sa tourism specialist

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Want to be an SA Tourism specialist?

South African Tourism’s  SA Specialist programme is one of many online programmes South Africans are being encouraged to do while working from home during the lockdown.

It is a free module-based online learning experience for anyone who wants to become an authority on South Africa and its attractions, to better sell the country as a holiday destination.

SA Specialist: Essentials is a 90-day course with four compulsory and three elective modules, and a final assessment to qualify as an SA Specialist.

Upon completion, graduates receive a branded certificate and can market themselves as a South African Travel Expert, joining over 18 000 other graduates.

Those who complete the Essentials course can register for the SA Specialist: Experiences course, which exposes students to a series of South African experiences. There’s no time limit on this course.

With domestic tourism being the focus for the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, this course is an opportunity for everyone to improve their level of service for current and future clients and to increase business opportunities.

To register for this free programme, please click on the following link:  https://saspecialist.southafrica.net/us/en .

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SA Specialist The official specialist programme

The SA Specialist is a free interactive learning program designed to improve your knowledge of South Africa and to equip you with the skills to market South Africa as a tourist destination. It will enable you to become an expert on South African travel and to improve the level of service to clients. Marketing and earning potential will increase, as well as business opportunities. There are two courses: • SA Specialist: Essentials • SA Specialist: Experiences

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The SA Specialist program is an interactive learning experience designed to enhance your knowledge about South Africa. It is based online and equip you with the ability to sell South Africa as a tourist destination; in regard, you become an expert of South African travel marketers, enabling you the chance to plug yourself intrinsically and to enhance the extent of service you give to South Africa tourists.

The courses are slated in 2 categories: Essentials course; which introduces you to South Africa and its attractions. And Experiences course; which exposes you to a series of fantastic South African experiences.

Study at your leisure, but it should be within the three months. One amazing thing is that, when forgot to complete the course, you’ll be notified some few days to the deadline. You’ll need to successfully complete four compulsory modules, three elective modules (though you may opt to complete up to nine elective modules if you wish), and a final assessment so as to qualify as a SA Specialist.

Once you’ve become a SA Specialist by completing the Essentials course, you qualify for the video-rich SA Specialist: Experiences course, which exposes you to a series of fantastic South African experiences. Choose one experience, or choose all of them, your preference matters. There’s no limit.

Through the SA Specialist program, you’ll become a South Africa Tourism – accredited travel specialist who has the knowledge to sell South Africa as a destination. You’re also entered into the South African Tourism (SAT) database of SAT Specialists, improving your marketability. you’ll receive a certificate confirming that you have successfully completed the relevant course and can be entitled to use the name ‘SA Specialist’ or ‘South African travel expert’ in your marketing materials.

Another thing to know is that, the courses are free.

Advantages of becoming a SA Specialist.

• You’ll be able to brand yourself as a SA Specialist or South African travel expert in your marketing materials.
• You’ll increase your knowledge about South Africa , thereby increasing your earning potential.
• You’ll be ready to create more enticing packages for your clients, enhancing your reputation as a go-to person for South African travel, and increasing your business opportunities.
• Personal fulfillment – tourism could be a dynamic and exciting industry; you’ll maximize the role you play within it.

WHY SHOULD YOU DO IT?

• Improve the level of service you give clients
• Improve your marketability and branding
• Improve your earning potential
• Increase business opportunities
• Turn knowledge into wealth

Urging all employers also as employees to require outing and challenge your level of public knowledge about our beautifully diverse country, to tackle this program and enjoy the advantages.

How to register for the program.

In order to partake in the SA Specialist program, you need to first register as a participant on their website https://saspecialist.southafrica.net

• Right after clicking on the above website link, you’ll ses the front page. You can scroll through the front page to learn more about tghe program.

2. Click on ‘REGISTER NOW’ or ‘LOG IN’button to register for the program. 

3. Enter your particulars and submit for your immediate account creation.

4. After registration succesfully, you’ll be redirected to the tutorials page; where you’ll be taken throuh how to use the web pages.

