Pleasure, Pleasure, Pleasure…

Sorry about that Forums Post, it was but one of those things… and the action is only possible with your assistance and notifications.  So please send me an email or make a phone call to our office when you wish to action things like this.  – Thanks to Prof Neels and Willem Janse van Rensburg and others who contacted me via phone and email on this sensitive topic.  Thanks for everyone’s understanding.

A quick catch up!! – A Gonnie’s short version… of a catch up…

• It has been crazy at the office over the last few months with the new 2008 Annual Touring Guide (including GPS) now finally available in the various CampWorld & Outdoor Warehouse stores country wide and available in over 250 resorts for the December holidays.  –Impressive Guide - thanks to my wife, Holley and our dedicated team of staff who overlook this publication project and that makes this happen each year.
• The three decks of Industry Playing Cards (RED, BLUE, GREEN) are at the printers in JHB and should be available by the end of November 2007 in retail outlets and various resorts… I want it! I want it! I want it! – These decks of cards are looking so good and an eight year dream of mine (since December 1999) is now going to be available for ME to enjoy.  I wanted them first! I get the first three decks and then only can everyone else have them as well ...  I very excited about this project, only a few people know how long I have waited for this one to happen… and I can thank the sale of my three properties last year for some of this nice cash injection into our business… Thanks to above.
• The Kids CAMPendium Activity Box is at the printers in Durban, and these games and activity book for the kids are looking first-class – it will make us proud to entertain the kids of this industry.  Various resorts and retail outlets will have stock shortly, and as they understand this new product and what it is intended for (The KIDS of course!), we will see more availability of this product during 2008. – Especially when our new retail display stands are in place and they attract attention.
• Star Grading - We now have just over 138 star graded resorts and this is improving the over all standard of this industry from a resort side of things.  We see many resorts continuing the expansion within their own parks as they have a fixed criterion to work from to improve the service & facilities levels.
  Willie, Neels and other grading assessors have been very busy in this department and they make us all proud.  –Thanks to them we have better resorts!
• - Now, I have a dream! – Yea, another one… I have two, three and many more… - but this one goes like this…
  ## Make “Parks” into “Caravan & Camping Parks” –like those “Municipal PARKS” that are not even close to being ok, they offer some form of camping facility, but they just need new basic ablution facilities, taps and at least semi level sites, etc. to convert them from parks to caravan & camping parks…  I will tell you as we work closer with the likes of municipalities – it is still grim but better than before as progress into improvements are staring to take shape – suppose 2010 is helping somewhat…
  ##  Then make the current “Caravan and Camping Parks” into “Real Holiday Resorts” – Just add super-tubes, jumping castles, putt-putt, large common entertainment & braai areas and other various Holiday Resort facilities to convert them from a caravan park into providing the feeling of a Holiday Resort.  – Now we do have many resorts like this already, I just want to see more Caravan & Camping Parks becoming Holiday Resorts. 
  - Don’t just have a pool and say visit our holiday resort… because Hotels and Time Share offer these same old boring pools as a sales pitch...  provide real holiday resort facilities, an easy one is a resort mascot for the kids, like a Mickey Mouse in Disney Land, or invite the Chappie Chipmunk, Oros Man or Caramello Bear to vist the resorts – easy stuff like this... makes a resort.

Anyway, cheers everyone… safe trips and happy camping.
Gonnie Bromehead
CaravanParks.com – Southern Africa’s Caravan & Camping Tourism Network