World Cup Spin-off So Soon?

The arrivals statistics for September have been released by StatsSA and show enormous promise from both core and emerging markets.

The total arrivals into the country grew by 12,9% with a total of 658 565 visitors, up from 583 352 last year September. While overseas arrivals showed double-digit growth of 25,1% from 136 767 to 171 158, African arrivals grew by 9,4% from 443 578 to 485 090.

Traditional core markets showed huge growth over the month, possibly a result of displaced travellers who would normally have travelled over the period of the World Cup. The UK, SA’s top market, swelled 11,3%, while the US market, grew by an enormous 30,2%.
European markets were also positive with only the Netherlands dropping off slightly for the period. Asian markets performed exceptionally well over the period with China and India showing their strength as emerging economies.
Australia has battled its way into the country’s top five source markets with almost 60% growth in travellers visiting the country.

The top overseas markets for September 2010 were as follows:

UK, up 11,3% from 27 869 to 31 028
USA, up 30,2% from 17 857 to 23 256
Germany, up 17,3% from 13 889 to 16 291
Australia, up 59,6% from 7 640 to 12 194
The Netherlands, down 2,7% from 9 272 to 9 018
France, up 12,5% from 6 211 to 7 297
China, up 142% from 2 979 to 7 209
India, up 58% from 4 466 to 7 057
Italy, up 12,5% from 4 129 to 4 645
Canada, up 20,9% from 3 256 to 3 937

Source: SA Tourism Update

Comair Adds Capacity On Durban To Cape Route

Comair is to operate an additional British Airways flight on its Durban-Cape Town route.

In a statement the airline said it was currently the only premium airline operating on this route following the cancellation of SAA flights in October to let it focus on the more profitable African routes.

The additional BA flight will operate from Monday to Friday, adding to the existing schedule of three return flights per day, Monday to Friday, and one return flight on Saturday and Sunday.

“Demand on this route has grown substantially,” said Heidi Brauer, executive manager for group marketing.

The new schedule is effective December 15.

The additional flight from Durban to Cape Town departs at 10h45, arriving at 12h55, and the return flight departs at 13h30, arriving at in Durban at 15h25, Mondays to Fridays.

The airfares for these flights range from R803 for Traveller (economy class) to R2 835 for Club (business class). Airfares quoted reflect one way only, all taxes included.

Source: SA Tourism Update

Two Very Proud Mothers

African Wings snapped these proud mothers nursing and playing with their calves in Walker Bay recently.

Whilst the Southern Right Whales will be making their way further south soon, we are still blessed with sightings like this. Hermanus, the whale watching capital of the world.

A Brand New Tourism Product For Hermanus

The details are still being ironed out as we upload this snippet of news folks.

Percy Hayward, from Percy Tours, has let this exciting 'cat out of the bag'. A regular Dr Seuss is our Percy. Next whale season it appears that we will have access to an additional Tourism Product right here in Hermanus.

Helicopter trips over and around Walker Bay to spot the whales.

We eagerly await the details of this fantastic venture from the organisers.

South Africa has been named 'Africa, Indian Ocean and Gulf States Golf Destination of the Year 2011' by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). The announcement was made in Valencia, Spain, at the annual international awards ceremony for the golf tourism industry.

South African Tourism’s UK Country Manager, Lebo Mokhesi, said: “With over 600 golf courses providing every type and level of golf experience, we are proud to be announced as winners of this prestigious award. This is a significant acknowledgement by IAGTO that South Africa is fast becoming an irresistible golfing destination for golfers of all abilities across the world, as well as one of the most diversely appealing destinations on the planet.”

The selection for winning golfing destinations is made through votes cast by over 300 golf tour operators from 50 countries who consider customer satisfaction; quality of golf courses and accommodation; value for money; support from suppliers, tourist boards and airlines; professional conduct of suppliers; and accessibility to tee times.

Source: SA Tourism Update

‘Don't Talk As If You Are Crimeless’

National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele took a British journalist to task on Thursday for asking for an assurance that no more tourists were going to be killed in Cape Town.
“You (in the United Kindgom) are not crimeless,” Cele said. “We should not come here as if we are spotless in our own countries.”
Cele was addressing a media briefing in the city on investigations into the weekend slaying of honeymooning tourist Anni Dewani.
The journalist, who identified himself as representing “all UK newspapers”, provoked Cele's ire when he asked whether the commissioner thought Cape Town was a safe tourism destination.

Dave's comment:
"Bloody agent represents all UK newspapers. Bastaard must use Lifebuoy soap for spotless tourist spots.

A Match Made In Heaven?

Following reciprocal visits by representatives of the Franschhoek Wine Valley and Knysna Tourism, the proposal for a twinning relationship between Franschhoek and Knysna has been accepted, with a Memorandum of Understanding signed to seal what promises to be a mutually beneficial relationship.

The twinning relationship is based largely on the fact that both towns are highly compatible tourist target markets. Both of these popular lifestyle and tourist destinations are ideal partners, in that they offer prime location with shared reputations as scenic tourist routes offering an array of festivals and outdoor activities, collective niche speciality shops, similar accommodation offerings as well as similar business profiles, with a mutual focus on wellness tourism. Furthermore they share a similar demographic profile, and high-end real estate offerings. While food and wine festivals are major Franschhoek focus areas, Knysna is known for its natural attractions, shopping and festivals.

Cape Town Tourism Announces New Board

The members are:

Chairman of the Board, Ian Bartes, manager for service standards and quality assurance, ACSA, Cape Town International Airport.

Vice-Chair of the Board, Bulelwa Nobuzwe Makalima-Ngewana, deputy CEO of Cape Town Partnership.

Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism.

Nombulelo Mkefa, director of tourism at the City of Cape Town.

Alderman Felicity Purchase, mayoral committee member for economic development and tourism.

Sabine Lehmann, CEO of Table Mountain Cableway Company.

Nils Heckscher, managing director of the Winchester Mansions Hotel.

Guy Lundy, CEO of Accelerate Cape Town.

Rashid Toefy, CEO of Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Pierre du Plessis, member of Mokate Monk and du Plessis quantity surveyors.

Susanne Faussner-Ringer, managing director of Greenways Hotel.

Sarah Struys, events and marketing manager at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

Claus Tworeck, CEO of City Sightseeing Cape Town.

No More Lost Keys To Replace

A world's first pilot is starting at the Clarion Hotel Stockholm in Sweden. ASSA ABLOY, Choice Hotels Scandinavia, TeliaSonera, VingCard Elsafe and Venyon, a fully owned subsidiary of Giesecke & Devrient, have joined forces to replace hotel room keys with NFC-enabled mobile phones. The technology makes it possible for hotel guests to check-in and out using their mobile phones.
The goal of the pilot is to get feedback from guests and employees using the NFC phones for a variety of services. Guests will be able to check in to the hotel and receive the hotel room key directly onto their mobile phones before arriving at the hotel. Guests can also access other services via their mobile, and on departure, the check-out process using the phone promises to be easy and stress-free.
The technology also increases security. If a mobile phone is lost, the access credentials can be revoked remotely and then reissued. This makes it impossible for unauthorized people to use a lost or stolen NFC mobile phone.
The pilot starts this week and will last for four months. The experience gained from the Clarion Hotel Stockholm pilot is planned to be enhanced and expanded over time to other hotels as well as to commercial and residential buildings.

NFC stands for Near Field Communication. Similar to the Bluetooth system.

Pilot Programme For Budding Blue Flag Beaches

In South Africa, municipalities that are planning to enter beaches into the Blue Flag programme, have to implement at least one year of what is called a “pilot phase”. This pilot phase allows the municipality to put in place the necessary water quality monitoring and start to develop infrastructure (if necessary) and services that a full status Blue Flag beach would require.

For some beaches, the municipalities managing them take a full two years to go through the pilot phase. The most important aspect of the pilot phase is for the municipality to start testing the bathing water quality at that beach. This is one of the main reasons why beaches fail to make it into the Blue Flag programme – the water quality at the beach does not meet the international standards set by the Blue Flag programme.

Current Blue Flag pilot beaches are: Witsands (near Stilbaai), Kings beach and Pollok beach in Port Elizabeth, Cannon Rocks near Kenton in the eastern Cape, Umzumbe beach, Hibberdene beach and St Michael’s beach on the Kzn south coast.

International Shows – Worth The Expense?

In tough times, it is imperative that every business evaluates its expenses and determines what costs are really necessary. With the advent of World Travel Market just under a week away, many industry stakeholders have started to question whether international trade shows are worth the massive expense and have started to evaluate other options.

Michael Tatalias, CEO of SATSA, says although the traditional value that a trade show offers is still there, industry is starting to analyse exactly what value they are getting out of these shows. He furthers that with some businesses deciding to skip attending WTM this year, it might make for a 'quieter' show that will allow those present better visibility to delegates.
Tatalias also suggest pre- and post-roadshows to visit clients in the region in which the trade show is occurring in order to maximise on the trip. He even suggests visiting your clients’ clients to better understand their current environment and better facilitate offering packages that would suit their needs.
It’s also important that exhibitors take the time to plan what exactly they are going to achieve at trade shows, says Tatalias. Attendees must research the market they are presenting to and take a good few months to prepare and schedule quality appointments.

For some tourism suppliers, trade shows are more important in terms of just gaining market visibility before breaking in, says MD Planet Africa Tours, Takashi Miyata. He points out that in the case of the Japanese market, operators prefer to work with products that they have been introduced to before at trade shows such as the annual JATA (Japanese Association of Travel Agents) Congress.

Measuring the successes at international trade shows should also not be measured by how many business deals were signed, says Miyata in the case of Planet Africa’s dealings with the Japanese market, but rather the quality of the meetings held. He says that often the positive effects from these meetings only show themselves in the long term.

Source: SA tourism Update