Tourism Tattler Issue 1 of 2018

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HOSPITALITY Tourism Grading Council Introduces New Discounts South African tourism establishments can save up to 90% on the cost of grading from 1 February 2017 and receive all the benefits of being star-graded, thanks to changes to the Tourism Grading Support Programme. From February this year, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) will be administering this programme and introducing attractive new discounts to bring new players into the system while incentivising existing members to maintain their grading status. The programme was introduced by the National Department of Tourism (NDT) in 2015 to encourage more accommodation establishments and venues to become graded, while empowering emerging players and accelerating the transformation of the sector. “We welcome this important oversight role entrusted to us by the department, which will further help remove the barriers – chiefly, cost – that may be preventing particularly smaller businesses from becoming graded,” said Sisa Ntshona, CEO of South African Tourism. “We hope the attractive discounts will incentivise them to become a member of the TGCSA family and enjoy the many benefits of being graded, from enhanced visibility by being listed on the Grading Council’s website to its extensive Basket of Benefits. The public will benefit from having more star-graded options to choose from, and the tourism businesses themselves will now find it more affordable to be graded and become a formal part of the tourism ecosystem.” The TGCSA allocates star gradings to establishments based on their service offerings, providing local and international visitors with an internationally benchmarked assurance of quality. The pilot phase of the programme, which forms part of the department’s Tourism Incentive Programme, offered rebates on the grading assessment fees paid to the TGCSA. The rebate system will now be replaced by an upfront discount on assessment fees as part of the TGCSA’s improved online grading application process. The changes mean that graded establishments can save up to 90% of their membership fees for a period of three years if they meet programme criteria (such as tax and BBBEE compliance) and are Tourism Levy South Africa (TOMSA) members. The 1% TOMSA levy collected by accommodation and meetings establishments is used to augment South African Tourism’s annual budget allocation to market South Africa. For more information on the project, visit tourism.gov.za or contact: Nelisiwe Yengwa Mputle Seloane Operations Manager TGCSA Programme Director NDT 011 895 3000 012 444 6429 nelisiwe@tourismgrading.co.za mseloane@tourism.gov.za 24 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal Quarter 1 2018 Jan/Feb/Mar Frequently Asked Questions Q: Who will qualify for the discounted grading? A: All establishments who meet the qualifying criteria can access the discount either at point of initial application or upon renewal of membership. Q: Do I have to courier the tax clearance certificate to the TGCSA? A: The tax clearance certificate has to be uploaded online as part of a new application or renewal application for all establishments who want to access the discount. Q: Do I have to comply with all conditions of the discount in order to qualify? A: Yes, all conditions are mandatory to qualify for the discount. Q: When does the discount commence? A: All discounts will be applied effective 01 February 2018 for NEW and RENEWAL membership applications. Q: What happens if I have not yet paid my invoice, will you apply the discount before I make payment? A: All discounts will be applied effective 01 February 2018 for NEW and RENEWAL membership applications that meet the qualifying criteria. Q: What happens if I don’t meet some or all the conditions for the discount? A: Establishments must meet ALL the requirements in order to qualify for the discounted grading fee. Failure to meet any of these requirements will result in the standard membership fees being applicable.
Grow your business, earn your stars and get up to 90% off. Visit www.tourismgrading.co.za Jan/Feb/Mar Quarter 1 2018 Tourism Tattler Trade Journal 25 10027388_TGCSA 2018_Q1 Trade_297x216_01.indd 1 2018/03/28 3:11 PM
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Tourism Tattler Issue 1 of 2018

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