News & Media
View latest news and press releases
First Group is continually making striving to keep our guests and partner up to date with our noteworthy developments in the industry, establishment refurbishments, social responsibility and so much more. Over and above our standard press releases we enjoy engaging with our guests and media through events, launches and openings and through our social media channels.
EFFORTLESS EASTER ESCAPES
We’re two months into the New Year and by now you’re probably starting to look at when you can book your next getaway. The good news is you won’t have to wait long – the Easter holidays are just around the corner! Running from Friday, 7 April to Monday, 10 April, you can enjoy four full days away, just perfect for a mini break with family or friends.
The Unbelievable Power of a Romantic Rendezvous
While 77% acknowledged that holidays are an ideal way to keep the spark alive in their relationships, 75% believed that holiday time with your loved one results in feelings of rejuvenation, 79% agreed that travelling with someone special is a great way to strengthen bonds.
Make your staycation feel like a vacation
Leaders in hospitality share 5 secrets to make lasting, magical memories this Summer. This year has come with unimaginable challenges and, for many, an annual holiday is simply not an option. Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group Hotels and Resorts, believes that making lasting, magical memories should still be top of your priority list regardless of whether you are home or away this festive season.
Four travel experiences to explore in South Africa
From Cape Town to Durban, to the Eastern Cape, South Africans can take a journey to discover some of the most picturesque scenery, while escaping the stresses of modern-day city life.
First Group Launches Wedding Venue Swallow Cliff Hall
Hotel and resort management company First Group has opened the wedding venue Swallow Cliff Hall, which boasts a seven-suite villa and is based in the Drakensberg. The property is exclusive and contemporary in style, offering a ‘celebrity-style’ wedding experience for couples.
SAVE THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR
Nobody could have predicted at the start of 2020, that a little-known virus called COVID-19 would be lurking on the horizon, about to deal a devastating economic blow. When it snuck across our borders more than four months ago, it brought with it an unprecedented global ban on travel and tourism. With flights grounded and borders closed, travel came to a resounding halt, and along with it, the livelihood of millions of people.
First Group to optimise guest safety in post Covid-19 world
Covid-19 safe zone. That's what First Group Hotels and Resorts hope to create to provide guests with a cleaner, safer, germ-free holiday when travel is safe to do so again.
The company is redefining its response to the coronavirus pandemic through a series of new industry standards of cleanliness. Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group, said that the brand has revisited its health and safety measures and revolutionised new industry standards of cleanliness.
WORKATION: 5 tips for working while on holiday
Can you imagine working whilst on holiday? The idea seems absolutely ludicrous but this year, working on holiday may be unavoidable. COVID-19 has hit both employees and employers hard and so the likelihood of most of us having to work over the festive season is a reality we are going to have to face. Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group Hotels and Resorts, says COVID-19 has given us the gift of being able to work remotely, thus making room for much-needed flexibility, especially over December.
First Group partners raises hygiene practices to whole new level for staff and guests
First Group, a leading resort and hotel chain with popular destinations around South Africa, Namibia and United Kingdom, is preparing to protect its staff and guests in a remarkably unique way when they (hopefully) reopen later this year.
Holidays are going to look a little different this year
News Desk
Here’s what you can expect…
Since hitting alert level 1 of the lockdown, the travel industry breathed a collective sigh of relief. They could finally re-open their doors to guests and travelers again. But the jury’s still out – what exactly will leisure travel during a pandemic look like?
Keeping Hope Alive
First Group hotel lights up to spread Hope during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
First Group’s Palace Hotel & Suites brought hope to Durban beachfront in support of the global hotel initiative and their joint fight against COVID-19. Hotels around the world are standing together in solidarity to show their commitment in battling the global health pandemic by turning on the lights to create glowing hearts and words of inspiration.
FIRST GROUP COVID-19 protocols
A list of protocols we here at First Group use to make sure you, your family and friends have a Save and Relaxing holiday.
What You See Is What You Get… Or Is It?
It’s no secret that coronavirus has wreaked havoc globally and the subsequent lockdown has seen many forced to cancel their holiday plans for the foreseeable future. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel, according to Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group, a leading leisure company that manages over 25-holiday properties across South Africa.
“Whilst most people have written the next few months off, many have already started booking their local 2021 holidays online.”
Dodge the burn-out bullet by taking a mini break
Why you need to take a holiday during AND post lockdown
Many people are under the impression that you need to book a long holiday away in order to truly feel the benefits thereof. But research has shown that mini-breaks throughout the year, rather than one long, annual break, are far more beneficial than you might think! A recent study in the Journal of Happiness Studies proved that after just two days on holiday, individuals felt refreshed – physically, emotionally, and mentally.
5 Tips for travelling with children under 5
Off-peak travelling season has officially started, and parents with young children can take advantage of the lower rates, great weather and of course, the opportunity to create lasting, magical memories with their loved ones at beautiful destinations around South Africa. Let’s face it though, it can be tough travelling with children under 5. In fact, research shows that 30% of parents regret going on a holiday with a toddler.
4 Tips for planning the perfect pandemic wedding
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in widespread changes including, wedding cancellations and postponements. In fact, a study revealed that 96% of couples were not willing to cancel their weddings in 2020, but rather move them to a later date in 2021. Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group Hotels and Resorts, says that as a result of 2020 postponements, 2021 will most likely become the year of the wedding boom.
Buy experiences, not things
January is often described as the longest month of the year, and no wonder! By now, the elation and anticipation of buying the latest Apple product has lost its lustre, and as the bills pile up, buyer’s remorse settles in. In reality though, this feeling only lasts until our next pay cheque, after which we slip straight back into our routine of looking to buy more stuff. This perpetual cycle of buying material possessions, according to Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group, is unlikely to lead to long-term satisfaction.