FLASHBACK: It’s onwards and upwards in 2003

Big developments making the news in 2003:

• The 2003 Tiger Brands World Cooks Tour for Hunger is held, for the second time (the first one was in 1993) and some R1.3m is raised for charity by 150 chefs from 30 countries worldwide. The 2011 Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger is the third event currently taking place around the country and records are being broken on all fronts. Founder and co-convenor is Dr Bill Gallagher.
• SABMiller and Tsogo Sun deal – Tsogo Investment Holdings Company buys control of Southern Sun Hotels and Tsogo Sun Gaming from its joint venture partner SABMiller for R1.9bn
• Michelangelo Towers – Construction begins on the R600m apartment block in Sandton, part of Legacy Hotels Group
• Cape Town International Convention Centre opens and predicted to create about 47 000 new jobs and add R25bn to GDP over ten years
• Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel – more than 25 000 room nights reserved before five-star hotel next to the Cape Town International Convention Centre opens in August
• Kerzner International’s father and son team, Sol and the late Butch Kerzner, create the One&Only Resorts brand, refurbishing and renaming resorts in Mauritius, Maldives, Dubai and Bahamas and new resorts planned for Maldives, Morocco, Mexico and Cuba
• Star-grading launched for restaurants by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa
• Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World, a R1.4bn investment in KwaZulu-Natal, attracts 10 000 visitors in the first two months of opening since December 2002
• The R515m merger between Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery and Distillers Corporation that created Distell gets thumbs up from tribunal
• Derek Bond, a 72-year old pensioner and UK tourist on holiday with his wife, arrested at gunpoint by SA police after mistaken identity information supplied by FBI. He is subsequently held in police cells for 20 days before SAPS finally admit mistake. Huge damage to SA’s reputation as safe holiday destination. Surprisingly, Bond returns later that year as a guest of Tourism KZN to finish his holiday.
• Two new hotels and casinos by Southern Sun and Tsogo Sun Gaming boost tourism in Mpumalanga
• Dr Reinie “Doc” Mornet retires after 30 years at Hotel School, Technikon Witwatersrand
• Southern Sun launches new brand, the Collection, of which the newly refurbished Beverly Hills Hotel is one of six member boutique properties; hotel hosts England football team
• Protea Hotels’ African Pride Hotels division opens its flagship Melrose Arch Hotel in Johannesburg, a precinct admired for its forward-thinking approach to city management
• Spur founder and chairman Allen Ambor looks back on group’s success (then R138m annual turnover, 20 000 staff and 185 franchise outlets) at the relaunch of his old restaurant which became a franchise outlet, the Golden Spur in Cape Town
• The Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg launches a new R15m, 1260m2 conference centre
• Theta crises ongoing, as CEO Thami Vallihu suspended amidst criticism of general ‘bureaucratic bungling’; then chairman Kananelo Makhetha does damage control by restructuring organisation
• Protea Hotels expands into self-catering market
• Black empowerment group Akani Leisure Investment teams up with Three Cities to form a new hospitality management company, Akani Hotels
• KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga named worst affected provinces by HIV/Aids; industry goes all out to increase awareness nationwide and implement understanding and policies in the workplace; Fedics director Alan Brand selected as official representative for hospitality industry on the SA National Aids Council.

In other news:

-       Strain on personal relationships for those with a career in hospitality industry reported on

-       Problems with alcohol abuse in industry puts pressure on hoteliers and restaurateurs

-       Catering for the disabled means more than ramps and handles, it requires right staff attitude

-       Cracks in outsourcing staff versus full-time employees started to show

-       E-business tools and new-age technology reported as vital to improve yields, reduce costs, market properties and manage staff

-       Margot Janse of Le Quartier Français in Franschhoek wins Eat Out Chef of the Year

-       The Gables restaurant at TWR Hotel School in Braamfontein, which is now closed and the Hotel School is now part of the School of Tourism and Hospitality at University of Johannesburg, celebrated 30 years of excellent dining

-       Three Cities Group restructures shareholdings to facilitate ownership by staff members and empowerment parties

-       Sun International launches an employee share trust scheme, in which employees can buy shares in the company using interest-free loans from the group

-       TOMSA levies collected highest at that time at R4.7m (to October 2002)

-       World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 declared a success by Deon Viljoen, then executive director of Sandton Convention Centre

