FOOD AND DRINK :CAN HAVE YOU HOSPITALISED TOO-TO MY BEST PEOPLE IN 2012

In our life and this stressful hospitality industry where there is plenty of food and drink.Where what is deemed litter is food,you are carried away and stop watching what you eat or drink in the process because the abandance of it clouds the mind to judge goodlife from healthy life.

There are people who give us the reason to go on despite all the tantrams that are thrown at us in the line of duty.We go home and sleep on their lap after a good shower and they insist we are workaholics for areason.These are the people that i want to single out in this post at the end of the year.

To the woman who brought to me the magic of  rediscovering the loudest laughter ever,joy,peace and above all LOVE in our innerself.She has taught me that one can give up a job because love must win.She has proved that lies can be cooked but cant be preserved because they have the weakest elements in them to survive the test of time.May be iam giving a heavy text in this post than any other before.This deserves that weight,density because they have shaped the solidity of my patience.

To my wife:hendrina who was once a waiter(a well experienced one) and gave me a beautiful daughter who is a factory of our joy.She tells me my love for blogging has grown from a hobby to another something she didnt know,something that might be a career on its own.To my daughter she cringes away each time  i keep jabbing in my keyboard yet dinner is being served.........'daddy its mommas dinner time"........

• This year that ends tommorrow by midnight its her year because without her by myside when my health nosedived and lost all the courage to undergo my prescribed ''regular excersise".To watch my diet and stick to what she prepared under a close reference to doctors advise all changed in a month. Eat,eat babe she softly said to me.
• To my mother whom i cried on her lap too as a her small child that i was unwell and she said as long as she is alive she will help me get better,that made me stop crying.
• To my father who will always standout as my biggest pillar(i have no words to praise him)
• To my brother Elijah,he called my line like telephone operator.
• To my boss Thandi,she always called and in response to my hoarse voice a day was added for bed rest.

I have realised that working in this industry where food is the material we work with we tend to forget that food too can kill. We therefore need to be careful in the choice of the food we eat.

This poem goes to my strong woman.Reminiscing the times i spotted her as the one.

WAITRESS ON TABLE    H

in green she lowers to me,
wait

serve me the open chambo garnished by your killer grin

desert?,Never, your number will do

this tall debris built my fault

spillages printed all over,poor me!

cruets yawn void,dont mind

trust no calculator,keep change

may need room service at four,bring crockerly empty though

be my take away for now and ever

am waiting

waiter!
for our outside catering

UNPUBLISHED ARTICLE 2012:TOURISM INDUSTRY AND CURRENT ECONOMIC JAZZ

I also gave out my "expert views" on tourism with the economic situation that hit us hard early 2011-2012 unfortuanately i did not post it on your your blog dear followers and finding it lying around i thought justice in the world could mean posting what i thought in this period of time- Isaac Chikwere Kasenjere

                                                                                       

TOURISM  INDUSTRY  AND this ECONOMIC JAZZ!

The fuel shortage, scarcity of forex and soured relations with the west might be  a result and am not sure if the latter is the cause of this wobbling economy we all dread now. Tourism industry has not been spared with this retrogression to development.Infact its among the top list of the industries hit by this economic tsunami. Whether its forex shortage that has seen hotels registering the highest percentage of cancellations or no-shows this year, unofficial statistics from the lakeshore resorts tout 60-70% ,but that matters less now.

Managers should get cracking and review afew tactics on their revenue management and strategic direction on their propertys dashboard. All these things however should accommodate the current “national recession “if that word can be re-coined.

This is the time Managers should be innovative enough to trade even when expenditure shall equal the sales. This is better than no sales at all .Mind you the hospitality product is perishable. Managers are on the rush to reduce hotel rates that one wonders where on earth these rates were when some of our wallets were still fat before an animal called devaluation of kwacha played predator.

Reducing rates is not the only solution, it’s part of it.The irony of adjusting rates  down is that hotel owners expect more traffic into their hospitality property,however experience has also revealed to me that we have never seen hotels with cheap rates to trade at 100% occupancy 24/7.Customers will always ask “whats in it for me?”even when your rates are the lowest. Demand shall always be created if satisfaction has been spelt in full by the guest.

