The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) has announced that it is planning to create a separate Game Lodge category in its revised grading system.

Thekiso Rakolojane, Marketing & Communications Manager at TGCSA, says during the consultation process to finalise the current grading criteria, all lodges were given an opportunity to provide feedback on the existing criteria. “The feedback allowed us to amend the existing criteria according to industry requirements. It also informed us of the fact that it was crucial for a separate game lodge category to be created. We have just gone out on tender to find the right partner to assist us with the consultation with the game lodge industry.”

Industry players claim the current system of grading game lodges in South Africa is vastly inaccurate as it doesn’t reflect the game lodge experience as a whole. The TGCSA has always classified the lodge category under “a formal accommodation facility providing full or limited services, located in natural surroundings beyond that of the immediate garden area”. For an establishment to be graded in this category it had to have an activity linked to the accommodation establishment (either a game drive, wildlife etc.). The star rating was, however, only based on the accommodation establishment and not the activity.

Allison Kennedy, md Game Lodge Destinations, says: “I personally don’t feel that the current grading system is honest and true to the game lodge industry. There are five-star game lodges and then there are true five-star game lodges. To me, the lodges should also be graded on the quality of their guides, vehicle seating capacity, traversing size of land and wildlife, game drive snacks etc. – not only on the accommodation aspect.”

Herbie Rosenberg, AfricaReps, says this debate has been ongoing for the past 15 years. “About 15 years ago I sat on the grading committee as a director of Sabi Sabi Game Reserve and these were precisely the issues that were raised.” Rosenberg cites the example of a ‘back to basics’ tented camp in the Timbavati. “This simply cannot be star graded based on the accommodation but the experience of the guest is beyond five star,” he says.

Grading lodges according to their own criteria would be ideal but it is also unrealistic, says Jackie Diack, marketing and reservations Tau Game Lodge. “Game loges offer a completely different experience from a hotel and therefore should be judged completely differently, but the practicality and reality of the situation make this a difficult distinction.” She explains that there are too many external factors influencing a game experience, such as weather conditions and seasons as well as environmental factors such as, for example, a recent fire. “Simply including quality of sightings would make the grader’s job very complicated or require him to trust information supplied by the lodge or park itself, which would then lessen the objectivity of his final evaluation."

Grading game viewing is just too subjective as a lot has to do with luck, says Brett Thomson, marketing director Africa on Foot. “Advertising a five-star game viewing experience is setting yourself up for a lot of issues.” According to Thomson, there needs to be more education for guests of what the game viewing and wildlife experience is.

For others, the entire star grading system is obsolete.Chris McIntyre, md Expert Africa, says: “I view grading systems as things that were really useful 30 years ago when there was often no other info available about a place than its grading.” He says potential visitors can now find details of almost any lodge, with comments, pictures and traveller reviews on any one of dozens of Internet sites. “I’d like to see the whole thing scrapped so that hoteliers can spend their time and money improving their visitors’ experience rather than worrying if they will tick enough boxes to gain a certain star rating.”

Rakolojane admits that the former grading system was confusing and set false expectations. “Due to its inconsistency and vagueness, assessors were able to interpret it as they saw fit, which resulted in differing levels of quality within graded establishments. The current grading system seeks to correct that very problematic practice.” He says the new system will bring uniformity and credibility to the grading system and will thus impact positively on tourism.

These tips are a selection from Steve Pavlina’s blog and other sources, combined to make my all time favourite list.

1. Worst first.  To defeat procrastination learn to tackle your most unpleasant task first thing in the morning instead of delaying it until later in the day.  This small victory will set the tone for a very productive day.
2. Peak times.  Identify your peak cycles of productivity, and schedule your most important tasks for those times.  Work on minor tasks during your non-peak times.
3. Timeboxing.  Give yourself a fixed time period, like 30 minutes, to make a dent in a task.  Don’t worry about how far you get.  Just put in the time.
4. Agendas.  Provide clear written agendas to meeting participants in advance.  This greatly improves meeting focus and efficiency.  You can use it for phone calls too.
5. Pareto.  The Pareto principle is the 80-20 rule, which states that 80% of the value of a task comes from 20% of the effort.  Focus your energy on that critical 20%, and don’t overengineer the non-critical 80%.
6. Slice and dice.  Break complex projects into smaller, well-defined tasks.  Focus on completing just one of those tasks. Chunk it down!
7. Single-handling.  When you're faced with a pile of things to do, go through them quickly and make a list of what needs doing and when. After this handle each piece of paper only once. Do not under any circumstances pick up a job, do a bit of it, then put it back on the pile.
8. Challenge your own tendency to say 'yes' without scrutinising the request - start asking and probing what's involved - find out what the real expectations and needs are. Really think about how you currently spend your time. If you don't know, keep a time log for a few days. Knowing exactly what's wrong is the first step to improving it.
9. Do not start lots of jobs at the same time - even if you can handle different tasks at the same time it's not the most efficient way of dealing with them, so don't kid yourself that this sort of multi-tasking is good - it's not.
10. Realize that time management is a myth. No matter how organized we are, there are always only 24 hours in a day. Time doesn't change. All we can actually manage is ourselves and what we do with the time that we have

