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Tourism is big business in South Africa, and it is getting bigger by the day. And in the run-up to 2010, even more so. Make sure you are making the most out of tourism all year long.
There is little doubting that tourists are an important market for restaurants. What follows is a compilation of methods that you can use to attract business to your establishment.
• Become a tourist attraction – give tourists a taste of regional specialities and highlight local dishes such as bobotie, oxtail, bredie, milk tart and koeksusters.
• Take advantage of familiarity – if you are a franchise of a nationwide chain that tourists may have visited at home, or perhaps in another part of South Africa, make sure they know about your establishment and can stop by for a taste of what they know. Promote yourself on a local and international scale.
• Be a source of information for tourists – train your staff to answer questions about attractions in the area and give them the knowledge to offer suggestions for visits and proposed itineraries. Have a stand near your POS where they can pick up pamphlets, easy-to-read maps of the area and contact info for sites and attractions in the area. This not only builds goodwill but may also mean repeated business from that customer, as well as word-of-mouth advertising to others.
• Make your staff aware – just as your staff received training to answer questions about local attractions, make sure they can all give directions to your establishment.
• Offer entertainment – you can do this by way of a pianist, violinist, small band, or karaoke, where you let the diners be their own entertainment. Local music is a great way to highlight regional flavour and promote South Africa.
• Network – team up with tourism and travel organisations and become a member of your province hospitality organisation or restaurant administration. Get your name out there and make your information available to others. Get on friendly terms with those from local visitors’ centres and information centres – they can pass on the good word for you and send customers in your direction. Also get to know the staff at tourist attractions – they make for excellent referrals. Get to know the concierges at local hotels, as they can help direct tourists to your hotel. Give them priority for bookings on busy nights and they will reward you with referrals on slower nights. Invite those with whom you network to dine at your establishment as guests so that they can offer first-hand recommendations. Invite those with whom you network to dine at your establishment as guests so that they can offer first-hand recommendations.
Cater to conferences and tradeshows – make contact with conference and events organisers and hosts and offer in advance
• the use of your restaurant for banquets, meetings and events. Perhaps also consider coupons and freebies, or discounts to customers who show ticket stubs from local attractions – this is where your networking will stand you in good stead.
• Be willing to give and take – perhaps offer a free shuttle service to your restaurant from local hotels, or mention in your advertising that you will give a free appetiser or glass of wine to each member of the party who shows an international driver’s licence.
• Advertise and promote yourself – do this in tourism handbooks and guides, online, by way of a website, at the airport, at bus stops, tourist attractions and places of lodging. Design a mini menu with directions to your restaurant and leave this at the front of house of hotels and Bed ‘n Breakfasts.
Ensure excellent standards – this in terms of food, friendliness and service. Word of mouth will travel and even locals will recommend your restaurant to others.
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