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.

Our Very Own Asteroid Called Hermanus

In a function hosted by Overstrand Mayor Councillor Nicolette Botha-Guthrie on 10th August 2011, a ceremony was held to announce the re-naming of the recently discovered asteroid 260824. In the words of John Saunders, Chairman of the Hermanus Astronomy Centre, this is the story of how Hermanus got its own asteroid:

“At one of the early MONET sessions, Rick Hessman via SKYPE from Gottingen and whose “baby” the MONET telescopes are, made a quick comment that now we have mastered MONET maybe we should have an Asteroid named after Hermanus.

That set me thinking and the idea grew within my thoughts over several weeks.

With the idea now gathering some momentum, I e-mailed Dr. Amanda Gulbis in Cape Town, who I knew had been able to name an asteroid as a naming competition as a project with Pinelands school in Capetown, for advice on if and how we could go about it.

Her advice was as follows:-

First, contact someone who has discovered an asteroid and studied its orbit for a few years and then ask for his or her permission to rename it.

In our case one of Amanda contacted one of her close friends David Trilling; a professional astronomer based in Tucson, Arizona, to see if he could help. Sure enough David was willing to have Asteroid 260824 he had found in 2005 renamed.

With that in mind, I found that you have to draft a citation to go with the renaming of your asteroid.

In our case my wife Irene and I drafted a four sentence citation and submitted it to Amanda for consideration.

Amanda through her experience explained that it should be just one sentence and so she shortened it as follows:-

The village Hermanuspietersfontein, later shortened to Hermanus, was founded in honour of a man who taught Dutch to farmers’ children. This minor planet is named in recognition of the Hermanus Astronomy Centre’s enthusiasm for astronomy and their dedication to educational outreach in South Africa.

Once this had been agreed, the citation was sent to David Trilling who in turn submitted on our behalf to the Minor Planet Committee in the USA.

The next step was to wait patiently….for approximately three months.

Just over three months later, after a few e-mails, we found that Asteroid 260824 had indeed been renamed “Asteroid Hermanus”. The asteroid is 2.79 Astronomical Units from the Sun and that is equal to 417.3 million kilometres.

Its orbit is close to circular with an eccentricity of only 0.095.

Its orbit has an inclination 5.13 deg from the lateral ecliptic.

It has a diameter of approximately 1–2 km.

It has a magnitude of 16.6 which means it is very, very faint.

It must be noted that there is only one other Asteroid in South Africa named after a town or city and that is Asteroid Pretoria.

So, What's Your Next Move?

Whale watching is best along the Cape Whale Coast from Pringle Bay to Pearly Beach during the months of June to December, with notable mentions of the towns of Hermanus, which boasts the only whale crier in the world, and Walker Bay, the whale nursery of South Africa.

Remember:

• You can spot whales by looking for white patches in the ocean where the waves break on their bodies. When they breach they also cause a huge white splash.

• Whales are along our coastline during the months of May to December. Contact the local tourism bureau to enquire whether they have arrived. They are more prolific between August and November.

• Be patient – seeing your first whale is an experience you will never forget.

• Whales can be seen from land, but there are also many boat-based tours available.

• The migratory Humpback Whale, which has the longest flippers of any whale species, can be seen briefly from May to June and again on their return journey between November and January. Brydes Whales and Orcas (Killer Whales) are seen only occasionally. Dolphins are in residence throughout the year.

Whales have a variety of ‘moves’ recognisable from shore:

• Breaching is when a whale leaps out of the water, sometimes twirling around. This action may be done purely for play, or may be used to loosen skin parasites and other irritations the whale might have. Breaching is also believed to be a means of communication with other whales and is usually done in sets of between four and six.

• Fluking is when a whale raises its tail out of the water as it begins a dive.

• Lobtailing is an activity in which the whale sticks its tail out of the water, swings it around and then slaps it onto the water's surface. This produces a loud sound which is believed to be a means of communication between whales.

• Logging is when the whale is merely lying in the water, with its tail hanging down. Part of the head and back are exposed.

• Spouting is when whales blow water out of the blowholes located near the top of the head. Southern Right Whales have two blowholes which act as nostrils. When they blow water out of their blowholes a distinctive V-shaped cloud of vapour is produced largely by condensation when warm breath comes into contact with cooler air.

