Tag Archives: ACSA

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 13/14 October

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine new headlines

*   The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced that its profit has increased to its highest level ever, at R1,7 billion, a 73% increase on the year before.  The profit increase was achieved despite the decline in passenger numbers.  The airport infrastructure is to be improved, without any ‘significant’ increases in passenger tariffs.

*   SA Tourism captured attention for our country on Times Square in New York last week, with Hugh Masekela and Sindiswe Nxumalo, a cast member of ‘The Lion King’, performing on a double decker bus to publicise the ‘Ubuntu: Music & Arts of South Africa‘ Festival being held at Carnegie Hall until 5 November. Masekela and Vusi Mahlasela are headline artists for the Festival, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of our democracy, and aims to position South Africa as offering more than the Big Five, in having ‘the most hospitable people in the world‘ as well as the most resilient, given the country’s 350 year history.

*   The Franschhoek-based  Bhabhathane (meaning butterfly in Xhosa) charity promoting childhood development and education Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 12 August

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  Travelers have barely heard of ‘sharing’ services such as Uber and Airbnb, and they are not yet a threat to established accommodation and taxi services, a Travel Weekly Consumer Trends survey has found.  More than two-thirds of the respondents had not heard of the services, and only 8% had used them.  The target age group of sharing services appears to be the 18 – 23 year olds, highest users of these services.

*   Western Cape Minister of Tourism Alan Winde has announced the new members of the Board of the tourism, investment, and trade agency Wesgro:   Professor Brian Figaji (previously of Pentech) is the new Chairman, while other Board members are Paul Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 10 July

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   New York has the best wine lists in the world, ahead of those of London. San Francisco, and Chicago, according to the UK World of Fine Wine.   Rust en Vrede won best winelist in Africa.  The wine list at Palais Coburg Residenz was judged to be the best in the world.

*   Germany’s record 7-1 win over Brazil in the Soccer World Cup semi-final on Tuesday set new records on Twitter, with 35,6 million Tweets being the highest ever for a sports match.  When Sami Khedira scored the fifth goal for Germany in the first half, Twitter reached a new record of 580166 Tweets per minute!    

*   The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has introduced 30 minutes of free wifi at its nine airports.  After the half an hour usage, one can use the service on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis.

*   The Pot Luck Club is offering ‘Edible Entertainment’ this winter. New Bloody Mary recipes have been concocted, containing Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 24/25 May

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Andrew Bird, Marks & Spencer Head of Trading, which includes wines, non-food, and ambient grocery, is moving to Woolworths for a two year contract as Trading Head next month.  He helped drive Marks & Spencer to be named best retailer at the International Wine Challenge in four out of the past six years.  Bird is said to become head of the ‘wine and soft drinks teams‘ at Woolworths locally.

*   The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) was part of a consortium that completed Terminal 3 at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport, on time and on budget, for the 2014 soccer World Cup, reports The New Age. The project is described as one of the World Cup successes, the new terminal processing all international flights to the city. The capacity to handle an additional 12 million passengers to the 30 million handled annually has been created.   ACSA is also part of a consortium that Continue reading →