As the first members of the Clefs D’Or on the African continent, staff members from four and five star hotels in Johannesburg will be gathering for the second annual Concierge Conference at Monte Casino on 27 September.

100 delegates are expected to attend this year’s event, which significantly, takes place during Tourism Month.  At this year’s event five concierges will be receiving their Gold Keys of acceptance into the Les Clefs d’Or, a familiar symbol to mature travellers as a mark of superior service. Charles Ferrer,  President - Les Clefs d’Or in the United Arab Emirates will also address the audience. 

JTC recognizes the crucial role that concierges play in delivering memorable experiences for visitors to our city, hence JTC’s involvement with this conference and exhibition,”says Lindiwe Kwele, JTC CEO.  “Furthermore, it is noteworthy that Johannesburg hotels will be the first members of the Clefs d’Or in the African continent.  By growing the Joburg-based membership, the City will be in a position to host future Les Clefs d’Or Congresses in the City of Gold, which speaks to our strategy to grow the international MICE market.”

The Concierge Forum is a networking platform targeting concierge professionals at Johannesburg’s four and five star hotels.  The main objective of the forum is information-sharing and product knowledge to help serve guests better, while enforcing the role they play in the industry.

“Through the auspices of our Visitor Services Bureau, JTC’s involvement in this program is based on the need to target platforms where we can educate frontline staff about the destination as they are that vital link, representing not only the hotels they work for but also destination Joburg to the international tourists who are accommodated at their hotels,” says Kwele.  “Concierge personnel are therefore by default tourism ambassadors and JTC wholewheartedly supports, endorses and applauds the work they do in making Johannesburg a World Class African City.”

Conference delegates for this year’s gathering include staff members from 26 Johannesburg hotels, as well as exhibition staff representing some 22 different facilities in the greater Johannesburg area.  Super prizes valued in excess of R200 000 include a Rovos Rail trip for two and a fabulous weekend break in Sabi Sabi.

Johannesburg Tourism Company’s Support and Endorsement of South Africa’s First Concierge Forum

The Concierge Forum is a networking platform targeting concierge professionals at Johannesburg’s four and five star hotels.  The main objective of the forum is information sharing and product knowledge to help serve guests better, while enforcing the role played by concierges in the tourism industry. 

JTC contributed to the hosting of the first Concierge Conference held at the Palazzo Hotel at Montecasino in September 2010. In the lead-up to the 2010 conference, JTC hosted the concierges on an educational networking gathering, presenting the various facets Johannesburg as a tourist destination, including the experiences, nodes and diverse routes – as well as some of the programmes JTC has developed to enhance visitor services. 

City.Mobi

Also in South Africa today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Johannesburg.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Joburg.city.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.