The very nature of tourism is built on creating memorable experiences for travellers. Tourism offers diverse career choices including guiding, travel planning, hotel management, event co-ordination, cheffing and so much more. These roles all require skills such as creativity, dedication and passion and offer a fulfilling and exciting career. As a young woman, tourism needs your unique contribution, you are capable of extraordinary things – here’s how to get started.
Embrace your unique qualities and talents, be confident in who you are.
Break stereotypes by chasing your dreams regardless of traditional gender roles.
Education is your superpower. Knowledge will empower you and open doors. If possible consider pursuing formal education this will give you a strong foundation but remember that practical, hands-on experience is equally important. Seek out internships, apprenticeships and volunteering.
Have a passion for travel – be enthusiastic about experiencing new cultures and destinations.
You must have or develop strong communication skills. Both verbal and written communication are essential in tourism. You will be interacting with guests, colleagues and service providers every day.
Be adaptable, this industry is dynamic and you can be assured that unpredictable situations will arise. It is also a 24/7 occupation, you will be faced with challenges like seasonality and irregular working hours, women generally have an innate ability to adapt, sharpen your flexibility skills.
In our tourism youth workshops we talk about the importance of creating solid networks, part of your adaptability should include the agility to call on your network to step in with a helping hand. Your networks also offer opportunities to collaborate, share resources and add value to one another. Grow your networks by joining associations and attending conferences, events and workshops.
Problem solving is vital to being successful in our sector, consider these your best learning opportunities. Learn and move forward.
Sustainability is on the front burner for tourism globally. You should be aware and actively seek out ways to be more sustainable. The United Nations has defined goals in place, click here for more information : https://www.unwto.org/sustainable-development
In summary, have a healthy dose of kindness and compassion. Take care of your physical and mental health, surround yourself with supportive women and endorse other women in business and in life. Dream big and work hard, your voice matters.
Every year, esteemed news platform, the Daily Maverick, hosts a conference to encourage and facilitate discourse around pressing local issues. This year, the theme The Gathering: Earth Edition, which was a climate-focused conference that brought together scientists, economists, business leaders, policymakers and activists to discuss practical solutions to the environmental, energy and economic crises South Africa faces.
Daily Maverick organised numerous panel discussions featuring distinguished panellists and provided a platform for several esteemed speakers, including Andre de Ruyter, former CEO of Eskom, Kumi Naidoo, former secretary general of Amnesty International and executive director of Greenpeace, and Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder of The Gift of The Givers.
What we have realised at Big Tree Marketing is that climate change isn’t an isolated issue that will only affect a small percentage of industries. Rather, it will affect all industries, in a unique way. Tourism is one of the industries that will be hit hard by climate change. Changing weather patterns and an increase in natural disasters will disrupt travel plans, damage tourist destinations and limit the availability of activities such as skiing or beach tourism. Additionally, biodiversity loss due to climate change will reduce the appeal of natural tourism such as touring national parks. Finally, efforts to mitigate climate change, such as carbon pricing and sustainable practices, may lead to increased costs for travel and accommodation, potentially impacting the affordability and accessibility of tourism.
Understanding just how deeply affected our industry is by climate change led us to attend this conference. The opening of the event was marked by a captivating protest song, modified to incorporate lyrics addressing the dangers of climate change, which was delivered by Anneli. Following this, Andre de Ruyter presented the first keynote address, centred around the 5 E’s: Energy, Economy, Employment, Exports, and Equity. During his speech, de Ruyter emphasised the importance of adopting renewable energy, fostering economic growth, and facilitating a fair energy transition that prioritises job creation. He appealed to The Gathering audience to not overlook the individuals adversely affected by this energy transition.
Throughout the day, interesting panel discussions took place, covering a range of critical topics. These included “South Africa’s Burning Energy Problem,” “Expectations of Youth,” “Artificial Intelligence: Addressing Threats and Solutions to the Climate Crisis,” “Corruption and Ecosystem Collapse,” “The Business of Climate,” and “The Sixth Extinction.”
