South Africa Holiday Blog

The Blyde River Canyon

2011-02-23T00:47:00.001-08:00

It may well be that you have never heard of the Blyde River Canyon. But at the same time you will soon realise why it has something of a name for itself. For starters it is one of the largest canyons the world has to offer. This alone makes it worthy of a visit, but if you want to see one of the most amazing sights in South Africa you will also want to take a closer look.

There are some amazing sights to be had in this canyon, but you will need a head for heights. Sheer drops into the canyon itself are the order of the day, and many of them drop away for an amazing 800 metres. So you can see you will need to be prepared not to get overwhelmed by some of the views that will greet you!

While you are there you should take a look at God’s Window. This is one of the most famous parts of the Blyde River Canyon. There is a lookout point at the top of the view and as you peer over the edge it really does feel as if you are looking down through God’s Window! It gives you the most amazing and captivating view you have probably ever seen, so it is well worth the trek to see the view from here.

The Blyde River Canyon does have several highlights like God’s Window to see while you are there. But be very careful – it also has areas that are sensational and worth seeing at every step of your route. If you focus on seeing only the highlights you will miss countless other amazing sights along the way. This is after all an area filled with spectacular views, amazing sights and flora and fauna like you wouldn’t believe.

So you can see that if you are going to visit the canyon you will need to allow plenty of time to do it. It is an area that holds many secrets, but in order to find them all you need to be prepared to take your time and enjoy what you meet at every single turn.

Have You Seen the Hole in the Wall?

2011-01-24T03:31:00.001-08:00

Now you would be forgiven for thinking that we were referring to a cashpoint. But in fact if you happen to be going to South Africa we would be pointing you in the direction of something that is altogether natural rather than man made.

The Hole in the Wall in this case is actually a hole in the rocks at Coffee Bay. The beautifully named bay is a delight to see in itself, but you can also join the many people who go there to see this hole for themselves. Perhaps it is partly the name that attracts so many people, or maybe it is the beauty of the area that pulls them in. Either way you will be glad you made the effort to see it for yourself.

The Hole in the Wall is a rock formation created by the onslaught of the waves, and it is associated with a story of a Great Cattle Killing. The formation looks out to sea and provides a captivating sight in an area that is well worth seeing for its own attractions anyway. You shouldn’t expect to be welcomed by modern tourism when you arrive, because there is a distinct lack of buildings here. But this is part of the attraction, and provided you go prepared for it you will have a wonderful time in this part of South Africa.

Many people take the opportunity to walk out to the Hole in the Wall to see it up close. The wildlife is prevalent here too, so be prepared to see a few animals if you are lucky. This is quite an area to explore if you are wearing the right walking boots and you are ready for several hours worth of walking. It would be a shame to cut any exploration short, because the Hole in the Wall is really just the beginning of the natural delights that Coffee Bay has to offer you.

So make a start at exploring the Wild Coast of South Africa by seeing what the Hole in the Wall at Coffee Bay has to show you.

Hold Onto Your Hats For A Wild Ride At Ratanga Junction

2010-12-24T12:24:00.000-08:00

South Africa certainly has plenty of amazing experiences to offer anyone who decides to pay it a visit. For instance you can head out on safari or go to one of the coastal regions to check out the beaches they have on offer as well.

But they also know how to create great theme parks, and if you want proof of this you only have to go to Ratanga Junction. This is a theme park located in Cape Town, so if you happen to have decided to base your holiday in Cape Town itself, you won’t be far away from a sensational day out at the theme park. You will be glad you decided to allocate a day to do this, because Ratanga Junction really is quite an amazing place.

This is one theme park that has something for all the family to enjoy. It might sound like a cliché but with all kinds of rides and experiences there is no chance of visiting and being disappointed at what you will find there.

The Crocodile Gorge is good fun for anyone not minding getting a bit wet, since this can be a very wet ride! If you are looking for a ride for the entire family to try out, this is the one. The Cobra is one of the best roller coasters you can try out at the park; it is a suspended coaster so it feels amazing to whizz round the loops with your legs hanging freely below you.

If water rides are more your thing you can hot foot it from the Crocodile Gorge to the Monkey Falls, a log flume ride you won’t forget in a hurry. This is an amazing ride and it has a big drop of more than eighteen metres, so be ready for it and make sure you hang on.

Ratanga Junction is popular for lots of different reasons, but there is no doubt it represents great value for money for a family day out. If you are in South Africa and Cape Town isn’t too far away from where you are staying, make sure you go and look for it.

Exploring Pretoria in South Africa

2010-11-25T03:28:00.001-08:00

If you were to view Pretoria from the air, you would be faced with a strange but enchanting mix of alternative views. Tower blocks are vying for space with charming purple blossomed trees. Even though the mix might sound unlikely it looks as if it was always meant to be. Pretoria is a wonderful city for more than just this range of jacarandas.

If you are visiting Johannesburg you can easily make the time to visit Pretoria too, since the two are only separated by some thirty miles. One of the main reasons why visiting Pretoria is an eye opening experience is because of the mixed styles you will see going on in the city. It has seen many different peoples and influences in its time, and each one has left its own distinct footprint in the city. They have all subsequently combined to create a city that is memorable for many reasons.

But as with many cities there is also every chance of escaping into quieter and leafier areas too. The Pretoria National Botanical Garden is a fascinating and peaceful area to visit while you are in the city, but this is not the only great feature of the city in this respect. There is also a bird sanctuary if you are interested in seeing many birds of South Africa while you are there.

Pretoria will puzzle you in some ways, because it is very unlike many other cities you may have seen before. It has a laid back feel that is quite unmistakeable and draws you in to find out more. You will find it easy to explore the city as well, since the grid like system its roads are based on is very easy to follow. Pretoria is a welcoming city and one which seems to appeal to many tourists, probably because of the nature that it has inherent in its design. Those purple trees are truly captivating and they are almost a signature of the city itself.

So Pretoria should definitely be near the top of your list of places to see while you are exploring South Africa.

The Captivating Sight of the Drakensberg Mountains

2010-10-26T06:11:00.001-07:00

There is no doubt that South Africa is filled with amazing sights and sounds for every visitor to marvel at. When it comes to sights, one of the best of the lot must surely be the Drakensberg Mountains.

As you might expect, the sight of the mountains presents a challenge to many different people. Some tackle the higher reaches of the mountains while others prefer to stick to the lower slopes. However it doesn’t matter which paths you take – they all take you through part of the myriad of slopes, trails and sights that combine to form the Drakensberg Mountains.

