Youth are getting ‘real life’ experience in hospitality, as Nickol and Partners collaborated with Tsogo Sun to bring a group of youths from the Alexandra (Alex) township in Gauteng into the Sandton Sun hotel to experience the hospitality industry from the inside out.
Bernadette Nickol, Marketing Manager of Nickol and Partners, said: “I saw the opportunity to assist and work with youngsters who might be interested in the tourism and hospitality industry. Robert Jasper, who was the General Manager of the Palazzo and now moved to Sandton Sun, has been instrumental in assisting me with these visits, even if it was one youth. He has also been with me into Alex to meet the youth and give a short talk on hospitality. One or two wonderful opportunities are in the pipeline for two of the young people who came on this educational visit.”
Nickol says that “there is always talk about introducing young people to the industry and a drive for youth motivation and encouragement – these youths had never been into a hotel or conference venue. Would you believe that one of them is studying tourism, and could not answer the basics of tourism and that it is all to do with service, efficiency, knowledge of their own country a good personality.” Ensuring that the tourist who might have been saving for a long time to visit SA experiences his or her dream holiday is the key to that tourist returning to their own country with positive ‘word of mouth’, ensuring return visitors as well as new ones, continues Nickol.
Nickol has been involved in a number of projects relating to the tourism industry over the years, and has placed great emphasis on community tourism. Alexandra, a township community in Gauteng, offers a number of tours that take tourists into the area, sharing some of its deeply-rooted history. This includes areas that were visited by international icon, Nelson Mandela himself. Tourists can visit Mandela’s home, which is occupied, see local art and enjoy an afternoon or weekend visit to the Jazz Club, and meet the local people. And while there, Nickol says: “Be adventurous and try traditional food including ‘Amahutwana’ (chicken feet).”
Some of these community tours are offered by local operator Tour 2.0, run by Daniel Adidwa, who has set up community partnerships all over SA, including tours into Alex.