• Spyhopping is an activity in which the whale pokes its head out of the water, possibly to take a look around.

'Hundreds Of Thousands’ Will Be Enticed

SA Tourism says its latest destination campaign will entice hundreds of thousands of overseas tourists to visit SA over the next few years.

The new campaign, which it says is a natural extension of the first phase ’20 Experiences in 10 days’ campaign that ran last year, is being flighted on BBC World and CNN International. It will launch soon on National Geographic. “When all these elements are in place, the larger campaign will reach more than a billion people a month,” says SA Tourism in a media statement.

The campaign features four couples, one each from China, Germany, Angola and Brazil, travelling through South Africa. “This campaign speaks to target consumers in their own languages, in Mandarin, Portuguese and German in the instance of this, the second phase, of the campaign. Strong online content creates talkability about South Africa,” says Roshene Singh, Chief Marketing Officer at SA Tourism.

“Our ambition with the campaign is quite simple. We wanted to use ordinary people to show how accessible our destination is; to show how much they enjoy the experiences South Africa offers. In using regular members of the public, we successfully position South Africa as accessible to billions of travel consumers the world over. Nothing is scripted and nothing is acted. It’s all real, spontaneous and authentic. We’re very proud of this campaign, and we are satisfied that BBC World and CNN International will take our message to the widest, and most appropriate global audiences,” says Singh.

The larger campaign will include special deals that will be accessible from SA Tourism’s website and in partnership with the travel trade in each of South Africa’s key markets.

The campaign can be seen on the South African Tourism homepage (www.southafrica.net).

Source: SA Tourism Update

Meet Our Very Own Oryx Top Guns

Yesterday, three women of the South African Air Force made history when they became the first women-only crew of a helicopter flight.

The flight by pilot Captain Tarryn Bind, co-pilot Captain Laura Ilunga and flight engineer Lieutenant Olwethu Soga, of 15 Squadron, was a first in the 91-year history of the second-oldest air force in the world.

The trio were proud and particularly pleased the event had taken place in time for Women’s Day and in Women’s Month.  The Oryx flight took off from Durban’s air force base, near the old Durban International airport, and made a 30-minute circuit of Durban. The air force’s theme for yesterday was: “Strong women building a strong SAAF in defence and service of the nation”.

Bind, 27, originally from Joburg, is the first woman to qualify as an Oryx commander at 15 Squadron; she is only the second woman to achieve this in SAAF history.“We are all professionals and we were excited. It was really quite nice having ladies only in the helicopter,” she said of yesterday’s flight. It’s a far cry from her childhood dream of being a flight attendant and another step towards her dream of becoming an astronaut.

Ilunga, 26, described being part of history as “overdue but great”. She joined the SAAF in 2004 as a pupil pilot and completed the gruelling basic training and officer courses. She then studied at the military academy and got her BMil: Defence and Technology Management through Stellenbosch University, majoring in aeronautical science. She got her wings at the central flying school, Langebaanweg, in 2007. She said: “We need more women in the air force,” adding that she was part of an NGO, Southern Africa Women in Aviation and Aerospace Industry, which aimed to get bursaries for young women who wanted to be in the force.

Soga, 28, of Butterworth, in the Eastern Cape, qualified in 2008 as the first and only woman flight engineer in the SAAF. Last year she qualified to take leadership as 16 Squadron technical officer – the person in charge of all technical aspects of running the squadron. Her flying tasks have included night flying, mountain flying, formation flying, night specialist operations, sea rescues, mountain rescues, casualty evacuation, gunnery war simulation exercises, and firefighting and cargo-slinging.

4th Annual Mr & Miss Village Square Pageant

This year will see the 4th annual Mr & Miss Village Square Pageant for children 3 - 10yrs.

Venue:

The Piazza area at Village Square Centre on Saturday 1 October will be the fantastic backdrop for this fun event.  The competition will run from 11h00 - 12h30 during the Whale Festival.

This year, creator of the event, Lezanne van Zyl has created even more categories which will be hotly contested and each entrant will receive a gift for participating. The entry fee is R30 per child.

The categories this year are:

Boys-

Mr. Village Square

Mr. Personality

Mr. X-factor

Mr. Photogenic

Girls-

Will be in junior (3-6yr) and senior (7-10yr) categories

Miss Village Square (jnr & snr)

1st princesses (jnr & snr)

2nd princesses (jnr & snr)

Miss Personality (jnr & snr)

Miss Photogenic (jnr & snr)

Your contact person for this fun event which should not to be missed is Lezanne van Zyl.

Lezanne can be found at:

Shop 18 GRAFFITI, Village Square (across from Mugg & Bean)

Lezanne's mobile number is 084 208 9018 or e-mail her at lezannevz@yahoo.com or Facebook - Lezanne Van Zyl and Graffiti Shop Hermanus.

Additional Singapore To Cape Town Flight

Singapore Airlines has announced the addition of a Tuesday flight between Cape Town and Singapore, via Johannesburg, making a total of four flights a week, effective October 30.

The new flight is in addition to the Wednesday, Friday and Sunday flights from Cape Town to Singapore via Johannesburg. The airline’s services between Johannesburg and Singapore remain unchanged at seven times weekly.

All four weekly flights will depart Cape Town at 11h40, arriving in Singapore, via Johannesburg, at 07h05 the following day. The return flight will depart Singapore at 02h35, arriving in Cape Town, via Johannesburg, at 10h25.

World's Priciest, Cheapest Cities For Travellers Named

South Africa manages to stay under the radar when it comes to these cities.

Best value international cities
1. Bangkok
2. Beijing
3. Sharm El Sheikh
4. Kuala Lumpur
5. Sofia
6. Budapest
7. Auckland
8. Marrakesh
9. Warsaw
10. Dubai

Most expensive international cities
1. Paris
2. Zurich
3. London
4. Tokyo
5. New York City
6. Rio de Janeiro
7. Moscow
8. Kiev
9. Amsterdam
10. Stockholm

Women's Month - Team Of Three To Join Mongol Rally

A team of three determined South African women is crossing Europe in the epic 16 000km Mongol Rally from the UK to Mongolia to raise money for two charities, the Christina Noble Children's Foundation (CNCF) and the Pink Drive Campaign.

Joanne Theron, Shannon Davis and Gene Arundel – all from Johannesburg – began their daring journey on 23 July 2011 in London with Ulan Bator, Mongolia, as their final destination.

British adventurer Tom Morgan founded the Mongol Rally in 2004 with just six teams participating in the first year. The event is now in its eighth year and is described as more of an adventure for the participants and less of a traditional rally in the competitive sense.

No prizes are awarded, but teams get the satisfaction of donating their vehicles to needy Mongolian causes - although the maximum engine size permitted is 1 200cc, exceptions are made for vehicles which will be of particular use in the high-altitude country, such as fire engines or ambulances.

Supporters can track the route of their favourite team on the Mongol Rally website, and will be able to follow their fundraising progress too.

South Africans can also follow the adventures of the local trio on the team blog, on the UTrackIT website, or via Facebook and Twitter.

Source: MediaClub SA

World's Top Ten Hotel Swimming Pools

Here are the world's Top Ten Hotel Swimming Pools brought to you by ehotelior.com





1 The Cambrian, Switzerland
Located in Adelboden in the heart of the Swiss Alps, The Cambrian's heated outdoor pool is surrounded by lush meadows and snow-capped mountain peaks. It is part of the hotel's spa where you can unwind after a day's skiing or hiking by relaxing in the Finnish sauna and steam baths before heading to the top-notch restaurant for some classic mountain cuisine.

2 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
You'll need a head for heights if you fancy a dip in this pool as it is 55 floors up. It stretches 150 metres along the boat-shaped SkyPark, a gravity-defying cantilever, the length of four-and-a-half jumbo jets.

3 Perivolas, Greece
This infinity pool appears to merge with the glinting Aegean Sea below and has sweeping views over Santorini's extraordinary caldera.

4 Chongwe River House, Zambia
You'll need your waterproof camera when swimming in Chongwe River House's outdoor pools on the banks of the Lower Zambezi River where you can watch elephants and hippopotamuses sauntering past.

5 San Alfonso del Mar, Chile
You might want to down a few energy drinks before doing laps in this pool. Part of the San Alfonso del Mar complex in Algarrobo, near Santiago, it is the world's largest pool at 1,000m long and 35m deep.

