Your last chance to enter the Welcome Awards until 30 November 2009

Entries into the prestigious Welcome Awards are still open. These awards developed by South African Tourism, in partnership with First National Bank Commercial Banking, recognise and reward service excellence in the travel and tourism industry.

South African Tourism’s Welcome initiative is five years old. It has two distinct, but closely related purposes. The first is to encourage every single South African to develop personal awareness around the importance of tourism to our nation and to our economy and to be warm, welcoming hosts to visitors either from elsewhere in the country, or from a foreign country. The second is to encourage and to reward service excellence in tourism industry itself, among hotels, conference centres, tour operators, travel agencies, tourist attractions and restaurants. This is why it is the ambition of the Welcome Awards to encourage competition amongst members of the industry as they compete for what has become an extremely prestigious and sought-after award.

Says Hanneli Slabber, Global Manager: Product for SA Tourism: “These awards hold a huge amount of credibility in the industry. Winning a Welcome Award gives tourism service providers kudos, and defines their commitment to quality service.”

With fewer than 250 days to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ excellent service delivery is paramount to the experience that visitors take home with them after their visit. The better our service excellence, the more globally competitive South Africa is as a destination. The Welcome Awards serve to raise the bar on good service delivery and create a national culture of warmth, friendliness and helpfulness to tourists.

The categories cover the length and breadth of the industry to recognise the diversity of businesses and services that the destination has on offer. These include accommodation, tour operators, tourist attractions, restaurants, travel agencies, tourist guides, parks and meeting and conferencing facilities.

Judging is based on three important criteria, says Slabber, that are applied across all categories. The criteria are: 1) making contact or booking services, 2) arrival/service preparation, and 3) departure or conclusion of services.

Says Pieter de Bruin, Head of the Tourism Division, for FNB Commercial Banking: “We urge the entire industry to enter the Welcome Awards. The Awards should be more than a certificate on the wall; they should be something that has commercial value in your business. Part of FNB Commercial Banking’s mandate for 2010 is helping the tourism industry get ready and the Welcome Awards will inspire businesses to get their service levels up to scratch. The Welcome Awards is a partnership with SA Tourism and an example of how FNB as an official 2010 National supporter is helping the tourism industry get ready to host the greatest World Cup ever. The tourism industry is South Africa’s ambassadors of superb service and demonstrates our readiness to welcome the world when it arrives for the World Cup in June next year.”

Entrants have until 30 November 2009 to get their entries in and can enter online via www.southafrica.net/welcomeawards.  Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at INDABA in May 2010.