Reinvent experiences for repeat visit
COMPANIES tend
to rely significantly
on a strategic
selection of value-formoney
destinations
when it comes to their
incentive programmes,
challenging agents to
create wow experiences
for an incentive group that
may be experiencing a
destination for a second
time.
According to Cathie
Bester, national sales
manager of World Leisure
Holidays, the motivational
value of an incentive will not change
simply because it is held in a repeat
destination.
“You could even go to the same
hotel with the same group and have a
completely different experience.”
In fact, Beachcomber says it has a
large percentage of repeat groups from
South Africa. “Sometimes the company
will actually extend the vote to the
employees and many times they ask
for Mauritius once again,” says Enid
Maullin, Beachcomber Tours group
sales executive.
She says it’s about what the hotel
can offer, the facilities at the resort
and, ultimately, client satisfaction.
“That’s what keeps them
returning.”
The experience must
be sold correctly though,
says Alexis Bekker, head
of sales and marketing –
South Africa and Africa of
LUX* Resorts & Hotels.
“When agents introduce
their clients to new
resorts and hotels and
highlight what they can
offer that the clients may
not have experienced
elsewhere before, then
the interest is very much
there. It is no secret that
you can revisit the same destination
repeatedly and still have new and
different experiences each time.”
Enid says Mauritius, in particular, still
has a lot to offer corporates. “We have
had a fantastic 2016 when it comes to
groups and incentives.”
She says when corporates compare
Mauritius with other destinations that
don’t offer all-inclusive, value-for-money
options, they tend to choose Mauritius.
“The primary request for groups from
South Africa is always all-inclusive,”
Enid says, adding that, together with
Beachcomber’s programmes on and off
site, the experience is still “wow and
exciting”.
The difference is in the details
Key is for agents to ensure that,
while the destination may be
repeated, the guest experience of
the destination remains unique,
says Alexis. “Ask the end client what
they have previously been offered
and ensure that you put forward
new and innovative touches to the
overall programme. This would entail
hotel selection, how you transfer the
guests, the activities on offer and
the dining experiences guests are
offered while visiting.”
Alexis points out that LUX*
offers a number of unique and
innovative touches that agents can
describe to their guests. “It could
be a ‘message in a bottle’, which
the gm puts out daily. Each bottle
holds a ‘message’ to the recipient
which could be a complimentary
massage, a private dinner for two
or a discount in the hotel boutique,”
she says.
LUX* also offers ‘tree of wishes’,
where guests are encouraged to
write a wish on a piece of paper and
tie it to a special tree. “Each year
the gm selects one wish and the
recipient receives a complimentary
return stay at the selected resort or
hotel where they placed their wish.
We believe that these small touches
are the details that create lasting
memories for our guests.”
Lezane Willemse, travel agent at
XL Bay Travel, says that including
special events in an itinerary can
also help add a different spin to an
incentive and give it that wow factor.
Examples, she says, include the
Halfmoon Festival in Thailand or
Carnival in Rio.
“Events like these enable
travellers to truly experience the vibe
and culture of a place.”
Branded items are another
way to make an incentive more
special, suggests Lezane. She says
organising small details such as
branded backpacks not only helps
make travellers feel special but
enables them to serve as a walking
advert for the company.
Book it!
Singapore Airlines is offering up to five free air tickets per group dependent on the size.
Each group must have a minimum of 16 passengers (16th passenger flies free). The
deal is valid for sale and travel until March 31, 2017.
Good- value options abound
FURTHER afield,
up-and-coming
destinations are
Vietnam, Laos and
Cambodia. “We are
experiencing an
increase in groups
heading to these
countries,” says
Sally George, market
development manager
of Singapore Airlines.
She says Thailand is
also a good value-formoney
destination.
Alexis Bekker
says the LUX*
portfolio is growing
and will see the group including
LUX* Phu Quoc in Vietnam as well
as LUX* Al Zorah in the UAE and
LUX* Bodrum in Turkey. “These
destinations are already attracting
significant interest from both the FIT
and the MICE markets, specifically
where corporates are looking for
alternatives, and fresh and exciting
adventures. These properties are set
to open late 2017 and already we
are seeing the demand grow.”
XL Bay Travel’s Lezane Willemse
says agents can often find packages
to India for half the price of similar
packages to Europe. She says the
country is incredibly diverse, offering
everything from beaches to lakes
and mountains. “India is so much
more than just the Taj Mahal.”
Incentive options that work well for
this destination include luxury train
trips, spiritual retreats and health
travel, suggests Lezane.
All-inclusive often works well for
groups in terms of value for money,
and the introduction of Robinson
Club to the South African market
earlier this year presents clients with
a whole new range of all-inclusive
options. PureTours gm, Greg Taylor,
says the new product range offers
excellent value-for-money packages
at Robinson Club Masmavi in
Antalya, Turkey; Robinson Club Agadir
in Morocco and Robinson Club
Quinta Dia Ria in Algarve, Portugal.
“These three properties are
all-inclusive with a focus
on outdoor activities –
golf, beach, water sports
– and, of course, a social
setting all under one
roof. There is also a wide
selection of additional
activities on offer such as
sundown cruises, beach
barbecues and more.”
Cruising is always
another great all-inclusive
incentive option and
Sabrina Allcock of
Discover the World, says
Princess Cruises caters
particularly well for
groups.
“The more popular destinations
are the Med and Asia, with Japan
becoming a sought-after cruising
destination as well.”
On the yachting side, she says
Variety Cruises offers options for the
Med, Cuba, Croatia, Spain, Portugal
and more.
Trafalgar’s CostSaver packages
are also a great way for agents to
offer clients both variety and value.
Trafalgar md, Theresa Szejwallo,
says the CostSaver Europe brochure
is full of great destinations at
unbeatable prices.
For example, guests can travel to
Italy for seven days, visiting Rome,
Florence and Venice on Trafalgar’s
‘Jewels of Italy’ for R14 510 per
person sharing.
“Alternatively they can take a tour
through Eastern Europe, starting
and ending in Frankfurt, visiting
Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest,
Vienna and Prague on our popular
‘Highlights of Bohemia’ option for
just R22 200 per person sharing,”
says Theresa.
She says Turkey is also still a
fabulous destination for groups
and incentives, offering superb
sightseeing and value for money.
Trafalgar’s ‘Wonders of Turkey’,
starting and ending in Istanbul and
visiting Ankara, Cappadocia, Konya,
Pamukkale, Izmir and Canakkale,
is priced at R15 050 per person
sharing.
Four days in Abu Dhabi
ABU Dhabi is an up-and-coming
destination for South African
MICE travellers. Jean Martins,
South Africa country manager of
the Tourism & Culture Authority
Abu Dhabi, says there are plenty
of activities to fill an incentive
itinerary. She suggests the
following:
Day one:
Arriving early morning, delegates
can take a two-hour transfer to
the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort.
This is not only a desert oasis
resort but a museum where
authentic Arabian artefacts are on
display. There they can take part
in sand sports, dune bashing and
traditional falconry. Afterwards,
delegates can have cocktails on
the Royal Pavilion under the stars
and indulge in Arabian cuisine
Bedouin style, yet in five-star
luxury.
Day two:
Groups can experience camel
trekking at dawn and watch the
sun rise over the Empty Quarter
dunes. After breakfast, they
can make their way back to the
city where they will have the
opportunity to take in the culture
of Abu Dhabi by visiting the
Heritage Village, Date Market and
the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
“Then have dinner at Saadiyat
Beach Club, an Ibiza-style private
beach club.”
Day three:
On day three, delegates can
visit world-class theme parks,
including Ferrari World, Yas
Waterworld, Legoland, Legoland
Water Park, Motiongate, Bollywood
and Riverland.
Alternatively, they can explore
the history of the world at the
Louvre Abu Dhabi or relax on
Yas Beach, one of Abu Dhabi’s
most popular beaches. Groups
can then have dinner at the
landmark Emirates Palace and
round off the evening with a goldleaf
cappuccino featuring the
company’s logo.
