JUNE 201502 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

JUNE 2015 03Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EDITORIAL04 Accreditation05 Cover Story06 Competition AVIATION08 The Rise of SA’s Low Cost Airlines ATTRACTIONS10 Tours at Redberry Farm, Garden Route11 South Coast Tourism Activities BUSINESS12 SATSA Market Intelligence Report13 Interview with Private Safaris14 Health and Wealth for Tourism

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 06 (June) 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 NelAnthea RossouwChrista Badenhorst

Contents

EVENTS16 SATSA 2015 Conference18 Weddings: Stats, Trends & Budgets21 Are we ready for the Millennials? HOSPITALITY22 Homestays: The Dreamcatcher Story LEGAL24 The Law: Contracts - Part 11 MARKETING26 7 Tips to Improve your B2B Marketing TRADE NEWS Visit our website for daily travel news

02 Guvon Hotels & Spas07 WYTC10 Redberry Farm11 Ugu South Coast Tourism13 White Shark Projects

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

MAGAZINE SPONSORS

15 SATIB Insurance Brokers15 Sprout Consulting17 Spier Wine Farm25 WTM-London27 Grootbos Private Nature Reserve

IN THIS ISSUE

10 18

David FrostJennifer NagyMartin Jansen van Vuuren

Neesa MoodleyRussel JarvisSharon House

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

EVENTS : Wedding trends for Millennials HOSPITALITY: The Dreamcatcher Story

ATTRACTIONS: Redberry Farm Tours EVENTS: Wedding Stats, Trends & Budgets

21 22

▼ Jun 2014▼ Jul 2014▼ Aug 2014

▼ Sep 2014▼ Oct 2014▼ Nov 2014

▼ Dec 2014▼ Jan 2015

▼ May 2015

▼ Feb 2015

▼ Mar 2015▼ Apr 2015

http://eepurl.com/bocldD

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 2015Website: www.otm.co.inOTM is India’s biggest travel trade show, in the largest travel market in India – Mumbai.

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.

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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.

World Travel AwardsWebsite: www.worldtravelawards.comEstablished in 1993 WTA rewards the very best in travel. WTA’s global media partner network has a monthly readership of 1.7 million and a TV audience reach of 90 million.

cover storyThe June edition of Tourism Tattler focuses on the $298 billion wedding industry, with an analysis of statistics, trends and budgets for the USA and South Africa, and a look at the Millennial generation – is the wedding industry ready to adapt to the changing trends of 29 to 33 year old brides and grooms? (Read more on pages 18-21).

June is an appropriate month to feature weddings, not only because the mild winter months in the southern hemisphere of Africa provide an ideal climate for international couples to tie the knot, but also because many wedding venues offer special wedding packages between June and September (see Guvon Hotels & Spas special on page 2, and Spier Wine Farm's winter wedding specials link on page 20).

June is also appropriate for a wedding feature on more personal note, as it coincides with my own wedding anniversary on the 17th – a day on which Beverley and I will be celebrating 15 years of matrimony – sometimes calm, sometimes tumultuous, but never boring. (See page 27 for an ideal venue to celebrate a wedding anniversary).

June is also a month of travel industry recognition, with the 2015 World Travel Awards Africa & Indian Ocean ceremony taking place at the Kempinski Seychelles Resort on the 20th, and judging for South African Tourism's 2015 Lilizela Awards taking place this month, for which I am a judge in the 'Service Excellence' category – not an easy task given that there are over 500 entries to adjudicate.

EDITORIAL

Speaking of awards, Tourism Tattler has partnered with the World Luxury Hotel and Spa Awards for 2015. The World Luxury Hotel Awards aim to encourage and raise service standards within the luxury hotel industry, as does the World Luxury Spa Awards, and both are voted for and presented to winners in different categories on a country, continent and global basis. To cast your vote for the best hotel, click here.

The month of May was a busy one for the travel trade in South Africa, with four major travel trade events having been convened – Indaba and We Are Africa (WAA)in Durban, and WTM-Africa and ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market - Africa) in Cape Town. I attended both Indaba and WTM-Africa, and whilst there is much debate about the practicality of holding two major

B2B exhibitions within weeks of each other, my observation is that each serves a different market segment - WTM-Africa / ILTM for the luxury 5-star travel market, and Indaba/WAA for African destinations, regional and provincial markets to showcase their products and meet with buyers. From a media perspective, Indaba's TECHTalk series and media presentation venues were superior to that of WTM-Africa.

As usual, we have our regular subject features in this edition (see content on page 3). Enjoy your reading!

Yours in Tourism,

Des Langkilde. editor@tourismtattler.com

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About Paul's Prize: The Dietz Monarch was first introduced in 1900, and has been produced in at least seven distinct variations continuously over the past 108 years. The first and oldest style Monarch had a flat top tank, un-reinforced air tubes, and a 9/16" fuel cap.

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The winning 'Like' or 'Share' during the month of June 2015 will receive a SOY Lite Hamper 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 Tattler

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

Congratulations to our Social Media winner for May 2015Paul Grobler has been selected as our May 2015 winner for his @Zimbush 'follow' on Twitter. Paul will receive a

Dietz Monarch D10 Hurricane Lantern with the compliments of Livingstones Supply Co – Suppliers of the Finest Products to the Hospitality Industry.

PAUL GROBLER is a Professional Safari Guide and the Head Guide at Chiawa Camp, which is on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Having grown up in the Hwange area of western Zimbabwe, Pauls playground was the surrounding bush.

This set the scene from a very early age for his passion in life – Africa and its wildlife, plants, landscapes, peoples and places . 23 Years later, he still works in the wilds of Africa and pursues his dreams on a daily basis.

For more information on Paul visit www.imbushsafaris.com

The hamper cotains the following:1 x Sensual Massage Body Candle (Pure soybean oil with Ylang Ylang & Rosewood)2 x small Moisturizing Candles (100% pure soybean oil. Aromatherapy benefits, Biodegradable & non-toxic)1x Travel Candle (Aromatherapy Travel Candle with Geranium, Jasmine and Rose)1 x Lip Balm (Organic peppermint Oil)

WinJune Prize: SOY LITE HAMPER

•

WYSTC is the annual event of

22 25 The essential global youth travel industry event

JUNE 2015 07Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Many travellers are confused about all these new airlines in South Africa - why does one carrier charge extra for luggage when the others don't? Why does one give me a free cup of coffee when the other guys are charging R15 for it? It's our mission to educate the market about these airlines and show why, despite their different business models, they are not out

to dupe consumers, writes Russel Jarvis.

The Rise of South Africa’s Low Cost

Airlines

The advance of South Africa’s budget airlines, recently joined by FlySafAir and Skywise, looks set to benefit air travel consumers as competition between the private and state-owned sector strengthens. A study done in February showed how FlySafair had already helped bring prices down on some domestic routes. Now we look to Skywise to continue the momentum. Currently operating flights between Johannesburg (ORTIA) and Cape Town on a fleet of 2 aircraft, the newcomers’ growth strategy is clearly cautious and methodical.

But there seems to be some confusion about who exactly these airlines are, where do they fly, and in each case, what do they offer consumers? One passenger said, “What a shock it was to find out we have to pay an extra R250 for luggage on the FlySafair flight!” While it’s understandable for consumers to be wary of these seemingly unfair pricing methods, the truth is many mainstream budget carriers (such as Ryanair in Europe) have been conducting business like this for years – it is commonly referred to as the low-cost carrier model, and is widely accepted by passengers as a ‘no frills’ way to travel.

We created the domestic airline comparison infographic (shown opposite on page 9) to show you the width and breadth of South Africa’s internal carriers and how the new budget airlines are helping South Africans get in the air for less.

