The Maropeng Visitor Centre has been shortlisted as one of the four finalists in the “Tourist Attraction” category of the South African Tourism Welcome Awards.
In 2008 Maropeng took top honours at the 2008 Welcome Awards, in the same category, and hopes to do the same this year.
“We strive so hard to deliver a good product to South Africans and international visitors and it makes us very proud to be recognised like this. It’s also very motivational for our staff,” says Erica Saunders, Maropeng’s marketing manager on Maropeng’s nominations.
The awards are an initiative by South African Tourism in association with the Tourism Grading Council and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and were introduced five years ago to recognise service excellence in tourism. In particular it aims to recognise those companies and individuals that offer travellers an authentic South African experience and go the extra mile to deliver service excellence.
Judging criteria in the Tourist Attraction category included: how the organisation adds value to visitors’ experiences; formal and informal training programmes offered to staff to improve service; contribution towards the upliftment of disadvantaged communities; providing an authentic South African experience and going the extra mile to deliver service excellence.