Constant connectivity and being technology obsessed Is the reality our society has conformed to. How does this affect your summer vacation? And should this routine be avoided?

Cape Town, November 17, 2017: When you picture your summer holidays, do you envision family, outdoor activities, and the beach? Or sun, sand and your Android or iPhone? In the idyllic world, you would probably choose option one, however for most of us the sad reality is that our smartphones, tablets and laptops are always an arm length away, rarely leaving our lives for more than a day.   

Per We Are Social’s Digital 2017, South Africans spend a daily average of 8h 02min using the internet via pc/tablet, 3h 03min via mobile, 2h 54m on social media, and 2h 17min watching television. This is a significant amount of time dedicated to technology and can seem improbable to give up when going on a summer vacation.   

Having a tech-free holiday would naturally come with doubt and anxiety, as you are probably worried about the million and one emails you will have when you get back. Thus, it is important to plan before you go, inform all relevant bodies of your absence, setting up your out-of-office replies or making sure you have a house sitter to do daily check-ups can all play a role in making sure your holiday is stress free and enjoyable. 

If you are not convinced yet about having a tech-free holiday here are reasons why you should have a digital detox on your next trip:

• Reducing unnecessary stress of constantly getting work emails, tasks or people calling you about irrelevant things.
• Improving concentration and creativity, you will be pleasantly surprised the amount of ideas, and energy you will have from breaking routine.
• Increasing mental clarity and acuity, taking a break from technology and being one with nature can do wonders to your mental health and rejuvenation.
• Improving your health, no more eye irritations and bad posture from being slouched over your phone or PC.
• Promoting healthy restful sleep, you would be amazed how many extra hours you could put in without browsing on your phone before bedtime.
• Fostering a healthy work/life balance, is essential to your overall quality of life and happiness. Better overall attitude.
• Enjoy leisure time, taking a break from technology allows you to be in nature and have down time for yourself.
• Connect with others, you will be surprised how many new people you can meet and intellectual conversations you can have when your head is not buried in a phone or laptop.

Feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of being disconnected from the outside world? Everything happens in moderation, practice good habits on your vacation and dedicate only 5% of your day to checking up on the online world. This will put your mind at ease, and eventually you can get to a state where you comfortable to not have it at all.

Khoisands Lodge is a luxurious beach house in the bustling town of Langebaan, in the Western Cape. It is the ideal accommodation for being in nature, for easy-living, and having a memorable experience. Visit our website to see our beautiful beach house accommodation.

As a leading provider of accommodation and logistic solutions at large sport events KhayaMedia is undergoing a rebranding. “Until now we were known as KhayaMedia but most clients refer to us as “Khaya”, explains CEO Volkhard Bauer.  

In a short period of nine years this destination management company has become a household name amongst broadcasters and other media companies.  

The relaunch is a consequence of the broadening of the client base. The company now also provides services to corporate sponsors, sport federations and tour operators, as well as many other clients requiring accommodation and logistic solutions.  

“We provide everything from hotel rooms and serviced apartments to dedicated drivers and translators at large sport events,” explains Global Sales Director Rafael Sperotto.  

Word of the high levels of service Khaya provides has spread. This has resulted in new clients and exciting developments for the company.  

Understanding each country like a local   

Khaya currently has offices in nine countries around the world. This strategy ensures full control of the services provided and Khaya is able to maintain a high standard at international sporting events.  

Carefully selected local personnel are given comprehensive training and therefore clients benefit from dealing with local staff that speak the language and can bridge the cultural differences.  

With the strengthening of the teams at its offices in Seoul and Tokyo the company is ready to support its clients and is also open for cooperation with other companies seeking to move into these exciting territories.    

Unique accommodation solutions  

Sourcing suitable accommodation at a global event is a challenge for any visitor, and even more so for groups who have particular requirements. Khaya has demonstrated that it is able to find solutions for these challenges.  

