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Sheila
Simons was born in Scotland and immigrated at a very young age
with her parents to Rhodesia. After leaving school did a limited
amount of travelling through Europe for approx. 8 months. On returning
to Rhodesia found a much needed job as a receptionist with United
Touring Company, her first encounter with the industry. After
a few months SS was promoted to the touring department where she
worked for the Tours and Marketing Manager and learnt about FIT’s
and Group bookings. SS was fortunate enough to visit Victoria
Falls, Wankie, Kariba, Fort Victoria and Bulawayo where UTC had
their various branches. I left after three years to join Zimbabwe
Sun Hotels.
Working for the Marketing Manager was a highlight
for me, besides all the day to day reservations, I was also
working on conference bookings and their in-house executive
club card, setting up systems and keeping members updated on
all the latest information on all the properties. Remember this
was in the days long before technology so was pretty exciting
when being involved with mass mail shots and dealing with the
advertising companies.
This then lead to my main highlight –
Zimbabwe Sun Hotels – National Air Rally, arranging all
aspects, for the 200 Competitors, Supporters, Marshalls, Committee
Members – this included accommodation being reserved in
Kariba / Wankie / Victoria Falls. I was responsible for the
hotel reservations, co-ordinating the airport transfers, assisting
with cocktail parties, barbeque evenings and gala functions.
I handled the entire costing and budgeting for the rally. Collecting
entrance fees, accommodation payments, also approaching companies
for donation, for prizes. Arranging press coverage and VIP attendance.
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Whilst
still with Zimbabwe Sun Hotels – I was involved with the
then new up-market image of Bumi Hills Safari Lodge to Club
Bumi. This included preparing the invitations and associated
literature, speciality menus and locating suitable gifts.
Makasa
Sun (formerly Victoria Falls Casino Hotel) now no longer –
re-opening weekend. I was responsible for arranging private
charters and inviting top local punters, I also handled the
playing card invitations and menus together with the marketing
department and agencies.
A
few years later I immigrated to South Africa when I joined Southern
Sun as a conference co-ordinator – being the liaison between
the hotels and the Sales Executives. After a few years of learning
this new skill I moved on to Protea Hotels as a sales co-ordinator,
they were just starting out and only had four hotels in their
portfolio. I established a new department, from scratch –
this entailed the development of systems and the introductions
of contract letters for all reservations and conference bookings
– these systems were later implemented by all their regional
sales offices. Protea Hotels was starting to grow their business,
new hotels were being added on a monthly basis – so much
so that they then decided to open a Central Reservations Office,
I was then promoted to the CRO Manager – this was for
the domestic market only. Again, this office had to be started
from scratch, not even a paper clip was to be found. I had to
find new staff, equipment, furniture and develop systems. Created
an operation manual which all hotels had to adhere to and any
new hotels that came on board, needed to be enlightened on the
Protea standard.
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After
10 years with Protea Hotels they decided to move the Domestic
Reservations office to Cape Town to integrate with their International
Reservations office. I was asked to move to Cape Town but declined.
I started my early career in tour operating and I seemed to
come full circle when I joined Holiday Africa, where I spent
the next 8 years working on large groups – ending up concentrating
on one major agent’s group series. During my time with
Holiday Africa, Tourvest took an interest and this meant now
having to answer to share holders etc and when 09/11 unfortunately
happened, business took a dive and I was retrenched, business
pick up and I was called back again, but after two years business
was not booming enough to keep me on. Thereafter I left and
was fortunate enough to find a position with Uncharted Africa
Safari Company where I got my taste for Botswana, we operated
luxury Mobile Expeditions which included the Delta, Makgadikgadi
Pans and Kubu Island and the Bushmen in the Western Kalahari
and Central Kalahari. After eight months the owner decided to
close the Johannesburg office and move the reservations to Francistown,
where it all started!
During my career I have been lucky enough to
visit a vast number of hotels and lodges in South Africa, Zimbabwe
and Botswana, but there are always so many many more to see.
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