The name comes from an alternative meaning and translation – Dragon’s Mountain. Indeed once you set foot on it and discover it on your own you may well assume that to see a dragon here would not be that unusual. The landscape is such that drama of this nature would not be out of place. No matter what time of year you visit, you will find something delightful to welcome you. Perhaps if you head up to the very summit you will find a pub there waiting to serve you with a cool drink. You would not be seeing things either – this is the spot where the highest pub in the country resides.

But of course many come to see the slopes and to walk them step by step. For others there are more dramatic activities to try. Rock climbing provides a steeper route to the top, but it is not the preferred one for everyone to take.

But perhaps the most attractive part of the Drakensberg Mountains is the fact that they are home to hundreds of different species of wildlife and birds. If you are patient and you keep your eyes open, you may well see a few of them sharing the land with you as you pass through.

This region holds many delights and surprises, no matter when you visit. But one thing is always certain – you will always see the best side of the Drakensberg Mountains, purely because that is all it has to offer.

Exploring The Victoria And Alfred Waterfront

2010-09-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

Cape Town is chock full of exciting and fascinating places to see and visit. But if your South African holiday happens to be taking in this city, make sure you don’t miss out on the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. Known as the V&A Waterfront for short, you will be pleased you made the effort to find it.

Once you are in the main centre of Cape Town you will easily be able to make your way towards the waterfront itself. The good news is that you can spend the entire day here and not get bored to any extent. There is so much to see and do both in the harbour and on land your day will be filled with entertainment, good food and great experiences.

Take the marina itself for example. You can enjoy taking a cruise around the area if you book a trip on one of the boats there. This is an ideal way to see the V&A Waterfront – and indeed Cape Town too – from a different perspective.

Don’t miss the Two Oceans Aquarium either if you want to find out more about what lurks beneath the surface in the waters surrounding South Africa’s coastline. You can also get in the water here and dive with sharks if you have the nerve for it! It certainly isn’t any normal aquarium.

With so much to see and do for the entire family, it is obvious that you will get hungry before too long. Look for the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre, as this plays host to plenty of restaurants and bars as well as shops. Whatever you fancy eating you are bound to find something perfect right here.

It’s good to know that Cape Town has so much to offer as part of a holiday in South Africa. The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is always a popular area, however long you want to spend there. With so much to see and do this is an ideal destination to spend a day or two getting to know part of Cape Town in much more detail than you might otherwise.

The Gorgeous Golden Mile In Durban

2010-08-26T05:40:00.001-07:00

If you’ve decided on a South African based holiday this year you may well be wondering which location to head to. The obvious answer is to one of the big safari areas, but there is a lot more to South Africa than this.

Take Durban for example. This is a city that is familiar by name to many people, even to those who have never visited the country before. What’s more, if you make this the venue for your holiday you won’t run short of things to do.

One of the key sights that Durban is known for is the Golden Mile. Even the name makes it sound like a must see place – and it certainly is. This is part of the beach that Durban plays host to, which automatically gives you the best of both worlds. Not only do you get all the delights of the city to explore, you can also enjoy a beach holiday just a short distance from your chosen accommodation.

The Golden Mile itself also offers a relaxing promenade that is just perfect for that post dinner stroll. The name comes from the fact that the sands on the mile are indeed golden in colour, and are quite tempting to those who love sunbathing. Just imagine being able to walk along here as you watch the sun go down during the evening. What better joy could there be than that?

You might be lucky enough to book into a beachfront hotel or other form of accommodation right on the front. This means you’ll have but a short distance to negotiate to get yourself prime position on the beach during the day.

The other big advantage of visiting the Golden Mile – even if you don’t stay nearby – is that it plays host to lots of different venues and attractions. So once you’ve done the walk you can look forward to filling your days there with lots of other things to see and do as well.

As you can see Durban is hardly a quiet and retiring kind of place. Instead it could be just the holiday base you are looking for.

Robben Island – Not Somewhere You Would Want To Stay For Long

2010-07-28T05:41:00.001-07:00

Isn’t it strange how some locations are great as tourist destinations, but they used to be anything but in their former lives? One such example of this would be Robben Island in South Africa. This has a history that has led the island to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The island used to be a maximum security prison, and the fact that it was on an island in the first place led it to be compared to Alcatraz in the US. Indeed there are many comparisons that can be made with that particular prison, including the fact that there have been some famous prisoners in each.

The most famous person of all to have spent time locked up at Robben Island is Nelson Mandela. But while he may have brought more attention to the island, its past as a place of incarceration can be traced back some four centuries. It would have seemed incredibly unlikely, even a few decades ago, that the island could ever become a heritage site. It was also not a place that tourists would ever dream of visiting. But now we are all eager to learn more about South Africa’s past, and how it has essentially shaped its future.

Today you can explore the prison on a guided tour. Needless to say the place where Nelson Mandela spent his time will be shown to you, and you can see a lot more there as well. It is difficult to imagine what it would have been like to spend years incarcerated on this island. You really would have been cut off from the outside world in more ways than one.

But it was the secure nature of the location that made it such a good choice for a prison – just as Alcatraz had those same features. Some of the tours are conducted by people who were actually once imprisoned there as well. So if you want the best possible picture of what living there would have been like, make sure you book onto a tour when you arrive.

The Valley Of The Waves

2010-06-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

South Africa is probably not the place that comes to mind when you think about water parks. You are much more likely to think of a safari than anything else.

But that doesn’t mean there are no water parks here at all. Indeed you only have to go to the Valley of the Waves to see that South Africa can do a water park just as happily as any other country.

So assuming you are packing your beach towel and getting ready to head out to South Africa right now, what can you expect when you get there?

Well for starters you will see a beach when you arrive. It’s an artificial beach to be sure, but that doesn’t make it any less appealing. There is water here too just as you would expect, with a huge lagoon to wander out into for a swim. Don’t let this be the only place you head to during your time here though, because you will find five separate flumes to ride on if you have the nerve.

One of the most notable of these is a flume ride that plunges you down an amazing seventeen metres before you reach a pool at the bottom. The first try is always the most nerve wracking, but after that you will be heading straight back round to try it again.

If the first thing you usually head to whenever you go to a water park is the lazy river, don’t worry – you will find one of those here too. This is one of the best things to do if you just want to relax and enjoy your surroundings at the Valley of the Waves.

It is worth noting that if you are staying at the resort here, you can gain access to the Valley of the Waves completely free of charge. If you want to stay elsewhere you can still go and enjoy everything the park has to offer, but you will have to pay for the privilege.