In comparison to the rest of the world, South Africa’s commercial aviation industry has remained relatively small over the years. The independent carriers have faced David & Goliath style battles against the legacy carriers, and traditionally, government bailouts and interim interdicts have delayed the launch of much anticipated ‘saviours’ of the low-cost airline industry.

Tourists and the travel trade, know what it’s like to suffer at the hands of a monopoly – just think back to that dark period which clouded the sky about the same time as 1Time Airlines applied for business rescue in August, 2012. In the following weeks we watched in dismay as the airline met its end, rendering competition amongst SA’s domestic airlines all but dead. I remember my friend was in Zanzibar at the time. He’d happily flown out on 1Time only to discover the airline ceased operations the day before he was meant to fly home.

Seat sales became a thing of the past as the monopoly tightened its grip, and then in late 2014, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, there was suddenly a new player in town when FlySafair finally overcame the resistance from its established competitors.

AVIATION

Suddenly price conscious travellers were being catered for again, and travellers had more freedom of choice as the new no frills airlines made it cheaper for more South Africans to fly. Now with Skywise mixing it up on the ever-popular Joburg / Cape Town leg, the state of the airline industry hasn’t looked this bright in a while and we look forward to seeing the low cost carrier rise and become an increasingly utilised mode of transport in the eyes of consumers everywhere.

8 Useful Tips For Flying In South Africa

1. When booking a flight, spell your name as it is in your passport or ID document. No nicknames, shortened names etc.

2. If you book flights with Mango, remember to check in with the credit card you used to make the booking.

3. For domestic flights in South Africa, arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before your flight departs.

4. If you can’t make your flight you must cancel your ticket at least 2 hours prior to departure either with Travelstart, or the airline directly. In some cases no-show fees may apply.

5. For domestic flights in SA, hand luggage is set at 7kg – find out more about hand luggage restrictions.

6. Remember to check in online 24 hours prior to departure and print out your boarding pass, or save a copy on your charged mobile phone.

7. A birth certificate (does not have to be unabridged) suffices as a form of ID for minors travelling within South Africa.

8. Take the Service Package (R99) when checking out on Travelstart and get help with meal requests, seating requirements, wheelchair assistance and more.

Dispelling Luggage Allowance Myths

Skywise: Bags fly free up to 20kg. You are allowed TWO bags (including sporting equipment) up to 20kg in total.

FlySafair: In line with the true low cost model mentioned earlier, FlySafair will always charge extra for checked luggage – they are the only airline doing this. The cost is R150 for 20kg if you book FlySafair through Travelstart, or R250 if you pay at the airport. Why? More than 40% of domestic passengers only take a carry-on when flying. With FlySafair you don’t pay for what you won’t need.

Mango Airlines: Luggage is included in the price of your Mango Airlines ticket. Allowance is set at 20kg per passenger. Infants have a 10kg baggage allowance but have no seat allocation.

Kulula: Luggage is included in the price of your Kulula Airlines ticket. Allowance is set at 20kg per passenger.

SAA: Luggage is included in the price of your SAA ticket. Allowance is set at 23kg per passenger.

British Airways: Luggage is included in the price of your BA Comair ticket. Allowance is set at 23kg per passenger.

Airlink: Luggage is included in the price of your Airlink ticket. Allowance is set at 20kg per passenger.

SA Express: Luggage is included in the price of your SA Express ticket. Allowance is set at 20kg per passenger.

CemAir: CemAir luggage allowances are included in the price of your ticket and vary by route. For flights to/from Margate luggage allowance is set at 2 pieces of free checked luggage and hand luggage with a total weight of up to 20kg. Hand luggage cannot exceed 6kg.

About the author: Russel Jarvis is Head Of Communications at TravelStart.co.za - Africa's leading online travel agency.

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Redberry Farm, a commercial strawberry grower located in the picturesque town of George along South Africa's Garden Route, is unique as a family entertainment venue and popular

tourist attraction, writes Sharon House.

Unique Tours at Redberry Farm, Garden Route

Opened in 2000, Redberry Farm has steadily grown into the major tourism attraction that they are today. The farm is rustic and relaxing with green manicured lawns and magnificent views of the Outeniqua Mountains. Redberry Farm offers family-friendly activities such as pick your own strawberries, the largest hedge maze in the Southern Hemisphere, a tea garden and farm stall as well as the Red Shed Coffee and Berry Bar.Children’s activities include miniature train rides, pony rides, a large outdoor playground, bumper boats and bubble ball on the dam.

Redberry Farm is a popular option for school, agritourism, ecotourism and family group tours. They have packages set up that offer different options depending on the amount of time clients have and the age or interests of your guests.

A typical one-hour tour consists of a welcome strawberry drink, an informative and interesting talk on strawberries by the knowledgeable owners or farm manager, and an opportunity to pick your own strawberries. The speaker leading the tour adjusts the talking points based on the age of the attendants. School tours are aimed at the appropriate level for the children while adult groups will have a more intellectual dialogue. The tours are very affordable at R72 per adult and R53 for children, and STO rates are available.

The landscape surrounding the picking fields is breath-taking, so the whole experience of being outdoors and selecting your own berries is very enjoyable. As Redberry Farm is a commercial grower, the quality of their berries is excellent.

If your tour group has a bit of extra time, it is really worthwhile to do the maze. The maze is 10,567m2 in total size and is the largest permanent hedge maze in the Southern Hemisphere. In fact, it is only a little bit smaller than the largest maze in the world. Planted six years ago, the maze consists of over 30,000+ Syzygium Paniculatum plants (also known by the common name magenta cherry), which make up the hedge pathways. These hedge walls are two and a half metres high, so no peaking over! The objective of the maze is to discover the seven stations hidden inside the labyrinth of hedge pathways. If you manage to achieve this, you will have 'discovered

ATTRACTIONS

the secrets of a strawberry' and will be rewarded with a prize. There are interesting features in the maze such as a 25m underground tunnel and a look out deck. If you view the maze from above, the centre hedges are shaped like a strawberry. The maze is a fun, active, outdoor adventure that educates its visitors about strawberries. It takes one to two hours to complete, depending on your sense of direction and how good your navigation skills are!

Other add-ons for the tours include lunch or a snack from the tea garden and adding children’s activity pony rides, bumper boats and bubble ball. The farm stall is filled with strawberry products and is worth browsing for unique products and take-home gifts.

Redberry Farm is situated 4km from the George airport and is just off the R404, on the route to Oudtshoorn. This makes them conveniently positioned for tour groups on their way to the Cango Caves or those who want to hop back onto the N2 to Knysna. Strawberry season runs from September until early January but they do generally have berries all year round.

For more information visit www.redberryfarm.co.za or phone +27 (0)44 870 7123 for enquiries and bookings.

044 870 7123 | George, GARDEN ROUTE

School, family & agricultural berry tours

www.redberryfarm.co.za

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As a recreational scuba dive master back in the 80s and 90s, my frequent week-end forays to the South Coast were limited to dive sites along Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks, which are accessed from adrenalin fuelled beach boat launch sites located between Umkomaas and Margate. Reviewing the entire itinerary of my jam-packed post-Indaba media FAM trip hosted by Ugu South Coast Tourism, would make this a very long article, so I’ll break it down into a series of articles, covering different aspects. So, let’s kick off with activities.

