Travel and Tour Awards 2017

8 Corporate Vision / Canadian Business Awards 2017 , TTA17006 VictoriaManor is a beautiful escape from the everyday rush, just 2 kilometres from Queenstown. The landscape is guarded by oldmajestic trees depicting the character and atmosphere of its surroundings. We invitedMaria Nyawula to tell us a bit more about the beautiful facility. Most Charming Guest House Victoria Manor owns a Victorian theme, boasting 28 rooms, ranging from standard, superior and presidential, all stylishly decorated with all the luxurious mod-cons you may need. The conference facilities consist of well-equipped and flexibly furnished business meeting rooms and conferencing facilities for up to 120 delegates. Victoria Manor is a gem that exudes romance, sophistication, elegance and charm, perfect for clients’ special days. The gardens are the perfect backdrop for wedding pictures. The venue has a Helipad for the safe landing of its Honourable guests. Maria discusses with us the team’s overall mission and how they aim to satisfy clients. “Generally, Victoria Manor’s mission is to be the best and most recognizable B&B in the Eastern Cape Province. This will be achieved by continuously improving our customer service offering to guests and benchmarking national and international B&B’s. Staff always seek constant innovation to wow guests, and we also plan to expand on the industry channels to attract more customers and enlarge the customer base.” To be a successful guest house, the location must attract the best business and clients. Maria comments on what it is that differentiates the venue from its competitors, noting the uniqueness of the facility. “Marking ourselves out as the best option for possible guests is our Victorian style, first-class client service. We have been recognised globally for the luxury guesthouse which is open to people from all over the world. Our uniqueness has put us on the map and we are still going strong.” Based in Queenstown, South Africa, Maria tells us about the benefits of being based in the region. The business opportunities are something Maria is particularly keen to talk about, as well as the respect the establishment gains from its customer service within the region, as good reviews spread through word of mouth. “This region has many business opportunities and the people are supportive of one another. This makes Queenstown an ideal place to base a business and it is also central to many areas in the Eastern Cape Province and the demand for our industry is increasing each year. “Customer satisfaction is one of our priorities. The staff understands the customer service environment and has been trained to welcome guests with warm hearts because they could be hosting angels.” There is an internal culture within the firm which helps to contribute greatly to the customer service at the firm. Maria is manager of the venue and so can ensure that staff follow the philosophies and strategies that are put in place by the team. “Through different trainings that are held annually for the staff. I also manage the place so it makes it easy to guide, direct and ensure the philosophies and strategies that have worked over the years are kept and implemented on a daily basis.” With regard to the future of the firm, Maria talks us through the plans to expand, as well as introduce many new rooms and new facilities within the house. Not just relying on the inside of the house, Maria is clearly excited about the plans to build sports fields which will undoubtedly attract a whole new range of visitors. “The plan is to expand the business by building a big hall that will accommodate 500 people for conferences or events. “There is also hope to build more rooms that will be top of the range, with a gourmet kitchen that will be world class. We also plan to build sport fields to accommodate various sport training and entertainment.” In the corporate travel market, there are always developments and changes which venues have to adapt around. With a booming increase in tourism, Maria details how Victoria Manor will adapt to this development. “Fundamentally, we are going to add more rooms and bigger conference facilities which will accommodate approximately 600 people.” Contact: Maria Nyawula Contact Email: [email protected] Contact Number: 045 838 4505 / 045 838 3454Address: Whittlesea Road, Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa