Enter for tourism accommodation award
2005-07-14
THE time has arrived for tourist accommodation establishments in South Africa to enter the 2006 AA Travel Guides Accommodation Awards programme.
This according to convenor Vanessa Sand, who says accommodation establishments in the country are once again invited to take part in this prestigious awards programme.
‘‘It is open to any type of accommodation establishment that is a member of the AA Quality Assured Programme or the National Star
Grading System."
Since its inception thirteen years ago, the awards programme has become known as a reliable quality indicator that is used by tourists when choosing a place to stay.
Sand says with the focus ·changing in South Africa's tourism industry, influenced by the newly formulated Black Economic Empowerment tourism scorecard, the awards programme has over the past few years strived to feature all types of accommodation ·
establishments.
‘‘A special focus has been placed on township and rural tourism establishments with more and more categories devoted to township and cultural tourism having opened up over the past five years.
‘‘It is gratifying to see how businesses are growing and thriving as a result of achieving in the programme.
"It also gives tourists the opportunity to experience first- and how ordinary people live in the townships and in rural parts of our country. This real-life experience, sometimes without any sophisticated facilities on offer, especially in rural villages, affords visitors the opportunity to be told a real South African story.
‘‘We want to portray the character and heartbeat of every place. We would therefore like to encourage as many types of tourism accommodation establishments as possible to enter the awards programme," says Sand.
She says participating in the awards programme holds huge benefits.
‘‘Achievers are given a definite marketing advantage as widespread publicity is guaranteed in the annual South Africa's Best publication that is distributed, as well as in the media."
According to Sand more than 150 000 copies of South Africa's Best are printed and distributed to consumers, members of the travel industry as well as at premier international tourism exhibitions including the World Tourism Market held in London, the ITB in Berlin and amongst others Indaba held in South Africa.
Awards are made in various different categories, including different types of guesthouses, bed & breakfasts, hotels, resorts and lodges, and even tented and traditional accommodation.
All tourism accommodation establishments wishing to participate should contact AA Travel Guides for an application form or go to the
industry pages on their website which can be viewed at www.aatravel.co.za.
These forms can be returned by Freepost and will be processed independently, after which semiZfinalists and finalists across the country are visited by a team of trained and experienced asses
sors.
For more information or to enter the programme contact Helen de Coster or Tersia den May during the Tourism Indaba.
The 2006 achievers in the AA Travel Guides Awards programme, which is supported by the Industrial Development Corporation, will
see finalists announced in March 2006 and winners Villiers on telephone 011 713-2000.
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