‘That’ vs. ‘Which’: Easy tips for determining when to use each word
By Laura Hale Brockway | 

Recently, I edited a lengthy article written by a fairly experienced author. The article was well written, but there was one problem—“that” and “which” were used incorrectly in most sentences. This is hardly surprising; in my experience knowing when to use “that” versus when to use “which” is one of the most confusing usage issues.

The reason for the confusion?

Those who try to explain their use invariably launch into an explanation using terms such as relative pronouns, subordinate clauses, restrictive clauses, and nonrestrictive clauses. If you’re not asleep after this explanation, then you’re more confused than ever.

I am now going to explain the use of “which” and “that” without using any of these sedating, bewildering terms. But I warn you, this is a tough one. Keep your wits about you.

“That” and “which” are pronouns used to introduce clauses in a sentence. Their use allows writers to combine sentences and avoid choppy prose. For example:

• Our customers were confused by the instructions. + They were not written very clearly. = The instructions, which were not written very clearly, confused our customers.

• The article was clearly plagiarized. + It was removed from the publication. = The article that was clearly plagiarized was removed from the publication.

The confusion sets in when it comes to deciding which pronoun to use—“that” or “which.” They are not interchangeable. And they should certainly never be mixed for the sake of word variation.

One way of deciding whether to use “that” or “which” is to determine if the clause in question can be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence. If the clause can be omitted, use “which.” If the clause cannot be omitted, use “that.”

“The article that was clearly plagiarized was removed from the publication.”

“That” is used in this sentence because “that was clearly plagiarized” tells the reader which article was removed: The one that was plagiarized.

“The instructions, which were not written very clearly, confused our customers.”

In this case, “which” is used in this sentence because you can remove the clause “which were not written very clearly” without changing the meaning of the sentence. Another way to remember which word to use—always use “that” unless you could justifiably place a comma before the clause. “Which” always mandates the use of a comma.

“The fact that he could not write, which was apparent to anyone who read his work, seemed to escape him.”

You need a comma after the word “write,” so use “which.”

This is all seems fairly straightforward. However, many writers (including me) are often confused when it comes to deciding whether a clause is necessary. This is most likely the result of over-thinking. But that’s an issue we can tackle in another post.

A version of this story first appeared on the author’s blog Impertinent Remarks.

This article by Tristan Loo gives great insight into dealing with difficult customers and offers practical advice on how to defuse a potentially aggresive conversation.

Worth the read! To read the full article click here.

So, it would seem a bed is not just a bed!? And who would have known we all sleep so differently?

Perfect sleep is hotels' priority
BS Reporter / New Delhi 

At a time when getting a good night’s sleep seems to be the greatest luxury for travellers, hotels across the world are making sure they provide the right combination of bed, pillows and aroma to induce the perfect sleep for their customers.

A study conducted by Hotels.com on the sleeping patterns of travellers across the world has shown that Indians are concerned over the quality of the mattress in their rooms more than tourists of many other nationalities. A majority of Indian travellers (75 per cent) say the quality of sleep in a hotel is always dependent on the hotel bed. Almost 62 per cent of the respondents feel the mattress is either too hard or too soft, and 25 per cent say dirty sheets affect the quality of their sleep.

Alison Couper, global communications director, Hotels.com, said, “When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep at a hotel, it is clear that it is not one-size-fits-all.”

The study even went on to explore the sleeping styles of people of different nationalities. “One in three Asian travellers, particularly those from Hong Kong, China and Korea, lay like a starfish. Almost one in four Europeans, on the other hand, prefer to sleep like a log. For Indian travellers, the most popular position to fall asleep is a tie between ‘folded on your side’ and ‘on your back with your legs crossed,” the study said.

According to the study, in order to get sound sleep, over half the travellers surveyed chose to watch TV, while over a third prefer a spot of reading before lights out. British and Irish travellers bucked the trend, with one in four British and one in three Irish travellers preferring a night cap to help them doze off at night. One in 10 (12 per cent) Australian travellers admitted to taking a sleeping tablet to guarantee a good night’s sleep.

