Lee-Anne Singer, marketing director of the Singer Group, who has embraced the principle of responsible tourism and wanted to do more to support local small business in Cape Town, spearheaded this joint venture. "The hotel wanted to give back to the community. We had this exhibition space for a long time and did not know what to do with it. Deidre Luzmore of MzansiStore.com approached us with her innovative business model and we knew we could help."
"The clientele will definitely benefit from this value-added service in that they have easy access to guaranteed locally made souvenirs and gifts for their friends and family back home. MzansiStore.com wishes to close the loop by reminding customers that they are able to purchase authentic South African products online once they return back home," adds Luzmore. "Our online marketplace is easy to use and the products are delivered directly to their door should they have forgotten to buy that special South African gift."
"Well done to the Singer Group for giving the collection a platform at the hotel. This hits two key tenets of responsible tourism, supporting local small businesses and giving tourists the opportunity to buy locally made products. You're helping to make Cape Town a better place to visit," says Heidi van der Watt, director of international centre of responsible tourism South Africa and board member of Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
For more information, go to www.mzansistore.com, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter @MzansiStore.
