Lightleys Holiday Houseboats closure
By
Jacques Marais | Published 7 November 2011
Knysna Tourism CEO Shaun van Eck has expressed his disappointment at the closure of Lightleys Holiday Houseboats – a traditional stalwart in Knysna’s tourism industry.
“This just reinforces the fact that Lightleys’ dominant market, the South African market outside of the school holidays and major events, is severely depressed,” said van Eck.
“At the moment we are dealing with all calls received on the matter and assisting those customers who have lost their bookings to find alternative accommodation,” van Eck continued. “We will also be working with the liquidator to see if there is any possibility of keeping the business open over the season period.”
“We also express our sympathy for the staff who have found themselves out of work at this time of year.”
“While we are concerned about icon products such as Lightleys Holiday houseboats and the Outeniqua Tjoe-Choo, we take comfort in the fact that the essence of Knysna that first attracted visitors to Knysna is as relevant as ever,” van Eck explained. “Our age-old indigenous forests, the estuary, unspoilt beaches and the warm hearts of the people within our local tourism industry will ensure that Knysna remains the preferred vacation destination.”
“Our beautiful town is still the ideal playground for the modern visitor and preliminary numbers show that bookings for the summer season are positive. We know that Knysna will once again prove itself to be the best summer season spot on the Garden Route, if not the entire coast,” van Eck concluded.
*Go magazine would like to apologise for any inconveniense and confusion caused by the placement of a Lightleys Holiday Houseboats advertisement in the December copies of go and Weg. The news of the closure reached us after we had gone to print.
Submitted on 28 November 2011 | 22:32:18
I have just two words for GO! Magazine and its 'lighleys' and 'fraud'
Submitted on 28 November 2011 | 22:24:04
We need GO!'S help PLEASE can you find out who the liquidator is so we can make a claim. No one has identified the liquidator yet. I am highly sucpicious that none was appointed on 1 nov and that the funds received in advance from us for the peak season (all cash for dec and jan had to be paid by 31 Oct)have not been used to refund us or pay creditors but have rather been diverted to the owners or their other businesses. Please prove me wrong!! This smells bad and many people have lost their cash and annual holiday. We deserve access to information and to be advised who the liquidator is.
Submitted on 8 November 2011 | 20:03:17
I do not agree with blaming circumstances and the concern for Owen. Just days before this announcement he insisted we transfer our final payment (now R10K paid in total) or forfeit our Jan booking. At the end of October 100% of all Dec and Jan bookings had to be paid in full. Hundreds of thousands of Rands would have been paid to him and the note on his website says sorry for the inconvenience! He has done all companies who rely on the tourist trade a huge disservice. I will never be as trusting again and wish that I had rather just planned to stay at home. Aggrieved
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