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OCTOBER 201502 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

OCTOBER 2015 03Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EDITORIAL04 Accreditation05 Cover Story ATTRACTIONS06 Record Visitors to Strawberry Festival06 Cango Wildlife Ranch Review BUSINESS12 SATSA Market Intelligence Report13 Africa Tourism set for Growth15 10 Tips on Tour Operator Software16 Making Tourism Work17 Enterprise Solutions for BEE Codes18 Economic Volatility & Tourism in SA COMPETITION20 Win

PUBLISHERTourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd.PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Website: www.tourismtattler.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Des LangkildeCell: +27 (0)82 374 7260Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080E-mail: editor@tourismtattler.comSkype: tourismtattler

Issue 10 (OCTOBER) 2015

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.

Adv. Louis NelAnja EckervogtDes LangkildeDr. Peter E. TarlowDr. Salifou Siddo

Contents

CONSERVATION21 Breaking Africa’s Elephants EVENTS22 Future of the Commonwealth Games24 World Luxury Hotel Awards HOSPITALITY26 Property Profile - Mantis Collection28 Restaurant Review: Balata at Fairway LEGAL30 Protecting Your Brand MARKETING32 8 Changing Trends in Leisure Tourism TRANSPORT34 Mercedes-Benz Vito

02 Africa Travel Association06 Redberry Farm07 Mercedes-Benz08 Fair Trade Tourism09 Cango Wildlife Ranch09 Sprout Consulting

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

MAGAZINE SPONSORS

15 Travelogic23 World Luxury Hotel Awards23 Mantis Collection32 SATIB Insurance Brokers32 Southern Africa Tourism Services Assoc.36 SATIB Insurance Brokers

IN THIS ISSUE

13 15

Jacques MaritzKai AkramLindsay de HeerMarjorie DeanMartin Jansen van Vuuren

Michelle SnymanProf. Melville SaaymanSharon HouseUnathi Henama

BACK ISSUES (Click on the covers below).

MAGAZINE ADVERTISINGADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bev LangkildeCell: +27 (0)71 224 9971Fax: +27 (0)86 656 3860E-mail: bev@tourismtattler.comSkype: bevtourismtattler

SUBSCRIPTIONS

HOSPITALITY: Restaurant Review: Balata TRANSPORT: Mercedes-Benz Vito

BUSINESS: Africa Tourism set for Growth BUSINESS: Tips on Tour Operator Software

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TRADE NEWS Visit our website for daily news updates at www.tourismtattler.com

Accreditation

The African Travel & Tourism Association (Atta)Tel: +44 20 7937 4408 • Email: info@atta.travel • Website: www.atta.travelMembers in 22 African countries and 37 worldwide use Atta to: Network and collaborate with peers in African tourism; Grow their online presence with a branded profile; Ask and answer specialist questions and give advice; and Attend key industry events.

The Africa Travel Association (ATA)Tel: +1 212 447 1357 • Email: info@africatravelassociation.org • Website: www.africatravelassociation.orgATA is a registered non-profit trade association in the USA, with headquarters in New York and chapters around the world. ATA is dedicated to promoting travel and tourism to Africa and strengthening intra-Africa partnerships. Established in 1975, ATA provides services to both the public and private sectors of the industry. ATA’s annual events in the USA and Africa bring industry professionals together to shape Africa’s tourism agenda.

Official Travel Trade Journal and Media Partner to:

National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA-SA)Tel: +2786 186 2272 • Fax: +2786 225 9858 • Website: www.naa-sa.co.zaThe NAA-SA is a network of mainly smaller accommodation providers around South Africa – from B&Bs in country towns offering comfortable personal service to luxurious boutique city lodges with those extra special touches – you’re sure to find a suitable place, and at the same time feel confident that your stay at an NAA-SA member’s establishment will meet your requirements.

Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA)Tel: +2711 315 2420/1 • Fax: +2711 315 2422 • Website: www.retosa.co.zaRETOSA is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) institution responsible for tourism growth and development. RETOSA’s aims are to increase tourist arrivals to the region through. RETOSA Member States are Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA)Tel: +2786 127 2872 • Fax: +2711 886 755 • Website: www.satsa.comSATSA is a credibility accreditation body representing the private sector of the inbound tourism industry. SATSA members are Bonded thus providing a financial guarantee against advance deposits held in the event of the involuntary liquidation. SATSA represents: Transport providers, Tour Operators, DMC's, Accommodation Suppliers, Tour Brokers, Adventure Tourism Providers, Business Tourism Providers and Allied Tourism Services providers.

Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association (SHTA)Tel: +248 432 5560 • Fax: +248 422 5718 • Website: www.shta.sc The Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association was created in 2002 when the Seychelles Hotel Association merged with the Seychelles Hotel and Guesthouse Association. SHTA’s primary focus is to unite all Seychelles tourism industry stakeholders under one association in order to be better prepared to defend the interest of the industry and its sustainability as the pillar of the country’s economy.

World Travel Market WTM Africa - Cape Town in April, WTM Latin America - São Paulo in April, and WTM - London in November. WTM is the place to do business.

International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)Website: www.tourismpartners.orgICTP is a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to Quality Services and Green Growth.

International Institute for Peace through TourismWebsite: www.iipt.orgIIPT is dedicated to fostering tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation.

OCTOBER 201504 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA)Contact: manager@savrala.co.za • Website: wFounded in the 1970's, SAVRALA is the representative voice of Southern Africa’s vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management sector. Our members have a combined national footprint with more than 600 branches countrywide. SAVRALA are instrumental in steering industry standards and continuously strive to protect both their members’ interests, and those of the public, and are therefore widely respected within corporate and government sectors.

The Safari AwardsWebsite: www.safariawards.comSafari Award finalists are amongst the top 3% in Africa and the winners are unquestionably the best.

World Youth Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel ConfederationWebsite: www.wysetc.orgWYSE is a global not-for-profit membership organisation.

World Luxury Hotel AwardsWebsite: www.luxuryhotelawards.comWorld Luxury Hotel Awards is an international company that provides award recognition to the best hotels from all over the world.

cover storyAs we enter the fourth and final business quarter for 2015, South Africa’s tourism industry continues to ‘Inspire new ways’ - a slogan that has taken on new meaning as the local tourism sector attempts to overcome the serious crises it faces as a direct result of the country’s amended visa regulations.

Total foreign arrival figures have dropped by 7.3% across all inbound source markets (as at May), while the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) reports declining international and regional flights landing at all but one international airport - the exception being Cape Town, which recorded an increase of 8.7% and 8.0% respectively (as at August). On a positive note, ACSA reports growth in the domestic market, buoyed no doubt by increased competition in the local airline industry as new carriers vie for their attention. South Africa’s domestic tourism market remains resilient with an increase of 7.0% RevPar across all hotels. (Read more on page 12).

The impact on the South African tourism industry is clear in the latest figures, but as Gerrie van Biljon, executive director at Business Partners, says; “There is much to be hopeful about when looking past the recent storm clouds. For local businesses connected to international tourism to remain hopeful under such conditions, entrepreneurs need to do what they do best: take a long-term view of things and swing into action immediately.

He explains that the long-term view isn’t as gloomy. “It appears that government is not unified over the new visa rules, with the Deputy President now tasked with heading up an inter-ministerial committee on visa regulations to examine concerns about the country’s amended visa regulations which might lead to a rethink.

Not much hope there, says SATSA's CEO David Frost, following the ‘Enough is Enough’ Tourism Industry Conference held on 01 October at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways; “We’ve had no communication with government since the regulations came into effect. As an industry collective under the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) umbrella, we have written to the deputy president, and tried to engage, but have been given no opportunity to sit down and have a discussion with any government body since the implementation of the regulations in June.”

TBCSA has lashed out at home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba over his recent public criticism of the tourism industry in which he said that opposition to the visa regulations is based on "lies and cooked-up figures" Frost says they have had enough of the baseless criticism.

“We are being subjected to inconsonant, draconian regulations in place by home affairs. It’s our democratic right to speak up on our members' behalf and to question what is going on,” says Frost.

Despite the doom and gloom, South Africans are a resilient and entrepreneurial lot, and with the rand finding itself at a level that tourism businesses have been dreaming about for a long time, South Africa is arguably one of the best value-for-money destinations in the world.

When analysing the industry, van Biljon says that there is still plenty of room to develop our tourism offering as most local tourism businesses have only scratched the surface. “Many offer ‘stereotypical’ services, such as standard safaris, tours and overnight stays. Experiences

EDITORIAL

based on cycling, for example, are still scarce in South Africa when compared to other parts of the world. The industry is wide open for entrepreneurs to develop unique experiences.”

He urges tourism enterprises to tackle the difficult time ahead with immediate action. “Tourism businesses that had been focusing on international tourists need to work on providing enticing packages for the local market to fill as many beds and seats as possible if the international tourists aren't coming in the numbers that they used to.”

Enterprises that have traditionally catered for domestic tourists are not exempt from pressures. “In these conditions, they should expect greater competition from their more internationally focused peers.”

A quiet time in a business is never a good thing, but that does not mean it can't be put

to good use, says Van Biljon. “Tourism entrepreneurs should use any lull in the business to rethink and rework their product offering, costs and marketing so that they are ready when the tide turns, as it always does.”

He adds that South Africa's reputation for successfully hosting events remains intact and that this is set to grow given the recent awarding of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. “Durban alone is expected to attract 200 000 visitors as a result of this event.” (See page 22).

The long-term outlook for the conference and exhibition industry, boosted by three world-class conference centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, is another positive. “Business travellers spend more than holiday tourists, and tend to add some leisure travel before or after a conference or business trip. Research shows that as many as two in five business travellers return later on holiday.”

Expanding on the subject of South Africa's economic volatility, Professor Melville Saayman, of North West University, questions if government is an asset or a liability to tourism growth in South Africa (see page 16), while Unathi Henama, lecturer in the Department of Tourism Management at the Tshwane University of Technology, says South Africa must ensure that it becomes competitive in its attraction of tourism revenue (page 18). One way of doing this may be through product differentiation, as Nivashnee Naidoo, MD at Fair Trade Tourism says; "The current extreme challenges that South Africa as a tourism destination faces can be countered through broader tourism development and encouraging synergy with our African counterparts, as research indicators show that awareness for responsible, sustainable tourism practices is growing in our region, as well as globally." (Read more page 08).

Tour operators will find Lindsay de Heer’s article on selecting Tour Operator Software to be of benefit to their businesses (page 14), while our attraction, property and restaurant reviews provide unbiased recommendations for tour itineraries (pages 00-00).

Our transport review on the new Mercedes-Benz Vito will also be of interest to Tour and Shuttle operators (pages 10, 26 & 28).

And finally, a reminder to readers to attend the Africa Travel Association (ATA) annual congress, which takes place in Nairobi, Kenya from 9 - 14 November.