Creative measures should be applied by coming up with tailor made products to a spectrum of guest.The chef should come up with menu well engineered that does not only look at dietary needs  or names to sell yet  same taste and colour . I should remind hotelier that this should not mean lowering the menu food price you have but a new menu that should respond to the winds of economy.Restaurant patrons should not fumble for the last coin in the pocket for the same thing we offered last time they came .Hospitality units should start selling value not rate or price because price and rate are not a service they seek and pay for.

A hotel room has  a tv set,airconditioner, a table and chair ,soap,towels and usual turndown service.What have you done to change  the features,how many occupants are you allowing this time for a night and amenities added to the room package.Whats on your breakfast menu,add some  most liked food items and remove the  less liked  items by your guests. Human beings will keep on getting married even in times of war,so in this time of economic slump deliberate packages should be made available to such couples, may be a photo shoot , a free massage or a personalized  table with a name  on it. This shall be enough 100 times slot  advert if you may like it that way.What managers should look out for is not the ceiling of 100% occupancy but the demand that comes with it ,so any occupancy over 50% shall see figures  soaring.

All I am saying is hoteliers should come up with adjusted packages with new values and features to catch the eye of the guest.Whether you are adjusting upwards or downwards that is your homework with your Accountant. You need a guest who has cash in the pocket and is also willing to spend it at your place. Ignoring the target market demands is letting your tables gather dust in the restaurant and rooms echoe with sounds of vacancy.

While smaller and broadrange of tailor made products should be created, diversification should also be a catchword as we struggle through this time.Our product should stretch beyond food ,drink and bed.

Our culture is one product that is worth forex in question.Engaging a group of villagers  for cultural evenings can only cost little and plough back into the hotel coffers.A lodge along the lake shore can use more than lake Malawi as a product.They can use the yao culture and its history.Same works for a lodge in Mzuzu. Lets shift our mindset from just waiting for business of bed and  breakfast only. Sightseeing or day activities will see places that are now relying on to make more money even when the occupancy is zero.

The directive by government to have foreign guests pay in foreign exchange should not only be seen as easy go for hospitality owners.There are challenges  that should be expected ,therefore knowing this challenge will prepare the attitude  of staff and wording of interacting with guests to communicate this Press release by Reserve Bank of Malawi.Scenarios of guests booking out of the hotel because they were ignorant of the currency to pay shall if not already  be rampant.Therefore it is my theory that upon reservation this change should be communicated   or risk customer emberassment which always goes with a  cost to a hotel  and our competitor a stone throw can benefit from this mistake.This might also see guests spending little in our revenue centres  if  we leave the job  of spreading the message of this new law  with the Government alone. The excuse can only be “I have already changed my forex to kwacha”.Managers cannot afford  to see their licence be snatched away because they failed to assist the government the regulation of forex.

ZOMBA GYMKHANA GOLF COURSE UNPAID EXCURSIONS

The very first time i cut through Gymkhana Golf course going up Hotel Masongola(of course i wont forget this :"built in 1886),i spotted a lot of Golf players.Wondered how things in sports quickly changed at how instead of playing it with the regular club and that little ball all i saw were  couples  dotting the course with books.Books and books and teenagers outnumbered the adults.I was well imformed that this place is another Study 'huge specious" room  in the city.

How i wish i had something to study!,at the thought of the aftermath of any slight branchoff to help study a few beautiful ladies i saw reading but lonely.Whether they were a serious crop among the crowed  to sit alone or they were out of the market that much i did not establish.Next time i buy a newspaper and read my favourite classfied ads"vacancies'wanna make Gymkhana Golf course the best place to read them.

The Gymkhana Club, old Residency of the first commissioner of Nyasaland  to me is another face of Zomba City,who can resist its dilapidated state its a kind of  its ancient statement that it speaks and renoverting it,expanding it is what man can do to rape the virgin history that it embodies. Let it be old!look old! history is never new.



GYMKHANA GOLF COURSE



While i have a few essays,poems published in my real name i have also struggled to have my name sustained in the glory of print  media so with the above experience i dropped a few lines that made this poem become with a pseudoname/penname VERY BLACKHONEY AND MILK. hopping i have one guy who cannot publish my poem with my real name on it,get it from me i thought the editor might think thats a new kid on the block!

