Tourism heroes rise after unrest - Isibindi Foundation supports anti-poaching - Reignite Tourism
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AUGUST 2021
Reignite Tourism
Tourism heroes rise
after unrest
The Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park K-9 unit
Isibindi Foundation supports
Photo: Casey Pratt
anti-poaching
Reignite Tourism
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes during a week of violent protests last month, South Africans
rallied to assist vulnerable communities and help towns, cities and businesses rebuild.
Heroes rise amid protests
Adele Mackenzie insurance advisers to construction were under threat, has highlighted and bottled water to the police,
workers, farmers and bakers – to the huge role community members community protection forums
W
HILE calm has been help meet the needs of those who played during this time of crisis. and community members and
restored in the provinces lost everything. “While malls and shopping centres cleaned up and replenished coffee
of KwaZulu Natal Logistics service providers offered were the primary targets during stations throughout the night. We
and Gauteng, President Cyril their vehicles free to get emergency these riots, many other businesses also offered complimentary venue
Ramaphosa has maintained a supplies, including food, to the were also affected, and we had to hire for meetings with the Hilton/
military and police presence in affected areas. And others stepped band together to protect buildings Sweetwater leaders, while some of
potential hotspots and has issued up to help from being our staff members assisted with
assurances that law and order will co-ordinate the destroyed in patrols in the area.”
be maintained. deliveries. When South Africans come together, the process,” Armour added: “It was really
Investigations continue and a One such we are a force of nature. said ANEW heart-warming to see local
large number of suspects have example was CEO, Clinton communities taking a stand to
already been arrested. Evi Moller,
Clinton Armour Armour. look after one another and protect
But the protests are not what from Journeys Sadira local businesses amid this type
defined South Africa. It was with Evi, who worked with Chad Nayager, General Manager of of crisis. This proves that when
strength, resilience, courage and Botha and many others in the ANEW Hotel Hluhluwe, said the South Africans come together, we
determination that once again tourism sector who put out a property managed to make it are a force of nature and able to
defined the nation as her people plea through another Facebook through untouched, largely due to strengthen communities.”
defied the looters and rioters. group, We Support – established to the community standing together The South African National Taxi
Some formed human, or support the tourism and hospitality day and night, ensuring businesses Council (Santaco) together with
automotive, chains of protection industries – for volunteers and and residents were protected. local airline, Airlink, supermarket
around the shopping malls and businesses to help fill an eight- “We would like to thank Alpha chain Shoprite and global law
vaccination sites and hospitals. tonne truck, supplied by Inspire Security, SAPS, Hluhluwe farmers firm, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF)
A Facebook group, ReBuildSA, Furniture Rentals, with food. and the local community members joined forces to provide vital relief,
garnered support (in just two In the end, two trucks were for their efforts in protecting our supplies and support in cleaning up
weeks) from just under 60 000 needed and 16 tonnes of much- hotel.” Pietermaritzburg in KZN.
volunteers offering to help clean needed food, nappies, toiletries, General Manager of ANEW Together, the companies
up streets, buildings, warehouses baby formula, vegetables and Hilton, Anthony Moskovitch, said provided, and safely transported,
and businesses that had been pet food were delivered to those his hotel had assisted with tables over 2 000 food packages and
destroyed. needing help in KwaZulu Natal. and chairs to man vehicle check- provisions to people who were
Others were offering their time ANEW Hotels & Resorts, which points in the area. “We provided without any food after shops in the
and or services – from legal and has properties in KwaZulu Natal that bottomless coffee, sandwiches, city and surrounds were pillaged.
Tourism SME Digital Transformation Programme
Propelling Africa’s tourism and hospitality SMEs.
Digitally.
The Tourism SME Digital Transformation Programme seeks to
enhance the domestic and international competitiveness of tourism
SMEs and to grow their market share through digital enablement.
