The Rosebank Hospitality Network aims to better Rosebank precinct

The Rosebank Management Districts (RMD) and Johannesburg in Your Pocket recently hosted the Rosebank Hospitality Network meet-up at the Clico Hotel to explore opportunities for improving the tourism experience in the greater Rosebank neighbourhood.

The Rosebank Hospitality Network is a platform for hotels and tourism industry stakeholders in Rosebank to connect to discuss shared challenges and look at collaborative initiatives to advance hospitality and tourism in the precinct. Also to engage the RMD about operational concerns and areas of improvement that will impact the community’s tourism experience.

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Those in attendance included representatives from key hotels, Gautrain, Gauteng Tourism Authority, the City Sightseeing Bus and the board of RMD.

Rosebank Districts manager Mikhaela Donaldson said, “While our primary focus is ‘safe and clean’, we remain committed to ensuring a neighbourhood that allows hospitality and tourism to thrive. Notwithstanding the ongoing safety and operational challenges, the RMD continues to invest in initiatives that encourage an improved visitor experience. These include the newly launched Rosebank Visitor Centre and the ongoing Tourism Ambassador programme in collaboration with the Johannesburg Tourism Company.”

Key outcomes from the meeting included a commitment to foster an ongoing networking relationship between hospitality sector partners in Rosebank and to share information about RMD’s initiatives to promote safety in the district.

The session was headlined ‘How to make Rosebank Joburg’s top tourism district’ and delved into a wide range of issues related to promoting the district, among them:

• Safety and security
• Feedback on current visitor experience
• Forging meaningful partnerships within the district
• Presenting Rosebank to the Gauteng Tourism Authority as a key tourism destination in Johannesburg
• Looking at future initiatives to create a more welcoming district.

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Participants had the opportunity to share their views on what makes the community tourism experience stand out.

Responses highlighted the diversity of the neighbourhood, the cultural mix, Rosebank as an art district, and the ‘coziness’, compactness, and walkability of the district. Many commented on the precinct’s ever-evolving lifestyle offerings, including its wide range of dining options, restaurants, and tourism attractions catering to visitors across the spectrum.

A plan is in place to conduct a walkabout from the Gautrain Station into Tyrwhitt Avenue with representatives of the Gautrain and key hotels to identify issues that visitors may confront that would impact easy walkability through the district.

The hospitality network will meet quarterly. To join upcoming sessions or learn more about the Rosebank Hospitality Network, contact Melusi Hlatshwayo at melusi.hlatshwayo@inyourpocket.com

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