The Tourism Coach
Shaun van Eck
NB Publishers
EAN: 9780624071938
I’ll be honest – I was quite pessimistic when I received this book. The subtitle, “Make Money from Tourism, a practical guide”, as well as “Creating a revolution in South African Tourism” are big statements. Is it not a bit arrogant to claim that this book will lead to a revolution in the tourism industry?
Making money from tourism is not exactly easy, and I was worried that the potential reader could be tricked into believing that it was. The realities are that competition is vast, tourism is seasonal, it is difficult to stand out, and with the absurd new visa regulations for our country, tourism numbers to South Africa will see a major dip. There are, however, still many opportunities, and venturing into the book, I realised quickly that Shaun is addressing these opportunities and providing a very simple yet detailed way of identifying and capitalising on them.
Having worked in the industry myself for many years, I have always felt that it is almost too easy to enter the tourism industry. You do not need any specific training to open a guest house or to manage a boutique hotel. A warm and hospitable personality will in most cases land you the job. This means that quite a lot of tourism players go about in an uninformed way, meaning that they make bad decisions and sometimes lose a lot of money on unnecessary or inappropriate ventures. There is also not really anywhere these business owners can go to for advice or knowledge, except if they find themselves a mentor.
I have thus changed my mind. This book is a great practical guide for entrepreneurs and newcomers. It is an affordable option to up your knowledge, and it can be done quickly.
I will even go so far as to say that it is a good refresher for all of us who have worked in tourism for many years. We get so engulfed by deadlines, budgets, expectations, travel schedules and e-mails that we sometimes forget the basics. The customer is king. Do not follow a shotgun approach, but know your markets, and segment your marketing accordingly. Decide on a plan, and follow it. Do not get distracted. The list goes on.
I particularly like the templates which the author introduces at the back of the book. It really becomes a step-by-step guide, as promised in the intro on the back cover.
I would have liked more visuals, and maybe examples of successful campaigns, advertisements, websites, etc. I understand the practicalities behind that, but it would make the book more interesting, and make it feel less like a school textbook.
I still do not think that this book alone will be the cause of a revolution in South Africa’s tourism. I do think that combined with governmental support, educational bodies including the book in their curriculum, a roadshow by Shaun, and professionals downloading the e-book, this book could have a very positive effect on the way we tackle tourism and run our organisations as well as small and big businesses. Read it, pass it on to your staff, order copies for local tourism departments and donate it to schools. Let’s all work together to bring the world to South Africa.
Annareth Bolton, CEO of Stellenbosch Wine Routes