Holiday accommodation is a huge industry contributing to the economy of South Africa, and abounds with a variety of entities promoting these venues. One such entity, U-Stay, is currently well established on the KZN coast with two websites, one for the South Coast and the other for the North Coast, allowing private individuals to advertise their holiday accommodation in an affordable and practical manner.

Following the success of these two websites, the next area targeted was the Accommodation Venues on the Wild Coast, with the launch of the new website, www.ustaywildcoast.co.za, happening in late 2017.

The Wild Coast is the area stretching from Port Edward in the North, to East London further South, and is an area of wild and rugged beauty, with many areas only accessible in off-road vehicles. Besides the popular destinations such as, Port St Johns, Coffee Bay and Morgans Bay, the coastline is dotted with small settlements where private cottages can be rented, however, finding these hidden treasures is not always so easy.

The aim of The U-Stay Wild Coast website is to provide as many options as possible for visitors to choose from, whether it be in the established towns or a single dwelling out in the “wild”.

The Wild Coast is the perfect destination for nature lovers and those who just want to get away from the hubbub of the city and enjoy some peace and quiet. Fishing enthusiasts have been visiting the area for years with clusters of holiday homes popping up at many of the more popular, and sometimes remote, locations along the coast.

The beauty of the Wild Coast has to be seen to be believed. The stunning estuaries, the rugged coastline, some amazing and deserted beaches all need to be experienced to fully appreciate the power of the Wild Coast. First time visitors, seldom stay first time visitors for long.

So, take a moment to plan your next holiday to the Wild Coast, and consider U-Stay as an option for choosing that all important holiday accommodation.

Anybody who owns and lets out a holiday house, will be confronted with the question of how to get people to find their venue amongst all the other holiday establishments. This is not always easy, or cheap, as anybody starting out will find out soon enough.

There is of course the option of an advert in the print media, whether it is in a magazine or newspaper, and this does work, but it also has some serious drawbacks. Firstly it is expensive and it is something that you have to continuously work at. The print media is not the ideal vehicle for promoting your establishment as any potential visitors will still want to find you online to see more about your venue.

“Just get a website”, is a call that is often made, and at face value it would appear that this is not a bad option. After all, all you need to do is pay somebody to set up a 3 or 4 page website showcasing your property, then wait for people to find you on Google and sit back and watch the holiday bookings roll in. Sounds easy, but of course there is a catch. The problem is that if your website does not appear on the first page (or possibly the second or third) of Google, then you are not going to get many visitors to your website at all.

Holiday Accommodation is a fiercely contested battleground in the Google search results. There are thousands of websites all trying to be on the first page of Google, some of which are well established and have been around a long time. It is unlikely, although not impossible, that your little website is going feature against some of these established websites who have a budget to pay for search engine optimization.

Other options exist, such as free adverts on the online classified websites, but the free ads quickly get pushed down the line and you have to constantly resubmit your ad for it to be found. Online Holiday Directories can be a good option, however be careful when choosing which directories to advertise on. Some will offer a free listing and you only pay a percentage of you booking. This is usually between 12 – 18% and can ultimately work out very costly.

Other directories charge a monthly or annual fee for you to advertise. This is definitely the better option. You know exactly how much you are going to pay and it is normally a fraction of the commission based directories. You can expect to pay between R100 and R200 per month for an online directory of this sort. You can view a great example of one such directory which offers holiday accommodation on the North Coast of KZN, but there are many others out there which would do a similar job.

So what is the final verdict? What is the best way to advertise your holiday accommodation? Consider the following: You don't need your own website. Sign up to one or two directories that charge a fixed monthly fee (As long as the fee is reasonable). Let them do the advertising for you. You will soon know if one of them is not working for you and then change to another website. If you also do other traditional advertising, such as notice boards, print media etc, then get your own website as well so that it is easy to direct visitors to see your venue and your venue only. Don’t send them to your page on an online directory as they may then decide to look around at what else is on offer.

Some food for thought.

Nothing can ruin a holiday quicker than arriving at your destination only to find that the accommodation you just booked doesn’t exist or is already occupied by somebody else who has never heard of the so-called agent you just rented the property from. Fortunately there are ways to prevent this from happening by following a few simple guidelines.

Whether you are looking for holiday accommodation in Margate or a guesthouse in the Kruger Park, it is worth taking a few extra precautions before making that booking, for your own peace of mind.

Be very cautious when booking accommodation from a website that offers free classifieds. It is just too easy to create a fake listing with details sourced from a legitimate website then post the listing as a classified ad with any payments going straight into the fraudsters bank account. Once you make payment, you will never hear from them again.

It is rare, although not impossible, for a con artist to sign up with a website where they have to pay for their listing. One thing scammers do not like doing is giving out their details and they generally have to do that if they want to subscribe to a holiday accommodation website. 

Another indication is if the email address of the “agent” is a free email address such as gmail or yahoo mail. A fraudster will certainly not want an email address that can be traced back to them, but be aware that a lot of legitimate establishments make use of gmail addresses so this on its own is not a reason to not make a booking with that home owner or agent.

