Audrey D’Angelo
Tsogo Sun Holdings, the JSE-listed gaming and hospitality company that added Gold Reef casinos and entertainment centres to its own collection last year, has consolidated all its operating divisions under one name. Its 14 casinos and 95 hotels in South Africa, other parts of Africa, the Seychelles and United Arab Emirates will all now operate under the name of Tsogo Sun.
But the name Southern Sun will be retained for its premier hotels, identified by the Tsogo Sun logo.
Marcel von Aulock, who took over last year as chief executive of the group, explained yesterday that the diverse names under which its divisions operated obscured the fact that it was South Africa’s largest listed company in the hotel and tourism sector.
The main shareholders are JSE-listed Hosken Consolidated Investments and London- and JSE-listed brewer SABMiller. Other shareholders are financial institutions and the general public.
Tsogo Sun’s different brands range from the Southern Sun, Garden Court, SunSquare, StayEasy and Formula 1 hotel chains to the Montecasino entertainment centre and Gold Reef City casino and theme park in Johannesburg and Silverstar casino in Krugersdorp. Other casinos, entertainment centres and hotels are owned and run in the Western and Eastern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, including the Suncoast casino and Entertainment World in Durban.
“Our scale has changed. Our portfolio enables us to achieve our aim of providing the greatest variety of hospitality, entertainment and leisure experiences,” Von Aulock said.
Rob Collins, the chief marketing officer of the group, explained that it was embarking on a campaign to profile itself correctly. “This will enable us to leverage fully and properly position our intangible assets – our brands – under the proudly South African Tsogo Sun brand, unifying the company under one name and logo.
“Tsogo in Setswana means resurrection or new life. In line with the strength of this name, we have developed a group identity that will create clear understanding of who we are and what we do as a group.”
The stock rose 1.13 percent to R17.85 yesterday.