THE SA DIRECTORY ISSUE ISSUE 123: JANUARY 2018 www.businesstravellerafrica.co.za [8716]_TTS_Business Traveller Advert.indd 2 2016/10/12 10:48:30 AM [8716]_TTS_Business Traveller Advert.indd 2 2016/10/12 10:48:30 AM 06 2 | JANUARY2018 Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za Contents 22 24 30 34 36 38 COUNTRY PROFILES 06 Johannesburg 22 Pretoria 24 Cape Town 30 Durban 40 42 34 Port Elizabeth 36 East London 38 Polokwane 40 Nelspruit 42 Kimberley 44 George 44 46 46 Bloemfontein Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za JANUARY2018 | 3 ED’S LETTER nchartered business travel offers up a unique set of challenges, and if you’re embarking on PUBLISHER U a trip for the first time, particularly if it’s to a Richard Lendrum destination you’ve never visited, the smart approach involves doing your research, gathering as much information as possible, and ideally engaging those with EDITOR Dylan Rogers first-hand experience of the destination in question. [email protected] That’s whether or not you’re the actual traveller or the booker/agent tasked with making this trip happen. Fortunately, there is so much information now available JOURNALIST on the internet that one can gather a fair amount of Kate Kennedy intelligence, canvas reviews etc, to ensure you leave home confident that you know what you’re getting in to. But DESIGN AND LAYOUT that can take time – time that a lot of business travellers Nadette Voogd don’t have. That’s why we believe this first ever South African SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PRODUCTION Directory Issue can be such a useful travel tool to those Mabel Ramafoko conducting business travel in this country, as we’ve done [email protected] the research for you, canvassed a host of reviews, collated a bunch of information, and consulted business travellers SOUTH AFRICAN OFFICE in the industry who have actually travelled to the cities in Postal Address: question. PO Box 1746, Saxonwold, 2132 In this inaugural SA Directory Issue, we’ve gone Physical Address: for 11 cities – the ones we believe are South Africa’s 247 Jan Smuts Avenue, Randburg Telephone: +27 11 327 6107 main business travel destinations: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Polokwane, Nelspruit, George, East London and NIGERIAN OFFICE Kimberley. 3rd Floor, EuniBrown House195, In this way we have focused on 11 cities we believe Ikorodu Road, Palmgrove,Lagos, Nigeria Tel: +234 1 740 3236 are the most important, high-profile and prominent Mobile: +234 803 963 0155 business travel destinations in the country. Within that, we’ve drilled down even further to focus on each city’s important business travel information. PUBLISHER – NORTH & WEST AFRICA Tope Ogbeni-Awe This is the information we believe a corporate traveller [email protected] or booker might need to know, when embarking on a business trip to these cities, including detail on the main airport and the airport experience, the hotels available in EDITORIAL ASSISTANT the city, some recommended restaurants, and some useful Mohammed Abdullahi or interesting titbits that might make the experience a bit fulfilling. This, we believe, covers just about every base, although we are constantly looking at ways of improving these profiles, year on year. All that’s left is to wish you a fantastic 2018 and happy travelling. Business Traveller Africa is published under licence from Perry Publications Limited. Warwick House, 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PP. Tel: +44 20 7821 2740 www.businesstraveller.com Dylan Rogers Editor [email protected] Follow us on: 4 | JANUARY2018 Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za Where Africa’s Leaders Meet EMPERORS PALACE, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA THE GRAND PALM, GABORONE, BOTSWANA UMODZI PARK, LILONGWE, MALAWI Three World-Class Hotel and Convention Resorts Whether its a global conference, international summit or multi-lingual RELAXING STAYS. EXCITING TIMES. symposium, Peermont proudly offers three exceptional convention resort choices with unrivalled facilities and service. Emperors Palace, situated next to O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa; The Grand Palm Resort in Gaborone, Botswana and Umodzi Park in Lilongwe, Malawi. Catering for delegates from 8 to 3000 in multiple, well-appointed venues with accompanying luxury accommodation, the finest quality cuisine, state-of the-art technical abilities, superior business FOLLOW US services and a dedicated security detail. Choose Peermont, where quality is guaranteed and customised solutions are effortless. www.peermont.com PEERMONT INTERNATIONAL SALES: Tel: +27 (0)11 928 1903 | E-mail: [email protected] PEERMONT CENTRAL RESERVATIONS: Tel: +27 (0)11 928 1928 | E-mail: [email protected] EMPERORS PALACE in Johannesburg, GRACELAND in Secunda, UMFOLOZI in Empangeni, RIO in Klerksdorp, KHORONI in Thohoyandou, FRONTIER INN in Bethlehem, MMABATHO PALMS in Mafikeng, THABA MOSHATE in Burgersfort, UMODZI PARK, BICC and PRESIDENT WALMONT in Lilongwe, Malawi, THE GRAND PALM, GICC and THE MONDIOR HOTEL