TITLE: GYMKHANA GOLF COURSE EXCURSIONS

 BY   :  blackhoney and Milk

a cross a green carpet

tourists of circumstance

dotted on the cource like golf balls

at books,swatting away the buzzing illiteracy

others staring,studying each others

but your nostrils,your all

mugging in to win a pal on to their hole

flipping through pages of thoughts,that roll over the place

and spread carefully,butter way

and sweet like sugar it feels

when exam calls but panic

non the chapters read

lead to failure of academics

pass in love that see them hungry and angry

who forgets Gykhana golf course

with rubbers left unused when lust takeover

still,who said there is "no hurry in Africa"

Controlling these students of love might be difficult  i only plead to them that may they stop littering Gykhana Golf Course,i dont care if their rubbers are used or unused  Gykhana is one place i call monument of its stature and a club every tourist should stop to admire and spend a little fortune for sure.



GYNKHANA CLUB house



PARTY-POOPERS NOMORE!-USE CUTLERY THIS FESTIVE SEASON

With the invitations flowing in your inbox or post office box you can only  be successful to turn down a few and some are really difficult to duck them away.You better get ready to show up at a formal dinner that demand table skills.We all learn these things as we grow ,afterall all our childhood we have been using hands to eat our dinner hahahah.Come on these are the things you need to know .I have used this setting to really make you a star tommorrow or anyday this festive season and you will hold the folk the right side of your hands and jab on the right foodstuff.Am i good or good, am not being a smart guy if you read am just being that coward for once to alert myself too how to hold these shinning items because i was once caught offguard when one card read "Remember family matters ,we have your part for a speech"

I was not ready to be crown  a party-pooper,i revisted my college skills on eatery and wham-bam-i got it at last by using my dummy cutlerly(dont ask why coz that time less visitors meant less utensils was a single guy beggining to mingle).



a. Napkin
b. Side plate and butter knife for dinner rolls
c. Salad fork
d. Fish fork
e. Dinner fork
f. Service plate.
g. Dinner Knife
h. Salad knife
i. Soup spoon
j. Red wine glass
k. White wine glass
l. Water glass
m. Dessert fork and spoon

Do not panic  start from the outside of your cover setting, and go your way towards the  plate: soup spoon first, then fish knife and fork, then service knife and fork. Use the outside knife and fork for the first course (entrée), and then simply work inwards for each subsequent course.

Knives are always to the right, and forks are always to the left.

The soup spoon, will always be on the extreme right if being served as a first course, or second in from the right if being served as a second course.

Dessert cutlery will always be at the top of the place setting with the fork facing right and the spoon positioned above this with the bowl facing left.

Big events  events, we start with  hot food and cold for foods wait for the host to announce dinner and wait until the head of the table starts.
Dinner rolls or bread is on your left . Butter each bread roll upon the need to eat. Always use the napkin when you want to spit food out of your mouth.

Last time i finished eating using these utensils i sighed and i told my friends and said "MAY I GO AND WASH MY HANDS"...........Where is the WC.?  and saw a waiter figuring out what all this meant..........hahahha  dude eat with cutlery from the west speak like them.

ULENDO KUDYA KUGONA GOES ON SOCIAL NETWORKS

Keep you intouch with the world of tourism,the blogger decided to follow you people because facebook that is  a platform for the global village.https://www.facebook.com/ulendokudyakugona?ref=hl tweeter: @chekasenjere

The blogger has also added new gadgets where followers are able to translate into other launguages.

Like the bloggers page and comment or ask question about anything hahah,i mean anything to do with Tourism.

Its easy peasy to keep intouch
Enjoy.

Isaac Chikwere Kasenjere

ULENDO-KUDYA-KUGONA !-travel,food,accommodation : ZOMBA CHILDRENS' SAFE PLAYGROUND CALLED 'SAFE HAVENS"

ULENDO-KUDYA-KUGONA !-travel,food,accommodation : ZOMBA CHILDRENS' SAFE PLAYGROUND CALLED 'SAFE HAVENS"

ZOMBA CHILDRENS' SAFE PLAYGROUND CALLED 'SAFE HAVENS"

Zomba, after being declared a full city its still growing  in size and activities.Children will no longer stand in the market square and streets struggling to make ends meet..Zomba Safe Haven is a newly constructed playground for children.Its located adjucent to to Zomba Central Hospital ,behind the Ministry of Agriculture offices.