5. After reading through, click on ‘COURSES’ to reveal the 2 categories we spoke about already.

6. Now, click on ESSENTIALS start your compulsory lessons. You have 4 of them to complete before you can proceed to the second category which is EXPERIENCES. You may choose to complete all, it’s ideal if you complete all.

7. You can click on ‘VIEW’ to see your progress.

Now with all these tutorials you will be able to manipulate the website without any hassles.

You may want to see the previous specialists, click ‘view Specialists’ to see them. You can contact any for guidance and assistance, choose a region/country to see the various specialists. View Specialists here.

Recently, SA Specialists were hosted in South Africa. read more here. SAT Hosts SA Specialists 2019 in 2020 . 

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Flow Communications

Turning fundis into south african specialists.

South African Tourism recently revamped its online training platform and, thanks to the the hard-working team at Flow, the newly-launched SA Specialist website has been a big hit so far.

SA Specialist is an online learning platform designed to teach people in the travel trade about the country. It is mainly geared towards people working overseas who often have to sell holiday packages to South Africa, but may have never visited themselves (that said, it is also popular with the South African travel trade and tourism and hospitality students). It offers a crash course for members of the travel trade such as travel agents, to learn all the basics needed to successfully sell South Africa to their clients. This allows them to talk with some authority about what to see in Johannesburg or Cape Town, how much money one ought to take, or where the best safari spots are, for example.

The previous training portal, known as SA Fundi, was several years old when South African Tourism approached Flow about a site revamp. They wanted a modern-looking, easy-to-use site, which could be accessed and understood by users around the world.

“Flow were asked to help us redevelop the whole SA Fundi site, which had a number of user-experience problems,” explains Bontle Madiba, Online Trade Specialist at South African Tourism. “They also worked in partnership with Fogg to implement the new design.”

The project was a massive undertaking, and technically complex – Flow had to keep some elements of the old Fundi database intact while moving over to the new one (sometimes while people were still mid-course!), and then had to ensure that every single piece of new content developed, every button and every certificate awarded was translated into the relevant language of the user. With the help of translation company Lionbridge Technologies base in Europe, SA Specialist is now offered in the following languages:

The renaming to SA Specialist was also to help align the site with other similar training resources found elsewhere in the world, such as the Aussie Specialist Program and the 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme.

Reatile Tshikalange, head developer for this project, says that the project was a challenge.

“There were some teething issues at first, but nothing that Flowstars couldn’t handle! I am happy with the outcome of the site. There is room for growth, and we are already busy on Phase 2, which will engage users in an even more exciting way.”

Users can log in from anywhere in the world and register on the site (for free). After that, they can sign up to various modules, and will have to pass a test on each one to move on to the next. There are four basic and compulsory modules on South Africa in general, and a further nine (one for each province). To qualify as an SA Specialist and earn a certificate, users need to pass the four basic modules, plus three province modules. Once qualified, SA Specialists can connect with other SA Specialists and make social and networking connections on the site.

Flow’s design studio manager, Lorraine Gumede, led the design implementation for the new site. From a content point of view, Kate Turkington, one of the premier travel writers in South Africa, piloted the first module and produced the blueprint for the rest, which were then populated by Flowstars Melanie Feris and Christine Marot, with editing by Keith Nicholls and Tara Turkington.

Tara Turkington, Flow CEO, promises that this is only Phase 1 for SA Specialist, with lots more still to come. “The current SA Specialist site will provide a foundation that will hopefully continue to build for many years,” she says. “The reaction has been very good so far, and as one of the major projects Flow has rolled out in the past year, we are very proud of the results.

“Like the work we did for South African Tourism’s US website , this was a long and complicated project. The team at South African Tourism, led by Bontle Madiba in this case, were fabulous to work with. They are passionate, committed and always insistent on delivering the best possible quality, so are wonderful partners.”

Phase 2 promises more experience-based modules around certain themes (such as adventure, culture and wildlife), and a lot more video integration, too – once finished, travel agents will be able to give their clients a first-person view of a Bloukrans bungee jump, or white-water rafting on the Orange River, for instance.

“Everybody at the SAT offices is very pleased with the new site. For me, I can see the long-term vision, and am keen to get rolling on the next phases,” says Bontle.

