Fire, floods, and even a pandemic - Robert More's path to success in the hospitality business was far from a smooth one.
Nestled near the Kruger National Park, an ancestral gem lay untouched by South Africa's rapid urbanisation. What was once a family retreat has become a tourism attraction, aimed at conserving the environment around it, creating jobs in the rural sector, and showing off the land to tourism.
However, this transformation did not come without challenges.
The rocky road to hospitality
Robert More, CEO of MORE Family Collection, spearheaded this tourism venture, dedicating 15 years to perfecting this game reserve. He upskilled employees, tackled problems head-on, and over time, turned this dream into a reality.
After years of dedicated hard work, the lodge finally started to turn a profit. However, disaster struck with a series of challenges: floods, wildfires, and the need to operate around the clock.
To add to the difficulties, the hospitality sector was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With travel restrictions and a sharp decline in tourism, this unexpected crisis threatened the very existence of the game reserve.
But with grit, the great people around him, and a bit of luck (according to Robert), this would not be the end of the safari.
A helping partner
We were there for MORE Family Collections from the outset, providing the first loan in 2001 to build the initial lodge. And even with the massive challenges faced by Robert, his dream was to give their visitors same experience in Cape Town, calling for additional financing to expand and renovate the Cape Town site.
While others may have been wary of this expansion during the pandemic, we saw the potential and believed in Robert's vision.
His ambition was twofold: create unique experiences for South Africans and foreigner visitors; conserve the land and its precious wildlife.
Today, MORE Family Collection owns 5 lodges and hotels, attracting visitors from around the globe to authentic Southern African experiences, from a safari in the Kruger, and exploring the beauty of Cape Town to the adventure of a lifetime at the iconic Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Success can be as simple as a simple conversation with us, hard work and having a vision can make your vision come true, no matter what the scale of your ambitions are.
Visit MORE Family Collection website for more information https://www.more.co.za/
