Casambo Jam Session – Sunday, 30 June 2019

Sunday the 30 June 2019 saw another incredible installment of the Casambo Jam Session. The festivities were really a marvel to watch and witness. The number of talented artists involved in this latest production was really phenomenal.

The initial purpose of the jam sessions consisted of Casambo Exclusive Guest Lodge wanting to provide a wonderful platform for upcoming artists to showcase their talent. Music is an international language, one that doesn't discriminate and bring people together. The ambiance in the air when people are enjoying the sweet sounds of fellow talented artists is unrivaled. Family, friends and loved ones gathered to share an experience of a lifetime that you had to be there to enjoy.

Time and time again the great line-up of live music, good food, drink specials and so much more has proved to be a winning recipe for the Casambo Jam Sessions. It has also upheld the standard of it is a popular way to spend a relaxing afternoon with friends and family. The jam sessions also help city dwellers unwind and rejuvenate from the long hard week.

Casambo Exclusive Guest Lodge is an appropriate venue to host this initiative. In addition to the fun experience, the lodge will make sure that your visit and support is never in vain. They believe in the power that is in encouraging talents to make use of platforms to grow and nurture their gifts. The Jam Session is a great example. This is their form of giving back as appreciation to the support they receive from customers.

The Jam session that took place Sunday, 30^th June 2019 to wrap up Youth Month couldn’t have been a better display of the array of talent Mbombela has to offer. Casambo is constantly looking for ways to make sure that they have happy clients. This also extend the heart of their work, they have a love for what they do and so they show it in initiatives such as the Jam Session. It is amazing how Casambo has taken to themselves to really do community work and services in such a manner. Such initiatives build the future of our country, they enlarge closed territories and do some amazing work in encouraging people to expose their gifts and talents. The future is bright because of such initiatives.

Gear up for the Mbombela Jazz Festival

The Mbombela Jazz festival is a must markup on the Mpumalanga entertainment Calendar. The much anticipated 3^rd annual Mbombela jazz festival is drawing to a close and in case you were thinking of planning for it much later, then redirect your thoughts. The festival promises to be a serious turn-up and those in tune are already gearing up for it.

The festival is planned from the 7^{th of} September and will be jam-packed with beautiful music from both local and international artists.  The workshop program will be from the 4^th September and promises to be a cultural feast with topics on fashion and music.

Various artists will be hitting the stage and taking the audience on a beautiful musical journey one of the anticipated performances include Syleena Johnson from the USA who will be performing on the 7^th September. Definitely, something to look forward too.

Mpumalanga is popularly known for its great natural scenery and for the Kruger National Park. Your Mbombela Jazz Festival experience can carry more weight with the overall tour experience of the Province.

Things to consider for a successful experience

1.       Tours and Transfer Agent

2.       Accommodation

3.       Tourist Attractions

Given the above in consideration, you will be able to have a very nice overall experience that will allow you the beauty of the Jazz Festival and Mpumalanga.

Guaranteed that multitudes of people will be making their ways to Mpumalanga for an all-around jazz affair, make sure that your travel is as pleasant as possible. Planning ahead really takes off the urge of unseen circumstances, it really allows you to be present for every moment. Your overall experience is dependent on how well you plan for it.

Take it upon yourself to make sure that you secure yourself a beautiful encounter with the jazz festival but also with Mpumalanga. With a lot of things to explore, make sure you don’t miss any moment. Your trip could be convenient from the pick-up point to your destination point.

Mpumalanga is taking into consideration the influx of people who will be flooding the province during this time and businesses are coming to the party with specials to give you the best experience as a token of appreciation. Be in the lookout and make the right choice.

In Closing

Make your experience the best ever and plan ahead, gear up for a once in a lifetime experience. Make sure that all that needs to be prepared is done, so that you take in everything that Mbombela Jazz festival has to offer. In case you are still planning to be part of the festival, your trip can be simplified with the tour and transfer services.

The festival can you give you more reasons to explore Mpumalanga and take in the beauty that makes it up. Take advantage of the vibe and enjoy more that Mpumalanga has to offer. The festival is such a beautiful excuse to add in more experience and appreciate Mpumalanga. 

4 Reasons Why KwaMhlanga Is the Heart Beat of KwaNdebele

4 Reasons Why KwaMhlanga Is the Heart Beat of KwaNdebele

Tumiso Setladi

KwaMhlanga is located in the North Western Region of Mpumalanga. It is the hub of KwaNdebele and the spirit home of the Ndebele people. It is now the administrative center for the Thembisile Hani local Municipality and the residence house of the government administration. Thembislile Hani local Municipality governs this great city and does all that it takes to put it on a nationally recognized platform. This generates a lot of incoming from people in the surrounding areas and even beyond.  According to Statistics South Africa there’s a rapid growth in population and this regulates visits which triggers a lot of entrepreneurial activities that stems businesses and tourist attractions. Here’s why you would want to visit the area:

1.       Business

KwaMhlanga generates 14, 5% to the South Africa’s GDPR, according to Statistics SA conducted in 2012. It has one of the biggest shopping complex with big stores such as Shoprite and many more.  Now this constitutes to it welcoming multitudes of people who come for shopping purposes. For this reason and others mentioned in the intro, the city is popular for generating business. Some of the Ndebele arts and traditional attires are sold as a strong entrepreneurial activity and the youth of KwaMhlanga really capitalize on that. Development on business structures are also growing to increase the level of employment in the area. One such development is the Phola Mall that was recently build and is successfully running and slowly becoming a hot spot for retail and business purposes.

2.       Accommodation

Accommodation is big in this area and the town takes pride in providing efficient guest houses and lodges that lets the visitor experience the feel of the Ndebele culture.

DaVillage Villas comes highly recommended as one of the best ranked accommodations. This luxurious 4 star lodge strives in giving quiet accommodation surrounded by nature and views that will blow you away.

 Their restaurant offers a variety of dishes that will leave you fully fed. It comes with beautiful gardening that is excellent for hosting outdoors entertainment. Their security sure keeps one safe guarded and the bar area is great for entertainment. The air conditioner and DSTV connection will leave you feeling right at home. They have Wi-Fi connection that will allow you to connect to the internet and also share your experiences with your social media following.

They also offer a conference room for that is available for meetings when visit the area for business. The conference room is equipped with necessary facilities that will make for smooth and professional presentation.

They pride themselves in a more comfortable and memorable experience that will leave you coming for more. Their accommodation service goes beyond just you coming to sleep, they extend to making sure you feel right at home and are able to do other things like entertainment and business.

3.       Tourist Attractions

The Ndebele people pride themselves with their colorful attire and house painted designs that really sets them apart. The Manala Royal Kraal and Ndzundzu Mabhoko Royal Kraal are best known for such exhibitions. Both are located in the North of KwaMhlanga and will take you on a cultural feast. Bookings are made in advance to experience these cultural joy. Here you will be exposed to the culture at best.

Dr. Esther Mahlangu, who is basically a national treasure, is resonance to the Ndebele culture with some of her artwork that resembles the Ndebele heritage. She is celebrated all over the world and is the pride and joy of this Ndebele city. Her mural design patterns influences most of the designs you will experience on homesteads along the area which are a joy to watch.

4.       Entertainment

People in kwaMhlanga are big on social events and so there’s never a dull moment in the city. Regular social events happen as a source of entertainment and this allows one to feel like they belong.

With the growing amount of visitors, the town knows how to get the party started. You wouldn’t run short of fun activities to do in this area. The annual Spin Fiesta is really a crowd puller, luring over thousands of people for the showcase. It is the biggest spinning and drifting event in the region. It is usually hosted at the KwaMhlanga Showgrounds and it is growing by the years. Kwamhlanga Showgrounds also hosts regular events that exposes visitors to a lot of huge celebrities in the country with their social events.