In the final panel on the sixth extinction, Professor Roger Smith emphasised that while long-term climate change is a natural process, the rapid climate change we currently face is far from ordinary. Pavitray Pillar, an Environmental Behavior Change Practitioner at the World Wildlife Fund, encouraged attendees to make positive changes in their lifestyles, recognizing the role consumers play in mitigating climate change.
This is an important note I will leave with you. While individuals aren’t the cause of climate change, we still have a large role to play in stopping it. It is important that we take action within ourselves, and within our businesses. We will share more on how to do this, so stay tuned.
Yes, I’m homeward bound after being one of the first South Africans to travel to the USA after President Biden lifted travel restrictions on 31 December 2021.
My visit was a trip to see my son in Texas. I won’t go into the drama filled detail leading to my departure suffice to say we changed my flight seven times and in the end, I missed Christmas and New Year with him but I got there and for that I am very thankful.
My trip to Texas included a week in New York and Washington DC. I have travelled widely but this was my first visit to America and the chance to visit the Big Apple and DC was top of my bucket-list. Being winter, the weather was a shocker resulting in a 9-hour delay in Houston to LaGuardia. We arrived in NY around 1am to discover that this indeed is the city that never sleeps. Not wasting any time, we headed to Times Square at 3am finding New Year’s Eve confetti still in the streets. At this late hour people were milling around, a few pot-selling merchants were hustling for another sale and a few stores still trading.
Lady Liberty
Our boat tour to the Statue of Liberty on a very cold afternoon resulted in a very special photograph with a crucifix cloud positioned directly above Lady Liberty. We spent a number of hours at the 9/11 Memorial, this tragic day deeply affected me and was a priority on my to-see list.
Travel during a Pandemic
America is in their Omicron peak which was evident by the many free Covid testing stations located on New York street corners and mall parking lots in Washington. Mask wearing was mandatory in New York and Washington and we were asked to produce vaccination certificates and proof of ID at all restaurants, museums, airports and Federal buildings. Texas is a Republican state giving individuals the right to make their own choice regarding mask wearing and far fewer people wear them.
Regrettably we were only able to visit the Natural History Museum in Washington as all other Smithsonian museums were closed due to Covid. At least we have new experiences for our next visit. We spent a couple of hours in the Arlington National Cemetery where over 400 000 souls have been laid to rest. On this cold morning I was moved to discover that each resting place had a Christmas wreath placed at its headstone. This considerable undertaking is done yearly by volunteers who honour those who have given their lives to America. Our tour guide told us that on Memorial Day an American flag is placed at each grave. Our visit to Arlington National Cemetery was a quiet and humbling experience.
Time was limited and unfortunately, I missed the chance to visit two tourism friends who live in New York. In Washington however I was able to spend an evening cooking dinner and drinking local wines with a school friend. What a wonderful catch up, I am hoping to see her in SA for our 30th reunion later this year.
Appetite for Travel
The appetite for travel remains strong. Mine was influenced by the desire to see my son. It is obvious that challenges to global travel remain but the inconvenience is small compared to the memories created, new friends made and value of experiencing new cultures.
South Africa has so much to offer visitors. Our country will inspire you; it will leave you speechless at its vast beauty, big blue skies, scenic vista’s and people with heart. South Africa has an energy that will touch your soul, its charm and vibrancy is colourful and sincere. We are open and ready for international tourists, our outdoor lifestyle, social distancing, a vaccinated population and mandatory mask wearing we cover all the bases in terms of safety protocols. We have some of the best medical care in the world and it is affordable.
Travel restrictions and safety protocols have made travel a lot more challenging but for those with adventure in their heart it is worth jumping the hoops.
South Africa is ready
Nelson Mandela said it best: ‘As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give permission to others to do the same’. South Africa is a beacon to the continent, we have a thriving tourism industry. Some of the best lodges, hotels, restaurants and attractions reside on the tip of Africa. Our wines win awards across the world. Breath-taking safaris stays are accessible in Southern Africa.
We are enjoying an incredible 31C today in MAY which is why I am heading to Blouberg Beach after work to swim with a bunch of friends. Wish you could join us. 😊
Yesterday I spent the day exploring some of our favourite tourist spots and noted a few foreigners doing the same thing, which leads us to hope that business is starting to move albeit very slowly but it is moving in the right direction.
Our portfolio partners are geared up and ready to receive your guests, we would like to make their visit as enjoyable as possible after these dark lockdown days. Head over to the CLIENTS section of the website to view our portfolio.
During the past year, as we celebrate 10 years since we opened Big Tree Marketing, we have been giving back to our industry by sharing and helping wherever we have had an opportunity. Take a look at the awesome event we put together ‘Tourism through our eyes’ a few weeks ago.
As the ‘fam-trip’ experts we have also managed and hosted a number of very successful educationals with trade and media, below are the articles published:
Big Tree Marketing | Oudtshoorn and De Rust Tourism VIEW ARTICLE
In the meanwhile, while we hang on just a little longer, what do you need from us to be ready to hit the ground running the moment enquiries arrive in your inbox?
Looking forward to hearing from you soon. We have the weather, beaches and of course awesome wines. Visit us soon.
There is not much more we can add to the many and varied descriptions of 2020 suffice to say we are thankful to be at the end of this year!
Nobody knows exactly what travel in 2021 will look like, we think for the foreseeable future, holidays will look and feel very different to what has gone before. Remote destinations, private travel and outdoor activities will probably be favoured over crowed city tours and cramped public transport. While remote may be best, going off-grid may be less important than being informed and up to date with world developments.
Travellers will be mindful of safe health practices alongside sustainable principles. FIT’s and family ‘bubbles’ will choose destinations that manage the coronavirus responsibly giving them reassurance when making location decisions.
South Africa is an inviting destination being in the middle of our warm summer months, this may be in our favour during the decision making process. The distribution of a vaccine is also good news although it will obviously take time for it to roll out to all our source markets.
It’s been a tough year for tourism but we are a tough tribe. Experience has shown that we have compassion, we are creative and we fight to bring change and eventually this too will pass. We have learnt so much about resilience, but mostly about helping one another not just financially but emotionally holding each other up through hopeless and dark days. This rainbow nation shines bright through its tourism tribe, may this be a legacy that lives long and brilliant.
From our side this what we have been doing over the past 12 months:
New Website
When the President announced Lock-Down we took the decision to put Big Tree Marketing on ice, giving our portfolio partners an opportunity to stop payment, re-group and figure the way forward. After spending two months recovering from eight cycles of chemo, lock-down came in the form of a blessing. Two months to rest and recover reading and watching Netflix but even for a work-a-holic doing nothing constructive became too much and soon it was time to buckle down. We developed a plan to increase our business services after completely recreating our website. New look, new content and images.
Freelance Writing
Next we formalized our writing services and applied to become a member of SAFREA (South African Freelancers Association). Our members page is here!
To date we have written seven themed stories and a Press Release for Oudtshoorn Tourism. Please visit our website blog page to read some of our work and discover some of our favourite recipes. This one may interest you it being the festive season and all – Lindsey’s Christmas Limoncello
Social Media
We stepped up our Social Media services in a big way when Tegan joined our team as a consultant. She brings youth, creativity and an eye for detail which is evident in the feedback we are getting from followers. We launched Instagram Reels and Competitions with a number of successful campaigns bringing good organic growth to our clients.
