BY Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe
Growing up with no exposure to tourism, Phelisa Mangcu, CEO of the South Coast Tourism & Investment Enterprise, had no idea what career path to follow when registering to study at Fort Hare. But, she was adamant that she did not want to end up as a teacher, a nurse or social worker. Eventually, sociology piqued her interest and introduced her to economic development sciences. It was during her travels to the US when she fully immersed herself in tourism and began her career on a high note.
“I remember seeing people holding maps while walking around Manhattan, in New York, and also seeing long queues of people at tourist attractions in Washington DC. I remember analyzing this economic value chain, linking everything from how the person arrived, where they slept, ate, how they moved around (transport), visited attractions.
“That was the beginning of my interest in tourism, and I never looked back. I have been in the tourism sector for 28 years, since 1995,” she recalls.
To prepare for her journey, she enrolled for a Master’s Certificate in Tourism Destination Management at George Washington University. It laid a foundation and exposed her to the different aspects of developing a tourist destination – from culture & heritage tourism, eco-tourism, product development, and destination marketing, including the importance of business events in growing tourism in a destination. In addition, she has earned numerous qualifications, including a Masters degree in Tourism Studies from Wits University in 2003.
She was offered a job at Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York in 1996.
“I got to meet many American and international celebrities, and experienced the importance of service. Servicing the high-end market meant that the hotel was providing personalized service since each guest had their unique requirements. I still laugh about some of the strange requests we had to attend to. One celebrity singer wanted his room heated to a high temperature and darkened before he checked in and another one would not be booked above the fifth floor.”
After about 20 years in Johannesburg where she was responsible for selling the city of gold as a tourist destination, Phelisa packed her life and four daughters and moved to the idyllic South Coast of KZN, in 2018 to join Ugu South Coast Tourism (USCT) as its CEO. Among her responsibilities is to grow tourism in the region and showcase the diverse offerings and experiences in the coastal and semi-urban tourist destinations.
“In 2022 the municipality amalgamated USCT with another entity to form South Coast Tourism & Investment Enterprise (SCTIE) and I am the CEO of the newly amalgamated entity. My leadership responsibilities now include providing strategic direction to grow tourism and attract investments,” she explains.
As the first black person to lead person Ugu South Coast Tourism, she has been met with reservations by tourism players despite her wealth of experience.
Leading a coastal and rural tourism destination has been a great shift from urban experience and the move has also required her to learn and make some changes in how she understands a tourist destination.
“Obviously, that was a shock to product owners in the region. They did not know how to deal with me or accept me. I had to develop a thick skin particularly when I made changes and introduced rural tourism development. I had to be strong and firm, and fortunately for me, I had a very supportive Board of Directors led by a strong woman, Mrs. Joy Crutchfield who is a devoted supporter of transformation.”
However, what has not changed is her understanding of tourists’ expectations – great customer service, always. She always expects this and has instilled it in the SMME trainings they provide.
Whenever she swops roles to become a tourist, she seeks reputable accommodation with good food and memorable activities for herself and her children.
