Africa Travel WeekJohn Hayes, founder of the South African Treasure Route, takes clients along the route taken by pioneers and prospectors as they fought the British, nature and armies of local warlords on their way northwards in search of freedom and wealth. Via the battlefields around the diamond fields of Kimberley, this company is all about exploring and discovering a land rich in history.
Q&A with John Hayes
How did the idea for your business come about?
I saw the opportunity to expand the N12 into an interprovincial tourism corridor.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
The route showcases the mineral, natural, geographical, agricultural and population treasures found along the route.
Who is your ideal customer and why?
Local and international leisure travellers who have a need to experience the variety of threads that comprise our unique national tapestry.
What is your greatest hope for your business?
To stimulate the economies of the rural areas along the route.
What has been the most satisfying achievement in your business?
That despite vigorous opposition from vested interests we are still around!
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who want to get into tourism?
Find your niche and single-mindedly devote yourselves to carving out your future.
If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently?
Nothing.