“Social Media has undoubtedly become a necessity for all businesses in this age of technology. I have taken over this responsibility at Big Tree Marketing with a few years social media experience and many months of training from a local digital company. This has led to major growth in Big Tree Marketing’s online presence. We have run three very successful online giveaways with Oudtshoorn & De Rust Tourism, Aire Del Mar, Stille Woning and Ecoaches, bringing more followers and engagement to each participant. Our recent business trips have been published online in the form of Story Highlights and we are also using the new Instagram tool ‘Reels’ to grow traction. We have published 12 Reels videos over the past two months which have done very well and have brought increased engagement on our platforms. I am grateful for the lessons and opportunities 2020 gave us and look forward to all the exciting new possibilities 2021 brings.” Tegan Gibaud Social Media Manager | Big Tree Marketing @bigtreemarketingsa – on all platforms
Outsourced Educationals
One of our high value skills is co-ordinating and hosting educationals, we have been organising them since 1999 and are damn good at it. While considering how to move forward in these tough financial times we made the decision to include outsourced educationals into specific tourism regions as a management service on offer.
It is said competition makes us faster, but collaboration makes us better. Big Tree Marketing is all about collaborating with tourism partners who share values and work ethic. With this in mind, we wrote a brief explaining what, why, where, who and how we can bring more bed nights into targeted areas and are thrilled to advise that not only did we complete particularly successful educations with great feedback from tourism buyers, the further online exposure has exponentially extended our clients ROI.
Here is some feedback:
‘I have had the privilege to work with Lindsey Gibaud recently. Her company, Big Tree Marketing, assisted our DMO to put together a trip for the Travel Trade to visit our towns. The aim of this was to create awareness, develop business relationships and increase bed-nights into our regions.
They are a service provider who have built heritage relationships with most tour operators across South Africa, have access and relationships with decision makers in the travel trade that we do not have e.g. inbound buyers. From the start the service that Lindsey and her company gave us was top notch.
Utter professionalism is the best way to describe it. Communication was always clear and timeous. As the saying goes “The proof is in the pudding”. The trip was a huge success. Lindsey has a way of bringing people of different walks of life together and sets people at ease. Her organisational and communication skills are superb as well as was her co-ordinating of this event, the managing and hosting of it. Big Tree Marketing has an added benefit of being able to do social media as well. At the end of the tour we received all the curated content and images and are now able to use it again on our own platforms. Lindsey has at all times a positive demeanour, she is a problem solver and totally a team player. I am looking forward to work with her again in the future!’ Paarl & Wellington Tourism Officer
Tourism Training
More and more we are becoming aware of new interest in inbound tourism. Restaurants, B&B’s, guest houses, adventure products all looking to bring tour groups to their organisation. In our discussions we realise that many don’t understand or are unaware of how itineraries are planned and tours packaged.
Many don’t understand buying channels while others struggle to grasp the complicated jargon that peppers tourism speak. In the past we would take these new-comers for coffee and spend a couple of hours explaining the ‘rules of engagement’ and give tips and advice. This subsequently lead to us creating a training programme to help small tourism enterprises, SMME’s and other businesses interested in joining our tourism world. Further to this during our educationals we were frequently asked for advice on how to better manage Social Media accounts, this became another practical learning opportunity. Here below are our Training programmes, contact us for details.
Understanding Inbound Tourism 101 A half day training course for newcomers into inbound Tourism
Improving Your Online Presence Social Media 101 A training programme for small business owners to create and maintain best practice on social media platforms
News from our Portfolio Partners
During this past year we have continued to elevate and market our Portfolio Partners and are incredibly grateful for their continued support of Big Tree Marketing. We love the work that we do mostly because we work with clients who have high values, ethical attitudes and who really want to make sure that each guest enjoys the very best experience possible while in their care. It is our privilege to continue working with our partners, here below is their message to you.
