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.

Cape Whale Coast - 30 cool things to do

Check out the latest (June) issue of Getaway Magazine and see what awesome coverage our Overstrand has received.

Nine pages of fantastic pictures and copy.

What a fantastic marketing initiative by the Cape Whale Coast DMO.

There is also a two page spread about photography on the De Hoop Whale Trail.

British Airways will increase its Cape Town summer frequencies from 13 a week to double daily from October 31, according to the airline’s new area GM for Europe and Africa, Gavin Halliday.

He said this would increase BA’s existing summer capacity to Cape Town by almost 709 seats a week. The airline will switch from B777 services to B747-400 services on the route. This means it will be the only carrier to offer a First Class product on the direct route between Cape Town and London.

Asked if the airline would consider operating double daily services year-round to Cape Town, Halliday said this would depend on the success of the new service, which would be closely monitored.