Category Archives: Nelson Mandela

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 11/12 January

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  Cape Town tops the list of the New York Times 52 places to go in 2014!  In its accolade to Cape Town, the influential newspaper writes that the late Nelson Mandela drew inspiration from Table Mountain, which he could see from Robben Island, and it became ‘a beacon of hope’. The article also highlights Cape Town hosting the World Design Capital 2014.

*   Passport control at OR Thambo airport is inefficient and marred by staff shortages, leading to complaints from arriving passengers.   ACSA says it is not its responsibility, while the Department of Immigration is not responding to feedback providing.

*   The Table Mountain Cableway welcomed its 23 millionth visitor on Friday.   It carried about 4000 visitors a day during the Festive Season, a revenue of about R800000 per day on good weather days.

*   South Africa is not the only wine producer on the African continent, even if Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 2 – 5 January

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  The Daily Mail journalist Gary Edwards visited Cape Town just at the beginning of December, to tie in with the launch of the movie ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom‘, his first visit in 10 years. He found that little has changed in Cape Town, although the exchange rate was not as favourable as when he visited in 2003, despite being attractive now.   He praises the sunshine, and highlights his experiences of visiting Table Mountain, Cape Point, Bungalow in Clifton, Cellars-Hohenhort, the Twelve Apostles Hotel, the V&A Waterfront, the Coffeebean Route, Robben Island, and other ‘Seven Wonders of Cape Town‘, a name he made up.   He gives the beach at Camps Bay a mention too, but uses a photograph of Clifton!

*   OR Thambo airport was the largest port of entry into South Africa during December, and the airport, Beitbridge, Lebombo, Maseru Bridge, Ficksburg, and Oshoek had more persons crossing the border than arrived at Cape Town International airport. International arrivals were from the UK, the USA, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, France, India, China, Nigeria, Sweden, and Canada. In total there were 4 million border crossings, roughly half entering and leaving the country.

*   Retail outlets selling alcohol will have to offer free condoms and water too, if Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 19 December

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The City of Cape Town and the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association have failed to reach agreement on the Tweede Nuwejaar parade,according to a report in the Cape Argus,  the City having appointed an event organiser for the event.  The minstrel association is planning to take the City to court!

*   Team GoodBetterBraai, consisting of Braai Master Jacques Bester and Braai Buddy Nadia Botha, has won Ultimate Braai Master Season 2, beating 14 other teams. (received via media release from the Cooked in Africa production company)

*   The Baltimore Sun recommends Fairview’s Goats do Roam 2012 red blend as a wine to honour the legacy of the late Nelson Mandela, costing $9.

*   British holiday-makers are not choosing international destinations for the festive season this year – they are staying closer to home, travelling mainly within Europe, and using lower cost airlines.

*   Ryanair was named as the UK’s worst short-haul airline, while Guernsey’s Aurigny Airline was voted best.   The best long- Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 17 December

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Tourist arrivals grew by 5 % in the first six months of this year relative to the same period a year ago, with close to 5 million international tourist arrivals from January – June 2013.  Tourist arrivals from France, Germany, Italy, Asia, India, the USA, and Africa grew, while those from the Netherlands and the UK declined.

*   The Spur Corporation has bought the Hussar Grill chain of six steak restaurants for R35 million, and will develop the brand, taking it national.

*   Tour operator Francoise Armour has written a hard-hitting letter to Southern African Tourism Update, feeding back the poor experience of her clients when they go on a Robben Island tour.  Given that the number of bookings for the tour will now increase, she asks whether the iconic destination is worthy of the legacy of the late Nelson Mandela. Even more shocking than her detailed list of negatives about the Robben Island tours is the comments to her letter, in which many tour operators write that they no longer build Robben Island into their clients’ Cape Town tour itinerary!

*   Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille yesterday announced at a Day of Reconciliation event the renaming of the Fan Mile to Continue reading →