“Rio was our biggest challenge so far,” reveals Volkhard. “Due to the lack of hotel rooms we turned 500 private apartments into fully serviced accommodation. It's been a great team effort.”  

All 55 clients at the Games were impressed with the quality and convenient location of the apartments, which were within walking distance to the Olympic Park and IBC. Khaya provided in excess of 50 000 room nights’ accommodation at Rio 2016. Together with the 20 000 room nights it secured for the UEFA EURO in France the company can look back at two events, where it proved its ability and strengthened its market position.  

Further afield, the company’s team in Moscow recently announced that it has concluded major deals with various hotel groups in preparation for the FIFA World Cup and is ready to supply a wide variety of accommodation as well as transport in all the host cities.  

News from Korea is that finding accommodation in PyeongChang is the biggest challenge for everyone planning to attend the Winter Games. However, Khaya in on track to fulfil the needs of broadcasters and Olympic Federations.  

New brand to be launched at SPORTELMonaco  

The new brand, name and logo, will be launched at the SPORTELMonaco Convention. “What will stay are our dedication and the red shirts our team is recognized by at large events,” says Rafael with a smile.  

SPORTELMonaco exhibitors and visitors will be able to meet the new Khaya at Stand A55.  

Ready for the future  

With the successful delivery at recent events in mind, Khaya is preparing for its next highlights.  

The upcoming events include:  

• 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang
• 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia
• 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan
• 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo
• 2020 UEFA EURO in Europe

Today Khaya looks forward to a bright future with its new name, new look, and a solid strategy to provide clients with exceptional service at major international events.

Great news for the South African National Culinary Team is that the City Lodge Hotel Group will be taking care of their accommodation needs as they prepare for next year’s IKA Culinary Olympics taking place in Erfurt, Germany!

This means that the eight member team – three from Johannesburg and five from Cape Town – will be able to get together for practices as they build up to the big event which takes place from October 22-26 in 2016.

If the Joburgers go down to Cape Town, they will be able to stay at any City Lodge Group Hotel – if the Capetonians come up to Joburg, they will be able to stay at any City Lodge Group Hotel.

As Heinz Brunner, manager of the SA National Culinary Team, says: “Travel is necessary to ensure that the team can practise together and then go back to their restaurants and perfect their dishes through including them on their own menus.” The team will practise at different venues every two months.

“We are training hard, developing an exceptional menu and working as a team to produce world-class food that represents South Africa’s culinary scene with excellence. We couldn’t do this without our fantastic sponsors and partners. A huge thank you goes to the City Lodge Hotel Group for their support as our accommodation partner and to Imperial LSC as our headline sponsor.”

Commenting on behalf of the City Lodge Hotel Group, Peter Schoeman, Divisional Director, Sales and Marketing, said: “It is a privilege for us to assist our Springboks of the food world as they prepare to represent our country in the world’s ultimate culinary challenge.”

The competition will see national teams from across the globe compete in categories such as Hot Kitchen, Cold Table and Pastry.

The City Lodge Hotel Group will soon start developing the 90-room Road Lodge Pietermaritzburg which is scheduled to open for business in November.

The group announced at its interim results in Johannesburg last week that Road Lodge Pietermaritzburg will commence before the end of February, becoming the 22nd Road Lodge in the country and the 56th hotel in the City Lodge Hotel Group.

Road Lodge Pietermaritzburg will be situated on the corner of New England Road and Hesketh Drive in Hayfields and will employ at staff of 15.

Road Lodge is the budget one star brand within the four brand City Lodge Hotel Group – the other three brands being the four-star Courtyard Hotel, the three-star City Lodge Hotel and the two-star Town Lodge brands.

Targeting both business and leisure travellers, Road Lodge Pietermaritzburg will enable up to three guests to share a room for the single room rate.