Day four:
The tour can end with an
experience on an Arabian Gulf
cruise on the Belevari catamaran.
“Guests can enjoy an on-board
dinner and sundowners after
frolicking in the warm Arabian
waters,” says Jean. She adds that
the Abu Dhabi skyline at night
is a unique experience in itself,
with magnificent views of the
Presidential Palace and Emirates
Palace.
Understand you client,s objective
IT’S important to understand a
client’s objectives before designing
an incentive to meet their needs.
“However, this is no easy task,”
says TCA Abu Dhabi’s Jean Martins,
“especially when the client may
not fully understand the objective
themselves.”
For this reason, a good incentive
consultant should be able to work
with their client to identify the goal
in question, says WLH’s Cathie
Bester, whether this is an incentive
for growing sales, rewarding staff or a
conference.
Jean says incentives are generally
to motivate employees to achieve
targets. “The reward at the end
should be a unique experience that
would generally not be available to the
average traveller.”
Once targets have been decided,
some corporates will even put several
tiers in place, notes Beachcomber’s
Enid Maullin. “For example, the gold
team will go to one destination and
the silver team to another destination.
The agent will then suggest some
exciting destinations and can also
assist with motivation for the team to
achieve these targets, using teasers
and the like.”
Alexis Bekker of LUX* says a
typical ‘A’ incentive might include
seven nights in an international
destination, a ‘B’ incentive four to five
nights in a regional destination and a
‘C’ incentive two to three nights in a
local hotel, lodge or resort. “This way
all staff know exactly what they are
aiming to achieve and their goals can
be strived for and attained,” she says.
Ultimately the goal of an incentive
is always the same, points out Greg
Taylor of PureTours. “To drive a
certain type of behaviour of a select
group for a certain period of time.”
He says it’s important for agents to
understand the corporate culture
and select a destination based on
that culture.
“Ensure you get an in-depth brief
and gain as much insight into the
corporate culture as possible.”
Aside from corporate culture,
Alexis says understanding the nature
of the incentive, the demographic
of the people travelling and the
personal preferences of the guests is
important.
“This will ensure a tailor-made
programme that covers the needs
of the entire group and the company
hosting the incentive.”
For example, she says, for ladies
agents could focus on the LUX*
Me range of products and offer
spa treatments and personalised
yoga sessions. Alternatively, for car
enthusiasts they could arrange an
interesting island rally that highlights
all things ‘motor orientated’, suggests
Alexis. “For couples, LUX* can offer
unique cooking classes or exclusive
rum tastings. Anything is possible if
we know what the expectation is.”
Ask the right questions!
DESIGNING the right
incentive for your
clients always comes
down to asking the
right questions.
“Agents should
not be afraid to ask
direct, qualifying
questions,” says
Alexis Bekker. “If
the agents and all
participating suppliers
have a clear, concise
brief to work with,
then all parties can
put forward their
personal suggestions
and expertise.
This will ensure that the overall
programme presented to the client
is a success.”
Trafalgar’s Theresa Szejwallo
says the right questions should
include: What do the clients want
to achieve? What do they want to
see? What have they done before?
What kind of budget do they have?
Jean Martins advises agents to
ask the following: Is it a unique
experience? Agents need to
incorporate wow factors in their
itinerary. Does the thought that
went into the planning, adequately
recognise the hard work that went
into reaching their targets?
“Little things count a lot – make
your travellers feel special,” says
Jean. What will recipients learn
from this experience and how will
they apply that knowledge to the
advancement of the
organisation? Will
they return from this
trip motivated? She
points out that a
balanced itinerary
where attention to
detail is key, and
each person is made
to feel special, goes
a long way towards
motivating any team.
“Once the basics
are established
we can then offer
ideas and itineraries
and see which
options best suit
their needs,” says Theresa.
“I always believe in offering
more wow options, which don’t
necessarily have to cost a fortune,
and information regarding the
destinations – this gets the
guests excited about a destination
and the possibility of travelling
there.”