There’s a lot to do on the South Coast – both in-door and outdoor. In-door activities range from gambling at the Wild Coast Sun, movies at either Margate or Shelly Centre, night clubbing at one of four clubs along Margate’s ‘Sunset Strip’ to being pampered at a wide array of Beauty Salons and Spas. But it’s in the outdoor activities that the South Coast truly excels – especially adventure activities. Here's a brief snapshot of three activities that I was fortunate to experince:

Fun Boat Rides

C-Freaks operates from Margate and launches from Shelley Beach for the ultimate experience in Fun Boat Rides, Shark Cage Diving and Scuba Diving.

The ‘Fun Boat Ride’ is aptly named, as the experienced skipper opens the twin 85hp outboard motors full-throttle to jump back-line swells and ramp the boats wake while performing ‘doughnuts’. The action is preceded with a sedate cruise along the coastline accompanied with humorous commentary and anecdotes on landmarks from the tour guide. Stop-offs along the KZN Shark Board’s baited buoys and shark nets add interest to the tour, while a brief interlude allows passengers to enjoy a deep-water swim among the warm Indian Ocean swells.

Highly recommended for all ages, the pre-launch safety briefing belays any fears that clients may have.

For more information click here or call +27 (0)82 379 4073.

www.tourismsouthcoast.co.za

It’s been a while since I last visited the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. To say that I was impressed with the regions tourism activity development would be an

understatement, writes Des Langkilde.

Beach Horse Rides

Owner operated by Mark and Megan, Selsdon Park Estate is a working sugar cane farm located between Trafalgar and Marina Beach near Margate, and has sixteen horses ranging from ponies for kids to eight draft horses for hefty riders.

I’m not a hefty rider but I am tall, which is probably why I was allocated a giant horse. When it comes to transport I prefer my ride to not have a mind of its own or a motion that causes your butt to be rubbed raw in the saddle. But the post-ride discomfort is certainly worth the elevated viewing advantage afforded by horse riding through suburbia, along bush trails and on open stretches of golden beach with waves lapping over the horses hooves.

For more information click here or call +27 (0)83 301 2941.

Zip Lines

Located within the Lake Eland Game Reserve, the zip lines cover 4.5km in eighteen stages over the magnificent Oribi Gorge, which plummets 300m metres below! The tour takes between 2 – 3 hours and is suitable for all ages with tandem slides available on request.

For novices, the staged structure is ideal as the zip lines between the first six stage platforms are short, slow and closer to the ground, allowing time to get used to the gloved technique of holding onto the suspension straps and slowing-down on approach to the next platform. Stages 6 to 11 are the fastest and most exhilarating with speeds of up to 80kmh, while stages 11 to 12 are the most fun as it runs across the lake and one can hang off the harness and skim the water surface with your (ungloved) hand. Stages 12 to 13 and 15 to 16 are short walks, which allow time for the groups pulse rates to slow down before zipping off along the final stages from 16 to 18.

For the more adventurous, an almost vertical zip line careens down the gorge where speeds in excess of 100kmh can be attained.

For more information click here or call +27 (0)39 687 0395.

South Coast TourismActivities

ATTRACTIONS

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BUSINESSBUSINESS

Market Intelligence Report

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MY BUSINESSIt seems from the data for the first quarter of 2015 that domestic business tourism is still continuing but that international tourism has declined. This results in growth in arrivals on domestic flights but does not translate into growth in hotel occupancies or car rental utilisation. The growth in hotel room rates and car rental industry revenue is mostly nominal growth i.e. related to inflationary growth of around 5% to 6% with little or no real growth (anything above 5% to 6%). *Statistics South Africa has stopped counting people transiting through South Africa as tourists. As a result of the revision, in order to compare the 2014 figures with 2013, it has been necessary to deduct the transit figures from the 2013 totals.

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The information below was extracted from data available as at 01 JUNE 2015. By Martin Jansen van Vuuren of Grant Thornton.

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

Current period Change over same period last year

UK 401 914 3.50%

Germany 274 571 10.22%

USA 309 255 5.02%

India 85 639 -8.49%

China (incl Hong Kong) 82 905 -24.66%

Total Overseas Arrivals 2 254 709 2.92%

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

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

All Hotels in SA 63.9% R 1 133 R 724

All 5-star hotels in SA 66.9% R 2 086 R 1 396

All 4-star hotels in SA 63.9% R 1 068 R 683

All 3-star hotels in SA 62.1% R 873 R 542

Change over same period last year

All Hotels in SA 0.2% 6.3% 6.4%

All 5-star hotels in SA 0.1% 7.9% 8.0%

All 4-star hotels in SA 0.4% 6.1% 6.5%

All 3-star hotels in SA -1.7% 7.6% 5.8%

ACSA DATAThe latest available data from ACSA is for January to April 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 -1.4% -2.6% 6.8%

Cape Town International 6.6% 3.1% 5.5%

King Shaka International -0.9% N/A 3.8%

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%

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United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA);African Travel & Tourism Association (ATTA); andNorth America Travel Association (NTA).

Private Safaris arrange custom-designed specialised tours for more than 2 000 groups annually as well as offer accommodation, city-breaks, safaris, tours, trains, regional and domestic flights, fly-drive packages, cruise-ship handling, excursions and transfers for both groups and individual travellers.

I ( ) asked Frank Glettenberg (FG):

: Kuoni Group’s corporate responsibility page reads; “You can delegate authority, but not responsibility.” How does this statement apply to Private Safaris Responsible Tourism initiatives?

FG: “We comply with ILO (International Labour Organisation) mandates, and support and engage with local sustainability initiatives in the countries in which we operate - we’re hands-on rather than voyeuristic in our approach.”

: What are your key inbound markets, and have you seen a shift in demand?

FG: “Obviously, with our Kuoni relationship over 50% of our inbound clients come from Europe and Asia, but we now have a presence in the USA and are seeing growth in bookings to Africa from this market.”

: What about the BRICS markets?

FG: “India is our number one source market into South Africa, although bookings from both India and China have slowed due to the new visa regulations that came into effect since last year.”

: What are your thoughts on WTM-Africa and Indaba?

FG: “I doubt that there are enough buyers to sustain three travel trade shows in South Africa. The quality of buyers at Indaba is down this year, although ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market - Africa) was very good. Of the three, We Are Africa was best.

For more information visit www.privatesafaris.com

+27 (0)28 384 1774 | bookings@whitesharkprojects.co.za | www.whitesharkprojects.co.za

Following my interview with Matthias Leisinger, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Kuoni Travel Holdings Ltd (see page 11 May 2015 edition or online here) I met with Kuoni subsidiary Private Safaris CEO Frank Glettenberg for an interview during the 2015 Indaba Trade Show in Durban.

But before I go into the interview, here’s some background information on Private Safaris:

Private Safaris started in 1976 with an office in Nairobi, Kenya, and subsequently opened another office in Mombasa, Kenya and one in Arusha, Tanzania, which enabled the company to diversify into other markets all around the world, becoming one of the leading and most reliable Destination Management Companies in East Africa.

Another and very successful office opened in Cape Town, South Africa in 2003, and a fifth office was opened in Windhoek, Namibia in 2007.

Private Safaris arranges all aspects of destination management services in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Rwanda, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Republic of Congo and Angola. Private Safaris’ source markets have grown continuously and now include Europe, Asia, Africa, South and North America.

As an exclusively owned subsidiary of KUONI TRAVEL LTD in Switzerland, Private Safaris have the advantage of being a member of this internationally established professional organisation, while retaining the personal touch of a small company, representing quality and service excellence. Private Safaris’ credibility is further certified through its memberships of these travel industry associations:Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA);Tour & Safari Association of Namibia (TASA);Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO);Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE),Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI);International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA);Association for the Promotion of Travel to Africa (APTA);Anerkannte Spezialisten für Afrika-Reisen (ASA);

Tourism Tattler met with Kuoni subsidiary Private Safaris CEO Frank Glettenberg for an interview during the 2015

Indaba Trade Show in Durban, writes Des Langkilde.