It is well worth doing it though because there is plenty here to keep you busy and entertained for a whole day – and perhaps longer as well.

Exploring The Johannesburg Botanical Garden

2010-05-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

Johannesburg – or Jo’burg as it is sometimes known in shortened form – is a fascinating place to visit. Its past is not always desirable but that doesn’t mean it does not have plenty to offer to the tourist waiting and watching for somewhere worthwhile to visit today while in South Africa.

A great example of a wonderful venue is the Johannesburg Botanical Garden. The gardens are not huge, covering a space of around one and a quarter square kilometres in total. But they hold lots for you to discover and look for, so it is worth paying a visit while you are in town.

Most notably there is the Emmarentia Dam, which actually consists of several dams. It is very nearly a century old now, having been originally opened in 1912. Make sure you head over to the eastern shore of the dam because there is a nice tea room here and plenty of nice places to sit back and relax while you watch the world go by for a while. Indeed the eastern shore is where the Botanical Garden resides, which is apt luck for you!

The green space of the Johannesburg Botanical Garden has many thousands of trees in it, offering plenty of shade when the weather is warm. It also provides a haven from the rest of the city, and is a popular place for residents as well as tourists to get back to nature. Watch out for the rose garden and its many stunning roses to appreciate and take pictures of. Perhaps you can try and cultivate some yourself when you return home – as a memory of your trip here.

The main thing to bear in mind with these gardens is that there are really many of them in the one place. As we’ve mentioned already there is a rose garden here, but there is also a succulent garden with appropriate planting in it. And if you know your Shakespeare you should definitely make time to see the Shakespeare Garden and its many plants, all of which made an appearance in his plays at some point.

Getting Married In South Africa

2010-04-28T05:04:00.001-07:00

Getting hitched abroad is becoming a more popular way of saying your vows somewhere more appealing than doing it at home. South Africa is a good possibility for a marriage and indeed a honeymoon as well, and for several good reasons.

Firstly this is one of the big countries in the world for safaris, and this can be a popular honeymoon choice. With locations such as the Kruger National Park to explore, your honeymoon could certainly have the wow factor.

One of the most important things to consider is whether you are going to have your honeymoon in roughly the same place as your wedding. Many people think this is a great idea, but while it certainly cuts down on the travel time between getting hitched and kicking back and relaxing, it can also lead to problems. If you have several family members going out to be with you at your wedding, you could end up having them taking part in your honeymoon as well. If you want to avoid this happening you should definitely consider staying somewhere else.

The South African setting gives you lots of options for your wedding setting as well. For instance if the idea of a beach wedding thrills you, why not try the west coast or the Garden Route for size? If you want a bush wedding the Kruger National Park itself could be the ideal venue.

As you can see, South Africa has a lot more to offer than just a holiday. You could start a whole new life here as well.

Exploring Herold’s Bay On The Garden Route

2010-03-30T03:31:00.001-07:00

People may disagree on where South Africa’s Garden Route begins and ends, but most of them generally agree that the section in the middle is well worth seeing. The Garden Route stretches along the southern coastline of South Africa, and it packs in plenty of sights that make it a must see for any visitor. Some people even choose to travel along the Garden Route throughout their holiday, stopping at various places to stay for a night or two along the way. It certainly offers something different from a safari or a city based holiday.

One place worth seeing on the Garden Route is Herold’s Bay. This is a short distance south of George and not far to the east of Mossel Bay. The Swartberg Nature Reserve is also a short distance to the north of the bay, so if you choose to stay close by for a couple of nights you will find plenty to do nearby.

Herold’s Bay itself is secluded and very much hidden away from the madding crowd. The beach is lovely and ideal for families looking for a secure and safe place to be with their children. Don’t underestimate the waves though – this is a popular spot for surfing and there are good waves here that many surfers come to try their luck with.

This is not a resort in the normal sense of the word though. You won’t find lots of things to see and do here, but if you want a nice secluded and relaxing beach then you will find it in Herold’s Bay. This is the main reason why people come here to get away from the crowds. Just make sure you go prepared with everything you need for the day.

The good news is that if you have a car you will find that George is only a short distance away. You can go there for supplies and anything else you might need to enjoy a nice day at the beach in Herold’s Bay. Even if you don’t like surfing yourself, you can watch everyone else attempting it!

Why South African Safaris Are Still A Top Choice For A Holiday

2010-02-26T02:55:00.001-08:00

What does a safari mean to you? Does it make you think about seeing countless different types of animals in their own habitat? Do you wonder how good it would be to stay somewhere totally different, like a luxury tent in the middle of nowhere? How about learning many new things from your experienced guides, and seeing things you would never hope to see anywhere else?

When you think about safaris like this it is obvious why so many people elect to visit South Africa to go on a safari adventure. Because this really is an adventure – and many people consider it to be the adventure of a lifetime. We might be used to seeing animals like lions and so on in a zoo, but there is no comparison to seeing them where they should be living in reality.

The Kruger National Park offers a stunning natural landscape to explore on a South African safari. This is where lions, elephants and cheetahs – not to mention many other animals – congregate in abundance. This is where you can stay in a private lodge in the middle of the park. This is also where you can take part in a walking safari and leave the Land Rover or jeep behind. Can you imagine going anywhere else?

KwaZulu Natal is the other top choice for those wanting a taste of what a South African safari is really like. This might be the better choice if you also want to enjoy the delights of the beach and the coastline, since it is located in an area which offers both activities. You could be scuba diving one day and visit one of the major game parks the next. And there is plenty more to discover and enjoy here as well.

It’s not hard to see why South Africa is able to offer such amazing safari experiences. They have all the big animals people love to see, and the organised and very safe safaris will take you as close to them as you could possibly get. Why go anywhere else?

How About A Stay In Port Elizabeth?

2010-01-27T00:36:00.001-08:00

South Africa has plenty of places you could stay in and enjoy a long holiday. But Port Elizabeth is a particularly popular one for many people.

Located on the southern coast of South Africa, to the east of Cape Town, Port Elizabeth has a lot to offer to the eager tourist. The fact that it has earned itself the nickname of the Friendly City should tell you a lot about what it has in store for you when you spend your holiday time there.

One of the main reasons why Port Elizabeth is so popular with tourists is because it can offer a range of beaches as well as close proximity to the city itself. This gives Port Elizabeth a ‘best of both worlds’ quality that can come in very handy if you are spending a week or more in the area. Whatever it is you want to do, it will provide most things within easy reach of where you are staying.

