THREE CITIES BROCHURE

FEATUR

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T H R E E C I T I E S M A N A G E M E N T

T hree Cities Management Ltd. was formed in 1988 as a hospitality group offering specialised

services in the tourism industry. The group today manages and markets over 30 quality tourism and leisure properties, three campuses of The International Hotel School (I.H.S), an Equestrian Academy and Africa’s largest Marine Theme Park – Durban’s uShaka Marine World. This has resulted in two distinct divisions.

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Three Cities Management is a leading hospitality

management company offering an extensive collection of hotels

throughout Southern Africa. By Ian Armitage

choice, hospitality

E x C E P T I O N A L

E x C E P T I O N A L

“Three Cities, is made up of two divisions, the one being the Operations Division and the other the International Hotel School,” says Divya Parshotam, Three Cities Group Brand Manager, tells South Africa Magazine. “At Exceptional Hotels, the Hotel Management Company, we believe our ability to adapt to an ever changing environment sets us aside from our competitors. The nature of a Management Company requires that it is constantly assessing its efficiencies against a background of service excellence and this is how our performance is measured.

“The synergy between the Hospitality Training division and the Operating Division, means that we always have access to focused and qualified personnel, further enhancing Three Cities ability to provide and exceptional experience to all its guests,” Parshotam adds. “We have recently changed our branding to reflect what our key focus is and that is Excellence. Words used to describe Three Cities are reliable, exciting, dependable, passionate and dedicated.”

Brand flexibility is one of Three Cities’ hallmarks, which allows each hotel to own and maintain its singular identity whilst being sold to the travel trade under a single, strong brand. Each property has its own individual personality and the hotels are combined through a common bond of service excellence of international standard, with quality appointed accommodation and facilities appropriate to each of the properties marketed.

“In tough economic times it has become essential to set yourself aside from your competitors if you are to be successful,” Parshotam says.

2011 was a tough year for the Industry in general and required Three Cities to re-asses its “modus operandi” in order to streamline operations in an ever increasingly competitive environment.

“A low point in the last year was having to rationalise some of the businesses under our control in order that they survive the tough economic times,” Parshotam says. “We consider it an achievement that despite this rationalisation process we have still managed maintain and enhance standard in all of our hotels.

“A high point in the last year was opening the Gateway Hotel in Umhlanga. There was a real focus on “Green” in the design and development phases of the Hotel and we are exceptionally proud of the end product and its low impact on the environment.

“The world having become a much smaller place in terms of travel and communication means that global events on a macro scale could influence us and our business on a micro scale,” Parshotam adds. “Instability in the Middle East,

Three Cities Management FEATURE

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lack of confidence in the Greek and Italian economies and Natural disasters all play a role in influencing our targets markets behaviour. This coupled with instant communications means that travel patterns can change dramatically and our challenge is to constantly be aware of potential changes so that we can offer alternative so as to maintain business levels.”

Three Cities represents some of Africa’s finest hotels, resorts, apartments and game lodges situated in the major tourist and business centres of Southern Africa.

In addition to these specialised management and marketing services, Three Cities has become the leader of private tertiary training and education for the hospitality industry in South Africa. “The I.H.S opened its doors in 1994 and has grown to become the largest private hospitality training provider in South Africa,” says Parshotam.

The school offers a range of industry related full and part-time courses, with three campuses for full time study located in Cape Town, Durban and Sandton, as well as a National Traineeship programme in which students ‘earn-while-they-learn’.

The courses are based on materials developed by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the world’s largest education and training resource for the industry.

“The Three Cities Group plays a major role in the future of the industry through its education and training facilities,” says Parshotam.

“We also have a theme park management company,” he adds.

That division was formed in 2002 and was formed with local empowerment and overseas partners to bid for and manage uShaka Marine World.

“uShaka Management now manages one of the largest aquariums in the world,” says Parshotam.

uShaka comprises a 1,200-seater dolphin stadium, 300-seater seal stadium and a re-creation of an old cargo ship with an underground themed Aquarium Gallery


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extending through 450 metres of spectacular fish and shark tanks.

It also includes the Wet ‘n Wild water park, with 18 water slides, and a retail village comprising 89 specialty shops and restaurants.

“The core of our business remains hospitality and exceptional hospitality is what the focus of our hotel division will be about going into the future,” says Parshotam. “Three Cities continues to grow from strength to strength. Its unique portfolio of properties offers a diverse range of Africa’s finest hotels, resorts and game lodges situated in the major tourist and business centres of Southern Africa.

“We have continued to grow our corporate markets specifically in Cape Town and Durban,” he adds. “Traditionally, Three Cities has always had a broad portfolio, including City Hotels, Resorts, Exceptional Safaris and the Exceptional Collections.

“We will continue to pursue opportunities that will enhance our portfolio in areas that our traditional markets have indicated a demand for. In addition, we have moved outside of our normal areas of operation, which included South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia and are currently involved with a Development in Nigeria and we represent a Hotel in Mauritius.”

The Industry has and still is experiencing tough times. There were massive expectations leading to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and this led to an abundance of newly developed hotels and Bed and Breakfasts in South Africa. The subsequent oversupply of beds and the lack of improvement in the economic climate meant that the hospitality industry became far more competitive and yields were lower than in previous years. “We have faced these challenges by streamlining our

operations and focusing on our productivity,” Parshotam says. “We do believe that there are opportunities for innovative organisations that pay attention to the needs of their guests and provide goods and services accordingly.

“As our portfolio extends to such a wide variety of product, it is not possible for us to profile a specific type of customer that would suit all.

“In our opinion, the ideal customer is one who leaves the premises with us having exceeded his expectations. In order for us to achieve this we put a great deal of emphasis on communications with our guests. All departing guests have the opportunity to complete and electronic questionnaire and responses are analysed by the operations team. Suggestion and shortcomings are all actioned if appropriate,” he concludes.

Website: www.threecities.co.za.END

Three Cities Management FEATURE

South Africa Magazine, Suite 9 and 10, The Royal, Bank Plain, Norwich, Norfolk, UK. NR2 4SF

TNT Magazine, Unit 209, 16 Brune Place, London E1 7NJ

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Ground Floor, The Marine Building22 Gardiner Street, Durban4000, South Africa

Tel: +27 (31) 310 6900 Fax: +27 (31) 310 6949 /086 680 7015 (SA only)Email: [email protected]

www.threecities.co.za

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THREE CITIES BROCHURE