Thebe Tourism Group Bulletin

Yachting courses for professionals and enthusiasts

There’s nothing that beats the freedom of the open sea. With the sea spray in your face and the smell of the ocean you are the captain of your own destination, if you’re a qualified skipper that is. The Ocean Star Sailing Academy can make this a reality, starting with a basic 2 day entry level course. One of their most famous students to date has been the Mr Vusi Khanyile, Chairman of Thebe Investment Corporation.

Decorex SA – UFI Marketing Awards

In July 2010 we reported that South Africa’s leading interior design exhibition, Decorex SA, was named one of four finalists in the 2010 marketing awards of UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry.

The Decorex Johannesburg campaign was presented to the UFI marketing committee in Verona, Italy on the 7th of September...full story

South Africa’s premier health, beauty, fitness and wellbeing expo

First Car Rental has announced that all their vehicles will be smoke-free under a new policy that prohibits smoking in its rental vehicles, effective 11th October. Second-hand smoke toxins and residue can stay in the fabric of a vehicle anywhere from a few hours to a few months after exposure...full story

Club Corporate Conferences – Clicks Pharmacy Conference 2010

Club Corporate Conferences, a division of Club Travel, managed a very successful Clicks Pharmacy Conference 2010. The conference was held at the Durban ICC from the 14th to the 16th September 2010 for over 500 pharmacists and medical suppliers...full story

Inala featured on Top Billing

The only luxury yacht with docking rights at Robben Island - the Inala Antares, for which Thebe Tourism Inbound has the exclusive marketing and reservation rights, was recently featured on one of South Africa’s most popular and glamorous television magazine programs, Top Billing.

Thebe Exhibitions & Projects Group (TEPG) launches new expos

The Thebe Exhibitions & Projects Group (TEPG) team has been developing exciting new exhibitions for 2011 covering retirement, black glamour, sports & events tourism and a new lifestyle experience in KZN...full story

The Coca-Cola dome forthcoming events:

30 Seconds to Mars Concert

19 November

The Baby Expo Joburg

25 - 28 November

EFC Africa

2 December

Contents

Main
CEO's message
Editor's note

Africa Lounge takes flight at OR Tambo

Home of safety for Soweto

Coca-Cola Dome Voted Best Concert Venue for 12 Years

Inala featured on Top Billing

Group Highlights

Yachting courses for professionals and enthusiasts

Decorex SA – UFI Marketing Awards

No smoking please

Club Corporate Conferences – Clicks Pharmacy Conference

Thebe Exhibitions & Projects Group (TEPG) launches new expos

CEO's Message

Ubuntu is described as the essence of being human; the recognition that my humanity is caught up and is inextricably bound up in yours. These are the founding ethos of the Thebe Group; the values and beliefs that guide us to be ever cognisant that the broader interests of the community should be served through our economic and investment activities.

As our chairman said in a recent interview with the website www.leader.co.za, “As a business person I’m focused on providing a return on investment for my investors – but there has to be a bigger goal, too, that comes from community activity, encouraging others to do well and improve their own lives." This month the team at FX Africa Foreign Exchange brought this philosophy to life with the purchase of a house in Soweto that will serve as a shelter for abused women and children.

Read the story in this month’s bulletin and I hope that it will inspire you to live a more charitable life – it certainly has inspired me.

As our corporate motto states, we at Thebe are inspired by the African quest for excellence and this is exemplified with pleasing regularity by our multi-award winning subsidiaries. Congratulations to Grant Medcalf and his team at the Coca-Cola Dome for their latest accolade – the Best Concert Venue in the Best of Joburg Leisure Options Readers’ Choice Awards, for the 12th year in a row. In the same vein, The Thebe Excellence Awards to be held in late November will be recognising and rewarding individuals who provide exemplary service and whose efforts embody the Thebe group values and mission. I am confident that the Thebe tourism team will bag a few more than last year.

In my August message I indicated that the theme for 2010 is Tourism and Biodiversity, which brings attention to the importance of biodiversity and sustainable tourism. This is what the annual Imvelo awards, taking place in November, aims to do. It creates awareness of environmental management issues in the industry and recognises tourism businesses that demonstrate sustainable responsible practice in their operations. In the same vein the World Travel Market (WTM), a leading annual tourism B2B event, is driving responsible tourism through its World Responsible Tourism Day (WRTD) on the 10th of November 2010. Tourism business owners are reminded about the significant role that corporate social responsibility can play in providing a competitive advantage as consumers are more aware of the social and environmental issues related to tourism.