KwaNdebele Beer Fest also come to play when it comes to entertainment. KwaMhlanga is the proud host of this social event and it is one that get people talking about the town. This events brings you a wide range of breweries all over South Africa. Visit the KwaNdebele Beer Fest page for more information on this events.

The Solomon Mahlangu Stadium is also big on hosting major social events and also a positive influence on the sports and recreational sector.

And what is a ‘Kasi’ without a ‘Shisa Nyama’ hot spot. The Rosh Shisa Nyama and Car Wash is extremely popular for social events and a great spot to eat out Kasi style. It pulls crowds from as far as Limpopo and Gauteng. The party never stops in KwaMhlanga.

In conclusion

 With all that said, it is quite evident that this city is promising in growth to the socio- economical sector and is best fitted to get your high hopes met. Now that you know how it feels like in theory, take your time to visit the web pages of the areas mentioned in the article to make bookings so that you can enjoy all that the city has to offer. You will sure experience all that comes with the beauty of the Ndebele culture and this will be a regular place to visit for all that you hope to get in a city. Take pleasure in experiencing a different culture and visit KwaMhlanga for a cultural experience of a life time.

How to deal with off-season emptiness at your hotel

Whether it's a rush of leaf-peeping tourists in autumn or a fast-ringing register during the December holidays, seasonal businesses such as guesthouses or hotels are often faced with the challenge of generating a year's revenue in just a few months. But there are some ways to keep the cash coming in all year 'round.

Unfortunately, like the saying goes 'a closed mouth don't get fed'. To keep the money coming in, even after the key season has passed, something has to give. This means thinking creatively, learn more about the need of your customers and testing out new ideas.

Here are a few ideas to build into your hospitality marketing strategies to deal with off-season emptiness.

1) Adopt a discount policy

People love discounts and the perception of a “good deal” will definitely help your business to be taken more into account. It is possible to target a specific consumer type as well as to opt for specific categories (senior discounts, group discounts, etc.). Or you can also put the discount promotion, for example, into one of the restaurants in the city you know the owner. Another possibility is to link the discount promotion to social media: for example, 5%-10% discount for those who share a promotional post on Facebook or tag the brand name in a photo on Instagram.

2) Use local activities and events

During the low occupancy period, it is important for your business to generate more requests. You can use local activities and events as a marketing opportunity to attract more guests. So take note of concerts, parties, fairs, marathons, and parades in the area. You could also create a special promotion implying a discount for anyone who will be present at the event or make a partnership with the sponsors.

3) Create special packages

Increase your customer base by creating special packages to attract guests. It can be the “Valentine package”, “family package”, “couple package” or whatever you like … Make room for your fantasy! You may want to include in the package a gift basket, a room decorated with rose petals and free drinks, such as wine or champagne, etc. These actions will surely be of great value to the business. Not only will it bring joy and satisfaction to the customers, but it will also be a great way of promoting you! With this marketing strategy, your business can also set a higher price in exchange for the customer experience.

4) Retain customers

The customer loyalty program will help you increase your hotel’s occupation, creating an even stronger relationship with your regular customers. For example, you could send personal e-mails with a special discount.

It is wrongly believed, in fact, that people don’t check e-mail promotions. Be sure they do it! Just think that current email service providers differentiate primary mail from the one containing promotional e-mails.

And many read the marketing-promotional section only to check the discount offered by the website or newsletter to which they are subscribed!

In a few words: never forget to get the mail address of your guests when they are checking in.

5) Promote your business to a local business

Did you know that you can increase the flow of your hotel guests by promoting it to a local company for their events, such as business seminars and meetings? As you know, such events are conducted with so many guests and consequently, they are very profitable because probably the company will book many rooms at a time.

Also, keep in mind that some business events are repeated every year, so it can become the source of a safer income!

These simple marketing strategies can prove to be very effective in helping your business reach a broader market and increase employment.

