#WTMA17: Travelling by the coast with Oyster Bay Lodge
4 May 2017
We stopped by the Oyster Bay Lodge exhibition stand during World Travel Market Africa 2017 and chatted to front office manager, Danielle Benson, about this four-star hotel, situated on a coastal reserve, between Knysna and Port Elizabeth.
As a destination to unwind from one's busy schedule and daily routine, the Oyster Bay Lodge has become known for its revitalising atmosphere and outdoor activities.
Oyster Bay Lodge aerial view
Tell us about yourself - who are you and what do you do?
Oyster Bay Lodge is a private coastal reserve set on 235 hectares with a 3.5 km private sandy beachfront on the Garden Route. We are activity driven with 13 eco-outdoor activities such as horseback riding on the beach, dune safaris, sandboarding, mountain biking and dune picnics. The lodge consists of 10 comfortable guestrooms, four luxury chalets, a restaurant, ocean viewing bar and swimming pool.
What were you doing at WTM Africa 2017? What did you want to achieve by attending?
Oyster Bay Lodge has had so many new developments in the last year, (like the fact that we are now a Fairtrade Tourism certified business) that our aim was to share all our news with those partners we have been doing business with for many years. We also wanted to market our product as the must destination that it is and to build new contacts within the industry. It is important to always remain visible within the industry and building new relationships is something important to us.
Oyster Bay Lodge main entrance
What are your plans for the year ahead, if any?
As we head into our off-peak season (May-August) the lodge undergoes annual maintenance and upgrades to rooms and facilities. These upgrades will include new furniture for certain rooms, a new undercover poolside deck and just general maintenance on all the applicable buildings. On the marketing front, we plan on having a much stronger presence at trade shows such as WTM Africa and Indaba.
What is it that you wanted people to remember about your offering at WTM Africa 2017?
That Oyster Bay Lodge is not just a lodge with rooms or a guesthouse in a village, but rather a destination unspoiled and natural in all its natural beauty. Our piece of paradise is something spectacular and like no other. We are the ideal start or end of your Garden Route trip.