Private Safaris

Interview: BUSINESS

The Private Safaris team at Indaba 2015.

JUNE 201514 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

With a solid 25 years’ experience in the specialist field of short-term insurance broking for the tourism and hospitality industry in Africa , SATIB Insurance Brokers is now bringing its specialist industry knowledge into long-term insurance for these industries. Madeleen van den Berg, the managing director of SATIB Health and Wealth division, recently re-launched from the previous name of SATIB Life & Investments, says the new division will enable SATIB to provide businesses and employees in the tourism and hospitality industry with a holistic, financial services offering ranging from short-term insurance for tourism operators to now also include employee benefits. “This new offering allows us to meet a need within the tourism and hospitality industry for a wider range of tailored, financial services offerings. For example, providing healthcare benefits for employees has always been a challenge for tourism companies, particularly the smaller companies which have just two or five staff members,” she says. Van den Berg notes that SATIB’s Health and Wealth products do not require any minimum number of employees at a participating company and benefits can be enjoyed by any tourism and hospitality company, from the individual operator to a listed tourism company. Services offered by SATIB’s Health and Wealth division include:

Retirement FundsSATIB has partnered with household names in the retirement field to offer those in the tourism and hospitality industry access to an Umbrella Tourism and Hospitality Pension & Benefits Fund. As the industry still has a lot to do in implementing these funds for employees before the mandatory National Social Security Fund regulations come into place, SATIB’s fund has the unique advantage of allowing employers and employees to build up their contributions to the mooted mandatory amount of 15% over a 3 year period. This is a significant reduction in terms of the initial cash flow burden.

Long-term InsuranceEmployees will enjoy benefits including group life cover, capital disability, funeral cover and income protection. Group life cover ensures that your employee’s dependents will be provided for in the event of his or her death. Group life cover is also not underwritten, which means that employees enjoy life insurance cover without

SATIB is set to provide businesses and employees in the tourism and hospitality industry with a holistic, financial services offering ranging from short-term insurance for

tourism operators to employee benefits, writes Neesa Moodley.

BUSINESS

Health and

Wealth

having to undergo a health screening process. Funeral cover pays out to your employee’s dependents within 24 to 48 hours to cover immediate funeral expenses. Income protection is one of the most important life insurance covers that any employee needs as their biggest asset is their ability to earn an income.

Individual Financial PlanningA network of more than 160 independent financial advisers throughout the country will be available for individual financial planning consultations with employees in the tourism and hospitality industry. A holistic financial plan ensures that your employees’ manage their money responsibly and work towards meeting their financial needs and reaching financial goals. This would include preparing for major life events such as marriage, buying a home and having children.

Occupational CareStarting from as little as R238 a month, employees can access unlimited private healthcare via the Ocsacare network, which works together with the national Carecross network of private GPs, radiologists, pathologists, dentists and optometrists.

Will PreparationSATIB’s new Health and Wealth products are available immediately and several tourism lodges have already signed up for the service.

For more details or to sign up your tourism company, contact the Satib call centre on +27 (0)86 1728 4248, your SATIB Account Executive or email satib@attooh.jhb.co.za

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The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) is looking forward to welcoming you to South Africa's Eastern Cape province in August for our annual conference. The conference kicks off at Fancourt from 14h00 on Thursday 13th and finishes at 12h15 on Saturday 15th August, writes

SATSA CEO, David Frost.

Registration Opens For SATSA 2015Conference

We have a great venue at Fancourt in George, which will continue the relaxed and informal atmosphere created by the 2014 conference at Spier Wine Estate. The format and conference set up is the same as last year – ‘the theatre in the round’ staged seating and a rich discussion-based format. This year PowerPoint presentations are definitely banned! We have tried to keep prices as low as possible – we do not mark anything up and pass on all discounts straight to you as delegates. We also have alternative accommodation at the Protea King George.

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The theme this year is 'Out of the Fire – Working Together for Growth'. We may well not be out of the fire by August – but the idea of synergising our disparate resources is a seductive one. South Africa's Tourism Minister Derrick Hanekom has agreed to attend and he will deliver a keynote address on Thursday afternoon.

Dinner on Thursday evening is a relaxed food and wine treat, featuring the best restaurants and hotels of the Garden Route. There will be a more formal gala dinner at a secret, off-site venue on Friday evening.

Golf Day

There is a golf day on the stunning Montague course (rated 8th in the country by Golf Digest) on Thursday 13th. It will be a shotgun tee off at 08h00. An added bonus is that all delegates will be able to play on the number one ranked course in South Africa, The Links, on Saturday afternoon. We will also have a mountain bike outride that morning. For the less adventurous there is a stunning spa and steam/sauna area.

Transport

We are cognisant that access into George is somewhat limited. For those playing in the golf day, we suggest coming in on Wednesday 12th. We have blocked seats on Kulula out of Johannesburg – and you can book at the same time as your conference booking.

For delegates out of Cape Town, through the generous sponsorship of Hylton Ross we have laid on a 44-seater coach departing on Wednesday 12th in the afternoon and two 44-seaters departing on Thursday 13th. Two buses will return to Cape Town on the afternoon of Saturday 15th and one bus on the morning of Sun 16th August.

Online bookings can be made at www.satsa.com/2015-conference/

I look forward to seeing you at Fancourt.

Images: The Fancourt Links (above), and the Roman Baths

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Considering that the average marriage age in South Africa is 29 for brides and 33 for grooms, would the millennial generation, estimated to be in the region of 5 million1, be likely to get married in 2015?

Looks like an impressive number right? It just shows how stats can be deceiving because just over 163,000 marriages were registered in South Africa in 2013, so a realistic estimate would probably be around 4% of millennials turning 29-33 in 2015 who are likely to get married - that’s around 100,000 couples. So is the wedding industry on the rise or declining?

I turned to Spier Wine Farm for their view. “Spier has always been a favourite venue for weddings in the Cape, given our accessible location in Stellenbosch, our diverse facilities and wholesome catering options,” says Angela Lorimer, the head of conferencing and eventing at Spier. “We have noticed a change in wedding trends but not a decline in the number of weddings hosted at the farm over the years.”

Angela's observation is borne out by Christa Badenhorst, Marketing Manager at Guvon Hotels, who says; " The Millennial generation are a new breed of easy-going, techno-savvy kids, and we are seeing a shift in trends, so unless we spruce up our offering, we may just lose their interest." (Read Christa's Millennial article on page 00).

So what do the statistics reveal?

THE STATS

According to the latest report2 from Statistics South Africa, which looks at trends in happy beginnings and unhappy endings, these are some of the key findings:

1. A total of 163,133 marriages registered in 2013. Civil marriages: 158,642, Customary marriages: 3,498, and Civil unions: 993.

2. Marriages on the decline. The 2013 figure of 158,642 civil marriages shows a decrease of 1,5% from the 161,112 marriages recorded in 2012. In 2013, the crude civil marriage rate was 3,0 per 1,000 estimated resident population. During the period 2003 to 2013, the highest number of marriages was recorded in 2008 (186,522) and the lowest number in 2013 (158,642).

3. Religious ceremonies also declining. More than half, 84,702 (53,4%) of the 158,642 marriages were solemnised by DHA (civil) marriage officers and 47,748 (30,1%) by ‘Religious’ rites.

