No More Malaysia Airlines Flights

Malaysia Airlines plans to pull its flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town early next year.

Malaysia’s The Star Online has just reported that the airline is planning to axe various unprofitable routes in a bid to reduce costs. These include flights to South Africa and Buenos Aires in South America as early as February. The airline will also pull out of Dubai but this will be done gradually with a reduction of frequencies.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines Country Manager for South and Central Africa, Yusno Said, said the airline would soon notify the South African market of any official developments.

Source: SA Tourism Update

WTM 2011: New Breed Of Chinese Tourist Interested In Niche Travel

A new type of Chinese traveller is emerging who is more interested in a quality travel experience than simply ticking off the sights. Speaking at World Travel Market (WTM), China Outbound Tourism Research Institute Director, Wolfgang Georg Arlt said the new type of tourist was far more likely to be interested in niche products than before.

“Now for the first time you have a chance to get hold of extra Chinese customers who might be more interested in your product if you package it right and sell it right.” Arlt said the new consumers were emerging as a result of the country's increasing wealth with many now simply wanting to relax, have an enjoyable experience and do things like shopping rather than joining large groups of sightseers.

Dragon Trail Co-Founder and President, Jens Thraenhart, agreed: “Chinese consumers are being moved towards an experience-based model rather than a price-based model.” Arlt said the new tourist would be far more resilient should the Chinese economy crash, which is expected, largely because of its ongoing property boom.

He said companies dealing with Chinese travellers needed to ensure that basic elements such as Chinese signs and brochures were available. Thraenhart said, with 80% of outbound Chinese travellers researching their trips online, it was vital for travel companies wishing to be taken seriously in the market to have a Chinese-friendly website with Chinese text. He said companies also needed to consider mobile technology and micro blogging to develop a multi-channel marketing plan to target the market.

While European Tour Operators Association Executive Director, Tom Jenkins, said the Chinese market was a strong one, he warned of their negotiating skills. He said in 2003 that his members were able to charge an average of €71 (R903) per person per day but this had been driven down to €48 (R610) in 2011. “These guys know how to negotiate and they know how to negotiate like nobody else does.”

The Netherlands Wins The Coveted World Chocolate Masters 2011

Frank Haasnoot of the Netherlands proudly wins the Chocolate Masters Toque 2011 in Paris.

His masterpiece is called Warrior and he describes it as, 'Warrior of darkness is in search for cocoa in the mysteries of the jungle'.

Mango First Out Of The Blocks

Mango will be the first airline in South Africa to offer WiFi on board its aircraft from early next year, announced Mango and Wireless G.

The announcement comes after the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last week approved Wireless G & Row 44’s application to install its in-flight WiFi-enabling equipment on South African commercial aircraft. GSM still has to be switched off when using dual model devices but airlines equipped with the technology may now apply for special exemption from the CAA to accommodate the use of WiFi only with such phones. The CAA confirmed that in-flight WiFi technology had been rigorously tested.

Elize Ferero, Executive Marketing for Wireless G, said Mango would be the first South African airline to feature the WiFi option on-board its aircraft. She added, however, that the approval provided by the CAA to Wireless G was for the B737 800 series and not limited to any specific operator.

Hein Kaizer, Mango Communications Officer, said Mango was pleased to be one step closer to in-flight Internet access being possible. “In a digital world, being online makes a significant difference in terms of business and social connectivity. In an increasingly time-poor world, imagine the productivity potential of in-flight connectivity, socially connecting through Facebook or Twitter en route to Cape Town or, for that matter, surfing the net.”

Both Ferero and Kaizer remain tightlipped about the pricing of the WiFi option on board and said the pricing would be finalised and announced simultaneously with the roll-out plan. Ferero did reveal that Wireless G would like to see more affordable rates than 3G. “The idea is not to charge per megabyte but rather provide uncapped access for the duration of the flight on a fixed-fee basis and to make it on a par with international trends in terms of in-flight as well.”

Source: Dorine Reinstein

Well Done To 138 Marine

We say well done to 138 Marine beachfront bed and breakfast guesthouse for receiving another well deserved award. 138 Marine has been chosen by Trivago as the best bed and breakfast establishment in Hermanus for 2011.

At Your Service

The second Annual South African Guest Relations and Concierge Conference took place on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 at La Toscana Montecasino in Johannesburg. This new forum was established in 2010 for both guest relations managers and concierges from four- and five-star properties in Johannesburg to share ideas, keep up to date with the latest industry trends and discover the attractions and activities in and around Johannesburg that can assist them in creating the unforgettable experiences guests expect.

The first conference in 2010 was initiated and set up by Deon Prinsloo, guest relations manager at The Palazzo Montecasino, with the aim of creating an opportunity for local guest relations managers and concierges to raise the bar of excellence. Prinsloo, one of South Africa’s top concierges, has been the driving force behind the guest relations and concierge conferences and regular meetings over the past 12 months.

“The annual Concierge Conference serves to create an awareness of the value of concierge services offered by hotels to ensure guests enjoy an unforgettable experience,” notes Prinsloo. “The concierge is a direct link between guests and service providers, providing exposure for the many products and services available around the country, whilst enhancing the guest experience. As such, the conference also provides an opportunity for some of these providers to exhibit their offerings of interest to guests staying at hotels in and around Johannesburg and to briefly introduce their activities to the attendees.”

