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South African hotel magnate and travel industry pioneer Sol Kerzner recently retired as chairman of Kerzner International, leaving a long and broad legacy in the travel industry and beyond.

Travel Pulse spoke to some travel industry veterans about the effect Sol Kerzner has had on their worlds during his long, illustrious career.

Mr. Sol Kerzner is a visionary and a pioneer, a great South African businessman. Long before South Africa became the fastest growing destination that it has become, Mr. Sol Kerzner imagined and created the high-quality properties for travelers from far and wide. Countless high-profile global events were brought to Sun City South Africa and major celebrities including Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra graced our shores - thanks to his efforts and the great five star properties Mr Sol Kezner founded and pioneered. We respect him and recognize his immense contribution to our tourism.

- Sthu Zungu, president of South African Tourism North America

Sol... revolutionized, not only the South Africa hotel industry, but the tourism industry in southern Africa. Southern Sun Hotels became the premier group of hotel properties, not only as owner managers, he led the development of great properties in very unique locations.

Among his many successes in South Africa, is Sun City, where he built his “dream resort,” where he emerged himself in the concept, design, planning and oversaw construction, he was known as the Sun King or King Sol.

I also witnessed his genius in many aspects of the hospitality industry, including finance and marketing. He’s an unorthodox business leader and after founding Sun International, he was recognized as the international hotel and casino superstar well beyond the African continent.

He’s a contrarian by nature and has developed directly and indirectly more employment in the developing World economies than anybody I know of.

Sol may be retiring, but I fell he will continue to inspire the tourism industry worldwide in so many ways.

- Dave Herbert, chief experiential officer of Great Safaris

Sol Kerzner will remain an icon of the South Africa tourism industry as he created two of the largest hotel chains in South Africa: Southern Sun Hotels (now Tsogo Sun) and Sun International. Thus, besides his international portfolio that he created, South Africans will always remember Sol Kerzner as an innovator.

- Craig van Rooyen, director ofTour d’Afrique

Sol’s great strength was his attention to detail. Obviously he understood what his target market wanted and gave it to them, but it was his ability to see things that were not obvious to others that made him different to other successful hoteliers. When going through the plans for the ball room and conference centre of the Sandton Sun, for example he picked up that the chandeliers restricted the view of the stage – at first the architects did not believe him but he was right. Also when Sun City was being planned, he insisted that the car park be underground because it looked so ugly.

Because he came up through the ranks he understood each part of the business which created respect among both his colleagues and staff – he was also natural leader.

- Anton Thompson, founder of Thompsons Holidays South Africa.

Our time with him was purely social at his home in the English countryside. We had a great time. He loved the fact that I could name the wine he served at lunch. It was at Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1966. How hard could that be? The fact that I'm in “the business” just made him all the more delightful on that occasion.

- Anastasia Mann, CEO of Anastasia’s Africa/Corniche Group