6 Villa D'Este, Italy
Check into this grand Renaissance villa with its beautiful pool built into a pontoon floating on Lake Como. It not only has a whirlpool and a children's pool but mountain vistas in every direction.

7 Hotel Du-Cap-Eden Roc, France
The cliff edge saltwater swimming pool has been the centrepiece of this Cap d'Antibes resort for 80 years and has been graced by everyone from Brigitte Bardot to Clark Gable. Views over the Lérins Islands and Cannes Bay are spectacular. Leave time to visit the hotel's chocolaterie.

8 Jade Mountain, St Lucia
Take a dip in your private pool when you book one of the hotel's 24 infinity pool suites. All are individually designed and have sea views, a shallow water lounging area and optical fibre illumination at night.

9 Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, China
Not surprisingly, the tallest hotel in the world also boasts the highest indoor pool. A dazzling 118 storeys up, it has a huge ceiling-mounted LCD screen which swimmers can watch while they perfect their backstroke.

10 The Joule Dallas, US
The pool at this striking neo-Gothic hotel has to be seen to be believed. On the 10th floor it projects 8ft over the pavement and entices swimmers with its panoramic views of Dallas. Scattered throughout the hotel is an impressive art collection, with works by Andy Warhol.

Women's Month - Opera Singer Does Pretty Well

Pretty Yende, a graduate of the South African College of Music, has brought the country’s opera singers into the spotlight by winning the prestigious Operalia Competition.

The event took place in Moscow, Russia, from 18-24 July 2011, at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre.

Operalia took place in three stages with 40 contestants selected to compete during the quarter- and semi-finals from 18 to 23 July. Only 13 contestants made it to the finals on 24 July – these included past winners, Erwin Schrott and the sensational Rolando Villazon.

Founded in 1993 to give young, early-career singers exposure on an international scale, Operalia is held in a different city each year. This year's edition was the 19th.

Pretty, the only African to compete, won the R200,000 first prize for best female singer, the R66,000 Pepita Embil Domingo Zarzuela prize and the audience favourite prize of a Rolex watch.

Plácido Domingo, world-renowned opera singer and founder of the competition, said: “My purpose in Operalia is to help identify not only the best voices, but also to discover those singers whose personalities, characters and powers of interpretation show that they have the potential to become complete artists. Individuals such as these become tomorrow’s stars. This is why the jury is not exclusively made up of great singers, but also includes general managers, stage directors and casting directors.”

The soprano, who currently resides in Milan, Italy, attributes her success to her sense of determination. Yende said: “I spent five years applying for admission and was never accepted. I, however, did not part with my dream to compete in and win Operalia.

Pretty is billed to perform at the Arts Cape Theatre in Cape Town on 4 August 2011 and will appear in four productions put on by the La Scala Opera Studio.

Women's Month - Women Pilots Navigate Local Waters

Three South African women have set the standard in Africa by becoming the first black female marine pilots on the continent to gain open licences, enabling them to navigate ships of all sizes and types into local waters.

Precious Dube, Bongiwe Mbambo and Pinky Zungu, who are three of only five female marine pilots in South Africa, are tasked with guiding ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours.

The marine pilot acts as an advisor to the captain, who maintains legal, overriding command of the vessel.

Tau Morwe, chief executive of Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), said: “The maritime sector used to be one that was closed off to the historically disadvantaged, including women, but this is changing and we are geared for even greater success stories than this.”

The three women are products of the TNPA’s development scheme, which has been encouraging more equitable participation in the maritime sector since the 1990s.

Rufus Lekala, chief harbour master in South Africa and the youngest in the world, said: “These women have put us on the map once more and should be very proud of their achievements.”

Join Us For The Hermanus Wine & Food Festival

Hermanus Wine & Food Festival Nominated one of the
10 Best Wine Shows in South Africa!

Taste more than 200 wines from Elgin to Elim Producers at the
Hermanus Wine & Food Festival

When:
Saturday 6 August 2011 12:00 – 18:00
Sunday 7 August 2011 12:00 – 18:00
Monday 8 August 2011 12:00 – 17:00

Where:
Hemel-en-Aarde Village Hermanus

Cost:
R95.00 per day and R200.00 for a weekend pass

Free Entry to the Food Marquee

See You There!