The forum has been endorsed and is supported by the Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC), which sponsors special concierge tours of new attractions in and around the city and covered the full cost of each hotel representative at the 2011 Concierge Conference.

During the event, four new head concierges received their Golden Keys and were officially inaugurated into the Les Clefs d’Or, the International Concierge Society, which brings the total number of Golden Key head concierges working in South Africa to eight members. These include: Ronnie Govender from Sandton Sun; Archie Christodoulides from The Michelangelo Hotel; Claude-Francois Ndala from Beverly Hills Hotel in Umhlanga; Deon Prinsloo from Palazzo Hotel Fourways; Lizelle De Haas from Radisson Blu Sandton; Vinny Maharaj from Intercontinental Sandton Towers; Billy Chetty from Davinci Hotel & Suites Sandton; and Ryan Van Zyl from Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence Cape Town.

Jetsetters To Enjoy Mile High Connectivity

South African jetsetters no longer have to forgo Internet connectivity, e-mail communication, SMS-services and even IPTV at 35000 feet.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved an application by WirelessG and Row 44’s to install its in-flight Wi-Fi enabling equipment onboard South African commercial aircraft. The approval will enable WirelessG to operate its G-Connect broadband services aboard commercial aircraft in South African skies.

“Although we still await quality assurance of the final installation, the CAA is proud to announce its consent for the use of this technology in South Africa especially as it is a South African company that will exclusively offer the service.” said Subash Devkaran, Senior Manager: Aircraft Certification at CAA.

Devkaran stated that although this new innovation will contribute greatly to South African industrial competitiveness in the global arena, the CAA’s first and foremost concern still remains passenger safety. The in-flight Wi-Fi technology has been rigorously tested by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The CAA’s approval of WirelessG’s in-flight Wi-Fi services was approved in a matter of weeks, following the safety endorsement and issuing of a supplemental type certificate (STC) release from Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the United States and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to equip 737-800 series commercial aircraft and operate Wi-Fi services.

According to Devkaran, the in-flight STC allows for the use of any Wi-Fi enabled mobile device. GSM still has to be switched off when using dual model devices, but airlines equipped with this technology, may now apply for special exemption from the CAA to accommodate the use of Wi-Fi only with such phones.

Hermanus Wines Achieve 5-Star Status

Well done to the following wine makers in the Hermanus Wine Route for receiving Platter 5-Star rating for their wines for 2012. The amount of 5-Star winners reduced from 58 in 2010 to 45 in 2011. A total of 7,000 wines were evaluated for this year's Platters Guide.

Pinot Noir

Newton Johnson - Domain, 2010

Red Blend

Bouchard Finlayson - Hannibal, 2010

Sauvignon Blanc

Hermanuspietersfontein - No 5, 2010

Velvet Sky has announced the opening of sales of new flights between Cape Town and Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and Durban and Port Elizabeth.

According to the published schedules on the airline’s website, these services will start on November 4, with more flights to be added on November 6 and December 2.

Visit http://www.flyvelvetsky.com/ to see a full schedule of all their flights.

Sommeliers Vie For Wine Service Award

Four sommeliers – one from Johannesburg and three form the Western Cape – will contest the finals of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Award next month. They are:

Josephine Gutentoft, sommelier at Grande Roche Hotel and Restaurant, Paarl.

Wayne Kolevsohn, restaurant manager/sommelier at Le Quartier Francais, Franschhoek.

Francis Krone, sommelier at Saxon Boutique Hotel, Johannesburg.

Joakim Hansi Blackadder (pictured above) GM/sommelier at The Roundhouse Restaurant, Camps Bay.

The organiser of event, Ginette de Fleuriot CWM, is impressed with the calibre of the finalists. “Now that we are at the business-end of the competition, it’s gratifying to have four such outstanding finalists coming to the fore. The final will be fiercely competitive, not least because we will have two women and two men, and two South Africans and two Swedes, fighting it out for this unique award.”

The final round of judging will take place on October 21 at The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa in Cape Town. The names of the winner and runner-up will be announced at 19h00 on November 11 at the Swartland Revolution, at The Royal Hotel, Riebeek Kasteel.

The judges are:

Mia Mårtensson: (judges chairperson) a Swedish-trained sommelier and current sales manager of The Winery of Good Hope.

Kent Scheermeyer: a German-trained sommelier and founder of KSconsult which services the hospitality industry in wine procurement, winelist design and training.

Neil Grant: Chairman of the South African Sommelier Association (SASA) and sommelier at Rust en Vrede Restaurant, Stellenbosch.

Ginette De Fleuriot CWM: Organiser of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Award and on-consumption business development manager at Vinimark The Wine Company, co-sponsors of the award.

The winner of The Bollinger Exceptional Wine Service Award will earn a trip to the House of Bollinger Champagne in France. The prize includes the airfare and accommodation in France.

The finalists will be judged on wine and food service and will be tested on any of the following:

• wine styles and terminology

• wine label information

• wine regulations

• regions of origin

• major international wine regions and their wines

• identifying wines in a blind tasting

• service techniques

• food and wine pairing

• wine storage

• social skills and ability to interact with the patron.

Gordon Gets Put Through Hotel Hell

Gordon Ramsay is expanding beyond cooking and setting his sights on a new makeover target: Hotels.

Fox has ordered a new Ramsay series where the reality kingpin will partner with a team of hospitality experts, traveling across the country to try and fix every aspect of struggling hotels, and bed & breakfasts. The working title: Hotel Hell.

The series is both familiar territory for Ramsay and a real departure, combining the business makeover format of Kitchen Nightmares with the internationally known chef moving beyond a cooking-centric show on Fox for the first time. Ramsay has hotel experience, having studied hotel management as a young man, and having worked and owned hotel-based restaurants throughout his career.

With this series, and presuming his other franchises continue, Ramsay will have four shows on the air, more than any other broadcast network reality TV personality - including Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and MasterChef.

"Gordon is amazing to work with and no matter what the premise, he delivers every time," said Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment at Fox. "With an unprecedented three shows already on the air, Gordon is an incredible television success, and we're really thrilled to put him through Hotel Hell."

Added Ramsay in a statement: "These are stories that everyone can relate to, because virtually all of us have had a bad hotel experience that's turned a holiday or business trip into a total disaster. It's time to put the hospitality industry to the test."

Source: ew.com

Flash To Rest In Peace - And About Time Too

Microsoft announced this week that it has banned Flash and other plug-ins in the default browser of Windows 8, just like Steve Jobs did last year when Apple banned Flash from the iPhone and iPad.

What this means for hotels, guest houses and any other business with websites built on Flash is that it is becoming more difficult for guests to find them online, and that their sites are losing ROI by the minute - even if they're fully paid for. It means it's time for hotel web design to move off Flash. Fast.

What's so bad about a Flash site? For starters, search engines don't ‘see' Flash. Google (and other search engines) index websites by noting keywords, content and metadata and rank them based on the specifics of what they find. To Google, Flash-based websites look like black boxes; they can't be examined directly and so they are ignored. Hotel SEO plummets.

Also, Flash is incompatible with most mobile devices. Mobile platforms now vie with desktops as the tool of choice for web surfing and searching. Flash based sites miss all of those guests too. Consumers on iPads, iPhones, and the majority of mobile devices get a blank screen when they attempt to view Flash-based websites.

Maintaining a Flash site is expensive. Using Flash's multimedia features to create interesting visuals is an expert skill. While initial design/development costs are likely sunk, the cost of maintaining and updating it are not - and they're high. As a result, many hotels end up neglecting the site and living with out-of-date information and images. They can't integrate their hotel online reservations with their Flash front end. Guests don't find what they need or like what they see, and they leave (for good).

What to do? Pretty much anything but Flash.

The Web has evolved immensely since Flash was introduced back in the mid-90s and there are better ways to enable hotels to offer guests a rich, integrated online experience. Broadband is now pervasive, computers are faster, and web standards increasingly support the visuals and animations that were once unique to Flash. These alternatives, based on the latest web standards (HTML5, CSS3, etc) not only look great but they are also far cheaper to develop and maintain. And they're designed to be compatible with mobile devices, and SEO-friendly.

To remove Flash components from your website contact Dave to examine your site and give you an informed opinion about alternative ways of marketing your unique product. davesnoek@telkomsa.net

Lufthansa Increases Its Schedule To Cape Town

Lufthansa is increasing its schedule to South Africa with the seasonal and popular flights between Frankfurt and Cape Town being re-introduced from 31 October 2011. These additional daily non-stop flights will increase the airline’s capacity by 60% within five months.

“Operating the Boeing B747-400 to Cape Town will give us the additional capacity boost so needed during South Africa’s summer season,” says Axel Simon, Director Southern Africa for Lufthansa German Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines.

Besides the seasonal schedule to the Cape predominantly used by the leisure market, Lufthansa also runs a daily non-stop flight between Johannesburg and Frankfurt throughout the year using the Airbus A380. Since deploying this aircraft, the capacity per month has increased by more than 6000 seats.

Wine Farm Loses Its Fiz

The historic family-owned Twee Jonge Gezellen wine-producing business has been placed under provisional liquidation after it emerged that it was in dire straits financially and had only R1 million “at its disposal”.

The provisional liquidation, made an order of the Western Cape High Court earlier this month, comes after the owners of the estate made attempts to try to save the business.

In an affidavit before the court, sole director and shareholder Nicolas Krone said Twee Jonge Gezellen’s financial difficulties started when it suffered a loss of earnings of R21.6m after it was supplied with contaminated bottles.

This led to lengthy unsuccessful litigation and an additional R1.5m in suppliers’ costs, which it was ordered to pay. “The legal battle crippled the applicant,” he said.  Later, it started falling into arrears with its repayments to the Land and Agricultural Bank of SA (Land Bank). This led to litigation and, in terms of a high court judgment, the business owes the Land Bank R38m.

According to Krone, he and his wife had already exhausted their pension funds and personal savings to invest in the business. He said that they had only R1m at their disposal. Recent audited financial statements were not available, he said.

The case returns to court on October 27, when interested parties have to show cause why a final liquidation order should not be granted.

Source: ARGUS

Getaway Drives Them Away

On 12 September, Getaway International will hit the shelves for the first time. It’s an exciting new venture for R.S & P. but for us, it's going to drive our potential visitors away.