 

It is the SAFE MALAWIS belief that Games that children play have an impact in a childs life,all it is needed are initiatives like these to spread around the country to benefit more.Psychosocial support in the formative years of a child is amust.Playgrounds for kids around the world is the organisation that partenered with SAFE MALAWI to come up with the project from AMERICA.This heaven has also considered culture in this journey of moulding kids into responsible adults.Story telling,HIV and Aids lessons will be among the benefits that vulnerable children will get.



THE BLOGGER-ISAAC CHIKWERE KASENJERE AND THE AMERICAN GROUP THAT DONATED THE EQUIPMENT FROM AMERICA

 They might eat and dress but they need to play,this is as good as vacation.No more destitutes,Kids rise in criminal cases,SAFE HAVEN will chase away the hell out of our beautiful kids,save them from all the plight and gender based violence from this year as days go by in this period of 16 th days of activism.

MALAWI ON TOP 10 DESTINATIONS FOR 2013

Its not the first time for my country to be recognised as one of the best destination in the world . In 2011 Malawi was recognised as a top ten destination by one travel magazine Wanderlust. In October of this 2012  Malawi was included in two of the ‘top ten lists’  by The Times newspaper.As if that is not enough this Malawi had 3 entries in CNN’s most Stunning Spots in Africa.NOW just this last Month,Globe Spots puts Malawi on number 9 in the TOP 10- must go destinations 2013.

GLOBE SPOTS is not a travel agent or Tourist insurance company.They are proffessional and keen travellers so they say on their webpage.Our papers and government officials are spreading this good news about our being voted the best destination among the 10 other countries.All i can say is this is good news for Malawi to celebrate and a challenge to ponder over it.

We need to move with the global winds.Speak the global launguage and put Malawi on their rightful place of top 5 if our infrastructure and presonel are going to be our priorities in this sector.GLOBE SPOTS had these colourful words to publish about Malawi.:

'Malawi is often overlooked in favour of its neighbours, but this gem of an African country has more than enough to keep travellers enthralled.Having earned their country the nickname of the Warm Heart of Africa, the seemingly always smiling Malawians are without a doubt one of Malawi’s main attractions.

Another is Lake Malawi, which provides ample beaches for sunbathing, islands for kayaking, fish for snorkelling and diving and even an annual music festival. Add parks boasting the Big Five, the chance to walk and cycle with zebras and antelopes, mountains providing days upon days of spectacular hiking, an ancient steamboat and sunset cruises along the hippo-filled Shire River to the mix and you’ve got yourself a pretty incredible destination. Best of all? You’ll feel as though you have most of it to yourself!''



where you can find Malawi

For the full list of Global Spots ‘Top Ten’ please click here

PROFILE 

Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. Wikipedia

Capital: Lilongwe Currency: Malawian kwacha Government: Democracy President: Joyce Banda Population: 15,380,888 (2011) World Bank Official language: English Language, Chewa language

The blogger thought you deserve to know. YEWO CHOMENE(Thank you -in Tumbuka)

A LOOK AT TOURISM in MALAWIS ECONOMIC RECOVERY BLUE PRINT and THE PRESIDENTS' HOTEL

If it harms no one on government benches then i raise my hand and wish to put across a list of questions and concerns  that i think if my esteemed Government benchers are not asked  to have a look at them then 2014 will swiftly come knocking and Economic Recovery Plan  will be pronounced a white elephant. I might not afford to regret as far as my love for the country is concerned because am around and tourism brings my food to table.



HE JOYCE BANDA preaching Economic Recovery Plan



I congratulate patriotically with no strings attched the government of Malawi via Ministry of Economic planning the leading  vehicle on this convoy  to implement this BLUE PRINT.I have gone through this blue print and with my narrow thinking if not ignorant on how books of economics narrate the opportunity cost and its consequenses i commend the  brains that chose a few tools that may drive back our economy into the the right lane because we cannot have it all.

Choosing tourism into ERP under Medium Term Focus Areas will give Malawi the best eternal solutions to these economic woes.Here is what the ERP  statement reads on tourism ;

Tourism has the potential to generate revenue, employment, improve infrastructure, and promote Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as well as conserve wildlife and culture. The sector has direct linkages with other sectors of the economy. However, the industry faces a number of challenges which include poor supporting infrastructure, poor service delivery, uncoordinated and insufficient marketing of tourism products and inadequate purpose-built infrastructure.

