international tourism | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* International tourism in the first half of 2013 has grown by 5% relative to the same period the year before, reports the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

* The film ‘The Giver‘, starring Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges, is to be shot in its entirety in Cape Town from the end of September, reports the Cape Times. Moonlighting Films has been appointed as the production company, which was also involved in the filming of ‘Invictus’ and ‘Safe House’. The Cape Town Film Commission said that the Mother City’s film industry has been growing at 30% per year in the past three years, has contributed R5 billion to our economy in the past year, and is creating positive talk about Cape Town in Hollywood. ‘The Giver’ is expected Continue reading →

Mmastsatsi Marobe, CEO of the Tourism Business Council, has said that tourism could be one way in which the South African economy can be stimulated, as reported in Travelwires.

She said that while individual accommodation establishments have seen a decline in occupancy, the IPL cricket and British and Irish Lions Rugby tours are good for the national economy, and demonstrated that South Africa is a viable destination for sport, business and leisure.

She identified a number of tourism trends that can stimulate the economy:

1. Local tourism is on the up, at the expense of international tourism. In the UK 20 % of British holidaymakers will travel in their own country this year.

2. Going on holiday is a means of escapism from the doom and gloom of the effects of the credit crunch. “Tourism provides a psychological lift to the psyche of the public”.

3. Green is gold, in that tourists are becoming more discerning in expecting their accommodation to be environmentally responsible.

Marobe called for more young persons to be employed by the tourism industry, as they are the future of the tourism industry.

“…we all have a role to play in stimulating the economy through tourism – keep visiting, keep hosting, and keep investing” concluded Marobe.