WELLINGTON WOMEN STAND TALL DURING WOMEN’S MONTH

Posted by Sunè Samuels on 26 August 2019 9:55 AM CAT

The Drakenstein Local Tourism Authority continues their Women’s Month crusade paying tribute to women in tourism by profiling four exceptional women from Wellington.

During August, Susanna Tecklenburg of Oude Wellington Restaurant is celebrating the freedom of being an independent woman and being surrounded by a host of inspirational women on a daily basis – women who stand up for themselves, take responsibility, respect other women and help to motivate others.  She is a firm believer in the power of the tourism industry and is convinced that South Africa and Wellington specifically have a winning recipe.  “We have the most amazing natural beauty, incredible restaurants and wine producers.  The industry is filled with passionate, creative and talented people, who are not scared of their own individuality or to face difficult challenges.  Despite the political situation, we still have incredibly much to offer to visitors.  I think we should concentrate on the positive and stand together to make tourists feel safe and welcome.  We also need to teach our kids the importance of hospitality to ensure the growth of the industry,” mentions Susanna.

Olivia Cordeur is Wellington born and bred and remains enchanted by this rural village.  The mother of three has a special Women’s Month message aimed specifically at young women.  “I want to encourage those with dreams and ideals to tackle the world head-on and believe that they can bring change.  With determination, they can achieve anything and make a success of any endeavor as long as they approach it with strong and informed opinions.  In this industry, passion is essential and you cannot operate in isolation,” explains Olivia, who faces the daunting prospect of keeping museum visits dynamic, informative and fun.

Perfect Place has become the social hub of the Wellington street scene and is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike.  Owner Susan van Rensburg believes that tourism can play a pivotal role in job creation in South Africa, but admits that the current economic situation offers a huge challenge to the industry.  “Our rainbow nation and diverse cultures can be hugely appealing to visitors, but legislation and labour law issues have a massive impact on small businesses such as ours.  Owning a coffee shop is not a romantic ideal, but requires hard work, passion and tenacity,” says Susan.

Cathy Entwistle is an actuary, qualified winemaker and estate agent, but now calls the award-winning Val du Charron Wine and Leisure Estate home.  During Women’s Month, they have hosted a number of local and international tour operators and female influencers as well as launching Val du Charron Reserve Rosé to celebrate women.  “Over the years I have been blessed with colleagues, who not only have a phenomenal work ethic, but demonstrate true joy in delivering a tourism experience in South Africa that is the fulfilment of a dream and a once-in-a-lifetime journey for some visitors.  I’d like to encourage young people to get off their phones and start connecting with real people. Interacting with guests is fun and delivering good service is satisfying.”

Read more about Women’s Month in Drakenstein in our blogs at www.wellington.co.za and Visit Wellington on social media.