She says Trafalgar specialises
in a variety of group options,
from special-interest trips to
spiritual pilgrimage groups, school
groups and incentive groups,
to name a few. The operator
offers a brochure itinerary on
which it can offer a rand price
guarantee for the group or it
can put together a tailor-made
group itinerary according to the
group’s requirements, based on a
minimum of 20 passengers only.
Book It!
Robinson Club Maldives is offering reduced rates from R28 990pp sharing to
R24 690pp sharing. The rate includes return transfers from Malé by seaplane and
speedboat, seven nights in bungalow room with full board and select water sports.
Book it!
Southern Sun Maputo in Mozambique is offering festive season specials from US$190
(R2 610) per room per night in a sea-facing room, including breakfast. The special is
valid between December 16 and January 15 for a minimum two-night stay.
Address group admin challenges
MANUAL management of
group bookings is not only
time consuming but also
leaves room for error.
“Even though there is an
incredible amount of money
invested in group travel,
we continually observe
agents manually managing
multiple bookings for a
group through the use
of spreadsheets,” says
Yolandé Bouwer, gm
of Agentivity Southern
Africa. “Apart from the
intense manual labour this
demands, constant work
is also required to keep
spreadsheet data synced
with GDS data.”
She points out that
when it comes to data
recorded manually, there
are often gaps from a
tracking perspective.
“Because of this, there
are then inaccuracies
when reporting back to the
customer.”
The process of copying
and pasting data from the
GDS to a spreadsheet
also leaves room for
errors to creep in, says
Yolandé. “The agent may
occasionally not include
or capture all bookings
relevant to the event or
group.”
However, through the use
of technology, agents can
alleviate these challenges.
“We have a product called
Delegate Tracker that
keeps track of bookings
belonging to an event by
reading the qualified entry
in a booking. For a booking
to appear in a report the
agent makes a qualified
entry into the PNR once.
This automatically allows
the agent to get updated
reports on various bookings
without manually having
to synchronise data,” says
Yolandé. “It also means
updates and changes in
the GDS are automatically
reflected on the Delegate
Agentivity report without
manual intervention.”
Technology to more
effectively manage travel
policies also assists
agents to remain efficient.
Travelport Smartpoint
gives corporations and
corporate travel agencies
the ability to administer
travel policies, maintain
policy compliance,
preferences and travel
authorisation parameters,
says Robyn Christie, gm of
Travelport South Africa. “We
also enable the integration
of corporate-negotiated
and tailored travel content
and rates into our booking
workflow, which is a clear
differentiated capability
compared with our
competitors.”
Regarding payments,
Travelport has pioneered a
secure, cost-effective and
automated B2B payment
alternative to the traditional
inefficient and costly
methods for travel agencies
to pay travel providers.
“Our pioneering B2B
payments solution,
eNett, replaces cash
and other traditional
payment methods with
secure, virtual and prefunded
payment cards,
which eliminate credit
or bankruptcy risk, lower
administrative costs
(due to significantly
reduced time spent on
reconciliation), and lower
the spread for foreign
currency payments,”
says Robyn.
Managing grooup expectatoins
expectations
Understanding a
property’s unique
offering and
capabilities is key for
agents to ensure a
good experience for
conference attendees,
says Helen de Chalain,
marketing manager
of the Birchwood
Hotel and OR Tambo
Conference Centre. She
offers helpful tips for
agents booking group
conferences.
1.A good relationship
with your contact at
the hotel is vital.
2.Get information from
as many members
of the group as
possible to better
understand their
needs. The intention
here is to match the
group to hotel to
manage expectations.
Not knowing your
group’s needs and
expectations will
result in dissatisfied
guests.
3.Identify the
constraints of the
group in terms of
budget, availability
and size. Again,
knowing what the
hotel offers and
how well suited the
group are to the hotel
will ensure a good
experience all round.
4.Remain unbiased
when helping the
group through their
selections. The
itinerary should
include activities
because they are
right for the group,
not because you have
ties with particular
businesses.
