BY Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe
Agnes Ntombela, General Manager at MINT Hotel 84 Katherine, is a consummate professional who has worked her way up in the hotel group. She prides herself for giving guests the very best customer experience, the same treatment she expects when roles are changed.
I’ve been in the Tourism & Hospitality Industry for 23 years. I learned about the industry by default. I started out as a security guard and worked my way up to hotel business center administrator, and the rest is history.
Being of service to others is the main drive behind everything I do. I thrive on learning new skills, learning about different people and different cultures. The tourism sector is the perfect place to learn, travel and share knowledge with industry peers.
I joined the new hotel group, MINT Hotels Pty Ltd, as an Operations Manager in 2020. Eight months later, I was promoted to the position of assistant GM, and a year later I opened a new hotel as a GM.
At MINT Hotels we pride ourselves in providing the best, most memorable guest experience. We want our guests to feel at home in our properties, to experience what South Africa has to offer for tourists who come to visit our beautiful country.
As the General Manager for MINT Hotel 84 on Katherine my roles and responsibilities is to provide the vision, leadership, and strategy that inspires the team to deliver exceptional guest service and drives financial success. I collaborate with hotel department leaders to define goals and objectives that are compatible with the overall hotel goals, and strategies for achieving them. I liaise with the marketing staff to develop and implement strategies for growing the business.
I also attend to and resolve guest reviews, complaints and ensure that our guests receive highest quality of service.
One of my career highlights was being named one of the winners in Top 20 Women in MICE in 2021.
Covid-19 has been the biggest challenge I faced in the tourism industry. Our group of Hotels opened at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we have been very fortunate as we have grown exponentially since the pandemic broke out.
Another challenge we faced as individuals in the tourism sector was job security and impact to our health.
The tourism sector is slowly regaining momentum. But it has changed and we are finding new ways to survive these turbulent times and stay relevant in an ever-changing environment.
I love that no two days are the same in my work. Also, the fact that we are reviving our economy daily post the pandemic and are reviving jobs, is a strong enough motivator for me to continue making a difference.
I take a break from work twice a year and visit the Drakensburg to spend time with family. I enjoy touring and doing activities around Drakensburg Mountain.
Guest experience is a major factor in determining where I book a holiday for myself and my family. I look at the location and what activities we can we enjoy as a family throughout the holiday. We also want to travel and explore different places at reasonable prices. Service is also a huge determining factor when making plans for holidays.
My favourite mantra is ‘do your best and God will do the rest’.
Women’s month is a time to celebrate women’s milestones and their extraordinary roles in all spheres of society. It is also the month to call for gender equality. Women’s month is a month-long celebration to recognize and acknowledge women in all appearances, contributions, roles, and perspectives around the world.
