AA Travel Guides 2010 Awards

AA Travel Guides American Express Accommodation Awards 2010

AA Travel Guides American Express Awards are used by graded accommodation establishments in South Africa to monitor their performance. For winners, the award is a boon to marketing campaigns, adding immeasurably to their credibility. It's about more than merely bragging rights, having a real impact on bottom-line success.
The Automobile Association (AA), in collaboration with American Express, runs a programme of local establishment awards on the basis of a countrywide consumer poll. No fewer than 47 000 South Africans responded to the 2009 survey, rating some 1 300 properties graded according to the AA's grading system, known as AA Quality Assured.

According to convenor Vanessa Sand, who produces a series of travel guides on behalf of the AA, the AA Travel Guides American Express Awards programme grows in size every year. "The recognition received through the programme obviously holds tremendous marketing value for establishments," she states.

Voting takes place in a number of categories, awarding local tourism establishments such as guest houses, bed & breakfast establishments, holiday apartments and game lodges. Guests are asked to comment on service levels, the quality of facilities, cleanliness, ambience and food. The feedback, positive or negative, is sent back to participating establishments. "This assists managers to improve aspects of their operations or to maintain existing high standards," says Sand.

High scoring establishments are further visited by assessors to verify that their scores are justified. Regular winners take their place in the programme's Hall of Fame.

The Humewood Hotel featured well in the 2010 Awards program, competeing in the Full Service Hotels categfory against other Full Service hoteal accross South Africa from one star to five star.  Competition is always fierce in this category as a coveted AA Travel Guides plaque is a sign of an establishment that is really going the extra mile for their client.  This year we were placed a very close second to the Protea Hotel Mossel Bay and achieved a Highly Commended certificate which means that our score was within five percent of the winner, and according to a source one more good questionare would have seen us as the winner.  The hotel General Manager, Dave Snuggs, expressed dissappointment at not achieving this accolade but with determination states that "we intend to achieve a win in 2011" and has already submitted entries for the 2011 awards program.

For more information please follw this link, http://www.accommodationawards.co.za/