Western Cape, South Africa

The Western Cape is famous in South Africa for its incredible scenery and laid-back lifestyle, it's mountains and beaches. The province's tourism industry has rapidly grown over the past few years. With Cape Town, Garden Route and the Winelands as its top destinations for visitors from all over the world.

Cape Town - the 'capital' of the Western Cape, is best known for its landmark Table Mountain, which forms a striking backdrop to the city bowl. As a tourist spot, Cape Town is idyllic with beaches that are frequented not only by the rich & famous, tourists but by bronzed locals as well. Apart from its natural beauty, Cape Town also has cultural attractions including the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Robben Island, the Cape Winelands and tours through Khayelitsha.

The Westerns Cape's value as a vacation ownership and investment destination has long been acknowledged. Areas outside of Cape Town that enjoy the same kind of attention include the Cape West Coast. This coastal region is known for its numerous small fishing villages like Langebaan, Shelley Point, and Blouberg. A typical day in the Western Cape could include, breakfast on table Mountain, lunch at a Game farm, and sundowners at one of the many world renowned wine farms.

Hermanus to the east of Cape Town is best known best as South Africa's prime whale watching destination, and Gansbaai a little further down the coast for shark cage diving. It could be said that the Western Cape is a province of leisure, which would explain the amount of golfing estates, wine farms, game farms and quaint little towns situated on the scenic garden route, all just waiting for you to explore.

Q&A with Alex Bosch

The former Timeshare Institute of Southern Africa (TISA) recently re-branded to VOASA – Vacation Ownership Association of Southern Africa, why was this?

[AB] The Timeshare Institute of Southern Africa (TISA) was officially landed in 1993 with the mission and object intention to govern business practices within the Timeshare industry through a Code of Conduct to protect the interest of both consumers and the industry and promoting an equitable, negotiated balance between these interests.  The industry in 1993 consisted of conventional timeshare week modules utilised by timeshare owners.

The industry has since evolved through the introduction of new products based on the underlying timeshare structures such as timeshare points, vacation clubs, destination clubs and fractional ownership, giving the consumer greater flexibility and choice.  In 2007 TISA created a business strategy plan in terms of which these new products would be incorporated in the industry which had evolved to a model of shared vacation ownership products and to re-brand the industry, hence the name change and re-branding to Vacation Ownership Association of Southern Africa (VOASA) to embrace all stakeholders in the shared vacation ownership industry.

SAAFI also merged with VOASA - Does this imply that VOASA are the only shared vacation ownership body in Southern Africa?

[AB] VOASA is the only shared vacation ownership body or association with a code of conduct agreed with and mandated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – other informal associations may exist but are not known by VOASA.

Is VOASA a voluntary organisation?

[AB] VOASA is a self-regulated non-profit association funded through it's membership base with no governmental subsidy

How many members does VOASA have?

[AB] The current membership of  VOASA totals 197 members; the greater majority thereof being corporate entities

What services does your organisation offer vacation ownership companies and individuals?

[AB] VOASA offers guidance on legislation affecting the industry; ensuing that accommodation schemes are, structured correctly in terms of the required legal framework; attending on general enquiries or complaints received pertaining to the industry and an alternative dispute resolution through mediation.

What membership categories do you offer?

[AB] VOASA offers membership in Developer, Exchange Organisation, Owners Association, Brokers and managing agent categories.

What events to VOASA have planned for 2010?

[AB] VOASA will attend a stand at the Annual Indaba Exposition, various workshops for members as well as the Annual VOASA Conference 29 to 31 August 2010 in Durban, South Africa.

Has your organisation assisted resorts with offering accommodation for the 2010 FIFA world cup visitors?

[AB] VOASA assisted a number of timeshare resorts and vacation clubs to engage in discussion with MATCH, the accommodation arm of FIFA 2010, and to enter into agreements endorsed by VOASA.

What major changes do you for see for the shared vacation ownership industry over the next 12 months?

[AB] As in all property related industries, the shared vacation ownership market has been negatively affected by the current economic downturn.

Indications are positive that the economy and thus the property market will pick up later in 2010. Against this, our industry is faced with the challenges of the new Companies Act 2008 and the Consumer Protection 2008, both statures of legislation coming into effect during 2010; to balance the effect and the sustainability of the industry to positively grow.