2011 Could Be A Bumper Year For Travel

Early predictions indicate that 2011 could be a bumper year for travel, with more tourists from the US and UK planning holidays abroad, according to a recent Tripadvisor survey.

In a poll of over 3,000 US-based travellers, 69% said they planned to take international trips next year. What’s more, they also plan to spend more while away, with 36% indicating that they will splash out more on travel in 2011 than they did in this year.

British travellers are also keen to travel long haul in 2011, with 66% of the 6,000 travellers surveyed stating that they plan to take an international trip next year. Over a third plan to spend more on their holidays in 2011 compared with 2010.

The survey also indicated that 2010 had been a year of travel anxieties, altering travel trends for the coming year. Top concerns for the Brits were further strikes but many were also worried about the rises in APD, the air travel tax, as well as the high-profile collapse of travel firms. US travellers are mostly concerned about high carry-on baggage fees, hotels fees and TSA full body scanners but believe 2010 has seen several positive developments for the traveller, including more online travel deals and cheaper hotel rates.

American tourists are also reporting a rise in ‘fake-ations’, where travellers take their work on their trip. Technological advances have led to 59% of travellers in employment being more connected to work than ever before on leisure trips in 2010. Most travellers admit to checking their work e-mail on leisure trips, while 13% call the office to check in. Only 8% consider the remoteness of their destination specifically to avoid connecting with work.

Medical Tourism Untouched In Hermanus

The Medical Tourism sector worldwide is growing exponentially and set to become a $100bn sector by 2012, according to industry research. The sector is growing at a whopping 20-30% annually and is bound to continue its growth pattern in the years to come.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the medical tourism industry is currently a $78.5bn industry [end-2010], catering to over three million patients who travel around the globe for medical care. The Middle East is one of the latent source markets of patients and it is estimated that 20% of healthcare seekers worldwide are from Gulf and Arab states. Significantly, patients from UAE alone spend about $2bn in healthcare travel on an annual basis. As a result, many countries are targeting the region to woo guests and patients to their own medical tourism destinations. Germany, in particular, and Europe, in general, have been a primary medical tourism hubs for hundreds of years and continue to lead the industry today followed by Asian countries such as Thailand, India and Malaysia. Boasting of an excellent healthcare system, high quality, safe and quick treatment.

Germany is considered to be a top destination for patients from all over the world, and particularly from the Middle East, UK and the US. Germany is also an attractive destination for patients from the region, in terms of distance, costs and tourism attractions - thus reinforcing it as a premier medical tourism hub in Europe.Source: ehotelior.com

Travel Stats Are On The Up And Up

StatsSA has released the arrivals numbers for October and, once again, the numbers of tourists, both overseas and regional, have shown increases across the board.

The US market appears to be showing very strong signs of recovery and other core markets are also on the up, including Canada, Australia, China and India. European markets are also showing promising returns with healthy growth over the month in comparison with 2009. The total overseas arrivals grew by 9,7% from 189 932 to 208 276 while African arrivals grew by 13% from 438 756 to 496 071.

The top overseas markets for October 2010 were:
UK, down 2,9% from 40 829 to 39 642
USA, up 22,9% from 19 536 to 24 002
Germany, up 6,8% from 23 300 to 24 895
The Netherlands, down 5,2% from 15 612 to 14 796
France, up 9,8% from 11 834 to 12 995
Australia, up 32,9% from 7 029 to 9 339
India, up 24,6% from 5 047 to 6 291
China, up 73,7% from 3 280 to 5 697
Canada, up 25% from 4 536 to 5 668
Switzerland, up 28% from 3 983 to 5 097

Source: SA Tourism Update

"Where are the Cape Whale Coast Whales" COMPETITION

The "Where are the Cape Whale Coast Whales" Competition ends on at midnight on the 15th December. So visit www.capewhalecoast.co.za and click on "Competition" now.

Enter the "Where are the Cape Whale Coast Whales " Competiton. SMS EUBALAENA AUSTRALIS plus your Name and E-mail Address to 35297 - SMS's cost R3 each.Enter before the 15th December to Win one of the Three Main Prizes!!! Nearly R40,000 worth of Main Prizes to be WON!!!!

Lufthansa Ahead Of Schedule

Lufthansa has confirmed that it will introduce its newest A380 aircraft to Johannesburg six weeks ahead of schedule.

From September 12, the Airbus A380 will depart Frankfurt for O.R. Tambo twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays returning to Germany on Mondays and Fridays. The remaining five days will be operated using the Boeing B747-400.The Airbus A380 has 526 seats in the best and most modern service classes offered by Lufthansa.

The completely revamped First Class, with eight generous seats on the upper deck, promotes a sense of individuality (I'll say). Business Class, with 98 seats on the upper deck, and Economy Class, with 420 seats on the main deck, provide unprecedented comfort and an impressive feeling of space. Lufthansa operate a daily non-stop service between Johannesburg and Frankfurt.

From October 26 until end of March 2011, a further daily non-stop flight from Cape Town to Frankfurt will be added to the airline’s timetable.

Source: SA Tourism Update

It's Not Only Our Whales We Need To Care Fur

International students say no to fur at the Design Against Fur 2010 competition.

The winners of the Europe & International regional competition have been announced. First prize went to Camille Clemmensen, Signe Andersen & Mai Mi Dahmlos Eriksen from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Source: Humane Society International

Where Are The Cape Whale Coast Whales?

In a bold and innovative manner, we at Southern Stroll Marketing have designed a competition to increase awareness and encourage holiday makers to visit the Cape Whale Coast. The competition was created to encompass the entire family, from Grand Daughter to Grand Mother.

The baby whales are up to mischief as usual and playing 'Hide and Seek'. Camo-Charlie is chasing Engine-Ernie and all mayhem is about to break loose. Visit the Cape Whale Coast website often to search for all the clues and keep an eye open for the Cape Whale Coast competition in the YOU magazine as well. Oh dear, Putting-Pat just missed a shot...

The End Of The Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe?

Transnet Limited has announced that the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe train service operating between George and Mossel Bay will be terminated as it has become financially unviable.

In its announcement Transnet said that it identified the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe service as one of its non-core assets in 2007. Following extensive studies and stakeholder consultation, the company decided to follow an open tender process to find a new operator for the service. ”Unfortunately, this process could not identify a new operator and as a result, Transnet was left with no option other than to terminate the service subject to the required approval by the Minister of Public Enterprises in terms on the Public Finance Management Act – this has since been finalised.” the statement said.

Commenting on the announcement Alan Winde, Western Cape MEC said that despite Transnet’s announcement, he remains resolute in his commitment to reviving the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe service and ensuring that it remains a vital part of the South Cape’s heritage and tourism offering. Winde continued to say that Transnet’s decision comes after an open tender process did not yield any positive applicants to take over its operations, which they state have become financially unviable.

SA Tourism Hosts 100 German Travel Agents

German tourist arrivals to South Africa has grown impressively this year. In the first three months of 2010, German arrivals grew 24% compared to the same period last year, giving every indication of a market starting to recover from the global recession and eager to begin long haul travel again. This trend is set to continue on this course with the arrival in South Africa this week of 100 DERTOUR delegates on a fact finding and familiarisation visit that will last nine days.

The objective of the DERTOUR visit is to give German travel agents the confidence they need to sell South Africa through personal experience of the destination.

DERTOUR is a major affiliation of German travel and tour operators. The delegates begin arriving in South Africa on August 24. They are here on invitation of SA Tourism and DERTOUR and they represent travel agencies across Germany who sell DERTOUR products and itineraries.
Their familiarisation trip of the country takes them to places as diverse as Zululand and the KwaZulu-Natal coast; the Kruger Park and adjacent private wildlife reserves; Cape Point; Oudtshoorn; the Western Cape winelands, Johannesburg and Soweto.

DERTOUR has approximately 10 000 retail travel sales offices across Germany. South African Tourism’s partnership with DERTOUR extends way beyond mega familiarisation visits. The DERTOUR delegation meets in Fourways on Tuesday and Wednesday (24 and 25 August) for an intensive destination workshop and for meetings with South African trade and product representatives. The mega familiarisation visit and associated workshops have been made possible through partnerships with DERTOUR, South African Airways, Southern Sun, AVIS and Drifters Adventours.

Mauritius Launches Campaign To Attract German Market

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Agency (MTPA), in co-operation with Dertour and Travelzoo, has intensified its marketing efforts through a special flyer and an online campaign appealing to German travellers to visit the destination.