  The ERP Emphasises to promote the industry, by implementing:

a. Product development

Develop support infrastructure (electricity, water, transport);

Restock game reserves and national parks and protecting animals; and Restore and improve tourism assets, including supporting the restocking of game parks.

b. Tourism marketing and promotion

Intensify marketing of the country as a preferred tourist destination and aggressively,

put measures to increase flights to Malawi, including direct flights from Europe; and

Enhance marketing of Malawi ’s tourism products.

c. Institutional reform and capacity development

Undertake a program to train more staff, supervisors, and managers in the

tourism sector;

Simplify the system of visa issuance for tourists; and Improve tourism investment climate.



Presidents Hotel in Lilongwe

• NEWLY BUILD PRESIDENTS HOTEL: This blogger thinks it can contribute massively in the ERP,This blogger is kindly  asking questions and more questions that if ERP is to explore and implement Short and Long Term economic remedies if you like then why are we holding jobs of about 1200-2000 or more (indirectly)Malawians because of "reading between the lines" issues yet we have learned Lawyers in this Country.Why is Government delaying such an opportunity if Malawians are to harvest from the sad April that brought this change of approach to thinking on economic recovery  plundered in 2009.
• Why are state Lodges paying salaries ,water and electricity bills from government purse if privatising will bring revenue to capitol hill
• Why is Government not interested in a fare package of  rates tailored for  NATIONALS visiting our hotels in this case we will increase the traffic and change the attitude we dread of having Malawians shun our tourism centres afraid of digging deeper in these hard times.
• I have not seen any VEDIO AD on the media giants like BBC,PRESS TV apart from a very short and ordinary documentary on  travel channel or ar we still marketing the old way,the way we used to do the things we did in Marketing.Witing for another Lake of stars.
• Malawi Broadcasting Corporation-STATE broadcaster runs no single documentary on rich tourism we have on our backyard
• Long term strategy-Introduce tourism in Primary School syllabus so that it should be known by the student that it is a clean and worthy career path to choose  and a big contributor to the economy let alone an industry that rejuvinates the mind of good citizen after hectic season of work comes a vacation to refreshIt
• Government stop talking about Tourism and prioritise this industry by simply shifting its focus from tobbacco to Tourism A,B and C Shall be  a walkover.Point C  is a significant ERP tool if we really want traffic into the industry increased.Human resource ,knowledgeable staff will see continued tourists and foriegn exchange flow.
• As it seeks to improve the climate of investors it leaves the employee in the cold beacuse hoteliers and other tourism staff are still recieving poor salaries ,this initiative should be spelt clearly in the ERP 

  .

     

AN INTERVIEW WITH SUNBIRD TOURISM LTD C.E.O

BRIAN BANDA TALKS TO ROGER GADNER ,C.E.O of SUNBIRD TOURISM LTD on CAPITAL FM.

KEY:BB=Brian Banda

RG:Roger Gadner

Good evening and welcome to yet another edition of Straight talk program, its coming to you under the auspices of Prominent Paint …… plays the advert.

BB:To day in the program we talk to the CEO of Sunbird Tourism Limited Mr. Roger Gardner.

Mr. R. G what a great opportunity talking to you tonight, many thanks we are meeting for 1^st time who is Roger  Gadner

R.G: Well I would like to take myself as a selfmade man when I was young man quiet a long time ago now the opportunity didn’t exist for the level of hotel studies training one can do, where I lived certainly so I have grown through this industries from a backing background funny enough to learn hand on the thing of hotel, I participating this industry gives me the opportunity to practice my skills, I love people and interacting with people but at the same time I have a statistical and financial background so putting them together gives the opportunity in the hospitality industry to practice all my skills.

BB:   How easy was it to blend from the making backing background to hotel back ground?

RG: Well I started in this business as a Waiter in the steak house while I was working in the bank, how to make extra money, one thing led to another and I went to club night, I worked for the Bs diamond mines for 3 years for the Recrational outlets, and it just led from there into the hotel because, it was a natural progression from Clubs , Rests into hotel business and Hired to leave it on one occasion out its in my blood – it came very strong when my family were begging to get branch into  into it , because I love the Hotel business.

