Innovative Tourism Star Tollman Loses Battle with Cancer at 91

1. Celebrated as an architect of the modern travel industry, Tollman made it possible for tens of millions to discover the world through his portfolio of travel brands.
2. He may best be remembered as the beloved patriarch and steward of the century-old, family-owned and run business.
3. Today TTC has more than 10,000 employees, delivering unparalleled hospitality to guests across 70 countries worldwide.

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The son of Jewish Lithuanian immigrants who escaped life-threatening anti-Semitism in Czarist Russia, Stanley Tollman was born in the small South African fishing village of Paternoster in the Western Cape where his parents operated a modest hotel with outdoor toilets and where a young Tollman roamed barefoot while absorbing the warmth and work ethic of a family dedicated to hospitality.  

His father Solomon Tollman called the family’s passionate customer care ethos ‘driven by service’ and this approach, alongside a relentless pursuit of excellence, would become the hallmark of Stanley Tollman’s life’s work, a lesson and enduring philosophy that he maintained throughout his decades long hospitality career and instilled in the generations of Tollmans that continue to follow in his footsteps.

A Son of Africa Sets His Sights on the World

In 1954, Stanley Tollman married Beatrice Lurie, beginning an enduring love story and partnership. Sharing a passion for exceptional hospitality, the young couple used their wedding money to purchase their first property – the Nugget Hotel in Johannesburg.  

Tollman worked tirelessly, driven by his relentless pursuit of perfection and hunger to make an impact in South Africa and, if possible, the world. The opportunity came in 1955 with Tollman’s second investment, The Hyde Park Hotel, the ground-breaking boutique hotel in South Africa which established the Tollman name as a mark of excellence and catapulted the young hotelier to fame.

At Hyde Park, Stanley and Bea worked in close partnership, with Stanley responsible for front of house while Bea operated behinds the scenes, becoming the only female head chef in South Africa at the time. Their concept for the hotel’s signature dining room, the Colony Restaurant redefined grandeur and immediately became an entertaining sensation. Tollman travelled the world to bring celebrated international cabaret acts to perform here, elevating South Africa’s exposure to international artists in dance and music. It is the first to welcome renowned artists and celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich and Maurice Chevalier and film crews – including Stanley Baker’s historic film “Zulu” starring Michael Caine – to South Africa in the 1950s and 60s.

The Tollman reputation for excellence grew with the introduction of Tollman Towers, South Africa’s first five-star, all-suite hotel, followed by the first venture into the travel industry with purchase of Trafalgar Tours in 1969. Tollman’s watchful eye over operations and innovative approach to immersive travel turns the small, fledgling travel company into one of most award-winning global travel brands with over 80 awards to date. Trafalgar not only expanded Tollman’s holdings beyond hotels, but to global travel markets, paving the way for the creation of The Travel Corporation as it is today.

Reflecting on Tollman as a global elder and respected contemporary, Sir Geoffrey Kent, Founder, Co-Chairman and CEO of luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent stated: