Our Wild Wild West year-end function was off the charts and the perfect way for us to celebrate our successes which include but are not limited to: 100 new game-changing Travelstarters, a new partnership with great investors and sky rocketing sales! Here’s how the Travelstart Wild Wild West evening progressed…
The Saloon
As the saloon doors swung open at 6pm, a stunning spread that vividly depicted the Travelstart version of The Wild Wild West was exposed. From the cacti that were tactfully laid on each table, the hay stacks, to the vibrant lights that draped gracefully into the yard—leading to the magical sunset that was slowly slipping behind the deep blue ocean.
Whales could be spotted gracefully swimming at a distance as a cool breeze whistled softly across the setting. Evidently the scene at Suikerbossie was perfectly set for a year-end function the Travelstarters would be talking about for years to come.
The Cowboys and Cowgirls
It was exciting to see how everyone—including our valued suppliers, embraced the dress code! People were dressed up as Native Americans, gorgeous saloon girls, prisoners, cowboys, cowgirls, town folk, Sheriffs, outlaws and we even had a carcass and cacti!
The Rodeo
The festivities kicked off with a mechanical bull challenge which saw a few nominees battling for the position of longest bull ride which would earn them an experience for two at the magical Tinswalo Atlantic.
Unfortunately for all the contenders the prize was snatched by the beautiful Paulina Klotzbücher who gracefully lasted for an entire 41 seconds! Second to her was Arashaad Haron who only managed 26 seconds, but grabbed himself two tickets to the Sevens Rugby Series.
Travelstarters engaged themselves in multiple photo booth sessions before settling down for a speech and vote of thanks from Stephan our amazing CEO who came dressed as a Native American.
The Hoe-down, Showdown!
The Cotton Eyed Joe dance routine was presented for the last time this year and yet again the selected Travelstarters entertained the entire audience including our suppliers with an epic dance routine that thrilled the crowd and opened up the dancefloor.
Our trusty choreographer Caroline Burnett led the rest of the team through a few line dance routines that heated up the party mood and had everyone feeling like they had travelled back in time to the Wild Wild West era!
The Food
A selection of succulent dishes including beef, German gammon, roast leg of lamb, roast chicken and seasonal vegetables were served. The dessert menu was made up of lemon meringue, home-made ice-cream, apple tart, apple bake and fresh fruit platters. The entire evening was overflowing with brightly coloured tequila cocktails, fine wine and an open bar.
The Rewards
This year all the stars who shined bright and did the company proud in the various departments were awarded for their hard work and positive contributions to the overall growth of the business. Here are the business awards and their winners:
THE BARBARA STYLE AWARD
Went to Linda Balme, who exudes positivity and a can-do attitude, she is a poster child for incredible customer-centric service and embodies the 8 Travelstart Core Values.
The award comes with: two return economy class tickets to anywhere in Turkey, plus three nights’ accommodation, with breakfast, all tours and transfers. Flights kindly sponsored by Turkish Airlines.
THE ROOKIE AWARD
Went to Lee Watts, who has shown phenomenal growth in his area and has successfully taken on one or more new roles and excelled in them.
The award comes with: two return economy class tickets, from Cape Town to Zanzibar. Flights kindly sponsored by Mango Airlines. Plus: 4 nights’ accommodation at the Uora beach resort with breakfast and dinner daily, all kindly sponsored by Holiday Factory.
THE ROCK AWARD
Went to Jan Andre Le Roux, who is consistently dependable, he’s definitely not the loudest in the team but is always there to help. He is loyal to his team as well as the company and has been identified as one of the hard-workers in the back-ground.
The award comes with: two international tickets on South African Airways to any destination on their route. All kindly sponsored by SAA. Plus: R10 000 worth of accommodation and transfer costs sponsored by Travelstart.
THE SHINING STAR AWARD
Went to Pia Spratley, who continuously exceeds her expected productivity levels and is always taking initiative. Pia is a team player who always puts the business first. She’s dedicated to her team and is continuously developing her skills.
The award comes with: two return tickets on British Airways Comair, from Cape Town to Joburg. Flights sponsored by British Airways. Plus: two return tickets on Etihad from Joburg to Phuket. Flights and taxes sponsored by Etihad
Plus: 7 nights’ accommodation at the Village Coconut Island in Phuket in a sea pool, sea villa with breakfast daily, 100% sponsored by the Village Coconut Island.
A huge congrats once again to all our prize winners! Our Wild Wild West party was nothing short of a big bang, which is exactly what we wanted it to be.