Glendinningvale is part of Port Elizabeth and this area alone has a lot to offer to the eager to explore tourist. All of the best beaches are close by and the area itself has such delights as the Bayworld Museum for you to explore as well. This museum is worth a visit because you can see all kinds of animals here as well as finding out more about the country’s past. Make a beeline for the PE – Port Elizabeth – Museum section in particular, as this will reveal some of the history of the city you are staying in.

If you have the stomach for it you can also explore the Snake Park, although needless to say if you are not a lover of snakes you would be best to avoid this particular aspect of what Port Elizabeth can offer you.

Try out the Donkin Heritage Trail too if you would prefer to stay out in the open, and retrace the steps of the many settlers who arrived in Port Elizabeth so long ago. As you can see, this city is packed with delights to charm every visitor who arrives on its shores.

An Undiscovered Side Of South Africa?

2009-12-07T23:59:00.001-08:00

When you think about South Africa, do beaches ever come into the equation?

Unless you have visited the country before they probably don’t. But when you do pay a visit you will realise that there are plenty of beaches in the country that are well worth exploring.

Check out the Beach Camp at Paternoster if you really want to try camping that is totally different and brings you closer to the sea every night and day. The A frame wooden huts mean you can sleep soundly, get up the next day and be right on the beach to enjoy an early morning swim if the mood takes you.

If you like your water sports then Langebaan could be a good choice for you. The beach is spectacular and there are plenty of places nearby – including some right on the beach itself – if you want something a little more upmarket than an A frame tent to stay in.

The wonderful thing about South Africa is that some of the beaches are ideal to visit no matter what time of the year it happens to be. Port Elizabeth may be a familiar name to you, but have you ever heard of Hobie Beach? You’ll find this in the Eastern Cape, and you shouldn’t be too surprised if it is crowded – it is a perennial favourite among everyone who knows it is there.

Port Elizabeth benefits from excellent weather as well, and in fact it is one of the best spots in the whole world in this respect. Not only do you have nice safe swimming and a pleasant beach to navigate, you also have other activities in the area. This helps to make sure that Port Elizabeth is one of the most popular beaches in the whole of South Africa.

There are plenty of shops and entertainment centres close by too, so when the beach gets too much (which is unlikely!) you will have other things to do here as well. Port Elizabeth can make an ideal centre for your South African holiday for many reasons.

Rugby World Cup Trophy on Display in South Africa

2009-10-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

17 May 2007

As two of the country's top rugby teams prepare to face off in the first ever all-South African Super 14 final, the Webb Ellis Cup, the official trophy of the Rugby World Cup, is on display in South Africa.

Ahead of the Rugby World Cup tournament in France between 7 and 20 September this year, the French embassy has arranged for the Webb Ellis Cup to be displayed Wednesday at the Ambassador's residence in Arcadia, Pretoria.

At the weekend the suburb of Arcadia played host to thousands of Blue Bulls supporters who saw their home team beat New Zealand's Canterbury Crusaders with a final score of 27-12 at Loftus Versfeld .

In Durban the home team, the Sharks secured a 34-18 semi-final victory over another Kiwi team, the Blues at the Absa Stadium, affectionately known to some fans as the "Shark Tank."

The Bulls will now meet the Sharks for an already sold-out final in the Shark Tank.

Some of South Africa's Springoboks who beat New Zealand to capture the World Cup in 1995, as well as South African rugby officials will attend the function in Pretoria where the trophy will be on display.

"The arrival of the Webb Ellis Cup is the result of efforts by Jeune Planete Rugby, an international youth rugby development organisation, that has chosen two boys from South Africa - one from Soweto, the other from Johannesburg - to go to France during the World Cup," the French embsassy said in a statement.

The exchange is part of "Rendez-vous 2007" which aims to enable young rugby players worldwide to meet, play rugby and attend World Cup matches.

"The two boys from South Africa, Lee Wright Banda from Rosina Sedibane Sport School in Soweto and Shane Gilbert from the French school in Johannesburg, the Lyc,e Jules Verne, will be hosted by French families during their stay. In anticipation of their trip to the World Cup in France, they will be present at the press conference for the Webb Ellis Cup," the embassy said.

The Jeune Planete Rugby organisation is made up of principals and teachers from over 300 French schools worldwide. All these teachers have a passion for rugby.

The aim of the organisation is to allow youngsters across the world to meet in the spirit of friendship through rugby.

Rendez-vous 2007, explained the embassy, involves 80 boys and girls from 32 countries between the ages of 15 and 17.

They will form a World Team to participate in tournaments arranged on the sidelines of the Rugby World Cup in 15- or 7-a-side and touch rugby games.

Rendez-vous 2007 includes a cultural and linguistic component through visits to some of France's famous attractions as well as the learning of French through the medium of rugby.

SA tourism set for bumper 2008

2008-01-17T01:16:00.000-08:00

South African Tourism has committed more than R160-million to a global advertising campaign and more than R18-million to further grow domestic tourism this year.

"Our arrivals are looking exceptionally good," SA Tourism CEO Moeketsi Mosola said in a statement last month. "There was a nine percent increase in arrivals between September 2006 and September 2007, with particularly strong growth from North America (nine percent) and Asia (14%) which is above the current global average of 5.6%."

This success, he said, could be attributed to numerous factors, including SA Tourism's joint marketing agreements with the global travel trade and a growing number of "Fundi" graduates, or destination South Africa specialists.

Domestic tourism was a critical component of the industry, he said, and SA Tourism would commit R18-million to growing this market over the next three years.

Business Tourism was also a vital growth sector, contributing more foreign spend per tourist than leisure tourism.

As such, Mosola said SA Tourism was determined to take a more active role in growing business tourism, and in September had acquired Meetings Africa, a premier regional business tourism exhibition.

SA Tourism intends to increase the number of both international trade participants and exhibitors attending the show over the short to medium term. "This acquisition will enable us reach our goal to make South Africa one of the top 10 global conference destinations by 2010," he said.

Exhibition stands for each of the host cities have been designed; fact sheets have been compiled and published; a tour operator programme that is designed to boost tourism during the World Cup was launched in November; and SA Tourism hosted 12 major global media agencies, who came to the country on a Fifa fact-finding mission in November.

Planning and preparedness was also going very well for 2010, with a consumer web portal to be launched soon. More than 50 000 accommodation establishment and tourism products have been registered on the SA Tourism website and a database of 700 events is accessible online.