6) Look to major destination events

Compile a list of any major landmark milestones or groundbreaking events that your popular attractions are celebrating during that time. If a major attraction is celebrating an anniversary, approach them to be their official host hotel for the event. You’ll usually have to pay-to-play for this type of partnership, but you’ll get massive exposure with an exclusive link on their website and other marketing collateral promoting the event. Amp up your value even more by offering an incentive to book with your hotel, such as a free ride to get to the event. Or, another form of complimentary transportation to/from. This type of partnership is competitive, so act quickly before other hotels nab the ‘official’ spot.

7) Leverage smaller, but still popular, local events

Restaurant weeks, festivals, marathons, parades, state fairs. Pull together a list of events that would attract your target market and fall during your slow period. Work out a special deal just for attendees, like a discount when they show you their ticket stub upon checkout. Work with the event organizers for additional placement on their marketing materials and advertising of your discounted rate. Simply leveraging an event and creating a partnership with event organizers can nudge a visitor to choose your property over another.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST TOUR COMPANY FOR YOU

Picking a tour company that fits ‘just right’ is hard. Really hard. For the most part, because it’s impossible to run a tour that pleases all of the people all of the time.

But in the interests of an open discussion, here are some of the things you should consider when choosing a tour company.

1. Group size

The first big decision. When you envision a ‘group tour’, how many people do you see touring alongside you? Five? Ten? Twelve? The phrase ‘small group tour’ can be (and is) used to describe all of the above.

A small group is, on average, about 10 people. But it can range up to 12 or 16 depending on the destination, and go as low as 1 (when the departure has been guaranteed), but 10 is the norm.  There are plenty of big tour operators like Contiki and Trafalgar that prefer the en mass approach. For most, 8-16 is the perfect number to fit into a local bistro, or catch a safari ride, or visit Kruger National Park. To get that local edge.

2. Price

Price is often the first thing people compare when looking at different tour companies, but it can be a little misleading. Because some companies send people on huge tours of 30 or 40 travelers at a time, they can secure bulk rates for their rooms and activities. So you might save some money or so, but it could mean you’re getting a much less bespoke and personal experience. Choosing a ‘cheap’ trip also increases the chance that your experience may not be pleasing or pleasurable.

The thing to look for is value, not just price. Are there lots of included meals? Does the company list the hotel for each night? If so, check it on TripAdvisor. Are there heaps of included activities? Do you get a local guide? If the tour is ticking a lot of those boxes, it’s usually worth paying a bit extra. Like anything else in life, you get what you pay for.

3. Itinerary

A lot of small group tours will share similar itineraries, but there are companies out there that really make an effort to go that extra step.

Generally speaking, you should look for an itinerary that hits all the major highlights but that then includes a couple of left-of-centre stops along the way. Ask anyone that’s done a bunch of small group tours: it’s often the unexpected places, the ones you’d never even heard of before, that end up being the most memorable. It’s just one of those things. Make sure to read the online trip notes thoroughly to help you make an informed decision, and if you have questions…ask! Give the company a call and check about the activities on certain days.

4. Local leaders

The approach of having local leaders has a few advantages. One, you get cool local knowledge on-tap. Two, it keeps money in local pockets and contributes to local employment. Three, the whole experience of travel becomes so much richer.

If local leaders are important to you, do your research. Brands like Inkosi Tours and Transfers use local leaders on all their tours, and they’re specifically trained in first aid and vehicle maintenance. Not all of the industry can say the same. Try to find companies that don’t just employ local leaders, but look after them too. There are too many examples in the industry of local guides being paid poorly and receiving no training, just so a company can slap the word ‘local’ on their marketing material. Not cool.

5. Online reviews

Always a great way to check the value of anything. Read what people are saying as much as possible. A website includes a bunch of reviews on every trip, but if you want to check an external source, try TripAdvisor, to mention a few. You can compare brands, see what people are saying, and make up your own mind. Another excellent source of reviews is social media. 

Check a brand’s hashtag on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter and see what travelers are saying on the ground, in real time. You can get a feel for the style of the trip, the number of people, the standard of accommodation. There’s nothing better than public validation to put your mind at ease.

6. General 'feeling'

Some people like cruise ships and big bus tours. Some travelers prefer seven swimming pools, marble bench tops, and a fully stocked minibar.  You’ve got to find a company that you gel with. 

