AFRICAN INSIGNIA HOTELS
GIVING BACK

THE TEP / DEDT MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME – 7th INTAKE
(September 2012 – March 2012)

Mentorship is widely acknowledged as having one of the greatest impacts on business development. It also allows on-the-job skills development that, for small tourism businesses, decreases time away from the business. TEP’s generic deliverables for its mentorship programme are:

• Providing an assessment of mentee’s business
• Developing a growth plan in partnership with the mentee
• Implementing the goals as discussed in the growth plans
• Monitoring the achievement of these goals

Due to the high costs involved in mentorship, nationally only a small number of TEP clients will be invited to be part of this programme.
Of key importance during the selection process, is the confirmation that business owners are involved in a full-time capacity in the business and are ready for growth. This means that the business should already have sound principles and a proven track record. After the selection phase, the entrepreneur is introduced to an experienced mentor with ample knowledge and expertise in the sector. Together, a growth plan is developed and according to this a six-month support program is defined.

On 26 September 2012, we launched the TEP / DEDT Mentorship Programme for the 7th Intake. The Mentorship Programme is an initiative that is co-funded by the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) and the KZN Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT).

The Mentorship programme is aimed at assisting various business involved in Direct Tourism Business to achieve growth in turnover, market and size as well as job creation. This is done through various interventions that may be required by the mentees. These may include among others tourism awareness and knowledge, marketing, business management, qualities assurance and customer care, business management, business planning, pricing issues, legalities and compliance, website planning and development, financial and operating related issues. The interventions required may vary from one mentee to the other.

This year’s intake of mentees comprised of 20 tourism enterprises including: accommodation, tour operating, travel agencies and Shisanyama across 9 of the 11 district municipalities in the KZN.
This year we also have a wide range of high calibre mentors participating in the TEP / DEDT Mentorship Programme. These include the likes of African Insignia, African Link Tours, Coastlands on the Ridge Hotel, FEDHASA, Ebandla Hotel, Nongoma Inn, Gooderson Leisure Group of Hotels and Springbok Atlas. We also have individual mentors who are major role-players in the Tourism industry in our province.

We have had a very successful first two months in our Mentorship Programme. We look forward to another wonderful four months of mentorship, learning, value adding, relationship-building and business linkages for our mentees and a very rewarding experience for our mentors.