5.Ensure your client
understands that
cheaper isn’t always
better and that
standard options can
often be better value
for money.
6.Become area
savvy. Researching
travel routes, local
attractions, hotel
offering and the like
ensures you are able
to provide your client
with the best possible
experience and in turn
ensures that the hotel
is right for your client.
What's new in Cape Town...
New eateries
1. The Village Idiot!
Situated on Loop Street
in Central Cape Town, The
Village Idiot! describes
itself as “a true inner-city
neighbourhood restaurant
and bar”. Opened by the
owners of Aces & Spades,
the restaurant offers live
music, pool table, local food
and a wide selection of
beers. The menu features
proudly South African
cuisine served across
starters, braai boards and
Tata Ma sides. Dishes
include Taxi Wings, West
Coast Mussel Potjie, Mrs
Ball’s Boerewors Burgers,
Seafood Sosaties, Grilled
Mielies and Chakalaka, to
name a few.
2.Jason Bakery
Located on Bree Street,
this artisanal bakery also
serves fresh meals, and
has an ever-changing
blackboard menu. Also
known for its coffee,
Jason Bakery is a popular
breakfast spot, with egg
and chorizo tartlets and
bacon croissants on
the menu. At lunch, the
restaurant serves a range
of sandwiches and is
famous for its burgers and
cheesecake.
3.The Culture club cheese shop
Opened in April 2015,
Culture Club Cheese is
an artisanal cheese and
fermented food store, run
by a cheesemaker from the
UK who relocated to Cape
Town. The shop sells more
than 50 types of cheese,
along with bread, coffee,
charcuterie and condiments,
and also includes an on-site
restaurant. Most of the menu
items feature cheese as the
main ingredient, from soufflés
to toasted sandwiches.
4. Sunday Lunch at African Pride 15 on Orange Hotel
African Pride 15 on
Orange Hotel, situated
in Cape Town’s city
centre, has introduced
special Sunday lunches.
The menu includes beef
carpaccio, oysters, a
range of salmon dishes,
fresh tuna, mussels,
prawns and venison, along
with an endless supply
of bottomless bubbly –
Graham Beck MCC – at
no additional charge. The
Sunday lunch is served on
the first Sunday of every
month at a cost of R495pp.
For those that prefer
privacy, there is a private
dining room available.
5. Full Moon Dinners at The Westin
The Westin’s ON19
Restaurant, situated on the
19th floor of the hotel, is the
location for a series of Full
Moon Dinners. As guests
arrive, the event host and
astrologer, Dianne Garven,
explains the symbolic
meaning of the full moon
for that month, before
dinner is served.
The menu has been crafted
to the theme of ‘farm to
table’, with dishes like glazed
salmon trout, charred beef
fillet and vegetarian tortellini,
complemented by Avondale’s
La Luna wines. Patrons each
receive a personalised birth
chart.
New activities
6. Bree Street and First Thursdays
Over the course of the past
year, Bree Street in Cape
Town’s CBD has undergone a
revival with a wave of trendy,
artisanal food shops, bars
and restaurants opening for
business. The street is also
the centre of a new initiative,
called First Thursdays, where
on the first Thursday of every
month, the city’s art galleries
and cultural attractions stay
open late and offer special
night-time experiences. The
event is completely free, with
no structured tour and no
schedule to follow. Organisers
provide a map and highlights
of what is on show and from
there it is up to you.
7. Table Mountain night rides
AWOL Tours has begun
offering mountain biking on
Table Mountain at night.
Rides start at 19h00 with
the option of transfers from
hotels prior to departure.
Guests are kitted out
with an AL129 Momsem
mountain bike with front
suspension, hydraulic disc
brakes and 29-inch wheels,
along with a helmet and
front handlebar light of
980 lumens. Routes are
typically between 12km and
18km long, and last about
two hours, with some hill
climbing, depending on the
group’s fitness levels. Tours
depart on Tuesdays and
Thursdays with a minimum
group size of four cyclists.