Fairly late into lock-down we were approached by Aire del Mar to market their gorgeous guest house in Kleinbaai near Hermanus. It has been an honour and a delight to work with Hannelene and her team connecting tourism buyers to their guest house. How’s this for a guest comment: ‘The best place to relax and view the ocean for hours … the rooms, service, friendliness of staff and breakfast were great. Thanks Aire Del Mar for a safe weekend away despite all regulations, you ticked all the boxes for making our weekend special’ In early October we hosted an educational group to the guest house with very positive results. Should you need STO rates for this well positioned, friendly guest house please let us know.
Hannelene, Elsa, Magda and team wish you a Blessed and happy Festive Season. We are looking forward to seeing you soon in Kleinbaai in 2021.
Every day we focus on teaching people to care more, about our planet and its inhabitants. These words ring truer than ever… ‘Be kind to our planet and may she be kind to us in return’. It has been an incredibly challenging year for Cango Wildlife Ranch and our ability to survive with no tourism for such a prolonged period of time tested every part of our heart and soul. Thankfully, our enormous monthly overheads coupled with our premium standards of animal care were overshadowed by the kind souls who donated to us, and the many staff who volunteered their time and efforts during the lockdown.
This pandemic has taught us so much. It has reminded us that as a facility we are founded on love and passion and that deep-rooted family values form the cornerstone of our business.
Every staff member and every animal is part of our family and together we are prepared to face every storm. 2020 has taught us so much; compassion, patience and endurance but it has also taught us how much we take for granted; like hugging a friend, walking through a shopping centre without a mask and most of all what a privilege travel is! A privilege that we take far too lightly.
May 2021 bring you nothing but health, joy and freedom. May the lust to wander and make memories rank high on your priority list and may you have the means to do so. As you embark on long lost travels, whether across the globe or in a neighbouring town, realise the impact that you make as a traveller and the communities who benefit from your contribution.
As you gain… they gain, and together tourism can unite and elevate communities the world-over. We anxiously await your visit and we send chuffs, purrs and Season’s Grrrrreetings from our family to yours. Be safe and see you soon!
We are Super blessed as the business started picking up now. We are currently running with only 7 vehicles( Rushes, Fortuner and Quantums). Most importantly we are excited to be able to start helping our staff get back on their feet and looking towards the future with gratitude and faith for a better year and future.
We have decided to freeze our 2020 rates to help operators close deals from their end. So with that said whoever doesn’t have eCoaches 2020 rates please advise asap so that we can get them to you straight away.
May God bless each person and their families in this time. Keep the faith and don’t give up. Have a peaceful, healthy and prosperous Christmas &New Year.
Garden Route Game Lodge jumped early with a selection of special offers being promoted on their website. This 4 star lodge just 4 hours from Cape Town offers the following:
Guided Game Drives | Reptile Encounters | Kids on Safari | Birdwatching | Flora and Fauna Interests | Mountain Biking | Guided Game Walk | Picnic in the Reserve | Private Dining | Food & Wine Paring | Poolside Cocktails | Games Room & Lounge.
Meals are served in Serengeti’s Restaurant, poolside or at our African Boma. The award winning wine list is guaranteed to delight. End your safari with a pampering session at the Ayana Spa.
Anthony, Natasha, Malcolm and everyone at GRGL send best wishes for a happy Festive Season.
What a crazy year this has been! But God has provided every step of the way and we have realised what is important and what is not. We are honoured to have had our first international bookings coming in over the festive season, a slow start but things are moving in the right direction. We are looking forward to what 2021 has in store for us. May you have a blessed festive season.
Owner Denni-Lyn has taken over management at The Graywood Hotel and will be joining me for meetings in Cape Town early in 2021. The relationship with this hotel and its sister property in Port Elizabeth goes all the way back to 2004 when I was their marketing manager. Both hotels have a special place in my heart as we started our independent journeys together. The Graywood Hotel is absolutely perfect in terms of Knysna location, affordability being 3 star and close to the waterfront and town centre.
From Denni-Lyn, Millicent in reservations and the team at The Graywood Hotel, here’s to a happy festive season, may 2021 bring us all good news, good health and good business.
After we opened our doors again in July 2020 with new protocols in place to ensure the safety of all our guests we have seen many new clients as well as old familiar faces. We have been incredibly blessed so far and hope to continue rising above the challenges while going into 2021.
We have frozen 2020 rates for 2021 and also offer special rates for local travellers for both leisure and corporate. Our Conference facilities are also COVID-19 compliant and we will ensure that any event, conference of meeting takes place with ease. Please contact our reservations department for any enquiries or bookings: Nadia on reservations@thekelway.co.za or 041-5840638
Wishing you a good Festive Season, may this time be an opportunity to reflect on the good that 2020 has brought, and the hope that 2021 meets your every hope and wish.
The 1st of December marks 15 years with Charmaine Beukes at the helm of White Shark Projects. With new adventures and opportunities presented she has now handed the “captain’s cap” to the very passionate Jessica Smit. Jessica has been part of WSP for a number of years having moved to SA after a period volunteering. Her roots are firmly in South African soil with her husband and child living close to the WSP lodge in Kleinbaai.
The Shark Team is looking forward to sailing into the future, building and expanding on all their values, building new relationships and strengthening existing ones with Jessica at the helm.
Happy Christmas from Jessica and everyone at White Shark Projects. We look forward to seeing you in 2021.
From myself and Tegan at Big Tree Marketing, we wish you happiness and peace over this Festive Season. For those celebrating Christmas, may God bless you at this very special time with your family.
‘It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ‘till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch though of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas perhaps means a little bit more!’
I love my work, mostly because I get to meet new and interesting people often. I give an annual talk to Grade 11 Tourism learners and one of them asked this year what it is that makes me love my job. My answer was immediate, ‘the people’.
Today I made a new friend, we met for coffee after being team members on an online training course. Tingo Mtambalika grabbed my attention during the course for his bright and positive disposition and this while we were in the early stages of lockdown and our tourism sector in the doldrums.
We chatted about various aspects of our work and Tingo told me how he started his business Santacruise Tours. About 14 years ago he used to take family and friends on Sunday drives to explore the beauty of Cape Town. Sunday Drives became so popular that friends used to call Tingo and say that they had heard of a specific area and suggested this destination for the next Sunday Drive.
At this time Tingo’s brother was working at a local hotel, he had noticed that a honeymoon couple from Tanzania spent every day at the hotel without leaving to explore the city. When he asked about this their response was that they had heard Cape Town is unsafe and were too afraid to leave the hotel. Well this was not an option for Tingo’s brother who immediately called for a mid-week Sunday Drive.
Tingo’s natural enthusiasm and love of people shone through as he drove the honeymooners to Cape Point narrating with interesting facts and pointing out places of interest. Needless to say Tinga’s desire to impress the couple with the beauty of the city was so spot on that they went home and told their friends. A second call came tfrom the hotel with a request for Tingo to take a Brazilian couple on a ‘Sunday Drive”, despite language challenges they too were so thrilled with their private tour that they insisted Tingo take payment despite his protestations saying it was so much fun showing the beauty of Cape Town and besides they had bought him lunch, no need to pay.
Word soon spread at the hotel and abroad and the calls started coming in. Each tailor-made tour is put together with love, consideration and careful investigation. Santacruise Tours offers a selection of tours including a township tour incorporating a visit to Emasithandane Orphanage in Nyanga. Tingo was thrilled to share that six young girls are currently being sponsored by past guests.
Tingo and his family chose Cape Town as home because of the scenic beauty, abundance of activities, history and culture.
Santacruise Tours operates with 6 vehicles in Cape Town and one in Johannesburg. Most itineraries are Cape Town and Garden Route focused. Before lockdown clients originated from USA, UK, Brazil, Tanzania. These days Tingo works mostly with locals, sharing with them the same passion and joie de vie as always.
Tingo’s plan is to grow a one stop shop for tours into many African destinations, being from Malawi his first outbound tour to his home country takes place early next year. He believes that the Covid19 crisis will pass and we will recover. ‘This too shall pass’, he says. ‘Do not lose hope, love what you do and do what you love’.
With the long weekend approaching you may still be looking for a family escape in a place where you can breathe fresh small-town air, explore and indulge in some of the best wine and food around.
Four and a half hours from Cape Town on the renowned R62 Oudtshoorn is a town for all ages. Having recently spent a week there I realise that a long weekend may not be enough time to experience all this Klein Karoo town has to offer.
Quite apart from the beautiful landscape, Oudtshoorn is framed by the Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains, giving guests unique entry through one of the many mountain passes that lead into the town. Off road adventurers will be charmed by the Swartberg Circle Route passing the road to Gamkaskloof and through Meiringspoort with its famous waterfall. I understand from chatting to visitors that the falls are spectacular at the moment.
Guided Cave Tours and Wildlife Preservation
On the list of must-do’s for families definitely include a visit to Cango Caves – a natural phenomenon dating back millennia. Their guides offer insight into an underground magical world where brave adventurers once discovered these subterranean tunnels which are now an international tourist attraction and natural world wonder.
On the way back into town from the caves allocate enough time to stop at Cango Wildlife Ranch for lunch and an opportunity take up their special deal of a guided tour, meal and soft drink plus an animal greeting. Have your camera ready, there are many photo opportunities around every corner. Cango Wildlife Ranch are partners with the Cheetah Preservation Fund, do ask your guide about this important global project.
Taste a little bit of heaven
For wine, gin and food lovers the choice may be difficult given the many options in this area. Karusa wine produces top quality red and white wines and my favourite MCC. Other local wines found in this area include Grundheim, who also produce stunning gins and a rather lovely rum with the funkiest label I have ever seen. De Krans is another great option so do include them in your itinerary.
If like me you are an olive fan then do not drive past Surval Boutique Olive Estate, I am so enthralled with their garlic and rosemary olives that I am about to courier a few bottles back to my home in Cape Town. De Rustica just outside the quaint town of De Rust make award winning olive oils having recently won the best olive oil in the world accolade. Naturally a few bottles of this precious oil also travelled home with me.
Amongst favourite restaurants it is a good idea to visit Nostalgie Restaurant, Black Swan and their sister bistro Mintt. We had a most delicious breakfast at Café Brulé at Queens Hotel and Cape Karoo Ostrich Emporium is open during the day for meals.
Get your heart pumping and then chill
Adrenaline junkies can get their thrills at Cango Caves Ziplines located at the parking area of the caves and the Skydiving company located at the airport is definitely an option for those brave of heart.
Accommodation options range from affordable B&B’s and Guest Houses to star-graded hotels. There are a number of self-catering, backpackers and camping options in the area. If, however you are looking for a Big 5 game experience to add even more adventure to your trip, Buffelsdrift Game Lodge situated just outside the town is your stop.
This luxury tented camp offers game drives, elephant greeting, lion feeding and an opportunity to learn more about their Endangered Wildlife Trust work ensuring gene pool purity for cheetahs. Morning and afternoon cheetah walks are available, and funds raised on this excursion go directly to the trust.
Aire del Mar Guesthouse located in Kleinbaai has joined the Big Tree Marketing portfolio. At a time when business owners are looking for high quality hospitality and tourism marketing, collaboration is the savvy way to grow both awareness and bookings in an affordable way.
The guesthouse is situated in the hub of the shark diving capital of South Africa and is a welcome partner to the Big Tree Marketing portfolio of clients which includes White Shark Projects.
Fresh ‘Aire’
Aire del Mar is perfectly located enabling guests to take advantage of scenic sea views, breathe in the fresh ocean air and relax in this quiet seaside town. Eight of the nine rooms have uninterrupted sea views and one enjoys spectacular mountain vistas.
All double occupancy rooms are stylishly decorated with genuine care and attention to detail, even the amenities follow a maritime theme. Rooms are equipped with Nespresso machines, wi-fi, satellite TV and South Africans favourite home-made rusks.
So many activities on offer
Gansbaai is popular not only for shark cage diving but also whale watching, wine, beer and cheese tasting with some outdoor activities offered to those more adventurous guests. Golf, fynbos and horse-trail adventures are also popular with visitors.
‘We are delighted to welcome Aire del Mar Guest House to the Big Tree Marketing portfolio, despite these confused and anxious times an exciting journey lies ahead for us both. We can’t wait to showcase this gorgeous little sea-side gem to domestic and international markets’, said Director Lindsey Gibaud
The buzz word I am hearing everywhere is ‘pivot’. More than likely you have too, it is over-used and quite frankly I find it annoying.
It is mostly heard when companies are explaining how they are managing to survive during lockdown by ‘pivoting’ their businesses. Here’s an example, a restaurant has pivoted its offering to now provide meal-kits, curbside take-aways and contact-free purchasing.
Our Model is already flexible
While this is trending, some of us have been operating in a commercially savvy way for years. Our model is based on co-operation which enables flexibility (read pivoting) to adapt to the peaks and troughs that seem to follow the hospitality and tourism sector. Remember unabridged birth certificates, Ebola, the recent drought …
Big Tree Marketing is a small business and being small makes us nimble. We have built our business on collaborations with a strong foundation of trust, respect and willingness to reach our common goal. Our approach is to increases performance while saving costs which makes good business sense in today’s ‘Coronacoaster’ world.
Collaboration is key
Collaboration increases brand reach, aligns resources and speeds up solutions. Buyers embrace the signal from one brand that another brand can be trusted, this is exactly how Big Tree Marketing brings new partners to the negotiating table of bona fida buyers.
Connect with heritage relationships built over 20 years, proven skills and experience at a fraction of the cost of paying a full-time marketing executive.
Cost-effective marketing solutions
So, if you are looking for a marketing solution that is cost effective, has an unbroken track record and is above all affordable contact us now.
‘Thank you for your hospitality and for taking such good care of us’ This is some of the guest feedback at The Kelway Hotel.
The Kelway Hotel Now Open
The hotel opened on 22 June under strict Covid19 safety protocols with a small dedicated team offering full-service dinner, bed and breakfast and the utmost attention to detail. Despite the many challenges facing all suppliers into the tourism value chain, The Kelway Hotel were one of the first in Port Elizabeth to open its doors to guests.
Hands-on personal attention
Hotel General Manager Liezel Haarhoff said ‘Although we are obviously not filling all our rooms, we are open and guests are checking in. Our small team is very hands-on giving personal attention while ensuring guest and personal safety and we are very encouraged by the feedback and appreciation we are getting.’ With all businesses having to re-think operating logistics within severe safety processes the hotel team have learnt to streamline in some areas and innovate in others. All staff have been trained and are certified according to TBCSA guidelines and the hotel was granted the Stay-Safe-Eat-Safe badge giving guests peace of mind.
The Kelway is fully compliant with TBCSA guidelines.
Technology Solutions
Some of these processes include; signage indicating safe arrival procedures, check- in is paperless using QR codes with sanitized pens for anyone needing to jot anything down. Breakfast menus are also ordered through QR codes with options to eat in-room or at socially distanced tables in the restaurant. Rooms are cleaned using a new set of clothes with good quality cleaning solutions with high touch areas receiving additional attention. Once cleaned and inspected the rooms are sealed until guest check in.
Green Solutions
Some of the back of house changes include drastically reducing waste to landfills, composting and a view to growing some fresh produce themselves.
To read a full description of The Kelway Hotel safety protocols please Click Here.