Enjoy your reading! Des Langkilde. editor@tourismtattler.com

Image courtesy of South African Tourism

OCTOBER 2015 05Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

could browse the nuances of the types and decide which appealed to you the most. Scarlett the Strawberry was a popular stop for a print-out photo to take home.

The strawberry eating competition is an annual feature of the Nestle Ice Cream Strawberry Festival and the record set last year of 1.788kg of strawberries eaten in three minutes was not broken. First place winner ate 1.195 and took home a R1000 cash prize.

Family activities included strawberry picking in the fields and the Redberry Farm hedge maze. The maze is the largest permanent hedge maze in the Southern Hemisphere and was very fun. Each station has information about a strawberry and you have to find all seven stations to complete the maze, thus discovering “the secrets of a strawberry”.

The kids had a lot of fun inside the play park on the lawns, stocked with a range of inflatables and kiddies stalls. Other children’s activities included bumper and paddle boats on the dam, water bubble ball, pony rides, miniature train rides, bunge bunge, carousel, sand art and a wooden playground.

100% of the profits from the Saturday and Sunday of the Nestle Ice Cream Strawberry Festival are given to the Outeniqua Tourism Association, who receive 60%, and to charity Options Care Centre, who receive 40%. The Friday night opening evening is a fundraising collaboration in aid of York High School.

View more info about the Nestle Ice Cream Strawberry Festival at www.strawberryfestival.co.za

044 870 7123www.redberryfarm.co.za

George, Garden Route

PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIESSCHOOL & AGRI-TOURS

OCTOBER 201506 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

It is set in the magnificent farm countryside at Redberry Farm in George and showcases the icon of the festival - delicious strawberries. We had a fantastic weekend indulging in strawberries and enjoying family. On Saturday the 26th of September, the festival hosted the most people ever over one day of the festival, with 5090 visitors streaming in through the gates.

The Nestle Ice Cream Strawberry Festival opened on the Friday night with a comedy evening by PE entertainer Gino Fabbri. Gino had the audience on their feet and roaring with laughter, and ended the evening to a standing ovation.

The Saturday and Sunday featured a full programme of lifestyle pursuits, offering things to do for adults and children. Attractions included live music featuring South African artist Matthew Mole, who drew in an audience of a 1000 people, sold out berry and wine pairings with gourmet strawberry tapas combined with Jakkalsvlei wines, a Strawberry Emporium to enjoy all-things-strawberry and rugby screenings inside the beer tent. Other activities included an inflatable kids play park and a variety of kids entertainment, music by local musicians Adin Walls, Daveymac and the All and All’s, an outdoor market, stage arena with Nestle ice cream and strawberry eating competitions for kids, dance acts and outdoor theatre, the main strawberry eating competition and popular sports events for trail running, mountain biking and CrossFit. KayCee Rossouw brought the Algoa FM Vibe and mixed between 11am – 2pm on the Saturday, with live crossovers to Algoa FM.

Strawberries were centre stage inside the Strawberry Emporium where visitors enjoyed a selection of strawberry treats and visited the chocolate fountain and strawberries-and-cream scoop stations. The Berry Bar offered a festoon of berry cocktails, imported strawberry beers and ciders. Delectable Redberry Farm strawberries were available according to variety which was interesting because you

The Nestle Ice Cream Strawberry Festival, one of the largest family festivals in South Africa's Garden Route, completed its 11th successful year over the weekend of 25- 27 September,

and attracted a record number of day visitors, writes Sharon House.

Strawberry Festival

Attracts RecordDay Visitors

ATTRACTIONS

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OCTOBER 2015 07Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Fair Trade Tourism is a leading South African non-profit organisation promoting responsible tourism development. It grows awareness about responsible

tourism to travellers, assists tourism businesses to operate more sustainably and facilitates a globally recognised

certification programme, the first in Africa, which is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Fair Trade Tourism pioneered its certification programme more than a decade ago and is now expanding its best practice standards in responsible, sustainable tourism outside of South Africa. It also encourages

mainstream and specialist tour operators to package and sell Fair Trade Holidays which incorporate Fair Trade Tourism certified products. We are pleased to announce

that we currently have 17 tour operators approved to sell Fair Trade Holidays.

Fair Trade Tourism is a truly African organisation and includes certified businesses in Madagascar and

Mozambique through direct product certification. Furthermore, we have certified businesses in The

Seychelles through a Mutual Recognition Agree with Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label. This agreement

enables six of the Indian Ocean island nation’s leading hotels to be marketed under the Fair Trade

Holiday brand, paving the way for similar agreements throughout the region. Finally, Fair Trade Tourism has

just concluded a Mutual Recognition Agreement with Responsible Tourism Tanzania.

The markof a good holiday

OCTOBER 201508 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Currently South Africa and Africa face extreme challenges. The broader tourism development and encouraging synergy with our African counterparts

is an indication that awareness for responsible, sustainable tourism practices is growing in our region, as well as globally. At the end of the day, it’s all about

the visitor. Selecting a Fair Trade Tourism certified business or participating in a Fair Trade Holiday ensures their holidays ultimately benefit local communities and

economies. This contributes to peace of mind for the traveller as they know that the services and facilities they use are operated ethically and in a socially and

environmentally responsible manner. The Fair Trade Tourism label tells you that member businesses are

committed to making a real difference to both people and planet, allowing travellers to have the most fulfilling

holiday possible. Fair Trade Tourism is for travellers who want authentic,

life-changing experiences which leave a lasting legacy of good practices in the places they visit. Whether you’re staying in a luxury safari lodge, a

humble backpackers, an island resort, participate in an adventure activity, day trip or township tour, certified

members strive to provide the essence of a good holiday.

For information visit www.fairtrade.travel or click on the icons below to visit our social sites.

+27 (0)12 342 2945

Image: Fair Trade certified member - The Backpack

OCTOBER 2015 09Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

As an avid supporter of the Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH) I do not support the practice of predator cub petting because once domesticated, captive bred predators can never be released into their natural environment and invariably end up being sold to unscrupulous operators for ‘canned’ trophy ‘hunting’ and their body parts sold in the bone trade.

My reservations and preconceived notions were soon to be dispelled however, as I met Tammy Moult, Tourism Manager at Cango Wildlife Ranch for a guided tour of the facility - and what a facility it is!

“First off, says Tammy, “Cango Wildlife Ranch also supports CACH. We are an accredited Zoological facility with the African Association of Zoo's and Aquaria (PAZAA) and are Institutional members of World Association of Zoo's and Aquaria (WAZA), which is by invitation only. As such we have to comply with the exceptionally high standards set by PAZAA and WAZA and in many aspects, we go beyond these requirements. We house over 90 species of animals at our facility. Many are captive bred from various institutions and a number of them are rescues/orphans, often injured, and once reared by human-hand cannot be released back into the wild as they’ve not had the benefit of learning survival skills from their parents. With regard to the predator programs, all the predators, as with the other species, serve as ambassadors allowing us to highlight the plight of each animal during our guided tours.”

As we set off on the tour, which starts through an ornately decorated entrance featuring sculpted crocodiles and snakes and leads into a temperature regulated enclosure, aptly named ‘Valley of the

Having been invited to review Cango Wildlife Ranch I arrived at the venue, located just outside of Oudtshoorn on the road to Cango Caves in South Africa’s Western Cape province, with some trepidation as I'd heard that they provide 'cub petting'

interactions with their predator species of wildlife, writes Des Langkide.

Cango Wildlife Ranch

ATTRACTIONS

Ancients’, with colourful Cichlid (tropical fresh-water fish) display and inhabited by exotic species of birds, Flying Foxes (fruit bats) and reptiles, Tammy explains; “All of the animals you see here have been either rescued or donated by owners who could not keep them. In many cases, the animal had been injured and after surgery we provide them with a home that resembles their natural environment as close as possible.” A pair of vultures in the next enclosure provides a case in point - as both had to have one wing surgically removed after collided with power lines. “Obviously they cannot be released but they have settled in well and are even nesting. Whenever possible, we do tag and release once they have recovered from their injury,” says Tammy.

As we proceed through the various enclosures, which are all incredibly clean and well maintained, I comment on the clarity of the water in which the crocodiles slumber in hibernated stupor. “We replace the water in all aquatic habitats on a weekly cycle basis to keep them clean and disease free. During hibernation, the crocodiles are not fed and the ambient temperature is regulated to simulate the humidity they would experience when hibernating in their natural mud burrows. All carnivores on the Ranch are fed hormone-free meat that resembles their natural diet as close as is possible,” says Tammy. When the crocs aren’t hibernating, guests can immerse themselves among the 4-meter Nile crocodiles in a cage-dive.

Walking past the veterinary admin block, Tammy escorts me into the restricted 'staff-only' back area. Here again, everything is clean and well maintained. A special kitchen prepares feed for the animals and to maintain hygiene standards, staff may only collect prepared feed via a stainless-steel service hatch. The veterinary facility itself is a sight to behold, equipped with state-of-the-art surgical facilities, access is strictly monitored to avoid contamination.

Meandering along pathways overlooking the various predator enclosures, I witnessed a group of tourists experiencing a close encounter engagement with a serval cat. A trained volunteer guide entered first as the cat eagerly approached him and sat expectantly on its haunches upon a low wooden platform as the guide fed him a tidbit extracted from a pouch secured to his waist. The guests – a party of four adults – were then ushered into the enclosure by a second guide, who took up a position to the side of the platform

OCTOBER 201510 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

GPS Coordinates: 33°28’S 22°14’E

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with camera at the ready. Each guest was then summoned to approach the platform one at a time to pose for a photo with the serval cat, and were permitted to touch and stroke it. The cat seemed nonplussed by the physical contact, content with being touched and never flinched, keeping its feline eye firmly glued to the guide's tidbit proffering hand in expectation.

Clearly, this act of uncharacteristic timidity and obedience from the cat has taken considerable time and training to achieve, which once successfully habituated to, would preclude its release back into the wild. I commented on this obvious fact and Tammy replied; “As with all of our predator cubs, the very act of nursing habituates them to human contact and reliance, which means that they can never be released for obvious reasons. We can only make their lives as comfortable and as close to their natural habitat and instincts as possible. We do this by limiting the number of guest interactions, and by stimulating their inbred responsive inclinations and traits. For example, in the Madagascar Lemur enclosures we parcel their feed to make them extract food as they would in the wild, and to alleviate boredom. Our in-house volunteer program is solely based on creating daily enrichment for all our animals to stimulate them both mentally and physically.”

The facility offers controlled encounter programs with lemurs, cheetah, serval and snakes which follow strict protocols. With the cheetah interactions, I’m told that a minimum of three guides would be in attendance – this is to assure the safety of the guests as much as it is to ensure the wellbeing of the animal itself.

So what happens to the animal when it's reached full maturity or old age I asked? “We've established a 94 hectare reserve, where the cheetahs can live their remaining years in a tranquil environment (large camps) while still being fed as they have been habituated to at the Ranch,” says Tammy.

