing the length of INDABA, a decision which was in fact commended in keeping with other international shows,” said Nzima.
“Of course, we are a destination known for its breath-taking beauty and wildlife attractions, but also increasingly for its lifestyle and design qualities and its global leadership in the responsible tourism and adventure arena. South Africa is also renowned for its warm, friendly, welcoming people and superb tourism service ethic and capability, all of which make South Africa an extremely attractive proposition for the global travel trade, who we are working hard on attracting to INDABA in great numbers,” said Nzima.
For more information on the show and for details on how to register to attend, visit: www.indaba-southafrica.co.za
EVENTS
The TAFI convention is a major event in the tourism calendar in India, and SATSA are delighted to host it in South Africa for the first time. More than 1000 delegates (businessmen, entrepreneurs and travel agency owners), are expected to attend. Between them they are collectively responsible for 70 per cent of all the outbound long-haul tickets sold within India.
In India, travel agents prefer to sell products of which they have had personal experience, therefore the opportunity to see and experience a wide range of South African product will give all those who participate in this convention a significant marketing edge in this growing market.
To enable South African companies to take full advantage of this unique event, we have designed an Exhibition Area that will allow SATSA members and South African product a significant opportunity to market your wares to this influential group of travel professionals in our own back yard.
Sponsorship opportunities exist at all levels. From lanyards, pens, pencils and notebooks to teas and lunches, water bottles and car hire. We are happy to offer part and co- sponsorships for the opening and closing events.
For more information contact Bunny Bhoola on +27 83 632 2420 or +27 333 453175 or email: [email protected]
The dates for the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) convention in South Africa have been confirmed as 24 to 27 February 2013. The event is being hosted by SATSA and sponsored by Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, in the beautiful city of Durban, writes
Marjorie Dean.
HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE:
ADVERTISING: The Tourism Tattler will be distributed to delegates at the TAFI Convention. Contact Beverley for special rates [email protected]: Secure your space (3m x 3m sq.) in the Exhibition Area. Forms can be obtained from: [email protected] Exhibition Opportunities brochure can be downloaded at: http://www.tourismtattler.co.za/downloads/taficonvention2012.pdf
TAFI Convention 201324 to 27 February
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HOSPITALITY
Established in September 2000 by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr Valli Moosa, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) is the only officially recognised quality assurance body for tourism products in South Africa. Operating as a business unit of South African Tourism, the TGCSA’s vision is to implement a recognisable and credible globally benchmarked system of quality assurance for accommodation and MESE (Meetings Exhibitions and Special Events) experiences, which can be relied upon by visitors when making their choice of establishment.
The previous grading criteria were originally introduced in 2002. Inconsistencies in the application of the grading criteria and minimum requirements, coupled with inadequate management processes and systems, led to a lack of uniformity in the awarding of stars.
The process to revise the grading system, which was started in 2008, has been extremely thorough and has resulted in world-class standards of which we as South Africans can be extremely proud.
With the implementation of the new Grading Criteria and Minimum Requirements in October 2010, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) introduced an equitable grading fee structure in order to address the inequalities that existed in the
previous grading fee structure, writes Des Langkilde.
New Grading Fees
The process entailed not only a review of the grading criteria and minimum requirements but also an overhaul of the entire operating system of the TGCSA in order to ensure a seamless process of managing quality assurance for tourism products.
A significant amount of time and energy was spent during this process in fine-tuning the criteria to get them right for the industry. The aim was to not only ensure that South Africa can maintain its international competitiveness as a tourist destination, but indeed to show that South Africa can be world leaders in terms of quality assurance.
“We are very grateful for the cooperation and contributions of thousands of establishments and a variety of industry stakeholders, including the FEDHASA (Federated Hospitality Industry of South Africa) family of members, other associations such as SATSA (the South African Tourism Services Association), BABASA (the Bed and Breakfast Association of South Africa) and NAA-SA (the National Accommodation Association of South Africa) as well as the current Accredited Grading Assessors, said Thekiso Rakolojane, TGCSA Marketing & Communications Manager.
This grading fee takes into account the establishment’s star grading level (1 – 5 STARS), the average room rate charged by the establishment, as well as the number of rooms, units or sites.
TGCSA have also made a commitment that in implementing this fee structure, they would ensure that their annual grading fee increases are considerate and market related. In keeping with this commitment, the Grading fees effective 01 October 2012 have only increase by 6% in line with CPIX.
The table of fees can be downloaded at: http://www.tourismgrading.co.za/sat/action/media/downloadFile?media_fileid=272077
It is important for all tourism industry members to use and promote Star Graded establishments, to help bring about the highest levels of quality assurance, the best possible value for money and the recognition that customer expectations are paramount in this country.
For more information visit: http://www.tourismgrading.co.za
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www.sanipasshotel.co.za [email protected]
LEGAL
It should be noted that all the prohibited activities addressed by the CPA that I am about to discuss, are linked to marketing, and the latter is defined as including ‘promote and supply’. These two concepts, once you read it with all the relevant definitions and associated words, are very wide i.e.• ‘promote’ includes ‘advertise, display or offer to supply’• ‘supply’ includes providing goods as well as perform or ‘cause
them to be performed or provided, or to grant access to any premises, event, activity or facility’
• ‘advertisement’ includes ‘any direct or indirect visual or oral communication transmitted by any medium’
• ‘premises’ includes ‘land, building and vehicle’.
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. As every situation depends on its own facts and circumstances, professional advice should be sought in each instance. © Adv Louis Nel, BENCHMARK, October 2012.
It means the prohibited activities pertain to most of the matters attended to daily in the travel, tourism and related industries such as incentives and events. You should objectively vet all your promotional avenues, materials and sales methodology to ensure that you do not fall foul of any of the prohibitions. The best way to do this is to list all the documents and systems that form part of your critical transactional path (‘CTP’) and go through them with sales and marketing. This would include all advertisements (print and audio), websites, social media as well as the actual consultation process with the customer.Here is a summary of the relevant sections of the CPA namely 29, 40 and 41 – i.e. your promotion and supply must not:• be ‘misleading, fraudulent or deceptive’ re ‘nature, property, use,
price, advantages’ or ‘any material aspect’• be ‘shock conscience’• be ‘unethical or improper’• amount to ‘coercion, undue influence, pressure, duress or
harassment, unfair tactics’• use ‘exaggeration, innuendo or ambiguity’.Finally you must not (section 41) ‘fail to correct any apparent misapprehension’ the consumer may have – this entails conducting a detailed inquisitive sales process with the customer, ‘double checking’ and adapting your website accordingly. Consultants must be trained to be aware and avoid all of the above, whether directly or indirectly.
SALES AND MARKETING THE NEED FOR A NEW APPROACH TO CONSULTANT TRAINING
– PART 2 – PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSPARENCY
Supplier RightsThe CPA and
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Following the workshop convened by the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA), during Indaba in May (reported on page 9 of the Tourism Tattler, July edition), a capacity building workshop was held in Maseru, Lesotho on the 11th and 12th of September to increase destination branding skills amongst RETOSA member states’ marketing personnel and thereby improve their capacity to implement and
manage the regional brand, writes Des Langkilde.
The workshop was opened by the Honourable Mamahele Radebe, Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture for Lesotho, accompanied by the Principal Secretary, Mr. Makalo Theko. It was facilitated variously by Tom Buncle of Yellow Railroad, Prof. Ernie Heath, of the University of Pretoria, Kwakye Donkor of RETOSA and Roseana Kandulu of the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec).
A total of 25 marketing delegates attended from ten of the fifteen RETOSA member states. Most were from national tourism offices (NTOs), with representatives from tourism ministries and private sector associations, and two regional organisations (Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa and Boundless Southern Africa).
Questionnaire
To assess their level of branding skills and experience, a questionnaire was distributed to delegates several weeks prior to the workshop to which nine of fifteen RETOSA member states responded.