“Flow are a great bunch. I really love working with them – they are approachable, and offer great ideas.”

Why not consider becoming an SA Specialist yourself? Check it out here: http://saspecialist.southafrica.net .

• SA Specialist

The SA Specialist programme is an interactive learning experience designed to improve your knowledge of South Africa and equip with you with the skills to sell South Africa as a tourist destination; in essence, you become an expert on South African travel, giving you the opportunity to market yourself as such and to improve the level of service you give to clients. 

• SA Specialist: Experiences

The SA Specialist: Experiences programme is an online learning course designed to expose those who have completed the SA Specialist programme to a series of fantastic South African experiences. Knowledge of these experiences will vastly improve your ability to sell the country as a tourist destination and assist you in compiling ever-more attractive travel packages.

There are seven categories of experiences to choose from when doing the course. You can choose to complete only one of them, all seven, or any number in between – it’s entirely up to you. However, we recommend completing all of them – the more you know, the better you can sell the country.

Note: the SA Specialist programme must be completed before starting the SA Specialist: Experiences programme

Become an SA Specialist

South African Tourism has an email address you can contact: [email protected]

© 2024 SA Specialist South African Tourism

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BUILDING  CAREERS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA’S GROWING TOURISM INDUSTRY

 professional training for the tourism services.

The College provides professional training to unemployed men and women from impoverished rural backgrounds, to equip them to take up skilled positions in the nature-based tourism industry. In addition to hospitality training, the college offers tracker training through its Tracker Academy. Graduates are able to return to their communities as entrepreneurs with small tourism businesses, or to work as part of the local eco-tourism industry within or around conservation areas.

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graduates and employment

TEACHING SKILLS NEEDED TO GROW OUR ECO-TOURISM INDUSTRY

Total number graduated since 2001, students currently enrolled in courses, hospitality academy.

The Hospitality Academy teaches operational and management skills to students seeking a career in the lodge and guesthouse industry. These include culinary courses and hospitality skills.

Tracker Academy

Tracker Academy trains disadvantaged people in traditional skills of wildlife tracking. Our training programme is accredited with CATHSSETA and endorsed by FGASA.

Creating solutions for our future in tourism

SA College for Tourism (SACT) is a registered non-profit organisation and was established in 2001 by Dr. Anton Rupert under the auspices of the Peace Parks Foundation in partnership with the Rupert Family Foundations, international agencies and public donors.

The College was founded as an instrument of capacity building and economic empowerment institution aimed at young, disadvantaged, rural women (demographically worst affected by unemployment). Through its Hospitality Training Division which is linked to eco-tourism, the SACT has dedicated itself to the upliftment, promotion and upskilling of these young individuals.

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Operating under the auspices of Peace Parks Foundation, the hospitality training division of SACT annually trains up to 95 young, unemployed and unskilled individuals (mostly women – above 95%) from rural southern Africa, to equip them to take up skilled positions in the nature-based tourism industry.

SACT – Our Journey

SA College for Tourism established by Dr. Anton Rupert.   Official opening done by Mrs. Huberte Rupert and First Lady Zanele Mbeki.

First graduation of Hospitality students.

Mrs. Gaynor Rupert elected as Chairperson of the Board.

First Gregorio Raymo Award:   Portofino, Italy.

Tracker Academy is established by Mrs. Gaynor Rupert.

SACT Hospitality Training Division’s 10  year anniversary and first student reunion.

SACT Hospitality Training Division:   Receives BHP Billiton Achiever Award:   Best Training Programme in Tourism.

SACT Hospitality Training Division:   Receives Mail & Guardian – Investing in the Future Education Award.

Tracker Academy:   Habituation programme: Pantanal, Brazil.

Tracker Academy:   Conducted its inaugural accredited Lead Tracker programme.

Opening of Drostdy Hotel as a wholly owned subsidiary of the SA College for Tourism.

Tracker Academy:   Finalist for Tourism for Tomorrow Award.

First annual Fab Chef competition launched.

10 Year Anniversary of Tracker Academy attended by King Letsie III from Lesotho.

Executive Director André Kilian retired.