The special Mauritius flyer was enclosed as a supplement in each Dertour Indian Ocean winter catalogue for 2010/11. The catalogue has a circulation of 220 000 copies and will be distributed to all travel agencies of Dertour. The flyer contains eight pages of general information about Mauritius pertaining to nature, culture, cuisine, sport activities and other activities.

The online campaign is conducted with Travelzoo and aims to boost sales for the low season. The Mauritius destination page was sent out along with a newsletter to over 700 000 subscribers.

Source: SA Tourism Update

BA Passengers Pick Cape Town As Favourite Destination

British Airways has announced that its passengers worldwide have identified Cape Town as their favourite destination.

As of November this year, British Airways will offer a second daily flight between Heathrow and Cape Town ahead of the 2010 summer season due to increased popularity. The additional flight will see the introduction of BA’s new Boeing 777 for the Cape Town route.
British Airways Commercial Manager in South Africa, Sue Botes, says demand for flights to Cape Town was on the rise even before the FIFA World Cup, and the airline is accommodating the increasing demand by offering an additional daily flight.
Cape Town Tourism CEO, Mariette du-Toit Helmbold says, “An additional daily British Airways flight is very good news for Cape Town’s tourism industry. Cape Town’s popularity has been rising steadily over the past few years and with all of the positive 2010 FIFA World Cup coverage and word-of-mouth recommendations, the city’s popularity has sky-rocketed.”

Source: SA Tourism Update

Cape Town is Cool

Cape Town Tourism has launched a winter season campaign, ‘Cape Town is Cool’, to boost post-World Cup tourism and counter seasonality, enticing domestic and international visitors with value-for-money deals on accommodation, tours and car hire.

Sending the message that Cape Town is trendy (not cold), the campaign will run until the end of September, predominantly on the Internet through CTT's website and supported by broadcasts on Radio 702 and billboards in Gauteng. Through Tripadvisor.com it will focus on key European markets and new markets such as Brazil, India and the Middle East. CTT says e-marketing proved its worth during the World Cup when its website received more then 135 000 visits compared with 60 000 visits in May. Almost 7 000 of these were via mobile phones and CTT's ‘mobi’ site. CTT's Facebook fan page grew by 28 000 fans during the tournament.

CTT CEO Mariette du Toit-Helmbold says 69,7% of accommodation providers surveyed during the World Cup said visitors found the Cape weather to be much better than they had expected. "Winter in Cape Town is wonderful. There are warm fires, gourmet foods, excellent wine, theatre, art, music and more. As we move into spring, visitors will enjoy all of these things and also whale watching and the burst of flowers in our neighbouring regions. With value-for-money specials making the proposition all the more alluring, it’s a great time to be visiting Cape Town.”

Focus on sharks during Discovery Channel's Shark Week

In conjunction with the beginning of the 23rd year of Discovery Channel's annual Shark Week, Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States celebrate recent advances in shark conservation and urge the public to take action to protect these magnificent ocean predators.

Sharks are disappearing from the oceans at an astonishingly rapid rate as overfishing and burgeoning demand for their fins, a main ingredient in shark fin soup, have led to the depletion of many populations and some entire species.

It is our resposibility to inform restaurant owners, managers and staff that it is totally unethical to serve shark fin soup.

Van Schalkwyk to woo Moscow on tourism?

Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk is off to Russia, along with President Jacob Zuma, the ministry said on Sunday.

"The Russian Federation is one of the fastest growing outbound tourist markets in the world," van Schalkwyk said in a statement. "We would like to make sure that we extend our co-operation in the field of tourism." Van Schalkwyk said he hoped to tackle issues such as direct air links, visa processes and the marketing of South Africa as a tourist destination.

Russia is bidding to host the Fifa World Cup in 2018 and South Africa would share its experiences with Moscow. South Africa and Russia signed a tourism co-operation agreement in 1998. The agreement was never implemented and as such, discussions will be held between the two countries on how to revive the signed agreement.

In 2009, South Africa saw 10 214 arrivals from the Russian Federation.

Will the stars shine brighter?

The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) has launched the final version of its new grading criteria.

Effective from October 1, the new criteria will bring greater consistency to the grading process and bring standards in line with international expectations, says the TGCSA. The new criteria can be viewed on the TGCSA’s website at www.tourismgrading.co.za.

