There are lots of exciting developments at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC). This popular and beloved tourist attraction in Cape Town will soon unveil a new element to its offering to customers and visitors, and they have also recently welcomed back a familiar face.
“We are very happy to have Collette van Aswegen return as our Executive in charge of communications and marketing. Collette has years of experience working at the Cableway and we know this institutional knowledge will help us make magic,” says Wahida Parker, Managing Director of TMACC.
Van Aswegen served as Marketing Manager at the Cableway between 2006 and 2019. She officially rejoined the organisation on 1 August 2023, and now looks after both marketing and sales.
“You know what? Once you have worked at the Cableway, it becomes a part of you, and you will always remember it with fondness. My role this time is a little different, whereas in the past I focused purely on marketing. I have kept contact with the amazing and dynamic TMACC team over the years and it was an easy decision to say yes when this opportunity became available,” says Van Aswegen.
Looking back, and looking forward
Several highlights stand out from her previous term at the Cableway, she adds.
“I worked at the Cableway when the Mother City hosted games of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. The atmosphere in the city and at the mountain was electric and something I will remember forever. And then of course our four years of hard work, stakeholder engagement, and creative thinking that led to Table Mountain being voted as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. It was amazing events and campaigns like these that helped draw the world to South Africa and Cape Town.”
But the world has changed a lot since then, Van Aswegen reflects.
“As a tourism operator we must stay on top of these new trends and the changing industry so that we can remain relevant and attractive to today’s tourists, who are more selective on where they go and how they spend their money. People simply do not have as much disposable income as they might have had in the past, so we need to be so much more creative in what we offer.”
“People simply do not have as much disposable income as they might have had in the past, so we need to be so much more creative in what we offer.”
Collaborating with other stakeholders in the tourism sector, she adds, remains a key focus for her and the team at TMACC.
“We simply cannot do it on our own. We want visitors to the city to leave with positive memories that they will share with their friends and families. To achieve this, everyone involved in their visit to Cape Town needs to deliver only their very best.”
Another focus is also on sustainability, which Van Aswegen describes as being ‘a part of our DNA.’
Embracing sustainability
“We adhere to strict rules in how we operate everything about the business. This includes procuring products and services from local suppliers, how we limit our water use, and our commitment to recycling all waste. It stretches further though to how we look after our staff members in terms of bursaries and providing learning opportunities.
“There are so many wonderful behind-the-scenes stories at TMACC, and it will be my job to tell these stories and make visitors even more interested to come and see the mountain and the Cableway for themselves.”
Any young tourism practitioners who are interested in following in Van Aswegen’s footsteps should understand that this job is hard work.
“Remember, you will be working while other people are on holiday. It is your job to make sure they (the visitors) enjoy their experience, and this demands long hours and dedication.
“Make sure you understand new trends that are developing in tourism and marketing and use these to the benefit of your visitors. You also need to know how to be great at communication and at working with others, because this is a team effort.”
Cover image by Thomas Bennie on Unsplash.
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