Passport control | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* The Dutch government is sponsoring World Design Capital 2014 with a R4,5 million investment through the ‘Department of Design’ event, to be held at Provenance Auction House in Vrede Street in Cape Town from 8 – 27 July. A Dutch economic trade mission will visit Cape Town and the event, which consists of workshops, presentations, debates, and activity relating to sustainability, focusing on water management, transport and logistics, agriculture and farming, health and science, and the creative industries in particular.

* R4,7 million has been spent to upgrade the facilities of the Department of Home Affairs’ passport control counter at Cape Town International, in the interest of improved service, reports The New Age. Passport control has been moved closer to the Duty Free section of the airport. An automated queuing system with turnstiles has been introduced.

* Start-up Cape Town company Over has won first prize in the U-Start Conference in Milan, its app allowing one to place text and artwork over photographs. The app has been downloaded 8 million times since it was developed in 2012. Western Cape Minister Continue reading →

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* Cape Town tops the list of the New York Times 52 places to go in 2014! In its accolade to Cape Town, the influential newspaper writes that the late Nelson Mandela drew inspiration from Table Mountain, which he could see from Robben Island, and it became ‘a beacon of hope’. The article also highlights Cape Town hosting the World Design Capital 2014.

* Passport control at OR Thambo airport is inefficient and marred by staff shortages, leading to complaints from arriving passengers. ACSA says it is not its responsibility, while the Department of Immigration is not responding to feedback providing.

* The Table Mountain Cableway welcomed its 23 millionth visitor on Friday. It carried about 4000 visitors a day during the Festive Season, a revenue of about R800000 per day on good weather days.

* South Africa is not the only wine producer on the African continent, even if Continue reading →