Thembi Kunene, Chief Quality Assurance Officer for the TGCSA says: “We will be coming down hard on all those abusing our star grading insignia. The reliance on our star grading system by local and international tourists leaves us no other choice. It is critical for all establishments to take note that going forward, the grading plaque will be issued by the TGCSA and no longer can establishments purchase it directly from the manufacturer. This is an essential added benefit being extended to the graded establishments since the cost of the new plaque will henceforth by borne by the TGCSA.”
The next phase will see the review of the criteria for the camping and caravan, backpackers and conference venues. The TGCSA is hoping this process will be complete by the end of March 2011.

It's not an ill Winde that blows...

The board of Cape Town Tourism has rejected a proposal for a single tourism destination marketing organisation and brand for Cape Town and the Western Cape, as mooted by Western Cape Tourism MEC, Alan Winde.

CTT CEO, Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, in a newsletter to CTT members, says: "Cape Town Tourism has noted the proposal and embarked on a comprehensive negotiation process with the City of Cape Town and the office of the MEC. The board of Cape Town Tourism has indicated that it is not in agreement with the proposal in its current format." She says CTT has received reassurance from the City of Cape Town, which funds CTT's marketing of the city, that: "CTT is, and will remain the city’s tourism promotional and marketing body and that CTT's structure will not change".

Source: SA Tourism Update

Old Mac Daddy Comes To Town

The Elgin Valley in the Western Cape has an avant-garde new eco-accommodation option to entice visitors with the opening of the Old Mac Daddy luxury rural trailer park on one of the region’s famed apple farms, just 1 hour away from central Cape Town.


Accommodation consists of 12 vintage reclaimed Airstream trailers with individual interiors designed by Cape Town-based artists, architects, and stylists. Décor includes tongue-in-cheek retro and post-modern themes like Mills and Boon, Dirkie Sanchez, Life before Colour, and The Dream. The labour-intensive interiors took between 1-3 months to complete, and are liveable, are once-off works of art. There is also a stand-alone 3-bedroomed Daddy’s Villa.

Nine hillside trailers connect to a chalet with a viewing deck that offers 270˚ views of the pine tree covered countryside, and doubles as a living room/children’s bedroom. Most of the trailer-units sleep 2 adults and 2 children (under 16 years). Others, like The Birdy, and Life before Colour, which has a bath in the bedroom, are better suited to romantic couples. Trailers are fully catered and serviced, and have air conditioners, a fridge, a queen-size bed, and an in-room intercom link to the hotel reception.
Lakeside trailers are single trailer units with picket-fenced gardens. Park facilities include an organic restaurant, licensed bar, babysitting services and designer children’s play area, communal barn with satellite TV, Wi-fi and internet access, and secure parking.

mailto:reservations@daddysworld.co.za

Tourism Beyond The Iron Curtain

Russia is the ninth biggest outbound travel market in the world in terms of expenditure according to the latest UNWTO study, and only 15% of Russia’s 142 million population have travelled internationally, there is massive pent-up demand and trip taking is on the increase.

On Show Solutions and Travel e-Sense is taking a selection of tourism companies to Russia and the Ukraine to meet with a highly targeted group of African specialists in St Petersburg, Moscow and Kiev.

Companies already signed up for this exclusive roadshow include African Sun Hotels, An African Anthology, Dragonfly, Legend Lodges Hotels & Resorts, Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency, Namibia Tourism Board, Nomad Adventure Tours, Sun International and Under One Botswana Sky.

Paddington Tucker, market representative for African Sun Hotels and Legend Lodges, states: “Southern Africa has done very little to actively market itself in the Russian-speaking markets, but the potential is huge due to the country's vast resources of wealth and population.”

Source: SA Tourism Update

Coffee on the House @ Beach House Interiors, Hermanus

BEACH HOUSE Interiors & Homeware is offering a Complimentary Cup of Coffee to everyone that visits their store in Hermanus, corner Broad and High Street.

Pop in and view the beautiful clothing, gorgeous tableware, linen, interior accessories and so much more.

See you soon!

FEDHASA launches on-line stats

The Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA) now offers members of the hospitality industry a user-friendly statistical benchmarking facility. Hospitality Stats-on-Line, specifically designed for accommodation establishments in South Africa. HSOL is independently administered on behalf of FEDHASA and is fully automated, secure and confidential.