"The preliminary draw … in Durban was an unqualified success," Mosola said. "It sent strong messages about our capability and readiness for the championship to the rest of the world."

According to SA Tourism, it will continue working with both public and private partners to overcome specific challenges around airlift capacity, skills and training, improving statistical collection and tourist safety.

Numerous successes have already been achieved in each of these areas. For one, the country's airlift strategy has seen Delta Airlines flying direct to Johannesburg from Atlanta in the US, and the airline has plans to introduce a service between New York and Cape Town this year.

South African Airways introduced a service between Munich and Johannesburg, and Emirates Airlines now flies into Johannesburg 18 times a week and will soon be flying direct to Cape Town and then to Durban.

China Eastern has opened the route to China, and Thai Air has re-established the route to Bangkok.

There have also been requests from two UK airlines, as well as air carriers from South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Mozambique, Angola and Nigeria, for direct flights into South Africa.

For more information click here

South Africa, Turkey and Dubai set to become new golf holiday hot spots

2007-11-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

South Africa, Turkey and Dubai could overtake Spain and Portugal as the most popular destinations for golf holidays, according to two exclusive surveys conducted by KPMG Golf Advisory Services. More than 70 tour operators and 50 golf course architects in Europe, the Middle East and Africa were interviewed for the surveys. When asked which countries or regions had the most potential to become significant golf tourism destinations, both the tour operators and golf course architects tipped South Africa, Turkey and Dubai for future growth. And while golf tour operators anticipated continued growth in the established markets of Spain and Portugal, they were also seen to be the most threatened by the emerging golf destinations.

Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG's specialist Golf Advisory Services Team for the EMA region, said: "The golf industry as a whole is likely to benefit from the continued growth of the broader travel and tourism industry. However, the traditional golf markets of Europe and North America can expect increasing competition from the emerging golf destinations that offer high quality golfing experiences at affordable prices."

The Caribbean and Latin America were also seen as emerging golf destinations. Ireland, Scotland and England were viewed as the most stable markets over the next 10-15 years.

Overall, 33 per cent of golf tour operators said they expected spectacular growth in the golf travel market over the next 15 years, while 56 per cent believed there would be steady growth. Eleven per cent expected the market to stagnate.

"The results confirm the changing face of the travel and tourism industry, boosted by more frequent travel, lower air fares, greater accessibility of new destinations, plus increases in family travel and sports and activity based holidays," concluded Andrea Sartori.

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South Africa: Beaches Awarded for Their Excellence

2007-11-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

More than 20 South African beaches have been awarded international Blue Flag status for excelling in safety, amenities, cleanliness and environmental standards.

The stakeholders who manage the beaches were honoured at the Blue Flags annual ceremony organised by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.

The department said that awarding Blue Flag status to beaches contributes towards the aims of the White Paper on Sustainable Coastal Development.

The Blue Flag programme is currently run in 40 countries globally and interest in the programme continues to grow.

The following beaches in KwaZulu-Natal received the Blue Flag status: Bronze Beach in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban's North beach, Bay of Plenty, Westbrook beach and Addington beach, Margate, Ramsgate, Marina beach and Southbroom.

For the Eastern Cape, it was Port Elizabeth beaches; Wells Estate, Humewood, King's and Dolphin beach, and Jeffrey's Bay.

As for the Western Cape, Lappiesbaai, Stilbaai, Grotto beach, Hermanus, Kleinmond, Hawston, Bikini, Gordon's Bay and Cape Town's Mnandi and Clifton's 4th beach all received awards.

The department said there are currently 21 pilot beaches embarking on plans to achieve full status accreditation in 2008 and 2009.

"The growth in the number of Blue Flag beaches bodes well for the future and especially for visitors coming to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"Blue Flag beaches along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline, with their warm Indian Ocean waters and year-round swimming conditions, will be ideal places for soccer fans to relax."

Despite the significant damage to many of the Blue Flag beaches as a result of the high seas and stormy conditions over the past few months, South African beaches continue to achieve world-class standards.

Those Blue Flag beaches that were damaged are all gearing up for the new season.

An increasing number of beaches are now flying under the international eco-label of the Blue Flag. Worldwide, there are now almost 3,500 Blue Flag beaches and marinas.

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Low-Cost Tickets for Twenty20 Championship

2007-06-18T01:42:00.000-07:00

12 June 2007

Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa, entered into the revolutionary spirit of 20/20 cricket on Tuesday when he announced low-cost ticket prices for the World Twenty20 in South Africa in September and sniped at the ICC's handling of previous tournaments.

"We have to ensure every person is able to enjoy the event and that the stadia are full," Majola said on Tuesday at the unveiling of the tournament logo and the cheap ticket prices, even by South African standards. We looked at the previous two ICC tournaments and, in my opinion, they were not successful. So we have looked at those pitfalls and will take care of those in South Africa," he added.

And Majola and tournament director Steve Elworthy are being true to their word. The cheapest tickets for the 14-day championship starting on September 11 cost just R20 [£1.40] for those happy to sit on the grass banks during the group stage of matches.

Grandstand seats cost R40 [£2.80], while the prices go up to R40 [£2.80] and R80 [£5.60] respectively for the Super Eights stage. The tariffs for the opening game (SA v WI) and ceremony, semifinals and final are R100 [£7] and R160 [£11.20] respectively.

And if fans want to attend one of the five double-header days - two matches in one day at the same stadium - they won't pay through the nose either. For group stage double-headers the ticket prices are R40 [£2.80] and R80 [£5.60] and R60 [£4.20] and R120 [£8.40].

"The pricing of tickets will be fundamental to our success," Elworthy said. "So it was a major challenge getting the blend of pricing right to ensure we filled each stadium nine times in 14 days, because there are 27 games split amongst three venues. So the tickets are very competitively priced to ensure there is no barrier to entry."

The tournament logo, designed by Minardi Brice, features a de-constructed graphic of crashing wickets and a ball rebounding from them and, according to Elworthy, "directly targets the youth, but also captures the format's vibrant energy and the strength in diversity South Africa is known to stand for globally".

"We believe 20/20 was born in South Africa so it is only fair that the first world championship is held here," Majola said. "We pride ourselves in South Africa that we host the best events here and we have to make sure we keep that tradition," he said, referring to the 2003 World Cup and the Women's World Cup held in 2005.

"We understand what Pro20 has done for cricket in South Africa. We wanted to make cricket a truly national game, accessible to all. Pro20 has been the vehicle we've used to take cricket to the masses," Majola said.

