SA to model Jamaican tourism strategy

The Jamaican / Caribbean Model on Community (and Rural) Tourism and Job Creation (“Villages as Businesses”) has had impact on world views and it is no surprise that Diana McIntyre-Pike, President of Countrystyle Commumity Tourism Network and the Caribbean Chapter of IIPT (International Institute for Peace through Tourism), was selected as one of the 50 world experts in Sustainable Tourism to attend the recent UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Experts meeting in Switzerland as part of the process to develop a new programme on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism.

Culinary partnership to raise industry standards

WACS is a global member network of 93 national chefs associations founded in 1928, representing over 10 million professional chefs. WACS dedicates all of its activities to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of cuisines around the world.

SA ready to host 123rd International Olympic Committee

South Africa is ready to host the 123rd International Olympic Committee (IOC) gathering in Durban in July. International sports administrators, royalty, and heads of state are expected in the country for the 123rd IOC Session, which will kick off in July.

European long haul air travel taxes may affect tourism

Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has warned that arbitrary taxes imposed by certain European countries on travel to long haul destinations could adversely affect travel to these destinations.

The minister, who is currently in Berlin for the ITB 2011 - a leading travel industry convention, discussed the issue with tourism ministers and senior officials from long haul destinations on the sidelines of the convention, before briefing the media.

UK holds SA in ‘high regard’ - Gordhan

The UK business community holds South Africa in high regard, both as an investment destination and as a springboard into the rest of Africa, said Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Briefing the media following President Jacob Zuma’s state visit to the UK, Gordhan said there was also a consensus from the UK that South Africa had handled the recession well despite the loss of almost a million jobs.

Think before you fly

Do you remember when air travel was a pleasure and a privilege? No? Well, to be honest, nor do I, although I remember growing up to think that flying was glamorous and exciting.

There certainly was a time – around when the term “jet set” was coined in the late 1950s – when flying in a large passenger aeroplane was just about the smartest thing you could do. The fact that you could get from A to B in a few hours was a technological breakthrough, an achievement in itself. Nowadays, it’s so much a part of everyday business life that we can hardly bear another conversation about airport security, the iniquities of budget airlines or the dangers of deep-vein thrombosis.

UK Visa to cost South Africans millions

Visa applications for travellers to the UK will cost the economy R 500 million in the next 12 to 18 months says Immigration expert, Leon Isaacson, MD of Global Migration. Not only this, but the process has caused extreme inconvenience to travellers.

In an attempt to eradicate stolen and forged South African passports, the UK Government has made the decision to rescind the visa exempt status of SA passport holders. This is believed to be a reaction to an increase in forged and stolen SA passports entering the UK.

"Playing globally, winning locally" is the theme for Tourism Indaba 2011

"Playing globally, winning locally". That's the theme of this year's Tourism Indaba. Almost 13 000 people from Africa and the rest of the world are expected to visit this year's Indaba 2011, which will have 1 700 exhibitors. It will be held at the Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, and will include the Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (ETEYA), the Global Media Face Off and Welcome Awards.