About Us

"Wild Coast Holiday Reservations", is a private family-owned reservation office that was established in the early 1980's to assist the Wild Coast resorts in communicating with clients, as their own infrastructure was so poor, and telecommunications unreliable.

About the Family

Buying a small tourism business was, at first, deemed to be a simple way to provide employment for the family. It was a very small enterprise, and was a great challenge to grow it into a sustainable business. This all happened during the mid-nineties, at a time when the Wild Coast was suffering badly - not even South Africans wanted to go there, as it was perceived to be dangerous and unsafe - motorists were even advised not to travel through the area. Hotels had a 10% average occupancy and employed only a handful of people at very low salaries.

They saw this problem, and they relished the challenge to be part of the solution. They still know that there is a long way to go, but they are extremely proud to be able to say that most of the hotels now have a 70% or more occupancy rate, and employ a great deal more people, at competitive salaries. In their first year, they developed the first ever hotel hiking trail in South Africa. They now have 4 on the Wild Coast and are looking at number 5. They greatly enjoy developing these hiking holidays as they know they are bringing tourists and holiday makers back to nature, hence doing their bit to encourage eco-tourism.

In their spare time, you can often find the family out enjoying nature and playing sports. They have always been an active family and enjoy the outdoors. From an early age they were all encouraged to take part in physical activities, with most of their holidays spent hiking or camping.

They love this part of South Africa and believe that some of the most enduring qualities of the Eastern Cape are the true warmth and hospitality of the people who live there, the wide variety of locally made products available, and the wonderfully slow and relaxed pace of life. It inspires them that the natural environment continuously offers breathtaking beauty and vast endless horizons, and along with the friendliness of its people, gives them the satisfaction of providing tourists with an unforgettable holiday experience.

Sustainable Tourism Commitment

In the Eastern Cape there are so many challenges, meaning everyone must try to do their bit in every sphere. Sustainable jobs must be created in tourism especially in the rural areas, as there are no industries here. By using porters to carry back packs, guides for the hiking tours, and ferrymen at river crossings to name a few - we are trying to make a difference.

Traditional crafts have to be revived for the rural women. The team assists in this respect by giving them samples of beadwork to copy, actual beads to use, and providing opportunities to sell their wares so they can earn a living from the end products. Much more can be, and needs to be done in this area, so in that respect we still need more assistance to help the local women even more.

Poor education is another sad fact of many of the surrounding rural areas. The team at Wild Coast Holiday Reservations dreams of being able to start a sport/environmental education centre to benefit the local people. At present, they collect and donate clothing for the more disadvantaged locals.

They encourage the preservation and promotion of the local Xhosa culture. There are many people in the area still living a life very much within the traditional culture of the Xhosa nation. They encourage this by taking visitors to villages to meet with the families, and have an opportunity to share cultures. This provides help financially and gives them a pride in their culture.

About the Business

In May of 1996 the business was purchased by Nita and Helen Ross, who are still the current owners and have built the agency into a major force in tourism in the Eastern Cape. The agency specialised in the Wild Coast Resorts visiting them on a regular basis, therefore allowing us to offer advice based on our own experiences. We keep up to date information on improvements, facilities offered and road conditions. Our reservation service is fast, friendly and free of charge.

Wild Coast Holiday Reservations have since expanded their coverage to include most of the Eastern Cape, Game Reserves, Mountain Retreats, permanent accommodation, conferences, and the all popular getaways along the Wild Coast.

In the latter part of 1997 Wild Coast Holiday reservations became involved in booking hiking trails - first the Strandloper Trail, and then a major leap forward came with the launch of the Wild Coast Meander in 1998. The Meander is a hotel hiking trail along the Wild Coast which was investigated, developed and is marketed by Nita Ross. Nita, an experienced hiker, gained her knowledge from hiking the Wild Coast and other destinations throughout the 80's.

In 2000, Wild Coast Holiday Reservations launched another hiking trail, the Amble. This trail allows hikers to follow the route of the Strandloper but offers accommodation on either a full board basis or self-catering, but in unique settings (not overnight huts). Hikers are also offered a full luggage transfer on this Trail.

The latest product developed by Wild Coast Holiday Reservations is The Meander Inn - a guest house situated in one of East London's more up market suburbs, and catering to the needs of most visitors. Aimed initially at the hikers about to embark on adventures the Guests House offers visitors vast information on our coastline with maps and photographs, but the appeal has been much broader and anyone will feel welcome at the Meander Inn.

We look forward to receiving your enquiry. Wild Coast Holidays can be contacted at meross@iafrica.com.