Do you sell any of the mature predators? I ask, thinking of the lion bone trade that is prevalent in Africa. “Any animals that leave our premises will only do so by forming part of our exchange programmes with reputable organisations, but only after extensive research, credibility checks and inspections.”

In conclusion, it's obvious that Cango Wildlife Ranch has, and

continues to, invest heavily in infrastructure and facilities to aid rescued wildlife, and to educate tourists on the plight of species, which is commendable, but with millions of Rand invested in this busy and popular tourism attraction, how is it funded? After all, the objective of any tourism enterprise is profit, and seeing that Cango Wildlife Ranch is not registered as a non-profit NGO, how does it survive?

“Revenue generated from entrance fees and wildlife interactions certainly does not cover our operational expenses. With a staff compliment of 80 full-time staff and over 40 part-time staff, coupled to the cost of feed, veterinary expenses and utility costs, we do rely on donations. We founded the Cheetah Preservation Foundation in 1988, with the principal aim of ensuring the survival of the cheetah and other endangered species, as well as educating our visitors about the plight of the these animals. The Cheetah Preservation Foundation also gives our visitors the opportunity to become pro-active in the conservation of endangered species, by joining as members and thereby contributing financially to our various conservation projects.” concludes Tammy.

For my part, I'm convinced – one has to take the issue of cub petting into context with the service providers ethics, facilities, aims and objectives. Having visited Cango Wildlife Ranch and interrogated these aspects of their operation, I fully endorse and encourage the travel trade to support them in their worthy enterprise.

For more information visit www.cango.co.za

OCTOBER 2015 11Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

OCTOBER 201512 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESSBUSINESS & FINANCE

Market Intelligence Report

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESSThe Statistics South Africa data shows the continued decline in international arrivals to South Africa, while the ACSA data shows the resilience of the domestic tourism market that is helping hotels to maintain their occupancies, while increasing their rates. *Note that African Arrivals plus Overseas Arrivals do not add to Total Foreign Arrivals due to the exclusion of unspecified arrivals, which could not be allocated to either African or Overseas. As from January 2014, Stats SA has stopped counting people transiting through SA as tourists. As a result of the revision, in order to compare the 2014 figures with 2013, it is necessary to deduct the transit figures from the 2013 totals.

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The information below was extracted from data available as at 05 October 2015. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.

ARRIVALSThe latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to May 2015*:

Current period Change over same period last year

UK 179 940 -1.0%

Germany 110 754 -9.5%

USA 111 180 -7.4%

India 33 301 -12.7%

China (incl Hong Kong) 31 377 -30.7%

Overseas Arrivals 872 831 -9.9%

African Arrivals 2 819 343 -6.5%

Total Foreign Arrivals 3 697 133 -7.3%

HOTEL STATSThe latest available data from STR Global is for January to July 2015:

Current period Average Room Average Room Revenue Per Available Occupancy (ARO) Rate (ARR) Room (RevPAR)

All Hotels in SA 61.0% R 1 069 R 652

All 5-star hotels in SA 61.1% R 1 941 R 1 186

All 4-star hotels in SA 60.0% R 1 010 R 606

All 3-star hotels in SA 60.8% R 864 R 525

Change over same period last year

All Hotels in SA 0.8% 6.1% 7.0%

All 5-star hotels in SA 0.7% 8.7% 9.5%

All 4-star hotels in SA 1.1% 5.4% 6.6%

All 3-star hotels in SA -1.1% 6.8% 5.6%

ACSA DATAThe latest available data from ACSA is for January to August 2015:

Change over same period last year Passengers arriving on Passengers arriving on Passengers arriving on International Flights Regional Flights Domestic Flights

OR Tambo International -1.0% -3.3% 8.7%

Cape Town International 8.7% 8.0% 7.3%

King Shaka International -4.8% N/A 4.2%

CAR RENTAL DATAThe latest available data from SAVRALA is for January to March 2015:

Current period Change over same period last year

Industry rental days 4 373 919 -2%

Industry utilisation 71.8% -1.5%

Industry Average daily revenue 1 352 463 563 1%

According experts gathered at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum, the hotel and tourism industry in Africa is set for a period of sustained growth, writes Anja Eckervogt of

Tarsh Consulting.

Africa Tourism set for sustained

Growth

The hotel and tourism industry in Africa is beginning a period of sustained growth, according to the sector’s leading experts gathered at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 30 September to 1 October 2015.

The conference heard that inward international flights were recovering after being hit by the ebola outbreak. And the hotel sector reported significant expansion, as well as increased visitor numbers, boosted by demand from African business.

Now in its fifth year, AHIF brought together 500-plus leading international hotel investors, local operators, government officials and industry experts from around 40 countries.

The immediate good news came from ForwardKeys, which monitors future travel patterns by analysing 14 million reservation transactions each day.

Its analysis showed there was an increase of 6.4% in international arrivals in September in Sub-Saharan Africa. The upturn marked a turning point after the ebola outbreak, which had wiped out four years of strong growth.

Flight bookings for the next six months suggest a sustained recovery. The data shows arrivals on-the-book (bookings for travel in future) from October 2015 to March 2016 are now running 4% ahead, compared with the same period last year.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

OCTOBER 2015 13Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The growing opportunities for investment in hotels on the continent were revealed in the African Hotel Report 2015. Hotel Partners Africa identified the top ten opportunities. Nigeria heads the list with the strongest economy, but with only 34 branded hotel bedrooms per million population. This compares with 6,754 branded hotel bedrooms per million population in North America and 2,432 bedrooms per million in Europe. Ghana with 59 bedrooms and Cote d’Ivoire with 61 bedrooms also present great opportunities with very strong unmet demand.

The 2015 African Hotel Valuation Index, released at the conference by HVS, revealed that the African hotel sector was becoming less reliant on foreign visitors with increased demand from local businesses.

The Index showed African hotel brands such as Azalai, City Lodge and Protea were trading well, with a number of hotel investors showing faith in the continent.

The conference also heard the latest thought leadership research paper from JLL. It found the growth drivers for the hotel sector in Africa included:• Improved fiscal management• Favourable demographics (a population of 1.1billion)• Rapid urbanisation• Growing middle class• Rich commodity and energy resources• Considerable infrastructure investment• Increased tourism.

In another special market report, hotel consultants Horwath HTL said they expected a surge in projects in Cameroon ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations which will be held there in 2019.

For more information visit www.Africa-Conference.com

Embrace the tourism technology movement and become part of this exciting space that allows for a competitive advantage when managing your bookings.

Here are some tips to bear in mind when looking at the costs associated with the implementation of software in your organisation.

For Tour Operators, it always comes down to cost; but investing in tools that will improve productivity, manage workflow, reduce errors and give your travellers a professional look and feel are an absolute must, writes Linday de Heer.

Tour OperatorSoftware

BUSINESS & FINANCE

OCTOBER 201514 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

10 Tipson selecting

04

05

06

01

02

03 FlixibilityIf your company's needs change, are you able to increase or decrease your package with your software provider? Look for a product that offers some flexibility and competitive pricing when it comes to your future growth.

TrainingWill you be given thorough training? No system can be fully utilized without training, and it is important that your provider has training facilities available to the users that also allows for updates and refresher training once the product is being utilized.

SupportDoes the software provider offer support and personal contact? Having someone to talk to when you are experiencing difficulties is vital. You should be aware of what the end-user will be experiencing on a day to day basis and take care of your consultant experiences.

InfrastructureWill your current technology infrastructure work with your software of choice? Check what upgrades and purchases need to be made in order for the product to work on your current network.

Research & DevelopmentFind out whether the product will continue to be developed and grow or stagnate and soon become out-dated. This is a long-term investment and you need to secure a relationship with an organisation that is going to be keeping abreast with industry trends.

Investment Be ready to make an investment in your organisation that will bring about process change throughout your company; you cannot put a price tag on a well-run business.

time from query to quote and how the booking process is managed. This coupled with the reduced risk of errors and professional branding will ensure that the return on your investment is a generous one.

This series of articles was aimed at demonstrating why software is a far more sustainable way of managing your tour operating business. Manual systems are no longer effective or competitive and the hope is that some of your doubts or concerns may have been addressed.

Not all organisations can fund their own software development to produce a bespoke product, but there are plenty of products out there that have been tried and tested and have proved to be hugely beneficial in the companies that they serve. You don’t need to be a huge organisation to take advantage of these software packages; from 1 user to 50+ users the benefits far outweigh traditional manual methods.

If you have specific questions relating to this article email me at lindsay@travelogic.co.za or call +27 21 683 6006.

OCTOBER 2015 15Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

A SOFTWARE PACKAGE DESIGNED FOR TOUR OPERATORS

Automate your Workflowthrough Technology.

Produce Fast and Accurate Quotations.

Management Reports, Itineraries and Invoices.

Remote Access and Live 3rd Party Availability. info@travelogic.co.zawww.travelogic.co.za

Visit INDABA Africa - Stand ICCE10 to find out more about Travelogic™

READ MORE Online at '10 Tips on Quoting & Booking Processes' (page 15 September edition); '10 Tips for Embracing Change' (page 17 August edition); 'How to keep itineraries current' (pages 11 to 13 March edition); and 'How to streamline your Tour Operator business' (page 14 May edition).

About the author: Lindsay de Heer is the Managing Director of Equilogic (Pty) Ltd - a South African software company that specialises in Tour Operator management automation. For more information visit www.travelogic.co.za

10 Tips on selecting Tour Operator software packages

07

08

09

10

CredibilityChoose a company with a proven track record and ask for references. There is no better way to confirm your decision to move with a software provider than to ask current users for their feedback.

StaffDo you have the support of your staff in the move to this technology? Ensure that your staff are on-board and understand the benefits that the software will bring to your organisation. Without their support the implementation process can be unsuccessful.

CurrencyWhat currency is the product being sold in, and would you prefer to support a locally produced package? Supporting a South African organisation should be a preference, as well as considering the hideous exchange rate when looking beyond our borders.

BenefitsLook at the day to day benefits of the product, including turn around-

OCTOBER 201516 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Making Tourism

Work

I had the wonderful opportunity to experience one of South Africa’s luxury trains, the Blue Train, and although this was one of the things I always wanted to do (a bucket list item), there was something that I found very disturbing.

It was not the train or the service, I appreciated what the staff did during the ride and I sincerely believe it is worth every cent. As someone who is always promoting South Africa and what it has to offer, the train or maybe I should say the route it followed opened my eyes for the role or lack thereof that government plays in ensuring a memorable experience.

Before I get down to the detail, I need to state that approximately 50% of the passengers on this train were foreigners, which made me realise that what these passengers see and experience of our country makes up part of their total experience in South Africa. Therefore, it is important to take these four issues seriously since all the other passengers and I experienced it en route from Pretoria to Cape Town.

First of all, the significant amount of litter next to the railway line.

This trail of litter followed us right into Cape Town where we were greeted with plastic bags all along the fences until we entered the Cape Town Station.

I blame PRASA (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) and the respective local authorities for this lack of maintenance.