in Gaborone, and THE METCOURT HOTEL in Francistown, Botswana. Johannesburg Johannesburg is South Africa’s main business travel destination and the economic powerhouse of both the country and the African continent. OVERVIEW The capital of South Africa’s smallest province, Gauteng, Johannesburg is where it all happens for the country’s business travellers. Not only is it the largest city in South Africa, but Johannesburg is also one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa’s three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court. Much of the financial activity takes place in and around the Sandton district in the north across a range of areas and there is still of lounge investment, which was to include of Johannesburg. Sandton features many of a reliance on heavy industries including a revamp of the airline’s lounge at O.R. the big banks and associated corporates, steel and cement plants. Other industries Tambo International in Johannesburg. the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, a host include banking, IT, real estate, transport, In June, Signature Lux Hotels opened its of hotels, restaurants and bars, a Gautrain broadcast and print media, private health first hotel in South Africa - and Africa - in station, the huge Sandton City shopping care, and a vibrant leisure and consumer the heart of the Golden Mile in Sandton. centre, and Nelson Mandela Square. retail market. The progressive hotel chain is targeting Much of Johannesburg’s corporate business The JSE is Africa’s largest stock exchange tech-savvy millennials and business has moved out of the CBD, which is located in and it has moved out of the CBD. Due to travellers with its four-star finishes and the south, although some do still retain their its commercial role, the city is the seat quality connectivity, with social hubs for offices, and there are pockets of rejuvenation of the provincial government and the enhanced networking opportunities. taking place, such as in Newtown, where site of a number of government branch Moving to the TMC space where City Lodge has opened a hotel. offices, as well as consular offices and Johannesburg-headquartered Duma Travel Rosebank is one of the ‘nodes’ that is other institutions. announced its partnership with global benefiting from a reduced interest in the travel management giant UNIGLOBE. The CBD, and it is situated between town and BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS two parties are now working together to Sandton. It also has a Gautrain station, No surprise to hear that there was plenty grow the UNIGLOBE brand in Africa, with a large re-vamped shopping centre, and of change on the Johannesburg business Duma targeting small and medium-sized quality hotels. Standard Bank moved one travel scene in 2017. travel agencies throughout sub-Saharan of its offices from the CBD to Rosebank. In February, Emirates’ A380 aircraft African. UNIGLOBE has more than 600 That being said, Johannesburg, like many returned to South African skies for the start partners across 60 countries, and agencies metropolises, has more than one CBD, of a scheduled service between Dubai and that join gain access to a global brand, including, but not limited to, Sandton, Johannesburg. The city became Emirates’ business-boosting technologies, training Rosebank and Roodepoort (West Rand) in 46th destination in its global network to to international standards and a global addition to the original CBD. Some tend which it flies the double decker aircraft. hotel programme with 38,000 properties to include Benoni and Germiston as well. The A380 offers a total of 516 seats in a in 6,000 cities. Mining was the foundation of the three-class cabin configuration, with 14 On the hotel side of things, August saw Witwatersrand’s economy, but its importance private suites in first class, 76 mini pods the announcement that Birchwood Hotel is gradually declining due to dwindling with lie-flat seats in business class, and & OR Tambo Conference Centre – in close reserves, and service and manufacturing 426 seats in economy class. proximity to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo industries have become more significant to Also beefing up its A380 offering was International Airport – had unveiled its new the city’s economy. While gold mining no British Airways. May saw the airline on-site restaurant. It is called Phomolong longer takes place within the city limits, announce that it would be adding 680 seats and its decor is a modern take on traditional most mining companies still have their a week to Johannesburg by operating an African design, including a rustic thatch headquarters in Johannesburg. all-A380 service. Further to that, there was roof with wooden decking, contemporary The city’s manufacturing industries extend an announcement regarding BA’s programme furniture and a modern open kitchen. 6 | JANUARY2018 Visit businesstravellerafrica.co.za Johannesburg In September, Comair Limited announced the launch of SLOW XS, a new lounge at Lanseria International Airport to the north-west of Johannesburg.