For 22 years, Getaway has focused primarily on African travel. But over the past decade, we have, on occasion, run stories featuring destinations beyond the continent. These have proved hugely popular with our readers and so we decided to address this growing interest.

Right now the rand is strong and credit is cheap. So it’s an ideal time to head overseas. With an ever-increasing number of airlines offering international flights from South Africa, and fierce competition bringing the prices of foreign holiday packages down, South Africans are travelling abroad more than ever before. Indeed, these days it can be considerably cheaper taking a holiday in Thailand or Argentina than in Botswana or Mozambique.

In our inaugural issue, we’ve gone big and tried to present exciting options from just about every corner of the globe. We’ve looked for destinations that will appeal to South African travellers and we’ve found packages and deals that are easily doable for locals.

An Uncertain Future For Whaling

In a recent article, Andrew Darby, long-time reporter on whaling politics for the Sydney Morning Herald, reported on all the obstacles facing the annual whale hunt. The Japanese government has concluded a review of the whaling program’s future after its clashes with Sea Shepherd last summer. Details of the review were leaked and Darby suspects that a majority from the hard-line Japanese Fisheries Agency stand by the hunt. However, he noted that one respected consumer advocate on the review panel—Hisa Anan, Secretary General of Shodanren, Japan’s national consumer organisation—has publicly rejected the need for any more lethal "research."

New obstacles

Then there is the ban the International Maritime Organisation has placed in Antarctica on the use of heavy fuel oil, which is used by Japan’s whaling factory ship the Nisshin Maru. Will the IMO let Japan get away with the charade that the hunt is for research purposes and therefore allow an exemption in the same way the International Whaling Commission has? And for how much longer will that charade last at the IWC anyway, now that the Australian government is taking Japan to the International Court of Justice for abusing the IWC loophole for scientific research?

Doing the right thing

As Darby reports, “There are other problems weighing on the government in its decision over whaling. Whale meat stockpile statistics published earlier this year showed it was not selling. This means the cost of propping up the whaling fleet is blowing out at a time when all available government yen must be pressed into earthquake recovery.”

It's time

One hopes the portents are true and Japan will decide it is time to leave whaling behind; however, the battle to keep the commercial whaling moratorium in place at the IWC will certainly continue regardless of this recent turn of events. At the 2011 annual meeting, the pro-whaling bloc resorted to new lows to sabotage the voting process by staging a walkout before a key vote to approve a new whale sanctuary. As a result, there was no longer a quorum of countries in the room for the vote to take place.

Unfortunately, even if Japan does decide to abandon its costly hunt in the Southern Ocean, we must still work to persuade Japan, Norway, Iceland and Korea to desist from the coastal commercial whaling programs they each conduct under different guises.

Source: HSI

The Class Room Restaurant In A Class Of Its Own

Joan-Anne and I decided to visit The Class Room Restaurant in the Hemel en Aarde Craft Village, Hermanus on Sunday for their Set Black Board Lunch.  The advertising and info from the website that I have seen up to now describes the restaurant as supplying 'relaxed, fine dining'. All looks rather nice, but I'm sure it'll be mighty expensive I thought as we entered.  Nothing could have been further from the truth.

The decor is beautifully chosen and classy, reminding me of a fine French restaurant. The tables are spaced far apart enough so that I did not have to endure some other couple's conversation and not too far apart so that I felt adrift.  The set menu for the day was a choice of soup or fish for starters, main course of two meats, mini table dessert buffet per person and coffee. All this for a staggering R130!  Needless to say we could not do justice to the dessert buffet which can be seen on their Contact Us page on their website. No jokes, that is exactly how it was presented to us.  Not only to us, but all the tables received identical mouthwatering desserts.

The young chef made a visit to the tables which was appreciated and the waitrons were 'invisible until needed'. Superb and out of this world to say the least.

Do visit their website at www.theclassroomrestaurant.co.za and see for yourself what relaxed fine dining is all about.

SA Tourism Figures Just Don't Figure

Will the real Mr Stats please stand up. The figures for tourism supplied by SA Stats have up to now shown that tourist numbers were increasing on a quarterly basis. Now, this has not made sense to me as the dire position our industry is in does not go hand-in-hand with what is being published.

This month SA Stats' figures are a lot more realistic. Here are the latest figures for May 2010 - May 2011.

Netherlands down 22%

Italy down 16%

UK down 16%

Argentina down 47%

Mexico down 55%

Brazil only down 2% (Here is a market to nurture)

New Zealand down 12%

Asia is looking good in general with Malaysia up 138% (Another market to nurture)
Zimbabwe up 76% (Are these visitor figures? 'Go figure.')
 
Source: SA Tourism

Eat Out To Announce Top 10 Restaurants

Every year we acknowledge and celebrate the best of the South African restaurant industry with the Eat Out Restaurant Awards. This year the winners will be announced at a glittering gala dinner on Sunday 20 November at the Rotunda at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay.

The evening will start at 17h00 with champagne and canapés, followed by a truly special four-course meal with wine pairing. Each course of the meal will be prepared by one of the country’s top chefs. Announcing the top ten restaurants, as well as the winners of the Chef of the Year and Service Excellence awards, is Eat Out editor Abigail Donnelly.

