Widely recognized as the premier tourism service excellence awards in South Africa, the Welcome Awards selects winners in categories ranging from accommodation and tour operators to tourist attractions and travel agencies and features a judging panel comprised by notable experts in the South African tourism sector, as well as government leaders and other national business dignitaries.

At this year’s tourism Indaba which was held in Durban from the 7th to the 10th May, local tour operator Western Cape Tours was honored as winner at the prestigious South African Tourism Welcome Awards ceremony in the category Tour Operators – Operating less than 5 years and the main category – Best Tour Operator overall.

Finalists were chosen based on the following criteria:

• Adding value to customer expectations

• Commitments to excellence in serving customers and

• Exceeded expectations in terms of service offered

Over and above the specific criteria for each category, entrants will be judged on their ability to identify and meet visitor expectations. This includes price, living up to advertising claims and satisfying visitor expectations created by references. Entrants were also evaluated on the actual products or services they provided and the environment in which the service or product transactions took place. The assessments were weighted to place emphasis on the quality of service, and the attitudes and behavior of employees.

Suggested judging criteria

After careful consideration, the criteria used was based on the 4 most important areas which were applicable to all businesses and individuals in all categories:

• Making contact or booking of services

• Arrival/Service preparation

• The experience

• Departure or conclusion of service

The year’s top tourism performers were crowned Welcome Awards winners at a ceremony during INDABA 2011.

Welcome Awards 2011 winners

“Welcome is the catalyst to get South Africans talking about and embracing service excellence as a way of life – Mr. Pieter de Bruin, Head of Tourism: FNB Commercial, sponsors of Welcome Awards”.

The year’s most exceptional performers in the tourism industry were crowned at INDABA 2011. Established in 2005, the awards recognise and promote service excellence and innovation in the local tourism industry and have grown considerably over the years, with a total of 2,924 entries received for the 2011 awards – compared to 1,406 entries last year.  The overall winners across the 9 categories were selected for their consistency in delivering customer experiences that capture the warm South African welcome and service excellence standards that embody South Africa’s unique offering to local and international travelers.

Only eight operators in the whole of South Africa had been put forward for this prestigious award, and after interviewing previous guests only four companies made it to the finals in the subcategory Tour Operators – less than 5 years.

The winners were announced as:

Accommodation: The Cape Milner Hotel (Western Cape)

The award winning boutique hotel lies cradled beneath the majestic Table Mountain and is best known for its excellent service, a chic atmosphere and stunning interior décor.

Car Rental: Economic Car and Bakkie Hire (Eastern Cape)

Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events: The Plantation (Eastern Cape)

Restaurants: Hemingways Restaurant at Leriba Hotel and Spa (Gauteng)

Tour Operators: Western Cape Tours (Western Cape)

Western Cape Tours offers scheduled and personalised tours for small groups. You can travel in style by choosing from a selection of budget or luxury vehicles, or do a tour by motorbike.

Tourist Attractions: SAB World of Beer (Gauteng)

Tourist Guides: Greg Lederle (North West Province)

Travel Agencies: Sure Zorgvliet Travel (Gauteng)

Best Tourism Website (online): Sandton Sun Hotel (Gauteng)

South African Tourism CEO Thankdiwe January-McLean opened the ceremony by saying the Welcome Awards were critical in promoting a culture of service excellence within the tourism industry. “Our country’s reputation as a world-class destination is dependent not only on our tourism attractions, but on the quality of the service we provide to the local and international traveler. The winners and finalists of the Welcome Awards are the cream of the crop of our industry and we commend them for their efforts. Our people and their interaction with tourist is the differentiating factor of what sets South Africa apart, with the role of all stakeholders in the tourism industry critical to that success,” she said.

Pieter de Bruin, Head of Tourism at FNB Commercial and one of main sponsors of the awards, commented as follows: “The awards not only recognize service excellence in the tourism and hospitality industry, but the success stories we see each year are inspirational to all industries. The Welcome Awards are the catalyst to get South African talking about and embracing service excellence as a way of life,” he said.

You can view the official articles here