Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* International airline traffic in November 2014 grew by 3,6% on the year prior, the same level of growth as in October. Travel within Europe grew at a somewhat faster rate, especially to Asian countries.
* The International Monetary Fund has downscaled its forecast for the growth of our country’s economy this year to 2,1%, mainly due to strikes, weak demand, and electricity loadshedding. The growth projection for next year has been downscaled from 2,8 to 2,5%.
* Statistics South Africa has not issued tourism arrival figures since March 2014, awaiting data from the Department of Home Affairs. Statistics SA said that it ‘hoped to receive the outstanding data this week‘, and that it would soon publish the tourism arrival information for the full year of 2014. The lack of information has been criticised by SATSA (South African Tourism Services Association) CEO David Frost, specially given the Immigration Regulations introduced by the Department last year, and which have impacted on tourism arrivals, he said. He added that the tourism industry has questioned the accuracy of the tourism arrival statistics in the past few years.
* UK per capita wine consumption is expected to grow by 3,3% in the next four years, at 25 litres per head. Sparkling wine, and Prosecco in particular, is responsible for the growth forecast. Sales of sparkling wine from Italy, Spain and the USA increased, while that from Champagne and Australia decreased.
* Fleur du Cap has launched a Natural Light Chenin Blanc 2014 with a screw cap closure, and a lower alcohol level of 9,7%. (received via media release from GC Communications)
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Tel (021) 433-2100, Twitter:@WhaleCottage Facebook: click here
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