The 2011 celebrations also introduce additional honours: Best New Restaurant, the Boschendal Style Award, and five new category awards for the best Asian, bistro, Italian, steakhouse and country-style restaurants in the country.

Tickets are limited and cost R1 000 per person. To book your ticket to Mzansi’s foodie Oscars, please contact Alicia Erasmus at mailto:alicia.erasmus@newmediapub.co.za

So, What Have You Nicked Lately?

We are a nation of thieves. Every morning, in hotels up and down the country, guests are walking off with hundreds of rands worth of household items - and we're not talking about the odd bottle of shampoo, bath caps or body lotion.

In one London hotel there's been a run on espresso coffee machines and iPod docking stations, while the Malmaison in Birmingham recently discovered that a flat-screen television had gone missing.

High on the list of items routinely slipped into suitcases are coat-hangers, umbrellas, bath robes, hairdryers, towels, flannels, leather folders and pens and pads of paper galore.

So it is little wonder that a company has invented a microchip which, when sewn into a towel or dressing gown, alerts the hotel if the item leaves the premises. Hotels can then charge the guest's credit card.

William Serbin, whose firm sells the trackable linen, says up to 20 per cent of towels and gowns hotels put in their rooms go missing. A towel with a chip costs about R6.00 more.  The tags last for more than 300 wash cycles and can be read by sensors up to 2m away.

One hotel manager said he was ‘perfectly relaxed' about guests absconding with bath robes ‘as long as they have our logo on them'.

Source: ehotelier.com

Vic Falls Reports Impressive Occupancy Records

Vic Falls in Zimbabwe is reporting an impressive turn around with a big increase in occupancy levels. According to occupancy records at seven hotels, covering a total of 1 008 rooms, levels were up by 20% based on the same seven month last year (January to July).

Several hotels reported having their best July since 2000 with occupancies at 70% and above. Furthermore, going forward August to November is looking promising with greater occupancies forecast.

According to Ross Kennedy, CEO of Africa Albida, “Victoria Falls Safari Lodge had the best July occupancy in 10 years at 70%. The Boma Place of Eating had its second best July ever. Only July 2007 saw more covers per night."

Meanwhile Ilala Lodge Hotel General Manager, Roddy Meiring, advised that “the hotel saw a massive 87% occupancy in July 2011, which is up 15% on last year”.

General Manager of The Victoria Falls Hotel, Karl Snater, says “we have seen an increase in occupancies from 2010, for all months except March, with July showing a massive 21% increase in occupancy from last year”.

According to Kennedy, there are several reasons why Vic Falls is seeing an upswing while many other destinations continue to struggle to fill beds. “The settling and stability of the economy since dollarisation in 2009 has meant that the supply chain has normalised and is thus operating to international standards. In addition it has meant that use of foreign currency, pricing and access to goods has normalised and we are once again a tourist-friendly destination,” he says.

“Destination marketing campaigns such as the Go To Victoria Falls campaign have also paid off, along with international and regional awareness and education campaigns with the travel trade and consumers,” concludes Kennedy.

Source: SA Tourism

SA Tourism Marketing On Right Track

South Africa is on the right track with its tourism marketing efforts, said Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk during the official launch of Tourism Month 2011.

He explained that while market conditions in the globe remained challenging, first quarter of 2011 results showed a positive trend. From January to April 2011 South Africa had 2,750,175 foreign tourist arrivals to South Africa, up 7.5% on the 2,558,715 recorded over the same period in 2010, with core markets holding their own and good growth being recorded from new markets such as China, Brazil and India.

He added: “Lower hotel occupancy does not mean arrivals are declining, in fact we continue to record impressive growth. It does, however, point to shifts in consumer choice and where people choose to spend their money whilst on holiday in South Africa. We need to therefore work even harder to understand the tourism market and respond to the needs of global travellers. Our major tourism revenues still come from our core markets in Europe and North America and we are working aggressively to defend and grow our position in these markets, while also actively exploring the potential for tourism growth from emerging markets in Asia, the Americas and Africa.”

South Africa will celebrate World Tourism day in Clarens in the Free State Province on 27 September.

Source: SA Tourism Update 

Top Tips To Accepting Criticism

Even with the best intentions behind it, criticism can make me feel defensive.  As the recipient of many kinds of criticism over the years, I’ve collected five tips to help you gracefully accept the words meant to make you better, no matter how awful it may feel hearing them.

Listen

The first response most of us have when it comes to even the best intended criticism is to become defensive. A defensive response may show itself as inattention, burning rage or stammering. As much as your chest feels tight and your face reddens, hearing the criticism all the way through may teach you something.  Even the most painful comments can teach us something about ourselves. Shut your mouth, close down your defenses and listen to what they really have to say.

Ask questions

To grow, you want to make sure you fully understand the person criticizing you.  I like to do this by asking questions. These questions are especially important if the criticism received isn’t particularly clear.  By asking these clarifying questions, you’re having a conversation with your critic—this can create cooperation. 

Respond

If you don’t agree with the criticism, and you are positive it’s not just your ego in the way, you can tell that criticizer that.  Instead of using an angry tone, try responding by saying something like, “I didn’t realize I came across that way. Thanks for sharing your opinion. From my side, it seems like __________.” And then fill in the blank with your real opinion. “From my perspective,” is an incredibly useful phrase to have on the ready.

Accentuate the positive

Your manager is not looking for you to defend yourself, your manager is looking to make sure that you hear what they’re saying—and planning to incorporate that feedback into your future behavior. You’re not on trial. Try to respond by pointing out the positive. Say, "Thanks so much for your feedback, I’ve screwed up this way _____________. How could I look at this better?” At the very least, say something along the lines of, “Thanks for telling me, I want to take some time to think about this.”

Own it

There’s no denying it, it’s tough to hear ways that you’re not perfect. So really absorb the criticism. Feel it all the way to your bones. And then take responsibility for what went wrong. Lots of people don’t own up to their mistakes. They put the blame on someone else and it keeps them from improving. Once you own it, you can get better.

Write it down

Write down what bothers you about the criticism you just received, and write down what seems useful. Writing it down makes the criticism less personal. Sometimes, it can make you feel better to write a letter to the criticizer responding to your critique. But—goodness please—rip it up and throw it away as soon as you do. These letters are not meant to be read.

Do something nice for yourself

Above all, the most important thing to do when receiving criticism is to do something nice for yourself. It might sound silly, but being open to criticism can wound you. Take a minute to do something nice for yourself. Sometimes treating yourself well can help you better understand what you need to do to improve.

You can’t get better without a road map to the places you can improve. It can be a painful process, but it leads to achievement down the road. Growth happens when you seek out the best places to go next.

Source: Ehotelier News

Are Your Toiletries Paraben Free?

Many hotels are switching over to paraben-free toiletries. Shouldn't you?

Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They are put in formulas in small amounts to prevent the growth of disease-causing microbes. Without preservatives, cosmetics would be much more dangerous to use. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution, makeup and toothpaste.

Parebens aren't banned, but there's a growing push to remove them from toiletries due to possible links to certain cancers.

Preservative alarmists may have a point and the industry is constantly on the lookout for new, effective ingredients to replace Parabens. They just haven’t found any. But the risk posed from these ingredients is so small that it’s not worth worrying about. There are much more critical things you can do to avoid cancer like not smoking, avoiding excessive sun exposure, exercising regularly and eating a well-balanced, low fat diet.

Don’t waste your energy fretting about the preservatives in your cosmetics.

Travellers To Carry The Burden Of ACSA’s Revenue Shortfall

No respite for the tourism industry.  Just when will someone listen?

The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) has again raised concerns over Airports Company South Africa’s (ACSA) decision to increase airport tariffs. AASA believes that the increase will negatively impact air travel for local and international travellers.

ACSA’s tariff hike, which will become effective on October 1 2011, will increase passenger service, landing and aircraft parking charges by almost 70% so that ACSA can recover a revenue shortfall. This year’s increase arises from a 34,8% increase approved by the ACSA Regulator effective April 1, but delayed for implementation until October 1 following the issuing of final permission by the Regulator in May this year. It also comes on the back of a 33% increase on April 1 2010, and will be followed by an increase of a further 5% in 2012, 5,6% in 2013 and 5,5% in 2014, resulting in a cumulative increase of 161% increase by ACSA over a five year period.

“Our greatest concern is the ultimate impact on the local travelling public. Prevailing competitive pressure, against a backdrop of an already weak state of the industry, makes it highly unlikely that airlines will be able to continue absorbing the costs from their already small margins. They will have to recover the costs from passengers by increasing airfares for both domestic and international customers,” says Chris Zweigenthal, ceo of AASA.

AASA continued to say that adding to the industry’s concern is the one-sided manner in which these increases have been proposed. “Other than one meeting with the appointed ministerial task team we have had no insight into the process. Nor have we, or any other representatives from the local airline industry, been invited to take part in discussions around proposed airport charges increases and the possible impact thereof on the industry,” continues Zweigenthal.

“The regulatory processes over the past few years, which have resulted in this unacceptable situation, have been acknowledged by all parties including the Airline industry, ACSA, the Regulator and the Department of Transport as being unacceptable. All parties have therefore committed to working together over the next six months to review the current regulatory process and its full impact on the industry to create a sustainable regulatory model in the future and protect the interests of air travellers in South Africa,” concludes Zweigenthal.

The Most Preferred Tourist Attraction For The Chinese In 2011

Cape Town was recently awarded ‘the most preferred tourist attraction for the Chinese in 2011’ in the 1st Global Tourism Thermal List campaign. The campaign, which was jointly held by the World Travel Broadcasting Union and Radio Beijing Corporation, called on tourism enthusiasts in China to vote for their favourite destination online.

Cape Town has been steadily marketing itself in the Chinese market since 2007. The city’s efforts have translated into numbers with Chinese annual arrivals to the Western Cape doubling from 2008 to 2010 with 20 724 arrivals in 2008 and 41 532 arrivals in 2010. Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO Cape Town Routes Unlimited, comments: “Next to India, China is the emerging market with everyone scrambling to get a piece of this lucrative market. Since 2007, Cape Town and the Western Cape have aggressively pursued this market.”

Gilfellan says CTRU adopted a three-pronged approach to the Chinese market with targeted media hostings; education of local property owners, service providers and tour operators on the needs of the Chinese market; and attendance at international platforms in the East.

