The Official Airline Guide (OAG) Punctuality League 2023 report, which presents annual flight data, has recognised King Shaka and Cape Town…
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It was an interesting conversation between Craig Drysdale, Director of Sales and Marketing at ITT Inspirations Travel and Tours, and Graeme Watson on the podcast last week. ITT specialises in inbound tourism to Southern Africa and works with tour operators from around the world, as well as outbound destinations such as Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Scandinavia, and cruises.
Craig has been in the tourism industry for nearly 30 years and the COVID-19 pandemic has been the biggest challenge Craig and the entire industry have faced. Despite the struggles, the industry has shown great camaraderie and support during this difficult time, with competitors helping each other out. Craig believes the spirit of family has been present in this sector since its inception, and it has only been reinforced by the pandemic. He says that “tourism has always been a very family orientated industry” and that “some great friendships have formed and great support going forward”.
Craig shared his daily schedule, saying he gets up between 05:00 and 07:00 to tackle emails. He also advised on the importance of work-life balance. ITT recently relaunched and rebranded their logo and website. Working from home and the office is also becoming more popular with Craig saying that “productivity and happiness increase by 30-40%”. This concept of “less is more” has been embraced by the industry, with businesses taking up less office space and reducing paper usage.
Domestic tourism was a saviour during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Craig believes that the industry should also focus on selling Southern Africa to South Africans. He has also been involved in the National Department of Tourism’s tour operator incubation program, which has helped 44 SMEs survive the pandemic.
Ultimately, Craig believes that the time for talking is over and that action needs to be taken in order to hit the 2030 tourist numbers. He says “if we’re going to do it, we must do it now and do it fast”. With the help of the industry’s great camaraderie, this goal is within reach.
House of Safari DMC, a tourism business based in Botswana, is taking the lead in promoting local suppliers who are making a difference in their community. Olorato Ndlovu, the managing director of House of Safari DMC, was recently interviewed on Kusa Cast, an influential podcast in the tourism industry. During the interview, Olorato discussed House of Safari DMC’s mandate to support suppliers who are actively giving back to the community.
Olorato also highlighted the importance of conservation and anti-poaching efforts in Botswana, and discussed her recent fam (familiarization trip) for agents from the US, UK, Italy, and Romania. She also discussed the importance of patience and mentorship, especially for young people entering the tourism industry.
For those looking to gain insight from Olorato’s experience, she recommends that they stay disciplined, consistent, and on top of trends. She also offered her support for foreign agents and tour operators who would like to have someone on the ground in Botswana to help them with bookings. She noted that this kind of support would not only help her business grow, but also allow her to direct funds towards other initiatives that can help the community.
For more information on House of Safari DMC and what they can do for you, Olorato can be contacted at www.houseofsafaribw.com and info@houseofsafaribw.com.
The African tourism industry has seen an avalanche of innovation in recent years, as more and more countries are beginning to appreciate the value of tourism and its contribution to their economies. One leader in this effort is Kwayke Donkor, CEO of Africa Tourism Partners, who seeks to further increase the involvement of local leaders, businesses, and youth in the industry.
Kwayke has spearheaded the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum, an annual platform where both private and public sector leaders come together to debate issues, share insights, create awareness, and advocate for the industry. The Forum has been held in Ghana, Botswana, and Rwanda, with the goal of improving the industry’s competitiveness, advocating for the removal of barriers, and promoting intra-Africa travel. It has also featured panelists from America, universities, and has focused on educating Africans on hospitality management.
In Rwanda, Kwayke has worked on the African Tourism Innovation Hub, an initiative to boost youth involvement and foster skill development across the industry. He has also championed “Botswana First,” a concept to use Botswana as a case study to guide other countries in implementing initiatives.
Domestic and regional tourism are of paramount importance for the industry, and reconfiguring products and pricing strategies to meet the needs of local tourists is necessary. South Africa, for example, sees 70% of its arrivals come from the diaspora, yet not much is done to invest in the country.
Kwayke has some advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the tourism industry: “My humble advice is always good to have a mentor. Don’t try and swim on your own because you’ll be eaten by sharks.” Furthermore, it is important to be passionate and to start small, engaging with people on social media in order to build a successful tourism business.
It is clear that Kwayke and Africa Tourism Partners are invested in making sure the African tourism industry is on the right path to success. With the right support and investment, the industry can be an even bigger contributor to the African continent.
In a recent podcast conversation with Graeme Watson, Monika Iuel, Chief Marketing Officer of Wesgro discussed her career in the tourism industry and the challenges that the industry has faced in the wake of the pandemic.
Monika has been in the tourism industry since the mid-1990s and has experienced the highs and lows of the industry first-hand. She believes that one of the most influential events for the destination was the FIFA World Cup in 2010, which helped to spread awareness about the destination, debunking safety and security myths and showcasing the destination to households around the world.
However, Monika believes that the industry has not done enough to raise the game of smaller experienced operators and SMEs, who offer the kind of authentic, immersive experiences that consumers are now looking for. Productivity tools such as the “off button” and digital detoxes are becoming increasingly popular travel trends, and the industry needs to find ways to give these small operators and guest houses access to the market.
The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of the industry to the economy, and Monika experienced a sense of Afro-pessimism from the first world, which seemed to consider tourism as a “nonessential” industry. Monika believes that the industry has faced a greater reputation management challenge than expected, and travel bans have had no impact on the pandemic.
With new generations of travellers thinking and consuming the world differently, the industry must work to include smaller operators and SMEs in order to meet consumer demands. Wesgro is working to create lasting memories for families, and has brought four new destinations onto the international airlift network. Monika’s biggest advice to anyone wanting to get into the industry is to travel and experience what the reality of their source market is.
Anyone interested in learning more, they can visit www.wesgro.co.za and get in touch with Monika directly via her email – monika@wesgro.co.za. Additionally, they can subscribe, leave a review, and check out the Patreon page for the Kusa Cast podcast.
Monika and Graeme Watson are hoping to chat again in a year or so, and will keep us updated on the progress of the tourism industry.
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