Big Five Explorer

Tourists are now able to admire crocodiles through the bars of a cage at the Cango Wildlife Ranch in Oudtshoorn, in South Africa’s Western Cape.

The unique experience of being lowered into a heated pool inhabited by five 4-metre crocodiles is intended to educate visitors about the crocodiles, all captive-bred animals that are used to human activity.

The ranch believes it can aid conservation by offering the attraction. It says that of the 22 species alive today, 17 of them are near extinction.

Source: The Times (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article7103184.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093)

The spotlight is firmly on South Africa as we prepare to host the prestigious 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and get set to welcome approximately 450,000 visitors. The experience for football fans is not just about supporting their teams but more about taking home a host of stories and memories of a distinct and mesmerizing destination.

South Africa prides itself in its ability to offer a diversity of eclectic experiences that will have visitors curious to explore more. Cape Town is consistently voted as one of the greatest cities in the world, cosmopolitan Johannesburg is known for its high energy and city vibe to grounded Pretoria which holds most of the embassies. Coastal areas such as Durban and Port Elizabeth are incredibly laid back with warm, friendly people with whom to pass the time of day.

Johannesburg is a fast paced hive of activity – offering visitors many pavement café experiences with a fusion of food to appeal to every taste. For a village feel visit 4th Avenue Parkhurst in the heart of Johannesburg, where the street comes alive with buzzing restaurants and bars as the sun goes down. For a more African experience try Vilakazi Street in Soweto which offers the best of township style.

Florida Road in Durban is also a place to be seen with a great array of restaurants and clubs in a far more laid back environment than Johannesburg.  Long Street on Cape Town is a great alternative to the more well know V&A Waterfront with its original hot spots.

If you have the time, we urge you to explore some of the destination’s smaller towns offering some genuine South African experiences that reflect our vibrant history. For example, try Swellendam in the Western Cape for great architecture, Clarens ‘the Jewel of the Free State’ is a haven for those with an interest in art. Check out Groot Marico in the North West for its famous ‘mampoer’ (a peach brandy) and Barberton in Mpumalanga for its colouful houses and characters.

Arts and crafts are abundant in South Africa demonstrating our depth of creativity through fine basket ware, beadwork, wire goods and wood carvings.  Look out for Zulu beadwork, traditional Xhosa outfits, Venda pottery, Sotho blankets and Ndebele Fabrics – all inspired by strong African traditions. These are available at markets such as Greenmarket Square in Cape Town, Africa Art in Knysna (Western Cape), St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth to the Rosebank African Market in Johannesburg. When travelling through most larger and smaller towns in South Africa you’ll find all most of these arts and crafts available on pavements and road sides.

Of course one cannot leave South Africa without a visit to one of our many safari parks. The famous Kruger National Park will be familiar amongst many visitors as the ‘Jewel of South African National Parks’ home to the Big Five with an array  birdlife, amphibians, butterflies and insects. Smaller parks worth visiting, depending on where visitors are based, include the Garden Route National Park, Mapungubwe in Limpopo for its spectacularly setting to iSimangaliso Wetland Park for pure paradise in St Lucia.

For those with an interest in theatre, the choice is abundant growing out of African traditions with European and American compliments. For an evening at the theatre, best to visit The Market Theatre in Johannesburg to the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town and The Playhouse in Durban.

South Africa is a melting pot of art, culture, diversity and history. This is complimented with our spectacular mountain ranges, our long coastlines and majestic wildlife making it the perfect place for those who have great love for the outdoors. Our city nightlife is consistently vibrant, our small towns eclectic, our people warm and hospitable. The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa will be the greatest show on earth, both on and off the pitch.

Source: Travel Wires (http://www.travelwires.com/wp/2010/04/sa-tourism-urges-soccer-fans-to-discover-authentic-south-africa/)

PRIMKOP Airport Management, the company that owns the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, says it is struggling with funding to prepare for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Marius Nel, director of the company, said they were working hard to get the airport ready for the tournament.

“We have applied to both the national and provincial governments for assistance in capacity expansions, but to no avail. Government departments refused to invest in us because we are a privately owned airport,” Nel said.

“We believe this will cause bottlenecks at our airport, which we will try to manage to the best of our ability,” he said.

Nel said this was not good for Mpumalanga as a host city.

“We have informed the airlines that will be landing at the airport that we will only operate as a drop-and-go facility,” he said.

He said the airport could handle about six to eight aircraft in good weather and four in poor weather conditions.

Nel said the airport would put up tents to extend terminals to accommodate the large number of passengers expected.

“We have hired 35 more people to enable us to work 24 hours a day during the tournament,” Nel said.

The upgrading and hiring of new staff will cost about R3million.

But Shirley Mahanyele, acting chief executive of Polokwane International Airport, said the facility would be ready for the World Cup passenger volumes by the end of April.

The airport is owned by the Limpopo government.