Whose vibe feels right? The quickest way to work this out? Go on the website. Read the blog. See how the tour company speaks and how they act. Do they have a good responsible travel policy? Is that something you care about? Do they look fun, or a bit boring? Do their itineraries feel generic, or are they pushing boundaries? And you know what, it may take a few tries before you find a small group tour company that fits you ‘just right’. But when you do, it’s a good feeling, and you’ll know the search was worth it.

5 basic steps to stay ahead of the competition

The hospitality industry is a dynamic business that runs double speed just to stay firmly in place. It is forever under the influence of forces that urge it to embrace change more frequently than most other industries. The customer base demands change or update continually as well as other hotels in the region and elsewhere that push you to look within.

The bottom line is almost always the plank from which business strategies spring up and from where the company vision gets its focus. To keep a healthy bottom line, hospitality companies must always endeavour to retain their leading position (if they are market leaders; otherwise aspire to be one), increase their market share and always stay ahead of their competition.

Here are five ideas for you to employ to remain successful in the growing hospitality industry.

1. Monitor your competitors

According to online surveys, more than 47% of accommodation industry players actually watch their competitors closely, while 49% were less vigilant, and 3% were not concerned at all. While it’s great to trust your own business plan, part of it must be based on the activity of your competitors.

This means you need to pay attention to their prices and promotions so you can respond in a timely and appropriate manner. For example, if you set a room rate at the same price as your competitors and one at a slightly higher rate, you can still attract deal seekers without completely sacrificing your opportunity for larger revenue.

Similarly, if you study their promotions you may find you can afford to offer better deals or extras and draw more guests to your property in the lead up to an event or busy time of year. You can also use your analysis to add value and increase midweek bookings.

Think about how you can give your guests that little bit extra. Note that constant promotion or discounting could devalue your property in the eyes of travelers so make sure to be strategic with your timing.

Here’s how you can keep abreast of what your competitors are doing:

Set up alerts and notifications for their rates with a pricing intelligence tool

Sign up for their emails

Follow them on social media

Analyse their SEO and improve your own

2. Listen to your guests

The feedback you receive from your guests is extremely important. You need to work hard to secure fantastic online reviews because if you do, you have a justifiable bargaining chip with which to increase your rates.

In addition, your guests will usually explicitly list your property’s strengths and weaknesses so you know where you can make an improvement. They might even give you a good indication of how you compare to the local competition.

Ensure your front line staff is constantly taking feedback on board and reporting it back. Satisfied customers become free brand ambassadors so get as many onside as possible.

3. Expand your knowledge and management skills

The more you know about your profession, industry, and local market the easier it will be for you to make successful strategic decisions. There are multiple ways you can become better informed including:

Catch up regularly with other industry professionals

Educate yourself on any knowledge gaps

Subscribe to industry newsletters

Follow relevant and prominent figures on social media

4. Be introspective about your business

While it’s important to monitor competitors, copying them won’t get you anywhere. Focus on what makes your property special and emphasise this in your marketing to create a point of difference for potential guests.

Maximise your level of service to ensure the travelers you do attract become long-term customers. This will keep your direct bookings high, giving you more revenue and thus flexibility for your rates. Increasing your direct bookings will lower the cost of your distribution and boost your brand awareness.

If a new competitor arrives, resist the urge to immediately match their prices. Their offering may not necessarily be more attractive and if they do bring more travelers to the area you can work on developing plans to capture a slice of their pie.

5. Capture data in real-time

When the market and your competitor’s rates can change at a moment’s notice, you need to need to be receiving the information you need instantly. With pricing intelligence tools available, this data is immediately available to you.

It also enables you to track competitors and be alerted whenever they make a change to your previously created rules.

With such tools like you can also perform your own forecasts and predict demand for the local hotel market, meaning the rates you set are more accurate and you won’t lose revenue.

10 Effective ways to boost your business’ low occupancy and revenue

It is no secret that as people love cheaper... or rather discounted things. This including clothing items, gadgets or even holiday accommodation.