BB:  Why do you love hotel business?

RG: People are the hotel business are guests, are staff both are equally important to me obviously the guests have the slide edge on the staff because the guests bring income into, our hotel and make it possible to pay staff but without two entities working together guests  and staff you have no industry at all it has always being my ambition to make people in this industry enjoy it.

TO BE CONTINUED,

RAIN FALLS,RAIN STOPS-COMES THE SUNSHINE

I forgot i typed  my phone number on the profile of this blog one day my keen follower of this blog called from the USA as she put it that she miss my posts and she is considering to visit the warm heart of Africa sooner than she thinks.I am honoured to recieve such a positive feedback.

The question :HOW far are you from the internet to keep months of not  dropping a line or two on this blog about  Malawi and Africa?

My Response was not honest enough but all i can say is am back and after the rain comes the sunshine.

Ghana Tourism Authority joins International Council of Tourism Partners, Travel Association News

Ghana Tourism Authority joins International Council of Tourism Partners, Travel Association News

CASA-ROSSA :HOME OF ITALIAN QUISIN AND CAMPING

                                                                                                                                                                       It  never dawned on  Mark Grilli,born in 1971 and his Italian wife that their love for travel will ever  make them stay in Malawi running a food and accommodation business  of Casa- Rossa in Zomba City.


MAIN RESTAURANT  AND  DECOR ABOVE THE ITS ATTIC INSPIRED by REDUCE-REUSE-RECYCLE THINK GREEN TALK


 

With his Finance and Arts background Hospitality 

Mark and me after a good laugh

business seems an easy task because the technical part of it like menu and preparations of dishes the wife takes care of them .She heads the kitchen.She has  worked in Italian Restaurants for many years.

"Seven years ago we were travelling in Africa especially Mozambique and we travelled to Malawi and we loved the country at first sight,then one day i happen to come accross the brothers,late kids of Mr Golosi former National statistics employee and we discussed the possibilty of renting their home" Mark told me.He giggles at the utter of every word.

The establishment consists of Main Restaurant,dome and two standing tents and serve Italian and other International Quisins.

'We regard ourself as a business without competitors because other managers of places here in Zomba they eat here from lunch to dinner and beverages.We are very unique hence no room for comparisons,"he emphatically said

We spoke alot and something on economic situation cameup.He buys his foodstuffs from Mozambique siting the reason of high prices.He gave me one example of cheese he uses to prepare his finger-licking dishes costs him k12000.00 and only found in Blantyre at one shop(name withheld)while  in Mozambique its K3000.00 equivalent of that countries' currency.He does his purchases in bulks and his figures still balance if a question about transportation and other costs popped up in your mind.

Next time you visit Casa-Rossa you will find Italian Pizza and more Italian dishes.This Place to me seemed a place where Zomba meets because there were so many clients by lunchtime and i was told that what i saw was part of the huge patronage they always have.

  


Me downing my drink after a good laugh with Mark

  CheesePlatter,Spaggette ,Orecchiette,Gncchi,samoosas,Chicken nuggets and Chips are some of the items you will get your mouth watering before its served on their well crafted tables.

The challenges of devaluation will not affect his business because he saw it comming and that this new government has done a good thing to busuness for making it official.Power failures are also a scare-scrow in this business and contingency messures are going to be put in place.They are closed on Mondays

Hey Mark "IWILL BE BACK" like Arnord Schwarsnegger in Terminator or the Beatles",i love this place.

                                                    For bookings : 0991184211
                                              email:infor@casarossamw.com
                                                   web:casarossamw.com

 

MAJETE RECIEVES BIG FIVE FAMILY MEMBER AND 2012 INDABA

MAJETE GAME RESERVE RECIEVES A LION

It’s been good news to learn that Majete Game Reserve is receiving a member of the big five.

On my face book status I stated that tourists come all the way from Norway , Germany or Israel to spot the Big 5 and the Lion is the member to this popular family.Sadly according to Malawi Voice a One day patrol has proved that only one lion is spotted.Possibilities are very high that a tourist who has invested in a package inorder to see the Lion might come and only to see footprints and not the actual Lion.This has been embarassaing to the tourism industry and a country as a whole.We have to put our house inorder if we are to sustain the flow of our clientel.We are not  doing a favour to anybody but we are doing business here.