City Lodge Hotel Group has announced that two of its General Managers (GMs) were recently announced as being among the 55 finalists in South Africa’s 2014 Rising Star Awards within the Tourism and Hospitality category! Abia Rakoma, GM at Road Lodge Carnival City, and Marvin Theron, GM at Road Lodge Rustenburg, will now undergo a vigorous judging process before winners are announced at an awards ceremony to take place on Monday, 28 July.

The Rising Star Awards

 The Rising Star Awards are held every year and were established in order to recognise and celebrate young business people under the age of 40 who have great talent and deliver above and beyond expectations. In the words of CEB’s SHL Talent Measurement Solutions, “A Rising Star is an individual who displays promising potential and pursues every opportunity to achieve great heights.”

Hundreds of entries are received every year – 310 were received this year alone – but only five finalists are selected for each of the 11 business sector categories. Laura Barker, MD of BlackBark Productions (organiser of the Rising Star programme), says that the Rising Star programme is far more than just an awards ceremony; "The programme will establish a living community of young South African talent that will be developed, mentored and provided with necessary platforms for development and communication. This will enable them to become role models, opinion leaders and the inspiration for other future South African talent.” 

Marvin Theron

Marvin first gained experience in the hospitality industry when he joined the City Lodge Hotel Group in July 2009 as a Front Office Coordinator at the Courtyard Hotel in Sandton, after graduating with a higher diploma in Hospitality Management from The International Hotel School. In February 2010 he was promoted to Junior Assistant GM. Last year his name was put forward for the Management Development Programme offered by City Lodge Hotel Group and while engaged in the programme Marvin went on to complete his training at Senior Assistant General Manager Level. He then progressed to General Manager Level. This year Marvin successfully completed both management programmes and in doing so was appointed to the position of GM of Road Lodge Rustenburg, effective from July.

Abia Rakoma

Abia currently holds three formal qualifications, which include a National Diploma in Hospitality Management, a B-Tech Degree in Hospitality Management, and a Certificate in Labour Relations Management. Abia first joined the City Lodge Hotel Group in 2007 as a Junior Assistant Manager and worked his way up to being the current GM of Road Lodge Carnival City. At the 2012 City Lodge Hotel Group Leadership Conference in Turkey, Abia was awarded the Chairman’s Award for being a Rising Star. Abia has always been very passionate about mentorship and personnel career development as it was the very same guidance and mentorship that led him to where he is today.

City Lodge Hotel Group is proud to have such talent in their team, and wish Marvin and Abia all the best during the next couple of weeks! For more info check out the City Lodge Hotel Group blog here: blog.clhg.com

Courtyard Hotel Port Elizabeth has received a fantastic makeover over the past five months, ensuring an even higher standard of accommodation, features and facilities for its discerning guests.

The new-look hotel was officially re-introduced to corporates and the travel and hospitality trade at a function attended by about 100 people on May 15. 

Begun on January 9 and completed on May 12, the refurbishment has been extremely well received by guests – both first time visitors and regulars. Blending in superbly with the hotel’s close proximity to the sea, a nautical theme has been introduced to the hotel’s public areas.

All of the hotel’s rooms and suites have been treated to painting, carpeting and tiling while woodwork and upholstery has been replenished and improved. Lighting has also given some attention with low energy LED fittings sharply reducing lighting expenses and environmental impact.   

According to the hotel’s GM, Eduard van Zyl, a fresh, comfortable minimalism remains in the hotel which has built up a strong group of loyal followers over the years. “The response to our makeover has been overwhelming and we look forward to sharing our new-look hotel with many satisfied guests in the months and years to come,” said van Zyl.

Courtyard Hotel PE is one of five hotels the City Lodge Hotel Group owns and operates in Nelson Mandela Bay – the other being City Lodge Hotel Port Elizabeth, Town Lodge Port Elizabeth, Road Lodge Port Elizabeth and Road Lodge Port Elizabeth Airport.

Courtyard Hotel Port Elizabeth’s makeover is part of the City Lodge Hotel Group’s ongoing commitment to keep its hotels as fresh, relevant and modern as possible.

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