The ANEW Hotels & Resorts brand is synonymous with growth. It has demonstrated this by scaling up properties during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic while many other businesses were shutting down operations. Yet as the brand relishes in its growth, they prioritize the development of its people.
As a brand derived from a deep-rooted family business, ANEW has established itself as a strong competitor in the South African hospitality market, recognizing that it would not have been possible for the group to succeed without the dedication of its loyal employees.
Since being rebranded as ANEW Hotels & Resorts, Corné Visser, Sadira Nayager, and Brenton Pillay have made remarkable progress in the last five years. Corné is the group’s Group Marketing Manager, Sadira is the ANEW Hotel Hluhluwe General Manager, and Brenton is ANEW Resort Ingeli Forest General Manager.
The team
Corné’s journey with ANEW took off when she started consulting for the brand in 2017 as an outsourced Marketing Assistant. This was her first real step into the hospitality industry. She worked alongside ANEW’s current Sales & Marketing Director, Alan Campbell, who at the time had his own company that did outsource work for the hotel brand. In 2022, ANEW took their entire team in-house, which Corné says was an inspiring opportunity for them. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Management at the University of Pretoria. She obtained a Diploma in Copywriting at the AAA School of Advertising.
She commented on the journey with ANEW, saying, “We’ve built ANEW together, and established it from a “baby” brand. It was still very much in its infancy, and our team that got pulled in-house shaped it into what it is today. I had the opportunity to step in as the Group Marketing Manager, having worked on the day-to-day tasks of managing the marketing plans and content for all properties.”
As a General Manager, Sadira emphasized the importance of unity within the team. She says her role and journey within the hospitality industry have taught her the importance of taking care of staff and valuing them. Her career saw her start as a Duty Manager and later elevate into Front Office Manager, Rooms Division Manager, and Assistant General Manager. She became a General Manager in 2016.
Sadira commended the leadership of Clinton Armour, CEO of ANEW Hotels & Resorts, as she describes him as one who leads by making sure his staff knows that they are appreciated. She says, “My success has resulted from the fact that working for ANEW Hotels & Resorts is so much more than just a job for me. One thing about this company is that you matter. We are cared for. And I have learned that if your staff is taken care of, they’ll give guests 110%.’’
Brenton started in the hospitality industry as a security guard. His career saw him stepping into the kitchen as a chef, then growing from the waiter to barman to becoming a Restaurant Manager and then a Food and Beverage Manager. He became the Deputy General Manager at ANEW Hilton and was later appointed General Manager at the ANEW Resort Ingeli Forest.
Brenton says he was grateful to be a part of the ANEW team when Covid-19 hit the globe. While many faced adversities, he said he was inspired by how the staff and management handled the crisis. “I was blessed to be part of ANEW during Covid. The way the team operated at the time impressed me. ANEW continued to grow, and even now, as we have come out of Covid, ANEW continues to grow.” As a leader, he says he is passionate about imparting knowledge to people and creating opportunities to work in the hospitality sector. “ANEW is a small company, and very family orientated. When I met Mr Armour, I learned that his heart is for his staff. That affects the culture of ANEW. Everyone is so close-knit, and that is how we operate.”
The commitment of ANEW’s management to nurturing their staff is evident in their praise of the brand’s sense of unity and teamwork. They have equally shared how the HITEC values contribute to the brand’s success.
About ANEW Hotels & Resorts
ANEW Hotels & Resorts has evolved as a family business started in 1952. Family culture and attention to detail are firmly grounded in its people, and the group prides itself on the personal touch. The ANEW Hotel & Resorts Group owns and manages various properties in South Africa, with a vision to grow the brand by acquiring additional properties and management contracts in strategic locations.
The brand has achieved incredible growth over the past two years amid a pandemic and continues to look for opportunities to provide premier products for local and international business and leisure market segments throughout the country. They conduct their business within legal and ethical parameters and strive to provide customers with world-class service.
ANEW Hotels & Resorts received The Inspiration Award at Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 as the organization that has for the past two years inspired Africa’s travel Indaba community by how they have challenged the odds to rise and shine.