Elworthy announced that ODI champions Australia would be the first team to arrive in South Africa, on September 3. All the competing nations, barring India and England, have requested warm-up games, which would be held in Benoni, Centurion and Potchefstroom on September 8 and 9. India and England will be busy finishing up their series in England that weekend.

"It's going to be non-stop cricket action," Elworthy promised.

Four Express by Holiday Inn Hotels set for South Africa

2007-06-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

InterContinental Hotels Group is to open four Express by Holiday Inn properties in South Africa, with the first expected later this year in Cape Town with a 161 room capacity. This will be shortly followed by Express by Holiday Inn Sandton Woodmead and Express by Holiday Inn Pretoria Sunny Park in early 2008, with 160 and 300 rooms respectively. Express by Holiday Inn Umhlanga is also planned to open in 2009.

InterContinental Hotels Group has an exclusive agreement with ISO Leisure, a leisure development company based in South Africa, to develop Express by Holiday Inn hotels in South Africa. All planned Express by Holiday Inn hotels will be located in South Africa’s business hubs or in areas of high traffic flow.

Ewan Cameron, Vice President Development, InterContinental Hotels Group, Africa, said, “The announcement of the four Express by Holiday Inn properties in South Africa is indicative of our confidence in the country’s economic prospects and stability, and in particular, the high potential of its tourism industry.

The limited service sector will be increasingly important across the country over the next few years as the market matures and diversifies to accommodate a burgeoning new tier of traveller looking for a smart, fresh, welcoming place to stay and of course value for money.”

Express by Holiday Inn now has 1,686 hotels globally, with a further 574 properties in the pipeline.

Africa to launch football year at beginning of summit

2007-01-25T03:49:00.000-08:00

A launching ceremony of 2007 as the International Year of African Football will mark the beginning of a two-day African summit on Jan. 29, said an African Union (AU) commissioner on Wednesday.

"The year 2007 will see an all-Africa launch of the International Year of African Football and a rolling program of activities for the 2010 South Africa FIFA World Cup event," said Advocate Bience Gawanas, African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs.

The launch of the football year is aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in February and use sport as an instrument for promotion of unity, solidarity, peace and reconciliation, and preventive campaigns against scourges, such as HIV/AIDS.

There will be an official launching ceremony on Jan. 29, which will be addressed by top leaders, including FIFA president, CAF president, the president of South Africa and the prime minister of Ethiopia.

Prior to the ceremony, young football players from South Africa and Ethiopia will play a match at the National Stadium in Addis Ababa on Jan. 28, which will be open to the general public and free of charge.

"The match will demonstrate that hope and aspirations of the entire African people are in our youth and hopefully that some of them will be in the teams playing the World Cup 2010," said the commissioner.

SA tourism 'is on a roll'

2007-01-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

South Africa's tourism industry is on a roll, with the number of arrivals to the country growing faster than anywhere else in the world, says Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

Speaking in Utrecht, Holland, at the opening of a tourism and leisure exhibition, he said the latest figures showed a more than 15 percent increase in tourism arrivals.

"Recently released statistics for the period from January to July 2006 show a 15.8 percent increase in tourism arrivals to South Africa. More than 4.6 million people visited South Africa during the period under review, outstripping the 2005 half-yearly figure by 636,610.

"Our arrivals growth rates far outstrip the rest of the world, which averaged around 4.5 percent over a similar period," he said.

South Africa: More options for visitors in 2010

2007-01-18T07:17:00.000-08:00

Visitors to the 2010 Fifa World Cup will be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation, says Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. Van Schalkwyk was speaking in Utrecht, Holland on Tuesday at the opening of the Vakantie Beurs, Europe's largest exhibition dedicated to tourism and leisure.

Updating delegates on South Africa's preparations for the World Cup, the minister said the country would ensure that visitors were treated to a uniquely African experience.

"In previous tournaments, only hotels were contracted to accommodate people," Van Schalkwyk said. "However, South Africa is delivering on its promise to ensure a pleasant world cup.

"For the first time in World Cup history, non-hotel accommodation such as national park accommodation, lodges, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts will also be contracted."

All participating establishments will have to obtain a star grading rating from the Tourism Grading Council of SA. "Small and medium sized enterprises from around the country will be able to apply to our Tourism Enterprise Programme for assistance that will partially cover the grading costs," he said.

This was to help South Africa achieve the dual objectives of spreading tourism benefits beyond cities where matches were taking place and providing spectators with a wider range of accommodation options. Van Schalkwyk told delegates that the tourism industry has been identified as a priority sector by the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (Asgi-SA).

"Asgi-SA is aimed at increasing economic growth and dramatically reducing poverty and we cannot achieve this without involving our communities, not just in the major metropolitan areas, but also those in rural areas," the minister said.

African Tourism Promotion

2007-01-15T02:29:00.000-08:00

African ambassadors to Seoul got together in a workshop of African tourism organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) ST-EP Foundation at the Korea National Tourism Organization in Seoul, Wednesday.

The workshop dealt with how sustainable tourism initiatives can reduce poverty in Africa, and each ambassador made presentations on tourism in their native countries before an audience of some 100.

The ST-EP Foundation was launched by the UNWTO to promote effective tourism projects to fight poverty in the world’s least-developed countries.

Dho Young-shim, chairwoman of the foundation in Seoul, said, 'This is a preliminary step for Koreans to know more about tourism in Africa because Africa offers really good destination for Korean travelers.'

Ambassadors present at the seminar were those from Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Morocco, Egypt Nigeria , Sudan and Tunisia. The charge d’affaires of the South African Embassy also participated in the event.

The ambassadors unanimously called on Koreans to look at African countries without the negative perceptions of disease, violence and incivility. On the contrary, they said that Africa has well-preserved nature with kind people.

`Africa is gifted with nature and now emerging as new tourist attraction to the world,’ said Honorat Abeni Koffi, ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire and the dean of the African diplomatic corps.

For example, Egyptian Ambassador Reda El-Taify said that tourism represents the second largest source of income for his country and that a total of 8.6 million people visited Egypt in last year, generating $7.2 billion, a big increase compared $3.8 billion in 2003.

`With this increase in numbers, the government is engaged in a series of projects to enable the country to attract 14 million tourists by 2011,’ El-Taify said.

The ST-EP Foundation, whose headquarters were established in Seoul in February, 2005, is working in line with United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which includes halving extreme poverty by 2015. More information is available at www.unwtostep.org.

