{"id":5755,"date":"2009-12-14T17:54:24","date_gmt":"2009-12-14T15:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=5755"},"modified":"2009-12-14T22:47:29","modified_gmt":"2009-12-14T20:47:29","slug":"cape-town-tourism-response-to-private-home-registration-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/cape-town-tourism-response-to-private-home-registration-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Cape Town Tourism response to Private Home registration questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>We asked Cape Town Tourism on Saturday why they had not informed members of Cape Town Tourism of the Private Home Registration program they have launched.\u00a0\u00a0 Lianne Burton, spokesperson of Cape Town Tourism, has apologised for this communication error, and sent the following statement to Cape Town Tourism members today:\u00a0<\/p>\n

“With regard to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as Cape Town’s official tourism authority, Cape Town Tourism’s role is to ensure that the expectations of World Cup visitors are met and exceeded to ensure a lasting tourism legacy for Cape Town. Hence our decision to offer full paid membership to Cape Town Tourism for temporary accommodation providers, covering the costs of assessing their accommodation to ensure that it meets our minimum requirements, advising owners on visitor services and guest relations standards, and offering potential visitors an assurance that there is comeback via Cape Town Tourism if they are unhappy. <\/em><\/p>\n

This is our role as the Visitor Services organisation for Cape Town and we are committed to fulfilling it for the benefit of Cape Town’s tourism sector as a whole. Bad visitor experiences, even if they are as a result of temporary accommodation promises not being delivered on, will hurt Cape Town’s reputation for offering exceptional accommodation for every budget; from 5 star Hotels to Backpackers, B&Bs and private homes or tented villages. Great visitor experiences during the 2010 FIFA World Cup will ensure repeat business for the tourism sector. Ours is a long-term view and we are committed to this vision.”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Lianne also replied to our questions addressed to Cape Town Tourism regarding the Private Home registration program:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Why have you not informed us as members of Cape Town Tourism about this?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I agree that we should have informed Cape Town Tourism members first of this
\nstrategic decision to extend our regular membership program to temporary
\naccommodation providers. I apologise for the communication oversight and am
\nsending out a newsflash today to all members to fill them in on our
\nreasoning.<\/em><\/div>\n
However, it\u00b9s important to note that we have not introduced a new membership
\nprogram or a temporary program for temporary accommodation establishments.
\nWe are simply extending our full current membership program to temporary
\naccommodation providers, which means that the same cost implications and
\nresponsibilities apply to temporary accommodation providers as they do to
\nestablished members. This decision is to acknowledge the contribution and
\nloyalty of our established members. It is also the reason why we rejected
\nrequests to offer temporary membership at a discounted rate to accommodation
\nproviders operating purely during the World Cup period.<\/em><\/div>\n
Why are you taking business away from your membership base, who have
\nsupported you loyally over the years, when professional accommodation
\nestablishments are not yet fully booked for the 2010 World Cup?\u00a0 \u00a0Do you
\nneed additional income so badly that you have to include private home owners
\ninto your membership base?<\/em><\/div>\n
Our decision to extend full membership to temporary accommodation providers
\nis not a financial one. It arises out of our strategic decision to focus on
\nthe following priority areas regarding the 2010 World Cup:
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 1. To host a remarkable World Cup through meeting and exceeding visitor
\nexpectations in every way, including in terms of the accommodation on offer
\nin Cape Town, whatever form it takes.
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 2. To maximise the legacy potential of the World Cup for Cape Town and
\nCape Town’s tourism industry by ensuring that World Cup visitors are
\nconverted into brand ambassadors for Cape Town.<\/em><\/div>\n
Our role as Cape Town’s official tourism authority is to ensure that the
\nexpectations of World Cup visitors are met and exceeded to ensure a lasting
\ntourism legacy for Cape Town. Hence our decision to offer full paid
\nmembership to Cape Town Tourism for temporary accommodation providers,
\ncovering the costs of assessing their accommodation to ensure that it meets
\nour minimum requirements, advising owners on visitor services and guest
\nrelations standards, including their accommodation listings on our webste,
\nand offering potential visitors an assurance that there is comeback via Cape
\nTown Tourism if they are unhappy with their temporary accommodation. This is
\nour role as the Visitor Services organisation for Cape Town and we are
\ncommitted to fulfilling it for the benefit of Cape Town’s tourism sector as
\na whole.<\/em><\/div>\n