From those who responded, some useful insights were revealed:• Most member states have no official destination brand strategy;• Few member states have a destination brand toolkit;• Few member states measure their brand impact;• Only some stakeholders in member states use the national
brand, other than the national tourism office (NTO) or national tourism administration (NTA);
• Responsibility for their brand lies (rightly) with marketing departments;
• Awareness of the regional Southern Africa brand was limited;• Confidence in their ability to implement the regional Southern
Africa brand was low;• Almost all considered that the regional Southern Africa brand
could add value to their own countries.
The main areas of concern in relation to the successful implementation of the regional Southern Africa brand were:• Need to obtain buy-in from member states;• Need to avoid conflict with the national brand.
Southern Africa Regional Brand Communications and Management
StrategyChallenges
During the first workshop session, each member state made a presentation on their country’s approach to destination branding and marketing and the challenges they faced from a competitive perspective. From these presentations the following lessons and challenges were apparent:• The need to reconcile member states’ national brands with the
regional Southern Africa brand – “Experience Southern Africa”;• Understanding the relative priorities that should be assigned to
logo development (including straplines) and brand positioning;• Engaging and achieving buy-in from key public and private sector
stakeholders, as well as the media, is critical for the successful branding and marketing of the region;
• Achieving understanding and commitment to both national destination branding and to the regional brand from leaders – particularly at senior levels in government and the tourism industry – in member states. Ideally political leaders should actively endorse the brands of their respective countries, as well as the umbrella brand for the region, and be the leading brand champions in the region;
• Collaboration between neighbouring countries, where they share opportunities to offer a coherent cross-border tourism experience;
• Human and financial resources required to implement branding – at both national and regional levels. Limited budgets require a smart and innovative approach to branding and marketing;
• Many destinations have similar tourism product offerings and target the same markets, but there is also a wide spectrum of complimentary experiences across the region;
• There is considerable individual and collective energy and passion in the region that should be harnessed under a shared tourism vision;
• Continuous engagement, communication and collaboration are key challenges to ensure buy-in and participation of all key stakeholder groups.
Brand Communications Strategy
A first draft of the Regional Brand Communications and Management Strategy was circulated to delegates at the workshop.
The overall aim of the regional brand is to enhance the global visibility and awareness of Southern Africa as an attractive and multi-faceted tourism destination and thereby:• Improve the region’s competitiveness• Ensure the sustainability of the tourism sector• Contribute towards poverty reduction
The key communications objectives for the Southern Africa brand are defined in the draft strategy as:• The strategic aim, in terms of implementation, is that the Southern
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Africa brand should underpin all marketing communications about countries in Southern Africa and thereby enhance individual states’ tourism marketing activities and leverage positive associations for Southern Africa in the minds of potential visitors for the benefit of all countries in the region.
• A strategic approach is recommended, which utilises, firstly, the existing marketing activities of member states to communicate the regional brand values and, secondly, additional discrete activities to project the regional brand.
• The four regional brand pillars (wilderness, diversity, humanity, climate) represent the basis of Southern Africa communications.
Core messages, themes and stories need to be developed, which reflect elements of these Southern African pillars. These need to be developed both by individual member states and RETOSA and conveyed in their marketing communications.
Southern Africa’s target markets comprise:• The regional market, including internal domestic markets, who
should be addressed with three aims in mind:– To sensitise them to the impact of tourism on their livelihoods;– To increase their awareness and acceptance of the Southern
Africa brand;– To encourage them to travel within their own countries and
the region.• “Traditional” international markets (e.g. Europe, North America)• Emerging international markets (esp. Japan, China, Russia, India,
Brazil)
A mix of marketing tactics and channels is recommended in the draft strategy as follows:
• Run a regional campaign with the aims of:• sensitising Southern Africa residents to the impact of tourism on
their livelihoods;• encourage domestic and regional travel;• spread awareness – and acceptance – of the Southern Africa
regional brand and its value. • A Southern African website portal, which is user-friendly, easily
navigable, with links both to individual member states’ own websites and to bookable products.
• A marketing/PR agency should be appointed to undertake cost-effective marketing activities for Southern Africa, such as PR, social media and e-marketing.
• Representation is proposed at selected and highly targeted international trade fairs, in order to develop links with outbound tour operators in key and emerging markets and thereby encourage them to package Southern African programmes and itineraries. Recommended trade fairs comprise:– Trade fairs in established markets, where RETOSA could
coordinate a Southern African section, in order to maximise market impact by grouping Southern African countries together.
– Trade fairs in emerging markets, where RETOSA could mount a pioneering presence on behalf of member states.
– Niche market fairs - usually in established markets where Southern Africa has a competitively strong product.
Brand Management Strategy
The aim of the brand management strategy is to:• Develop a robust approach for managing, monitoring and
improving the brand;• Ensure the process is sustainable;• Secure member states’ and stakeholders’ commitment;• Deliver cost-effective management through cooperation
and resource-sharing between member states and RETOSA Secretariat.
The key challenges in managing the regional brand were identified:• Capacity and resources in member states and RETOSA Secretariat• Understanding of the regional brand: its potential impact and
opportunities for implementation• Management and planning• Commitment and sustainability• Evaluation - demonstrating impact and added value
The draft strategy recommends that these are addressed as follows;
Understanding:• Annual ongoing capacity-building seminars, coaching etc.• Annual meetings and briefings with leaders and opinion-formers• Experience Southern Africa brand section on regional website
(brand news, implementation, brand toolkit, chatroom/advice/ Q&A site)• Regional brand toolkit:
– Explain destination branding– Role and value of regional brand– Regional brand characteristics– Implementation guidelines (imagery, tone of voice, design
style, colours, “dos” and “don’ts”)– Technical specifications for logo
Management & Planning:• Appoint a regional brand guardian (RETOSA Secretariat) to:
– Oversee implementation of the regional brand– Maintain brand integrity & encourage its use by appropriate
organisations (e.g. NTOs, tourism ministries, travel trade)– Monitor the regional brand’s health and impact; recommend
when it should be refreshed
▲ Delegates at the RETOSA capacity building workshop experienced some of the adventure activities on offer in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.
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– Act as the key contact point and source of information on regional brand
– Manage any licensing/technical issues• Establish regional brand steering group to:
– Support brand guardian– Monitor brand guardian’s performance and
brand’s impact– Assess when to refresh the brand– Establish annual regional marketing
planning process– Prepare annual regional marketing plan
Commitment & Sustainability:• Recruit regional brand champions to:
– Endorse and promote the regional brand– Encourage others to use it in their own marketing
communications• Identify regional brand advocates to:
– Extend the use of the regional brand, particularly in their own organisations
• Internal marketing/ongoing capacity-building for executives• Regular briefings for leaders• Appoint marketing agency – based in South Africa, with
international associates in key markets for Southern Africa• Develop the RETOSA website as a Southern Africa regional portal• Appoint a webmaster – in the RETOSA Secretariat
Evaluation:• Evaluate the regional brand’s health and impact – every 3 years.
Respective Roles
During an interactive breakout session, workshop participants were required to indicate how they thought the Experience Southern Africa brand could be applied in three areas:1. In member states’ own communications; 2. By member states in partnership with RETOSA; 3. By RETOSA – and specifically what member states expected from
RETOSA in applying and managing the regional brand.
In answer to prompted questions, the perspectives provided by the participants were:
How can member states apply the Experience Southern Africa Brand in their own marketing communications?
Priority 1: • Build awareness and lobby for support and ownership of the
Experience Southern Africa brand initiative amongst politicians, government officials and private sector stakeholder associations in the respective member states.
• Reflect the Experience Southern Africa brand in all member states’ country-specific marketing and communication material, marketing events and activities.
• Build awareness of complementary regional experiences (e.g. routes, trails, events, etc.) in communication and promotional campaigns.
• Where possible, link and/or align the four pillars (diversity, wilderness, humanity and climate) of the Experience Southern
Africa brand to the respective member states’ own brand pillars. • Sensitise, excite and engage private sector stakeholder representative organisations and industry stakeholders in member states to embrace and add value to the regional brand by co-branding their offerings with the Experience Southern Africa brand.
Priority 2:• When it is ready, launch the Experience Southern
Africa brand in the respective member states in collaboration with local NTOs/NTAs/DMOs. Also communicate the roll-out strategy, indicating partnership/collaboration opportunities to all the relevant public and private sector stakeholders in member states.
