The road More travelled
Robert More, co-founder and CEO of the More portfolio of hotels and game lodges, admits that being in a business characterised by words such as "boutique" and "luxury" in a time when newspaper headlines are using terms like "recession" and "another strike looms" is a challenge.
“Sustainability is key,” he points out.
“Some boutique lodges owned by private individuals run at a loss. They’re a sort of trophy for the owners – and you get a sense that they’re nothing more than that when you stay there.”
Staying ahead in such a business requires going against the grain, and possibly standing on a couple of toes.
“Trying to run a profitable business creates an energy from which everyone benefits,” says More.
“Hence the need to have a certain price point, because we need to have money to feed back into staff training. The ‘responsible tourism’ idea has no commercial aspect to it. We have relatively low-paid employees – it’s a labour-intensive set-up – interacting with affluent customers on a daily basis, so we need to invest in the communities near the venues in a way that helps our staff to stay passionate.”
At South African lodges, game viewing is generally regarded as the premier attraction, but for guests lucky enough to be able to visit game reserves regularly, this activity can quickly become a cliche.
More agrees.
“The aim is to have flexibility of experience, not a regimented thing like an early morning start with coffee and rusks. We’re trying to develop a different culture, where people with specific interests can do exactly what they want. Photographers are one market to target, as they can go on exclusive drives and we can stock photographic equipment in our shops.
“The issue is that 70% of people want the ‘standard’ experience, but they can’t be the benchmark. Satisfying the other 30% with more flexibility can be difficult, but that’s what needs to be done.”
Another major problem for many regular travellers is the difference between what lodges and parents consider as “family- friendly” activities. All the facilities in the world mean very little if moms and dads want to spend their holiday with their little ones, as opposed to handing them off to au pairs as soon as they sign into their rooms.
“Improving in that area remains a key focus – we’re learning,” concedes More.
“The demand is such that it might be worthwhile to look at a dedicated lodge where families can go on safari together. The generation in which kids were supposed to be heard, but not seen is over, and we need to be aware of that.
“On the other hand, there are also people who want a bit of a break, so it’s important to be able to profile customers correctly.”
