South African Tourism Announces Dates For India Road Show

South African Tourism has announced the dates for the SAT India road show:






January 30, Mumbai;
February 1, Bangalore;
February 2, Chennai;
February 3, Delhi;
February 6, Pune.

Registration for the road show will open at the end of August.

For any queries contact davidsnoek@telkomsa.net

18th World Travel Awards

Western Cape is set to scoop more than one accolade in the prestigious World Travel Awards, which will take place on 16 September 2011 at the Royal Savoy Hotel in Egypt.

The awards, which is in its 18th year, is well known as the Oscars of the travel industry and serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

Categories that the destination has been nominated in include: Africa’s Leading Airport, Africa’s Leading Beach Destination, Africa’s Leading Destination, Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre and Africa’s Leading Port.

Local hotels nominated for the 2011 World Travel Awards are:

Africas Leading Boutique Hotel
Birkenhead House
Africas Leading Family Resort
Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa
Africas Leading Spa Resort
Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa
Africas Leading Luxury Hotel
Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa

For the full list of nominees visit:
 http://www.worldtravelawards.com/nominees

Marianas, In The Top 20 For A Sunday Lunch

If somebody asked you to recommend a good spot for Sunday lunch that was worth a bit of a drive, keeping in mind solid fare, value for money, no big-name chefs or franchises involved, and as a bonus, good scenery en route, which venues would you suggest?

There are plenty of places that serve a menu for lunch, but we were after out-of-the-way recommendations. We tried to avoid fashionable urban haunts and looked for the nostalgic Sunday carvery roasts and quality buffet spreads many of us grew up with. The team hunted down less-known country venues where quirky owners serve à la carte fare cooked with love, and discovered a couple of hidden gems along winding dirt roads serving a set lunch. Essentially places with character that lure diners on a Sunday, where the food takes time to prepare and eat.

The following 6 restaurants in the Western Cape are amongst the top 20 in S.A. offering the best Sunday Lunches.


Mariana's

12 Du Toit Street, Stanford

Tel 028 341 0272

After 11 years, Marianas has reached iconic status for its menu originality, the sustained food quality, the friendly service (Peter Esterhuizen’s repartee is fun and informed; wife Mariana emerges from the kitchen as lunch winds down) and the wide range of herbs growing beyond the back stoep. Recent standouts included game rillettes, lightly aromatic fish curry, aubergine stuffed with ricotta, confit de canard and homemade ice cream doused with espresso and local grappa. Diners come from afar, and expect to expire – such is the flair of the fare that it can be wise to stay overnight in town. Wines are local, prices fair. Booking essential.

The others are:

96 Winery Road

Winery Road, Stellenbosch

Tel 021 842 2010

Bar Bar Black Sheep
Short Street, Riebeek Kasteel
Tel 022 448 1031
De Malle Meul
Church Square, Philadelphia
Tel 021 972 1097
Driefontein Farmhouse
1km off N2 in the direction of Greyton
Tel 028 881 3612
Oestervanger
Retreat turn-off, Rietvlei, Robertson Valley
Tel 023 626 4047


Well Done.

Source: Wine Magazine

It's All Balls At High Tea

Wimbledon fever has begun and London hotels are getting involved whether it's afternoon tea, 3D TV or good old strawberries and cream.

Those who weren't lucky enough to score tickets for the court should visit the Park Plaza Victoria London for the next best thing. The hotel's bar will be screening the Wimbledon singles finals on its 47 inch 3D television and 100 pairs of glasses will be available on the 2nd and 3rd July. The hotel is located near Victoria Station, a short walk from leading tourist attractions like Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

The 5 star Royal Horseguards Hotel is always among the first to come up with themed afternoon teas and true to form, has created a special Wimbledon high tea. It features all the usual scones and sarnies as well as a bucket of homemade tennis ball truffles and Wimbledon logo cupcakes (pictured above). The tea starts from £38 per person.

Source: ehotelier.com

Top Destinations For Under 30’s

Relaxation is sublime, but sometimes you need something a little more lively, so if you’re looking for a holiday destination where the sun never sets and the party never ends, here are our top five suggestions…

1. Ibiza

An obvious choice, but for good reason. The large Spanish island is probably most famous for its parties as well as its famous clubs, most notable being Café del Mar. If you’re looking for a riot and a glimpse of some of the worlds best DJ’s and bands, then this is the place to be during summer. The government is currently trying to change the vibe of the island, to attract different and quieter kinds of crowds, but there’s little chance that the party scene of this legendary destination will turn down the volume any time soon.

2. Cyprus

A hugely desirable island destination in the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is home to the Ibiza-like resort, Ayia Napa, which is known as the party capital. Not only does it boast some of the finest high end restaurants, clubs and shopping spots in the area, but it’s also home to a sea monster legend. Either the locals drink way too much Ouzo or there really is a monster – so either way it’s worth a visit.

3. Cape Town

The weather, scenery and laid back vibe make this South African city the perfect holiday destination for the young at heart. With loads of pristine beaches, cool surfing spots, forests, mountains and outdoor life, there’s always something to keep you occupied. When the sun goes down and cocktails have been drunk, the world famous Long Street is waiting to dazzle you with its bustling bars, restaurants and clubs.

4. Rio de Janeiro

Think world class festivals, samba in the streets, club hopping till the sun comes up and incredible possibilities in a city that will breathe life into you. Not only that, but the beaches and mountains are breathtaking too. The Brazilian carnivals alone are well worth a trip for their elegance and extravagance. The well known Rio carnival is the largest in the world with up to two million people joining in the street parties every day during the event.

5. Acapulco

One of Mexico’s oldest and most famous beach resorts, Acapulco is well known for being a popular vacation spot for stars and billionaires. You’ll find spectacular high rise hotels, irresistible beaches and an explosive nightlife culture dominated by dance clubs, cocktail bars, beach drinking spots and live entertainment. Also worth seeing are the famous cliff divers, who can be seen jumping from horrifying heights into a flaming ocean lit with gasoline.

Source: Travelwires

Recycle Soap And Help The Poor

That bar of soap you used once or twice during your last hotel stay might now be helping poor children fight disease.

Derreck Kayongo and his Atlanta-based Global Soap Project collect used hotel soap from across the United States. Instead of ending up in landfills, the soaps are cleaned and reprocessed for shipment to impoverished nations such as Haiti, Uganda, Kenya and Swaziland.

"I was shocked just to know how much (soap) at the end of the day was thrown away," Kayongo said. Each year, hundreds of millions of soap bars are discarded in North America alone. "Are we really throwing away that much soap at the expense of other people who don't have anything? It just doesn't sound right."

Kayongo, a Uganda native, thought of the idea in the early 1990s, when he first arrived to the U.S. and stayed at a hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He noticed that his bathroom was replenished with new soap bars every day, even though they were only slightly used.

"I tried to return the new soap to the concierge since I thought they were charging me for it," Kayongo said. "When I was told it was just hotel policy to provide new soap every day, I couldn't believe it."

Kayongo called his father -- a former soap maker in Uganda -- and shared the experience. "My dad said people in America can afford to throw it away. But I just started to think, 'What if we took some of this soap and recycled it, made brand new soap from it and then sent it home to people who couldn't afford soap?' "

For Kayongo, collecting soap is "a first line of defense" mission to combat child-mortality around the world. Each year, more than 2 million children die from diarrheal illness -- the approximate population of San Antonio, Texas. According to the World Health Organization, these deaths occur almost exclusively among toddlers living in low-income countries.

Source: CNN

Record Broken Beyond The Boerewors Curtain

Following on about the story of Gansbaai and the Abalone pot, another record was broken on the same day.  But this time it was beyond the Boerewors Curtain. The Guinness World Record for the longest boerewors ever braaied was broken in Mookgophong (Naboomspruit) on Thursday, Afriforum Youth claimed.

Guinness World Records has requested proof of the feat before it is made official, the civil rights organisation's national chairperson Charl Oberholzer said.

"Together with the girl band, Saarkie, the singer and comedian, Thys die Bosveldklong, and seven other farmers' associations from the Mokopane district, the organisation braaied a 514.5m long boerewors at the Windpomp Festival."

The previous record was 321m. The boerewors weighed about 420kg and it took 40 people working together to put on the braai. "There were a couple of close calls, but luckily the boerewors didn't break during the braai," Oberholzer said.

It was later distributed to old age homes in the district. "It is important on Youth Day that the youth honours the older people and show that we care, even if it's only by attempting to break a boerewors braai record and providing a free plate of food."

Fedhasa Cape Confident About Hospitality Sector

Fedhasa Cape Chairman Dirk Elzinga claims that more than 70% of hotels in Cape Town are doing well despite an overcapacity of rooms and a recession-linked decline in tourism numbers.