4. Gauteng had the highest number of marriages at 36,407 (23,0%) and Northern Cape the lowest at 4,763 (3,0%). North

Is the global wedding industry, estimated to be worth $298 billion* on the rise or declining? The statistics, trends and

wedding budgets reveal some interesting facts, writes Des Langkilde.

Weddings: Stats, Trends & Budgets

* Source www.splendidinsights.com. 1 Source: Age and sex distribution - South African National Census of 2011 - 25-29 year age group, turning 29-33 in 2015. 2 Marriages and Divorces, 2014 - released 30 April 2015.

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West (76,9%) had the highest proportion of marriages solemnised by civil marriage officers whereas Western Cape recorded the highest proportion (49,9%) of marriages solemnised by religious marriage officers.

5. First-timers lead. The majority of civil marriages involved first-time brides and bridegrooms. The highest number of these marriages between people giving matrimony a bash for the first time were recorded in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.

6. Increasing ages and age gaps between couples. For both bridegrooms and brides, median ages at the time of customary marriages increased gradually over time. Median ages of bridegrooms increased from 31 years in 2009 to 33 years in 2013 and those for brides increased from 25 years to 29 years during the same period. Bridegrooms were generally older than brides, with an age difference of about five to six years for customary marriages registered between 2009 and 2013.

7. Minors – more brides than grooms. Minors can’t get married without a range of permissions, including from the Minister of Home Affairs. Boys must be 18 or older and girls 16 or older to get married without jumping through these hoops of approval and permission. In 2013, Stats SA found, the marriages of 14 bridegrooms and 172 brides younger than 18 were registered.

8. Customary marriages declining – from 20,301 in 2004 to just 3,498 in 2013. Most couples, though, don’t register their customary marriage in the same year the ceremony is performed, so the figures can be deceptive.

9. Civil unions increasing – with 993 registered in 2013 – an increase of 30,65% from 760 in 2009. Civil unions most often involve same-sex couples, and the highest number (411) were recorded in Gauteng, followed by 320 in the Western Cape. Civil unions are unpopular in Limpopo (only 6 registered), North West (10), and Mpumalanga (16).

10. Most popular wedding months: September and December are the most popular months for marriages, although Easter (either March or April) is also popular.

11. Divorces increasing. While marriage rates are dropping, divorces is climbing. In 2013, 23,885 divorces were completed and registered, up by 8.6% from 21,998 in 2012. During the decade under review, 2005 was a really bad year for marriage: 32,484 divorces were recorded.

Image © Jo Stokes photography

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12. Wives initiate divorce. More wives (12,083, or 50.6%) than husbands (8,014 or 33.5%) initiate divorces. White women were most likely to file for divorce and black women least likely in the cases where the plaintiff’s sex was specified.

13. More civil than religious divorces. By way of marriage solemnisation, 4,499 (18/8%) of divorces were from religious rites, compared to 18,371 (76,9%) by ‘civil’ rites.

It’s interesting to note that not all marriages are registered in South Africa, as some are not recognised by law. The three types of marriages that are recognised by law are civil marriages, customary marriages and civil unions. Marriages concluded in accordance with Hindu, Islamic or other religious rites are excluded in the statistics.

THE TRENDS

According to the ‘2014 Real Weddings Study’ (for the USA) released by TheKnot.com the top wedding trends in 2014 were:

USING SMARTPHONES FOR PLANNING. Couples are researching everything from gowns to vendors on mobile applications. In 2014, the use of smartphones to access wedding planning websites has nearly doubled from 2011 (33%) to 2014 (61%).

PERSONALISATION ON THE RISE, INCLUDING CHANGES IN VENUES. Couples are showing their unique style by choosing unexpected places to wed. Since 2009, historic buildings/homes and farm venues have grown in popularity. Historic buildings/homes made up 14% in 2014, compared with only 12% in 2009, and farms make up 6% in 2014, up from 3% in 2009. While banquet halls (22%), country clubs (11%) and hotels (11%) are still popular options for couples, about 40% are looking for unusual venues that better reflect their personality.

COUPLES SPENDING MORE ON RECEPTION ELEMENTS, AND LESS ON CEREMONY. Spending is on the rise across reception categories, and couples are spending more on their catering, musicians and cake in 2014. Spending for cocktail hours also rose to 76% from 69% in 2010. Couples are spending less on the ceremony. In 2014, 33% of couples hired pianists and organists for their ceremony, down from 49% in 2009, and 28% of couples held their ceremony in a religious institution, down from 41% in 2009.

WITH ALMOST HALF OF COUPLES GOING OVER BUDGET, WHO PAYS FOR THE WEDDING? On average, the bride’s parents contribute 43%, the bride and groom contribute 43%, and the groom’s parents contribute 12% of the total wedding budget (others account for the remaining 2%). Only 12% of couples pay for the

wedding entirely themselves. In 2014, 45% of couples went over budget, about 1 in 4 (26%) of couples stayed within their budget.

BUSY LIVES MEANS SAVING THE DATE. More couples are using save-the-dates. The percentage of couples who used save-the-dates was 75% in 2014, compared with 72% in 2013 and 57% in 2009. In 2014, 50% of couples had their save-the-dates professionally made, up from 29% in 2009.

THE BUDGET

The aforementioned ‘2014 Real Weddings Study’ indicates the average wedding budget (for the USA) at $31,213 excluding the honeymoon (R372,734)), of which $14,006 (R167,256) is allocated

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Image © Jo Stokes photography

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to the venue (reception hall). The most expensive city for a wedding in the USA is listed as Manhattan, New York at $76,328 (R911,476), while the least expensive is Utah at $15,267 (R182,312).

According to Hannes Loubser, wedding specialist at Spier Wine Farm, the average size of a designer wedding in South Africa is between 80 to 100 guests, with most of these groups coming from overseas, specifically the UK, USA, Europe and Australia. According to the study, the average number of guests at USA weddings is 136.

Considering the currency exchange rate between the South African rand and the US dollar at nearly 12:1, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to compare the cost of an average wedding in the table below.

Category USA SA $ SA ZAR

Venue $14,006 $5,023 R60,000Photographer $2,556 $1,674 R20,000Event Planner $1,973 $2,511 R30,000Reception Band $3,587 $1,674 R20,000Reception DJ $1,124 $837 R10,000Florist/Decor $2,141 $2,930 R35,000Videographer $1,794 $2,511 R30,000Wedding Dress $1,357 $1,256 R15,000Groom's Attire $254 $335 R4,000Wedding Cake $555 $335 R4,000Ceremony Site $1,901 $419 R5,000Ceremony Musicians $637 $586 R7,000Invitations $439 $452 R5,440Transportation/Limousine $767 $335 R4,000Favours $275 $678 R8,100Rehearsal Dinner $1,206 $670 R8,000Engagement Ring $5,855 $3,349 R40,000Catering (price per person) $68 $33 R400Officiant $266 $209 R2,500

Wedding Total $40,761 $25,826 R308,440

*Flights: KLM nonstop (21h 0m+) @ $1,365pp - New York to Cape Town. Accommodation (2 nights) @ ±$100pp pn.

Note: Currency conversion as at 25 May 2015: 1 USD = 11.9429 ZAR - www.xe.com Get R20,000 worth of value-add - click HERE for details.

Spier Winter Wedding Package: June to Sept 2015

Assuming that my comparative cost estimates for an upmarket wedding are reasonably accurate, a wedding would be 36.65% more cost effective in South Africa than it would be in the USA.

Of course the entire wedding party would need to fly out to South

Africa and be accommodated, which would blow the $15,000 budget saving to bring the bridal party across, but what a memorable wedding it would be!

