Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Mercedes-Benz South Africa will be taken for a ride by the V&A Waterfront for the next 12 months, as a member of the V&A Waterfront Partners Programme, which comes with a number of exclusive rights to connect with the V&A’s visitors, including receiving their e-mail addresses, using their venue for events, outdoor advertising, and business to business campaigns. The V&A sees the advantage as being increased footfall, which it overclaims at 23 million per year! For Mercedes-Benz the deal is an opportunity to become ‘visualised at the V&A Waterfront to aspirational consumers‘.
* Fodor’s Travel has written a comprehensive article entitled ‘Wine Lover’s Guide to South Africa‘, praising our country for its excellent terroir suited to wine farming, and becoming ‘world-renowned’, especially our indigenous Pinotage. Linking food and wine, the Western Cape is becoming increasingly associated with food excellence too. Wine tasting in Stellenbosch is recommended, at Kanonkop, Tokara, and Waterford Estate, while Indochine, Delaire Graff Restaurant, and Jordan are recommended restaurants. In Franschhoek La Petite Ferme, Haute Cabrière, Môreson, and the unique Franschhoek Wine Tram are recommended. The Tasting Room and Bread & Wine are recommended restaurants. In Paarl KWV is recommended, with Bosman’s Restaurant, which is overpraised as ‘one of the best restaurants not only in South Africa, but in the world’ (sic)! Groot Constantia is mentioned as being the oldest wine estate, and La Colombe and The Greenhouse are recommended restaurants.
* A clever and cheeky reply to EFF Commissar Andile Mngxitama, who wrote 
to Sir Richard Branson, saying that the purchase of his new Mont Rochelle is ‘stolen land’, has been written by someone who purports to be Sir Richard, but probably was not. The EFF warned that the purchase is an ‘illegal transaction‘, which would be under threat of the EFF’s policy of land expropriation without compensation in future. given that it belonged to the Khoi and San. ‘Sir Richard’ proposes a deal for the EFF ‘that is when the EFF comes into power‘. The funniest part of the reply from ‘Sir Richard’ is his retort that the hotel industry is used to expropriation without compensation, given the theft of sheets, cutlery, towels, chandeliers, and plants, experienced at the company’s accommodation establishments!
* Wesgro sent Good Hope FM Breakfast Show DJ Guy McDonald along Route 62 on a scooter in June. On his trip he reported on the route and activities, such as adventure, culture, scenery, and cuisine. Ostrich riding, wine tasting, and meeting locals formed part of the travel program. (received via newsletter from Wesgro)
* SA Tourism is opening a marketing office in São Paulo in Brazil, Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom has announced, on the basis of the growth experienced in tourists to our country. Tatiana Isler is the new Country Representative, while Marcelo Marques is the new Trade Relations Manager.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage
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