Tourism, Food, and Wine headline news

*   A World Cup of Wines has been suggested, tongue in cheek, on Tim Atkin’s blog!

*   Elliott, the red Coca-Cola Crate Fan in the V&A Waterfront, erected for the 2010 World Cup, is being dismantled, the V&A has announced.

*   Famous Brands has just opened Steers in the UK, already having opened a number of Wimpy restaurants in that country, reports Business Day

*   The ‘Kate Effect‘ has ensured that London has not suffered the post-Olympic tourism dip which most host cities, including those in South Africa, go through after a world event.

*   Mainland China and Hong Kong are the target of a Wines of South Africa (WOSA)  marketing campaign, writes HKTDC Research.

*   SA Tourism had a stand at Taste of London, which allowed tastings of South African wines as well as of South African food, including boerewors, biltong, and droë wors, reports The South African.

*   Boasting is the most common reason why Facebook friends are unfriended (68%), followed by too much personal detail about friends’ romances (61%), according to a UK survey of Facebook users, reported in The Times.

*   Hidden Valley Wines, with Chef Bertus Basson at Overture restaurant on the estate, is hosting three Hidden Valley Gourmet Braai & Wine Festival events, on 31 August, 14 September and 24 September, at R350 per person (via Manley Communications media release).

*   The cycle lanes in the centre of Cape Town will be painted green, to make them visible to motorists and pedestrians, according to the City of Cape Town.

*   Canada has been rated as the most reputable country in the world, of 50 countries evaluated by 27000 G8 citizens, reports The Huffington Post.  Seven of the top 10 most reputable countries are in Europe.

*   Interesting is the news that Du Toitskloof Wines will be sponsoring a new Wine Writers Award, with a credible panel of judges, and with a theme ‘The consequences of climate change on the South African Wine Industry’ specified!  Closing date for entries is 27 September and a prize of R30000 is at stake.  This follows the disaster of the Wine Writers’ Award, which was not awarded by the Franschhoek Literary Festival in May this year! (with added information from De Kock Communications)

*  Michael Fridjhon writes in Moneyweb (via Winetimes) that the in-depth focus on the South African wine industry in this month’s edition of  (the USA) Wine Spectator is excellent news for our wine industry and could lead to an export boom, coupled with the weak Rand.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Twitter: @WhaleCottage