du Toit Tourism - Tourism Newsletter

Tourism Newsletter

Welcome to "Izindaba" our very own, monthly newsletter, created as the interactive aspect to our website. Sharing relevant news within the hospitality and tourism industry; providing informative conservation facts, sharing our latest exclusive and exciting holiday packages with you, as well as, personal news from the du Toit family.

If you would like to share any news with us, to be included in "Izindaba", please let us know. We hope you enjoy reading "Izindaba" as much as we enjoy putting it together!

Welcome to our 3rd edition of Izindaba

Just a short note to say a big thank you to you all for the various e-mails, telephone calls and invites to see you, fellow members of the Tourism Industry, at Indaba next month‚ ... only a few weeks to go!

This will be our first year at Indaba representing our own company, du Toit Tourism, Marketing, Consulting & Management Services, we look forward to seeing you all and wish you all the best during this busy time, with all your pre show arrangements.

Our services include development, marketing, management, financial analysis, logistics, systems implementation and specialized consultancy - provided to eco properties, guest houses, lifestyle estates, fractional ownership developments, wildlife reserves, safari lodges and community joint ventures - all tailor made to our client's particular needs, in private consultation with them, thereby adding tangible value in this ever growing and competitive market.

Due to our extensive practical management knowledge of the tourism and hospitality industry, we are able to assess our client's particular needs with them and offer practical and manageable solutions. We understand the unique and logistical pressures of the industry and the hours of dedication, and are therefore available to assist our clients 7 days a week, at any time, day or night.

Should you wish to receive further information with regards to our services and fees, please contact us and we will e-mail you the relevant details, alternatively we can make an appointment to see you at Indaba.

Keep in touch and enjoy this months Izindaba!

Wendy & Francois

BOOK REVIEW

Wondering around the bookshop at OR Tambo, waiting for my flight back home after a days business meeting in Jhb, I found Richard Branson's new book "Screw it, Let's do it!" a delightful insight into the many truths of a global icon." Chapter 7, pg 68, is titled Value Family & Friends:-

Put Family and the Team First
Be Loyal

Face Problems Head On

Money is For Making Things Happen

Pick the Right People and Reward Talent

To all of you that are just starting out in your own business or thinking of making the big jump, or to those of you that are uncertain of your future plans ... I would recommend reading this book; as Richard Branson says,"have faith in yourself you'll find you can achieve almost anything."

du Toit Family News

Time to celebrate

Samantha turns 8 this month

Happy Birthday Moriti!

"The Wildlife Collection"

For further information with regards to the launch of / investment opportunities in this Exclusive African Private Wildlife Residence Club, kindly contact Francois.
francois@dutoittmcs.co.za

Travel News - TULI SAFARI LODGE

We have included in this months Izindaba the updated contact details for Tuli Safari Lodge Botswana, our old home and work place; please update your records accordingly and contact the relevant persons at Tuli with regards to all matters pertaining to Tuli Safari Lodge - Thank you.

David Peddie

(Chief Executive Officer)

M: +27-(0)83 3355 653

E:biotrust@mweb.co.za

Jacques van der Merwe

(General Manager)

M: +267-72191050

E: tsl@global.bw

Brinny Tshabalala

(Reservations)

T: +267-2645303 / 43

F: +267-2645344

E:tuli@global.bw

Tuli Safari Lodge
(Botswana)

T: +267-2645303 / 43

F: +267-2645344

W: www.tulilodge.com

For further information on our "Exclusive Holiday" Destinations, Promotions & Packages, kindly contact Wendy, wendy@dutoittmcs.co.za

Burchells Zebra Did you know?

The stripes on a Zebra are unique and can be used to identify individual animals.

A new born Zebra foal gains an average of 0.5kgs per day after birth and can stand within 11 minutes and walk within 19 minutes after birth.

Zebra stallions have a narrow black stripe between the buttocks, where as the female mares have a broad black stripe between the buttocks.

Subcutaneous fat deposits occur predominately under black strips thus having a heat-isolating function.

Reference: Game Ranch Management (J du P Bothma)

Photograph courtesy of Africa in Prints

Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007

The World Economic Forum has launched the first-ever Travel and Tourism Index covering 124 countries around the world.

In many countries, travel and tourism is a critical sector impacting national prosperity and economic growth. A cross-country analysis of the drivers of competitiveness in travel and tourism will provide useful comparative information for making business decisions and provide additional value to governments wishing to improve their travel and tourism environments.

The index is not a beauty contest, or a statement about the attractiveness of a country. On the contrary, the index measures the factors that make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism industry of individual countries, said Jennifer Blanke, Senior Economist of the World Economic Forum.

http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/TravelandTourismReport/index.htm

You can down load the full Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, just double click on the link provided above.

Please contact Wendy should you wish to include any special information relevant to the Tourism & Hospitality Industry, in our monthly newsletter - "Izindaba" - Thank you!

