The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) has welcomed the appointment of new members of the Tourism Grading Council’s new Awards Committee effective 1 November 2009 by the Minister of Tourism.
The new Awards Committee will be chaired by Mr. Peter Bacon, the former chief executive at Sun International and a member of the Board at South African Tourism. He will be joined on the committee by individuals whose knowledge of, and expertise in, tourism and tourism business is unsurpassed in South Africa.
Says Thembi Kunene, Chief Quality Assurance Officer at TGCSA, “The Awards Committee comprises a collective of individuals who possess profound knowledge about the industry and this knowledge will, no doubt, impact positively on the business of the Tourism Grading Council over the Committee’s three-year tenure. On behalf of my team at the Grading Council, I extend heartfelt congratulations on their appointment and we all look forward to working with them.’
The Tourism Grading Council Awards Committee’s key responsibility is awarding the relevant quality star grading to accommodation establishments that are worthy of the one, two, three, four or five star. The star grading is an independent assurance that helps consumers understand what they can expect of an establishment in terms of quality, services and facilities.
Peter Bacon, who recently took over as the Chairman of the Grading Council, emphasised the importance of ensuring that the grading of accommodation establishments and related tourism products and services enjoys the confidence of the industry and the travelling public. “To this end the Grading Council will continue to focus on the integrity of the grading system in cooperation with the industry as well as increasing the number of graded establishments throughout the country. Quality Assurance is a pillar of SA Tourism's overall strategy to attract more foreign visitors to the country and our intention is to align our grading system with international best practice".
Members of the new Tourism Grading Council Awards Committee are:
|
|
Peter Bacon, chairman of the Awards Committee and former chief executive at Sun International. Peter retired in June 2009 after a 33-year career with Sun International. He is one of South Africa’s best-known and regarded business leaders, and it is widely acknowledged that he has been instrumental in the robust growth of South Africa’s tourism and leisure sector in recent years. |
|
|
Ahmed Chothia, Managing Director at Saley's Travel & Tours with more than 25 years experience in the travel and tourism industry. Ahmed joined his family’s travel agency as a junior travel consultant for a period of three years from 1984 to 1986. In 1987 he was promoted to Intermediate Travel Consultant for a period of four years from 1987 to 1990. From 1991 to 1996 he was appointed as Senior Travel Consultant and Travel Manager. |
|
|
Brett Dungan, Chief Executive Officer, FEDHASA and Managing Director of KIARA Holdings. Brett also serves on the board of South African Tourism. |
|
|
|
Tony Hazel, Senior Manager – Business Development (Africa) at Group RCI, has been in the hotel industry for the past 26 years. Previously Operations Manager / General Manager for the Three Cities Group based at Mabula Private Game Reserve and prior to that, Operations Manager at Magaliespark Country Club. Hazel also spent 11 years with the Holiday Inn and Southern Sun Group, where he gained invaluable experience in the hotel-management field in various operational aspects. |
|
|
|
Phillip Thompson, has broad experience in property development in Southern Africa, North America and the Caribbean. He is highly regarded for expertise in universal accessibility of buildings. Philip is a principal member of IDC, an architectural consulting group with a special focus on the hospitality industry and hospitality buildings. Phillip has served on the South African Tourism board since 1997 to 2000 and has directly been involved with evaluating and developing standards related to the tourism industry since 1990. |
|
|
|
Jeggie Padmanathan, is the Group Hotel Operations and Development Executive at Peermont and previous Hotel and Resort Operations Manager at Emperors Palace. Mr Padmanathan joined Emperors Palace as Deputy General Manager -Hotel and Resort Operations in 2002. He was then promoted to General Manager - Hotel and Resort Operations at Emperors Palace in 2003. In 2007, he was appointed Group Hotel Operations and Development Executive for Peermont. |
|
|
|
Julian Smith, owner and founder of Julian Décor in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. Having designed for some of the leading South African and international personalities, Julian launched Julian Décor in 2005 to expand his already thriving fashion brand. Julian’s designs are extraordinary and well sought after. |
|
|
|
Mzi Gcanga, principal architect at gmg Design Building Architecture; a director at the Manteku Private Lodge; and architectural advisor to Southern Palace in Bizana, Eastern Cape. Mzi was a senior architect at Osmond Lange Architects in Umtata, Eastern Cape from 1989 to 1993, senior technician at Multidimensional Architects in Umtata, Eastern Cape in 1993, and also senior technician at Sullivan and Hunt Architects in Umtata, Eastern Cape. |
|
|
|
Smangele Nhlapo, founder and member of Deco File, a 100% black female owned Interior design company specialising in interior architectural design, space planning, interior design, turnkey installations and decor. She boasts an extensive knowledge and understanding of what the décor and design Industry entails with exceptional entrepreneurial skills. |
|
|
|
Thembi Kunene, is the Chief Quality Assurance Officer of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA). Her career in tourism started at the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) where she managed George Airport. Thembi also worked for the Bidvest Group as commercial director of Bidfreight and is also a founder of Siyazi Investment Holdings. Thembi holds a BA Communications and completed a Management Development Programme. |
|
|
|
Alan Romburgh, is the outgoing chairman of the Tourism Grading Council. A position he held for the past 5 years. He is the acting director of the Cape Town Hotel School at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and a founding member and director of the Cape Overberg Tourism Association. He is also a member of the SA Chef’s Association. Alan was also founder member and CEO of Relias Hotel South Africa and has been involved in the accommodation sector of the South African Tourism industry for years. |
I want to search for a graded establishment
Give my comment on experience at an establishment?
I want to become Star Graded
Contact TGCSA
|