I always teach my students that the first sign of bad management is a lack of maintenance. Recently, the CEO of PRASA was also fired most probably not for a lack of maintenance of the railway lines, but I believed he should have been fired for this and the issues that follow this one.

The second issue also relates to a lack of management by PRASA and that is the general management of the immediate area along the railway line.

It seems to be general practice that once maintenance is done the workers leave the area without cleaning it. Here I am not referring to litter; I am talking about concrete sleepers, cables, heaps of stone and rubble that are never removed to name but a few.

This is unacceptable since when one travels in Europe or most other parts of the world the railway lines are clean. This is also a practice when roads are constructed but somehow railway workers do not apply this principle despite the fact that passengers had to face it.

The third issue also refers to a lack of maintenance and that is the high number of dilapidated railway buildings or station buildings that are not in use.

Rail tourism has potential for growth in South Africa, but Is government an asset or liability to this sector, asks

Prof Melville Saayman.

About the Author: Professor Melville Saayman is currently director of the research focus area TREES (Tourism Research in Economic Environs and Society) at the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) in South Africa. He has served on numerous tourism related boards as a director, both locally and internationally. He became the first National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher in tourism in South Africa. From his pen, numerous leisure and tourism books (20), scientific articles (110), technical reports (300) and in-service training manuals (8) have been published. He was supervisor and promoter to 80 master’s and doctoral students and he has also presented 85 papers at international conferences.

For more information visit www.nwuexperts.co.za

Some are beautiful buildings with a long history, but never maintained. This led to a situation where roofs have been removed and everything that is useful, stripped. In addition, nature is taking its course with weeds and trees overgrowing these buildings, which again left a bad taste in my mouth. These buildings should be demolished and removed or properly managed.

As the train made its way through and past several small towns, another brick hit me between the eyes, which brings me to issue number four and that is the neglect of graveyards.

We passed graveyards that had no fences; cattle were grazing among the grave sites, since the grass was nearly a meter tall.

If readers wonder why this is important, I want to remind them that graveyards are also part of what cities and towns have to offer and serve as attractions.

A good example is that in Paris, France, one of the top five tourist attractions is a graveyard. Many tourists travel to visit sites of family, well-known people or because of interesting stories associated with the graveyard or specific graves.

In addition, grave sites have always been important (sacred) for Africans and Westerners alike, but this disrespect is just unacceptable.

Again it reflects a lack of management. Tourism role-players have a responsibility to remind government agencies at different levels of the role they play in making tourism work.

If we cannot manage the things that we are responsible for, how on earth will we be able to grow tourism and create the jobs that we so desperately need?

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Enterprise Solutions for

BEE Codes

The new empowerment codes, which came into effect in May 2015 have made Ownership, Skills Development and Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) priority elements that all measured entities will need to comply with for their scorecard. ESD alone will count for 40 points.

To assist the tourism industry in meeting the new standards, TEP has revised its existing Enterprise Development Portfolio (EDP), and now offers the ESDS programme which allows corporates to comply with the Enterprise and Supplier Development element of the amended codes.

Under the new B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice, measured entities will have to invest 3% of their profit after tax into providing support to black-owned SMMEs. SMMEs will need to be at least 51% black-owned in order to qualify as ESD beneficiaries. Because ESD is a priority element, companies will have to comply with it in order to avoid being downgraded one level. In order to assist the industry to become compliant, we needed to expand our current database of more than 4000 tourism SMMEs to include small businesses that provide goods and services to the industry and that meet the requirements of the new codes.

The TEP database now includes small business operators in the following categories: Manufacturers of uniforms for the hospitality industry; Producers of poultry and eggs; Suppliers of dry goods in bulk quantities; Producers of dairy products; Suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables; Suppliers of paper napkins and serviettes; Suppliers of operating equipment); Halaal Catering; Carpet cleaning services; Garden services.

The common denominator of these SMME service providers is that

The Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) has entrenched its reputation as the forerunner in tourism small business development with the launch of its unique Enterprise and Supplier Development Solutions (ESDS) programme to assist corporates in this

sector meet the new amended Broad-Based Black Economic-Empowerment Codes of Good Practice, writesDr Salifou Siddo.

OCTOBER 2015 17Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

they are all at least 51% black-owned. The database is a work in progress and we hope to make it as comprehensive and responsive to the ESD requirements of the industry as possible.

The first enterprise to team up with TEP on this highly effective programme is the Maslow Hotel and the resultant partnership has demonstrated just how valuable the programme can be: TEP has secured three contracts with SME suppliers to the tourism industry for The Maslow Hotel. The three small enterprises will benefit hugely from the new contracts and hope to grow their businesses significantly with this market access as well as further TEP training and mentoring.

Johann Scheepers, General Manager at The Maslow Hotel, says: “From the outset, we have recognised that The Maslow’s success and sustainability depends not only depends on our ability to constantly deliver premium services and facilities, but also on our ability to help build and maintain a sustainable community. We look forward to long and fruitful relationships witn the SME.”

Siddo says that by elevating ESD to priority status, the amended BEE codes are set to bring fundamental change to the composition and management of business supply chains in South Africa and TEP, through its ESDS, will be at the forefront of assisting the tourism industry to comply with this element of the codes.

NOTE: TEP is audited by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and ESDS is verified by Empowerdex, South Africa's leading economic empowerment rating agency. For more information visit www.tep.co.za

About the Author: Dr Salifou Siddo is the Chief Executive at the Tourism Enterprise Parnership (TEP).

Two of the Maslow Hotel's three 100% black-owned small businesses: Gugu & Daughters Farming who will provide fresh vegetables, fruit and herbs direct to the Maslow’s kitchen; and Tassy’s Caterers & Suppliers, which will provide snacks for the bar and entertainment areas.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Economic Volatility &

Tourism in SA

Charles Dickens in his 1859 classical work, A Tale of Two Cities, is quoted as indicating that "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period."

2015 is a challenging year for South Africa as the global economy of which South Africa is integrated is experiencing challenges that stem from the last recession. A look at newspaper headlines, that are dominated by a plethora of stories of gloom, doom and an approaching full blown bear market. The USA has been implementing quantitative easing for several years now to boost their economy,

Recently, China saw its own Black Monday when the stock markets crashed leading to a global decline in currencies. What is rather profound is that the recession of 2008/2009 had a greater impact on the West, whilst the current market turmoil in China, now represents the East. China is a significant trade partner to South Africa and therefore any market turmoil in China could have significant market ramifications for South Africa. South Africa’s economic fortunes have for long been linked to the extraction industries that send raw material for global markets with little or no local beneficiation. The decrease in the prices of major commodities has led to mining houses indicating that they will have no option but to cut jobs.

Furthermore the steel industry represented by Arcelor Mittal South Africa, which has used import parity pricing for its locally produced steel, achieved great profits at the expense of local growth. In his article titled, The Steel Industry in Crisis, Dr. Rob Davies acknowledges that the AMSA achieved excessive returns and repatriated them away from South Africa.

Once again government is asked to intervene to save the market, contrary to the neo-liberal outlook of a minimalistic role of government in business. ‘’Only in the worst of times’’ the government is called upon to act to save the market, just like the US government did to save the banks after their self-destructive tendencies.

Government should be congratulated for working with its partners in business and labour to find a win-win solution that will save jobs threatened by falling commodity prices, labour instability and soaring costs. However, organised labour must also acknowledge the

South Africa's current economic volatility offers opportunities for tourism growth and job creation, but government must pave the way by removing obstacles that inhibit growth and

the country's competitiveness as a destination, writesUnathi Sonwabile Henama.

possible unemployment that may be created as a result if their wage demands. The mining sector which is critical to labour instability is mechanising to replace limb with machine, which means decrease in labour requirements for the mines and less union membership for the unions.

Tourism's contribution to the South African economy

With mining’s share of GDP and employment creation decreasing, we should promote tourism domestically in order to achieve a greater geographical spread of money and attract more regional and international tourists to South Africa. Tourism employs a multiplicity of skills, which means that the loss of jobs in mining can be mitigated by the creation of thousands of labour intensive jobs in tourism.

South Africa currently imports more goods than it exports, which leads to a trade deficit in Gross Domestic Product. The latest data indicates that the current account deficit to GDP amount to 4.8%. This is as a result of exports accounting for 31.3% of GDP in 2014, whilst imports accounted for 33.7% of GDP. It is always better for a country to have a current account surplus as this would be based on strong exports, and a high savings rate.

Tourism is the only industry that has the ability and potential to resolve the trade imbalance . More measures should be put in place to attract more inbound tourists to visit South Africa. More must be done to ensure that South Africa becomes more attractive as a destination.

In 1996, South Africa adopted the Growth, Employment and Redistribution Strategy (GEAR), which was a neo-liberal macroeconomic strategy that advanced privatisation, export promotion, reduction in tariffs and less state involvement in the economy. Tourism was a perfect fit for GEAR as tourism is primarily an export product that attracts foreign exchange.

Tourism is essentially a service that is intangible and simultaneously produced and consumed at the destination area. This means that the majority of the value adding for the tourism product offering can happen at the destination, which is basically beneficiation. This therefore, leads to the retention of the tourist injection into the national and local economy. Furthermore tourism is an export product that is consumed at the destination area, which gained support from the Bretton Wood institutions as a tool for export promotion when they approved Structural Adjustment Programmes for countries. Tourism is an attracter of foreign exchange and already in South Africa it attracts more foreign exchange than mining.

OCTOBER 201518 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESS & FINANCE

About the Author: Unathi Sonwabile Henama teaches tourism in the Department of Tourism Management at the Tshwane University of Technology. The views expressed in this article are private. Unathi can be contacted via email at: HenamaUS@tut.ac.za or by calling: +27 (0)12 382 5507.

Tourism is therefore the future and the present. It is therefore the only industry that can create the best of time, during the worst of times. The worst of times will not last forever; South Africa must therefore work together to end this winter of despair.

Currency and taxation

The volatility of the rand which is one of the most traded currencies in the world is a challenge to inflation management and economic growth. The rand crisis that South Africa finds itself in, is a major source of concern considering that South African’s consume more imports. This means that the situation will have inflationary pressures on the local economy. The South African Reserve Bank would be forced to raise interest rates in the next meeting of the Monetary Policy Meeting as a means of trying to protect the value of the currency and stem inflation. South Africa as Hilary Joffe noted in 2014, is no stranger to currency crashes. What has however happened is that the Rand has crashed to the lowest level since 2001, when a Commission of Inquiry into the depreciation of the Rand was established.

The structural challenges in the domestic economy such as low growth, are further compounded by challenges like high indebtedness amongst customers, low savings rate, labour unrest, high levels of inequality and loadshedding.

The depreciation of the Rand means that it is cheaper for tourists coming from countries with hard currencies such as the British Pound, the Euro and the Dollar to visit South Africa. This window of opportunity must be used to promote destination South Africa more aggressively on the global stage. Because international tourists are recorded as exports, when they land on our shores this can be the best strategy to stem the current account deficit. The David Tax Commission must be encouraged to understand that tourists can be tax even though they are non-residents and this can increase tax coffers. This means that an increase in tourist arrivals increases the tax base for a country through the taxation of non residents.