I find the study of body language quite fascinating ... all part of my quest to learn how to communicate more effectively. Hope you enjoy this article.


The six universal facial expressions - recognized around the world

 It is now generally accepted that certain basic facial expressions of human emotion are recognized around the world - and that the use and recognition of these expressions is genetically inherited rather than socially conditioned or learned.

While there have been found to be minor variations and differences among obscurely isolated tribes-people, the following basic human emotions are generally used, recognized, and part of humankind's genetic character:

These emotional face expressions are:

• Happiness
• Sadness
• Fear
• Disgust
• Surprise
• Anger

Charles Darwin was first to make these claims in his book The Expressions of the Emotions in Man and Animals, published in 1872. This book incidentally initially far outsold The Origin of Species, such was its wide (and controversial) appeal at the time.

Darwin's assertions about genetically inherited facial expressions remained the subject of much debate for many years.

In the 1960s a Californian psychiatrist and expert in facial expressions, Paul Ekman, (with Sorenson and Friesen - see references) conducted and published extensive studies with people of various cultures to explore the validity of Darwin's theory - that certain facial expressions and man's ability to recognize them are inborn and universal among people. Ekman's work notably included isolated tribes-people who could not have been influenced by Western media and images, and essentially proved that Darwin was right - i.e., that the use and recognition of facial expressions to convey certain basic human emotions is part of human evolved nature, genetically inherited, and not dependent on social learning or conditioning.

Below is some Hotel Trend Spotting from the hospitality public relations and marketing firm, Andrew Freeman & Co. His team has scouted the industry’s hottest trends to make their 2011 trend list.

Mood Lighting. Digital art is making its way into guest rooms and public spaces, and lighting can be customized easily to provide an actively changing point of interest during an event. Displays can be swapped out seasonally, or altered to match the mood, theme or time of day.

When We Say Relax, We Mean It. Hotels are shedding their formal layers and opting for more casual wear. AF&Co. predicts that it’s only a matter of time before hosts and concierges ditch full-fledged uniforms and adopt a casual corporate dress code, such as jeans, branded shirts or blazers, coupled with relaxed, friendly service.

Heavy Petting. Dogs are quickly becoming the new kids, and hotels are increasingly offering dog-walking services, pet food and a menu of in-room amenities. Hotel Palomars nationwide have put a sign in the lobby that introduces in-house pets.

The 2011 Collection. Hospitality companies are partnering with hot fashion designers to create hotels with a fashionable edge. Guests should expect to see rooms and public spaces dressed like never before, such as Betsey Johnson’s Eloise Suite at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.

DYO Design. (Do your own) Hotels have added playful, artistic elements, like chalkboard walls and paint, to facilitate guest involvement.

So Long Slim Gyms. Workout centers will be more important, and spa partners and fitness gurus will be involved in the conceptualization.

Green or Envy. Many organizations now require their venues to offer green meetings or sustainable options. Freeman predicts that non-eco-friendly hotels will be envious of their greener counterparts. In-room amenities will be created from organic or all-natural ingredients and come in recyclable or biodegradable packaging.

Edible Arrangements. The 100-mile diet is moving into our arena. Spas are pulling ingredients from the kitchen for treatments, and hotels are offering farmers market tours and cooking classes.

For Eatsakes! Hotels are providing guests with a taste of their locale by selling customized and locally produced edible souvenirs.

Club Bed. Multi-use spaces that function as clubs and music venues are emerging in the hotel market. Jetsetting guests are drawn to the club scene and mix with locals at spots like San Francisco’s Infusion Lounge inside Hotel Fusion.

Bust a Movie. Hotels such as the Crosby Street Hotel in NYC and The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., feature movie theaters for private screening events, and movie nights for guests.

Book a Room. Creative sales and marketing teams have started brokering exclusive book deals, which can lead to on-site book launch parties as well as signature in-room reading. Hotels can hold book signings, install a lending library or rent e-readers with preloaded content.

Duvet-Vous Couchez Avec Moi. Many hotels in Europe have swapped full sheets with featherweight, slip-covered comforters. The swap cuts down on laundering as well as bed-making time, and also lends a clean and modern aesthetic to guest rooms. Expect to see more of them in the U.S.

Table Trends. Just as food prep evolved into the infamous tableside flambé, bartenders are moving from the bar to the imbiber. The Stanford Court Hotel in San Francisco offers tableside Bloody Marys at Aurea, and New York’s Surry Hotel offers a room-service bar cart from Bar Pleiades.

Credit App. The smart phone will soon become the center of all hotel operations. Guests will be able to check in and out, call for room service and enter their guest rooms with the swipe of a phone.