This is good development to the forex shortage,this news restores the confidence that tourists had lost for Malawi as a reputable destination to potential tourist.

One last job to President Joice Banda is to merge the Ministry of Economic Planning with Tourism and Culture so as we change the face of economy tourism should be part of the products and service we export as we do with Tobacco.

Congratulations to Majete Game Reserve.

INDABA 2012 SOUTHAFRICA

IWas carried away with events a swiftly unfolding in my country and lost sight of world events that our tourism industry can be of benefit. In this blog post I wish to share a few things that highlight the INDABA EVENT. This information and details were sourced from :( http://www.indaba-southafrica.co.za/visitor/default.aspx#travel-tips)

VENUE: Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (Durban ICC), South Africa on 12 - 15 May 2012,

INDABA is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar. It showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa's best tourism products, and attracts international visitors and media from across the world. INDABA is owned by South African Tourism and organised by Witch & Wizard Creative (Pty) Ltd.

For two years in a row, INDABA has won the award for Africa’s best travel and tourism show. This award was presented by the Association of World Travel Awards.

INDABA is a four day trade event that attracts well over 13000 delegates from the travel tourism and related industries.

Participants at the Indaba 2010

THE REASON TO VISIT INDABA

·         Its Africa’s top travel and tourism exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere.

·         Keep abreast global trends and new developments within the in the tourism and travel industry.

·         Meet industry stakeholders and decision makers face to face

·         Conduct business with new and existing clients.

·         Gain competitive advantage with a view to becoming market leaders.

·         Meet with over 1800 exhibitors from a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors.

·         Opportunity to network with key decision makers and stakeholders on an exciting and informative platform.

TRAVEL TIPS

Here are a few valuable tips (by those in the know):

·         Make accommodation and car-hire bookings as soon as you can. There are a number of accommodation options in Durban and surrounding areas including boutique hotels, self-catering apartments, city hotels and even residential homes to hire, but you need to move swiftly.

·         Start setting up your appointments and making contacts as soon as the relevant details are available.

·         Ensure you have sufficient business cards for those many meetings.

·         Keep scouring this website for details of events and happenings; you really need to keep in the know.

·         Remember comfy clothing, and comfortable shoes and of course your bathing costume and beach hat for those extra sunny days in Durban.

·         Don’t forget to choose a tour from the pre & post tours available on the website while you are at INDABA and explore the surrounding areas (if you have the time).

LESSONS FROM SEYCHELLES';ON DEVALUATION OF KWACHA AGAINST TOURISM

Desclaimer:Unedited,My views

I hate the name they call it;devaluation of the Kwacha? i would rather put it as a CONVERTIBLE currency,free to float  and not a CONCENTRATED ONE which was  gluttony of foreign currency in the previous regime.Will people accept this or  framing my PHD on the wall and people  start believing in you  OH ! yeah, i will talk about the past because it is gone and i can ably rewind all of it at once but JBs regime give it time we shall see when we cross the bridge or should i just say they are wrong before we see one or two eggs hatch into monster   or  a good-chick.? tell me now.

To Tourists and Volunteers The central Bank has allowed you  to settle your local bills in any convertible major foreign currency or in Malawi kwacha again. It was the same bank under former boss Perks Ligoya who came before the microphone and  said that all tourist operators shall ensure that foreign exchange obtained in the course of business is deposited into the Foreign Currency Denominated Accounts (FDA) or is sold to an authorized dealer in foreign exchange within the country.

Hotels Resorts and other related operators  maintained appropriate records on all foreign currency transactions and submitted monthly returns/Reports to the country’s central bank. This statement came with warnings that failure to comply with the requirements will result in withdrawal of licence or penalties in line with Financial Services Act which has been shelved for my homework ,aah LAZY ME.

Last Tuesday just like we expect more to change not only Ministerial positions , RBM under the new boss Charles Chuka before he even booked for a weekend room night stay along the lakeside Resort to celebrate his appointment has  announced the devaluation of the local currency bowing down to the World bank demands to  devalue the so called artificial overvalued currency,exchange rate from K168 to K250 per United States dollar.