Township Tourism Booming in South Africa

2007-01-09T04:59:00.000-08:00

Major Ndaba dons his wild cat skin hat, stands by his "lucky charm" baboon skeleton and poses for the cameras of visitors intent on experiencing a South Africa far removed from game reserves and glistening beaches.

Ndaba's dark herbalist store, crammed with tree bark, animal horns and dozens of different powders and potions which he claims will treat everything from AIDS to infertility to flu, is a regular attraction on tours into the sprawling settlements set up by the old apartheid government which are still home to the majority of the population.

Township tourism, which has increased hugely in popularity since South Africa's multiracial elections of 1994, is now a multimillion dollar business.

Soweto, the heart of the anti-apartheid struggle, is now Johannesburg's top tourist attraction, according to local authorities. Tours pass by Nelson Mandela's first home, that of his former wife Winnie Madikezela Mandela and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu, as well as monuments to fallen heroes of the struggle against racism.

Even in Cape Town, which lacks the historical significance of Soweto, about 25 percent of foreign visitors take time out from the stunning scenery and beaches to trawl the dusty streets of the wind-swept Cape Flats.

Cape Town's tourist office estimates that nearly 320,000 foreign visitors went on a township tour last year; more than 80 percent of its 250 licensed tour operators offer such "cultural experiences."

Southern Africa:2006 Best Performing Year for Tourism

2006-12-19T04:02:00.000-08:00

South Africa will be hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2010 and Zimbabwe has the potential to benefit from the world's biggest soccer showcase alongside its southern neighbour.

It is not a secret that of all the countries in the Southern Africa region that could capitalise on the month-long football extravaganza, Zimbabwe has some of the best sporting and tourism facilities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Interestingly, some European countries have confirmed their desire to set up base in Zimbabwe should they qualify for the World Cup finals.

All these developments have not been overlooked or rather ignored by the tourism authorities in the country as preparations for the tournament are already taking shape. One cannot deny the fact that 2006 might be a year in which vigorous initiatives to revive tourism have been pursued.

A number of initiatives have been put in place this year and when compared with the last few years, 2006 could be rated as the best performing year for the tourism sector.

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has extensively marketed the country's tourism resorts together with other related institutions such as the Zimbabwe Council of Tourism and Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe.

ZTA has been on various promotion missions all over the world in a bid to market the country, particularly in the Far East region and the indications are that Zimbabwe should expect a boom in tourist arrivals.

By the first nine months of this year the country had already recorded a 45 percent increase in tourist arrivals compared to the same period in 2005

MAMBEDI COUNTRY LODGE WINS 2006 ETEYA AWARDS

2006-12-04T06:57:00.000-08:00

Calvin Maphophe, owner of Mambedi Country Lodge and Conference Centre has scooped the 2006 Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award (ETEYA).
This was announced by Moeketsi Mosola: CEO, South African Tourism, in the presence of some of the world’s leading trade and media representatives and a number of South African dignitaries at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, yesterday.
Strategically positioned along the banks of the tranquil Mambedi River, in the heart of the Limpopo Province, Mambedi Country Conference Lodge has the combination of African bush charm with the practical conveniences of a modern day conference / accommodation facility.
Mambedi is a truly environmentally friendly facility, not only in the way it has been designed to blend in with its lush environment, but also through its carefully managed operational processes.
The ETEYA first runner up prize went to Nelly Mashinini, owner of Linga Longa, a four star graded guest-house in Mpumalanga, while Mike Bobby, owner of Kwa-Eden, a self-catering and conferencing establishment in Johannesburg walked away with the second runner up award.
The winners received R50 000, R30 000 and R15 000 respectively, which will go towards the growth of their inspiring enterprises. The cash prizes were, for the fourth year in a row, sponsored by one of South Africa’s leading financial institutions Absa Corporate and Business Bank.
In commenting on this year’s competition, Mosola lauded the quality and diversity of the 2006 entries and made mention of the fact that this year’s ETEYA competition welcomed 21% more entries in the tour operator category.
He also added that the industry in general had been greatly encouraged by the fact that an impressive 35% increase in entries from younger entrepreneurs - those in the 25-30 year category.
“This bodes extremely well for the future of the South African tourism industry,” he said. To date, ETEYA has been instrumental providing a number of SMMEs with the international exposure required to generate meaningful business and to significantly grow their enterprises.
This year, for the first time ever, the Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP) came on board, to enhance the value of the ETEYA experience for the finalists, by preparing them for World Trade Market at a workshop which was held in Johannesburg last month.
The workshop included familiarisation training for WTM, which covered aspects such effective selling skills, how to follow up on contacts, and how to follow through with conversions.
As this is the first international trade show for the finalist, the workshop also served to ensure that they gained an appreciation of the international tourism channel, in terms of rates, commissions, negotiations and the importance of affiliations.
Commenting on Absa's partnership with South African Tourism on the ETEYA project, Stewart Lumka, GM: Tourism and Hospitality Absa Corporate and Business Bank said: "As a financial institution, we cannot ignore the massive growth potential that tourism presents, in contributing to job creation and to South Africa’s economic growth.
Tourism currently contributes eight percent to South Africa’s GDP and has the potential to contribute 12% by 2014. However, we know that in order for the tourism industry to reach its full potential, the growth of the SMME category is imperative.
To this end, our involvement with the ETEYA initiative is more than just a sponsorship, it is an investment in our people, in our nation and in our economy.” “This year’s finalists truly exceeded all expectations by bringing to the fore a range of innovative products and services that combine world-class standards with an authenticity and diversity that represents South Africa’s cultural diversity, enriching spirit, and creative tenacity.
Being here to witness how industry transformation is allowing us to offer travellers so much more in terms of an excellent holiday experience, means that the objectives of ETEYA are being met, not only at WTM, but on a daily basis, through the constant evolution of South Africa’s SMME tourism community.”
Ends Editors’ Notes: ETEYA, which has been running for five years, was designed to encourage and sustain the development of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME’s) within the tourism and hospitality industries, with the objective of continually extending the wealth of authentically diverse tourism experiences available in South Africa. The competition is open to all emerging entrepreneurs managing tourism-related businesses (accommodation, tour operators and hospitality) throughout South Africa with a keen focus on innovation and sustainability. The ETEYA judging principles which include: assessing the value of the business to the community, appraising innovation in service and offering, and evaluating growth prospects, sustainability and job creation potential, ensure that the ETEYA vision remains focused on ingenuity and long-term growth.

Tourism growth in SA double that of world

2006-12-04T05:55:00.000-08:00

South Africa's growth in the number of international visitors was almost double that of the rest of the world in 2005 and the Western Cape experienced the highest-ever number of tourists in its traditionally off-season, according to the 2005/6 annual report of destination tourism agency Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU).

Globally, international arrivals reached 808 million in 2005, representing a 5,5 percent growth from 766m in 2004.

South Africa attained a 10,3 percent growth rate in international arrivals in 2005 - from 6,7m in 2004 to 7,4m in 2005.

There was a 25,6 percent increase in total foreign direct spend, from R31,4 billion between January and September 2004 to R39,4bn during the same period in 2005, exceeding the global, Africa and regional average growth rates in receipts.

The Western Cape reflected a similarly high 7,43 percent growth rate in international arrivals between January and September 2005. The highest growth, of 13,1 percent, was recorded in the third quarter (July-September).

"Very encouraging was the above average growth (6,37 percent) in international arrivals within the low season months of April-May-June between 2004 and 2005," said outgoing CTRU chief executive Noki Dube.

She added that full annual figures for 2005 were not available yet from SA Tourism, but it was expected that the province would have received about 1,6m international arrivals for the year, attaining 6,9 percent growth over 2004. October, November and December were traditionally high performing months.

CTRU identified potential growth opportunities for the region emerging from the African market - Nigeria and Kenya, in particular. Namibia remained a core African source market. Internationally, India, China and the Middle East were where the new market opportunities lay.

"The major drivers of international arrivals in the Western Cape are different to the national ones. While SA's international arrivals are driven by the region - mainly Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and Zimbabwe - the Western Cape international arrivals are driven mainly by the UK, Germany and the US," the annual report said.

The Western Cape achieved R8,9bn in foreign spend in 2004 and was expected to achieve R9,8bn in 2005, representing 10 percent growth. The province's domestic tourism relied heavily on its own residents: 68 percent of the 2,4m trips produced by the Western Cape in that year remained in the province.

CTRU chief operating officer Barry Ackers said at a festive season briefing recently that the domestic market was the backbone of the tourism economy, as it was characterised by more frequent, repeat business.

He attributed the agency's rosy festive outlook to the overall depreciation of the rand since December last year by 20 percent, which would lead to greater international tourism spend and also discourage locals from going overseas.

Airlines were adding international flights to Cape Town over the summer season (from 81 to 107 a week) - particularly British Airways, Lufthansa and Virgin - and there was a SA delegation to the Emirates planned to encourage its airline to apply for a licence to fly into Cape Town, Ackers said.

The tourist season, which spans a six-month period from October to March with most tourists beginning to arrive from December, was expected to generate 2,8m visitors this year - 1,8m of them domestic - he said.

South Africa's medical tourism industry has skyrocketed, with the number of overseas patients drawn by "scalpel safari" packages more than doubling in three years, an expert said.

The booming sector now rakes in $37-million (about R260-million) annually, Martin Kelly, president of the Association for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, said, underlining that this was a fraction of the potential.

Industry estimates predict that about 20 000 medical tourists will visit South Africa in 2006, up from around 8 000 in 2003.

This article was originally published on page 7 of Cape Times on November 27, 2006

SAA plans significant route expansion

2006-12-04T05:53:00.001-08:00

Johannesburg - South African Airways (SAA) would expand its route network in Africa, Europe, North America and South America by adding new destinations to each of the continents, to grow the airline's international capacity by 8 percent, said SAA’s GM.

"SAA's network strategy is to fly to international gateways, taking advantage of its Star Alliance partners hubs," said Nomfanelo Magwentshu.

Part of the new services were three flights per week to Libreville, Gabon from April 2007 to boost SAA's over 20 other destinations on the African continent.

As part of its programme to "Bring the World to Africa and Take Africa to the World", the Gabon flights would complement additional flights to Brazil in 2007, the South African carrier said.

As a result of the growing economic development in Africa, SAA said, it was exploring new flights to some of Africa's greatest tourist draw cards, such as Kilimanjaro, to stimulate tourism into Africa.

After terminating services to Atlanta in June 2006, the airline plans four Johannesburg-Chicago flights per week from May 8 2007.

Chicago is the largest hub of its partner United Airlines and would offer seamless connections to 91 destinations in North America.

In addition, SAA flights from New York to Johannesburg would operate non-stop from May 8, saving at least six hours of flying time for those passengers currently flying via Europe, the airline said.

Presently SAA flies daily from Johannesburg to New York via Dakar, Senegal, and from Johannesburg to Washington DC.

In South America, SAA would also launch new flights to Buenos Aires in July 2007 with three flights per week, as the airline's second entry point into that region.

"These flights will allow SAA to capture emerging south to south traffic flows associated with growing trade and investment between emerging economies in the southern hemisphere, including Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, India and Malaysia," Magwentshu added

National Choir to Perform in South Africa

2006-12-04T05:48:00.000-08:00

The Seychelles national choir will make its international debut later this month after being invited to perform in South Africa on the occasion of the International Choral Singing Day which falls on December 10.

The 44-member delegation of the national choir will leave the country on Tuesday December 5 and will perform in three different recitals before returning home on Tuesday December 12.

Initially, the group’s intention was to perform in Nairobi, Kenya this year, but due to a last-minute cancellation, the choir will travel to South Africa instead.

According to national choir conductor, Sun Xiaoju Lownam, the trip to South Africa is also being used to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.

She explained that members of the national choir will stay in the homes of their South African hosts so as to better experience the living values, cultures, food and traditions of South Africans.

As the South Africans are expected here next year, they will stay in the homes of members of the national choir.

Members of both choirs have also prepared special traditional songs which they will perform as part of the cultural exchange.

The national choir will also participate in a host of international workshops, seminars and a group working session with other groups, who are also expected to perform during the International Choral Singing Day.

Among the many performances on its programme while in South Africa, the national choir’s main presentation will be during the International Choral Singing Day on December 10 and during the SACS Annual Awards Ceremony. Earlier in the day, they are to perform during a special mass.

Two days after arriving in South Africa, the national choir, which includes two musicians, is expected to perform alongside the South African choir and then participate in a classical festival on December 8.

The trip to South Africa is sponsored by the members of the choir themselves, while the Ministry of the Arts, Culture and Sports is taking charge of half of the expenses.

It is to note that although the national choir has yet to perform in a foreign country, it has in the past performed alongside foreign friends in local shows and concerts, namely the Festival of Classical Music which they took part in, in 2004 and 2006.