Tag Archives: Alain St Ange

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 1 December

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   A heavy-weight World Symposium to ‘Cultivating Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations through Tourism, Culture and Sports will be held in Johannesburg from 16 – 19 February next year, and is in honour of the late Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, and Martin Luther King Jnr.  It has been endorsed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and will be held at Emporers Palace.  Keynote speakers include the Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Dr Taleb Rifai, Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom,  Minister of Tourism of the Seychelles Alain St. Ange, and various other heads of international tourism bodies. (received via e-mail)

*   From October next year  Turkish Airlines will offer direct flights between Cape Town and Istanbul.  This will double the capacity between the two countries.

*   Winemakers Paul Cluver and Bruce Jack have collaborated in a new cider called Cluver & Jack, made at Paul Cluver Winery Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 25 November

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Cape Wine 2015 will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 15 – 17 September next year, and is organised by Wines of South Africa (WOSA). DHL Express will be the first-time sponsor.  WOSA CEO Siobhan Thompson said: ‘Delegates will have the opportunity to experience the range and depth of South Africa’s vinous dexterity, strengthened by new approaches to wine-growing and winemaking that have resulted in bold, unique and unmistakably local wines. As Tim Atkin MW remarked in his South Africa 2014 Special Report: ‘There’s never been a better time to write about, taste or buy South African wine.’   Thompson said that the DHL sponsorship will take the wine showcase to a new level. (received via media release from De Kock Communications)

*   Peter Cheales of Hello Peter has sold his business of 14 years to an unnamed consortium of businessmen, he wrote in a letter to past users of his service, a South African type of Sweet and Sour Service Awards.  In his letter he wrote: ‘It’s time for fresh blood, more energy, and new life. I will continue to watch from the sidelines. The site will always be a part of me’.  Cheales will write books and speak at conferences.

*   Raats Family Wines’ winemaker Bruwer Raats received the accolade of ‘most exciting and forward-thinking winemaker inStellenbosch‘ by Neal Martin, in his 2014 vintage review in Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate.  Martin added the following Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 15/16 March

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   TravelMedia.ie has been appointed to handle the marketing of our country for SA Tourism in Ireland, with the number of tourists from Ireland expected to increase.  The marketing focus will be on our country’s music, art, fashion, adventure, and culinary travel.

*   The USA Department of Agriculture predicts that our country’s vine harvest will decrease by 5%, to 1,42 million metric tons, and that production will decrease to 1,1 billion bottles this year.  The export of wine is expected to decrease to 500 million litres.  Last year was regarded as a record year for South African wine exports due to the good harvest and the depreciation of the Rand.

*   The inaugural AfrAsia Bank Cape Wine Auction, which was held at Delaire Graff yesterday, raised a phenomenal R8,9 million for three charities related to education. (via Twitter and Facebook) (NOTE 17/3:  the Auction total has been officially revised to R7 million this morning)

*   Receiving only 5% of the world’s 1 billion  tourists, Africa needs to develop itself as a tourism brand, the Tourism and Culture Minister of the Seychelles has said.  Minister Alain St.Ange called on African leaders to enhance Africa’s tourism awareness.  ‘The African continent needs an African Brand. We need a brand that will promote our region in tourism trade fairs. We need a brand that will work hand in hand with United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the UNWTO body‘, he said.  Africa must work with Africa, he added. South African Tourism Minister van Schalkwyk appeared to disagree, calling for each African country to do its own destination marketing.  He did however call for easier visa application processing for travel within the continent.

*   Hard Rock Café has returned to South Africa, and has opened in Johannesburg.  Branches in Continue reading →