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SA College for Tourism’s 20 Year anniversary.

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” As a 5-star Safari Operator, we are exceptionally proud to offer many of the interns full time employment on completion of their work placements, at our various properties. We look forward to hosting many more SACT interns in the coming years and growing our partnership.”

Annual and Progress Reports

The SA College for Tourism publishes progress and annual reports, which are available to download on our ABOUT page. Our latest resports can be downloaded and viewed in PDF format.

VIEW ANNUAL AND PROGRESS REPORTS

Partners & Sponsors

The SA College for Tourism is a non-profit organisation that operates under the auspices of Peace Parks Foundation . It was established in 2001 by Dr Anton Rupert, renowned financier and philanthropist and at the time chairman of Peace Parks Foundation, and developed in partnership with the Rupert Family Foundations, as well as other international agencies and public donors.

• Anglo American Chairman’s Fund
• Bergplaas Seat of the Spirit of the Wild
• Conservation International through Conservation SA
• Distell Development Trust

Dr Edwin de la Harpe Hertzog

Drostdy Hotel

Escape Safari Co (Pty) Ltd.

Firearms Management Services (Pty) Ltd.

Fox Browne Creative cc

Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust

Helen Gurley Brown Foundation

Henry H Bacon Estate

Itumeleng Community Trust

Jagersfontein Developments (Pty) Ltd

Koos & Rona Rupert Educational Trust

L’Ormarins (Pty) Ltd.

• Londolozi Game Reserve

Marsh (Pty) Ltd.

Mr Dillie & Mrs Riette Malherbe and Namco Share Investments (Pty) Ltd.

Mr Jeremy & Mrs Britta Lloyd (Lloyd Family Foundation

• Mr Nick Jonsson and Jonsson Workwear (Pty) Ltd.

Mr Niel & Mrs Nelia Hoogenhout (Seetuin Beleggings [Edms] Bpk)

• Mr Stephen Falcke
• Mr Tom & Mrs Linda Rawles (Operation Pachamama)
• Mr Ulrich & Mrs Doris Gerber
• Mr Werner Myburgh
• Mrs Beth Kushner
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• Singita Game Reserve
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+27 (0) 49 892 2244 [email protected]

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On 21 April 2023, I announced the appointment of three persons to manage the affairs of the SA Tourism Board following the dissolution of the previous board.  

The appointment of the three persons was done in line with the Section 16 (3) (b) of the Tourism.  

The three appointed persons are:  

1.  Ms Kholeka Zama - a qualified Chartered Accountant who has worked in finance, audit and governance roles and has served as a Chief Financial Officer at several entities.  

2.   Mr Tim Harris is a tourism and economic promotion specialist, with twenty years global experience in destination marketing, economic policy, investment promotion and governance.  

3.    Mr Vincent Zwelibanzi Mntambo has a law degree from the University of the North West and a Masters in Law from Yale University and has held various administrative and management positions at FIAT (SA) and later as Faculty Officer at University of the North West. He also served as the first Director General of the Gauteng Provincial Government.​

I met with the interim board last week to discuss their duties and urgent work needed to stabilize SA Tourism and pursue our objective growing inclusive tourism in South Africa.

During my meeting with the interim board, Mr Vincent Zwelibanzi Mntambo nominated Mr Tim Harris as their chairperson, this was accepted, and this update will be gazetted in the Government Gazette of Friday 5 May 2023.  

Mr Tim Harris wrote to the Acting CEO of SA Tourism on Wednesday 26 April 2023 requesting a number of strategic documents and an urgent briefing from the SA Tourism executive.  

I had a fruitful and frank discussion with the interim SA Tourism Board and the Director General of the Department of Tourism outlining key outcomes and areas we need to work on urgently to ensure that the SA Tourism Interim Board, the SA Tourism executive and the Department of Tourism can work together efficiently to grow inclusive tourism for the country.  

The interim board understands the urgency and work required to bring greater alignment in all our work and I wish them well in the duties.  

Issued by:

Zara Nicholson

Media Liaison Officer

Cell: +27 (0) 79 416 5996

Email: [email protected] ​

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