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.