He says that after studying the Chinese markets, it becomes clear that the Chinese trade is interested in the following experiences and products: the West Coast flowers, golf tours, shark-cage diving, experiencing a South African cultural village, motorcycle tours, wine farm tours, beach quad biking and sand boarding. He adds: “Although the Chinese trade has no problem with English, they strongly urged us to at least print some of our basic collateral in Mandarin. It would also help if at least one page of our website is translated.”

Source: SATourism Update

Why Coffee Is Better Than Men

By Nature, human beings are social creatures and coffee shops allow us to fulfill this need. Drinking coffee allows us to sit with friends and family and discuss various topics of our lives. Where else can you go and spend just a couple of bucks, for your coffee of choice and spend a good hour or so talking with good friends. Add a couple of comfortable chairs and pipe in some good music and you’re set.

Drinking coffee also gives us a time to take a few moments to refocus on our lives. If you are drinking a cup of coffee alone it gives us a few minutes of relaxation from this fast paced world. This is a perfect time when we can reflect on our past, present, and future. It might even be a time when we decide to make life changing decisions, such a career change, marriage, or having children.

OK, so why is coffee better than men?

A cup of coffee looks good in the morning.
You won't fall asleep after a cup of coffee.
You can always warm coffee up.
Coffee comes with endless refills.
You won't get arrested for ordering coffee at 3 AM.
Coffee is out of your system by tomorrow morning.
You can make coffee as sweet as you want.
Coffee smells and tastes good.
You can turn the pot on, leave the room, and it'll be hot when you get back.
You can always ditch a bad cup of coffee.
No matter how ugly you are, you can always get a cup of coffee.
A big cup or small cup? It doesn't matter.
You can have an intelligent conversation with coffee.
Coffee is ready in 15 minutes or less.
Coffee doesn't take up half your bed.

A Tour Operator You Can Rely On

Ever need a tour operator that is reliable? Look no further than Magical Mystery Tours...  Gerda recently played tour guide to two top Ukranian tourism agents and she impressed them so much that they have made here their local tour operator of choice.

Magical Mystery Experiences happen all the time!

If you decide to visit this beautiful diverse country, South Africa, and you want to come to the Western Cape, I can help you to have a great time! Experiences vary from Food & Wine to Cultural, Natural, Hiking, Art, Shopping etc. Had enough of Hotel and Restaurant cuisine? Enjoy real South African food and hospitality with local people in their own homes. I work from the best whale whatching town in the world - HERMANUS!

www.magicalmysterytours.co.za

Hotel Prices Decrease In Cape Town

So, who's missing the boat on Cape Town hotel prices? Cape Town Tourism, CTRU?  This blog has been following stats supplied by Statistics South Africa for the last 6 months and we are told that tourist figures are increasing monthly. Yet when you speak to accommodation establishments and read the local rags, all you hear is the doom and gloom about our hotels and guesthouses overcharging. Is it all a case of smoke and mirrors? Someone is seriously confused, so read on...

The quarterly Hotel Price Radar by HRS, the hotel portal, has identified a levelling of global hotel prices. Whilst most rates increased in Q1 2011, Q2 has seen many prices decrease, especially in Cape Town which has seen a dramatic decrease of 28% compared to the same time last year when it hosted the World Cup.

HRS compared hotel room prices in a total of 50 cities across the world to reveal that guests in Zurich and Sydney found the biggest rise in prices over the same quarter last year. Average prices for hotel rooms in both these cities rose by more than 20% - to more than 160 euros in Zurich and just below 143 euros in Sydney.

In most European cities room prices rose in Q2 2011 compared to the same quarter last year. For Istanbul, Warsaw and Zurich this was a double-digit rise. Zurich saw prices rise by 24.6% to more than 160 euros, knocking Moscow off the top spot. However, the Russian capital also reported higher prices - up by 5.63% to 148.44 euros. Other relatively expensive cities are Amsterdam, Oslo and Paris, with prices above 130 euros per room.

Outside Europe, prices varied widely. In 13 of the 20 cities reviewed prices have fallen, mostly by a few percentage points. Cape Town, Tokyo and Las Vegas have seen a stronger decline of more than 15%. In Cape Town room prices have fallen one year after the football World Cup by 28%, the most significant HRS found in this survey. The average price paid by guests to the South African city in Q2 2011 was 84.42 euros; in the same quarter last year it was still over 117 euros. The prices have fallen to 2009 levels, the year before the World Cup.

Maybe, just slash the price of crayfish and wine then stand back and watch as the tourists come marching in.

New Tourism Drive For Cape Town?

CapeTown Tourism (CTT) is launching a new brand positioning and destination marketing campaign to counter the current slump that has already seen 118 tourism businesses in the Cape close up shop in the past two years and 18 000 potential jobs lost due to lack of growth in the industry since 2007.

The campaign, to be launched formally locally in October and globally in November, is the result of a seven-month long in-depth study and broad consultations with all stakeholders, says CTT CEO, Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold. CTT also engaged international consultant Ian MacFarlane, involved in campaigns such “100% pure New Zealand”, “Malaysia Truly Asia” and “Incredible India”. She says the new plan is flexible enough to adapt to changing market conditions. It will support the planned establishment this year of an Economic Development Agency (EDA) that is to drive long-term economic development strategy for the city and region.

