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 CapeInfo is going through its biggest upgrade in 10 years. Google records some 2,400 pages as being spidered, so you can imagine the magnitude of the task! If you have content on CapeInfo, please do read the notes at the end of this newsletter. If you are visiting our content and come across broken links, we apologise – we are trying to get everything done as quickly as possible. This will be our last newsletter for 2007. Many of you are getting ready for your summer holidays but some are preparing for your busiest time of year. Wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing, we wish you and your loved ones a safe, blessed and happy festive season.  
Nils Heckscher must be one of the most enthusiastic and optimistic people around. MD of Winchester Mansions Hotel, chair of Fedhasa Cape and on the board of Cape Town Routes Unlimited, he is certainly one of the busiest. We spoke to him about the challenges facing the hospitality industry.
He really puts the 2010 World Cup into perspective when he says that FIFA is the biggest and most influential client South Africa has ever had. "When we bid for the event, we agreed to their terms." He is concerned about the lack of support for MATCH, the FIFA agency responsible for contracting rooms for 2010, pointing out that "MATCH has to meet FIFA's needs and will do whatever is necessary to do so. It has already been confirmed that the QE2 is being brought from Dubai to provide extra accommodation and further cruise liners could be on the cards if sufficient local accommodation is not contracted. That would be a pity because there is then no local benefit." He talks at length about how leadership in SA is absolutely bedevilled by politics. "Things are evaluated on the basis of whether it came from your grouping or not. We have not learnt to work together yet." He says it is easy to become disenchanted – with negativity over leadership issues and media coverage. Click here to read the full interview. It is thought-provoking for two reasons: MATCH Smaller accommodation establishments balk at MATCH's 30% commission (some say it is over 40%). While this may be the norm for the tour wholesalers, who hotels negotiate with on a regular basis, it does seem excessive for an event like the World Cup. All it seems that MATCH offers is promotion on its website, far less than any tour wholesaler would have to do. Politics bedevills everything CapeInfo is working on a promotion which we think is really great. Many others thought so too and encouraged us to pursue it. But one major corporate told us we need the blessing of the politicians before doing anything in the Cape, saying "tourism in this province is a mess." Was that the view of just one corporate? No, another said they would never get involved in tourism issues in the Cape because... "it is so bedevilled by politics." It seems the politicians in the Western Cape hardly serve the best interests of tourism. We asked Tourism MEC Lynne Brown's office two months ago if we could get an okay... just an okay, no support. We will still get it off the ground!. CapeInfo has started receiving enquiries for accommodation in 2010. If you have already started accepting bookings, please let us now.  CapeInfo's summer survey evaluated how businesses feel about the season ahead. It was conducted with Cape Town Tourism, Fedhasa Cape and SATSA. The preliminary results show the following: Compared to previous years, businesses expect to be:
Expected occupancies are:
 Construction is envisaged to start early in 2008 on a 10 000 sq m extension of Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on an adjoining site on the Foreshore. “We can now confirm that Convenco and its shareholders have entered into negotiations with the Department of Public Works, owner of Customs House." Andrew Boraine, chairperson of Convenco, said that the Department of Public Works have confirmed their interest in becoming a strategic partner of Convenco. “The present shareholders are discussing options for the Department's involvement in the extension. We are delighted by their interest as this demonstrates that the Department wants to go further than just a conventional sale or lease of the land." This is an unique move by the Department of Public Works to become involved in the joint ownership of a facility together with two other spheres of government, in this case the City of Town and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape. “This is a pioneering business model of three spheres of government, together with the private sector to generate an additional R1 billion annual economic spin off for the Western Cape," said Boraine. In the interim, Convenco has made substantial progress on what the extension will entail. A mixed development is being planned which will be accessible from the existing centre via a direct link under the highway. In a near-mirror image of the existing centre it will comprise both exhibition and some office space with parking and a major new hotel. Preliminary sketches proposed by Foreshore Architects, the architects that designed the existing centre for Convenco, show that the state-of-the-art extension will entail 9 400 sq m of exhibition space divided into four different halls. Comparable to the layout of the existing centre, the extension will have access to a hotel of approximately 350 rooms with a direct link to the exhibition space. Boraine said the exhibition hall connected to the hotel would be a very versatile space. “The new configuration means that a conference with a smaller exhibition component will be able to benefit from a comprehensive meeting package that provides meeting, hotel and exhibition spaces close to each other." Another enhancement of the new design would be the inclusion of a new banqueting space on the first floor with views over Table Bay. “This new building will enable CTICC to bid for large international congresses and at the same time accommodate its repeat clients whose events grow from year to year," said Dirk Elzinga, managing director of the CTICC. According to Elzinga the size of the current venue was inhibiting this growth. “High levels of occupancy create challenges with event booking enquiries especially when international congresses have an exhibition component." During the course of the financial year 2006/07 the new exhibition space that forms part of the Convention Tower development at the eastern end of the existing centre was added to CTICC's inventory. While the additional 1 200 sq m of Hall 4B was used during the World Diabetes Congress, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and other large events, it is not adequate to accommodate a substantial increase in new events. Average hall occupancy at CTICC rose to 47.5% during the year, up from 43.5% in the previous year. However during certain months of the year overall occupancy of the exhibition halls has soared to 70% or higher. It is expected that the new expansion on the Customs House site could open for events early in 2010.
 Now for a different kind of "Face of South Africa" South African Tourism's operation in Germany is launching a competition to find South Africa's most exciting game ranger. “What better way than a walking, talking, breathing embodiment of what the Germans call 'khaki fever' – a real, red-blooded South African game ranger!" Theresa Bay-Muller, South African Tourism's country manager for Germany, added that, “While we know this concept will take the German travel market by storm, our biggest challenge is to find the right ranger." "He or she needs to be knowledgeable about the bush, interesting, an engaging speaker, authentic and exciting all at once". The ranger also needs to convey a message of professionalism. Germans considering a visit to South Africa should feel that they will be taken beyond their comfort zones, thrilled with new and fascinating experiences – yet remain safe and secure. Entry procedures can be found at www.wildranger.co.za The winning ranger will become the face of 'khaki fever' in Germany for a year, representing South Africa at ITB, Germany's biggest tourism expo in March, as well as other South African promotional events in Germany throughout 2008. In addition to being the face of South Africa in Germany, the winning ranger will receive a return flight to Europe, R15,000 cash, a Lumix camera and designer bush wear. There will also be cash and goods prizes for the two runners up. Hamlet Foundation And if you are in Johannesburg and feel like sharing some good cheer, Hamlet Foundation is a shelter organisation in the South of Johannesburg that houses mentally disabled adults and children. They raise their own funding. We seem to take for granted so many blessings. The less fortunate are living without any luxuries, they don't have the money to buy the most basic of things, things we take for granted everyday of our lives. Please help them have a good Christmas this year, the unwanted goods that you might throw away are most certainly wanted by them. Lunch xoxes, tin foods, rice, maize meal, any non perishable food items, bed linen, blankets, duvets, pillows, towels, cleaning chemicals, washing powders, shampoo, conditioners, creams, toys and teddy bears for kiddies, clothing for adults and children of both sexes, chairs, tables, beds, mattresses, books, pencils, pens, crayons, lamps – absolutely anything you have lying around and don't need or want. Contact marietha@cmgroup.co.za  CapeInfo has a new directory system and the first phase has been implemented. You are now able to edit your copy and images online. Please do update your content and make sure that your full physical address is included. The next phase of the directory system includes proximity searches based on your postal code and maps which locate your business. If your details are not comprehensive, you will not be found in these searches. To start editing your directory page, you need to register at capeinfo.com (top left hand side of the page) and then "claim" your content (bottom of your directory page). There is more comprehensive information which we urge you to read in our Forum & Help section. If you have questions, please ask them there so others can share the answers. Share this article Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /home/capeinfo/public_html/news/capeinfo/dec07.php on line 284 Warning: include(http://capeinfo.co.za/nav/social.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /home/capeinfo/public_html/news/capeinfo/dec07.php on line 284 Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://capeinfo.co.za/nav/social.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/capeinfo/public_html/news/capeinfo/dec07.php on line 284 Your comments: No Comments are Linked to this post. |
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