Tag Archives: Angola

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 23 February

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Meetings Africa was opened in Johannesburg by Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom today, the leading business tourism expo, and runs over three days.  Johannesburg is attracting global events, including the following forthcoming business events: Breakbulk Africa 2015, CIDESCO World Congress from 20-25 May, the Summit on Healthy Ageing from 30 July to 2 August, Johannesburg International Motor Show from 14-25 October, as well as the 2016 Africa & Middle East Conference of Junior Chamber International from 4-6 May 2016.

*   Our country’s newest low-cost local airline Skywise will take off on 5 March.  The airline has been welcomed by SA Tourism:  ‘We wish Skywise every success, and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship that will help grow tourism in South Africa‘.  Initially two return flights per day between Cape Town and Johannesburg will be scheduled, with Durban to follow over time.

*   World Travel Market (WTM) Africa will be held in Cape Town from 15 – 17 April, with 400 exhibitors, and Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 22 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   British Airways has been fined R21,7 million by the South African Competition Tribunal for fuel surcharge price-fixing with Virgin Atlantic between 2004 – 2006, on the SA and UK routes.

*   Cape Town and Camps Bay have been featured in the Indian dance show ‘Dare2Dance‘, SA Tourism Country Manager for India Hanneli Slabber having sent links of two videos.  The Camps Bay dance scene with a blindfolded dancer on a platform dangling above the ocean, with Camps Bay in the background, is breathtaking, and sure to create huge interest in the suburb.

*   Hermanus is one of nine ‘The best places in the world to be right now’, according to The Daily Telegraph, for a ‘front- Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 29 April

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  South Africa, and the Cape specifically, has two The World’s 50 Best Restaurants on the top 100 list: The Test Kitchen at 48th position, and The Tasting Room at 72nd position.

*   A Schengen-type visa may be introduced for the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries, to make travelling easier for tourists.   This suggestion is on the agenda of the WTTC Global Summit, and it is planned to increase the tourism market share of the continent to a double-digit one by 2020, from the current 4%.   Our country is pushing for such a visa, but only a handful of the other SADC countries Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is expected to sign the visa agreement initially.

*   Surprising is to read that Distell ad agency The Bester Burke Slingers Group is closing its doors in July, the partners saying that they have had enough of the advertising industry, and that they are no longer able to guide clients in their marketing.

*   SA Tourism CEO Thulani Nzima appears to know the outcome of the Oscar Pistorius case, telling journalists attending Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 15 April

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*     More direct flights between Cape Town and Luanda in Angola could create close to 4000 jobs and close to R400 million for the economy, an Air Access strategy study has estimated said Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism.  The province’s Air Access strategy ‘is to improve our competitiveness and we will focus on routes into Africa. Research shows a direct link between economic growth and improved air access. We are serious about investment, exports and tourism and direct routes play a major role in stimulating growth in these areas‘, the Minister said.  Two years ago the value of trade between Angola and our country was R31 billion, almost half of this from the Western Cape.  An increased number of direct flights would benefit tourism, and the oil and gas industry.  The Minister said that his department will work on increasing the number of flights. (received via media release from Minister Winde’s offices)

*   Tourism performance in the first quarter of 2014 (at 114.6) dipped slightly from the last quarter of 2013 (112.4),  despite the weaker exchange rate and international leisure tourism demand, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa FNB Tourism Business Index has measured, in a study conducted by Grant Thornton.  Tourism businesses’ optimism remains for the period ahead.  Interesting is that the study found that the tourism industry sees the general election on 7 May to have a negative impact  on tourism. (received via e-mail from the Tourism Business Council of South Africa) 

*   The Van Ryn range has won a double gold for the Van Ryn 15 Year Old, and two gold medals for its 12 Year Old and 20 Year Old at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. (received via media release from De Kock Communications)

*   The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa sister hotel Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat will host a 5 course Continue reading →