He told the organsiation’s AGM in Cape Town on June 14 that he remained confident tourism would bounce back following excellent exposure during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when 878 000 room nights were filled and 95% of guests promised to return. “Yes, two hotels recently closed their doors but we also have colleagues who are running at high occupancies. This is a positive indication for the future.” His comments contrast those made recently by Protea Hospitality Group CEO, Arthur Gillis, who said many hotels had over-extended themselves ahead of the World Cup and were now struggling to survive in the current slump.

Elzinga said Cape Town’s image was suffering because it was perceived to be too expensive, yet people often only looked at extreme examples . In reality, there was a wide range of 230 accommodation options in Cape Town. “There are several excellent guest houses, for example, where you can stay this weekend for less than R300 per room per night and for R475 per night you can even stay in a four-star hotel! It is absolute nonsense that that is too expensive!”

Source: SA Tourism Update

Art Galleries To Work Closer With CWC DMO

Good News is the Overstrand art galleries will in future work more closely with the CWC DMO. At a recent meeting between interested and relevant parties various ways to promote the 'Art Route' were discussed and we can look forward to marketing events such as 'Art Jams' and 'Clash of the Artists'.

An Art Jam is a group of ten or more people, getting together to experience and explore the fun of painting and the long forgotten joy that comes with that experience.

Art Jamming is mixing unlimited paint with unlimited imagination and letting someone else clean up the mess! Playing, painting, sponging, spraying and creating your very own unique piece of artwork in full colour in a stress free party atmosphere. Putting on an apron to face a blank canvas and unleashing your own individual creativity.

One of the best places for an Art Jam is a pub or restaurant where all the participants have access to a bar and can paint away with a glass of wine in one hand and a paintbrush in the other should they so choose.

Wow, what a fantastic opportunity for the art galleries and restaurants to work together and market themselves in the Overstrand.

Thandiwe January-McLean Resigns

Thandiwe January-McLean, the CEO of SA Tourism has resigned to pursue personal interests.

January-McLean has been with SA Tourism for a year and a half in total. Discussing the resignation, SA Tourism Chief Marketing Officer, Roshene Singh, says: "She led the organisation through its most challenging and exciting times. The year 2010 was a momentous year for all in tourism and under her leadership and drive, working closely with stakeholders across various sectors, South Africa attracted an all-time high of over eight million foreign tourist arrivals.

"Together with her team, the CEO always demonstrated professionalism and openness in engaging stakeholders to continue the positive momentum and brand positioning that was leveraged off the success of the Soccer World Cup tournament," says Singh. "She leaves a legacy of having moved the organisation forward to explore new markets and she firmly placed Africa and the domestic tourism agenda at the forefront of South African Tourism’s marketing efforts, while entrenching its core markets."

January-McLean will leave South African Tourism at the end of August, at which time Tim Scholtz will be acting CEO until the board has completed its recruitment process.

Gansbaai Cooks The Record Books

Despite a blustery, cold and rainy day hundreds of locals braved the weather and descended upon Gansbaai Academia High School to witness the largest single pot of Abalone (Perlemoen) ever cooked.

Besides having the oportunity to taste the potjiekos there were a number of other food and craft stalls to keep one indoors.  Competitions were arranged to entertain us.  Find the best hat, Mr and Miss Gansbaai and many others.

Chef Ian's team set out to beat the previous record of 45,8 Kilo's and had an optimistic target of 90 Kilo's in their sights.  All the preparation work and cooking was overseen by an independant judge and Toni the representative from Guiness Book Of World Records.

Well, not only did they beat the record at the final weigh-in, the Potjie came in at a whopping 103 Kilo's with more than 50 Kilo's of Abalone cooked to perfection.

Congratulations to Chef Ian and his team as well as Gansbaai Tourism.  Well done. 

Leopard Caught In Hermanus

For the first time, a leopard has been captured in the Hemel en Aarde Valley, Hermanus, and tagged and released for conservation research.

The capture, on Saturday, was instigated by the Landmark Foundation, an NGO dealing with conservation in Southern Africa – in a bid to provide detailed information of leopard movements and behaviour. Its director, Bool Smuts, said a farmer helped set and monitor a hi-tech trap as he believed the animal was responsible for livestock losses.

Smuts said this was the only known leopard in the area and was a breakthrough in facilitating the conservation of this species: “The foundation, farmer and CapeNature decided to capture it, place a GPS collar on it and track its subsequent movements. We were called when the (male) leopard was discovered in the trap and a veterinarian from Hermanus darted it before a GPS device was fitted.”

