Cape Town - Many of Cape Town’s township B&Bs, some of which were set up ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, are still thriving with many reporting bumper festive season trading.
A lot of hotels and backpackers in more affluent suburbs are usually fully booked during the holiday season, but for some tourists, township B&Bs and guest houses are a more interesting option.
The owner of the Liziwe’s Guest house in Gugulethu, Liziwe Ngcokoto, said they had been kept busy during the festive season.
“We were very busy this past festive season. We were even fully booked.
“The most support was from domestic tourists and a few from overseas.”
Ngcokoto said simply being online didn’t always guarantee success.
“I market my business, but I think word-of-mouth is the best marketing tool because most people come here because someone referred them to me.”
Ngcokoto said guests refer other people to her because they always speak highly of her service. She said another reason people chose her guest house was for its proximity to the airport.
Malebo’s B&B owner, Lydia Masoleng, in Khayelitsha said some of her guests were regulars: “Business was good for me throughout the festive season, I even had guests returning for the second time. I must be doing something right.”
Masoleng said she gets visitors from around the country as well as tourists from overseas.
“Overseas tourists come to the township so they can experience township life and eat our traditional food,” she said.
However, there were a few B&Bs and guest houses that battled to fill rooms during the festive season.
Florence Bhunu, the owner of Mbalentle guest house in Montana, said business had not been good at all for her during the silly season: “There’s nothing to write home about. People know what they want, they don’t want to come from other provinces and still stay in townships while on holiday.”
She said she had done everything right and marketed her business but had nothing to show for it.
“During the year the business is at its lowest and we wait for the festive season for it to pick up but that never happens,” Bhunu said.
Another B&B owner, who didn’t want to be named, blamed the Department of Home Affairs’ visa restrictions for the slump in her business.
MEC of Economic Opportunities Alan Winde said township tourism establishments were a key part of the Western Cape’s tourism offering, providing travellers with authentic experiences.
“We know that worldwide the demand for these culturally-rich experiences is on the rise.”
Winde said tourists wanted to learn about the history and culture of the places they visited: “Township tours offer tourists a unique experience, one in which they can learn more about us as people.”
He said they were working with the sector to put a range of practical projects in place, to ensure that the province was a year-round destination.
Cape Argus