Pretoria - The Western Cape has proven to be the best in the country when it comes to tourism and hospitality after the province came tops during the inaugural Lilizela Tourism Awards held in Pretoria on Thursday night.
Close to 10 of the Western Cape luxury B&Bs and country houses won the honours for being the best in the country when it comes to service, comfort and customer satisfaction.
The Cape Grace hotel was voted the best five star hotel by the judges, beating the likes of Michael Angelo in Johannesburg.
The Lilizela Tourism Awards honour and celebrate those who make a remarkable impact on tourism in South Africa. The awards were launched at the Tourism INDABA 2013 by the Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. They will be South Africa’s premier travel and tourism awards and will recognise, celebrate and praise the excellent work of an industry that continues to sustain tourist arrivals growth to South Africa. Up to 864 entrants were received for this year’s event.
“If you excel, we receive good returns on our marketing investments. We build new markets, we create new jobs and grow our tourisms,” Van Schalkwyk told the winners at the prestigious ceremony.
He told the gathering that government understood that building and strengthening tourism required partnership.
“We can only grow together. To achieve excellence we all need to work together. Having a good location for a guesthouse or a hotel …, offering good transport and managing the establishment and assisting visitors is all part of the package,” Van Schalkwyk said.
He hailed the hospitality industry for its role to create jobs, adding that in a growing country like South Africa, the industry had enormous opportunities.
Some of the top winners in the five categories were Earth Bound B&B, Atlantic Point Backpackers, The Last Word Constantia, Dibik Caravan Park, Grand Dedale Country House all in the Western Cape.
Sherehood Lodge, Three Rivers Lodge and Hyde Park Villas took the honours for Gauteng. The Emperors Palace in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, won the award for best meeting and exhibition establishment.
City Hoppe in the Western Cape was voted the best operated business enterprise winning a whooping R100 000. – SAnews.gov.za