With an eye on current decorating trends Roger & Pat de la Harpe have carefully selected some 335 of their images to create limited edition art prints, which they feel have the aesthetics and mood to enhance your home, office or lodge. Individually signed, their prints are of a high quality, sought after and exclusive and are not on offer to the mass market. They are available in classic black and white, sepia, van Dyke brown or full colour and are printed on a variety of surfaces - art paper, photo rag, canvas, glossy or matt. All their paper and processing conforms to the highest possible archival standards with an estimated 75 year life span.

We have known Roger & Pat for a number of years, having met them when they lived in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, researching and photographing the Reserve, for the publication of their outstanding book "Tuli Land of Giants".

Their work is of the highest standard and it is wonderful to see that they have grown and now not only have their world renowned business, African Imagery, but have added to this by starting Africa In Prints.

Should you wish to view the "Africa In Prints" portfolio, or find out more about the other services offered by "Africa Imagery" and "Africa In Prints", kindly contact Wendy for further information and Roger & Pat's contact details.

An introductory course
4x4 Driver Training the Conservation Way

brought to you by, Francois du Toit

The utilization of vehicles in wildlife conservation areas, has lead to heated debates ever since the introduction of four wheel drive vehicles for game drive activities and in particular self drive outings by private individuals, which has become more and more popular over the last 20 years. Ardent conservationists have frowned upon the extensive, in fact in some cases any, use of vehicles within conservation and other wildlife areas, as it is seen to be intrusive not fully enhancing a persons wildlife experience as would be the case with a walking trail for example. There are however some hard truths with regards to these perceptions and I can converse with some experience in these matters as I have had the honour of being actively involved with conservation over the last 14 years, of which the last 10 where spent in the Botswana wilderness.

As the human spirit, in most of us, hankers for some form of natural balance, self analyses or other unknown attractions to our natural environment; it becomes more imperative, as populations grow and we become more city bound, everyday stress levels rise to be able to break out and find peace and quite in more natural surrounds. The pressure placed on these natural areas are therefore going to become more intense as populations grow and we become more urbanized. Our need for nature may have something to do with the self regulatory rules placed upon us wherever we go in society and the inherent spirit in each of us to explore and feel free.

The enhanced access to natural areas further and further a field, due to development in road infrastructure and access to better faster more comfortable four wheel drive vehicles etc, has lead to people exploring further into Southern Africa and even Central Africa so as to get away from the crowds and the major tourism hubs. Unfortunately testing your skill to conquer that steep hill or rocky section in most cases (the very thing you go to experience), becomes the single most destructive element whilst driving your 4x4. Four wheel drivers and vehicles are here to stay therefore we have to create a more pronounced, active and mutually beneficial link, between conservation and the four wheel drive enthusiast. This methodology has already surfaced within the 4x4 fraternity, as can be seen from the new endeavor of Sparks Esterhuysen, called "CAMPUS ON WHEELS".

The basic fact is educate the 4x4 drivers, tantalize them with the intricacies of nature and make available the thrill of putting a ATV through its paces in a more controlled environment; whilst the environmental training is done thereby reducing the risk of one of our greatest assets, our spectacular natural beauty and diversity, being damaged not because we dont care but because we didnt know. There is no instant solution for undoing the beach driving ban, it most likely wasnt instituted due to 4x4 drivers doing more damage than 10 years ago, however the sheer number of four wheel drive vehicles has increased to such an extent, that it has created a self destructing mechanism as the driver environmental education has lagged far behind, not keeping pace and reaching the required audiences.

It is with the above in mind that we felt a need to start the 4x4 DRIVER TRAINING COURSE and in so doing assist to preserve the African wilderness.

Have you recently purchased game viewing vehicles, or a 4x4 for your own private use, or will you in the near future?

Would you like to sensitize your staff or yourself, to the importance of not only vehicle management, but refresh and enhance driving skills the conservation way, too?

du Toit Tourism, Marketing, Consulting & Management Services offer a comprehensive 4x4 Driver Training course, covering a variety of 4x4 off-road driving aspects and a basic understanding of bush mechanics focusing on the enhancement of eco-friendly & economical driving skills.

R1800 pp for the 2 day 4x4 Driver Training course, minimum of 4 people per course. This rate includes all course material and certificate on completion. Training takes place on your property or an agreed suitable venue, in your vehicle(s), at a time convenient to you! Private 4x4 Driver Training courses for self drive safari enthusiasts, incorporating those that have hired a 4x4 for their safari holiday, and 4x4 owners are catered for on arrangement at a venue to meet their requirements. For a copy of the course material, tobook your 4x4 Driver Training course, or for further information and assistance kindly contact Francois, francois@dutoittmcs.co.za .

Trade News - Important Events

There are a number of local consumer shows just around the corner ...

LA Sport Show

(4x4 and outdoor show)

5^th & 6^th May 2007

Voortrekkerstraat Pretoria

Outdoor Adventure Show

25^th, 26^th & 27^th May 2007

Kayalami Race Track at JHB

4x4 & Outdoor Leisure Show

9^th & 10^th June 2007

Sunnyside Pretoria