Visa regulations

The government’s inter-ministerial team on the new visa regulations should be given time and space to conclude its work and I will be eager to read the recommendations. However, in order for tourism to succeed South Africa needs to do more to improve the public transport system that can be used by both the locals and tourists.

Safety and security

Personal safety and security remain a challenge to the growth of

tourism to South Africa. In tourism, perception is everything and the continued negative images portrayed to all corners of the world about the violence clashes in society, xenophobic attacks, lawlessness during labour strikes, and the trademark loss of life as a result of our beloved minibus taxi industry, do little to convince tourists that South Africa is open for business.

Air access

The high costs of air travel to South Africa, and the requirement that all domestic airlines must be 75% owned by locals, remain stumbling blocks to more tourism growth. There is a need for greater public-private sector collaborations to unlock many regional airports for their use for scheduled flight and the granting of international airport status to more airports as a means of stimulation aviation.

In an article that I published titled 'Attracting Indian Outbound Tourists to South Africa: A BRICS perspective', I noted that tourism often occurs between countries that need it the least. The majority of tourism occurs between the industrialised world, while Africa receives less than 10% of international tourism. This remains a ’’drop in the ocean’’ when compared to the number of tourists that visit Europe and North America.

Africa in general and South Africa specifically must ensure it becomes the most competitive in its attraction of tourism revenue.

Sport tourism

The City of Durban must be congratulated on the successful bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Sport tourism has cherished our heart in the worst of times, to remind us of the best of times that tourism creates.

Editor's note: This year’s Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) conference, which takes place on 28 and 29 October 2015 in Tshwane, will again focus on the need for the tourism industry to support Durban in its preparations over the next seven years to stage a successful Commonwealth Games. Read more on page 00.

OCTOBER 2015 19Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The silk plastic lid of the Chambord Classic Milk Frother has a deep rim to prevent foam from escaping through the spout. The plunger handle has a comfortable grip and is pleasant and smooth to touch. In less than 30 seconds you can easily whip your preheated milk into the airy foam.

The winning 'Like' or 'Share' during the month of October 2015 will receive a Home Classix Solar Lantern with the compliments of

Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

Competition

'Like' / 'Share' / 'Connect' with these Social Media icons to win!

Livingston Supply Company

Tourism TattlerCompetition Rules: Only one winner will be selected each month on a random selection draw basis. The prize winner will be notified via social media. The prize will be delivered by the sponsor to the winners postal address within South Africa. Should the winner reside outside of South Africa, delivery charges may be applicable. The prize may not be exchanged for cash.

Congratulations to our Social Media winner for September 2015

Kwandwe Game Reserve has been selected as our September 2015 winner for their 'Follow' on Twitter. Kwandwe will receive a Chambord Classic Milk Frother and 4x enamel coffee mugs with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

October's prize winner will receive an eco-friendly and stylish Solar Lantern. This slar lantern from Home Classix is supplied with a 18650 lithium battery (900 MAH). The lantern will operate for 5 to 7 hours once fully charged. The 15 LED lights can last up to 100 000 hours.

The Solar Lantern has an on/off switch, which regulates the brightness of the LED lights.

When fully charged, the high intensity bright LED bulbs will provide light for 5-7 hours.

The lantern has a swing arm handle, which makes it easy to carry or hang from any type of hook.

Ideal for power outages, camping, restaurants, B&Bs, Lodge Bomas, braaing and indoor activities such as reading or dinners.

A SOLAR LANTERN

•

About the Prize from Livingstones Supply Co:

OCTOBER 201520 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Win

Winner

For more information visit www.livingstonessupplyco.com

@KwandweReserve

The appalling cruelty inflicted upon Asian elephants used for tourist rides and shows is now spreading throughout southern Africa, reveals World Animal Protection in its latest report,

writes Kai Akram.

Appeal forElephant-friendlyTourism Pledge

The report highlights the rise of elephant rides and shows in southern Africa; a tourist attraction that is already well established in parts of Asia.

Elephant rides are a popular and lucrative tourist activity, but behind the scenes the animals are taken from their mothers, their spirit is broken, and they endure cruel and stressful ‘training’ to make them tolerate being ridden. If not addressed urgently hundreds more African elephants could face a lifetime of cruel confinement, beatings and other harsh treatment, all for tourist entertainment.

The current situation in Africa:• The first tourist elephant rides in Africa started in

the late 1990’s and spread through South Africa in 2001.

• Most parks are in South Africa, where at least 144 captive elephants are held in at least 28 different venues. *Based on 2015 data from World Animal Protection research and the NSPCA[i]

• A further 47 are held in seven elephant parks across Zimbabwe, 13 in two venues in Zambia and 11 elephants in two venues in Botswana.

• 24 young elephants were recently sold and exported by the Zimbabwean government to Chimelong Safari Park in China[ii]. They will suffer a life of abuse performing in shows and giving rides.

The numbers of wild elephants have increased since the beginning of the 20th century. However, the poaching of elephants to meet the growing tourist demand, in addition to poaching for ivory, could put them under even more strain.

Kate Nustedt, Director of Wildlife at World Animal Protection says:

“You’re taking the wild out of Africa by breaking the spirit of their elephants so they can be ridden and perform for tourists. People who love animals will be shocked about the cruelty behind the scenes of elephant rides and they will no longer want to do it. There are many places in southern Africa for tourists to see elephants in the wild, and we’re encouraging people to see them there, not in cruel tourist entertainment.

“We’re working with the industry to end cruel wildlife tourism. As a result of our work so far, over 20 travel companies across the world, including TUI Nederland, Intrepid Travel, Apollo, Albatros Travel and World Expeditions have stopped offering and promoting elephant rides or shows to their customers. We’re calling on all operators to do the same – and to show their commitment to this by signing the World Animal Protection Elephant-friendly Tourism Pledge.”

CONSERVATION

OCTOBER 2015 21Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

There are currently no known elephant parks operating in Angola, Malawi or Mozambique and no elephant riding venues in Central, Eastern and West Africa regions. But the absence of them cannot be guaranteed if tourist pressure for rides continues to increase.

Interesting Elephant facts• The African elephant is the earth’s largest terrestrial mammal. Males can weigh up to 6,000 kg and measure up to 3.3 meters at the shoulder.• Elephants are highly intelligent, emotional and sociable animals. They have complex multi-tiered social systems, close family bonds and show empathy. Females live in strongly-bonded matriarchal herds and care for calves together.

• Adult males are more independent and have fewer social bonds. They tend to roam alone, visiting and joining matriarchal groups temporarily.

• There are two recognised subspecies of African elephant. The larger Savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) and its smaller counterpart the Forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis).

About the author: Kai Akram is the International Media Officer at World Animal Protection, which was previously known as WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals).

For more information visit www.worldanimalprotection.org

[i] Wentzel I, A. Hay (2015). The welfare status of elephants in captivity in South Africa. Wildlife Protection Unit, National Council of SPCAs of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa. 32 pp

[ii] Sieff, K (2015). Zimbabweans Alarmed By Deal That Could See Hundreds of Elephants Shipped To China. National Post. August 26th 2015 [ONLINE]. Available at: http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/deal-that-could-see-hundreds-of-elephants-shipped-to-china-worries-zimbabweans [Accessed 3rd September 2015].

OCTOBER 201522 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EVENTS

Future of the Commonwealth

GamesDurban 2022

“On behalf of Thebe Reed Exhibitions we would like to congratulate SASCOC and the Durban Bid Committee for securing the rights to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Through the annual Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) conference, industry leaders came together to support Durban in its bid for the CGF Games, in 2014 and we are proud to be associated with this historic announcement” stated Sugen Pillay, Director at Thebe Reed Exhibitions.

EThekwini Mayor, Councillor James Nxumalo and the Durban 2022 bid committee delegation from South Africa signed the contract in Auckland, New Zealand that will bring the games to Africa for the first time. Nxumalo says: “We will be hosting these Games on behalf of the African continent which is about one billion people. It is history in the making, as these Games will be coming to the African continent for the first time. South Africa is under reconstruction and development, as we are building this new country which is non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic. “The Games will be used to promote social cohesion and build our nation. Hosting the games will give our young people an opportunity to showcase their talent on the world stage in 2022, because we want them to be the champions of tomorrow.”

Lessons from previous Commonwealth Games Host Destinations in the Management of the Games will be a highlight at this year’s conference. Issues that will be highlighted and debated in this session are:• Challenges of the operational management of the event• Partnerships and the role of key partners• The role of the tourism industry• Marketing campaigns and strategies to promote the destination

through the event• Legacy issues resulting from the Games.

This year’s SETE conference, which takes place from 28 to 29 October 2015 in Tshwane, will again focus on the need for the Industry to support Durban in its preparations over the next seven years to stage a successful Commonwealth Games, a

first for Africa, writes Jacques Maritz.

About the Author: Jacques Maritz is the Media Liaison for SETE and can be contacted on +27 (0)84 444 0775 or via email at Jmps@worldonline.co.za.

About Thebe Reed Exhibitions: Operated as a joint venture between Thebe Tourism Group Pty Limited and Reed Exhibitions, Thebe Reed Exhibitions is Southern Africa’s most forward thinking and successful exhibition and venue management company responsible for exhibitions such as the Africa Travel Week consisting of ILTM Africa, IBTM Africa and WTM® Africa; the Business Entrepreneurship and Franchise Expo; Decorex SA; 100% Design South Africa; the Gauteng Motor Fest; Mediatech Africa and the Sports & Events Tourism Exchange (SETE). Thebe Reed Exhibitions aims to provide the best platform for showcasing industries and nurturing business and networking opportunities on the African continent. For more information visit www.ThebeReed.co.za

Prof. Douglas Turco, International Sports Tourism Expert and Senior Research Associate, Sport Business School, Finland will be chairing this session and panellists including Prof. John Nauright, Sport & Leisure Management, University of Brighton, UK, SASCOC, and experts from previous host cities of the Commonwealth Games, will share their knowledge and experience in the operational management of the Games.

The annual Sports & Events Tourism Exchange is the only event of its kind in Africa and provides a platform that brings together businesses from the Sports, Events & Tourism industries, and encourages collaboration between these sectors, consisting of a two-day conference, table top exhibition and networking events.

To book your attendance for Sports and Events Tourism Exchange 2015 contact Rene Staack on rene@thebereed.co.za or call +27(0)11 549 8300.

For more information visit www.sportsandevents.co.za

OCTOBER 2015 23Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EVENTS

World Luxury Hotel

Awards

The World Luxury Hotel Awards are responsible for rewarding these legends of the hospitality industry, and are thus positioned as the pinnacle of achievement for luxury hotels worldwide.

