Eloise Williams is the Marketing Manager at De Hoop Collection. The De Hoop Collection – a member of Cape Country Routes – and the first private/public partnership in the South African hospitality industry opened in the De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape in 2007.
The Reserve in the Overberg region, a short three-hour drive from Cape Town along the world-renowned Garden and Whale routes is the perfect holiday destination for families, couples, groups, honeymooners and wedding parties, family reunions and birthday weekends and an ideal stop-over en route from the Cape Winelands to Plettenberg Bay. De Hoop Collection offers a wide range of accommodations designed to suit all budgets.
Eloise is someone you need to get to know, and here is why.
What is your job description and what does your role involve?
I do Marketing to the travel trade. In a nutshell, my job is to introduce and present De Hoop Collection to the travel trade and to keep them up to date with all our offerings. De Hoop Collection is an easy 3-hour drive from Cape Town, situated in CapeNature’s pristine De Hoop Nature Reserve. We offer a range of accommodation, from beautiful, luxury suites to comfortable self-catering cottages and houses adjacent to a Ramsar Site. Recently, we also introduced the new De Mond Villa, a 5-bedroom villa with spectacular views of the Ramsar Site. Some of the buildings on the property are original farm buildings, reconstructed and rebuilt; all a perfect blend of times gone by and modern-day luxury. As we are also a wedding destination and I assist with wedding planning and co-ordination.
Which parts of the travel industry do you work with?
I work with Travel Agents, Destination Management Companies, Tour Guides and Online Travel Agents.
What do you love most about your job?
Spending time and building relationships with agents when hosting them overnight at De Hoop. I love that I get to share this gem with them… for truly, De Hoop is a gem and has something for everyone! And I love co-ordinating weddings, of course!
What are the challenges of your role?
De Hoop Collection is a difficult product to understand if you have not been there yourself. For someone who has not yet stayed at De Hoop understanding the varied accommodation options can be challenging. But it is a fact that whether you’re looking for family-friendly accommodation, a romantic luxury getaway for two or an adventure holiday, the De Hoop Collection has something for everyone.
What do you wish the travel industry did more of?
I would love exchange programmes for short periods to experience just some of the many different sides of the travel industry. It is such a broad industry. Imagine, a hotel receptionist getting the experience of working as a tour operator… or a waiter spending time on a wine farm and learning about the business firsthand – I think that would be ‘service coming full circle’.
How can the travel industry work with you?
The Travel Trade can get in touch with us. We are open to partnering, establishing new source markets, and growing existing markets.
What is your favourite African experience and why?
Staying at the remote and exclusive Melkkamer Homestead at De Hoop – a dairy farm dating from the 1800s. The sandstone houses are spectacular and rich in history. There’s the Melkkamer Manor House with four gorgeous bedrooms, each with its own veranda and en-suite bathroom; The Melkkamer Foreman’s Cottage, a thatched sandstone cottage, tucked away in the bush, with three bedrooms and the Melkkamer Vlei Cottage, right at the edge of the Ramsar Site, with four bedrooms is ideal for families or small groups. The experience transports you back to a different era and leaves you wanting to know more about the breathtaking area.
Where is your next African adventure to?
Somewhere remote with mountain views.
What are your top tips for travelling to Africa?
The Western Cape is great for self-drive holidays. On the way to your destination, stop at the farm stalls along the way and enjoy their delicious homemade goodies. Take in the spectacular views of the Garden Route, stop for selfies between the canola fields and look out for baboons on the mountain passes. Take the roads less used, Clarence Drive (R44) will leave you in awe and Route 62 will not disappoint. But mostly, take time to stop and appreciate. De Hoop Collection is a member of Cape Country Routes which is a marketing initiative to take some of the guesswork out of planning a South African holiday.
Contact Eloise
Email: marketing@dehoopcollection.co.za
Website: www.dehoopcollection.com