There is a very definite need for reliable industry statistics relating to occupancy rates, average room rates and average revenues per available room (Revpar). HSOL will provide participating establishments with consolidated monthly reports on these statistics, nationally, provincially, per tourism region or locally. Reports will also be available by star grading. It is simple, easy to use and quick.

Industry members are encouraged to visit www.statsonline.co.za for more information and to register for the service.

Source: Southern African Tourism Update

India, The Emerging Global Power

India's new ultra-modern, multi-billion-dollar airport terminal opens in New Delhi. A shiny glass and steel symbol of the country's aspirations as an emerging global power.


The state-of-the-art hub can handle 34 million passengers a year. The terminal sprawls over four square kilometres and boasts 97 automated walkways and 78 aerobridges.

Visa reports R1,3 billion spend for first half of World Cup

The South African economy has seen a boost in foreign visitor spending during the lead-up to and during the group stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup according to new cardholder spending data from Visa Inc.

During the period leading up to the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup and the end of the group stage spending by international visitors in South Africa on Visa-branded payment cards exceeded R1,33 billion, up 65% from R810 million during the same period in 2009. The number of transactions for that period was 1.3 million (51 000 per day on average), up 74% from approximately 730 000 (29 000 a day on average) during the same 25 days in 2009.

Visa spending data indicates that the United States, followed by the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil and France, has been the strongest contributor to tourism spending to date. These five countries alone accounted for 47% of spending. Over 90% of spending was on typical leisure and business travel categories - accommodation, restaurants, retail, auto rental and air travel.

Colouring-In Competition : Beach House Living, Hermanus

COLOURING-IN COMPETITION FOR KIDS
Beach House Living and Time for Living, at Hemel en Aarde, Hermanus, are having a Colouring-In Competition for Children.
So rush there today to colour-in your picture - and you could win some great prizes.

The "Win R2010 in the World Cup Flags Competition" is in full swing, so collect your entry form today and submit your entry before the 12th July 2010.

Contact us if you require more information or details : Southern Stroll Marketing at 082 442 6545 or 028 316 1868 or southernstroll@mweb.co.za

FIFA Admits It's A Balls Up

FIFA has finally acknowledged that there may be something wrong with the Jabulani World Cup ball, but won't act on the problem until after the tournament.
Many players have likened the Jabulani to a 'supermarket ball', saying it is too unpredictable and flies through the air too easily.
"We're not deaf," FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said Saturday at a news conference. Valcke said that FIFA will discuss the matter with coaches and teams after the World Cup, then meet with manufacturer Adidas.
Denmark defender Daniel Agger said the ball made some outfielders look like 'drunken sailors'.

The Jabulani could create even more problems in the knockout phase beginning Saturday, since games could be decided by penalty shootouts.

"The balls have changed over the last couple of years, they have become a lot faster and in addition to that, in Johannesburg, we are playing at an altitude of 1700 metres, which makes the ball even faster," former Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn said.
"Thus the goalkeepers work even harder, but I don't think that we can take the ball or the altitude as excuses."

Moratorium To Stay

AGADIR, Morocco — As the 62nd annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission closed, Kitty Block, vice president of Humane Society International and head of the HSI delegation, released the following statement:
"We came to Agadir to defeat a proposal that would have undone the global commercial whaling moratorium, putting the world's whales at greater risk of the suffering and death from the harpoons of the whaling nations. We did not come to Agadir alone — we came representing millions of citizens from around the world who did not want to see the IWC once again approve the slaughter of whales for commercial gain. Their voices were heard, and they shifted the balance. We were successful, and our team returns home with the knowledge that the moratorium remains and that those countries that continue to kill whales do so with international condemnation and scorn."

Return to Commercial Whaling Option Rejected for Now at Annual Whaling Meeting

Humane Society International leaders expressed their satisfaction at Wednesday’s withdrawal of a 'compromise' package that would have legitimized commercial whaling, set aside by the delegates at the morning session of the 62nd annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission.
“The proposal was fatally flawed from the beginning, above all because it promised to validate commercial whaling without setting a true deadline for its extinction,” said Kitty Block, vice president of HSI and head of the HSI delegation at Agadir. “There were also significant defects in the alternative plans championed by several nations and non-governmental actors involved in the discussions at IWC 62, and we opposed those for similar reasons.”
But Block cautioned that the deal could resurface later this week in another form, and that HSI would remain vigilant in its efforts to protect the global moratorium on commercial whaling.
Block also noted the strong opening statement of the United States delegation at IWC, which affirmed that “The conservation of whales is paramount to the United States,” and underscored the point that the American government would “not support an agreement at any cost.”

