Meetings Africa 2011 Much Improved

Meetings Africa 2011 has been voted a success as the four-day show concluded at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Said Nomasonto Ndlovu, Global Manager of Business Tourism at South African Tourism: “Meetings Africa 2011 has definitely paved the way for South African Tourism’s strategic development to grow the business tourism industry in South Africa.”

The positive sentiments were shared by many of this year’s exhibitors. “Meetings Africa 2011 was much improved and we saw a lot of growth this year. I was particularly pleased that there was a definite increase in the number of buyers interested in Africa,” says Beatrice Makawiti from The Kenyatta International Conference Centre.

Unaudited attendance numbers for the event were 3 353, up from last year’s 2 899 delegates. South African Tourism hosted 123 international buyers and 32 international media from global core markets and this year’s Association Day was attended by 52 delegates.

South Africa Awarded Golf Destination Of The Year 2011

South Africa's exhibition show, Meetings Africa 2011, has already been hailed as a success and it seems South Africa's winning streak is not coming to an end just yet.

South Africa has been named the ‘Africa, Indian Ocean and Gulf States Golf Destination of the Year 2011' by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). The announcement was made at a recent awards function for the golf industry in Spain. The selection for the winning destinations was made via votes cast by over 300 golf tour operators from more than 50 countries. This award is further testimony that South Africa is a must-do premier destination with a versatile offering including lifestyle, fashion, design and adventure.

Some of the delegates who attended Meetings Africa 2011 were lucky enough to experience one of South Africa's world-class golf courses when they participated in the inaugural Meetings Africa Golf Day at Dainfern Country Club, north of Johannesburg.

SA and Kenya In Tug Of War For Tourist Arrivals

South Africa and Kenya are long-standing rivals, with both vying for the attention of international travellers seeking a safari experience.

But in recent months, has this competition intensified?
Absolutely, says Carlos Leite-Ferraz, MD of Finland-based Credo TM Management. “I see it on a weekly basis where we get asked for two quotes, one for Southern Africa and one for East Africa,” he says. “About 60% end up going for Southern Africa while the rest choose East Africa.”
Leite-Ferraz says the main reasons travellers opt for East Africa is price and shorter travel time. He adds that perception of less crime in East Africa is also a factor in the decision-making process.

Bob Walley, Chairman of African Outposts, says there are several key differences between Kenyan and South African tourism. “While SA was troubled by sanctions, Kenya established itself internationally and immortalised the safari with legendary personalities, early wildlife movies and famous authors. Kenya also offers the world-renowned migration and large concentrations of animals that SA lacks.”

While these historical differences play a major role in the international tourist’s travel decisions, there are also more recent factors that come into play. Walley says the South African hospitality industry tends to be surly and unhelpful in comparison with the warm, friendly and hospitable nature of the Kenyan industry. “Lastly, South African lodges, hotels, transport and flights are all expensive,” he adds.

Source: SA Tourism Update

Do You Work Like You Own It?

No matter what the job title is, everyone has the power to create memorable experiences for their customers. Regardless of the setting or the industry, service excellence begins and ends with at least one person having the desire to not just serve, but to literally improve the life of someone else.

While for some, "improve someone's life" may sound like over-reaching, think of the days when nothing seems to be going right. Then all of a sudden you go to a grocery store, petrol station, or a restaurant and one employee gives a smile, positive eye contact, and treats you like absolute royalty. That one employee just made a profound and memorable impact on you whether you realize it or not.

A famous quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., reads, "If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well".

It is always refreshing to see service superstars with passion, pride and professionalism. If they had a declaration, it would read:

I am passionate about serving others.
I follow up with guest complaints until they are 100% satisfied with the resolution.
I do not blame other departments for service errors.
I consistently look for ways to go above and beyond to delight my customers.
I take initiative and ownership to create memorable experiences for my customers.
I am consistently warm and receptive.
I am not only an ambassador of my company, but of my industry.
I can make my customers feel special by being attentive and eager to serve.
I help my teammates get better.
I always search for ways to improve my service.
I am engaging.
I work like I own it!

Source: e-hotelier.com

SA Moves To Raise Its Business Tourism Profile

South Africa had already secured 200 international conferences for the coming five years, which would attract 300 000 delegates and provide an economic boost worth R1,6-billion, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk reported on Monday.

Speaking at the ‘Meetings Africa 2011’, South African Tourism’s yearly business tourism exhibition (expo), Van Schalkwyk described tourism on the whole as a major jobs driver. From January to November last year, South Africa attracted 7,3-million tourists.
But he also argued that South Africa should move to raise its profile as an attractive and competitive international conference destination.

The three-day event, which is taking place in Sandton, has attracted more than 150 exhibitors, ranging from accommodation groups and transport companies to provincial tourism bodies.
It aims to showcase the capabilities, services and products that the country has to offer, and has also included a specific “green” tourism focus.

The expo is the only meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions gathering in Southern Africa and Van Schalkwyk said that it was an important platform for the tourism industry to raise the region’s profile.

Source: Engineering News

SA Not On India's Top Ten Destinations List

The Indian leisure traveler is now more open to exploring newer destinations, reveals the latest edition of the Nielsen India Outbound Monitor.

While on the current list of most visited destinations, Singapore remains the top destination for both the business and leisure travller, but its dominance has diminished since 2008.

Countries that have shown a rise in business traffic from India include Japan, China, and Sri Lanka. On the whole, Asian countries account for 76% of leisure travel by Indians and 63% for business travel. Regions such as Europe attract a higher percentage of business traffic (14%) rather than leisure (10%).

Thai Airways emerged as the top airline among leisure travelers in terms of customer satisfaction, followed by Jet Airways and Malaysia Airlines. For business travelers, Singapore Airlines tops the list, followed by Emirates and Malaysia Airlines.

Name of Country

Singapore

Malaysia

Dubai

Thailand

Switzerland

Nepal

Australia

Hong Kong

US

Japan

Source: ehotelier .com

CWC DMO Up To Speed

The Cape Whale Coast DMO recently put out an open invite to all the relevant businesses in Hermanus to attend a presentation on tourism marketing. Amongst the group, there was representation from: Hotels, guesthouses, adventure operators, tour guides, pamphlet distributors, and destination marketing companies.

Ms Neesha Padayachy, Manager - Trade Relations - Product Support, presented the attentive audience with hugely interesting inbound tourist statistics and it was patently clear that Germany and the USA were South Africa's target market. German tourists rely on television to decide on a holiday destination, while the USA relies on word of mouth.

It was also clear from the stats that to be successful, a guesthouse or tour operator must have a website and actively make use of social media marketing. One of the attendees, Ms Joan-Anne Harris co-owner of Southern-Stroll Marketing said, "I decided a month ago to undertake a trip to the USA to actively market interested companies in the Hermanus region. Our busy itinerary is well advanced and we will be visiting the larger cities such as Miami, Chicago, Washington DC and others to entice the USA tour operators and travel agents to send holiday makers to our shores. The invitation to be part of this groundbreaking trip is open to all interested companies and I look forward to representing them in the USA."

"This will be my fourth such vist to the USA and the CWC DMO has sanctioned our trip and we look forward to this pro-active exercise with great interest", said Harris.