Conclusion

Let’s assume that marriages in South Africa continue to decline at 1,5% per annum, and ignore the 5 million millennials turning 29-33 in 2015 - we’d end up with 160,686 bridal couples in 2014 and 158,275 in 2015. Taking the average budget spend (per my $ vs ZAR analysis) of R308,440, this would equate to a 2015 South African market value in excess of R48 billion! Certainly still a lucrative market for wedding planners and venues.

Now look at the trends. With personalisation on the rise and couples spending more on reception elements, and less on the ceremony, there are opportunities to capitalise on these trends given South Africa’s diversity of wedding locations, venues, diamonds and gold.

My observation is borne out by Spier Wine Farm: “We’ve seen a noticeable trend in bridal couples opting for outdoor ceremonies, with unusual reception decor requests. There is definitely a trend away from the traditional religious wedding ceremony,” says Angela.

If there’s one takeaway from all this, it’s that nearly 60 percent of brides use their smartphones for wedding planning, so if you want to reach them, your site better be mobile-friendly and it would be well worth obtaining a quotation from Spier Wine Farm to host the wedding - see the Winter Wedding Package deal below.

DOWNLOADS:StatsSA-Marriages-Divorces-2013.pdf 2014 Real Weddings Study

JUNE 2015 21Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

EVENTS

In a bid to keep their fingers on the pulse, Guvon Hotels keep a close eye on international wedding trends. In this article

Christa Badenhorst looks at the Millennial generation.

Are we ready for the Millennials?

Often thought of as the selfie-generation, Millennials are now reaching marriageable age. Wikipedia quotes the Millennial age range to be birth years ranging from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. Not only do hotels need to eat-live-sleep Social Media in order to communicate with this new breed of easy-going, techno-savvy kids, but unless we spruce up our offering, we may just lose their interest.

Fortune Magazine describes Millennials as “more informed, civically-engaged, and open-minded than conventional wisdom might lead you to believe,” and continues to state that social media is integral to their lives and relationships. Is the hotel industry successfully adapting its wedding offering for this market – and how do trends impact on our future relationship with the Millennial bride and groom?

While the Guvon Hotels properties provide the basis for glorious weddings with a diversity of backdrops ranging from golf course scenery to photogenic photo opportunities with two elephant at its Big 5 Game Lodge, we also actively encourage our brides to explore their creativity for their wedding function.

With this in mind, a fresh look at international wedding trends and the needs of Millennials are in order. Huffington Post (HP) recently commented on décor colours, dress styles and flower choices, but what peaks the interest of hoteliers and hotel marketers is the inspiration surrounding venue and food choices.

Liene Steven reports on Thinksplendid.com that Millennials want to collaborate instead of being told what to do. The way we need to address our future clients has to change. Forget the groom and he may just forget your wedding venue.

Rustic Chic is a trend that seems to be with us not only for 2015, but is also predicted to wade well into 2016. Mason jars and lace is still all the rage, but HP predicts that burlap table cloths will be replaced by white linen, staying with the rustic chic look, but adding a touch of elegance.

The Millennial generation wants custom made and creativity. DIY is a creative outlet and bridal couples are actively involved in every step of the way. Belinda Cooper recently married her muso-sweetheart Andy Maritz at Kloofzicht Lodge & Spa and managed to capture a few of the wedding trends in one go: her exquisite wedding featured rustic chic décor with a touch of elegance. Beautiful informal bouquets were juxtaposed with ladders and old leather suitcases. Old-fashioned books were parading next to single Proteas in mason jars and glass containers. The effect? A relaxed, elegant set up.

A simple hunger–busting menu of gourmet craft food – main course of gourmet burgers, French fries and onion rings – were served, and guests loved it, according to the new Mrs Maritz. A choice of beef and chicken gourmet burgers, finished with caramelised onion and pickles seemed to hit the right spot.

Formal ceremonies are falling by the wayside in America, but in South Africa it still has a stronghold. Cocktail receptions are reportedly becoming more popular. Whether it is a budget concern, or just a step towards less formal and more relaxed as with the Cooper - Maritz wedding, beautiful bite size morsels are being presented all night long, and often in scenic areas with views over dams, mountains or a golf course. Instead of spending money on tables, décor and chairs, the Millennial would much rather spend money on travelling and having an extended honeymoon to an exotic destination.

Most hoteliers probably shudder at the thought of couples looking at alternative spaces, but research shows that couples are turning to restaurants, museums and open spaces for their wedding celebrations. This certainly challenges the hotel industry in adapting their spaces. At Askari Game Lodge & Spa, forest weddings are increasing in popularity and brides are strolling down the tree lined forest path to meet up with family and friends for a blessing in a serene forest environment.

Whether your clients dream wedding takes place in a forest with hippo and elephant in the background, or in a chic city hotel with expansive golfing greens, Guvon Hotels & Spas has the perfect wedding venue for them. Options include country elegance at Glenburn Lodge and Kloofzicht Lodge & Spa, Big 5 excitement at Askari Game Lodge & Spa, a destination wedding at Umbhaba Lodge in Hazyview or an Out of Africa camping experience at Bush Willow Tented Camp.

The Millennials have spoken and the trends are shifting. Are hotels ready to adapt to this new and very lucrative market? Do our menus sport gourmet craft food, or are we stuck with the old-fashioned buffet style food? Are we offering the stretches of beautiful lawns overlooking waterfalls and dams as wedding venues, or are we pushing couples into banqueting halls? Does your hotel have an extensive craft beer selection? If not, it’s time to regroup and have a little chat about future offerings.

For more information visit www.guvonhotels.co.za

Weddings:

HOSPITALITY

Homestays

Put another way, it is an idea whose time – at long last – has arrived. Market trends now firmly indicate that visitors to South Africa increasingly favour meeting and mingling with locals in community life and activities, as opposed to traditional sightseeing tours that predominantly focus on scenery and/or wildlife.

Regardless of the term used to define the experience – 'experiential tourism' or 'participatory tourism' or 'social immersion tourism' or 'voluntourism' – the common denominator is that significant numbers of international travellers are interested in meeting and interacting directly with the people of South Africa. Not just look at them, hear about them, or gaze at them through a bus window. At Dreamcatcher South Africa, which I founded specifically for this purpose, we call it 'going truly local – being with the people' and our website reflects an increasing number of savvy and conscientious travellers seeking authentic local community interactions and local residential options. Incidentally, many mainstream tour operators are reporting a similar spike in requests for homestay or local guesthouse accommodation.

In the belief that 'in diversity there is harmony', we have pioneered our niche tourism products and services by offering heartwarming local hospitality and guest experiences to discerning international visitors since 1991, by ensuring that they meet as many different cultures as possible. Moreover we have helped South African women (Emqolweni Kamammas – meaning the women in communities with a baby on their back, and in this instance, the community) and men (Bhutis, meaning brother), develop into successful tourism entrepreneurs. Dreamcatcher has over 50 registered Dreamcatcher tourism providers, working with over 100 community projects in 20 communities, and impacting on the lives of over 10,000 children, youth and women.

Products & Tours

Throughout the country, along major tourist routes, we have helped over 25 Kamammas successfully turn their family homes into charming and comfortable guesthouse venues called Kamamma Homestay Accommodations. Lodgings offer the normal amenities that you will find at a typical country inn (private room and mostly private bath, hot water, nutritious meals – including meeting special dietary needs, etc.). In addition to homestays, we offer 'Cook-Ups with Kamamma' – entertaining, hands-on cooking experiences where visitors learn about traditional foods and local cultures as they participate in cooking up a lunch or dinner with the Kammama in

theDreamcatcher

Story

her own kitchen. Or 'Walkabouts & Talkabouts with Kamammas and Bhutis' – where guests are welcomed behind the scenes and “inducted" into the neighbourhood (strolling around to meet and greet the community leaders, elders, youth; visit the shop on the corner; peek in at the church; attend a local football match and cheer for the home team). We also offer interested tourists the chance to slow down and an opportunity to incorporate one, two, or three days of social engagement (which can also include helping out, depending on the itinerary and need at grass roots level, or simply to share their world with the community, in community activities, (or school or clinic) into their travel itinerary.