But as for accommodation owners, the lower price the more bookings, right? Wrong!

It can be easy, and very tempting, to think that slashing rates to virtually nothing will sell more rooms and increase room revenue during the week.

While it may sell a few rooms, the discounting strategy rarely sells enough to offset the reduced revenue.

It’s important to keep in mind that lower rates don’t create demand; they can set the wrong expectations for guests and erode your price integrity. Instead, think of adding value to beat the midweek blues.

Here are 10 effective ways to boost your business’ low occupancy and revenue:

1 Up-sell at every opportunity

Persuade your guests to spend a little more through your online booking engine by adding carefully thought-out extras such as a romantic package or champagne breakfast. You could also consider asking a guest during check-in if they would like to get a better room for a slightly higher rate.

This is simply about letting your guests know what options are available to them. If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind! Use your front desk or other designated area to take advantage of point-of-sale opportunities such as car rental or tickets to events and tours. Adding this extra value to guests not only brings in revenue but also provides a better traveler experience.

2. Offer a few select ‘holiday’ products

We all know travel customers often want to help themselves to some of the added extras provided, such as soaps or shampoo, and you should want them to. According to Forbes, when guests take their toiletries home with them, it’s a sign you have done a good job picking the right products. You should also be hoping those guests will think of their stay when they use that soap or shampoo later on. Whatever the product may be, give guests something to remember their time with you and add a new revenue stream by making some of your products available for purchase.

For example, sunscreens, shampoos or even towels for the beach. (This might even prevent them from ‘accidentally’ packing your bathroom towels in their bags before check-out!)

3. Switch from halogen lighting to LED

LED lighting lasts almost 10 times longer than halogen lighting and could save you enormous costs in the long run. Investigate all of your LED options and see which ones work best for you and your property.

4. Offer guests a bit of festive cheer during the festive season

During the festive season, many guests want to feel more at home by celebrating with a small holiday tree in their room. For that special touch, consider offering a fully decorated in-room Christmas tree for a small price.

5. Do a booking channel audit

Draw reports on all of your booking channels using your all-in-one booking management solution. Booking channels such as your website and OTAs should be regularly monitored to see where the best performance lies. If one booking site is performing better than another, see what it is that could be attributing to that performance (such as great images, or better descriptions), and adjust your other channels accordingly.

6. Do an energy assessment

Doing an energy audit can identify areas where you are overspending and will allow you to either find a better provider, or keep spend to a minimum. Check everything that consumes electricity, gas or fuel. You will soon see where you are spending the most money and can make adjustments to lower your overall expenses.

7. A customer referral scheme

Satisfied customers should be encouraged to refer their friends and family to stay at your property. Offer your potential guests incentives such as a promotion code, which you can easily set up in your all-in-one booking management solution to be redeemed at the time of booking on your website. A post-stay email can also be set up to automatically send to your guests after they leave, with a specific promotion code and discount. Remember: Word of mouth is often the most powerful marketing tool.

8. Welcome pets

You may not warm to pets, but many travelers would love to travel with their furry companions. If possible, make your small hotel pet-friendly so you not only attract a different segment of travel customers, but can be in a position to charge a little extra for your rooms.

9. Discounts for extended stays

Some guests are quite flexible with their travel schedule and might want to stay an extra night or two. Offering a 50% discount off an additional night, when paying the regular rate for the first few nights, could ensure a higher occupancy and incremental revenue.

10. Network with others in the hospitality and tourism industry

Networking with other businesses in your area that attract tourists and travelers could increase revenue and add more value to your guests. For example, you could offer a discounted ticket to your guests for local attractions, which could increase their revenue and, in turn, provide a better guest experience. This can work both ways as businesses can drive their customers to your property if you offer a special rate.

If you remember to ensure you provide the best guest experience you can, be a savvy spender, and jump on opportunities where you can maximise your booking revenue, you will be well on your way to running a successful hotel and enjoying that holiday at the end of the year.