EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT

Rooms at reasonable prices

As the government was doing its humiliating about?turn on foreign investment in the security industry in the middle of October and dithering over whether it should support the fight against international terrorism, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nkosozana Zuma, was lecturing Durban hoteliers on what she thought guests should pay for accommodation.

Before the industry considers the absence of knowledge betrayed by her views, it must be said that hotel room rates are not the concern of the foreign minister. It is not the business of government to interfere in the business of hotels and it is hoped that her cabinet colleagues will have the sense to tell her this. While South Africa was sitting on the fence over terrorism, Zuma, who should have been taking counsel on this serious matter, was worrying about hotel prices. Can anyone take this woman seriously?

Be that as it may, let's consider her views on hotel prices. According to news reports, Zuma wants hotels to charge "reasonable" rates to delegates who attend major government conferences. Through ICC CEO Peter Brokenshire she was reported to have taken hoteliers to task over the rates charged during the racism conference in Durban.

He conveyed her views to a Fedhasa meeting and was reported to have committed himself to getting hotels to charge between 15 and 20% less than their published rack rate.

This should not be too difficult. People who understand how hotels are run will know that they do that already, especially if they are paid in advance. Even Zuma should know this. After all, the government owns SAA and that's how SAA does business.

At the end of the day the whole issue will probably turn out to be yet another storm in a teacup. All sensible hoteliers consider their prices to be "reasonable" and will continue to do what they think is best for their business. Whether Zuma's bullying will encourage further investment in the tourism industry is a matter that her colleagues in the cabinet might take up with her.

Fortunately for the hotel and other industries, there are many senior people in government who do not share Zuma's desire to interfere, as was demonstrated when plans to ban foreign investment in the security industry were canned. In the tourism sector, Tanya Abrahamse, an ANC stalwart who is now executive director of the Tourism Business Council, spoke out earlier this year against differential pricing for various categories of tourist.

It might help the hotel industry to spell out for general consumption its pricing policy for large groups and events who wish to reserve accommodation.

Francois "Pat" Petousis
Francois Petousis, the owner of the Vineyard and Townhouse Hotels died in Cape Town in October. Without doubt, he was one of South Africa's great hoteliers and he will be sadly and genuinely missed.

Born into a hotel family which owned the Criterion Hotel in Johannesburg, Petousis studied hotel management in Switzerland between 1948 and 1950. He then rose through the industry in South Africa after paying his dues in his father's liquor store.

Quiet and modest, Pat Petousis was an innovator who always strove to ensure that his hotels and the staff in them would be recognized for quality. His two hotels within sight of the mountain he loved are a fitting monument to a great career.

Root out the charlatans
It's the time of the year when parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents start thinking of the professions and crafts school?leavers will grace in years to come.

Enchanted by the endless talk of the job?creation possibilities of the tourism and hospitality industries, they are now looking for ways in which often entirely unsuitable teenagers can get into hotel and restaurant management and make their fortunes.

The reality is that there are not that many vacancies in an industry which has been shedding staff as it declines. However, there are plenty of training opportunities. In fact, there are probably few industries in South Africa which have more training institutions than the tourism and hospitality industry.

Unfortunately, some offer little more than a meaningless diploma or the opportunity to work in a restaurant and pay for the privilege. Outside of reputable training institutions, there are a host of charlatans willing to take money off the rich and gullible in return for allowing trainees to work.

These people should be exposed by the industry and the public should be made aware of reality and not misled into believing that the hospitality industry offers jobs for all.

Andrew Moth