Established in 2006, the World Luxury Hotel Awards celebrates excellence in the luxury hotel sector and rewards those establishments, who through their exceptional efforts, truly put that extra sparkle on the definition of a ‘luxury’ establishment. “It is about rewarding and congratulating hotels and spas that have excelled beyond the normal call of duty.”

Awards are presented to luxury hotels in different categories on a country, continent and global basis. The objectives of these awards are to recognise and celebrate service excellence and to encourage key players to strive to new heights to grow global competitiveness in the industry. As a result, the forerunners set the bar for each year’s standards and awards. The world’s top hotels including brands such as Swissôtel, InterContinental, Hilton, Kempinski, Anantara & Mövenpick Hotels compete annually to receive top honours.

From the hinterland regions of Australia to the island paradises of sunny Santorini or Bora Bora, the luxury hotels who receive these prestigious awards are often unparalleled in the experiences they offer guests with their one-of-a-kind awe-inspiring locations, top-notch service and overall superior luxury factor. These are the most sought-after rooms around the globe and many will accommodate the world’s elite – celebrities, dignitaries and global entrepreneurs who indulge in the extravagances on offer at these resorts.

By seeking out the crème de la crème in the industry, the World Luxury Hotel Awards create awareness about the value and importance of outstanding service delivery which ultimately raises service standards.

Furthermore, the public is given a voice that counts, as international tour operators, travel agents and hotel guests are allowed to vote annually for their favourite destinations and elect the final winners.

Voting is based on facilities and service excellence and hotels are encouraged to conduct voting campaigns in order to promote their participation among guests.

Growing numbers of discerning travellers around the globe are seeking excellent value, impeccable service and the highest quality these days and are now making a point of checking to see who has won a World Luxury Hotel Award before making their own travel choices. The Ultimate Hotel Guide featuring Award winners has also become increasingly popular amongst travel agents and tour

Every year the world’s finest hotels are assessed and critiqued to sift out the very best of the best in their offerings of

exclusive world-class accommodation, writes Michelle Snyman

operators that utilise it for global reservations. The 9th Edition of this luxury guide will be revealed at the October 2015 Gala Ceremony.

With over 1000 hotels from 145 countries nominated to participate in the world’s most prestigious Awards initiative for luxury hotels in 2015, the process and bestowment of titles are no small feat.

The Awards thus account for over fifty categories in the luxury hotel industry and include amongst others Luxury Private Island Resorts, Casino Hotels, City Hotels, and Lodges, as well as two new prestigious awards to be introduces in 2016: The Chairman’s Choice Award and The Timeless Heritage Award.

According to the team behind these prestigious awards: “We believe that World Luxury Hotel Awards category winners would serve as an inspiration to nominees and other luxury properties on the global front to raise their levels of service delivery in order to feel comfortable in competing on an international level and to set a benchmark for themselves.”

The World Luxury Hotel Awards sets a precedent to celebrate the iconic global accommodation leaders. By association, winner-hotels within the World Luxury Hotel Awards, become part of the very rare ‘legendary hotel’ association.

OCTOBER 201524 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EVENTS

OCTOBER 2015 25Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The 2015 World Luxury Hotel Awards Gala Ceremony will be hosted in the international destination, Hong Kong, China, by the prestigious property, Harbour Grand Hong Kong on 24 October.This will mark the third year that the annual gala ceremony will be hosted in Asia.

The World Luxury Hotel Awards Annual Gala Ceremony can be described as the “Oscars” Academy Awards of the hospitality sector. The Harbour Grand Hong Kong reflects the true essence and international standard of the luxury hotel industry. This multi-award winning hotel is located in the heart of Hong Kong Island within walking distance of the MTR station with easy access to the city’s business, shopping, dining and fashion districts.

All 828 contemporary-designed guest rooms and suites enjoy breath-taking harbour views. Guests can enjoy comprehensive facilities including the 27-metre outdoor swimming pool, gymnasium and spa & massage centre.

The 6,200 square feet pillar-less Grand Ballroom with crystal chandeliers, complimented with seven salon rooms, is the perfect venue for functions. Most of the five restaurants present European, Cantonese, Japanese and international cuisine.

From Western favourites to expertly prepared Cantonese and Japanese specialities, Harbour Grand Hong Kong fine dining restaurants present sumptuous cuisine against the backdrop of Hong Kong's panoramic harbour view. Selected fine dining restaurants can be transformed into stylish and memorable venues for your corporate events – combining mouth-watering temptations with Harbour Grand Hong Kong’s world-class service.

Celebrating Hong Kong's famous harbour side skyline, Harbour Grand Hong Kong will extend packages including favourable room rates to all World Luxury Hotel Awards Event attendees. The packages will include luxury accommodation as well as a ticket to the formal dinner event.

The annual gala dinner event will provide attendees with a spectacular display of world-class entertainment as well as tantalize the taste buds with an international fine dining experience including wine paring. Awards winners will be honoured by receiving their award recognition on stage as well as rub shoulder with the leaders of the hospitality industry and media representatives.

Attendees will be encouraged to relax at leisure at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong property as well as explore the surrounding tourist attractions.

Relax and unwind after a long day of meetings at the Harbour Grand Hong Kong's state-of-the-art Fitness Centre – featuring a fantastic view of the Victoria Harbour as well as the hotel's 27-metre long outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi and children's pool.

The world class spa is a haven of relaxation after a long day and guests are encouraged to indulge in relaxation.

A city that never sleeps, Hong Kong is bursting with an energy that never fails to exhilarate visitors. Dull moments do not exist. By adopting and adapting global trends, Hong Kong nurtures its own unique style to offer products and experiences, sought after by international travellers.

World Luxury Hotel Awards hope to welcome all 2015 Nominees to attend the annual gala ceremony in order to celebrate the achievements and success of 2015.

For more information visit www.harbourgrand.com and www.luxuryhotelawards.com

The Harbour Grand Hong Kong's 6,200 square feet pillar-less Grand Ballroom with crystal chandeliers - host venue to the 2015 World Luxury Hotel Awards Gala Ceremony

EVENTS

Property Profile

Hotels, Eco-Escapes& Lifestyle Resorts

Mantis offers travellers exceptional properties and authentic experiences across the globe. From beach, bush and city hospitality and spa's, to experience packages like no other -

Mantis has it all - and more.

M

OCTOBER 201526 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

antis is a family run collection of award winning, privately owned, 5-star properties located around the World, across all seven continents. Its specialist areas include Boutique Hotels, Game Reserves, Eco Lodges, Ski Lodges, Chalets and Boutique Cruises, offering in-the-know travellers the most exceptional properties and authentic experiences imaginable.

Each of the diverse, handpicked properties represents the finest example of its kind and celebrates the culture, gastronomy, architecture and nature of the locations in which they are found. Whilst every property is unique, being part of the collection ensures that the quality of the facilities, service and overall experience is consistently 5-star and guests can always expect personal, friendly service.

Officially founded by entrepreneur and hotelier Adrian Gardiner in 2000, Mantis is committed to the spirit of conservation and restoration, and each property is sensitive to its surroundings in respect of the building, environment and local community. The entrepreneurial spirit of the family underpins that of the group, allowing them to be dynamic in the growth of the portfolio, and to respond quickly to consumer demand.

In 2013, Mantis launched Mantis eXtreme, which offers an online collection of authentic, once-in-a-lifetime encounters and experiences worldwide, often paired with product from their field of expertise - five star, handpicked properties. Experiences include: Wilderness camps in the great Niassa at Lugenda Wilderness Camp, Mozambique; Bear Grylls Survival Academy, U.K., USA, Africa; Parabolic flights with Space Affairs, Europe; Rhino Encounters with Dr. Will Fowlds, South Africa; Midnight Golf, Bjorkliden, Sweden and Great Bear Tours, Canada.

Mantis and Mantis eXtreme offer member properties the ideal sales, marketing and management solution for their boutique business to ensure successful growth and drive long term brand development. The company also offers consultancy services in other disciplines including conservation, education and hotel development.

No5Eastern Cape, South Africa

Boutique Art Hotel, situated in Port Elizabeth on the Southeast coast of South Africa, sets a new standard in discreet and elegant boutique accommodation. Step into a world of unsurpassed sophistication and excellence, nestled in the affluent beachfront suburb of Summerstrand.

No.5 Boutique Art Hotel has 7 Suites in the main hotel, and 3 Private Villa suites across from the main building – all with WiFi access, satellite television, air-conditioning, bathrooms with shower and bath, non-allergenic pillows, luxury bathrobes and slippers, hairdryer, fully stocked mini refreshment bar, Nespresso coffee machines, and in-room safety-deposit boxes.

Facilities include the Champagne Lounge; a 28 seater Jazz Room Restaurant; Pool and Deck areas; the Salon Prive whiskey and cigar lounge; a 10 seater Executive Boardroom; 15 seater Mount Batten Movie Theatre; and a16 seater Wine Cellar. A 'Healing Earth' Spa, Gymnasium, and 24-hour concierge service complete the picture.

For more information visit www.mantiscollection.com/property/no5-boutique-art-hotel/

OCTOBER 2015 27Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

Gauteng, South Africa

131Gauteng, South Africa

on Herbert Baker Boutique Hotel offers an incredible 180 degree view of the city of Pretoria. This exceptional Boutique Hotel stands primely positioned in the leafy suburb of Groenkloof, bordering on the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, the private wboutique hotel offers discerning visitors to Pretoria and Johannesburg an exclusive refuge from the bustle of the city.

Originally built as a private residence, 131 on Herbert Baker Boutique Hotel was exquisitely transformed to provide outstanding hotel luxury, catering perfectly to the refined tastes of its clientele. The meticulous attention to every detail, together with impeccable service and superb dining, creates a distinctive boutique experience that has quickly earned 131 on Herbert Baker an excellent reputation.

The hotel offers nine beautifully appointed guest suites and rooms, each with its own private balcony or patio/terrace. For guests who prefer to celebrate life in supreme style, the magnificent Presidential suite includes its own private lounge and dining area.

131 on Herbert Baker Boutique Hotel is conveniently located 10 minutes’ drive from the Pretoria CBD, with easy access to all major highways. A mere 35 minutes’ drive from the Johannesburg CBD and 5 minutes from the highly efficient Pretoria Gautrain station.

For more information visit www.mantiscollection.com/property/131-on-herbert-baker-boutique-hotel/

D e Hoek Country Hotel is a luxury 5-star boutique hotel located in Magaliesburg , Gauteng South Africa, an hour out of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and surrounded by the Magalies river, mature trees and delightful birdlife. The original house was built 22 years ago, it has a special charm and ambience, created by beautiful sandstone architecture and elegant, classically designed interiors.

De Hoek was designed for Johann and Andre Redelinghuys, whose grandfather was one of the original settlers in the Magaliesburg valley. The spirit of the family and the environment that the location was situated in, held the key to the first development. A traditional design using the H plan of old Cape homesteads, tin roofs and stone walls of the Karoo and Free State homes of old, were implemented into the building.

