INDABA is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar, as it showcases the widest variety of the best and brightest tourism products and initiatives.
This year saw Kitty Petousis, matriarch of the Petousis Group, who has been in the hotel industry for 60 years and who celebrated her 90th birthday last year – attend and participate in buyer meetings for the first time. Kitty thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between dynamic hoteliers and other tourism-industry delegates. “I had such an exciting time at INDABA, mixing with all the young tourism-industry players. It is so good, at my age, to still feel in touch with the way in which the industry is developing.”
Best of all for Kitty, the Petousis Group won a 2014 Gold Award in the Hotel Category for their stand – a shutter-style layered structure in elegant white, clearly showcasing the names of the three properties in the Group and decorated with attractive visuals from each property. Tall ‘picket fence’ side walls demarcated its edges and a sophisticated seating area gave delegates a place to meet up for a chat. Winning a Gold Award was a real honour, as it was contested by all hotel exhibitors at INDABA.
The Petousis Group consists of three properties: the Vineyard Hotel, located in the leafy suburb of Newlands, which has a special focus on greening; the Townhouse Hotel, geared towards guests keen to experience Cape Town’s inner-city vibe and historical sights; and Oude Werf, where the graceful ambience of South Africa’s oldest inn has been maintained along with modern, homey touches – the perfect base from which to explore the winelands.