 This comes in the wake of the proposed Comprehensive Plan  put in four areas:

•  Regaining macro balance,
•  social impact and mitigation,
•  Growth rebound – including where growth and jobs would come from, and
•  the medium term agenda for productivity and diversification. 

Last time kWACHA  was touched we were told that it was devalued by only 10% from MK150 to US$1 to MK165 to US$1. This was the time The Late President Bingu WA Mutharika was still under this plannet earth.

 The RBM Chief clearly indicated that this devaluation, the kwacha is now fully liberalised, which shall mean what? Demand and supply power i guess.

This is the opposite of what the former head of state would have loved to see.He wanted a concentrated Kwacha which swallowed alot of foriegn currency in turn (I love to repeat this part)

LESSONS FROM SEYCHELLS ON FLOATING CURRENCY aka DEVALUATION AND TOURISM

Sychelles Tourism is one of the sectors of their economy contributing about 16.6%  of GDP apart from fishing .Bingu just like the Former President of Seychelles Albert Rene wasted  energy talking about the effects of devaluation rather than the advantages of the free convertible currency which given time stabilises and the economy is brought to a recommended normalcy per world financial bodies.
Rene tied  the Seychells Rupee as if he is the only citizen in the country. In fact scholars do not have a conclusive answer on devaluation so alternative measures should always be given a try.When they lastly though very late ,The Minister of  Finance of African Development Bank Danny Faure  wrote at the nod of the USD20 Million loan for turning around the economy he said: The liberation of the exchange rate regime has lifted the severe constraints on the development of the economy and the government is committed to the floating of the currency.(Rupee).

The African Development Bank document of SEYCHELLS Appraisal in paragraph clearly paints  the spirit  of a country that sacrificed alot to bail its citizens out of the economic hardships., you can read on ,patiently AND Agree with Charles Chuka when he said its a big sacrifice,echoe with Goodall Gondwe when he fearlessly said it was long ovedue.Seychells sailed in troubled water for just a year and some months and we need this big patience  as JB requested us to  go through this period and 18 months seems good projection.This is the only price to pay.

The Seychells Appraissal by AFB-come-on read on please so that we understand this necessary evil.

You can personally check this site   article: 2.2.5 (www.afdb.com/seychellsappraissal)

As regards the government budget, the overall fiscal balance on cash basis (including grants) moved from a surplus of 1.7% of GDP in 2005 to a deficit of -6.2% in 2006, and stood at -9.7% in 2007. In 2008, although the fiscal deficit improved slightly, it remained negative at -3.7% of GDP. These deficits, associated mainly with high spending in the social sector and net transfers to the parastatal sectors (accounting for over 29% of total government expenditure and net lending in 2007), have been financed by external borrowing.

As regards the country’s external position, the current account deficit deteriorated to -32.1% of GDP in 2008 compared to -23.4% in 2007. Foreign exchange reserves dwindled so rapidly that import coverage fell to the equivalent of 0.1 month imports by end-2007, before increasing to 0.7 months import cover by end-2008.

  First review of the SBA in March 2009, the IMF concluded that program implementation was broadly satisfactory, reflecting the authorities’ strong commitment and ownership of the reforms. The exchange rate has stabilized and the parallel exchange market has disappeared. Interest rates have begun to ease from their peak, and inflation is declining rapidly. Implementation of the frontloaded reform program has led to early positive results.

To major investors’ devaluation is bonus for tourist visitors, compaired to their  home currencies and this might increase tourists’ traffic than before.

They devalued by 33%  in Seychelles and it paid off in the tourism industry at last. 
The  the number of kwacha a tourist can buy for  foreign currency eg Dollar, the affordable the destination it becomes.Then one thinks we might be so cheap ,no not at all The turnover of such development will or forever turn around the economy because of  lot of forex and the growth of revenue .However Tourists operators should see this as  a longer term solution because some of the supporting industries rates of commodities' like for upgrades of property construction/refurbishment  might jump but in line with the liberised exchange rate.

 Sunbird Tourism the biggest chain posted 6% loss attributing to the poor Macro-economics environment which detered the usual good business they enjoy  the year ended 31 Dec 2011 according to Nation 07.05.12 published their financial statement.There is a ray of hope though.

This is another direction that should start with swallowing a bitter but energy packed pill.

Malawi can also get there like Seyshells