8. HintHunt
Situated in The Old Biscuit
Mill in Woodstock, HintHunt
is a new activity where small
groups (between three and
five participants) are given
one hour to solve a series of
puzzles and mysteries in order
to escape from a locked room.
9. Jump Around
This trampoline park
is situated in Paarden
Eiland. Jackie Pollok, of
Capexec Exclusive Tours,
recommends that groups
complete the indemnity
form online prior to arrival,
and check the website for
the time slots allocated
to younger participants.
“A series of well-placed
trampolines on the floors
and walls provide over
an hour of energetic fun,
accompanied by pumping
music.
Introduce some action!
SPEAK to any expert
in the team-building
business and they will
tell you that the most
successful events are
those that incorporate
elements of action and
adventure.
Team building should
never force the corporate
agenda, says Tracey
Lourens, creative
director at TeambuildSA.
“Team building is
about improving the
corporate environment.
It undoubtedly improves
communication, increases
collaboration and
delivers more engaged
employees,” she says.
“The best way of achieving
that is often by taking the
‘corporate’ out of it.”
It is one of the reasons
why the more active and
adventurous activities
are gaining ground. “It
is so far removed from
the ordinary work day
that people are naturally
encouraged to work
together,” she explains.
Adventure also means
creating memories. “When
you are doing something
slightly out of the ordinary,
out of one’s comfort zone,
it does become more
memorable and therefore
more impactful,” says
Tracey.
There is also a definite
move towards being
more health conscious,
according to Shantal
Morsner, gm of Beyond
Teambuilding. “Requests
for physical activities
focusing on a healthier
lifestyle have increased,”
she says. “People want to
be active and get moving,
preferably outdoors.”
Don't be too extreme
Tracey says while
adventurous types of
activities, as well as more
healthy and active events,
are gaining ground, being
too extreme should be
avoided. “It is all well
and good to go bungee
jumping together as team
but what is the purpose?
Sure, the individual might
be pushing boundaries
and addressing fears, but
what is the shared team
experience?”
Both Tracey and Shantal
say there is far more
value in doing a physical
activity where the team
have to work together
as a group to achieve a
specific goal.
The odd one out
No matter what teambuilding
activity is chosen,
it is nearly impossible
to cater for everyone’s
personal tastes, says
Shantal. “The same goes
for the more adventurous
and physical activities.
Not everyone wants to be
active,” she says.
“In determining what
activity is chosen for
any designated group,
it is important to take
the demographics of the
team into consideration
and team-building
organisations will develop
a programme that meets
the needs of everyone at
some point or another.”
According to Tracey,
combining physical
prowess with mental
ability is very important.
“A mixed bag of activities
ensures that the introvert
and the extrovert in the
group, the active and
the non-active, are all
participating in one form
or another.”
She says corporates
choosing teambuilding
activities need to
therefore think carefully
about the goals they want
to achieve. “If it is just
about getting out of the
office and getting sweaty,
then those who hate
physical activity should
have the option of doing
something else.
“But if one is wanting
to achieve some real
workplace results and
improve the team,
then a combination of
activities that cater for
the entire group must be
developed.
Budget-friendly team-building ideas
1. Treasure hunts
Treasure hunts can be
challenging and fun,
while also ensuring
the team are out in the
fresh air getting some
physical activity while
working together.
These don’t necessarily
have to take place at an
expensive venue and can
be in a public park or
venue.
2. Drumming
This is one of the most
efficient ways to get
a team to work more
efficiently together and
to break down barriers.
Drumming is a fun and
interactive session
that can be very cost
effective. It’s a noncompetitive
activity
that allows the
creative juices to flow.
3. Obstacle courses
This traditional teambuilding
activity remains
a budget-friendly option
that delivers real
results. With many of
these courses designed
specifically around
team-building events,
each barrier or obstacle
usually represents a
microcosm of barriers
found in the workplace,
challenging teams to find
solutions.
4. Volunteer
Coming together as a
group to do something
charitable for the less
fortunate is a powerful
way of connecting the
group. From working at
a local soup kitchen
to painting a school or
fixing the roof of an oldage
home, the options
are endless and allow
the team to use their
various skills to make a
difference in the lives of
others.
