Pitlochry Hotelier in South Africa move

Hotel owner's tech firm expands to 5th continent

A Pitlochry hotelier’s hospitality tech firm has opened a Cape Town office and made two senior appointments as it seeks to become a leading player in South African tourism.

Hop Software, co-founded by Perthshire hotelier Richard Drummond, has seen its all-in-one hotel Property Management System adopted in 4 continents since launching in 2017.

Now Mr Drummond, who co-owns McKays Hotel Bar and Restaurant in Pitlochry, and fellow Directors Jon Erasmus and Ronald Tweedie, have targeted growth opportunities in South Africa.

Richard Drummond (right) on Ben Vrackie with Hop co-Director Jon Erasmus

Land of Opportunity

South African Tourism’s latest Annual Performance Plan has described tourism and hospitality as a ‘sunrise sector with endless possibilities’, with over 50 000 rooms and 304 hotels earmarked to open across the continent in 2025/26.

Aware of the central drive, Hop Software has recruited experienced local Business Development Manager, Teboho Ntsiane, to help open doors within the leading tech hub of Cape Town and beyond.

Irshaad Mahomed will also join as Onboarding and Support Executive.

An Emerging Economy

Hop already boasts a number of high-profile Perthshire clients within a UK customer base numbering over 200 hotels and accommodation providers.

Company officials believe the timing is right for the firm’s one-stop PMS, which handles everything from bookings to global payments, to be introduced into a hospitality environment still largely reliant on manual bookings and disconnected tools.

“We are really excited,” said Perthshire entrepreneur Richard Drummond. “The South African market is vibrant, growing and increasingly open to technological adoption.

“There are over 30 000 hotels, many migrating from manual or legacy systems to cloud-based PMS platforms.

“We are, therefore, bringing new technology to an emerging market which holds significant potential. South Africa is a robust and growing digital economy.

“This is an ideal time for Hop to launch here and provide an all-in-one solution for the hospitality industry.”

New Territories

Hop Software is no stranger to breaking into new markets; a ground-breaking deal being sealed last year with a property in Greenland on the edge of the Arctic ice caps.

In Winter 2024, Hop launched its new Booking Engine after two years of building and design, helping properties up-sell on rooms.

To find out more about Hop Software, visit: www.hopsoftware.com