Miss World | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* Newton Johnson Cellarmaster Gordon Newton Johnson has been admitted to the Cape Winemakers’ Guild as its 46th member. It recognises his achievements as winemaker of Pinot Noir in particular, and winning this year’s Platter’s Red Wine of The Year. Membership is by invitation only. (received via media release from GC Communications)

* ‘Festive Franschhoek’ runs until Tuesday, and is intended to attract Capetonians and tourists to come and do their Christmas shopping in Franschhoek rather than in manic Cape Town. Shops such as Peacock Blue, Indian Summer, Masquerade Antiques & Things, and Troll Beads will stay open until 20h00, misleadingly marketed as ‘late night shopping’! Misleading too is the invitation to ‘Enjoy a five-star meal at Reuben’s...’, the restaurant only having made a 4-star rating in the Diners Club Rossouw’s Restaurant Guide this year, irresponsible overmarketing by Mariette du Toit-Helmbold of Destinate, running the promotion! One suspects that all participants had to pay her company for the promotion!

* Miss South Africa, Rolene Strauss, has won Miss World 2014, a wonderful marketing opportunity for our country!

* Wesgro and Happy Snappy are jointly developing a mobile campaign to inform visitors to Cape Town and the Western Cape Continue reading →

South Africa will host the 2009 Miss World competition again, after successfully hosting the pageant in Johannesburg over the last month, reports The Times.

Miss Russia Kseniya Sukhinova was crowned the new Miss World at the Sandton Convention Centre this past weekend, and wore a striking blue gown by South African designer Jenny Button. Miss South Africa Tansey Coetzee made it into the top five finalist list.

The pageant was originally planned to be held in Kiev, but was moved to Johannesburg after the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Georgia. The 111 beauties from around the world were shown other parts of South Africa during the pageant, exposing them to the beauty of the country.

The Miss World finale and crowning was broadcast to 187 countries and 373 television stations around the world. South Africa last hosted the Miss World pageant in 2001, and from 1992 – 1995 before that. Perhaps Cape Town should vie for this event in 2010?