“We have upgraded our hangar into a domestic terminal, which is about 45percent complete,” she said.

“We have upgraded our apron and its marking for the planes ,” Mahanyele said.

She said the airport had procured two fire trucks for any emergencies during the tournament. She refused to say how much was spent on the upgrades.

Mahanyele said the airport, which had also converted its old terminal into a car rental building, was expected to handle about 300 World Cup fans an hour.

Mike Christoph , the operational manager at Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg, which caters for charter and business trips, said: “Our slots are 30percent booked and a fuel line is under construction .”

He said the parking area had been increased by 650 to about 3000 parking bays.

“We plan to handle 700 passengers an hour for 16 hours a day for the duration of the tournament,” he said.

Source: Sowetan (http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1128019)

Western Cape Finance MEC Alan Winde is considering naming and shaming overnight accommodation establishments which are found to be charging soccer fans excessive rates during the tournament.

He made the announcement at the V&A Waterfront, where the 6th annual Cape Town Tourism Destination Conference is underway.

Winde said they are just about ready to start welcoming World Cup visitors to the Western Cape.

The MEC said he was encouraged by a recent pledge by several tourism associations in the province. They have agreed to keep hotel, backpacker and restaurant prices reasonable.

For those who do not play the game, Winde has a surprise in store.

The MEC said if they receive reports of excessive pricing, they will investigate and might be forced to name and shame the culprits.

Source: Eye Witness News (http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=35918)

At midday on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, Cape Town’s major tourism role players will present a united front in the campaign against overpricing during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ when they sign the Code of Responsible Pricing for Cape Town.

Representatives of Cape Town Tourism, the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Cape Town Routes Unlimited, FEDHASA, SATSA, Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa, Backpackers South Africa, and The Portfolio Collection will gather at Cape Town Tourism’s City Centre Visitor Information Centre for the signatory ceremony.

The event includes addresses by Cape Town Tourism CEO, Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, and Minister Alan Winde from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Cape Town Tourism’s Du Toit-Helmbold said that the tourism body has been consistently firm in its stance on pricing and has embarked on an industry awareness campaign around responsible pricing and practice in the run up to the World Cup. “We have taken heed of the lessons that other destinations have learnt during global events in the past, and we have communicated these messages to our membership and the tourism sector as a whole,” Du Toit-Helmbold stated.

Cape Town is an immensely popular tourism destination; voted by the UK Telegraph as their readers’ favorite holiday destination in 2009. “We are intent on using the great marketing opportunity that the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ affords us to showcase the destination as a place to which you want to return. High prices and a lack of good service will not reflect well on us, and we are focusing all our energy on ensuring that not only our infrastructure but also our mindset is on target and ready to welcome the world. The Code is an industry tool to visibly and effectively manage perceptions towards a realistic and positive pricing picture of the Cape Town tourism industry,” commented Du Toit-Helmbold.

Cape Town Routes Unlimited CEO Calvyn Gilfellan said: “Viewing the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ as a cash cow will harm South Africa’s burgeoning tourism industry. Up to 290,000 extra visitors are expected to come over the five years after the tournament because of South Africa’s heightened visibility. The Code is Cape Town and the Western Cape’s united voice against price gouging.“

The Code of Responsible Pricing for Cape Town has been created around four core principles:

“Fair Value” means that the tourism sector will create fair and reasonable rates for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ that are linked to current seasonal rates.

“Responsible Tourism” underlies Cape Town’s commitment to be a destination that values and promotes social responsibility and environmental protection.

“Sustainable Tourism,” whereby businesses will be expected to be mindful of the interests of maintaining a legacy for Cape Town beyond the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

“Consumer Protection” against hidden costs and fees that surprise and annoy consumers.

“The Code of Responsible Pricing for Cape Town is a very important charter,” said du Toit-Helmbold, “As the leadership of the tourism industry, we are collectively committed to the code and the future preservation of a successful Cape Town brand. We are eager to ensure that Cape Town’s good reputation is not spoiled by greedy individuals out to capitalize on the short-term opportunities the FIFA World Cup™ offers. A few weeks of distorted pricing may well be at the expense of a responsible sector that has worked non-stop at putting this destination on the global map.”

Cape Town Tourism has committed to spreading awareness of The Code through their international PR network and through their relationship with members and stakeholders in the tourism trade.

Said du Toit-Helmbold: “For the most part, accommodation establishments in Cape Town are posting rates for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ that are equivalent to their peak season rates. A good indication of the public’s favorable response to this is that many of them are already fully booked. Average costs for a night in a centrally-located bed and breakfast are forecast at no more than R500-R800 (£40-£64.10), whilst an award-winning, four-star city hotel is charging on average R1900–R2400 (£152.24–£192.30) per night for a room. Renowned five-star waterside hotels are asking in the region of R5000 per person per night, sharing (£400).”

Source: http://www.forimmediaterelease.net/pm/3302.html