Du Toit-Helmbold says research shows that Cape Town has a tourism demand problem because of a lack of knowledge about the city globally and because of the worldwide recession, not because it is too expensive as is often claimed. “Post World Cup figures found that 92% of foreign visitors said they would recommend South Africa to others and 96% said they would return. This does not suggest a fundamentally flawed product or pricing problem.”

She says South Africa after the World Cup over-relied on its natural beauty and wildlife to sell itself, while 70% of travellers now define themselves as “urban tourists”. “The world’s cities are the new tourism battleground and Cape Town probably does not induce nor receive a quantum of visitors anywhere near its potential.”

Source: SA Tourism Update

A South African Visitor's Travel Wishlist

If you have friends or family who are coming to South Africa, it is most likely the trip of a lifetime and you want to make sure they don’t miss a thing! However, scouring through websites and guide books can be overwhelming! That is why we have done the work for them. Below are the Top 5 things to do and see in South Africa—although you’ll still want to do some research and personalize their trip depending on the length of stay and their travel budget.

1. Cape Town

No trip to South Africa is complete without a stop in Cape Town. Whether the starting point or end point of your travels, be sure they stay a few days in this well-known city and take in the following:

•Table Mountain

•Robben Island

•Tour of the Townships

•Cape Town Beaches

•Victoria and Alfred Waterfront area

2. Wine Country

While many think of Safari and Nelson Mandela when they think of South Africa, the country also boasts an amazing wine country that is a must stop for anyone that appreciates wine or just enjoys good food and great scenery. The towns of Stellenbosch (closest to Cape Town), Franschhoek, Wellington, and Paarl are the most popular destinations and all have wonderful local accommodations.

3. Kruger National Park

The quintessential experience in South Africa is, of course, a Safari. Located in the most Northern part of the country, the park can be easily reached via land or air. There are numerous types of safaris from self-guided to five star tours, so let them do their research and choose the one that fits their travel preference and wishlist budget.

4. Hermanus

Located in the Western Cape, this town is known for being one of the best places to watch whales, whether from many lookout points on land or from the deck of a luxury, purpose built, catamaran. The more daring can even go cage diving with Great White Sharks near Dyer Island. No prior diving experience is necessary.  If that is not your thing, don’t worry, there is also sea-kayaking, great restaurants, and lots of festivals and markets to enjoy in this charming seaside village. Hermanus has three blue flag beaches on its doorstep so remember to pack in the bathing costume and loads of blockout cream.  Tell your visitors to contact Southern Stroll Marketing in Hermanus for more info.

5. Garden Route

Along the Western coast is a magnificent strip of land known as The Garden Route. It’s an awe inspiring stretch of country that has something to offer everyone; breath taking scenic vistas, trails through ancient forests, pristine beaches, and the most gorgeous plant and bird life. Whether you only take a short drive or spend time along the route in the many welcoming towns and villages, the Garden Route is a must see.

Something a bit more “Off the Beaten Track”.

•Namaqualand Wild Flower Route

•Attend a Rugby or Cricket Match

•Enjoy a drink of “Amarula” with some locals

Adapted from: Travelwires

Bouchard Finlayson Awarded Wine Cellar Of The Year. Peter Finlayson Is Viticulturist Of The Year

Boutique winery Bouchard Finlayson in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley has triumphed at the second South African Wine Index awards held in Stellenbosch yesterday, winning one trophy and with three wines rated above 96 points.

For the second time, the SAWI Grand trophy for the Top 2010 Wine Cellar went to Bouchard Finlayson, which was also included in the SAWI Top 10 Winery Awards.

Winemaker Peter Finlayson was once again named Viticulturist of the Year.

“I am shaken but delighted by these fantastic results,” Finlayson said. “It is a tribute to our dedicated team at the farm who work tirelessly in search of perfection. We have the Hemel-en-Aarde’s uniquely gentle climate and the cold ocean to thank for our quality grapes which make Burgundian-styled wines of excellence.”

Gender Bill To Put Women In The Driving Seat

THE government is moving ahead with its efforts to pass the Gender Equality Bill, which would see companies given strict targets to employ more women in positions of power.

The Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, said yesterday that the bill could see non-complying firms being penalised. She was speaking at the Women Economic Empowerment Conference at Durban’s International Convention Centre. “The Gender Equality Bill that we are developing is to gain legislative authority to enforce this principle of 50-50 gender parity,” Lulu said.

She said the target was to have the bill put to the cabinet by March next year. Consultations were under way with stakeholders on the scope, enforcement measures and various elements that needed to be included in the bill. Lulu said she was appalled that only 21 percent of women occupied leadership positions in the private sector. This was against the 35 percent in the public sector. “Our target is to reach 50 percent by 2014,” she said.

While the minister said that some people saw the Gender Equality Bill as a pipe dream, she was confident that it was feasible. It had been achieved successfully in Norway. “In 2002, barely 6 percent of Norway’s corporate directors were female, and about 70 percent of the top companies in the country did not have a single woman on their executive boards... The Norwegian parliament passed a law in 2003 giving companies five years to have 40 percent women in their boards. The law affected about 460 listed companies and none of them have been penalised because they all complied,” she said.

Lulu said gender equality was an issue that countries across the world were grappling with because of a lack of understanding. “It does not make business sense as it limits the overall potential for economic growth,” she said. Lulu also warned women against being used as a front in male-dominated companies.