Just last month, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa announced that roughly 49 000 SMMEs were already negatively affected by the lockdown and that many will close shop. Independent hotels that have been able to reopen are now in tight competition for limited guests in the face of reduced occupancy levels as per lockdown restrictions.
"The African travel industry is on the runway to recovery, and only the proactive will take off first. The best thing anyone can do in a crisis is to act on the things that are within their control. Apply yourself and your team to your guests’ experience, safety and comfort and ensure your operations are health and safety compliant as soon as possible," she said.
"Independent hotel owners are working with limited resources in a time when they need maximum exposure in the market place. It is a convenient time to work with third party hospitality services that may come at a more competitive rate than hiring a full team of marketing experts to implement every aspect of your marketing strategy." She said it was essential to understand every part of the value chain to make the best decisions for your business.