The Tourism Department wants to increase South Africa's domestic tourism figures from the current estimated seven million to more than 17 million by 2020. This comes as government's new economic growth path identified tourism as being among the top sectors to help the state achieve its economic objectives for the country. The department this week unveiled its revamped 2011 leg of the famous Sho't Left campaign, in which it plans to spend more than R30 million in a series of road trips … [Read more...] about Could We Attract 17 Million Tourists?
Tourism
This is Gonna Make the Longhair so Jealous
The Longhair and I have this abiding love affair with seafood, sushi and, strangely enough, Avocado Pears. The Mother in Law will occasionally dish up an odd number of avocado slices just to watch us squabble over who has had the most. When the mood strikes the Apprentice Longhair and I will spend the better part of a day preparing and making a Sushi feast. Of course the Longhair continually says that my Sushi is the best - actually I think she says that just to ensure that I continue to make … [Read more...] about This is Gonna Make the Longhair so Jealous
SA Tourism Must Stay Focused
While South Africa's tourism industry has made great strides and noted some successes, many challenges still lay ahead, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has said. Speaking at the Cape Town and Western Cape Destination Management Conference on Monday, van Schalkwyk said that South Africa was currently well positioned, and the efforts put in before and during last year's FIFA's World Cup have paid off. International tourism arrivals for 2010 registered a year-on-year growth of 15.1 … [Read more...] about SA Tourism Must Stay Focused
You Will Now Pay Almost Double for Your Passport
Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni has defended an almost 100 percent hike in the price South Africans will have to pay for a passport, saying the increase was necessary given the new security features on passports. Apleni announced on Thursday that cost of a passport would rise from R190 to R400 from 1 April. Other increases will see the price of temporary identity certificates and re-issuing identity documents (ID) go from the current R20 to R140. Child passports will rise … [Read more...] about You Will Now Pay Almost Double for Your Passport
Port Elizabeth’s Sardine Run
Every year we are assaulted with images of the 'petering out' of the annual sardine run along the KZN coast when the sardines come close inshore and excited Kwazulians/Natalians/Last Outpostians rush into the water from their beaches with all manner of nets and buckets to scoop up sardines for breakfast, lunch and supper. This annual event attracts thousands of international and local tourists who come to see and experience this phenomenon. Most people are not aware though that the sardine … [Read more...] about Port Elizabeth’s Sardine Run
Opening of Brookes Hill Family Restaurant Location Welcomed
The planned re-opening next month of the revamped multimillion-rand Brookes Hill Pavilion has been welcomed by Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism's (NMBT) CEO, who said the increased offering of beachfront entertainment and restaurant facilities in the city would be a great boost to the city's tourism assets. "It is wonderful to have such a facility at a prime beachfront location. The additional restaurants and entertainment venues will not only serve the city's residents but also the many tourists … [Read more...] about Opening of Brookes Hill Family Restaurant Location Welcomed
I Wouldn’t Swim Off of Hobie or Kings Beach for a While
Apparently a sea-going tour operator was filmed in Algoa Bay today chumming for sharks. Now the fact that said tour operator had a film crew onboard that is connected to an internationally known and veneered television station and that the permit carried by said tour operator does not allow for any such activity is not enough. The chumming activity 'apparently' took place along Hobie Beach - Port Elizabeth's erstwhile Blue Flag beach and very popular swimming spot that hosts the very … [Read more...] about I Wouldn’t Swim Off of Hobie or Kings Beach for a While
Hospitality Industry Cheating Employees
The Department of Labour has warned hospitality industry employers to pay their workers as stipulated or face the full might of the law. This after Free State Labour inspectors uncovered that some employers were shortchanging their employees. According to the department, some employers with more than 10 workers were cheating their employees by underpaying their wages, and instead were paying them the wages they would if they had less than 10 employees. According to the Hospitality … [Read more...] about Hospitality Industry Cheating Employees
Universal Accessibility Accolade for Local Guest House
Forest Hall Guest House, on 22 March, hosted the Minister of Tourism, Mathinus van Schalkwyk, at the unveiling of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) plaque commemorating Forest Hall as the first establishment in South Africa to qualify for a 4 star TGCSA Universal Accessibility grading. In the normal grading process TGCSA awards four stars to an accommodation establishment that offer "excellent quality in the overall standard of facilities, furnishings, service and guest … [Read more...] about Universal Accessibility Accolade for Local Guest House
NMBT Head Lashes ‘Promoters’
Concerned Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) chief executive, Mandlakazi Skefile, has lashed out at local event organisers for their poor planning and execution of events - imploring them to make sure they have enough financial backing, sponsorship and capacity for planned events. (Scroll down to see the MyPE Editor's Lashing!) Skefile said that failed or cancelled events are damaging tourism to the city and impacting on confidence people have in the city to pull off events. This was … [Read more...] about NMBT Head Lashes ‘Promoters’
Come Closer to Nelson Mandela Bay
Canadian strategic consultant and author Anita Mendiratta, who in March 2011 launched her book, Come Closer, on the importance of global tourism in the social, economic and diplomatic development of nations assisted Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) with the development of the organisation's strategic planning process during 2008. NMBT CEO Mandlakazi Skefile said Mendiratta's book "Come Closer: How Tourism Is Shaping the Future of Nations", offered travel professionals insight into the … [Read more...] about Come Closer to Nelson Mandela Bay
St Georges Park 150th Anniversary
Towards the end of last year I came across an entry in the book Port Elizabeth in Bygone Days, written by JJ Redgrave and published in 1947, that detailed the opening ceremony of St Georges Park on 6 August 1861. I stopped and said to myself; "Self, this is such a great opportunity to embark on a little bit of marketing for old Port Elizabeth, not to mention a great opportunity for the tourism industry to promote Port Elizabeth AND make a little bit of loot." So I sent a heads up to a … [Read more...] about St Georges Park 150th Anniversary
Port Elizabeth Offers a Bit of April Loving
Love will be at the heart of Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism's (NMBT) campaign for the 2011 April holidays, with a distinct feeling in the city that it's a place with "lots to love and lots to do". "There is no better person to ask why one should love Nelson Mandela Bay than a local," said Titus Chuene, NMBT marketing manager. "When tourists come to Nelson Mandela Bay it is often to visit family and friends, so it's these locals who will be able to best market the city - because they live here and … [Read more...] about Port Elizabeth Offers a Bit of April Loving
Chuene Tackles Table Mountain and Wins
Nelson Mandela Bay is the only Metropolitan area outside the Western Cape which has given its support to Cape Town's tourism authorities' bid to get Table Mountain voted as one of the world's Official New7Wonders of Nature. This follows Titus Chuene's, marketing manager of Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT), recent call to the city's residents to support Cape Town Tourism and vote for Table Mountain. As a result, Cape Town Tourism has named Chuene as an official ambassador of their Table … [Read more...] about Chuene Tackles Table Mountain and Wins
Meetings Africa Conference Identifies Tourism Opportunities
The annual Meetings Africa conference took place from February 21-23 at the Sandton Convention Centre. Ectour's Tsitsikamma Nodal chairperson, Dewald Niemann represented the organisation at the event. Ectour is the private sector group marketing organisation for the Eastern Cape and represents more than 170 private products, putting it in a unique position to provide a truly comprehensive menu to provincial tourism. "We used the conference as an opportunity to showcase our members and to show … [Read more...] about Meetings Africa Conference Identifies Tourism Opportunities