If making your booking from a holiday letting agent, make sure they have been in business for more than a year at least. Most legitimate letting agents will have their own website and it will not be a free website that can be easily “disposed” of. They will also have a large number of holiday accommodation listings on their website to choose from. Don’t be afraid to ask for a referral.

Google the name of the place you are intending to stay at and make sure that the information you receive from other websites matches the information you have received from the person who is claiming to be the agent or home owner. Google the name, telephone number and email address of the owner or agent. If they have been implicated in any wrong doing it is not uncommon for somebody to have posted this information on a forum somewhere.

Remember, the age old adage of “if its too good to be true, then it probably is”, definitely applies to booking your holiday accommodation. If anything seems off to you, then rather walk away from the deal than risk ruining your holiday just to save a few bucks.

A good source of information for travellers, particularly if going on an international holiday is the website, www.tripadvisor.com

Any mattress that assists you sleep easily and awaken feeling refreshed, without pain or stiffness, is the very best bed mattress for you. There is no single bed mattress that works for everyone. You need to pick the mattress that provides sufficient support and meets your standards for comfort and allows you to obtain a good night's sleep. That being said, there are lots of marketing claims being made by bed and mattress manufacturers making it hard to select which is right for you. To help you begin, here are some things to consider when getting a brand-new mattress:

Talk with your doctor or GP. If you have a health condition, speak to your doctor or physical therapist about what he or she advises. Keep in mind that doctors are not sleep professionals, but they know your medical situation and symptoms and will probably have some excellent advice from that perspective.

Firm mattresses aren't always much better for your back. Think twice prior to purchasing a tough or firm bed mattress. There is a difference between firm support and firm feel. You desire firm support with a comfy feel (comfortable will certainly be specified by your individual choice. Study has actually shown that the best mattress for low pain in the back is a medium company bed mattress as opposed to a firm bed mattress.

Research online prior to shopping. Include medical websites in your research as well as they can often give good advice with regards the correct mattress for you.

Click for a local mattress manufacturer

Inquire about money-back guarantees. If you believe you'll such as a memory foam bed mattress however aren't quite sure, learn if there is any sort of money back ensure or returns policy. Inspect the guarantee. An excellent mattress will have a minimum of a 10 year FULL replacement or NON prorated warranty.
Protect your investment. Constantly get some sort of water proof bed mattress protector. Spots will certainly void your warranty. 

Test the mattress before buying. When searching for a mattress, try to lie on the bed/mattress for at least a few minutes. That being said if it's at all uncomfortable you can dismiss that mattress right away.
Shop at a real mattress establishment, or even directly from the manufacturer, not a furnishing store or outlet store. The salespeople at a mattress establishment generally have more training on the whole topic of sleep. Search for an establishment that stocks numerous significant brand names, such as Sealy, Serta, Simmons. Remember it's your mattress, your back, and your money, so it's worth the time to research it and get the best that you can. That being stated you do not have to spend a fortune either-- mattresses are often on sale, and the price, frames and shipment charges are typically negotiable.


Company Name: The Mattress Company
Contact Person: Tony or Anne
Contact Number: 082 331 6660
Website: www.themattresscompany.co.za 

Sensitive electrical appliances such as fridges, computers, TV’s, Hi-Fi’s, gate motors and fax machines are very susceptible to large fluctuations in electrical power in the form of power surges or lightning strikes.

South Africa has a very high lightning strike density and that, combined with our erratic power supply, can be hazardous to electrical appliances. In most cases, especially with regards lightning strikes, the affected appliances are damaged beyond repair causing unnecessary inconvenience and expense. Not to mention the potential consequences of losing the information on your computer hard drive.

Damaged appliances can be replaced through your insurance company, however you must still pay an excess and you run the risk of increased premiums or loss of your no-claim bonuses.

There is an easier and far more cost effective solution. William Hocking, the owner of Intercept, has designed and manufactured a range of lightning and surge protection systems to meet your specific needs, at a fraction of the cost of a potential repair bill.

Surge and Lightning Protectors

 The Intercept surge and lightning protectors each contain a small pc board that has purposely been designed so that it will fuse in the event of a lightning strike or power surge, thereby protecting the attached appliances from any damage. The affected pc board can easily be replaced with a new one and the repair can be carried out by yourself in the comfort of your home. The cost of a replacement pc board is also minimal.

It must also be pointed out that a UPS system is not designed to protect appliances against power surges or lightning strikes and the UPS itself can be damaged during such an event. 

For peace of mind it is strongly suggested that all your household and business appliances be protected against any power surges or lightning strikes.

 Each unit has an on-site repair time of less than one minute, complies with SABS and Telkom standards, is approved by the South African Insurance Association and carries a 5 year warranty, to bring safety to your Home and  Office.

 With over 80 000 units sold and no reported failures, it is clear that “Quality Counts”.

Find out more about lightning protection systems.

Company Name: Intercept Surge & Lightning Protection Systems
Contact Person: William Hocking
Cell: 082 786 9189
Website: www.interceptlightningprotection.co.za

The purpose of this blog is to promote businesses on the KZN South Coast. Articles will be informative and explain the benefits of the service or product to the community. Each article should be between 250 and 500 words long.

If you have a product or service that you would like us to promote, then contact us and let us know.