Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk said that tourism in South Africa is to undergo ‘revolutionary changes‘. He spoke in New York at the Ubuntu Awards, which recognises leisure and trade partners that work in the interest of our country.
* Consumer confidence remains low, at -6 index points on the FNB/BER Consumer Confidence Index for the first quarter of 2014, a slight improvement by one index point relative to the previous quarter, reports The New Age. The Bureau for Economic Research index measures consumers’ expectations of the economy, their financial situation, and ability to buy durable goods.
* A South African Chenin Blanc Planetbee has been launched in the UK, and is causing a buzz in supporting a good cause. The wine will be sold in 120 Mitchells and Butlers (M&B) Country Pubs. A percentage of the sales will go to the Friends of the Honey Bee for the preservation of the bee population in the UK. The project is the initiative of UK wine importer Morgenrot. The source of the wine in South Africa is not mentioned in any of the media reports searched via Google.
* The International Air Transport Association (IATA) statistics for February shows global passenger numbers increased by 5% relative to the year before, somewhat lower than the 8 % annual growth measured in January 2014. African airlines showed the weakest annual growth, at only 0,1%!
* The Infectious Diseases Conference, which was held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in the past week, will have generated ‘millions of rands for the (Western Cape) province‘, according to provincial Tourism Minister Alan Winde, reports The New Age. It is the first time in its 22 year history that the Conference has been held in Africa.
* Tobasco and Global Pizza Challenge are looking for chefs and pizza lovers to enter their competition for the most creative pizza in the category poultry or meat, seafood, vegetarian, speciality, or dessert. The local pizza winner will be flown to Melbourne to compete against 15 other regional winners in the international 2014 Global Pizza Challenge finals. (received via media release from Strategic Public Relations)
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage
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Re PlanetBee wine. Reason source is not given is that it is most likely that it is a bulk shipped wine bottled in Europe, like too much other cheap RSA wine in UK on-trade and increasingly off-trade. Wine names only used in that chain mean prices can’t be compared with retail. Out of a £25 (425 Rand) wine 50p is going to a UK charity… but with bulk wines nothing is going to RSA workers who make bottles, closures, print labels, make boxes, bottle, label and pack wines.
Many thanks Peter.
So the bees will be preserved, at the cost of our workers and economy!