Tag Archives: Thulani Nzima

Deafening silence from Tourism Ministry about disastrous effect of visa regulations effective from today!

PassportsDespite the tourism industry being up in arms about the implementation of the Immigration Regulations pertaining to children travelers, which are effective from today, Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom has been silent about the matter, which he was asked to address twelve month ago already when he became the Minister of Tourism.

The new regulations prescribe that children under the age of 18 years have to travel with an unabridged birth certificate, which must specify the names of both parents. Travelers (adults and children) from countries for which visa applications have to be made, such as India and China, must apply in person, so that biometric details can be Continue reading →

Loadshedding impacts on Tourism, says SA Tourism!

Bedside lightsOn Kfm yesterday I heard a news broadcast, with its leading story being that SA Tourism has admitted that loadshedding is affecting tourists, making the announcement more than a month after loadshedding returned with a vengeance.

SA Tourism CEO Thulani Nzima said that loadshedding affects all sectors of the Tourism industry, including getting tourists to attractions on time, influenced by traffic lights not working.  He added that we are not the only country with power outages.

For the accommodation sector, which he did not mention, loadshedding from 8h00 – 10h30, as we have experienced in our guest Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine new headlines: 6 November

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The 2014 MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index shows Johannesburg as being the most popular ‘destination city in Africa’, the second time that the city has won the accolade two years running.  The city is expecting 4,3 million visitors this year, a 5% increase on last year, with an estimated expenditure of $3,2 billion.  Cape Town follows in second place, Durban in 3rd place, Cairo in 4th, and Casablanca in 5th place.  Cape Town is expected to receive 1,6 million international visitors this year, with a spend of $2,2 billion.

*   It is ironic that SA Tourism CEO Thulani Nzima could not attend World Travel Market (WTM) in London this week, to represent our country at the second largest travel and tourism exhibition in the world, because he did not have a valid visa for the UK!  

*   Cape Town will host the 2015 Responsible Tourism in Destination Conference, the City of Cape Town has announced, forming Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 20/21 September

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   An increasing number of Indian TV shows and series is being filmed in countries outside of India, and South Africa is one of the countries benefiting too (see the promo for Dare2Dance, shot in Cape Town).  SA Tourism Country Manager for India Hannelie Slabber said: ‘We have seen a great increase in films and television channels approaching us for associations over the last few years’.  Most of the shooting has been in Gauteng, the Western Cape including the Garden Route, and KwaZulu-Natal, while the Kruger National Park is a popular film location too.

*   Domaine des Dieux won the 14th Amorim Cap Classique Challenge 2014 with its Claudia Brut 2009, a Pinot Noir Chardonnay blend, for Best Brut Blend and Best Producer against 100 other Cap Classique entries.   Graham Beck and Lord both took the top honours in the Blended Brut category.  The former MCC producer also won Best Vintage (2009) and Best Non-Vintage Rosé.   Laborie won Best Vintage Blanc de Blancs (2010), and Colmant the Best Blanc de Blanc non-Vintage category.  Simonsig won the Museum Class for its Kaapse Vonkel 2004.  Judging panel chairman Allan Mullins of Woolworths said that the sparkling wines showed more consistency this year, and were of a higher quality. Mullins was named the inaugural recipient of the Frans Malan Legacy Award.

*   South Africa has dropped in its rank on World  Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Continue reading →