• Invite RETOSA to participate in member state-specific events/platforms, to communicate the regional Experience Southern Africa brand campaign and the benefits of participating in the campaign to key stakeholders and opinion-formers.
• Engage relevant stakeholders and develop regional packages and experiences (e.g. routes/trails, events special interest themes) under the regional branding campaign.
How can the Experience Southern Africa brand be applied by member states in partnership with RETOSA?
Priority 1:• As one of the first-phase branding initiatives, develop a joint
regional domestic marketing campaign (e.g. Experience Southern Africa Yourself) to engage and excite local residents, the media, etc. (along the lines of Canada’s Locals Know Best campaign and New Zealand’s 101 Must Do’s campaigns). N.B. Discount vouchers may be useful to encourage/enable local residents to visit and stay in accommodation that is priced for international visitors – e.g. in low season.
• Where possible assist and support each other to get the buy-in of political and public sector leaders and stakeholders, as well as the private sector, to embrace and commit to the regional brand. In this regard best practices and successes can be shared via the RETOSA knowledge and information “gateway”.
• Co-branding and endorsement by RETOSA and member countries with the focus on collaborative marketing initiatives and opportunities. Consider an accreditation system – e.g. “member of RETOSA” (c.f. Star Alliance - leveraging the benefits of all).
• RETOSA should make a concerted effort to link the regional brand with all the other destination brands in the region. All member country brands should also be identified and included in RETOSA communication and marketing initiatives (practically displaying the benefits of cross marketing).
• There should be a common understanding among RETOSA and member countries that the branding process should be seen as a longer-term journey, starting with a high impact launch, following by some key milestones and a roll-out action plan for all participating stakeholders.
• Develop an awareness and capacity-building programme for all public and private sector stakeholders. This should include a brand manual/toolkit, which would act as an “instruction manual” and
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inspire confidence amongst stakeholders in applying the regional brand.
• At the regional level the key icons/brand features of the member countries should be used in a co-ordinated and cohesive manner to enhance and reinforce the respective country-specific brands and marketing efforts (marketing “noise” should be avoided).
• In accordance with the brand guidelines the destination-specific and regional “Experience Southern Africa” brand must be correctly and consistently used and positioned to reinforce the brand message and positioning in the marketplace.
• This needs to be rigorously and continuously monitored and enforced by the regional brand custodian (RETOSA Secretariat).
Priority 2:• RETOSA should continuously identify, address and communicate
issues of mutual benefit and common interest to member destinations in a pro-active and co-ordinated manner.
• Continuous tracking, monitoring and evaluation of the branding journey and actions and progress should be undertaken and communicated to all stakeholder groups.
What is expected from RETOSA and how should RETOSA apply and manage the regional brand?
• RETOSA should make a concerted effort to get ALL member countries to contribute their membership fees within the required timeframes.
• RETOSA should launch a targeted and continuous communications campaign to sell the benefits of involvement in RETOSA initiatives and active participation in the Experience Southern Africa branding initiative.
• RETOSA should have a specific strategy to address the disparities between member states. So, for example, capacity-building and support programmes for some countries in marketing and communication can be facilitated. (N.B. RETOSA should communicate in appropriate languages, other than English, to member states: Portuguese – Angola and Mozambique; French – DRC.)
• A concerted effort needs to be made to look at innovative and practical ways to address the financial constraints and mobilise funds to undertake the regional branding and marketing initiatives (e.g. explore partnerships with industry stakeholders, undertake cost-sharing initiatives, etc.).
• The stages of the respective member states’ destination life cycles, as well as the key features of each country, should be considered in RETOSA communication strategies and messages (e.g. country-specific languages).
• A key part of RETOSA’s brand communication strategy should be to inspire and excite public and private sector stakeholders in terms of taking ownership and managing the collaborative brand partnership in a cohesive and mutually beneficial manner.
• RETOSA must engage in a focussed and targeted PR campaign, using appropriate media, the RETOSA website, Tourism Tattler Tade Journal, social media, etc. to spread the new branding message.
• RETOSA needs to be the custodian of the Experience Southern Africa brand, and to assiduously protect the brand’s identity and integrity. • RETOSA should come up with a powerful value proposition as to why member countries should participate and what the benefits and responsibilities of participation will be. • RETOSA, in collaboration with member states, should explore innovative and creative ways to leverage funding and collaborative opportunities to
implement and manage the regional brand strategy. Appropriate low-cost/free opportunities should be identified and effectively exploited.
• Ideally RETOSA should also address all relevant strategic issues of common interest and mutual benefit that individual member countries cannot effectively do on their own (advocacy, lobbying, facilitating the Uni-visa initiative, open skies, airlift strategies, etc.).
Critical Success Factors
Workshop participants identified the following factors, which they considered to be critical to the successful implementation of the Southern Africa regional brand: • A clear and distinctive value proposition is required for the
regional brand. This should clearly state the benefits of the regional brand to member states. This must be communicated to, and embraced by, all key public and private sector stakeholders in member states.
• The benefits related to the regional branding initiative should be tangible and relevant.
• Member states must understand that the regional brand does not conflict with their own national brand, how it can complement their own brand and add value for all member states.
• Acceptance, endorsement and commitment to action on the part of all member states are essential.
• A shared tourism vision, underpinned by passion and commitment to make the new branding initiative happen. This will require a powerful communications campaign to make all stakeholders (including local residents and the media) aware of, and excited about, the campaign.
• A user-friendly “road map” and practical roll-out plan for the regional brand is essential.
• RETOSA needs to be adequately resourced (human and financial capacity) and supported to facilitate the regional branding initiative.
• Smart mobilisation and co-ordination of resources in the region will be critical – particularly resource-sharing and exploitation of cost-effective communications channels, such as digital marketing, social media and PR.
For more information or to contribute to this debate email:[email protected] or visit: www.retosa.co.za
MARKETING
What makes public relations executives believe that email blasts are worth reading – let alone using as a reliable data source? Journalists are not handmaidens to public relations departments of destinations. Yes, of course, there is a beach (unless you are Cancun and your beach eroded), yes there is blue–green water (unless you are in parts of Puerto Rico where the water is polluted), yes there is clean air (unless you are in parts of Vanuatu where the garbage is burned at dusk) and yes, there is shopping (unless you do not need to see another Gap, or Old Navy), and yes there is dining (if McDonald’s is your standard for food).
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge for destination marketers is to create and/or identify and then promote a durable destination brand that sticks to the values of the destination (whatever they are). It is most important to translate the suitably appealing emotional value of the destination’s personality to a targeted market, while offering an efficient, effective and memorable promotional message.
All destinations, regardless of size, have the same considerations if they are to develop a viable promotion campaign. The mix includes:1. Contemporary infrastructure (i.e., ports, terminals, roads, rail,
power, accommodations, hospitals)2. Cultures (i.e., dining, faith – based experiences, arts and music)3. Geography (i.e., natural environment, neighbouring countries)4. History5. People6. Politics7. Safety/security8. Services9. Tourism activities (i.e., swimming, hiking, person-to-person
meetings)
Short/Long Term Objectives
Through effective market research and partnerships, and by harnessing the World Wide Web, and developing astute public relations campaigns, opportunities can be created to develop a viable and sustainable image for a destination that will be memorable (at least for the short term).
Most leading destinations offer superb accommodations and attractions, high quality services and facilities and every country claims unique culture and heritage. Does the consumer want more of the same, or are they looking for a destination that offers a differentiated product?
Differentiation
It is highly probable that differentiation is more critical now than ever before. Indeed, it has become the basis for survival within a
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This article reflects the current condition of tourism destination marketing with a hope (and belief) that
it can improve, writes Dr. Elinor Garely.
globally competitive market place where the ten major destinations attract approximately 70% of the worldwide tourism market. Despite this aggressive marketplace, the stock-in-trade of too many tourism destination promotions remains advertisements depicting blue seas, cloudless skies and endless golden beaches with a less than memorable tagline. Such “wallpaper” advertising, selling the user benefit of relaxation and a golden tan, has the effect of rendering all seaside destinations indistinguishable from one another.
What does differentiate one Caribbean or South Pacific island from its nearest neighbour; rarely sun and sand? In this marketplace what persuades potential tourists to visit (and revisit) one place instead of another is whether they have empathy with the destination and its values.
Battle Strategy
The fight for customers in tomorrow’s destination marketplace will be fought over hearts and minds – and this is where place promotion moves into the territory of brand management. Brands have social, emotional and identity value to users; they have personalities and enhance the perceived utility, desirability and quality of a product.
When consumers make brand choices about products – including destinations – they are making lifestyle statements; they are buying an image and creating an emotional relationship. Tourists use their trips as expressive devices to communicate messages about themselves to peers and observers. Therefore, as style and status indicators, destinations can promote the same consumer benefits as other more highly branded life – style accoutrements such as cars, perfumes, watches and clothes.
Travel for leisure is often a highly involving experience, extensively planned, excitedly anticipated and fondly remembered. Souvenirs, videos and photos trigger and display those experiences and are shared with friends and relatives. Logo-emblazoned merchandise and luggage labels proclaim that the individual has been there, done that, to anyone who takes a look, and actually cares.
Life-style Gauge
Choice of a holiday destination is a significant lifestyle indicator for today’s aspiration-driven consumers and the places selected to spend their increasingly squeezed vacation time and hard earned income have to be emotionally appealing with high conversational and celebrity value.
Managing a destination brand presents many challenges. Is it possible to identify the brand’s values and translate this information into a suitably emotionally-appealing personality-focused message? It has to be done since efficiently communicating the message is critical to the creation of a durable destination brand identity.
Differentiation is key to
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Who Leads/Follows
All destinations face unique promotion and branding challenges since they have many stakeholders and little management control. Destination managers not only have to contend with the amorphous nature of the product itself, but also with the destination marketing realities of politics and paucity. Destination marketers have little control over the multiple sectors of their product and yet this diverse range of agencies and companies are all stakeholders in the destination brand. The mix of special interests and differing objectives includes:1. Chambers of commerce2. Civic groups3. Environmental groups and agencies4. Local and national government and their agencies5. Private sector operations6. Trade associations
Alive and Breathing
The challenge for destination marketers is to make the destination brand live, so that visitors experience the promoted brand values and feel the authenticity of a unique place. However, in this task, public sector destination marketers are often hampered by a variety of political pressures; they have to reconcile local and regional interests and promote an identity acceptable to a range of public and private sector constituencies.
Successful destination branding is about achieving a balance between applying cutting-edge public relations and advertising approaches to a marketing problem against the realpolitik landscape of managing local, regional and national interests.
Failure is Not An Option
Some of the reasons tourism destination brands fail include:1. Absence of leadership2. Conflicting objectives3. Inability to reconcile economic development and tourism
marketing4. Leadership conflicts5. Other organizations’ reluctance to harmonize their marketing
with the destination’s branded campaign6. Resistance to direction from the top
The short-term focus of the chief political stakeholders and funding sources also create challenges for tourism organizations: A destination brand’s lifespan is a longer-term proposition than most politicians’ careers! Marketers must stay the course and resist making hurried changes since it takes many years to establish a brand image, develop name recognition and maintain strong awareness of the destination.
In addition to confronting the politics of destination branding, most tourism organizations have small budgets with which to create global brands–and yet they are competing for consumer mind-share not just with other destinations, but also with every other global brand. While a corporate retailer such as Kohl’s (supermarket chain) spends US$340 million annually on its media, country tourism development budgets will be considerably smaller.
Tourism destinations are clearly niche players in the global marketplace and shrinking tourism budgets, rising media costs and declining tourism spending, contributes to a highly competitive promotion environment.
Outsmart, Not Outspend
In this context, it is clear that niche players have to outsmart rather than outspend the competition – and in this battle, traditional mass marketing techniques cannot effectively address the share-of-voice problem. The answer lies in creating innovative, attention-grabbing communications on a tight budget and maximizing the media pa-out. In today’s era of relationship marketing, the Internet offers a cost-efficient and effective alternative to simple mass medium for tourism organizations.
Step 1: Establish Core Values
The first stage in the process of positioning or repositioning any tourism destination brand is to establish the core values for the locale. The message must be durable, communicable and relevant for stakeholders, visitors and potential tourists.
This process must consider how contemporary and relevant the brand is to today’s tourism consumer and how it compares with its key competitors. To accomplish this goal it may be necessary to initiate a series of research projects that survey local businesses, regional economists, destinations with similar programs and previous visitors as well as potential tourists who have never actually been to the destination. This process can enable the relevant tourism managers to build brands with value and relevancy from the perspective of the stakeholders as well as in sync with consumers.
Step 2: Define Brand
The next phase requires the defining of the destination’s position in the marketplace: what does the country represent; how can this be translated into brand personalities?
Tourism Australia’s A$180 million So where the bloody hell are you? advertising campaign launched in 2006 had hoped to attract visitors to Australia from Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom, but tourist figures declined in comparison with the same period in 2005. In 2007 The Age newspaper credited the ad with a $1.8 billion increase in tourism spending, and Tourism Australia stated that the primary goal of the campaign was to attract higher-spending, longer-staying visitors, not just to increase tourist numbers. Ed.
South African Tourism’s Leave ordinary behind campaign captures the phenomenal experience of adventure, nightlife, wildlife, luxury, wine route and beauty of South Africa on a personal level. The campaign has already won numerous awards for South African Tourism. Ed.
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As Maurice Saatchi, the founder and partner of M&C says: “As the world becomes increasingly “manufactured,” the world’s nations have become more and more homogenous. It’s become almost impossible to find meaningful differentiation.” Saatchi finds that managers have to overcome both the politics and the paucity challenge by outsmarting rather than outspending their competitors. It takes patience to establish brand reputations and building a powerful destination brand is a long-term effort, which more often than not yields incremental and not exponential results.
Brand Winners
Destinations must have a vision which is founded on intensive stakeholder, consumer and competitor research and is expressed with care and discipline in everything that communicates the brand’s personality. Once the brand personality has been identified, marketers must have the courage to stay with the brand’s essence. While refinements may be made to show how the values are expressed in the brand architecture, the essentials of the brand personality should remain consistent. The secret is to continuously evolve and enrich the original brand profile, building on the initial strengths to reinforce their appeal and to broaden the market, combining the “soul” of the brand with a point of difference that no other destination in the world possesses.
Through branding, promotion and PR, a country brand is not merely a rational marketing activity but a political act that can increase and enhance local pride. Tourism offers communities the potential to build both an identity and a viable economy, and ultimately to attract significant public and private attention.
Leader or Follower
As government financing continues to be squeezed it is critical that tourism organizations maintain their roles as coordinators of promotional resources. Unless they take command of both branding and product development in a changing and confused stakeholder market, the large operators and transportation companies will simply promote what they believe is the most appealing product.
This will be both at the expense of small players within the industry and the dilution of the national brand identity that the tourism office has sought to build. Visitors will select a destination because of one hotel, or one attraction, never leaving the gated community to explore the country and its resources (i.e., Disney). All revenue stays within the confines of the hotel operation and,
except for wages and local hotel spending, the infusion of foreign capital does not benefit local entrepreneurs or the indigenous people.
Own Your Niche
In a world where a handful of major countries attract almost three quarters of international tourist arrivals, most destinations will at best be niche players competing on the margins. They will be reliant on effective, targeted branding strategies that have the potential to squeeze maximum value from their small budgets. This is difficult but by no means an impossible task, if the power of industry partners and non-traditional media such as the Internet can be harnessed.
Multiple-media portals cannot be ignored as they interactively engage visitors pre-trip and provide direct marketing opportunities for relationship building, which can be resurrected and sustained post-trip. The potential of such opportunities deserves much more attention from public relations professionals, in-house public relations employees and destination managers (public and private).
Market Segmentation
It has become increasingly important for media representatives to leave their desks, shut off their computers, and go into the marketplace to actually dialogue with journalists and consumers, sharing their insights into the “soul” of the destination, and pitching the story that will be attractive to the target market(s). Journalists are not handmaidens to those tasked with public relations assignments. It would be to everyone’s advantage if target markets were clearly
codified, and marketing campaigns provided information specifically for the identified segment.
Now That I Know You
What happens after the story is published, what happens after the tourist returns home? The follow-up and follow-through is the continued responsibility of the destination/marketing manager. Ongoing two-way, meaningful communication is the only way to sustain the product and market share. Continued engagements require nurturing; otherwise the programme is a “one-off” and has not developed into a sustainable and healthy relationship-creating yet another waste of limited resources.
This story was first shared with members of the International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP). For more information visit: http//:www.tourismpartners.org
About the author: Dr. Elinor Garely is the Editor in Chief of www.TourismExecutives.com
Prior to moving to the publishing side of the destination/travel/tourism/hospitality industry I headed up the PR/Marketing departments for Playboy Clubs and Hotels (NYC office) and the Copacabana. Every story, every promotion, every phone call demanded that I carefully think through the profile of the publication, the personality of the journalist and deadlines. I knew that on a good day I might get 3-4 seconds for the journalists to listen to my pitch or read my press release. If I did not get to the point within this time frame I could expect a click on the phone or toss of the paper into the trash basket.
When I thought I had a really good story I would invite the journalist to lunch or dinner. If I got a “yes” to my face-to-face request, I was over the moon. Did the agreement to talk with me over a drink mean that I was going to get a story? Absolutely not! In this business there are “no guarantees;” this is the reason it is called public relations and not advertising! Want to control the message? Buy some space!
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MARKETING
East Timor took a humorous approach in differentiating itself as a tourism destination in this 1999 campaign. Ed.
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The information below was extracted from available data as at 18 October 2012, writes Martin Jansen van Vuuren.
ARRIVALSThe latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to June 2012:
Current period Change over same period last year
UK 215 524 5%
Germany 118 776 12.2%
USA 155 522 16.3%
India 53 291 21.2%
China 60 272 68.4%
Overseas Arrivals (excl same day visitors) 1 163 477 17.1%
African Arrivals 3 239 944 8.3%
Total Foreign Arrivals 4 416 373 10.5%
NB: African Arrivals plus Overseas Arrivals do not add to Total Foreign Arrivals due to the exclusion of unspecified arrivals, which could not be allocated to either African or Overseas.
HOTEL STATSThe latest available data from STR Global is for January to August 2012:
Current period Average Room Average Room Revenue Per Available Occupancy (ARO) Rate (ARR) Room (RevPAR)
All Hotels in SA 57.6% R 873.09 R 502.94
All 5-star hotels in SA 55.8% R 1 550.11 R 864.39
All 4-star hotels in SA 57.5% R 840.73 R 483.45
All 3-star hotels in SA 57.7% R 704.74 R 406.55
Change over same period last year
All Hotels in SA 7.2% 3.5% 11.0%
All 5-star hotels in SA 11.5% 1.3% 12.9%
All 4-star hotels in SA 8.0% 3.4% 11.6%
All 3-star hotels in SA 5.3% 4.2% 9.8%
ACSA DATAThe latest available data from ACSA is for January to September 2012:
Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on Passengers arriving on Passengers arriving on International Flights Regional Flights Domestic Flights
OR Tambo International 1.4% -0.6% -1.8%
Cape Town International 7.6% 19.7% 1.9%
King Shaka International 15.4% N/A -4.8%
MARKETING
Market Intelligence Report
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESS
The growth in revenue per available room for hotels is encouraging. It points to an improvement in not only the occupancy of the hotels but also the room rates that are being achieved.
This positive news is being countered by the decline in passengers arriving on domestic flights at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports between January and September 2012, compared with the same period in 2011.
Complaints from guesthouses, bed & breakfast and self-catering establishments that they are not experiencing the increase in tourism arrivals might point to a situation where business tourists are travelling (who mainly stay in hotels) while the holiday tourists are not travelling (who mainly stay in other types of accommodation).
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For more information contact Martin at Grant Thornton on +27 (0)21 417 8838 or visit: http://www.gt.co.za
NICHE TOURISM
MSC Opera will leave Venice, Italy, setting off on a 20-night cruise from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Atlantic Ocean and down the west coast of Africa to the South Atlantic Ocean. During this grand voyage guests will enjoy calls at Valletta in Malta, Palma de Mallorca in Spain, Casablanca and Agadir in Morocco, Dakar in Senegal and Walvis Bay in Namibia, before arriving in Cape Town on 20 November 2012.
To mark the luxury cruise ship’s maiden call in Cape Town, MSC Cruises is hosting a special charity event in aid of abandoned and abused children. Proceeds from tickets to the event and its action-packed auction will go to the Ukuthemba Foundation*, a local organization providing safe and loving home environments for orphans and neglected and abused children.
Following the Ukuthemba event, MSC Opera will set sail for her new homeport in Durban, where she will host an exclusive party on 23 November for media, VIPs and travel industry representatives in celebration of her arrival.
MSC Opera then has a full schedule of three and four night cruises, operating out of Durban from 24 November 2012 until early March 2013. She will take over the popular cruises to Maputo, Portuguese Island and Barra Lodge in Mozambique from sister ship MSC Sinfonia, who will in turn replace the smaller MSC Melody, allowing guests from the Cape Town region to experience a totally new product from their own home port.
MSC Opera is slightly larger than her sister ship MSC Sinfonia and can accommodate over 1,700 guests. South African cruise lovers are eagerly awaiting her first call in the region and the new elegance she will bring, with her glamorous décor and public areas enhanced by a sweeping marble reception area and magnificent open spaces with glass walls for spectacular ocean views sure to please local cruisers.
Cruise tourism gets a boost as luxury ship sets
sail for South AfricaOn November 1st, the magnificent MSC Opera will embark on a southbound voyage to South Africa, where she will begin her first ever summer season in the region in style, by hosting two glamorous on-board events in
Cape Town and Durban, writes Ingrid N Roding-Tudor.
“The operation of both MSC Opera and MSC Sinfonia for the 2012/13 South African cruise season will enable a total of 135,000 passengers to experience Mediterranean style MSC hospitality over the course of the season,” said Allan Foggitt of MSC Starlight Cruises. “This will set a new record for local cruising, surpassing the previous record by nearly 25,000 passengers.”
In addition to the change in vessels, the ever popular Christmas Cruise itinerary has also been modified slightly and will now sail to Portuguese Island and then on to the tiny beach village of Anakoa in Madagascar. The 11-night festive New Year Cruise will now include the celebration of New Year’s Eve under La Reunion skies and a call in Mauritius on New Year’s Day, where MSC Opera will remain in port for 3 nights.
Towards the end of the season, MSC Opera’s itineraries will include Port Elizabeth and she will also sail a small number of cruises out of Cape Town to Mossel Bay, Walvis Bay, and Luderitz before leaving
South African shores for the European summer.
MSC Opera has 856 cabins of which 172 are balcony cabins and 28 are balcony suites. The ship has four restaurants, eleven bars, two pools, and two whirlpools and boasts the sumptuous MSC Aurea Spa, a disco, video games room, internet café, casino, team building facilities and a medical centre. The ship has a wonderful array of duty free shopping and caters for kids with the Buffalo Bill children’s play area, special dining options for children and families, and four different kids clubs. Additional facilities include the Cotton Club bar and a stage on deck for outdoor entertainment.
Bookings for the 2012/13 season are now open.
For more information visit:www.msccruises.co.zaFacebook: www.facebook.com/mscstarlight
*Ukuthemba Foundation provides a permanent solution for orphaned and abandoned children in South Africa. Moving away from large orphanages where children are often neglected and abused, Ukuthemba concentrates on creating a small family nucleus of 6 children with a house mother. This alternative approach to housing children provides a home-like environment where they can be nurtured, attend local schools and be integrated into society, with the emphasis being on love, education and protection. Those in need receive medical care from nurses and all of them have the opportunity to be educated. Ukuthemba has two homes which have been running extremely successfully since inception in January 2008 with a third home due to open in the last quarter of 2012.
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NICHE TOURISM
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How important is Wine Tourism
to South Africa?Tourism is one of six identified key drivers of the country’s economy, according to the National Department of Tourism. Furthermore, the wine industry indirectly contributes more than R4.5 billion annually to the tourism sector, as per the latest report generated by South African Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS), writes
Abigail Germany.
The report also states that the local wine industry supports employment opportunities to the tune of 275,606 jobs - the bulk of which are in the trade, catering, accommodation and transport sectors. It also contributed R26.2 billion to the annual GDP of South Africa in 2008 which amounts to 2.2% of the overall national GDP.
Earlier this year the Department of Tourism launched its Domestic Tourism Growth Strategy to encourage South Africans to be tourists in their own country. At the same time South African Tourism unveiled its marketing campaign to boost awareness around the experiences that make the country a world-class tourist destination and which are available on every South African’s doorstep.
“Wine tourism adds not only to South Africa’s economy but also to the country’s desirability as a holiday destination. Like our wines that are exported and enjoyed worldwide, the South African wine tourism industry is constantly evolving as it takes up the challenge of competing in a global market. A winery visit is no longer just about the tasting and enjoying of wines, rather the experience has been expanded to include an array of offerings that appeal to a broader range of tourists such as restaurants, festivals, outdoor activities and other unique attractions,” says Wine Tourism South Africa founder, Monika Elias.
In line with these, Elias has recently launched the #KLINK Awards, the country’s first ever consumer-driven, interactive wine tourism awards. The objective of the Awards is to inspire South Africans to not only explore and enjoy the experiences offered by the country’s winelands but also provide feedback on these - thereby shining a light on the state of the industry.
The Awards are currently being run on Wine Tourism South Africa’s website, Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Pintrest, with the aim of involving enthusiastic domestic tourists and wine lovers in the recognition of wine tourism. “What better way to engage with them and build awareness of all that the South African winelands has to offer than through the interactive participation offered by social media platforms. Furthermore, by harnessing the power of social media we are able to reach a broad base of consumers across regional boundaries,” shares Elias.
She continues, “The #KLINK Awards is not aimed at wine connoisseurs, but rather those that enjoy wine and who are equally as interested
in the story behind the wine, its scenic surroundings, the food it best accompanies and the people who make it. In the current economic climate, marketing to a broader, more inclusive market is essential to the longevity and profitability of any business.”
A panel of industry-related professionals have nominated the top five finalists in each of the #KLINK Awards’ fourteen categories. These range from ‘Most Unusual Attraction on a Wine Route’ and ‘Most Green Wine Farm’ to ‘Best Deli on a Wine Farm’. It is now up to consumers to visit the nominees, go online and vote for their favourites.
“In the first four weeks since the awards have launched we have been inundated with thousands of votes from people around the country – all due to the viral nature and influential word-of-mouth power of social media. In addition, the Awards have given industry role players and consumers a vibrant platform through which to engage,” reveals Elias.
“To quote the Department of Tourism ‘While foreign tourist arrivals to South Africa are growing and reached over 8.3 million in 2011, domestic tourism remains the lifeblood of the South African tourism industry’. With 43% of tourists to the country visiting the Cape Winelands, the promotion of wine tourism amongst domestic travellers is of key concern for the development of the industry, local tourism and the economy,” she concludes.
For more information visit Wine Tourism South Africa: http://winetourismsouthafrica.co.za/
When it comes to originality, A Heritage of African Clothing’s range captures the image of Africa with flair. Founded in 2004 by Nicholas Hughes, whose background includes working as a nature conservationist and screen printer, A Heritage of African Clothing has become synonymous with quality screen printing and durable products. In the same year, Nicholas got together with renowned wildlife artist Stefan Rousouw of Original Art and together they designed a range of
wildlife products from T-shirts and vests to bags, aprons and place mats – all imbued with Stefan’s life-like pencil sketches.
T-shirts come in a wide range of colours and sizes, and the garments are made from high quality 185g cotton. Sizes range from S - XXXL in Adults (Larger sizes can be made up to order) and child sizes from 2-3yrs to 13-14yrs. The colour range is as varied as the rainbow nation itself, from the earthy colours of stone, olive and naturals to vibrant pinks, lime greens and bright oranges, with many shades in between.
The prints are iron friendly, meaning that they don’t need to be ironed inside out. The fabrics do stand the test of time and all of the designs that one sees in their website catalogue of illustrations can be printed on to any of the product ranges.
Stefan’s designs are too plentiful to mention, from the very first drawing of a lion head to the comical “Ugliest 5”.
Wildlife Clothing Original images of Africa
NOVEMBER 201232 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
PROCUREMENT
What would an African safari be without the souvenirs? Cherished memories and terrabytes of photographic images and video footage are ‘par for the course’ but tourists also want gifts to take home to their family and friends. With weight and volume being a concern, original branded clothing is certainly a high demand item, writes
Des Langkilde.
My personal favourite is the ‘Family Tree’ - a combination of the Big and Baby 5. There’s also a number of ethnical designs, including the Zulu King and Ndebele woman. According to Nicholas, their most popular design is ‘Africa’s Big 5’ incorporated into the map of Africa.
A Heritage of African Clothing have an impressive client list that includes Tau Game Lodge, Lion Park, Rhino and Lion Park, Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, Lory Park Zoo, Cango Wildlife Ranch, Forever Resorts, Addo Elephant Back Safaris & Lodges and Mabalingwe.
But it’s not all take and no give - the company has a social responsibility programme that includes a number of wildlife NGO’s, such as the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, as well as adoption programmes that include the De Wildt Cheetah Farm, the Roodekrans Black Eagle Project and Operation Morning Star. Rhino anti-poaching campaigns are catered for with a specific range of clothing designs.
A Heritage of African Clothing’s production manager, Dereck Leite ensures that orders are printed and delivered on time, while their marketing manager, Samantha Jack is always on hand to respond to enquiries.
For more information visit:www.wildlifeclothing.net or call +27 (0)11 975 1153.
& GEDORE TOOL BOX 1282Toolbox is made up of: 1282 Inserts; PLIER Metal Tray; Accessories; Grip Plier; Universal Plier; Sliding T Ba; Extensions; Ratchet Sockets; Spanners; Allen Keys; Plastic Holders; Screwdrivers; Pliers (Telephone & Universal Pliers); Side Cutters.
Price: R4,050.00 ($459.94).
gadgetsSafari
gizmo’s
KIKOY SARONGS A Kikoy Sarong, hand made in Kenya by local people
using quality materials.
Price: R120.00 ($13.63).
PONCHO UNLINEDA waterproof poncho, perfect for use on game drives in the Summer or Winter Months. One size fits all - available in adult and kids sizes. This garment features detailed stitching, a drawstring hood and latching sides. It’s a hard wearing design, easy to wash and waterproof from rain. Made in Botswana.
Price: R455.41 ($51.72).
BEST DUTY BAKE POT AND LID SIZE 10” Size: 25cm - 3.0 ltrs 5.7kg This good old traditional cast iron pot has special properties such as: even heat transfer – giving superior flavour and tenderness; solid base that will not warp; economical low heat cooking; recognised by world chefs as the best you can cook in. The Pot can also take the heat of your gas kitchen or patio braai. Domed lid allows for optimal internal heat circulation. The peripheral gutter on the lid can be used for coals.The opposing side handles and thick wire lifter handles make handling easy.Price: R599.99 ($68.16)
PROCUREMENT
This edition’s selection has been sourced with acknowledgement to Livingstones Supply Co. Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.
All prices indicated exclude VAT and are per the currency exchange rate as at 24 October 2012
(1 ZAR = 0.113600 USD).
gifts
NOVEMBER 2012 33SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
http://www.livingstonessupplyco.co.za
NOVEMBER 201234 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
SAFETY & SECURITY
tsi makes unique contribution
The marine accident in Cape Town recently, involving a seal watching cruise from Hout Bay made international headlines. While the loss of life was tragic, much credit is due to the local emergency services and tourist assistance programmes for the way the incident was handled, and the fact that it was once again demonstrated that South Africa has the capacity to deal with incidents of any kind
involving visitors to our shore and local tourists.
