An Interview with Richard Chanter of Chanters Lodge, Livingstone

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Richard Chanter and his Lodge

Tucked away down a small dirt road, around the bend lies an assuming guest lodge in Livingstone, Zambia. But don’t be fooled, this 11-room complex in the middle of a bustling residential neighborhood is one of the premier places to stay when visiting Victoria Falls: Chanters Lodge.

Chanter’s Lodge was my home away from home during a 3-day/ 2-night stay in Victoria Falls. It was truly the perfect retreat for this travel blogger after a hectic 40-day sprint through South Africa. During my stay I had the opportunity to catch up with the owner, Richard Chanter, and ask him what makes Chanters Lodge so special…

Having accumulated over 40 years in the hotel industry (30 of them in Zambia), Richard knows how to manage a hotel. “This business is about people” he says.

It Started on Trip Advisor

And it’s the people that keep him working all these years. A chance encounter with an ill guest led Richard into the world of social media and the Internet. He explained,

“I took him to the doctor and brought him back. He said, “Have you ever heard of Trip Advisor? Join it. It would be in your best interest.””

And so Richard did, “It was very easy to join in the early days. I registered and put a picture of the lodge.” Shortly thereafter, his first review appeared from the guest he assisted…

“There’s nothing that Mr. Chanter won’t do to help you.”

It was at that moment that Richard realized the potential of the Internet. “We said, hey, we need more of this stuff.”

Managing a Social Media Marketing Strategy

With nearly 800 followers on twitter, regular posts on his Lodge Blog and an active Facebook Fan Page, Richard has embraced social media and leveraged it to make Chanters Lodge the most visible hotel in Livingstone and on the Internet.

For a gentleman who always wanted to be a writer, blogging was the perfect platform. “I blog about Zambia, family, the lodge and anything else that takes my interest. One of the reasons I keep on blogging is because it brings new content onto the site. We’ve re-marketed the hotel through other parts of Zambia through Facebook.”

He continued by saying, “It’s about social interaction. Loads of clients said they check the blog before they arrive and continue reading it after they leave.” [Very true as Chanters Lodge Blog is downloaded into my Google Feed Reader every morning.] His eyes lit up as he recalled the power of twitter, “I can be talking to a llama farmer in Devon [England], a lady in Brooklyn called Cookie talking about what Rihanna’s doing. Twitter reaches further.”

On Tourism in Zambia

For Zambia Tourism, social media is important now more than ever. In Richard’s opinion, “[Zambia] is over-hoteled and under-marketed.” In addition, visa fees for travelers are increasing and Zimbabwe is slowly regaining a foothold in appealing to more tourists. Zambia has some competition ahead of them. “If you’re not in the top three or four [in your hotel category], you’ll have some bad years ahead of you.”

While this may be a concern for Richard, he doesn’t show it. Chanters Lodge has expanded considerably since it first opened. Current renovations include converting a standard room into a suite with more plans on the way for additional rooms. Updates are posted on his blog regularly. He never stops working.

The Chanters Lodge Experience 107.7

Sunday evenings from 800-900 P.M. are dedicated to The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient Featuring George Soulchild. on 107.7 FM. It’s an outlet for him to live his dream of becoming a DJ, promote Chanters Lodge and have a little fun. On the evening he invited me as a guest, Richard gave away dinner for 2 at the lodge to local listeners. Contest applicants had to text their guess to that evening’s question to win. What was the question? What country was tonight’s guest from? I think my accent gave it away.

In an instant, Richard’s phone was buzzing with responses and well-deserved accolades on his return to radio after a brief hiatus. He’s popular among the radio station staff and the local community. A dinner for two at the lodge is a special treat for many.

Guest-Focus

Whether it’s on-the-air, on-line or in-person, Richard approaches each guest with a level of enthusiasm and genuine hospitality that is the hallmark of staying at B&B’s and Guest Lodges. A casual conversation during dinner, some travel advice over lunch and a fond farewell as he’s dropping off some travelers at the Livingstone airport are common sights, in an industry where impersonality seems to be the mainstay.

“It’s all about the guests,” he says.

I’ll see you out there…! With my new friend Richard!

More stories from Chanters Lodge will be publishing next week. Become a fan on Facebook for the latest updates.

*****

In 60 Seconds:

What’s the one thing travelers should know about Chanters?

The garden is tremendous. It’s such a restful, peaceful place

Who do you follow on Twitter?

I like Music Mondays.

You haven’t left Zambia until…

You’ve swam in Lake Tanganyika.

And in Livingstone…

It’s different at different times of the year. In the summer, swum in Devil’s Pool and raft the 25 white-water rapids. In winter, until you’ve gotten drenched by the falls and seen it from the air.

What makes Zambia different from other African countries?

The people, they’re awesome.

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