Volunteer Programmes

Our volunteer programmes, which started in 1991, cover durations ranging from one week to six months. These highly acclaimed programmes offer rewarding opportunities for personal growth, both for the volunteer and for the community. This is our hallmark and, together with volunteers, we are honoured to have affected significant changes at community level. Programmes are tailor-made for clients, concentrating on the volunteers skills or by developing special projects that they can get involved in to make a difference. Of utmost importance is that volunteers do not only transfer skills. They learn from the communities and a lot about themselves too, thus benefitting mutually. Our pioneer efforts into the arena of 'responsible tourism activities' are a win-win for the traveller and for the community – indeed they have often been called life changing. We believe that by sharing the full magnificence of what our country is about, grows tourism and diversifies our product offering. A prime example is our award winning tour of the greater winelands. South Africa is blessed with fifteen meso-climates, which straddle over a thousand kilometres, and provide an abundance of interesting and diverse experiences. Expanding the food, wine and people engagement experience to cover this vast area, differs significantly from the classic wine tour. We offer an exciting alternative. We call it "A taste of reality - the alternative Winelands experience". We have the same approach to intra-cultural experiences. The more cultures and locals that visitors meet around the country, the more meaningful the experience for both the visitors and the locals.

Responsible Tourism

Dreamcatcher also gives high priority to sustainability, which includes environmental impact, follow a holistic approach. We have been working to address the UN Millennium Goals since 2000. It is worth

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Main image: Kamamma Mandy. Inset: Dutch volunteers Marijke and Marjolein, Anthea Rossouw (middle) and Katrina Solomon at Utrecht Marketing Show,.

The concept of experiential tourism or community based experiences, whereby visitors are offered opportunities to interact with local people in their homes and neighbourhoods, has come in from the cold in South Africa,

writes Anthea Rossouw.

HOSPITALITY

mentioning that along with the goal of providing local men and women with the requisite business knowledge and skills to become successful providers of tourism services, Dreamcatcher also addresses various sustainable environmental impact projects. Because the Kamammas and Bhutis are taught to involve their neighbours and lead by example, these projects enhance the health and welfare of their home communities.

Innovative waste management, composting, growing crops including herbs, reducing carbon emissions and utilising solar energy, are but a few of the initiatives used to reduce their impact, protect the environment and contain costs. Developing this specific approach to the environment for tourism enterprises and people living in high density areas, I was subsequently appointed to trial it for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK, working with the University of Brighton. I will be delivering a presentation on this approach at the Global Conference on Waste in Belgium in September 2015. The Kamammas are setting an enviable example for responsible tourism in South Africa.

Dreamcatcher doesn’t mould servants working at menial jobs, but instead helps people become service providers themselves via job creation in their own communities. At this point it is important to note that Dreamcatcher is a registered non-profit community development organisation, and does not own a product itself. Dreamcatcher was started to facilitate sustainable socio-economic benefits in communities over 25 years ago. We live and work among the local people every day. This program Dreamcatcher has developed is called 'Tourism Shamina, Shawena' (Tourism is mine – it is yours).

Truly Local

We believe it is high time to turn the page and re-write the typical tourist experience of South Africa, packaging it with greater confidence to include "going truly local." We are elated that Dreamcatcher already offers such unique opportunities on most travel routes throughout South Africa. Our traveller reviews are glowing and a quick peek at our official website www.dreamcatchersouthafrica.com will not only confirm our success, but will illuminate our ethos. After many years gainfully spent among the people across the country, Dreamcatcher acts as the central booking and business channelling office, offering these experiences to predominantly international visitors in one seamless booking. We love our beautiful and diverse country and want to share it with travellers, not merely show it to them. Our hands-on, personalised approach means that instead of

churning out mass produced sightseeing tours, we can customise travelling experiences to accommodate individuals, families, and small groups, thus addressing the needs of this rapidly growing niche market. Today’s socially conscious travellers increasingly want to experience the world around them, not see it through a window over someone else’s shoulder! Let’s capitalise on this desire and offer them what they tell us they want. After all, "Tourism Shamina, Shawena!" Right? We add 'life see' to 'sight see'.

Credibility

The answer to frequently asked questions about how professional Dreamcatcher is, can be found on our website. However, we are justifiably proud of our credibility; that we proudly function as a legally branded organisation; that our Homestays and Cook-up with Kamamma services are legally registered brands as well; that we have been a member of the Southern African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) for over a decade; that we pay Value Added Tax (VAT) to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) and levies to Tourism Marketing South Africa (TOMSA), and finally that our Liability and Indemnity insurance cover has been provided by SATIB Insurance Brokers for over a decade as well.

We thank SATSA and Tourism Tattler for the opportunity to share Dreamcatcher’s success story. It has been a journey in its own right. Often frustrating, ultimately fulfilling. There is no fast track to sustainable community tourism development. But in the early years, it was important not to allow our detractors (who said it couldn’t and shouldn’t be done) to stand in our way. How the markets have changed. We are proud to have been pioneers.

Today Dreamcatcher and the Kamammas and Bhutis are known in the international market place as the organisation that founded true and authentic community experiences, free of the shackles of staging, simply offering life as it is. We take our place with pride, to offer our country's culture and life as lived to the international market, where we are also part of the wider Global Community Tourist Network.

I proudly introduced the Kamammas and shared our journey at an invited TED talk I delivered in the US recently. To be honest, I felt like Cinderella! I have after all spent almost 26 years in the kitchens of Kamammas in townships across South Africa.

Welcome to Dreamcatcher!

About the Author: Anthea Rossouw is the founder of Dreamcatcher South Africa. For more information visit www.dreamcatchersouthafrica.com or call + 27 (0)28 754 3469.

JUNE 2015 23Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

Cultural diversity is Dreamcatcher's strength. Left to right back: Kamammas Ntombe ( Phuthaditjhaba), Ellen (Upington), Bhuti Yellow (Klapmuts) Godfrey Kuune (North Cape). Front left to right: Kamammas Ivy (Darling), Mandisa (Cape Town), Ellen (Mpumulanga), Esme (Stellenbosch).

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REQUISITE #6: CAPACITY OF CONTRACTING PARTIES (CONT'D)

How many travel agents have not been stung when making group bookings? I recently had a situation of a coastal travel agency who had made extensive bookings (flights, car hire and accommodation) for overseas travel for an inland based group of people. They had been making bookings for this group over a period of years and always dealt with one of the customers as being the groups (assumed) duly authorised representative/team leader. Ten days before this group was about to depart, one member of the party decided she not longer wanted to go! She conveyed this to the team leader who in turn conveyed it to the travel agent. The latter in turn pointed out that the team leader had signed the travel agents terms and conditions (STC) and that these contained a cancellation provision which (penalties) the travel agent intended enforcing. Well, the customer found a clever lawyer (note that is not an oxymoron!) who pointed out that his client had never had sight of or signed the STC!! Oh dear! Of course he was right and some fancy footwork later we managed to negotiate a settlement but guess who lost out? The travel agent of course!

So what is the answer?

• Make sure that the team leader is duly authorised i.e. can present you with a document (e.g. a power of attorney) authorising him or her to contract on behalf of the group.