-       Six leading local and regional tourism industry members take part in the Pro-Poor Tourism Pilots in Southern Africa scheme, launched by then CEO of South African Tourism Cheryl Carolus

-       James Parker meets Prince Charles in London, as he represented Theta and South Africa at a meeting of the International Business Leaders Forum

-       Shingi Munyeza, MD of Zimbabwe Sun (now African Sun), appointed president of Zimbabwe Council of Tourism

-       South African Tourism closes its offices in Harare, Zimbabwe

-       Van Riebeeck Hotel in Gordon’s Bay, headed up by GM Rob Gooderson, closes

-       City Lodge reports outstanding interim results, with occupancies to December 2002 at 77%; in final stages of completing its mammoth R14m Millennium Room Programme revamp at all City Lodge Hotels

-       Many hoteliers report 2002 as one of the best years in recent memory

-       Various hotel and restaurant groups expand further into Africa and the Middle East

-       Southern Sun then MD Helder Pereira predicted a bright future for the SA tourism industry based on increased occupancies and arrivals, but cautions on limited airline capacity, seasonality, strength of the Rand and lack of skills development

-       McDonald’s closes 15 restaurants in SA as well as over 700 around the world, specifically in US and Japan; opens up back of house and suppliers’ facilities to media to prove its burgers are 100% pure beef

-       News Cafe opens R2m restaurant at Johannesburg Civic Theatre

-       Southern Sun hosts 14 cricket teams and their entourages, supporters and media during the ICC Cricket World Cup

-       Global Wrapps relaunched in 2002 and starting to grow

-       Distell declared the biggest winner at the 29^th Nederburg Auction

-       Liquor industry increases campaigns to stop abuse in face of proposed tough new laws

-       Elephant Hills InterContinental Resort at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe reopens after nearly two years rebuilding following extensive fire damage

-       KFC on track to open another 20 restaurants, adding to its 420 outlets in Southern Africa

-       Spas in top hotels opened up around the country, seen as new must-have offering and revenue stream

-       Steers Holdings (now Famous Brands) on a shopping spree as it buys Wimpy, Whistle Stop, House of Coffees, Brazilian and ESP Illy Boutique brands

-       BP Southern Africa rolls out The Wild Bean Café coffee shops within its BP Express Shops on garage forecourts countrywide

-       Brett Dungan appointed chairman of Fedhasa (he is currently CEO)

-       Martin Kobald elected president of the South African Chefs Association

-       The Cascades Hotel at Sun City undergoes R60m facelift

-       Balalaika Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg celebrates 54^th anniversary under then and current GM Jörg Zwinscher

-       Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) is formed

-       Top chefs Garth Stroebel and Paul Hartmann start new cookery school in Cape Town called the SA Culinary Academy

Editor Andrew Moth’s insights into the industry’s activities:

• On the SABMiller/Tsogo Sun deal: “The government’s desire that the hotel industry should be ‘transformed’ has been fulfilled. Whether this will bring an end to the wailing of those who complain that it is ‘dominated by white people’ remains to be seen. It is only in South Africa that the skin colour of hoteliers seems to be an issue. Hotel & Restaurant doubts whether 1% of hotel guests care a jot about the skin colour or race of the person who owns or runs the hotel. They are only concerned about the quality of their experience.”
• On the murder of ten men in a Sea Point hotel: “As the country continues to reel from the appalling massacre of 10 men in Sea Point, hoteliers and restaurateurs in the area and the tourism industry in general must be wondering whether bodies such as the Tourism Business Council and Business Against Crime are even aware of the damage that such crimes do to South Africa’s image. For reasons known only to themselves, they appear to prefer to say nothing. Rightly or wrongly, some people in Cape Town would like to see the city as the gay capital of the world. There’s no chance of that happening now. Cape Town’s reputation as a holiday destination for all – and especially for homosexuals – must be under serious threat because of crime.”
• On reports of then Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Valli Moosa’s criticism of tour guides ‘badmouthing’ SA: “According to media reports, he did not give examples, but newspaper journalists quickly jumped onto the bandwagon complaining about tour guides who said ‘negative things’ and another who ‘slated the country’s supposed racism and high crime rate’. What is being suggested here is that there is little racism or crime in SA. And that on the rare occasions crime or racism occurs tour guides should keep quiet. In reality, racism is at the heart of South African government policy and South Africa has awesome crime figures. Many tourists have been murdered, raped and robbed.”
• On the war in Iraq: “What does the future hold for international tourism now that one of the world’s most evil regimes has been toppled by forces of the free world, spearheaded by the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia? For the sake of global peace and the ordinary people of Iraq, the war will be seen by history as necessary and justified. While the loss of life is regrettable, the blame for the bloodshed and the damage to Iraq is Hussein’s and those who supported him even when it was clear that he was completely out of control, if not raving mad.”
• On the slaughter of a cow at a tertiary institution: “One of the plethora of educational institutions in the country that offer training to potential leaders in the tourism industry, the inaptly-named Durban Institute of Technology has slaughtered a cow in a cruel and bloody ritual on its campus. For the sake of tourism in Southern Africa, the industry, the future employers of the students who approved this ghastly atrocity, must act to prevent a repetition. Any support offered by the industry to this institution of higher learning should be withdrawn until it offers a public apology.”
• On financial ups and downs: “Earlier this year income tax was cut substantially, the petrol price is much lower than it was a few months ago, interest rates are coming down and food price inflation seems to have slowed, but in true South African fashion the country’s local authorities are about to take back just almost all the savings – money that could be spent in expanding the economy. In Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, businesses and residents are about to be hit with massive increases in their rates, water, electricity and other services bills. Quite disgracefully, the charges will be skewed to ensure that people who live in what are regarded as white areas pay more for less to enable those who pay nothing to get more.”
• On the opening of the CTICC: “The opening of the Cape Town International Convention Centre is without doubt one of the most significant events in South African business history. One of the world’s most popular leisure destinations has become one of the most competitive for those international conventions of lawyers, doctors, academics etc that ensure year-round business in Paris, London, Chicago and incentive destinations all over the world. Hoteliers in Johannesburg and Durban should not be concerned that Cape Town is going to steal business from them. Projections and experts suggest there will be enough business to go round.”
• Possible name change of Pretoria: “The decision to abandon the absurd idea to change the name of South Africa’s capital will be welcomed by anyone with good sense. That people in positions of authority could think that changing the name of a city merits even a thought when there are so many other issues to deal with boggles the mind. Changing a name such as Pretoria will do nothing for the image of the country. And it is time that people who think this kind of thing, or the moving of statues, is important, woke up to reality. South Africa stands on the brink of a bright new future, let’s stop tinkering with history.”
• On transformation: “Over the past couple of months a number of people both inside the industry and in government circles have again drawn attention to what they perceive as the ‘lily-whiteness’ of the tourism industry and the need for transformation. No-one ever seems to specify exactly what they want when they call for transformation. It appears to be a vague and fuzzy alchemic process that will encourage more black people to build and/or buy hotels, airlines, car rental companies, restaurants and other tourism businesses. But the advocates of transformation ignore two facts: there is nothing to stop black people from becoming entrepreneurs and managers; and there are many black people who own and run tourism businesses already.”
• On two-tier pricing at national parks: “Whether the high prices that foreign tourists have to pay now to visit the nature reserves controlled by South African National Parks will lead to a reduction in the number of visitors to them and damage the tourism industry remains to be seen. But there can be little doubt it will be hard to argue that the decision to make them pay much more than South African residents is in the long-term interest of the country. Many tourists will feel with justification that they are being ripped off. And so will South African residents who do not have and cannot afford the Wild loyalty card. Essentially, the new pricing structure and the creation of the Wild loyalty card this year has closed South Africa’s national parks and nature reserves to all but the fabulously wealthy. … So much for all the empty phrases about making tourism accessible to previously disadvantaged people!”
• On Theta’s lack of performance: “…something is seriously wrong at Theta and it’s time things were sorted out. Nobody outside the organisation seems to have any confidence in it. Empty promises about changes taking place and fast-tracking from a position of strength are not good enough. The hospitality industry, like others who have to deal with inefficient Setas, wants action. One obvious weakness among Theta staff is a lack of understanding and knowledge of the hotel and restaurant industries. Perhaps the industry could do something about this. As training and job creation initiatives, Setas in general are beginning to look like expensive failures. The only jobs they seem to have created are for their own staff and their impact on training and quality assurance has been minimal.”

These are just a sample of the many, many news items on new hotels and restaurants opening, others closing, staff appointments, deaths, management updates, awards, deals and beverage and food news to feature in the pages of Hotel & Restaurant in 2003.