Smuts said apart from “superficial facial abrasions and contusions” the animal was in great condition and released back into the wild. He said the GPS data had already been obtained from the collar and shows the leopard moving in its natural range in the mountains.

The project has led to a leopard rescue, rehabilitation, release and research programme and has saved at least 40 from certain death. In the same period 38 leopards have died as a result of gin-traps, poisons and hunting.

Source: The Mecury

Convert Telephone Enquiries Into Bookings

Handling bookings enquiry calls is the most important aspect of room reservations management. The way the room reservations manager or the booking agent handles these calls could be the difference between getting the booking or loosing it.

Yet, in many hotels through my personal experience, I have seen reservations staff suggesting customers to book the hotel through travel agencies, Tour operators or OTAs instead! Seriously, what kind of industry does that?

In case the customer would not be happy with the price the travel agent or the tour operator offers, the travel agent will go ahead and suggests another hotel. There you go! You just lost a customer that wanted to book you hotel in the fist place.

Accordingly, redirecting customers to book through OTAs could result in ''loosing'' the customer. OTAs do list your hotel along with your competitors often in the same page, allowing patrons to choose from a variety of hotels in the same category and geographical area.

Because they have been working in the hotel for long time, the room division workers know a lot about the property, the quality of service it offers, and primarily the amenities it has. On this notion, I personally believe that the hotel staff is the most qualified to sell the hotel to customers.

To help you convert your booking enquiries into concrete bookings, I have put together the following tips:

Converting telephone enquiries calls into bookings check-list:

• Always keep rates ready on your desk.

• Be professional: Be warm and enthusiastic when you answer the phone, speak slowly and

clearly so that callers could understand you easily .

• Negotiate: A few dollars discount won't hurt. Remember! The travel agent will charge the guest higher prices than you would.

• Showcase the hotel's amenities and services: If the hotel has 5 pools for instance don't forget to mention it. Talk about the service quality the hotel provides.

• Before calling you, customers have probably checked online reviews about the hotel in Tripadvisor, HolidayChek or similar websites. If the hotel has favourable online reviews ask callers to check out what previous guests think about the property.

• Follow up: Keeping record of caller's phone numbers is very important for closing the sale.

Source: ehotelier.com

Backpacking, A Cheaper Alternative

South Africa is becoming a top destination for global travelers and especially backpackers. Students, seasoned travelers, and adventure seekers alike can all find some incredible activities in this coastal country. Backpacking is a wonderful way to have a cheap holiday in South Africa because it allows the time and flexibility to do so much, on a relatively small budget.

With South Africa perfectly situated between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, there is no better place to get in some amazing whale watching on your holiday backpacking. Hermanus has a variety of backpacking options available to suit all tastes.  In the town, you will find the world’s foremost land based whale watching location. It’s a charming little fisherman’s village complete with its own Whale Crier announcing the arrival of the majestic giants.

Nearby in the town of Gansbaai, you’ll find our frequent visitors the Southern Right whale and Great White sharks. This is the home for those more adventurous souls who want to experience the wonder and fear of going Shark Cage Diving. There’s nothing quite like the experience of swimming underwater while staring right into the eyes of a Great White.

New, Bigger Council To Serve All

In her acceptance speech at the inaugural meeting of the Overstrand Council, re-elected Executive Mayor, Cllr Nicolette Botha-Guthrie highlighted her priorities for her administration;

Ensuring housing for our poorer communities and public servants.

Achieving sustainable and environmentally-friendly local economic development thus creating much-needed jobs.

Protecting our environment and the conservation of our architectural heritage.

Maintaining law and order and establishing a Municipal Court.

Maintaining disaster management services and supporting victims of fires and floods.

Public participation through the well-functioning ward committee system.

Deepening democracy through a comprehensive network of communication channels.

Cllr Botha-Guthrie closed her speech with these words, "My promise to you all is that I will serve you with love, dedication and understanding, to ensure clean administration and to manage a corruption free municipality."

Overseas Visitor Statistics For February Prove Interesting

The latest stats from Stats SA shows some interesting figures.

Overall overseas visitors to South Africa between Feb 2010 and Feb 2011 increased by 7,7%.

Europe: up 1,7% to 128,000

UK: down -0,3% to 46,500

USA: up 25,9% to 18,000

Argentina: up 60,6% to 2,000

Brazil: up 18% to 3,000

Australia: up 37% to 7,000

India: up 41,5% to 5,500

Germany: up 7,6% to 23,500

Russia: down -7% to 731

Southern Right Whales Have Returned

Yes, the Southern Right whales have returned to entertain us once again.