So where did the Tourism Safety Initiative (tsi) fit into this pattern of events? Because, indeed, tsi played an important role in collecting, co-ordinating and sending out information to the relevant parties involved, writes
Annelie Barkema, Project Leader of tsi.
About 4:30p.m. on the Saturday afternoon, tsi received information from Jermaine Craig of South African Tourism that a boat had capsized in the sea off Cape Town at 2.15 p.m. A call was made by tsi to the SAPS Provincial War Room to verify whether any tourists were involved. At that time, no information was available, as the rescue operation was still under way.
To report any incident call tsi’s 24/7 support centre on: +27 (0)861 874 911
or complete an Incident Report form at: http//:www.Tourism.Safety.co.za
To get more details, tsi called the National Sea Rescue Institute to get the facts. They confirmed that overseas as well as local tourists were involved; they had details of nationalities, and relevant consulates were being informed.
tsi then notified all relevant tourism leaders and media liaison officers - national, provincial and local, to ensure that all concerned parties were involved, and could obtain necessary information. Parties not directly involved were kept informed throughout the duration of the incident.
Local tourism bodies, who together run the Tourist Safety and Support programme, were contacted to ensure that they could work together, and that information was passed along to other bodies so that there was no wasteful duplication of effort.
tsi, as a knowledge and resource centre, kept all parties in touch and informed during the rescue and afterwards.
While not directly involved in this incident, tsi was able to contribute significantly.
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▲ Navy divers and National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) personnel carry the body of a crew member of The Miroshga. The charter boat capsized near Duiker Island around 3pm on Saturday. It was later confirmed that 38 people had been on the boat when it capsized. (Pic: Nardus Engelbrecht, Sapa)
NSRI volunteers on the upturned hull of the boat that overturned near Duiker Island, Hout Bay. The volunteers were communicating with three women trapped in the upturned hull. (Pic: NSRI)
RISK
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Lockton Global has announced the appointment of SATIB Insurance Brokers as their partner brokers across Southern Africa. Lockton Global clients now interested in doing business in Southern Africa (excluding SA) will be entrusted to SATIB for their insurance and risk related requirements.
Lockton was founded in 1966 and are based in Kansas City. Their international head office is in London. Lockton now has more than 4 450 associates in 60 offices throughout 18 countries including USA, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Australia. That, in combination with the Lockton Global partnership of which SATIB is now a member, Lockton serves clients around the world.
Lockton serves more than 15 000 clients worldwide. They have an extremely impressive 95% client retention and are the largest independently owned broker in the world with $16+ billion in premium being placed and $915 million in revenues.
SATIB share Lockton’s ideal for specialist attention and have taken the approach in developing skilled teams dedicated to each of their six business units to ensure that they retain the highest level of focus and expertise required by a particular business or client. Their six business units include Tourism and Leisure, Wildlife, Life and Investment, Commercial and Industrial, Domestic and Sport.
Lockton Global appoints SATIB Insurance Brokers as their Southern Africa partner broker
SATIB has become recognised throughout Africa as a symbol of quality in risk transfer programmes, with A+ rated security, prompt claims settlement and efficient, personal service. In addition, SATIB provides clients with unique benefits such as the SATIB24 Crisis Call facility, risk surveys, property valuations and access to capacity building and legal assistance. SATIB is responsible for the insurance placement of assets cover of over R20 billion and are also very proud to have retained their level 3 BBEEE status in South Africa.
“We are very proud to be chosen and trusted by such an esteemed organisation such as Lockton Global,” says Gavin Courtenay, Managing Director of SATIB Insurance Brokers. “They are an extremely successful company and we look forward to a thriving partnership.”
“The growth and development of the Lockton Global partnership is important to our clients and our business,” said Michael Goudime of Lockton Global. “We see great connections with SATIB, we both being independent and family owned businesses with a strong client focus. In addition, Southern Africa is an area of growth for our clients especially in the energy, mining, hospitality and leisure sectors.”
For more information contact Gavin Courtenay on: +27 31 564 4200or email: [email protected]
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TRANSPORT
Best Of BreedMercedes Buses And Coaches
The market for coaches in South Africa is not large – for 2012 some 50-60 units— but this is an important market segment for Mercedes-Benz South Africa, said Dirk Ansorge, Brand Manager Bus and Coach at
the company, in conversation with Tattler Editor Marjorie Dean.
“The market,” says Dirk Ansorge “has still not quite recovered from the huge increase in the number of new coaches and buses occasioned by the 2010 Soccer World Cup. In that year 460 new Mercedes-Benz units were added to the national fleet. However we expect that in a ‘normal’ year, demand would be for about 100 units. “
Mercedes has a strong position in South Africa in this vehicle segment, and one reason may be that the company goes to great lengths to understand the industry in which these vehicles operate. After many years in South Africa, their products have a long pedigree. They are very aware of the importance of quality and the fact that if a vehicle is off the road, it is not earning for the company that owns it. So they work hard to ensure less ‘dwell time’.
“The market is relatively small, especially for coaches, “says Dirk, “So in many ways, we are almost a family. We have been in the business for decades, and get to know our customers well, and so can work towards providing them with exactly what they need.
The coach market in South Africa buys “custom- built” coaches. The coach is ordered from a Mercedes-Benz dealer, and the chassis is imported from Brazil, as a CKD (completely-knocked down kit), assembled at the Mercedes-Benz plant in East London. However, the body of the coach is put together by one of a number of South African body suppliers to meet the customer’s specifications, such as livery, degree of luxury, “extras” such as on board toilet and kitchen, sound system and so on. That way the client has a fully hands-on approach to his vehicle and can customise it to his liking. Not every tour operator has the same needs.
Mercedes-Benz uses well established body-builders ensuring that a quality body is fitted to the basic high quality OH2436RF coach. These bodies are well respected and widely accepted in the marketplace. Mercedes-Benz inspects and signs off on all bodies before the vehicle is delivered to the client.
CHARTERWAY
Says Dirk, “Our customer base is wide, most tour operators of any size will have Mercedes coaches in their fleet. One of the reasons for this is that we have one of the largest dealer networks, more than 40, and these are located around the country. So this gives the customer peace of mind when the vehicle is out on the road, as our dealers are easily able to support them with parts and service.”
Most Mercedes-Benz coach owners choose to take advantage of the CharterWay service, very flexible maintenance contracts offered by the company, with guaranteed workmanship and genuine parts, ensuring that their vehicles are at all times in tip-top condition. As an added value, the company offers training for coach drivers.
“The driver of a coach is a very important person. By giving him/her the right training, fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 30 per cent, and wear and tear on the engine and chassis is much reduced, thus minimising ‘dwell time’ ”, says Dirk. “Our coaches are technologically advanced, and their fuel consumption is a benchmark in the industry, so it makes sense to optimise that by careful driving.
MERCEDES-BENZ FINANCIAL SERVICES
Another value chain service available relates to finance. Again, because they know the industry, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services can offer competitive finance to prospective coach buyers, which are sold through their dedicated bus dealer network. The company has financed over 2000 buses since 1997.
A new service, just introduced, is TRUCKSTORE. Not quite what it might sound, because it was first applied to trucks, TRUCKSTORE enables trade-ins to be offered for both sellers and buyers of commercial vehicles. All vehicles are graded according to age, mileage and condition among other factors, and the vehicles are inspected and serviced. South Africa is the first country outside Europe to have
TRANSPORT
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this service. So even if you are not able to afford a brand –new Mercedes-Benz coach, you are offered the very best deal on a pre-owned product depending on availability.
For the future Mercedes-Benz foresees a slow recovery in the market. “Vehicles age, even with the best care, and there comes a time when a replacement has to be bought. The tourism industry is now in recovery mode, after a couple of lean years, and we believe that in time, the market will be needing around 150 new units per year.”, says Dirk “Because of the sustainable relationships we have built up with our clients, and the total value chain we offer, we are confident that future years will see many more Mercedes coaches carrying visitors to South Africa.”
For more information visit: http://www.mercedes-benz.co.za/content/south_africa/mpc/mpc_south_africa_website/en/home_mpc/bus.flash.html
NOVEMBER 201238 SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
BOTSWANA&Beyond donates rhino to Botswana
In the first ever private game reserve donation of rhino, luxury experiential travel company &Beyond has earmarked six white rhino to be translocated from &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa to Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Facilitated in partnership with Rhino Force, this conservation coup has been generously funded by lead sponsor, Motorite Insurance Administrators.
The Okavango Delta has proven to be a successful rhino relocation habitat and Botswana has a strong security and monitoring framework in place whereby the military helps to protect the species.
After years of negotiation and planning, the translocation process is set to begin in February 2013.
For more information visit: http://www.andbeyond.com/
KENYAWild dogs seen in new areas
As an indicator species of a healthy ecosystem, Great Plains Conservation announced that for the first time anyone can remember, Wild Dog have been spotted in Kenya’s Olare Orok and Mara North Conservancies.
Mara Plains Camp will now be open right through Christmas and New Year to the 7th January 2013, before it closes for an upgrade where it will then reopen on 1st June 2013. Mara Toto Camp will open from 17th January with five tents.
For more information visit: www.greatplainsconservation.com
SOUTH AFRICAAnother Hilton brand poised for SA?
Hilton Worldwide continues with its expansion plans for Africa and the Indian Ocean region, with 19 hotels in the pipeline, the opening of a regional office in Johannesburg and the introduction of the Conrad and DoubleTree brands to South Africa.
Jan Van Der Putten, Hilton Worldwide Vice President for Africa and the Indian Ocean region, says that the Hilton Garden Inn brand will soon come to Southern Africa and possibly South Africa.
The group has signed up a new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Cape Town with local operator, Upper Eastside Hotel.
For more information visit: http://www3.hilton.com/en/resorts/index.html
TRADE NEWS
Three Cities Exceptional Safaris appoints Brand Manager
Looking back on a career of nearly 15 years in the hospitality industry, newly appointed brand manager Janine Southwood, certainly “travels” her talk. She believes in getting those all important foundations in place - sincerity, honesty, friendliness – which all go towards generating a welcoming feeling for everyone with whom she deals. Janine completed her schooling and tertiary
education at the then Durban Technikon, with a job in a bank before travelling to the USA where she worked for just over a year.
After returning to South Africa in 1994, she began working in the restaurant business. Four years later, she joined Pentravel Kloof and then moved to Thompsons Africa’s International Sales Department where she has remained until her move to the Three Cities Group.
For more information visit: www.threecities.co.za
Bushmans Kloof appoints San descendant as field guide
Roman Ndeja (35), a descendant from the Khwe San Tribe, recently joined the Bushmans Kloof team as a qualified Field Guide. Born in the Western Caprivi (Namibia), as a child Roman relocated to South Africa with his family, and completed his schooling in the North Cape.
He is a qualified Cultural Field Guide, and has a passion for San rock art. He loves kindling an understanding of the San people among the guests he guides, and enjoys the opportunity to express himself through the interpretation of the rock paintings.
For more information visit: www.bushmanskloof.co.za
Protea Hotel Upington to unveil grand new look
Protea Hotel Upington is set to reveal its stylish new look in November with an additional 29 rooms under construction, a new restaurant that allows for indoor and outdoor dining, a gym and an extensive conference centre.
Protea Hotel Upington owners Willie and Kathy Burger are
extending the number of rooms on the property from 61 to 90. The conference and event facilities are also being extended to accommodate up to 230 delegates. The new development has created 15 new staff positions within the hotel, which will be filled with the target of youth empowerment in mind.
For more information visit: www.proteahotels.com/protea-hotel-upington.html
TRADE NEWS
NOVEMBER 2012 39SATSA / RETOSA Tourism Tattler Trade Journal
Elgin Open Gardens – 02 to 09 November 2012
Twenty five properties in the Elgin, Vyeboom and Bot River districts will open their gardens to the public. One
of the properties worth visiting is the Wildekrans Country House - a historic homestead built in 1811. Set in a rambling country garden silhouetted by a rugged mountain backdrop, the house is a mixture of the ancient, the quirky and the laidback, all rolled into one.
Entry is free although donations are accepted on behalf of the Bot River Education Trust.
For more information visit: www.wildekrans.co.za
Sansui Summer Cup – 01 December 2012
Jozi’s spectacular horse racing event, the SANSUI Summer Cup, proudly hosted by Gauteng, will be taking place at Turffontein Racecourse. The theme Golden Nights & Pink Lights takes inspiration from the internationally recognized Johannesburg skyline at sunset.
For more information visit: www.summercup.co.za
Beehive relocation - Tsogo Sun’s Riverside Sun Resort
Tsogo Sun’s Riverside Sun Resort not only accommodates corporate, leisure and conference guests, the resort also recently had the honour of accommodating Mother Nature in the form of approximately 20 000 bees.
The Queen decided to nest on the 6th floor and she and her swarm produced a hive that spanned all of three stories. The hive
was situated between the two concrete blocks of the main building and access was through a small hole on the side of the building.
For more information visit: www.tsogosunhotels.com/resorts/riverside-sun/pages/overview.aspx
1time Airline proposes better trading conditions for the aviation industry
Following inaccurate media reports about 1time Airline asking government for a “bail out”, the company would like to clarify the situation and inform the travel trade about what really happened.
1time’s Business Rescue practitioners sent a White Paper, titled Airline Industry Subsidisation, to various ministerial bodies on 02 October 2012. The three-page document covers the state of the low cost industry, the specialised employment opportunities that 1time has created for its 1100+ employees and 500+ service providers, challenges pertaining to costs and revenue structures, as well as the importance of fair competition and choice for consumers.
In conclusion, the document proposes that government considers subsidising the airline industry as a whole with selected levies and taxes, and do not only offer unfair bail outs to the national carrier, South African Airways.
For more information visit: www.1time.aero
Old Cape Wine Festival – 03 to 04 November 2012
The Old Cape Wine Shop Imhoff Farm will again be staging the far south’s largest wine festival. There’ll be wines from all the wine regions of the Cape including Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Wellington, Elgin, Hemel and Aarde, Riebeeck Kasteel and Robertson. For R50 you can taste as many wines as you like between 11 and 4 and you get to keep your festival wine glass!
For more information call Old Cape Wine Shop Imhoff Farm on 021 7835054 or mail us on [email protected]
La Splendida Hotel reveals contemporary new look
October saw the already chic and trendy La Splendida Hotel situated on Cape Town’s Mouille Point Promenade reveal a new image that is teeming with the playful attitude this brand has come to embody. And now, with the completion of an R1million refurbishment, the art-deco style hotel has even more spunk than before.
For more information visit: www.newmarkhotels.co.za
ZANZIBARStone Town under threat
At a function to mark the Zanzibar Stone Town Heritage Conservation Association’s tenth anniversary, Chairperson Mohammed Juma Mugheiry said “Zanzibar Stone Town heritage is currently faced with growing population, increased motorists and redesigning of historic buildings. This puts our heritage at risk.”
He said residents in Stone Town had been failing to observe conservation plans when refurbishing their houses ‘due to lack of knowledge’. One of the initiatives the organisation is focusing on is the restoration of Stone Town’s doors, but the humid sea-air climate and modern stresses mean that there is a great danger of unique wooden structures being lost.
For more information visit: www.zanzibarstonetown.org
ZIMBABWEFresh Air commences its first flight from OR Tambo
Fresh Air, the Zimbabwean registered airline who recently entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with South African low cost carrier, 1time Airline, is set to take to the skies on Friday, 02 November 2012 with their first flight departing OR Tambo International Airport en route to Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe.
This follows as Fresh Air officially acquired the traffic rights to commence operations. The JV encompasses 1time utilising its fleet of aircraft to serve the Fresh Air route, which subsequently replaces 1time’s current Livingstone flight schedule in favour of flights between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls Airport.
The route schedule includes three weekly flights from OR Tambo International Airport on Mondays and Fridays at 10:40 am respectively, as well as a Sunday flight at 10:20 am.