Bad visitor experiences, even if they are as a result of temporary
\naccommodation promises not being delivered on, will hurt Cape Town’s
\nreputation for offering exceptional accommodation for every budget; we are
\nknown for our excellent accommodation standards, and we would like this to
\napply over the World Cup period, whether for 5 star Hotels, Backpackers, B
\nand Bs, private homes, university residences or temporary tented villages.<\/em><\/p>\n

The established tourism industry stands to suffer if unscrupulous temporary
\naccommodation providers aiming to make a quick buck take advantage of
\nunsuspecting World Cup visitors. The entire tourism sector will then be
\ntarred with the same brush and Cape Town’s reputation as a quality
\ndestination will be damaged, to the detriment of everyone working in
\ntourism.<\/em><\/p>\n

In contrast, great visitor experiences during the 2010 World Cup will ensure
\nrepeat business for the established tourism sector, since most temporary
\naccommodation providers are purely focused on the World Cup opportunity and
\nwill not be operational beyond June and July 2010.\u00a0 Hence the repeat
\nbusiness generated as a result of Cape Town\u00b9s standards of excellence in the
\nestablished and temporary accommodation sector during the World Cup, will
\ngreatly benefit established accommodation providers.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cape Town Tourism’s is certainly a long-term view and we are committed to
\nthis vision.”<\/em><\/p>\n

What survey have you done to establish what our availability is for the
\nWorld Cup, especially if we have not contracted with MATCH?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Cape Tourism in the process of refining our online accommodation and tour
\noperator listings and booking system and will be advising members of the
\nstrategy shortly. Our contact centre is currently fielding 2010
\naccommodation booking queries and passing on all enquiries to members who
\nmeet the criteria outlined in the requests in terms of number of rooms,
\nproximity to the stadium, budget etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

“<\/em>Why would you want to divert attention from your stated objective, i.e. to
\nmarket Cape Town and its products, to advise and organise non-professional
\nprivate home owners in their marketing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We believe it is our responsibility as Cape Town Tourism to ensure that
\nWorld Cup visitors get what they are promised, and more. It has been found
\nworldwide that temporary accommodation plays a significant role (though
\nsecondary to established accommodation) in meeting World Cup accommodation
\ndemand, especially in the middle-market price range.
\nHence, it would be true to say that temporary accommodation will be offered,
\nmarketed and booked with or without Cape Town Tourism’s support and
\nguidance. We would rather encourage temporary accommodation providers to be
\nassessed and to become members of Cape Town Tourism than simply do nothing,
\nto ensure that this temporary sector upholds the excellent reputation we
\nhave all done so much to build as an established tourism sector.<\/em><\/div>\n
We believe that there will be more than enough bookings to go around. Cape
\nTown Tourism is committed to marketing all member products and services to
\nensure that maximum benefit is derived for our members from the World Cup
\nopportunity, and that visitors get the accommodation they expect and deserve
\n\u2039 ie. Excellent standards and great value”.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/em><\/div>\n
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio : <\/strong>www.whalecottage.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We asked Cape Town Tourism on Saturday why they had not informed members of Cape Town Tourism of the Private Home Registration program they have launched.\u00a0\u00a0 Lianne Burton, spokesperson of Cape Town Tourism, has apologised for this communication error, and sent the following statement to Cape Town Tourism members today:\u00a0 “With regard to the 2010 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[7,3,124,21,11],"tags":[264,3000,1248,32366,85,32378,1899,27,2999,2998,1623,32373],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t