Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* The price of petrol increases by 47 cents a liter at midnight today, mainly due to the increase in the price of crude oil.
* More than 1000 delegates attending the World Economic Forum Africa in Cape Town from tomorrow until Friday will be motivated to operate from Cape Town and the Western Cape, in a campaign driven by Wesgro, the Western Cape trade, investment, and tourism promotion agency. Wesgro Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom has acknowledged that visitor numbers from China have dropped dramatically in the second half of last year, by close to 25%, and attributes this to the new Immigration regulations but to Ebola as well.
* Highly acclaimed UK wine journalist Jancis Robinson has expressed her concern about the supply of grapes for the ‘Young Gun‘ winemakers, most not owning their own land. In addition, the suppliers of their grapes Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* SAA is cancelling its Johannesburg – Beijing flights as of April, its acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout said at a media briefing. Air China will service the route in a code-share agreement with SAA from May. The number of SAA flights to India has been decreased, and may be cut altogether, being another loss-making route. Changes to the USA route may also be made.
* SAA-owned low-cost domestic airline Mango will decrease its fares with immediate effect, by as much as 25%, due to the lower fuel price.
* SA Tourism is targeting India as its largest source market by 2020. Hanneli Slabber, Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* The Tourism Business Council of South Africa FNB Tourism Business Index reflects that the tourism industry is improving, with a score of 108 for the last quarter of 2014. A score of 100 is the norm. The Accommodation sector did even better, with an Index of 113, despite the impact of Ebola, and the Immigration Regulation changes introduced late last year. ‘Other Tourism‘ (e.g. transport, food and beverage) scored 104, lower than had been forecast for the quarter. The exchange rate has played a role in the improving Index. For the first quarter of this year an average Index of about 102 is expected.
* The Cape Winelands is experiencing its earliest harvest in 49 years, having started very early in the new year, almost a month earlier than last year. VinPro explains that three perfect winters with enough cold and sufficient rain, combined with an unusually warmer August, has led to the earlier harvest. A smaller harvest is expected this year, but is expected to be of a good quality. Winemakers are facing a challenge in their cellars in that many cultivars are ripening almost at the same time.
* Cycling in Cape Town is one of the best ways to see our city, writes the Los Angeles Times, describing Continue reading →