Jowsco's DMC briefs the trade on World Summit prep

"THE successful staging of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) next year will be a blueprint for Johannesburg - which still needs to prove itself against a city such as Durban - which has already successfully staged massive global events. So says Wayne Riddell, ceo of Global Conferences, Jowsco's (Johannesburg World Summit Company) newly-appointed Destination Management Company (DMC). At a meeting held at the Sandton Convention Centre last week Thursday and aimed at all accommodation providers in zones three to five (there are 10 accommodation zones in all), Riddell said his company will be responsible for a variety of functions including: ticketing, airport transfers, hotel accommodation , organising day tours, conferences and board rooms at hotels and electronic registration. Global Conferences' executive director, Brian McDonald said the company will be utilising events management software developed in Australia called 'Events Pro'. According to him, the software enables delegates to register online, undertake safe online bookings (after which the delegate's details are forwarded to the National Intelligence Agency for screening) and an invoice is then issued electronically to the delegate. He added that a temporary website went online today (Monday) at www.joburgsummit2002.com which lists main hotels, while smaller accommodation establishments are categorised according to the delegates' specifications (eg: is close to a place of worship or shops, has a gym facility, smoking or non smoking room, is a family establishment etc). "Any establishment bookings not made with the DMC will not be accredited by Jowsco because all delegates must be screened," said McDonald. He said rates had to be fair and acceptable to the trade and to the delegates, avoiding hidden costs. In terms of this, provisional standard terms and conditions were introduced to the trade which included the following: * There should be a setting of maximum rates; * A suggestion to use the rack rate as of Nov 2001, plus inflation at maximum of 10%; * Commissionable including VAT, Tourism Levy (1%), credit card and other charges (such as merchants' fee and DMC's 10% commission); * Deposits must be paid (at between 30-40% of total accommodation cost) and be received within 21 days of booking; * US$ payments will be converted at rate of exchange on date of payment; * DMC to compile payment at the end of each month and pay over to hotels by no later than the 21st of following month; * Balance of payments to be paid no later than June 30, 2002. McDonald emphasised that the DMC will attempt to accommodate third world delegates who may not be able to make bookings over the Internet. "We are prepared to use other alternatives such as fax transmissions and mail, but will under no circumstances, accept telephone bookings." The DMC will manage approximately 65 000 beds in Gauteng. (Miguel de Sousa)