Winter Olympics | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Still in shock about the rude treatment I received from the owners of Just Pure The Bistro in Hermanus two days ago I went to the very Bavarian-looking Dorf Krug and found a haven of friendliness and good wholesome Bavarian food.

Outside on the terrace they have placed Bavarian-coloured barrels, which attract attention to the cottage building. The interior is not German at all, other than the Deukom German TV channel broadcasting the Winter Olympics, and the tables and riempie chairs do not suit the theme. The odd Bavarian and German flag can be seen. Very large paintings fill the walls, but do not link to the Bavarian theme. The name was puzzling me, being the ‘Village Jug’ directly translated. I was told that the owner, Dr Brigitte Riedelsheimer, is a Bavarian swallow living in Düsseldorf and at Arabella. She has owned the property for some time, having leased it to a second hand furniture shop previously.

The outside seating area behind the building was a complete contrast, with long tables and benches with cushions covered in the Bavarian blue and white, and plants softening the edges. A massive mural of a Southern Right whale is in the parking area, painted by a Bot River artist. The delightful Continue reading →

American tourism consultant and speaker Dr Peter Tarlow has made some predictions for the tourism industry in 2014. He believes that not much will change relative to 2013, but has identified some trends that could impact on the tourism industry globally, as reported by eTurboNews:

1. The economic status of the world in the past few years has placed greater emphasis on the ‘middle class‘, representing the largest number of travellers.

2. Middle class travellers tend to be more forgiving of tourism mistakes and less perfect service. They are however sensitive to economic changes, and the cost of credit in particular. Interest rate increases makes the use of credit more expensive, and can affect travel. As they live on a budget, middle class travellers will be affected by their expectation of taxes and other major cost increases. Stock market trends influence confidence, even if the middle class does not own shares.

3. The upper class is more demanding of service when travelling, and less reliant on and believing in marketing.

4. Security remains an important issue, and global events, such as the Winter Olympics, the Summer Olympics, and the 2014 World Cup will create security challenges, including terrorism, for Brazil in particular.

5. Airlines will increasingly be disliked, as their service diminishes, as their rates increase, as they merge to save costs, as they Continue reading →