Indaba!
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| I just returned from INDABA – South Africa’s International Travel Show held at the ICC in Durban. This show attracts the travel industry from all over the world and it shows off Southern Africa (and the Indian Ocean’s) best products. It is truly an amazing display of adventure to accommodation, transportation to technology, guided tours to tourism authorities all featuring this continent’s most amazing opportunities. Some companies, people and organisations create amazing stands and displays to show their products. Smaller players team up and take small spaces in the regions they represent. You will find everyone and everything there – from Vic Falls to the V&A. From our area, | ||
The Cape St Francis Lifestyle Estate (Cape St Francis Resort) invested in space in the main hall and showed off their new facilities that include new conference facilities for more than 200 and a completely remodelled bar and surrounds. Sandal’s was also in the main hall as part the Southern Spur Group of properties. Both of them featured pictorials of St Francis Links in their visual marketing presentations. The Dunes were at the show and so were many other fine products. My time at the show was all about “working the room” and making sure our relationships and partnerships were sound and mutually rewarding. I met with most of the game reserves and lodges in the Eastern Cape to create links between them and us. I sat with Eastern Cape Tourism to explore more opportunities and best of all, I met with tour groups and agents who want the country’s newest TOP 10’er in their packages. One of my ‘hurdles’ with travel agents is their perception that we did not offer accommodation. When I pointed out the fact that we offer everything from a 10 room lodge on the first tee, the St Francis Golf Lodge to a 200+ bed partner in ‘CSFLE’ to the well known and established Sandals, The Beach House, The Dunes and Brisan on the Canals to on-site rental pool homes, opinions soon changed. We tried to promote all of our member partners with accommodation through the website and in our presentations. We certainly appreciate their support in return. We don’t have the Fancourt Hotel or the Pezula Hotel or the Simola Hotel – but we do have 4-star accommodation that will cater for everything from a single booking to a massive conference. We offer on-course, on-canals, on-sea, in the dunes, on the beach and some that feels just like home (or better).
The trip to INDABA gave me the opportunity to forge new roads with old friends while creating new ties with people who can become our ambassadors. The next happy guest may become our next happy member!
All of that is possible because we offer a great product that is serviced by great people. What wind! The wind that blew yesterday was replaced with sunshine, a light puff from the east and warm temperatures.
The trip to INDABA gave me the opportunity to forge new roads with old friends while creating new ties with people who can become our ambassadors. The next happy guest may become our next happy member!
All of that is possible because we offer a great product that is serviced by great people. What wind! The wind that blew yesterday was replaced with sunshine, a light puff from the east and warm temperatures.
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 Brisan on the Canals |
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 The Beach House |
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St Francis Links… Offering more than a Hotel!
Club Champs! Next weekend…May 22nd and 23rd. Come!
Remember, "Every great shot in golf (and in life) begins with a smile!
Jeff
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