Best regards,

Monwabisi Fandeso
CEO, Thebe Tourism Group

Editor's Note

Looking at the stories we are featuring this month it is clear that the Thebe Group companies remain focused on developing enhanced product offerings and providing exceptional service.

With the objective of enhancing their customers’ experience First Car has introduced a ‘no smoking’ policy in their vehicles and the Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Group (TEPG) have launched 4 new expos for 2011, developed to attract a wider audience. The commitment of the Coca-Cola dome to providing a consistent high level of service has paid off once again as it has received the Best Concert Venue Award, from the Best of Joburg Leisure Options Readers’ Choice Awards, for the 12th year in a row!

A fine example of a Thebe company’s ingenuity is the opening of the Africa Lounge at OR Tambo International by All Leisure Travel, a division of the Compass Group South Africa. Africa Lounge has broken new ground as the first South African airport restaurant to offer fine-dining cuisine and will undoubtedly be very popular with business and first class travellers.

A very exciting event this month was the feature of the Inala Antares on Top Billing, the popular lifestyle program on SABC 3. It makes me very proud that one of our exclusive products is associated with the Top Billing brand, which is synonymous with style, elegance and sophistication.

Be sure to read the heart-warming story of the home of safety opened in Soweto by FX Africa and as we head towards the season of giving think about how you can make a difference in your community.

Until next month!

Hapiloe Sello
Group GM: Marketing, Thebe Tourism Group

Africa Lounge takes flight at OR Tambo

Africa Lounge has broken new ground as the first South African airport restaurant to offer fine-dining cuisine. Restaurants at South African airports currently only include self-service canteens, fast food outlets, coffee shops and family restaurants.

Situated at the international departures section of the OR Tambo International Airport, Africa Lounge, a Compass Group Southern Africa initiative, converted to fine-dining cuisine just in time to welcome high profile clientele from abroad, to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

As its name suggests, Africa Lounge offers international travellers up-market African cuisine from an À la carte menu that includes: Dullstroom Tian (tower of smoked salmon); ostrich fillets served with mash; malva pudding; and prominent South African wines like Meerlust, Hertenberh and Fairview. Africa Lounge also caters for functions, with separate set menus.

The restaurant is managed by All Leisure Travel, a division of Compass Group Southern Africa that operates at restaurants within some of the country’s airports – offering a food experience to travellers. All Leisure Travel also manages British American Tobacco; Café Ritazza and Ekaya at OR Tambo International Airport.

Compass SA provides catering and support services to a large number of public and private-sector organisations...full story

Home of safety for Soweto

As a volunteer at his local police station in Soweto, Peter Taela became aware of the desperate plight of abused woman: “In the time I worked at the station, I saw many victims of abuse. Woman with torn clothes carrying little kids would run to the station for shelter, having nowhere to go. I knew they needed a place where they could find shelter and a meal,” he said.

He wanted to open a house of safety but couldn’t do it without sponsorship. Peter Taela found that sponsor in Darren Jenkins-Ferrett, CEO of FX Africa Foreign Exchange.

Darren Jenkins-Ferrett recognised his passion and vision and in December 2009, FX Africa purchased a house in Braamfischerville, Soweto.

Tshepo ga e lathle, a Tswana phrase which means ‘hope doesn’t disappoint’, officially opened its doors on the 14th of October 2010 and will be a temporary home for victims of abuse, especially women and children. Peter Taela, together with two female volunteers will manage the house which can currently accommodate 10 women. Victims will be counseled and helped to source permanent accommodation so they can leave the home and become independent.

The vision of Peter Taela and Darren Jenkins-Ferret doesn’t end here. They plan to extend the two-bedroom house and hope to ultimately open more homes in other parts of Soweto...full story

Coca-Cola Dome Voted Best Concert Venue for 12 Years

The Coca-Cola dome received the coveted Best Concert Venue Award, from the Best of Joburg Leisure Options Readers’ Choice Awards, for the 12th year in a row. Open ballots gave readers the opportunity to vote for their favourite hotspots in more than 100 different categories. This year, approximately 179 000 readers voted.

Grant Medcalf, General Manager of the Coca-Cola dome attributes the phenomenal success of the venue to the loyalty and dedication of highly motivated staff members.

Medcalf says, “Exhibition organisers, concert promoters and event coordinators expect state-of-the art facilities.

We are committed to providing every individual who visits this venue with the highest level of consistent service. Patrons’ safety and experience is a top priority for management and staff.”