16 Beautifully appointed Superior Suites grace the West gardens, lying close to the river, and 12 new contemporary Superior Suites grace the East, looking out onto the mountain. Interspersed, lie the Main House with magnificent hall, mahogany table and brass chandeliers and the gorgeous Conservatory restaurant. The Garden Pavilion stands proud and the imposing Stonebridge House with the modern, glass enclosed Bridge Bistro restaurant, faces the mountain and bridge.More information: www.mantiscollection.com/property/de-hoek-country-hotel/

MARKETING

Winter evenings in Johannesburg don’t really tempt one to go out, especially with the ongoing risk of power cuts. However, Tourism Tattler's invitation to take my husband out for dinner at the Balata Restaurant, in the Fairway Hotel on the Randpark Golf Course was irresistible.

The Fairway Hotel, part of the Guvon Hotels & Spas group, was built just before the Soccer World Cup in 2010. The Brazilian team were among the first to enjoy the many amenities offered by this excellent addition to the Randburg neighbourhood. The hotel is an attractive modern design, light and airy in summer, yet cosy and welcoming in winter. Its tucked away location, close to main roads and the freeway, but far enough away to be untroubled by traffic noise and pollution, is very appealing in a city where most hotels offer views of nothing but other buildings. Guests at The Fairway wake up to views of the fairways, greens and mature trees of the beautiful golf course.

Fairway Hotel

Balata

The Balata Restaurant in the Fairway Hotel is reputed to offer the best cuisine that the Johannesburg hospitality industry has to offer. Marjorie Dean finds out if its reputation meets

her discerning expectation.

Restaurant Review

at the

OCTOBER 201528 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

We arrived on a frosty Friday evening, found parking easily in the large secure car park, and were greeted by the courteous reception staff, who guided us to the Verve Bar, en route to the Baleta. Verve was busy, warm and packed full of fun and laughter from a slightly older crowd. This was Happy Hour, Fairway style. A cosy fire, comfy chairs, great snacks, cheerful but unobtrusive music and local people relaxing and enjoying the end of the work week.

We were escorted through to our table for two in the remarkably quiet restaurant, immaculately laid, and with comfortable upholstered chairs. At this point I have to confess that we already know the Baleta well. It’s a favourite place to celebrate family occasions and entertain friends to the spectacular Sunday buffet lunch. At R185 per person, that’s amazing value for money, with quality as well as quantity of food. Resident chef Jean-Pierre Siegenhalter is a genius, and he and his young team turn out a veritable banquet every Sunday to suit all tastes. But if you want to partake, you have to book early. The good folk of Randburg have already discovered this venue with enthusiasm, and it’s a full house every Sunday!

However we had not been to Baleta for dinner, and the à la carte menu was a delight. There were so many interesting items listed, including specials for that week, that it was quite difficult to choose. The wine list was also excellent, offering a choice of excellent whites, reds, rosés and sparkling to suit all tastes. Having chosen our main

HOSPITALITY

OCTOBER 2015 29Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

courses we settled for glasses (huge!) of Douglas Green Chenin Blanc/ Sauvignon. It was a crisp and fresh accompaniment to a winter menu.

For starters I chose a Thai Prawn and Papaya salad, while Colin had a Sweetcorn Soup. Both were delicious, the prawn and papaya salad had a subtle blend of light spices, while the soup was liberally flavoured with succulent shredded chicken.

Our main courses were the justly celebrated Belly Pork – succulent and nicely garnished with a medley of caramelised apple, celery and potato with apple jus, so well presented that all the different flavours could be tasted and blended into a delicious sauce; and a superb piece of seared salmon, cooked to perfection, served with a blend of vegetables vichysoisse. Truly scrumptious winter food, but light on the palate and the digestion.

After this our friendly waiter Fransco, suggested we try the winter puds. Again there was a mouthwatering selection, including old favourites such as malva pudding (always excellent here), toffee pudding and ginger biscuit cheesecake, as well as a superb cheeseboard, but we settled for banoffee tart, which was delicious.

The always dapper and charming restaurant manager, Yves Forget (pronounced for jay in the French manner as he hails from the famous city of Chartres in France), came over to chat. He runs a smooth-as-

silk operation here, backed up by a well trained team. It’s a justly popular restaurant where you get consistently top quality food, wine and service, in the European style, with no pretensions.

The Fairway also has excellent conference facilities, a spa and with its own pretty chapel, has become a popular choice for stylish weddings. In summer, the patio and verandah opening onto views of the golf course, offer a delightful light lunch menu. And there is nowhere better for a great business breakfast.

The Fairway Hotel also hosts the Guvon Academy – an accredited training provider for Tourism, Events and Hospitality certification. No wonder then that the Fairway Hotel has developed from an elegant newcomer to a firm local favourite, and the Baleta matches the hotel's popularity, where you know you will get a special experience. It offers the best of South African hospitality, and that is a very high standard indeed. We’ll be back!

For more information visit www.thefairway.co.za/balata

OCTOBER 201530 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

It is great fun brainstorming a new idea, be it over a couple of beers in the pub, over lunch or on the golf course. Quickly thoughts are jotted down, a seed it sown and off we go – a new business is born!

Sorry chaps, but the idea is only 1% (if that) of the end product. When we start a new business concept, we need to take one step back, decide why we are doing it, what the long-term objective is and how we are going to get there. I like to refer to it as a jigsaw and for a jigsaw to be complete, all the pieces must be there – if one piece is missing, however small, the product is incomplete.

The ultimate aim for any businesses should be to build a brand, which you can sell in due course. The brand includes inter alia your business name, trademarks (name, buy-line, get-up), copyright, domain name (These collectively constitute your intellectual property) and business contracts (which should always be recorded in writing and signed by BOTH parties).

Success starts on day one and a solid foundation is required. So, before you rush off to the advertising agency and the printer with the nice name and logo you and your mates have conjured up, read on.

Firstly, keep the idea to yourself! An idea cannot be patented and is not protected (as such) by copyright and, any protection you may have had will be eroded by verbalising the concept to all and sundry. This includes not only the detail of your concept but also the name and logo.

Secondly, you, your mates (Yes, your friends too!) and anyone you deal with must sign a Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement (CNDA). This will protect not only the concept, but also all the time, effort and money you are going to put into your venture trying to get it off the ground. Bear one thing in mind: Money changes people! Most people like doing business with friends: make sure you separate your friendship and your business relationship – that way both will stay intact.

Thirdly, decide what kind of entity you want to house this new venture in and, where required, register it. You can choose to be a sole trader, a partnership (a joint venture is essentially the same thing), a trading trust, a close corporation or a company. We will discuss the detail and pros/cons of each format in a later article, but for now it is important to note that:• The latter three need to be registered (see below);• It is imperative that you have a (written and signed!) consensual

agreement that will govern the relationship between the parties, i.e. a partnership agreement, a trust deed, an association agreement (for c.c.) or a shareholders agreement (company);

• You must not work on trust alone – it is one of the quickest ways of destroying a good idea and/or a friendship.

REGISTRATION OF THE ENTITY is imperative and involves a few anomalies:

• The offices of the close corporation registrar (‘the CC Registrar’), company registrar (‘the CO Registrar’) and the trademark registrar (‘the TM Registrar’) do not ‘talk each other’ and, believe it or not, they and the data bases are not linked electronically!;

• It means that when you apply for the registration of either of the three i.e. a close corporation, company or trademark, the other two offices are ‘not aware’ of your application and ‘conflicting’ applications could therefore be approved independently e.g. a close corporation application could be approved when it clearly ‘clashes’ with a registered trademark or company name (and vice versa)! If you (or your lawyer) don’t read the Government Gazette when the trademark or close corporation or company application is advertised and object within the period allowed, you’ve ‘missed the boat’ and either party will ‘have to live with’ the conflict (or attempt to change it at great expense) ;

• It is therefore required and imperative that when you register a close corporation, you also do a search in the companies and trademark’s office and vice versa;

• and, whichever of the two you ultimately choose as your ‘vehicle’, you must also register a defensive name in the office in which you do not register e.g. if you register a close corporation, you must register a defensive name in the companies office to avoid another party registering a company with the same or similar name as your close corporation;

• and you must also register a trademark and via CPA (see below) .

Fourthly, during all this time, you must protect your intellectual property i.e. copyright, trademark(s) and domain name and not forgetting your invention. This you do by:

COPYRIGHT

• Reduce to writing your concept or idea or logo: protection only arises when the idea or concept is reduced to material form.

• Agree in who the copyright will vest: you, all of you or the entity to be formed.

• ‘Warn’ outsiders thereof: at end of the written document and at the bottom of each page insert ‘© …………………[name copyright holder] and the date and, where it is a more extensive and permanent document, appropriate and more detailed wording regarding copying, use etc is required.

• When you rush off to the advertising agency (after you have done the necessary regarding your trademark and entity registration – see below), make sure they sign an agreement that the copyright in your nice new name, logo, buy-line, sketch, drawing, film, video or computer production and programme vests in and remains vested in you/your entity (‘Copyright Ownership Agreement’) – if you do not do that, the copyright may well be theirs! The latter is especially true in the case of video, film and computer productions.

BRAND

PROTECTING YOUR

Legal

With Louis the Lawyer

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide a brief overview of legal matters pertaining to the travel and tourism industry and is not intended as legal advice. © Adv Louis Nel, 'Louis The Lawyer', October 2015.

OCTOBER 2015 31Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

LEGAL

• Note that you cannot obtain copyright in an idea.

• The Copyright Act does however protect computer software (which cannot be patented), but the protection is limited, easy to circumvent, difficult to prove e.g. only where there has been a ‘direct copy of the source code’ or if ‘there has been a direct adaptation of the source code’ and not if the party has merely ‘copied the concept underlying the computer program’ [Business Day Law Review August 10 2004 – Tarryn Dixon].

TRADEMARK

• A trademark is anything that distinguishes your product or service.• It could be a name, a word, a logo or shape, etc provided it is

distinctive and is capable of visual presentation.• You identify and warn other parties about your trademark by using

the letters ‘TM’ initially and, once the trademark is registered, the letter ‘®’ – Note that it is illegal to use the latter until the trademark is in fact registered.

• It is imperative that you conduct a search in the office of the TM Registrar before you embark on registration: The reason for that is twofold – (a) it will give you an indication of whether you can go ahead with registration and use or not or how you may have to adapt your trademark (b) It is cheaper (by about 60%) than simply going ahead with an application and then being told by the TM Registrar that you ‘cannot have it’.

• Once registered, your trademark is protected for ten years and can thereafter be renewed for a nominal amount for ten years every ten years indefinitely.

• Note that you do not have to register a trademark to have protection – use of a word, a name, logo, etc. will result in such name, logo, etc. acquiring distinctiveness and therefore common law rights. You may also use the letters ‘TM’ with such a name, logo, etc.

• However the benefits of a registered trademark are inter alia ease of proof (i.e. simply produce trademark certificate), enhancing the value of your brand upon sale of business and ten years’ statutory protection.

