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