Tourism Figures Show An Increase Once Again

Despite countrywide reports of a tourism slump, arrival statistics published by Stats SA have shown growth in tourist arrivals for the month of January 2011.
Total arrivals for the period grew by 9.3% from 729,056 to 796,526 with overseas visitors accounting for 179,493 a 7% increase from the January 2010 total of 167,706.
Most European markets showed growth while their was a ditinct reduction from the UK.
Once again, worth noting is the growth from Brazil which is up 35% from 3,208 to 4,331. Brazil narrowly missed out on a Top Ten spot on our list of source markets.

Top Ten Visitor List:
UK down 7,6% from 42,246 to 39,041
Germany up 12.3% from 18,987 to 21,313
USA up 10.8% from 15,963 to 17,658
Netherlands down 4,4% from 10,882 to 10,400
France up 6,2% from 8,506 to 9,036
Australia up 32% from 6,469 to 8,544

India up 62% from 3961 to 6415
Sweden up 5,9% from 4,997 to 5,292
China up 33,1% from 3,737 to 4,968
Canada up 9,9% from 4103 to 4508

SAA To Trial In-Flight Mobile Usage

The ban on the use of cellphones on board aircraft might soon be a thing of the past.

SAA has confirmed that it is working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to test the use of cellphones in flight mode on its aircraft.

The extent of the use will be during cruising phase and the airline stressed that did not mean that passengers would be able to make a call while in flight.

In a statement, SAA said that at this stage it was the only carrier in the country to work with the CAA to carry out the tests, which were currently under way.

A CAA spokesperson was quoted saying that the CAA received the airline’s programme in early April, which was due to be followed by a review before testing started.

The CAA further stated that although the use of cellphones was prohibited, technology advanced rapidly and the CAA realised this.

SA Set To Host World Golf Championship

South Africa is set to host the World Golf Championship from 2012.

The announcement follows extensive meetings between the US PGA Tour and the International Federation of PGA Tours, of which the Sunshine Tour in South Africa is a founding member.

The World Golf Championship will feature the top 70 players in the world golf rankings.

Said Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, Gareth Tindall: “This is without a doubt, the most significant milestone in the history of professional golf in South Africa, what is even more significant is that we have the commitment that we will host this World Golf Championship event for a period of five years. That has enormously positive implications for the game and for our country as a whole.”

The event will be closely linked to building awareness of poverty and the HIV/Aids pandemic in Africa and will be known as the Tournament of Hope.

In closing, Tindall said: “We now find ourselves at the beginning of one of the most exciting chapters in South African sport and we have plenty of work to do. We look forward to being able to make further announcements about the World Golf Championship event in due course.”

Source: SA Tourism Update

The Knysna and Franschhoek Tourism offices will be conducting workshops in Cape Town and Johannesburg to showcase the innovative twinning agreement between the offices, as well as the exciting and fresh tourism products on offer in these towns.

According to Knysna Tourism CEO Shaun van Eck, the first workshop takes place on Wednesday 13 April in Cape Town, with the second taking place on Tuesday 19 April in Johannesburg. “Members of the tourism trade will attend these workshops and we will be taking 30 exhibitors along to showcase their products – from Knysna and the Garden Route, and Franschhoek.”

Source: travelwires.com

Cape Town To Get 3 New Paris Flights

Air France will be launching a new thrice-weekly non-stop service from Cape Town to Paris from November 3.

Flights will be operated by a Boeing 777-200 with a total capacity of 309 seats, equipped with 35 seats in the Affaires cabin (business), 24 seats in the Premium Voyageur cabin (premium economy) and 250 seats in the Voyageur cabin (economy). The airline’s new business-class seat will be on board.

The Cape Town to Paris flight will depart at 01h15, arriving at 11h35 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while the Paris to Cape Town return leg departs 10h40 arriving in Cape Town at 22h50 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

This brings to 24 the number of weekly services offered by Air France KLM between South Africa and the airlines’ two hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol as from European winter 2011. Air France already operates a daily A380 flight between Paris and Johannesburg, while KLM operates a daily B777 flight between Amsterdam and Cape Town, and a daily between Amsterdam and Johannesburg.

This new route launch is part of Air France and KLM’s expansion policy on the African continent, with four new destinations in 2011 including Freetown (Sierra Leone), Monrovia (Liberia), Bata (Equatorial Guinea) and Cape Town.

Meanwhile, Starting May 3 as part of its European summer operating schedule, KLM will reduce its weekly Cape Town-Amsterdam flights from daily to five weekly, until October 28. The airline has extended the daily flights to May 2, after which the Thursday departure changes to a Saturday departure for the convenience of travellers.

Source: SA Tourism Update