CONTACT US
A uniquely multi-partner initiative by: Telephone: +27 11 024 4730
Email: engage@seeza.today
Website: www.seeza.today
TU0003
1 August 2021 TOURISM UPDATE REIGNITE TOURISM
Spotlight on SMEs
Q&A: Helping SMEs
embrace digitalisation
Seeza Tourism Growth Network – a national collaborative network of tourism small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) – has launched its Tourism SME Digital Transformation Programme in conjunction
with local and global partners. Tourism Update chatted to Seeza Director, Septi Bukula, to find out more.
Adele Mackenzie Business and Visa – have shown development and optimisation South Africa, and one abroad.
that unless SMEs in general and technology upgrades. So in Since the launch of the TKZN
TELL us about Seeza Tourism embrace digitalisation, they will these two areas there’s a clear programme, we have added
Growth Network, its goals and increasingly be marginalised in mismatch between support four more partners to our
objectives. future. required and support provided. network, two in South Africa
It was established in 2017 The Vodafone study Q How can this be addressed and and two abroad.
with the aim of facilitating unequivocally states: “SMEs by whom? Q What has the feedback been
domestic and international that lack agility and willingness A We believe future government in terms of the benefits of this
market access for tourism to invest into digitalisation are support programmes must programme?
SMEs, mainly by linking them to likely to fade away.” make digital transformation A Feedback we are receiving
inbound business events and Q Is it true that, despite the a key component. Tourism from SMEs participating in
taking a collective approach importance KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN) is leading the programme is that it has
to promotions abroad. The of embracing the way by implementing fundamentally shifted their
founding philosophy of the digitalisation, the Tourism SME Digital thinking about the importance
network is rooted in the theory very few SMEs Transformation Programme in of going digital as a way of
and practice of inter-firm actually do so? partnership with Seeza. That’s a enhancing their domestic and
collaboration, which is practised And why is that? positive start. international competitiveness
in many parts of the world as an A We certainly Q How is Seeza Tourism and market visibility.
approach to SME development. believe so. Growth Network Also, our digital readiness
Q Who are your members? The reasons addressing the diagnostic assessment helps
A Because Seeza is not an are many and challenge through its them see where their current
association but a network, we varied. Digital Transformation strengths and weaknesses
refer to the SMEs we work with In South Africa, Programme? lie. Based on the result of this
as partners, not members. we believe that We believe that assessment, the programme
There is no membership fee one of the Septi Bukula there is no one organises specific sessions for
payable to be part of Seeza, but key reasons entity that can comprehensively SMEs, such as webinars, to
our SME partners contribute is that government tourism drive the digital transformation address specific identified gaps.
financially to the network SME support programmes have of SMEs, especially in tourism Q Who can, and should,
based on the actual business not focused on encouraging where, of necessity, digital participate in this programme?
we facilitate for them. Our and enabling SMEs to make the transformation has so many A We believe any SME that desires
partners are mostly, though transition to digital. facets. So, our Tourism to enhance its competitiveness
not exclusively, tour operators For instance, in Seeza’s 2020 SME Digital Transformation and market visibility both now
across the country. There are SME Tour Operator Insights Programme delivery model is and in future should embark
currently about 100 partners Survey, 39.73% of SMEs unique in that we have various on the digital transformation
who form part of the Seeza identified branding (which partners, based both locally journey. Because there is a cost
network. included website development and internationally, that bring associated with the programme,
Q Why is it important for tourism and optimisation), and 36.99% unique specialisations that only those SMEs that are
and hospitality SMEs to identified technology upgrades address a specific aspect of the currently sponsored by Tourism
embrace technology to help as among the key support SME’s digital transformation KwaZulu-Natal are participating.
their businesses grow? services they needed. journey. We call it a multi- We hope SMEs outside KZN can
A In recent years, and especially Yet, of the 46.58% respondents partner delivery approach. similarly be assisted in future.
following the advent of COVID- that had participated in past Q Who are those partners? There have been expressions
19, numerous studies by several support programmes, only A For the current TKZN of interest from SMEs in other
leading international institutions 19% and 2.38%, respectively, programme we are provinces but we unfortunately
– including the World Economic reported that the support they collaborating with four partners, cannot assist them at this stage
Forum, OECD, Vodafone had received included website three of whom are based in without them being sponsored.
A new voice for SMEs behalf of small businesses.