Pierce Brosnan Gives His Support to IWC

Pierce Brosnan is also well-known as an advocate for oceans and marine life, especially whales.
Recognizing how high the stakes are for whales this year at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission, in Agadir, Morocco, Pierce and his wife, Keely Shaye Smith, television host and correspondent, decided to meet the challenge by producing a video advertisement. The video encourages President Barack Obama to honour his promise to uphold the commercial whaling moratorium, and to oppose an international deal that the majority of international environmental and animal protection organizations oppose.

Pierce and Keely teamed up with Humane Society International, The HSUS, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the National Resources Defense Council to distribute the advertisement.

The IWC is meeting behind closed doors this week, so keep abreast of the latest news here.

WIN R2010 - World Cup Flags Competition

WIN R2010
World Cup Flags Competition

Identify the flags on the Beach House Living building at Hemel en Aarde Shopping Centre in Hermanus, buy something for at least R100 and fill out the entry form at Beach House Living and Time for Living - and you can WIN!!!
Pop in today and get your entry in before the 12th July 2010!

Whaling Moratorium Must Continue...

Pro- and anti-whaling nations face off this week in a battle over the 24-year-old ban on the commercial killing of whales.
Gathering in Morocco, the 88 countries of the International Whaling Commission will tussle over controversial changes to a moratorium which experts say has saved several whale species driven to near-extinction by more than 150 years of industrial hunting.
The changes aim to coax Japan, Norway and Iceland back into the IWC mainstream.
Australian environment protection minister Peter Garrett says the proposal would sanction the killing of whales in the IWC whale sanctuary in the Southern Ocean and also allow threatened species to be killed.
He says Australia won't be voting for a bad deal for whales and he'll try to convince countries opposed to the proposal to reject it.

Support Like Never Before

Now is the time to support our national soccer team, Bafana Bafana like never before.
Take your head out of the ground, the vuvuzela out the garage and your SA flags, mirror socks, jerseys and scarves out the kit bag. Bafana go up against a fiesty France in a group 'A' match number 34 at the recently upgraded Bloemfontein stadium. Kick off is at 16h00 on Tuesday 22nd June.

Nothing Like Reliable Stats To Perk You Up

South Africa saw a 34% increase in inbound tourism spending during the first quarter of 2010 and anticipates additional growth opportunities around the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
This is according to an annual report released by Visa, which analyses Visa cardholder spending for the past two years.

The report showed that the top contributors to South Africa’s inbound tourism spending in 2009 included:

United Kingdom: 26%
United States: 15%
Mozambique: 5%
Germany: 4%

France: 4%

While travellers from Western Europe and the US continue to be the strongest contributors to South African tourism, significant increases in spending by cardholders from emerging markets are indicative of South Africa’s growing stature as a tourism destination.

As host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa is uniquely positioned to further enhance its visibility globally.

Hermanus Leads The Way Ahead Of 2010

EThekwini Municipality's Durban Tourism Unit launched the 2010 Fan Centre last week, writes SA Tourism Update.

The centre, which is situated at the beachfront, boasts an impressive array of services which include the Tourist Information Centre, a Police Station, an Internet café, a lost and found facility and a Consul Office where international visitors can have assistance with problems such as lost travel documents. It will be operational 24 hours a day. There is a traders’ market where one can buy arts and crafts. A marquee is set up with chairs and tables to serve as a hang-out spot and eatery. Tour operators have also set up at the precinct to make their services readily available.

The Fan Centre's purpose is to be a one-stop shop for tourists to experience the warmth of the city.

Sounds to me like they have taken a peek at our new Info Kiosk in Hermanus.

Beach House Beats The Best

The front facade of Beach House Interiors is complete and is causing quite a stir in Hermanus.

South Africa Rocks and Shocks

Word is out that this will be the most successful FIFA World Cup ever.
The world was taken by storm on Friday when tens of thousands of Bafana fans flocked into the streets of Johannesburg to show their support for the 'boys'.
Germany only saw a surge of interest after their national team went into the middle games.
South Africa has once again shocked the world. When all the doomsayers were predicting doom and gloom after Madiba was released from prison, our country once again stands proud with head and shoulders erect.

One Flag Of Chips To Take Away

The grandmother of England's fast foods, the chippy, was first mentioned by Charles Dickens in his classic novel 'Oliver Twist' in 1838.
My first recollections of this culinery delight, are watching a Portuguese shop owner tipping out a basket of steaming 'slap' chips onto a page of yesteryears newspaper.
Lekker man.

Food Flag Fun

In the spirit of the World Cup, here is an Italian flag made from authentic Italian ingredients.
Let's see who can make up a food flag for South Africa. Possible ingredients could be: Pap (White), Chakalaka (Red), Squid Ink (Black), Marog (Green), Mielies (Yellow) and Bloem's Bleu Cheese (Blue).
Watch this space as we will post Britain's finest tomorrow.

Parkies Placed In Pause Mode?

Would it not be a fantastic gesture if Hermanus' parking attendants (Parkies) waivered the parking fees for the duration of the World Cup?

Best Dressed 2010 Business in CWC : Challenge Hotting Up

We challenged the businesses in the Cape Whale Coast to find the Best Dressed World Cup 2010 Company and we have had a fantastic response - Well Done to everyone who is making a great effort in showing the world that we are a colourful, FUN nation!

Pick 'n Pay Hermanus are even decorating doughnuts in the colours /designs of the participating countries' flags.

And what is happening at Beach House Living at Hemel en Aarde? Sally and Sjaak have definitely embraced this challenge and are determined to be the 'talk of the town'.

Eyjafjallajoekull! Bless You.

So much for the volcanovation that this puff of smoke brought with it. The numbers of tourists has dwindled to an insignificant plume of smoke compared to when the violent eruptions saw hundreds of eager 'happy snappers' heading for a foggy Iceland.
If you want sustainable eco-tourism look no further than Hermanus.

Eyjafjallajoekull?

No thank you, we prefer Hermanussuccessful.

Beach Villa Brags With Verve

Charl from Hermanus Beach Villa sent in this photos to enter our competition.

Bookies Back Bullfighters

If bookmakers are to be believed, the current European champions, Spain have the best chance of winning the World Cup.

The odds are 4-1 for Spain, Brazil is at 5-1 and England at 6-1, Brent Graham, told News24. "Although sports betting is not an exact science with perception and demand deciding the odds, bookmakers were generally speaking, good at setting the odds, although ‘big upsets’ are possible." South Africa is between 150 and 200-1 to win and have a 2 in 1 chance of proceeding to the second level.

Let's give Bafana our support and prove the bookies wrong...

Bad Ball Ballistics

Several players are going all out against the new World Cup ball, with more than one comparing it to those bought at a supermarket.
And this time it's not only goalkeepers who are complaining. Strikers, defenders and midfielders are also lashing out at the Adidas ball just a few days before the month-long tournament is to begin.
The ball is called Jabulani, which means 'to celebrate' in isiZulu, but not many are celebrating it so far.
It's hard to find a player who is happy with it, and those who don't like it are not saving adjectives to describe their feelings.

SOCCER BALL CAR in Hermanus

Nissan Overberg have a stunning "soccer ball" car - Well Done, guys, this is what the World Cup "GEES" is all about.

We hope all businesses in the Cape Whale Coast will celebrate the Soccer World Cup with us and have FUN while they decorate their offices and cars.

Watch this space for more Soccer GEES!

Challenge : Best Dressed World Cup Business

Southern Stroll Marketing Challenges all the businesses in the Cape Whale Coast to show their World Cup GEES.
We look forward to seeing the SA Flag (and the 31 others) adorn your buildings, cars, etc.

Calling businesses from Kleinmond - Hermanus - Stanford - Gansbaai : We are looking for the Best Dressed World Cup Business in the Cape Whale Coast!

Let's celebrate the World Cup 2010 and have FUN, FUN, FUN so we can tempt the world that are watching, to visit us very soon!

Best Pitch We Have

Cape Town Stadium has the best pitch of all the 2010 soccer World Cup venues, Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke said on Wednesday.

He was speaking at the ceremonial handover of the 68 000 seater stadium to the world soccer body ahead of the start of the tournament.

"It's definitely the best pitch we have during all this World Cup, if you compare with all the other stadiums," he said. "I'm sorry for the other stadiums, but it's a fact."

Jabulani, As Unique As Us

Dubbed Jabulani the ball forms part of a growing pedigree of World Cup footballs that now spans four decades.
The ball consists of an outer polyurethane coat and three inner layers, which mutually complement one another with their different ‘Adicron’ structures. These are intended to ensure the ball’s resistance, ability to retain its shape and its waterproof properties.
Responding to Engineering News questions, a FIFA spokesperson says that Adidas is the undisputed technology leader when it comes to official match balls. The sports equipment firm has introduced innovations such as the use of colour, syntactic materials, new panel shapes and seamless bonding for many past World Cups.

Eleven different colours are used in Jabulani because it is the eleventh Adidas World Cup ball. These colours also represent the 11 players in every team, the 11 official languages of South Africa and the 11 South African tribes that make the country one of the most ethnologically diverse countries on the African continent.
The final game in Jo’burg will have a unique ball for a unique event called Jo’bulani. It looks like Jabulani, but the pattern colour is gold because Johannesburg is the city of gold.

Floating Hotels Snubbed

The two luxury cruise ships, Noordam and Westerdam among the most luxurious in the world, were to have docked in Cape Town during the 2010 world cup. The idea was to use them as floating hotels and dilute the Cape's tourism income. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for us locals these plans have been cancelled due to a lack of interest and bookings.

Accommodation on the ships would have cost up to R71 000 per person sharing a five-night package.

Landlords Are A Tenacious Lot

The centrepiece of a R66-billion complex intended to redefine the Las Vegas resort experience, opened Monday 17th May 2010 with a lavish private party and fireworks.
Aria is the glass-sheathed Cesar Pelli-designed 4,004 room hotel at the heart of CityCenter, a 67 acre complex of hotels, condominiums and retail on the Las Vegas Strip.
President Barack Obama is tentatively scheduled to tour the complex on December 23 en route to his Christmas holiday in Hawaii.
Still, MGM Mirage faces other challenges with CityCenter, which adds about 6,000 new hotel rooms to a market that already has 141,000 and has seen occupancy reside in the low 80% range for most of 2009.
The Las Vegas economy has suffered its worst downturn since gambling was legalized in the 1930s. Visitation slumped to 35 million in 2009, down from a record 39,2 million in 2007 and the destination's lowest count since 1999.
Room rates now average R718 per night, 23% lower than the 2008 average, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. And 2008 was 10% below 2007.

So, it is quite evident that the hospitality industry is taking strain, and South Africa is no exception. All the more reason to have a profesional marketing campaign up your sleeve.

Talking to a few local guesthouse owners and hotel managers recently, it is evident that they are a tenacious lot and are optimistic about occupancy rates for the near future.

"Bring them on, I say."

Is There Life After 2010?

Sebb’s circus has come and gone, your bottom line is not looking as rosy as what you anticipated and you’re fatigued. The medical term for this ailment is: Post FIFA Stress Syndrome or PFSS… Like a deflated party balloon. Whilst not being an ailment that is fatal, irritate me once more and it might just prove to be so.

Many South Africans will be licking their financial wounds and wondering why on earth they over-capitalized on this single major opportunity to make the quick buck. Spare a thought for those who approached their friendly bank managers with this ‘dead-cert’ or those who forfeited their annual holiday to have costly renovations done to their properties in order to cash-in on this cash-cow.

So, where to from here are you asking? Let’s lift ourselves up, dust ourselves off and press on. And it goes without saying, “Always look on the bright side of life.”

It’s going to be the end of July and it will be the perfect time for you to plan your attack while the rest of South Africa is recouping from the dreaded PFSS. Now is the time to call in the marketing specialists to give a candid report on your establishment’s marketing health and how to improve that bottom line.

And ponder: ‘The old girl did need that lick of paint now didn’t she?’

Is there life after 2010? You Betcha.

Rent A Local Friend

Live the local spirit with a local friend!
Experiencing a new town with a local friend makes us feel at home. It brings us the confidence of making the right choices, so we can relax and enjoy the local spirit.

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Your local host will design and propose a personalized itinerary based on cool and charming places to visit, according to your personal interests.