Take Rover to Radisson

A recent global study has found that over half of people (57%) internationally have at least one pet, a statistic that appears to be gradually tracking upwards over time.

There is also a noticeable shift in the way people care for their furry friends, as owners become increasingly more willing to pamper pets with tailored diets, advanced vet care and specialty services. In line with this trend, travelling pet owners are increasingly hesitant to leave their companions at home and are demanding pet-friendly facilities.

Dale Simpson, curator of Radisson RED Hotel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, says the hospitality industry can either evolve to cater to this or forego a growing number of potential guests.

Simpson says that while the international hospitality industry has been fairly quick to cater to this growing market, South African establishments don’t appear to be adapting as swiftly. “According to Hotels.com, a booking platform that offers the choice of hundreds of thousands of hotels in more than 60 countries, one-third of the hotels listed on their site now welcome pets. In SA, however, options remain fairly limited when looking for pet-friendly accommodation, particularly luxury accommodation.”

This is why Simpson says the soon-to-launch Cape Town hotel has a liberal pet policy. “RED’s mascot is a Boston Terrier named Baxter, and Baxter insists that guests’ four-legged friends be invited to the party – so long as they adhere to his pet policy! “This policy allows friendly dogs and cats that weigh under eight kilogrammes – no more than two per room – to join their parents on vacation, granted they book a pet-friendly room and are kept on a leash or in a carrier when outside

the room.”