Harambee Guest House Bags Guest House Of The Year Award

Limpopo has done it once again when Harambee Guest House, owned  by Nondlandla Masuku, won the inaugural Guest House of the Year Award  in Sandton, Johannesburg.  The “Southern Sun Book-a-Guest House”  is a social responsibility programme initiated by Southern Sun Hotels in 2005 with the purpose of training and mentoring previously disadvantaged entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry.

Initially the programme did not take guest houses in other provinces out of Gauteng as the focus was only on Soweto establishments and later those in Tswane. It was only in 2007 that Limpopo was invited to participate and Limpopo Tourism and Parks (LTP) decided to enroll SMME products namely, Goloane Guest House, Masana Lodge, @ Peace Guest House, Harambee Guest House and Dinoko Guest House. To be eligible for this competition participating guesthouses should have at 12 rooms and below.

The programme is also aimed at supporting small guest houses with the maximum of 12 rooms on issues pertaining to mentoring and training of staff on basic housekeeping functions. The programme is supported by Southern Sun and other 13 partners including the Limpopo Tourism and Parks in “Book-a-Guest House Programme”. To date fifty five (55) guest houses are listed with the programme.

Sustainable tourism growth and enterprise development remains a key focus area through the ‘Southern Sun Book-a-Guesthouse’ programme, and the ongoing expansion of the programme, first launched in 2005, has since attracted widespread industry acknowledgement and approval from quarters as high as the Minister of Tourism.

The programme has provided these establishments with mentorship but also connected them with other possible stakeholders, who may also address their areas of need.  Mr. Xolani Mthethwa, Senior Manager for Product Development in the LTP said, “The initiative is line with sustainable tourism growth and enterprise development, but most importantly, to instil the spirit of service excellence in the hospitality industry. It is our hope that this will also serve as a motivation booster to all the tourism product owners in the province and will speaks volumes in terms of the tourism prowess in our province.”

Article Source: www.travelwires.com

Image Source: www.bookaguesthouse.co.za