5. Survivor
Most people are
familiar with the popular
television series that
tests the survival
instinct. This teambuilding
initiative is
all about attitude and
the will to succeed
and allows teams to
work together very
closely. It is suitable
for all ages and is
extremely interactive.
Relationship building
is a central theme,
while aspects such
as problem solving,
resilience, time
management and trust
are addressed.
Four great teambuilds at Vic Falls
1. The Elephant Café & River Meander
Cross the famous bridge from
Zimbabwe into Zambia for a
magical experience unlike any
other, says Glen Byrom, who
adds that it can be custompackaged
to suit different
groups from 20 to 50 people.
The day kicks off with
a 30-minute jetboat trip
exploring the Zambezi
channels for wildlife. This is
followed by the arrival of a
small herd of domesticated
elephants and guests can
enjoy time interacting with
them, says Glen. “Then it’s
a sumptuous gourmet lunch
on the exquisite Elephant
Café deck that juts into the
Zambezi, while the elephants
wander nearby.”
He says it is an ideal
teambuilding activity,
thanks to the many creative
adaptations that can be
devised from it. It can also
be lengthened or shortened
depending on who is
participating and what
the goals are.
“Raft floats, travelling
downstream, can also be
used to reach the venue.
While on the river, in rafts or
jet boats, various scavengerhunt
elements can be
included. For bigger budgets,
the return transfer can be
aboard a luxury vintage
steam train,” he says. “It’s a
unique activity that combines
several enticing and
surprise elements offering
all the great elements of
Vic Falls – elephants, the
river, its channels, including
immediately above the Falls,
and gourmet meals.”
White- water rafting
The Zambezi River is
acclaimed as one of the
finest white-water rafting
destinations in the world.
“Corporates can choose
between a half-day
(12 rapids) or full-day
(23 rapids) itinerary,
depending on the amount
of time they want to spend
on the river,” he says. And
if ever a team needed to
work together this would
be the place, as whitewater
rafting in this part of
the world includes some
Grade 5 rapids, he adds.
“The names of some of
the rapids give you an
idea of what to expect –
Oblivion and Stairway to
Heaven to name just two,”
says Glen. “Organisations
can brand the rafts with
their logos and set up
challenges along the way.
3. Canoe and confrence
“Give us something unique
and wow” is often what
corporates say when
heading out of the office for
a teambuilding or meeting.
“More often than not, they just
end up meeting in a traditional
air-conditioned room with the
usual flags and bunting flying
their logo in a location that is
not their office,” says Glen.
“At Vic Falls we tend to do
teambuilding and conferencing
slightly differently.” Setting out
from a remote spot up river on
the Zambezi in either canoes
or rafts, delegates can enjoy
the tranquillity and beauty
of this eco-wonderland, with
guides pointing out the birds
and wildlife along the way.
“They disembark on a small
island and trudge through the
raw jungle to a conference setup,
but there are no podiums,
no whiteboards, no powerpoints
or technology,” he says.
“This is an amazingly inspiring
offer at Victoria Falls because
it is one of a kind. To entice
delegates further we surprise
them with Paul Connolly, a
modern-day David Livingstone
and solo explorer of the
remotest rivers of Africa. He
exudes charisma and passion
and takes participants into
this African wonderland. This
canoeing excursion is further
sweetened by the arrival of
some elephants with whom
participants can interact.
4. Interactive drumming and bush dinner
Africa is the drum continent
of the world and drumming
is a fundamental way to
celebrate success, prepare
for battle or relax, says Glen.
Drumming as a teambuilding
exercise is a popular offering
at Victoria Falls. Groups
are guided by facilitators,
who, with instructions,
hand movements and
drum beating, get the full
group – each with their own
traditional African drum –
beating. “This evolves to
a point where there are
different drum patterns or
beats for different sections
of the group – and a
tapestry of individual, yet
complementary sounds, are
woven.”
