The Johannesburg International Motor Show | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Tourism, 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 →

Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

* The 2014 season will be remembered by local winemakers as one of the most challenging. For Sumaridge Wines in the Hemel en Aarde Valley it was the smallest harvest in ten years, and the most stressful for winemaker Gavin Patterson. For Kleine Zalze winemaker Johan Joubert it was the most challenging too, brought about by unseasonal rain in October, November, and January, which affected the Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc bushvine in particular, the bunches doubling in volume. Spraying regimes were affected too. For Sumaridge’s investors it was a ‘year of sacrifice’. For Kleine Zalze the harvest was delayed, and more tartaric acid was added. Chardonnay, Pinotage, and Merlot benefited from the weather conditions, while Sauvignon Blanc was negatively affected, with disease and ripeness. The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in Hermanus was more strongly influenced by the weather than was the Swartland. Patterson said about the 2014 vintage: ‘It’s really going to sort the sheep from the goats. Very sadly many winemakers are driven by accountants at the head of their companies and that will have an effect on how 2014 is judged’.

* Next year sees two major motor shows in Johannesburg: AutoMechanika will take place from 6 – 9 May, while The Johannesburg International Motor Show will be held from 14 – 25 October.

* Alan Winde, the Western Cape Minister of Economic Development, Tourism, and Agriculture, is at the Regional Leaders Summit in Atlanta in Georgia, to sign a ‘strategic agreement’ between the province/state. Continue reading →