DOMAIN NAME

The purpose of a domain name is to identify your website. Note that a domain name is not a trademark, although court decisions may ‘narrow the divide’ in due course.

If you are doing business internationally, it is recommended that you register ‘.co.za’ or ‘.net’ as well as ‘.com.’

Dispute resolution as an alternative to litigation can be conducted locally via The South African Institute for Intellectual Property Law for .co.za at www.domaindisputes.co.za. There is also provision for arbitration via WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) in terms of its Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (‘UDRP’) for .com disputes.

Domain name registration is imperative and goes hand in hand with trademark and entity registration.

Lastly, if your business is not ‘housed’ in one of the above and you do not have a registered trademark, but you have used your business name for some time (and it has thus acquired a degree of distinctiveness) and a conflicting business name comes to your attention, you can apply in terms of the Business Names Act to the Company Registrar (via CIPRO) to instruct the other party to change its name if it is:• calculated to deceive or mislead the public; or• calculated to cause annoyance to any person or class of persons; • suggestive of blasphemy or indecency.

As you can imagine, the first ground would be the more regular basis of objection, but proof is by no means easy or cheap, hence the suggestion that you register a trademark.

The above has now been replaced by section 79, 80 and 81 (Read with Regulation 39) of the Consumer Protection Act, Act 68 of 2008 (‘the CPA) i.e. you may only trade using a name that meets on one of the following requirements:• Individual: It must be that persons ‘full name as recorder in an

identity document’;• Juristic person: registered ‘in terms of public regulation’;• Registered in terms of section 80 of the CPA.

Section 80 determines that such person may register:• ‘any number of business names being used, or to be used, by that

person in carrying on the person’s business;• the same business name translated into any number of official

languages of the Republic’.

Section 81 determines that a business name must not:• Be the same or confusingly similar a company, close corporation or

name under the Co-operatives Act or a registered or well known trade mark;

• Falsely imply or suggest or be such as to imply an association with another person or entity and/or educational designation.

A Registered Trademark protects your brand for 10 years and adds

value when the business is sold

During past decades, upwardly mobile execs bragged that they were increasingly busy. This 'snowed-under' phenomenon was so powerful that many people were ashamed to take a holiday and when they did, it was usually for a long weekend. This work-until-you-drop mentality impacted tourism in any number of ways. For example, many women went through an internal battle between their desire to stay at home with their young children and their desire, or need to work. The tourism industry gave the latter an opportunity to enter into the workforce – not merely at entry-level positions but as major administrators. Locations reacted to the “work-until-you drop mentality by offering shorter and more intense travel experiences, the weekend vacation package was born, and hotels understood that businesspeople and busy executives wanted Internet service and free emails as a means of staying in touch, even when they were away. These never-ending workload mentalities are beginning to change, and with the change back to the shorter workweek and more free time, new opportunities are returning to the leisure industry. Here are some of the newest trends in work time management and how tourism professionals can take advantage of this growth of leisure:

Offer holidays that really allow people to get away from their stressful daily lives. Creative tourism professionals need to find ways that allow people to leave their daily grind, get back to nature and at the same time are not so far away that they cannot be found in case of emergency.

Think rural even if your destination is urban. Even urban centres can create the restful experience. Although people will not want to camp out in major cities’ parks, urban hotels can offer restful spas, psychological relaxation exercises, and classes designed to allow people to get in touch with themselves.

Office productivity may be tied to leisure time. Over the last few decades, vacations have been viewed as required periods of non-productivity. The face or leisure travel is now changing with more office managers realizing that longer hours and less vacations do not translate into higher levels of productivity.

Make exercise fun and less stressful. Once upon a time the expression no pain/no gain dominated the world of exercise. With an ever-aging population and one that is trying to combine exercise with fun, the expression may have lost a great deal of relevance. Find ways to make exercise interactive and fun. For example, rather than just offering a gym, consider having a trainer on duty, interesting music or even a discussion group.

Family time will matter more than ever. The newest trends in tourism show people seeking to combine work, leisure and family

What are the latest trends in work time management and how can tourism professionals take advantage of the growth

in leisure time? Dr. Peter E. Tarlow provides the answers.

8 Changing Trends in

Leisure Tourism

MARKETING

time. That means that tourism attractions need to think about how they are integrating whole families. Stating that you are family friendly is not enough. The same goes for smaller communities that often claim to be family friendly, but in reality offer very little for the vacationing family. Make it easy for families. For example, offer early evening activities, or provide places where lawn chairs can be rented for outdoor concerts. One of the most difficult things for travelling families to find is places to wash and especially to dry clothes. Remember that travelling families need the comforts of home, but rarely have them.

Be prepared for fewer women with young children in the work force or for changing workforce demographics. Many younger women, who can afford to do so, are choosing to become stay-at-home moms. This demographic change impacts the tourism industry in a number of ways. These include (1) mothers who are seeking activities to do with their children, especially during the summer vacations, (2) a reduced workforce, as tourism leaders often tend to be women, (3) the desire of many women to work part-time rather than full-time, and (4) the need to be creative and allow people to work from home.

Provide people with outlets for hobbies. Tourism is more than beaches, museums, and mountains. Although these components are strong visitation magnets, there are many new tourism opportunities to consider. Visitors today are seeking new ways to pursue old hobbies or loves. For example, we are beginning to see a trend of older citizens returning to musical instruments that they once played. This new love of music can be translated into not only senior citizen music camps, but local school orchestras may want to provide musical grandparent-grandchildren experiences. Make a list of your community’s clubs and cultural or athletic organizations and then see if they can be incorporated into your local tourism product.

Offer restful alternatives. Tourism is more than doing, it is also the right not to do, to turn away from a nonstop world and learn to relax or slow down. Develop new ways in which your community can provide restful alternatives. Be careful not to make these all or nothing experiences. Instead provide a buffet of ways to relax and to be busy, to do and to do nothing.

About the Author: Dr. Peter E. Tarlow publishes a monthly ‘Tourism Tidbits’ newsletter. He is a founder of the Texas chapter of TTRA, President of T&M, and a popular author and speaker on tourism. Tarlow is a specialist in the areas of sociology of tourism, economic development, tourism safety and security. Tarlow speaks at governors' and state conferences on tourism and conducts seminars throughout the world. For more information e-mail ptarlow@tourismandmore.com

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Image: Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve, South Africa courtesy of Mantis Group

OCTOBER 201532 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

OCTOBER 2015 33Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The Mark of QualityTourism

The SATSA logo is your assurance of credible hospitality, transport and affiliated tourism service providers, who comply with a strict

code of business practice and ethics. Booking with a SATSA member ensures a top quality holiday and peace of mind.

* Subject to Terms & Conditions

To find a member visit www.satsa.com for more information or call +27 (0)11 886 9996 or email memberships@satsa.co.za

Get the SATSA Directory or search for amember online

Strategic Partner:

TRANSPORT

Offering tangible external strengths, maximum benefit and low costs, the new Mercedes-Benz Vito is a versatile and real professional among mid-size tour vehicles with a permissible gross vehicle weight between 2.8 and 3.05 tonnes. Although it offers an exceptionally high payload, the purchase price and maintenance costs are exceptionally low.

From tour operators to shuttle services - the new Vito is truly one vehicle for all. The Tourer sees Mercedes-Benz opening an entirely new chapter in passenger transport. There are two versions available: the versatile Vito Tourer PRO and the premium Vito Tourer SELECT.

By virtue of this complete model family, the Tourer can be tailored to accommodate all types of passenger transport.

The new Vito creates an assertive and unmistakable impression but its design is not an end in itself. Even at first glance the new Vito's bodywork exudes high quality and both drivers and occupants get the impression the vehicle can handle any task thrown at it.

Design is also critical when it comes to the Vito's shape, and with a Cd value of 0.32, wind resistance is very low and this reduces fuel consumption and improves performance.

Now completely redesigned, the new Vito's cockpit is exemplary in terms of its functionality and ergonomics. Symmetrical in its fundamental form, the structure is clear and uncluttered for maximum operational safety. The cockpit has an exceptionally high-quality look for this vehicle class. Both the driver and passenger are comfortably seated in the new Vito and benefit from more space than before.

During development the stowage concept received plenty of attention. After all, for many drivers the new Vito is their office as well as a living space too.

"One for all" is something that applies to the new Vito's drive system in particular. The Vito is the brand of choice when it comes to rear and front-wheel drive.

The correlation is clear: the new front-wheel drive system in the range is very light. When unladen or carrying only a light load, front-wheel drive offers better traction. The front-wheel drive is made for operations with maximum payload at low to medium gross vehicle

Versatilitymade to order

Low on costs and high on payload, the new Mercedes-Benz Vito sets a benchmark in the mid-size tourism

transport segment.

weights. This is crucial for keeping the running costs as low as possible.

The front-wheel drive Vito has a transverse-mounted, compact four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1.6 litres and is available in the Vito 111 CDI with 84 kW.

In cases where demands on performance are higher, use will be intensive, gross vehicle weights are high or trailer towing will be demanding, the right choice is the new Vito with rear-wheel drive and four-cylinder engine with a 2.2-litre displacement. It is available at three power output levels: the Vito 114 CDI with 100 kW; the Vito 116 CDI with120 kW, and the Vito 119 BlueTEC, rated at140 kW.

The six-speed manual handles power transmission as standard but the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission with torque converter is optional for the Vito 114 CDI and Vito 116 CDI and standard equipment on the Vito 119 CDI. For vans, it is the world's only automatic transmission with torque converter and seven gears.

From the transmission and low-friction rear axle to the electromechanical steering and auxiliary units - the engineers designed the new Vito for maximum fuel efficiency.

The Vito BlueEFFICIENCY is exceptionally economical when it comes to fuel use. This package is available for the new Vito with rear-wheel drive and is standard on the 116 and 119 Vito Tourers with automatic transmission. The certified figure of 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres for the Vito 116 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY is unmatched in this vehicle category.

Whatever the engine variant, every new Vito benefits from long service intervals of up to 40,000 km or two years.

Mercedes-Benz Vans continues to escalate the Vito's value and decrease its total cost of ownership by increasing the Tourer and Mixto service plans from the previous 5-year/90 000 km to an unprecedented 5-year /120 000 km service plan for all derivatives of the new Vito. It is also available on Mercedes-Benz Financial Services' industry-leading leasing agreement Agility, and is offered with CharterWay, the manufacturer's range of maintenance plans.

For more information visit www.mercedes-benz.co.za

OCTOBER 201534 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

TRANSPORT

OCTOBER 2015 35Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

111 CDI Mixto R 443,460.00116 CDI Mixto R 556,320.00111 CDI Tourer PRO R 516,272.00114 CDI Tourer PRO R 540,314.00116 CDI Tourer PRO R 572,348.00116 CDI Tourer Select R 676,088.00119 CDI Tourer Select R 744,386.00

Mercedes-Benz Vito Price Guide

AUGUST 201536 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal