SEPTEMBER 201402 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

SEPTEMBER 2014 03Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EDITORIAL04 Accreditation05 Cover Story06 Article Comments BUSINESS08 Business Insurance for SMME's09 Finding Business Partners in Namibia10 SATSA Market Intelligence Report12 Tourism Growth Key for Car Rentals COMPETITIONS06 Win a Birding Reference Book13 Win 1 of 10 Travel Guides EVENTS15 Sports & Events Tourism Exchange

PUBLISHERTourism Tattler (Pty) Ltd.PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Company Reg.No.: 2006/015252/07Website: www.tourismtattler.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Des LangkildeTel: +27 (0)32 815 0414 Cell: +27 (0)82 374 7260Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080E-mail: editor@tourismtattler.comSkype: tourismtattler

Issue 09 (September) 2014

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 NelAndre du ToitBeverley Langkilde

Contents

HOSPITALITY16 Property Review: Wild Clover Farm LEGAL20 Risk in Tourism - Part 2 MARKETING21 4 Reasons to use Online Marketing RISK22 Managing Risk - Part 3 TRANSPORT24 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x426 Ford Expands Commercial Range TRADE NEWS Visit our website for daily travel news

02 OTM - Mumbai07 Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles09 Brochures Namibia10 White Shark Projects11 Comair / British Airways14 Sports & Events Tourism Exchange

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

MAGAZINE SPONSORS

19 National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI)21 Red & Yellow23 SYNC Business & Accounting Services23 SATIB Insurance Brokers28 Campaign Against Canned Hunting

IN THIS ISSUE

13

Transport: Mercedes-Benz launches all new Sprinter 4x4

24

Chevaun HerholdtMartin Jansen van VuurenPaula Bester

Sibusiso Mkwanazi

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Property Review: Wild Clover Farm, Stellenbosch, South Africa

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AccreditationThe 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.

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.

OTM India 2015Tel: +9133 4028 4028 • Fax: +9133 2479 0019 • Website: www.otm.co.inOTM is India’s biggest travel trade show, in the largest travel market in India – Mumbai. OTM Mumbai takes place from 4 to 6 February 2015, with an attractive add on option in New Delhi from 10 to 12 February 2015. OTM is the most effective platform to market to the Indian travel industry catering to over 15 million Outbound travellers spending over US$ 10 billion and over 500 million domestic tourists – at least 10% of them with an immediate potential to also travel abroad.

World Travel Market London 2014Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7897 • Email: polly.magraw@reedexpo.co.uk • Website: www.wtmlondon.comWorld Travel Market - London takes palce from 3 to 6 November 2014, and is the leading global event for the travel industry. It is a vibrant must attend business-to-business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and International travel professionals. It is a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business. Last years event attracted over 50,000 attendees, representing 186 countries. WTM is the place to do business with 5,000 international exhibitors.

International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)Tel: Haleiwa, USA: +1-808-566-9900 • Cape Town, South Africa: (+27)-21-813-5811 • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: +5521 40428205 • Germany: +49 2102 1458477 • London, UK: +44 20 3239 3300 • Australia +61 2-8005 1444 • HongKong, China: +852 8120 9450 • Email: member@tourismpartners.org • Website: www.tourismpartners.orgICTP is a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to Quality Services and Green Growth. ICTP advocates for: sustainable aviation growth; streamlined travel; fair taxation and jobs.

The Safari Awards 2014Tel: +44 (0)1865 989280 • Website: www.safariawards.comWith nominations from over a thousand luxury travel professionals, hundreds of readers of Tourism Tattler, Conde Nast Traveller, Brides and Travel Africa Magazine you can rest assured that any safari business nominated for a Safari Award is amongst the best in its genre. Finalists are amongst the top 3% in Africa and the Safari Award Winners are unquestionably the best, their reputation earned through excellence recognised by people who know what they are talking about.

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Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA)Contact: manager@savrala.co.za • Website: www.savrala.co.zaFounded 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.

cover storySeptember is Tourism Month, and our front cover portrait of Nelson Mandela, by digital artist Guy Whitby*, reflects the technological evolution from an analog to a digital age - a era that ‘Madiba’ himself lived through.

In the words of South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom; “This Tourism Month, the first without our beloved Tata Madiba in our presence, we call on all South Africans to take the time to visit the sites and attractions around the country associated with his life, as we look to celebrate and honour his legacy. To make it as easy as possible for all South Africans to do this, South African Tourism has developed the Madiba-Inspired Tourists Attractions, map that highlights these sites and provides all the information necessary to plan your visit. To access this interactive map electronically visit, mandela.southafrica.net and start planning your Madiba inspired itinerary today.”

Minister Hanekom had a lot more to say about Tourism Month. Below is an edited version of his speech, delivered at the Canteen Restaurant in Maboneng Precinct on 26 August 2014:

“Each September we celebrate Tourism Month in South Africa. September is also the month where we celebrate our Heritage, which is fitting given that our heritage is so central to the development of this important sector of our economy.

During Tourism Month, we focus our efforts on domestic tourism in particular, using the period as an opportunity to encourage all South Africans to get out and explore this unique, beautiful and diverse land we call home.

Domestic tourism, which is crucial to the long term growth and sustainability of South Africa’s tourism industry, will certainly be an important focus area of my department. We are committed to ensuring that the wonders we boast and the unique heritage we have been endowed with are shared by an ever growing number of South Africans.

Take a place like Maropeng, the official visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, only a short drive from here. The reality is that only a small percentage of the residents of Johannesburg and Pretoria have had the opportunity to experience it. This must change. We can only protect and promote our heritage if our own people understand and appreciate it.

EDITORIAL

In total, 12 million domestic tourists took 25.1 million trips in 2013, which is flat on our 2012 figures. In fact, our domestic market, unlike our international arrivals which have seen good growth in recent years, has remained under pressure since the 2008/2009 global financial crisis. This can be ascribed to the continued pressure on South African consumers given the slower growth of the national economy.

Last year, domestic tourists contributed R24.3 billion to the economy, up from the R21.8 billion spent by domestic tourists in 2012.

To reach our target of 18 million domestic tourists by 2020, as set out in the National Tourism Sector Strategy, we will have to work hard to ensure that tourism is more affordable and more accessible to all South Africans.

As part of Government’s commitment, R100 million in secured ring-fenced funding has

been allocated to South African Tourism in the 2015/16 financial year to bolster our domestic tourism marketing efforts.

These marketing efforts will include the continued rollout of the Nothing’s More Fun than a Sho’t Left campaign. The campaign, launched at the start of Tourism Month last year, drives home the message that travel in South Africa is fun, an investment in your relationships and yourselves, as well as being both accessible and affordable.

We are very excited by the market’s reaction to this campaign to date. One way of reviewing it is to look at the activity on the Sho’t Left website since the campaign launch. So far the website, which is available to desktop, mobile and tablet users, has received over 200 000 visits (204 528 visits as at 25 July 2014) with a 25% return rate, indicating that one in four users return to check for new deals. An average stay of almost six minutes to the site is incredibly high and shows our users are engaging with the content on the site and making bookings.

Another key focus area for South African Tourism when it comes to domestic tourism is to work with the trade to make travel a reality for millions of South Africans. This includes sharing insights into what today’s South African audience seek in a leisure travel experience with the travel industry.

South African Tourism also works with tourism partners to make travel more accessible and more relevant for the domestic market. All trade are encouraged to upload their value-for-money deals onto the Sho’t Left website and to provide a variety of packages and options to suit all budgets.

With these objectives in mind, 'Tourism Transforming Lives' is the theme for Tourism Month 2014 for us South Africans."

For a full transcript of Minister Hanekom's speech, see our Trade News post at www.tourismtattler.com/?p=14066.

World Tourism Day will be celebrated on 27 September 2014.

Yours in Tourism, Des Langkilde. editor@tourismtattler.com

Image © *Guy Whitby.

SEPTEMBER 2014 05Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Minister Derek Hanekom with Tourism Tattler's Beverley Langkilde.

* Guy Whitby is an Australian artist, who often works under the pseudonym ‘WBK - WorksByNight,’ creates digital ‘Ebu-Art’ portraits using tiny images of everything from keyboard keys to analog numbers and clock faces, to buttons on devices and real buttons. His work can be viewed at: www.behance.net/WorkByKnight

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Article comments, 'Likes' and 'Shares' received on the Tourism Tattler website and

Social Media pages during the month of August 2014.

www.livingstonessupplyco.co.za

Heather Hunter wins the August prize for sharing our Pinterest 'Travel Metaphores' board image on Twitter.

Heather's prize of a "Eye of the Leopard' DVD by Derek and Beverley Joubert, will be delivered with the compliments of

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa remains the region’s most comprehensively illustrated and trusted field guide. This fourth edition has been greatly improved by the addition of group introductions, calendar bars showing species’ occurrence and breeding periods, a section on ‘how to use this book’, as well as sonograms depicting the calls of tricky bird groups.The newly designed plates are meticulously illustrated, with labels pinpointing key differentiating features. Distribution maps show the relative abundance of a species in the region and also indicate resident or migrant status.

SEPTEMBER 201406 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The winning comment, 'Like' or 'Share' posted on the Tattler website or Social Media pages during the month of September 2014 will receive a copy of the

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa 4th Edition with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

Article Comments

Congratulations to Heather

Connect with Livingstones on:

Win

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

See it all with SA’s new cross-country Sprinter.When it comes to South Africa’s most stunning scenery, first prize can sometimes only be reached by sprinting off the beaten track. With the new Sprinter 4x4’s rugged all-wheel drive capabilities, you can now experience all the sights and sounds our scenic country has to offer - whether you’re treating tourists or soaking up the scenes yourself.

All terrain. All-wheel drive. All new. Available in two robust options.

MBSA

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Sprinter AWD ZG3Selectable All-Wheel-Drive (4ETS) with Low-Range function

Permanent 4x4 with central and rear differential-locking plus Low-Range

Sprinter 4x4 ZG4

Call 0800 133 355 or visit www.mercedes-benz.co.za/vansFor more information. Made to order from the end of June 2014.

1428 MBSA Tourism Tattler Print.indd 1 2014/08/21 5:01 PM

See it all with SA’s new cross-country Sprinter.When it comes to South Africa’s most stunning scenery, first prize can sometimes only be reached by sprinting off the beaten track. With the new Sprinter 4x4’s rugged all-wheel drive capabilities, you can now experience all the sights and sounds our scenic country has to offer - whether you’re treating tourists or soaking up the scenes yourself.

All terrain. All-wheel drive. All new. Available in two robust options.

MBSA

/142

8/SP

RA

Dai

mle

r B

rand

Sprinter AWD ZG3Selectable All-Wheel-Drive (4ETS) with Low-Range function

Permanent 4x4 with central and rear differential-locking plus Low-Range

Sprinter 4x4 ZG4

Call 0800 133 355 or visit www.mercedes-benz.co.za/vansFor more information. Made to order from the end of June 2014.

1428 MBSA Tourism Tattler Print.indd 1 2014/08/21 5:01 PM

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AUGUST 201408 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal SEPTEMBER 201408 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) and Sky Tiv Promark (STP) are pleased to announce that they have entered into an open-ended strategic partnership to provide a special insurance package to all registered TEP clients. This finalisation of the partnership follows a trial period which clearly indicated that there is a great need for this product on offer. According to Dr Salifou Siddo, the TEP Chief Executive, the rationale for the STP partnership is based on the fact that movable and immovable assets are the key components of any business and in the event that any of these components are lost, stolen or damaged the business could suffer in terms of income. As a tourism SMME development organisation, TEP has always encouraged its members to ensure that they have adequate business insurance cover. However, the reality is that not all insurance companies provide business insurance cover that is uniquely tailored to meet the particular needs of the dynamic and constantly evolving tourism SMME sector.

Entrepreneurs need insurance cover at affordable premiums, but they also need access to other factors that contribute to business success, such as access to finance, training,

mentorship and market access. By Paula Bester.

Business Insurance for SMME's

BUSINESS & FINANCE

STP Insurance Brokers is an SMME like all TEP clients and understands the need to save costs without compromising service. STP Insurance Brokers has provided TEP with a solution which will assist TEP clients in making sure that their businesses are adequately covered. STP Insurance Brokers have negotiated with Insurers and Underwriting Managers who specialise in the hospitality insurance market to assist with the placement of insurance cover for every aspect of a client’s business. In addition to providing business insurance solutions that meet the needs of TEP’s clients, STP Insurance Brokers have also undertaken to plough back into TEP a percentage of their discounted fees for TEP to utilise as funding to support its clients. Azan Greg Lendis, Marketing Consultant for STP says, “STP Insurance Brokers has negotiated discounts from the Insurers and Underwriting Managers. The discount offered reduces the premium and ultimately the expense incurred by TEP clients. In addition to the benefits that

clients derive, STP Insurance Brokers will also contribute a percentage back to TEP to utilise as additional funding and support to TEP members”. Ikwezi Tourism FacilityThe finalisation of the STP partnership comes hot the heels of the Ikwezi Tourism Facility, a strategic partnership TEP concluded in May this year with the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa) to provide business finance to its clients. Says Dr Siddo: “Value-adding strategic partnerships are for us a great way of leveraging our substantial database to create win-win solutions that complement and enhance our work. TEP partners gain access to a potentially lucrative database of clients and TEP clients gain access to a cost-effective solution for their business needs”. This is a strategy that we intend to pursue going forward, Siddo concluded.

For more information about the TEP/STP partnership, visit www.tep.co.za or contact greg@skytiv.co.za or Fathimah@tep.co.za. Phone: (011) 880 3790TEP Chief Executive Officer, Dr Salifou Siddo.

How to find business partners

The above scenario is a challenge that many tour operators and travel agents are faced with on a daily basis. Sure, you can search Google and wade through 508,000 results - or you can simply access BookNamibia.com (www.booknamibia.com) and find a travel partner quickly and easily. For those agents who may be technologically challenged, there’s also a printed hard-copy titled ’The Namibia Tourism Trade Directory 2014’. And best of all, the print directory is free of charge, although postage fees may apply depending on which country you operate your business from.

Your client wants a seven-night authentic bush camp safari in Namibia for a party of four, and to experience

the culture of San Bushmen. The safari request is no problem but where the heck do you find someone who

specialises in SAN Bushmen cultural tours?By Des Langkilde.

Namibia

SEPTEMBER 2014 09Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Available free of charge to Tour Operators & Travel Agentswww.booknamibia.com

The Namibia Tourism Trade Directory

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Compiled by entrepreneur Tim Gross of Brochures Namibia, the directory is now preparing for it’s next edition, having been launched in 2013 at the Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS), and continues to grow in both content listings and website visitors.What makes this travel trade directory stand out from others of its ilk, is the fact that while the directory promotes listed companies to travel trade buyers (primarily tour operators and travel agents), the website promotes the listed companies to consumers (the actual traveller).Research into consumer travel trends has shown that tourists conduct their own research into where they want to holiday and the attractions and activities that they want to experience, but still use a travel agent to do the actual bookings, although this trend is changing with more travellers booking direct. (For more information read ‘2014 Tourism Trands & Predictions’ on pages 10-12 of the January 2014 edition, and ’The Trouble with Travel Distribution’ on pages 15-16 of the February 2014 edition).

The website at BookNamibia.com has a clearly denoted category page navigation menu, with drop-down options for Accommodation, Activities, Car & 4x4 & Camping Equipment, Shuttles & Airport Transfers, Tours & Safaris, and Conservation. Each category page displays thumbnail overviews denoting the number of listings available in each of the eight geographical regions of Namibia.Selecting for example, the Northern Region, displays a page showing thumbnails of regional attractions, such as ‘Outjo & Surrounds’ with six listings. A route map is also displayed in the page side margin to orientate visitor and pin-mark each listings location.Each listing then displays an overview of the listed company, with address details, contact numbers (excluding email), images, activity / attraction icons, and a booking / enquiry form that is submitted directly to the listed company for fulfillment.To receive a FREE version of the Namibia Tourism Trade Directory in an A5 sized printed format, visit BookNamibia.com, then click on ‘tour operators & travel agents’ and place your order online or contact Tim Gross on Tel: 021 7910207 or email tim@brochuresnamibia.com.

Image: © Chameleon Safaris Namibia

SEPTEMBER 201410 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

BUSINESSBUSINESS & FINANCE

Market Intelligence Report

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESSThe Arrivals stats indicate reasonable growth at 6.4% from overseas markets for the first two months of 2014. ACSA data indicates growth for international arrivals at ORTIA at only 1.9% during the first 6 months of 2014. Given that the majority of overseas arrivals travel to South Africa via air and arrive at ORTIA, it can be speculated that the growth in the first two months of 2014 have slowed.

The growth in hotel occupancies has slowed during the first six months of 2014, but growth in achieved room rates has been strong. This trend is mirrored in data from SAVRALA that shows car rental days having grown by 2% (to 4 448 315) during January to March 2014, compared with the same period in 2013, while average daily revenue grew by 4.9% (to R302) over the same period. Fo

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The information below was extracted from data available as at 25 August 2014. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.

ARRIVALSThe latest available data from Statistics South Africa is for January to February 2014:

Current period Change over same period last year

UK 63 162 12.8%

Germany 92 245 3.9%

USA 48 855 9.0%

India 17 016 -2.0%

China 30 190 2.6%

Overseas Arrivals (excl same day visitors) 495 322 6.4%

African Arrivals 1 284 279 9.1%

Total Foreign Arrivals 1 781 368 8.2%

NB: African Arrivals plus Overseas Arrivals do not add up to Total Foreign Arrivals due to the exclusion of unspecified arrivals, which cannot be allocated to either African or Overseas.HOTEL STATS

The latest available data from STR Global is for January to June 2014:

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

All Hotels in SA 60.9% R 1 019 R 621

All 5-star hotels in SA 61.9% R 1 815 R 1 124

All 4-star hotels in SA 59.9% R 967 R 579

All 3-star hotels in SA 61.2% R 811 R 497

Change over same period last year

All Hotels in SA 0.0% 8.1% 8.2%

All 5-star hotels in SA 2.4% 8.0% 10.6%

All 4-star hotels in SA -1.4% 6.3% 4.8%

All 3-star hotels in SA 1.6% 6.9% 8.6%

ACSA DATAThe latest available data from ACSA is for January to June 2014:

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

OR Tambo International 1.9% 6.4% -1.1%

Cape Town International 6.0% 8.0% 1.3%

King Shaka International 16.3% N/A -3.8%

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Reflecting further on the extent of this performance, one is reminded that yet another record was broken, at the time, in 2010 during the hosting of the FIFA World Cup when over 8 million foreign visitors arrived in the country.A labour-intensive industry, with a supply chain that links across multiple sectors, tourism was identified as a priority in the government’s planning and policy frameworks being as one of the six job drivers of the New Growth Path framework. The National Development Plan (NDP) also identified the need for critical actions to boost private investment in labour intensive areas and export earnings which is a typical feature of the tourism industry. Aligned to the NDP, the National Tourism Sector Strategy, launched in 2011, aims to ensure the sector realises its full potential in terms of job creation, social inclusion, services exports and foreign exchange earnings. At its current levels, the tourism industry matches the gold sector however the National Department of Tourism expects tourism to grow from a baseline in 2009 of R189 billion to R499 billion by 2020.SAVRALA (Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association) car rental members have also shown similar growth patterns in certain segments. The measured market, in 2013 at R4,7 billion in revenue,

South African tourism, exceeding over 10 million arrivals last year and its growing GDP contribution which now exceeds 9%, has demonstrated sustained growth well above the

global industry norm.

Tourism Growth

Key for SA and Car Rentals

BUSINESS & FINANCE

reported a 9% growth over the previous year and while rental volumes showed a very modest overall 2% growth, international customers grew by over 20%. However, these international customers are also price sensitive which was illustrated by a 10% reduction in rental period, to an average of 8 days, last year. More locally, unsurprising, with the increasing financial burden on households and the demise in the number of local low cost airline operators, the domestic leisure rental volumes decreased by 8% last year. While general business travel remains a key segment, the growth of both local and international visitors requiring car rental services and the many other related services, would see many new and much needed jobs being created in tourism.As a long haul destination, South Africa competes in several key markets against other long haul destinations such as the Far East and Australasia. The cost and capacity of air access to South Africa, and the continent in general, is often the first challenge in efforts to try and ensure that tourism can take the necessary steps to achieve its ambitious targets. While tourism has got a good story to tell, it’s critical that in five year’s time, we have a much better South African tourism legacy to look upon.

SAVRALA adopts Tourism TattlerThe Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA) has adopted the Tourism Tattler media title as the associations official travel trade journal. SAVRALA’s rental and leasing members represent approximately 600 000 vehicles.“SAVRALA members are an integral part of the tourism transportation sector, and clearly any issues that adversely affect the transport sector will impact on the entire tourism industry. We see our collaboration with Tourism Tattler as a platform through which to speak with one voice as collective trade associations, aimed at enhancing travel sector communications and regional cooperation in cross border transport issues,” says Sandile Ntseoane, General Manager at SAVRALA.Founded as an independent publishing company in May 2006, the September 2014 issue of Tourism Tattler represents the publisher’s 51st edition. “In fact, the founding of Tourism Tattler as a media title by the

Southern African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) goes back to the mid 1970s,” says Tourism Tattler’s Executive Editor and Publisher, Des Langkilde. Back in 2007, Tourism Tattler distributed just over 3000 copies of the magazine locally but today, with the advent of digital publishing and print-on-demand technology, the magazine is distributed internationally, through multiple channels and reader interface options, to over 44,000 subscribers and growing daily. By adopting Tourism Tattler, SAVRALA joins five of Southern Africa’s most influential travel trade associations (see page 04 for accreditation details).Trade Event AccreditationThis edition also marks the launch of Tourism Tattler as an official Media Partner to OTM 2015 – India’s biggest Trade Show (see page 02 for details).

SEPTEMBER 2014 13Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

frequently receiving a dusting of snow in winter, as do Sneeuberg (2027 metres) near Citrusdal and the other Sneeukop (1930 metres) near Wupperthal.

About the author: Marion Whitehead developed a passion for the Cape’s mountain passes and poorts when she worked as a tour guide. Her tours and adventures through South Africa’s scenic trails inspired her creation of this book as well as Passes & Poorts South Africa. The freelance photojournalist loves roaming the country, looking for more exciting routes to share with readers.

To enter this competition, answer the question “How high is Sneeuberg?” to win a copy of Marion Whitehead’s Passes and Poorts Western Cape. The answer can be found in the text below. Submit your answer by logging onto the Tourism Tattler website at www.tourismtattler.com/?p=14044

This magnificent guide to the passes and poorts of South Africa's Western Cape province takes the reader through the history of the area, road building and the extraordinary engineering achievements of the passes, many of which were designed by Thomas Bains.

Passes & Poorts Western Cape is packed with information to enrich readers’ driving experience, from fauna and flora to the personalities behind the passes.

Activities highlighted in each area include favourite hiking trails, mountain biking tracks and 4x4 routes. Each chapter ends with tips to make driving the passes more pleasurable: the best picnic spots, view points, farm stalls, roadside restaurants, guest- houses and self-catering cottages, and quirky country attractions.

Many can be done as day drives or weekend trips from Cape Town or Garden Route towns such as George and Knysna, or combined for longer holidays. Full-colour maps assist in travel planning and the routes are illustrated with photographs from the author and the Getaway library.

Did you know?

The highest mountains in the Western Cape live up to their names with Sneeukop (2070 metres) in the Skurweberg in the southern area

WIN

C O M P E T I T I O N

1of 10 Travel Guides

Note: Read the Terms and Conditions of this competition at: www.tourismtattler.com/wp-content/images/Competition-Sep-2014-TermsConditions.pdf

WINNERS OF THE iKHOKHA EDGE mPOS CARD READER COMPETITION FROM THE JULY & AUGUST 2014 EDITIONS

CONGRATULATIONS to Hemlatha Lil Ruthan of SATIB Insurance Brokers, Durban; Alan Saffery of Winelands Experience, Franschhoek; FC Truter of Koelfontein Farm, Ceres; Tamara Dickson of Miscellany Online Shop, Durban; and Linda Moffat of Grand Tours, Cape Town.

The above 5 readers have each won a iKhokha Edge Chip & PIN card reader, complete with mobile application software download, with the compliments of Emerge Mobile.

For more information visit: www.ikhokha.com

For more information visit www.jacana.co.zaIm

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SEPTEMBER 201414 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The Sports and Events Tourism Exchange will provide a platform to generate business for South Africa & Africa in sports, events, culture and tourism. It will allow an opportunity to form partnerships and exchange information and ideas with both International and Local Buyers.

on this opportunity to participate in this business to business platform and meet with the international hosted buyers interested in bringing more tourism to South Africa and Africa.

SEPTEMBER 2014 15Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The first batch of Sports and Events Tourism Exchange buyers have been confirmed for the 2014 event. The info-graphic below provides a brief over-view:

SEPTEMBER 201416 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

The likelihood of finding a four-leaf clover in nature is 1 in 10 000, and according to Irish superstition, brings the finder good luck. Tourism Tattler found both when visiting this unique hospitality establishment located in Stellenbosch,

along Cape Town's famous R304 wine route. By Beverley Langkilde.

Property ReviewWild Clover

Of course, Wild Clover Farm was not named with the shamrock superstition in mind, but I really did find, not one, but two four leaf clovers on the farm. Double luck?. On entering the farm one is embraced with a sense of peace and tranquillity as the lush green fields unfold before you, reminiscent of a typical countryside scene in Ireland. An old saying ‘to be in clover’ means to live a carefree life of ease, comfort and prosperity, and these attributes are present in abundance at Wild Clover.

Having just concluded 3-nights at the Spier Wine Estate while attending the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) conference, I felt rather stressed when Wild Clover’s resident manager Richmond (Ric) Wilmot arrived to collect me for transfer on a rather cold Sunday morning. Ric’s affable nature, combined with the serenity of Wild Clover farm, and a mug of home brewed ‘Blind Mole’ beer, soon combined to dispel my post-conference stress syndrome.

Self Catering Accommodation

Checking into my comfortable cottage, which is equipped with a fireplace and a supply of wood and firelighters, I soon had a roaring fire going. The cottages border the Villiera Game Sanctuary / Game Farm, which is home to over 200 head of antelope and zebra.

The cottages are clean and cater for two people, with a double bed in the bedroom, although children can be accommodated on a pull-out sofa bed in the sitting room. Ample tables and chairs are provided both inside and outside the cottages and the kitchens are fully equipped and cleaned by staff daily. All units have showers and an outside braai area.

There is also 24 hour security as well as a panic button in each cottage, which can be used if one mistakes the sounds of the wild for an uninvited intruder. Currently six cottages are available and two additional cottages are under construction.

Activities

After a hearty breakfast, my son Chase and I set off for a game drive, which started at a reasonable hour of 9:30am. Game drives are undertaken in an open sided vehicle, which allows one to feel very connected to nature. Although his official title is Hotel Manager, Rick displayed his multidiscipline credentials by offering to be our safari guide. Rick’s experience and knowledge of wildlife has been gleaned over many years working at some of Botswana's well known safari lodges and made the game drive all the more enjoyable. Springboks,

Farm manager, Richmond Wilmot with chef Alan Pluke. A pair of regal male Kudu in the Villiera Wildlife Sanctuary.

The reception entrance to Wild Clover farm. All images by Chase Langkilde.

SEPTEMBER 2014 17Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

Bontebok, Eland, Gemsbok, Bush Pig, Burchell’s Zebra, Duiker, Grysbok, Grey Rhebuck, Giraffe, Black Wildebeest and Kudu abound at every turn, not to mention the rare all-white Springbok, and relaxed tortoises. For twitchers, Wild Clover is a bird lovers paradise, and a bird watching stand has been built right on the damn. A game drive through the 220 hectare Wildlife Sanctuary lasts approximately two hours.

Villiera Wildlife Sanctuary

The Villiera Wildlife Sanctuary, opened in 2009, is situated in Koelenhof and access is gained through Villiera’s vineyards. In conjunction with two neighbours (the Cape Garden Centre and Klawervlei estate [Wild Clover Farm]) Villiera has set aside 220ha of land as a wildlife sanctuary. This area includes twelve dams plus marsh areas that attract a huge diversity of birdlife. Indigenous trees are grown in old milk containers or plastic water bottles by staff and then purchased from them when the saplings are a year old and planted throughout the sanctuary. By May 2012, over 60 000 indigenous trees had been planted to re-establish the sanctuary from farmland to its natural fauna state.

Brewery

Wild Clover Brewery, situated on the Wild Clover farm , had its official opening on the 31st of August 2012. This young brewery joins the growing number of micro breweries nationwide, with the aim of brewing craft beer and enhancing and promoting the pleasure and enjoyment of ‘home crafted’ beer.

“The enjoyment of mealtimes and drinks are meant to be a festive occasion and not a matter of survival - back to slow and the values associated with it,” says Ampie Kruger and his team who are of the opinion that consumers are moving back to their roots and a lifestyle that is more balanced and less rushed.

This brewery concentrates on hand blending and brewing the finest quality craft beer, in the age old European tradition.

Time well spent - the author (far right) enjoying sundowners on the cottage veranda with Dax Villanueva (Relax-With-Dax blog) and Lauren McCarthy.

More time well spent - the author clay pidgeon shooting under the watchful eye of Wild Clover farm manager, Richmond Wilmot.

Ampie Kruger serving a draught of the breweries finest.The resident Springbok are unique for their colouring, including pure white.

SEPTEMBER 201418 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

HOSPITALITY

Wild Clover Brewery is the youngest addition to this rapidly growing industry. The fact that it is situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands makes it an exceptional and popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

Brewery hours are Fridays to Sundays 12h00 to 18h00 or by appointment.

The Country Pub

Nestled inside the corner of The Eatery at the Wild Clover Farm is a full service bar. A fine selection of spirits, great wine list and of course the full array of Wild Clover Brewery’s hand crafted beers.

The Eatery

The menu is not pretentious, nor is it expensive. The food is simple, fresh, wholesome and delicious. The wine selection (and beers of course) are from the region and reflect both quality and value.

The Winery

After many years of dreaming of making their own wine, Wild Clover finally made the decision in 2007 to do just that, and resulted in the founding of Notre Rêve brand wines.

The first 500kg of Shiraz grapes were sourced from Glenelly Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, from which the first wine was produced in 2008. That same year, Glenelly completed their world class cellar and for the 2009 harvest season they required all of the grapes that they could get their hands on in order to fill their huge cellar. Being forced therefore to find a new supplier, Wild Clover were fortunate to find and source grapes from Diemersdal Winery in Durbanville, which is also their particular wine region.

“During 2008 we aged our wine in a stainless steel tank with some oak staves for flavouring. However, in 2009 we sourced 1000 kg’s of grapes from Diemersdal Winery and introduced small reconditioned wooden barrels for ageing. This proved to be much more successful than the oak staves and for the 2010 harvest we made the decision

to age our red wine only in barrels. We are now using a combination of new, second and third fill barrels. During our first three years of wine making at Notre Rêve wines we also experimented with Port, Cap Classique, Chenin Blanc and Mourvèdre and we are now proud to say that we produce Cap Classique (Cabernet Sauvignon), Chenin Blanc, Syrah, and Mourvèdre/Syrah blended varieties.” says wine sommelier (and brewery) master Ampie Kruger.

“Many wine, beer and food makers often claim that their products are hand crafted. The question to ask though is what the definition of “hand crafted” is and when can you lay claim to that? Although we do not have the scientific or legal answer to this question we do believe that our products are truly hand crafted. Our cellar door is always open during all the phases of our wine making and we welcome you to contact us or to join us during any of these phases,” concludes Kruger.

In conclusion, Wild Clover Farm offers a warm and friendly management style, with staff who are always ready to go that extra mile to make their guests stay comfortable and memorable. Wild Clover is a wonderful place for business people who need to chill-out as it offers peace and tranquillity with amazing views over the dams where you can watch the Blue Cranes, geese and buck come through to drink at the waterhole.

For more information visit www.wildclover.co.za

A Spotted Thick-knee (also known as Stone-curlew or Dikkop).

Helmeted guineafowl are social, and typically live in small groups.

Fresh and succulent grilled Durado fillet at The Eatery. Wild Clover's Notre Rêve Syrah 2010 - the 1st of their SAWIS certified wines.

Advertisement sponsored courtesy of Ogilvy & Mather / Tourism Tattler as a service to the travel trade. SEPTEMBER 2014 19Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

SEPTEMBER 201420 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

LEGAL

In Part 1 (page 36 - August issue), I categorised risk into five categories, namely; 1. PEOPLE, 2. MONEY, 3. LAW, 4. SERVICE and 5. ECOLOGY. I will be dealing with the risk profile of each, i.e. broadly speaking the areas of risk that any business is exposed to can been allocated under these five categories.

Each category brings different challenges to the table and if you don’t realise this, have proper contracts, systems and strategies in place, you may well be ‘caught with your pants around your ankles’ and embarrassment will be the least of your worries!

In Part2, we continue with the category of 'People' under four sub-categories: Staff (discussed in Part 1); Third party service providers (‘TPSP’); Business Associates and; Customers.

TPSP. It is imperative that you bear one thing in mind: the very reputation you’ve taken years to establish, built up and polish can be destroyed in one fell swoop by the poor service or inadequate product of a TPSP! Here are a couple of things to bear in mind:

• A consumer can apply the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and not only sue the entire supply chain (without having to ‘pin point’ blame) but can rely on section 61 of the CPA to hold you absolutely liable i.e. even if you were not at fault if the provided the goods of a third party as part of your services as you will be deemed to be the supplier of the goods! All of this means it is imperative that you must ensure you have proper written, signed agreements with ALL TPSP (even your cousin!) and that these agreements must include an indemnity in your favour.

• The Protection Of Personal Information (POPI) Act requires all contracts with TPSP to comply with POPI or the TPSP’s country’s equivalent – again a detailed contract and indemnity is required;

• You should carry out a due diligence on all TPSP BEFORE engaging them. Here are some of the things you should investigate. (Please note that there is an extensive list and these are only a few examples:• Insurance: cover and premiums pad?;• Terms and conditions;• Risk management and complaints procedure;• Years in business, references and membership of professional

bodies;• Statutory compliance;• Staff training and average years of service;• Financials.

• KPA and KPI – see above.

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', September 2014.

– PART 2 –

PEOPLE

RISKIN TOURISM

Business Associates. It is imperative that you and your associates discuss the future in detail, unravel expectation(s) and deliverable(s), the main cause of contractual disputes, record it in writing and sign – AND in due course and if required, do the same with any agreed changes!

Even though the ‘legal name’ for the document may differ e.g. a partnership agreement, an association agreement (for a close corporation) and a shareholders agreement or memorandum of incorporation (‘MOI’) for a company, it is at the end of the day the same thing namely a relationship agreement.

There are many aspects pertaining to employment contracts that could and should be addressed in the association agreement such as a restraint of trade and confidentiality, but more important is the holding of meetings, shareholding/interest percentage, voting, what constitutes a quorum, minority protection, etc.

It is my experience that this association agreement, or should I say the lack thereof, or often not updating it, is the root cause of most disputes between associates.

It is of course a business agreement but the lack of addressing the so called ‘soft issues’ can result in acrimony and can ruin a business – some of these issues are:• Ways of ensuring that each person adds his/her weight i.e. avoid

the scenario where one person thinks marketing is all about spending time with the (potential or otherwise) clients on the golf course;

• Question how and where each person is going to add value;• Carry out a due diligence on potential associates;• Do you both/all have the same vision for the business i.e. one may

want to grow & sell it ASAP whereas the other may be hoping to create opportunity for his/her family; is it long term growth or short term gains?;

• Does he/she realise that there is no guarantee of success, job security, fixed hours, etc when you are an entrepreneur?;

• Ensure you have an exit policy;• Discuss and address in the agreement what happens if one party

dies, is incapacitated, etc;• Ensure you have the correct insurance e.g. business interruption,

keyman insurance, etc.

MARKETING

4 Reasons to Use Online Marketing

in the Tourism Industry

Tourism is an industry that, above all, serves people. The world is changing, and people are changing with

it; the way they interact with each other and with businesses is constantly evolving.

By Chevaun Herholdt.

global hoteliers feel sure they will be profitable in 2014 despite poorly performing economies. If almost two thirds of travellers use the internet to research their trip, you could lose out on a lot of revenue by not staying competitive in the digital world.A strong online presence affects people who want to book a holiday, from the start, when they are merely imagining what they want to do, all the way to the end, when they share their experience and thus influence others. Can you really afford to miss out on that?

For more information visit www.redandyellow.co.za

As a customer-centric industry, tourism businesses need to find ways to reach as many people as possible in spaces where they feel comfortable – and that means going online. People communicate far more, and far more effectively, online than they ever have before. This means that your tourism business needs to be using digital marketing to stay relevant. Let’s look at some reasons why.

1 Reviews matter

The vast majority of people do online research before they book a trip, and Tripadvisor points out that 87% of travellers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa say that reviews influence them in choosing where to book. On the other side, even more hoteliers (96%) say that reviews influence how many booking they get. People trust their peers much more than they trust companies themselves (90% trust people they know, while only 60% trust traditional advertising, according to Pomegranate), so you need to make sure that you have a positive online presence rather than a negative one or none at all.

2 People want it

Because of the growing use of mobile devices, travel agents and other tourism-related industries need to be available not only on the web, but on the mobile-accessible web. Some travellers need to book on the go, and if they do a search and don’t find your company, or your website makes it difficult to check out, you’re going to lose business. Even those that plan from home expect to be able to compare locations, prices, services, and accommodation online.

3 You can make it personal

Social media makes it possible to form long-lasting relationships with consumers for repeat business, keeping your company top of mind, and it allows travel companies to highlight the emotional side of travel. Most people travel because they want to enjoy themselves, right? Use social media to show them how that will happen and to make their trip more enjoyable.Use KLM as an example. They have fully embraced social media; they offer customer service, give you the option to select who you want to sit next to by matching profiles, and even rewarded customers who checked in on Foursquare or Twitter with gifts – all via social media.

4 You need to stay competitive

Tripadvisor’s TripBarometer for April of 2014 found that 21% of travellers planned to spend more on travel this year, and 70% of

SEPTEMBER 2014 21Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

SEPTEMBER 201422 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Have you ever heard of Black Swan events? The term refers to an event that is a surprise to the observer and has a major effect, but is often inappropriately rationalised in hindsight.

These events were thought to happen infrequently, largely due to the slow spread of information, and the fact that these events were rationalised. Now with the ability of information to spread virally, these events 'appear' more frequently and before they can be rationalised. How you manage incidents is critical to the sustainability of your business and indeed the tourism industry as a whole.

The capacity of tourism businesses to deal with critical incidents and accompanying exposures has proven to be a GAP of its own. Most rely on staff and assistance companies to manage their incidents and evacuations, and whilst these are often carried out with acceptable outcomes, the mine field of potential exposures that have been escaped en route is terrifying.

It is important to understand that we cannot predict when and where an incident will happen, who will be there to deal with it, and what the outcome will be. Every incident is different, so it's important to manage according to principles, and not predetermined protocols. Don’t use checklists; use resources. Don’t decide on your emergency response plan ahead of time; decide what you need to do when you understand what is happening. Treat each risk as unique. It’s okay to be abstract and vague before an incident and SPECIFIC during one.

How we think is the crux of everything.

We are all guilty of hind sight bias as it re-assures us of our actions. Even when something does go wrong, we tend to believe it could’ve been worse if we hadn’t done XYZ.

It is a fact that staff are prone to positive bias because of their role within the staff-guide-guest relationship and as a result tend to choose the more positive option when given two.

Two characteristics common to individuals in tourism are: 1. Premature closure – jumping to conclusions. 2. Action orientation – tend to take practical action instead of waiting

for someone else to provide instruction. Sometimes this can be dangerous as the skills and expertise in incident management may not be present.

Hospitality staff have powerful action orientation tendencies, and are some of the worst at premature closure. Both can have detrimental effects in the course of incident management.

These are the honest truths and the fact is that:• It is a rare person who is genuinely calm whilst responding to a

threatening incident• It is a rare person who consistently makes good decisions under

those circumstance• Nobody is naturally equipped to function in a multitask,

multivariable rapidly changing stressful environment and those that choose to, are even rarer.

• Everybody has limits. Exceed those and performance drops.

Incident ManagementIn Part 1 of this three part series, I wrote about the 'Big 5' preventative measures in managing risk. Part 2 dealt with the fine print of insurance policies - aka policy wording and in this

article I conclude the series with Incident Management.By André du Toit.

Managing Risk − PART 3 −

About the Author: Andre du Toit is the Sales and Marketing Director at SATIB Insurance Brokers, a registered financial services provider with offices throughout South Africa and in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

For more information, email andre@satib.co.za or visit www.satib.com

DON’T EXPECT your PEOPLE to manage incidents – EVER – they need HELP from EXPERTS.

This is what is required in order to manage an incident and ensure the best outcome:• Gather information about the incident – getting accurate data /

asking the right questions;• On-site first aid;• Managing the scene – staff and guests;• Managing the media – reputational damage and accurate

reporting;• Consulting with doctors;• Communicating with all stakeholders; • Activating and coordinating appropriate assistance e.g.

Dispatching ambulance – ground or air;• Arranging guarantees of payment and insurance;• Preparing for Hospitalization;• Post-operative care;• Managing potential litigation or claims.

Find me someone who can do this all, and manage your business, and I will arrange the necessary spandex with cape and undies on the outside, because they will be worthy of superhero status!

With all due respect to your operations and teams on the ground and considering the way we think and act under stressful circumstance, I don’t believe many have the capacity to deal with the scenario (or would want to) when in actual fact they should be focusing on the remaining guests and leaving the incident to a network of trained professionals.

Types of Incidents: • Emergency medical incidents; • Personal injuries / fatalities; • Accidents (motor vehicle, quad-bikes, boating etc.); • Assaults and Robberies; • Natural disasters (Flood, fire etc).

Core services to subscribe to: • Telemedical consultations; • Incident management plan creation; • Remote management of rescue and medical staff; • Medical evacuations; • Post traumatic risk assessments; • Media management; • Legal liability management.

Why do you need Incident Management Services?• Because people’s lives and wellbeing depend on the right decisions

being made;• Because it is better to professionalize the management of critical

incidents;• Because dealing with emergency situations is beyond your scope

of work;• Because your business and its reputation is at stake;• Because you are seriously exposed to liability when critical

incidents occur;• Because the cost of liability can easily exceed R100 million; • Because it’s not worth taking the risk.

As you will appreciate, it is not one specific action that will mitigate risk but rather a combination that will reduce your exposure at the end of the day. There are a network of experts and specialists out there that you can team up with to better manage your risk and provide you with peace of mind. Use them.

SEPTEMBER 2014 23Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Our Value Contributing Services to CCs, PTYs, Trusts, Sole Prop and Individuals

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Contact us for more information: +27(11) 475 8422 | www.syncbs.co.za

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TRANSPORT

Off-road vehicles have an enthusiastic following because of their many uses and versatility, especially in the widely varying off-road driving conditions, terrain and weather of South Africa. The country’s unique road and weather challenges may require special skills and equipment – equipment such

as the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4. By Sibusiso Mkwanazi.

All Terrain, All-wheel drive, All New: Sprinter 4x4

SEPTEMBER 201424 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

With all-wheel drive, the new Sprinter 4x4 displays its outstanding capabilities even under the most adverse conditions. This undisputed number-one van adheres to the strictest of requirements when it comes to traction. The Mercedes-Benz Vans brand claim, "Born to Run", describes the high-traction Sprinter 4x4 to perfection.

When the going gets tough, the Sprinter gets going: the new 4x4 variant provides that decisive extra traction under tough conditions. The Sprinter 4x4 is an all-wheel-drive vehicle that caters for a wide range of industries such as tourism, construction, transporting building materials, energy supply, forestry and also people with a thirst for adventure. So next time you plan your outdoor adventure in the most remote of places, with difficult access – if you have your Sprinter 4X4, not only will there be ample space and luxury, the roads will be a piece of cake.

Managing Director Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa, Nicolette Lambrechts says: “With this unique Sprinter you will be able to go anywhere, embark on many adventures, while enjoying the comfort and safety that is benchmark in the Sprinter and underpins the Mercedes-Benz Vans brand.”

Selectable all-wheel drive with new Downhill Speed Regulation

The new Sprinter 4x4 makes life as easy as possible for the driver. The selectable all-wheel drive (AWD) with Low-Range ratio of 1=1.4, this function can be activated by the touch of a button to activate the electronic traction system (4ETS). The driver simply needs to make well-judged use of the accelerator and steering wheel, while the technology takes care of the rest. Selectable all-wheel drive can even function at vehicle speeds of up to 10km/h. The Low Range function enhances traction on steep inclines with a fully loaded

TRANSPORT

SEPTEMBER 2014 25Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

vehicle. The all-wheel drive is integrated into the Electronic Stability Program (ESP9i®), which comes standard, and complements the safety systems perfectly.

The Sprinter 4x4 now also comes with Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR), which ensures that a preselected speed is maintained constantly when driving downhill. DSR is activated using a button on the control panel.

4ETS: proven all-wheel drive technology

Keeping with the Sprinter 4x4’s areas of application, the all-wheel-drive system has a professional configuration based on the Mercedes-Benz 4ETS electronic traction system.

This technology also features in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, as well as the ML-Class and GL-Class off-roaders.

The 4ETS electronic traction control system is fully integrated in the ADAPTIVE ESP9I® Electronic Stability Program (ESP9I®). Together with ADAPTIVE ESP9I®, the electronic traction-control system compensates for Diff-Locks by automatic intervention, to reduce wheel spin and maintain traction. Its control characteristics have been specially adapted, while still retaining all of the functions of the ADAPTIVE ESP9I®.

ADAPTIVE ESP9I® raises the control thresholds so as to increase the traction by reducing the wheel slip, further enhancing safety when the vehicle is being driven along a steeply angled embankment.

Raised body for improved off-road performance

Although the Sprinter 4x4 is not a traditional off-roader, its ground clearance of 192mm for rural and off-road driving conditions endows it with characteristics similar to those of a cross-country vehicle. Its angle approaches are as follows: angle of approach is 21˚, ramp angle is 22˚ and angle of departure is 27˚. Off-road grip tyres are optional, which increases vehicle height by 20mm (ground clearance increases to 212mm) and the vehicle speed is limited to 120km/h.

Sprinter 4x4: Eco-friendly in line with the Euro V emissions standard

The Sprinter 4x4 variant comes standard with Euro V emissions and benefits from the same numerous innovations that have made the new Sprinter the undisputed innovation leader among vans since its launch last year. This a major advantage for a van with all-wheel drive that often operates in environmentally sensitive areas. The Sprinter 4x4 also impresses with its superior safety systems.

Variants to choose from

The Sprinter 4x4 is available as ex-factory in Panel Van and Freight Carrier (3.55t and 5t GVM) and Oberaigner Permanent 4x4 which is available as Panel Vans only (3.55t and 5t GVM). Prices will be available end of June and release to market is planned for mid-July on a made to order basis.

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

About the Author: Subusiso Mkwanazi is the public relations officer at Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles South Africa.

TRANSPORT

With the recent introduction of the all-new Ford Transit into the South African and Sub-Sahara African markets, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is continuing its plan to expand its commercial

vehicle presence on the African continent.

Ford Expands Commercial Vehicle Range

SEPTEMBER 201426 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

The Ford Tourneo - a factory-built people mover - offers modern accommodation for either 12 or 18 passengers, depending on specification.In addition to the Tourneo, the new two-tonne Transit range offers businesses an even more versatile version of the 2013 Van of the Year, Transit Custom. With a total load volume of 14,800 litres, carrying capacity of 2.2 tonnes, and the ability to accommodate up to five Europallets, the Transit panel van becomes a serious option for those who need to move larger items. New Transit is also available as a chassis cab model that can be fitted to accommodate customers' exact needs. "The introduction of Transit means that our commercial vehicle and fleet clients have more choice than ever before," said Gavin Golightly, marketing manager at FMCSA. "Ford now offers modern, high-quality products with up-to-date technology that make sense for both new and established businesses."This new Transit lineup marks Ford's third major commercial vehicle launch in Africa, under the Global ONE Ford plan. This strategy was originally set into motion in 2012 with the launch of the global Ranger, built at the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria. Ranger also uses the 2.2-litre and 3.2-litre engines sourced from the Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth, and the popular pick-up is also exported to 150 international markets.In 2013 Ford launched the Transit Custom and Tourneo Custom, bringing the Transit nameplate back to South Africa for the first time since the 1970s. In March this year the Tourneo Custom was also recognised as the Best Large MPV in CAR Magazine's Top 12 awards - testament to the smart technology, up-to-date design, and high quality shared by all Ford vehicles."Without a doubt, the commercial vehicle fleet we have on offer today is the best it's ever been," says Golightly. "We're listening to the needs of business and fleet customers, as well as the man on the street, and expanding our range accordingly."These new models aren't the last additions to the expanding local fleet. In 2015 Ford will introduce the Transit Connect,

a compact panel van for inter-city deliveries and small businesses. Transit Connect will be joined by the Tourneo Connect MPV, which seats between five and seven passengers.Available only as a long-wheelbase panel van, Transit Connect will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine producing 85kW, and mated to a six-speed manual transmission.A short-wheelbase, five-seater Tourneo Connect will be available in two trim levels - Ambiente and Trend - with both powered by the three-time Engine of the Year award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, tuned to produce 74kW, and paired to a six-speed manual transmission.In Titanium trim the Tourneo Connect is offered as long-wheelbase model, with room for seven passengers, and a choice of two engines. A 1.6-litre, 85kW turbo diesel engine with a six-speed manual transmission, or a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine producing 110kW, and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. More details on these compact MPVs and panel vans will be unveiled closer to launch, in 2015."The Transit family has been a leader in Europe for the last 25 years. We look forward to expanding our range to offer South African fleet managers and companies a full range of Transit vehicles - from big to small - that we believe will form the backbone of their business," ends Golightly.

Image (below): The new Ford Tourneo offers comfortable seating with ample space for up to 18 passengers.

TRANSPORT

SEPTEMBER 2014 27Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Image (inset left): All passenger seats feature seat-belts in the Ford Tourneo

Image (left): Launched in 2013, the Ford Tourneo Custom offers seating for 8 passengers.