• It is crucial that the power of attorney be worded as widely as possible e.g. allowing the team leader to accept the STC, making choices about hotels, etc.

• Ensure that all your documents (especially when you are faxing) contain either the complete STC or a legally adequate reference thereto (yours and the third party service providers).

• Ensure that you have met the requirements of the CPA (Consumer Protection Act): do not use small print, explain all the provisions and ensure that the signing party has no misapprehension i.e. all matters have been addressed and understood, including the STC of any the third party service provider.

Bookings with separate legal entities such as companies and close corporations (the entity) are another can of worms. Two issues are pertinent here: On the one hand the aspect of authority to bind the entity and secondly when you have an existing corporate customer who has accepted your STC due to e.g. a travel management

agreement or credit application (which thus means the STC will apply to all subsequent bookings), but where individual employees (including directors) of the entity then approach the travel agent to make personal travel arrangements – RED FLAG!!

Let's deal with the first issue: no dealings with a party purporting to represent the entity will be legally binding and enforceable against the entity unless the party is duly authorised to do so. If not, your sole right of recourse will be against the individual and that can be messy! By the same token regarding the second issue, do NOT assume the STC accepted by the entity will be enforceable against the individuals booking for their personal travel! A couple of years ago I had a situation where directors of a blue chip client approached the in-house travel agency to make bookings for hotels in Cardiff for the Rugby World Cup. The travel agent assumed their STC and that of the hotel applied and happily made the reservations (these guys only fly first class!). When they wanted to cancel at the 11th hour, the travel agent tried to rely on the cancellation provisions in the STC and hotel booking form – NO LUCK! Now, if you ever had to negotiate a messy settlement, this was one! Why? Not only because none of the STC were applicable but mainly because the travel agent was caught between a rock and a hard place: lose the blue chip client or settle!! Capisce?

So how do you avoid a messy situation?

• Make sure the individual who purports to represent the entity is duly authorised i.e. can present you with a document (a resolution from the board of a company or the members of a close corporation) authorizing him or her to contract on behalf of the entity.

• The resolution must be adequately worded (see above re groups).• If it turns out that the individual actually wants to make a personal

booking, ensure that he or she signs and accepts the STC (yours and the third party service providers) in his/her personal capacity.

• Do NOT try to rely on ostensible authority i.e. due to the persons position in the entity e.g. general manager you assumed he or she had authority – it is tricky and expensive to prove.

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

– PART 11 –

THE LAW: CONTRACTS

RISKIN TOURISM

In Part 1 (page 36 August 2014), 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.In Part 2, (page 22 September 2014), I covered the category of 'People' under four sub-categories: Staff (discussed in Part 1); Third party service providers (‘TPSP’); and Business Associates. Part 3 (page 24 October 2014), continued with 'PEOPLE' as Customers. Part 4 (page 27 November 2014), started the discussion on the 2nd category, namely 'MONEY' in terms of CASH and CHEQUES. Part 5 (page 23 December 2014), looked at CREDIT and CREDIT CARDS. Part 6 (page 25 January 2015), looked at LAW and CONTRACTS, with an introduction and Requisite #1: Offer & Acceptance. Part 7 (page 18 February 2015), continued with Requisite #1 covering telephone enquiries, e-mails, websites and advertising.Part 8 (page 17 March 2015), covered Requisites #2: Legally Binding Obligation, and #3: Consensus in contracts.Part 9 (page 20 April 2015), covered Requisite #4: Performance Must Be Possible.

Part 10 (page 31 May 2015), covered Requisites #5 & 6: Performance Must Be Permissible, and Capacity of the Contracting Parties.

Legal

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JUNE 2015 25Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

JUNE 201526 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal

MARKETING

Part One of this series offers tips on how to use public relations and content marketing to promote your Business to Business (B2B )company, and Part Two will cover the last four highly effective B2B marketing tactics.

Public Relations

I have seen the phenomenal impact that PR can have firsthand, especially for a start-up B2B brand. Because there are often many other competitors offering similar products within the same marketplace, credibility and brand recognition are hugely important to hotels when shopping for your product or service. When shopping for a vendor, most hoteliers will start researching the companies that they already know and trust. If hoteliers aren’t familiar with any suppliers, most will look for recommendations from trusted third parties.

Well, that is exactly what PR is – an endorsement from a journalist, who are known to be required to adhere to strict ethical standards in terms of accurate, fact-based reporting. This type of endorsement (especially if your company has secured many placements in a variety of trade industry publications) will ensure that your company is at the top of the shopping list when hotels start searching for a new supplier.

Content, Content, Content

Unlike many other industries, the hotel and travel trade media market presents many different opportunities for exposure. Publications such as Tourism Tattler do publish their own original content written by their reporters, but also publish articles written by guest authors, such as this one.

A very successful marketing strategy for B2B vendors is to write regular content and supply it to media outlets on topics related to your area of expertise. The articles should be how-to articles (or similar) that provide hoteliers with easy-to-execute tips on how to improve their operations, increase occupancy/revenue, etc. – focus on any specific benefits that are provided by your product or service. There is literally no limit to the type of educational content that you can provide to your potential customers via Tourism Tattler and other hotel trade media outlets.

A huge caveat is that your articles cannot be self-promotional. All articles published (free of charge) must be vendor neutral. Other than your company name in your byline and a boilerplate (an about the company section at the bottom of the article), there can be no mention of your company or your products by name in the article.

Seven Tips to Improve your B2B

Marketing

About the author: Jennifer Nagy is the President of JLNPR Inc – a full-service public relations and marketing agency that lives and breathes all facets of the travel technology industry.

To find out more about JLNPR visit www.jlnpr.com or contact Jennifer at jenn@jlnpr.com

Over time, hotels will begin to realize that the content that they find so helpful regularly comes from your company and will do more research into what you’re offering. This creates brand recognition and positions your company as an expert in the hotel industry – and specifically, in the area of the industry in which you offer products or services. When a hotel is shopping for the products or services that you offer, their brand recognition will put your company at the front of their list of vendors.

Once the initial information request is made by a potential customer, there is another important benefit from PR: the sales cycle will also be shortened drastically because the potential client already knows your level of expertise and trusts your company (because of the high-quality educational articles that you’ve had published).

In order to create the most visibility from your PR articles, all articles should be posted on your company’s blog (on your website) and shared via your social media sites.

Content Marketing

Your blog should also be used to share informational articles from other sources (never your competitors!) as additional resources for potential customers to learn about your industry. The goal is to make your blog a destination for hotels to learn about all aspects of running a successful hotel, including your specific area of expertise. With regular updates and with consistency, potential clients will know to come back to your blog to find out about the latest tips and information that you are sharing.

Of course, you should share some promotional type material on your blog, but it should never account for more than 30% of your content, should be shared sparingly and should never be posted consecutively [with other promotional posts]. Good content to share on your blog about your company includes updates about new products, services, upgrades to any current products, new clients, other company news, sales or other promotions being offered.

Finally, make sure that you follow this article in the July edition of Tourism Tattler to read Part Two, which will examine the final four tips for effective B2B marketing to the hotel industry.

MARKETING

1

2

3

There are literally hundreds of articles about how hotels can improve their marketing to potential guests, increase their ROI, and secure more customers. Unfortunately for vendors marketing their product or service to hotels, there is much less information

available on effective B2B marketing tactics, writes Jennifer Nagy.

Read more on this subject: 10 Tips to get Tourism PR published

- Part 1 -

for 5-Star WeddingsThe Natural Choice

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Celebrating Diversity

JUNE 2015 27Tourism Tattler Trade Journal