“The association’s mission is
understand and manage their
compliance needs and engage
THE newly launched Small Tourism receiving financial relief and the to stimulate inclusive economic on relevant issues facing small
Enterprise Association (STEA) Unemployment Insurance Fund growth within the sector by businesses.
aims to give a voice to over 60% of Temporary Employee Relief giving a voice to small tourism STEA focuses on small
businesses in the tourism sector in Scheme. businesses while facilitating businesses with, amongst others,
South Africa – small and medium “While many associations have equitable access to opportunities
accommodation, tour operator,
enterprises (SMEs) who “for far too been advocating on behalf of in a sustainable way,” he said.
and activity space, and is aligning
long” have not been heard. the various tourism sub-sectors, To reinforce these objectives,
STEA has embarked on the itself with the Tourism Business
This according to the Chairman the concerns of small tourism
of STEA, Jabu Matsilele, who businesses have largely been put development of a digital platform Council of South Africa (TBCSA).
told Tourism Update the COVID-19 at the back of the queue,” said that consolidates the needs of Any tourism business with an
pandemic had laid bare the plight Matsilele, noting that the STEA had small businesses. annual revenue of under R5 million
of small businesses in various positioned itself to answer this This platform will offer (€285 600) can register on the STEA
forms, including challenges in call and engage stakeholders on members a free resource to better website as a free member.
TOURISM UPDATE REIGNITE TOURISM August 2021 2
Conservation Focus
support those on the frontlines The Isibindi Foundation –
of the battle and are thrilled alongside Rhino Ridge Safari
to be involved in an initiative, Lodge – hopes to add three more
together with the Ezemvelo KZN dogs and handlers to the K-9 unit
Wildlife’s Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and build up sufficient funding
and other partners in the area.” to ensure the unit’s long-term
The unit currently consists sustainability.
of two tracking dogs named The Foundation will be
Gecko and Ghost, who are a working together with Wildlife
cross between Bloodhound ACT – a partner of Ezemvelo KZN
and Doberman, alongside their Wildlife – Fund Trust in ensuring
handlers. the funds are implemented
Martin said the pair had effectively and for their intended
been ‘on the job’ day and night purpose.
protecting the rhino and had
already successfully tracked Did you know?
down a number of poachers,
catching them before they were Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park,
able to poach. “Impressively, they established in 1895, is the
Foundation gets behind K-9 are able to track a scent from up
to eight hours after it has been
oldest proclaimed game
reserve in Africa, famously
anti-poaching initiative placed in a particular area.
“The project is excellent,
known for saving the
Southern White rhino, thanks
Adele Mackenzie initiative through fundraising but it’s expensive to run and to key conservationists
with Manager, Luke Martin, requires substantial funding Dr Ian Player, Magqubu
THE Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park pointing out: “We are witnessing on an ongoing basis,” Martin Ntombela and Nick Steele,
(HIP) K-9 unit has proved to be the wholesale slaughter of said. “The approximate cost of who started Operation Rhino
an “extremely effective tool” in these magnificent creatures, a trained dog is in the region of in the 1950s.
combating poaching of the park’s threatening to wipe them off the R90 000 (€5 000) and handler Click HERE to watch a short
rhino population. planet forever. We cannot be the is R39 000 (€2 000), making the video showcasing the HIP
The Isibindi Foundation has generation that loses the rhino. total combined cost for dog and K-9 unit. ■
stepped in to support this “We had to do something to handler R129 000 (€7 000).”
Every guest staying at Isibindi Africa’s Rhino Ridge Safari
Lodge is supporting the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi K9
Anti-poaching Unit through our Isibindi Foundation levy.
JOIN OUR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE THE
SIZE OF THIS VERY EFFECTIVE UNIT
w w w. i s i b i n d i fo u n d a t i o n . o rg
Home of
the Rhino
HLUHLUWE -
I M F O LO Z I PA R K
email: res@isibindi.co.za tel: +27(0) 35 474 1473 website: www.isibindi.co.za
T U 0007 7 S D
TOURISM UPDATE REIGNITE TOURISM August 2021 3
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