They will be with us until early December and we will be able to view them in Walker Bay breaching, lobtailing, spyhopping, and tail slapping.

Herman from Walker Bay Adventures was fortunate enough on Friday to be on board the luxurious purpose built catamaran Miroshca on one of her first voyages after a brief lay-up to carry out annual maintenance. It was on this trip that a couple of Southern Rights were spotted lazing about.  According to Herman the pair were rather lethargic and showed little interest in showing off their prowess. Obviously limbering and warming up for the season ahead.

Cape Whale Coast Featured On Top Billing

Last night's edition of Top Billing showed some awesome coverage of what the CWC has to offer our visitors.

Our Whale Crier was featured as well as Arabella Hotel and Spa, Sarah Milton and her horses from Arabella Equestrian Centre (great shots of Fred the gentle one). The lovely antique shop Romantiques and our Southern Right Whales were also featured.

Western Cape Tourism Focuses On East Asia

Emerging markets such as those in the Far East are an untapped well of potential for the Cape Town and Western Cape tourism industry.

This is according to Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) CEO, Calvyn Gilfellan, who will take part in this year’s South African Tourism Far East Asia Workshops.

CTRU aims to promote Cape Town and the Western Cape as the destination of choice to local tour operators at the workshops, which will be split into three legs – the first in China from June 3-5, the second in Korea from June 6-7 and the third in Japan from June 8-10.

Says Gilfellan: “The Far East Asia is a lucrative market for the Cape Town and Western Cape tourism industry. Tourists in this market tend to travel during our ‘low season’, which is from May to September, and generally travel in groups. Last year, the country recorded a 47.4% increase in visitors from China, Korea and Japan, translating into 113 375 visitors. This can in part be attributed to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which created top-of-mind awareness of the destination.”

Source: SA Tourism Update

British Travel Industry Is Pessimistic

The UK travel industry is ‘pessimistic' and wants more Government support, according to research by Barclays Corporate.

In a survey among agencies, airlines, cruise companies and other travel suppliers, more than half (52%) said they now expect to see no growth in UK traveller numbers in 2011 at all, with a further third (36%) predicting a contraction this year.

The research, carried out at the annual Barclays Corporate Travel Forum last week, also revealed companies want the Government to do more, with 89% of respondents saying it is not doing enough for the industry.

However, despite the challenges, 2012 promises to be a more positive year, with more than 40% of those surveyed predicting an increase in traveller numbers, a jump from just 12% predicting an increase this year.

Over half (54%) of the businesses surveyed believe they will be more confident in growing their business next year, with only 26% expecting to be more cautious.

Chris Lee, head of travel at Barclays Corporate, said: ‘Whilst the industry's immediate outlook is far from rosy, it has always been a resilient and innovative sector. We are facing the most challenging conditions in decades and yet there is light at the end of the tunnel. By all accounts 2011 is expected to be flat, but in just 12 months time, there are significant expectations of growth.'

Over half of survey respondents expect to see their business grow by up to 10% in the coming year and a further 23% expect to see levels of growth of up to 20%.

Source: e-hotelier.com

Guinness World Record Attempt in Gansbaai

A group of enthusiastic people in Gansbaai are attempting to smash a Guinness World Record and make the biggest abalone dish in the world on 16 June 2011!

The previous Guinness World Record is for a whole cooked abalone – better known by South Africans as perlemoen - that tipped the scales at 49kg! Everybody at the event will get the opportunity to taste the dish and a fun-filled day is being planned on the Gansbaai Sports Grounds.

There will be plenty of food and craft stalls, including a beer tent. Everybody is also welcome to try their hand at the fun competitions from keg rolling and keg throwing to the largest beer belly and the longest beard contests. The Mr & Miss Abalone contest is sure to draw lots of spectators and there’ll be prizes for the best hat of the day and other smaller contests.

The aim of this event is to put Gansbaai on the map and to showcase what else the town has to offer. Gansbaai is situated nearby Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa and shark cage diving is an extremely popular activity in this coastal town. Being situated on the Cape Whale Coast also means that whale watching is possible from June to December.

The fun will start at 10h00 and go on until late, and the entry fee will be R30 for adults and R10 for children, which includes a taste of the record-breaking abalone dish.

All profits will go to charity and rest assured that all the abalone are being legally sourced.

All enquiries can be sent to Gansbaai Tourism 028 3841439, Marie Reid 083 3101733 or Toni Boshoff 082 344 2145.