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Tourism News

Volunteers restore, relaunch iconic Apple Express tourism train

By: Henry Lazenby 27th December 2017 A group of Port Elizabeth-based railway enthusiasts has painstakingly restored and successfully relaunched the iconic Apple Express tourist steam train. The two-foot narrow gauge steam train made its maiden trip at 09:00 on December 26, carrying fare-paying passengers between the city’s Kings... →

Successful solar PV project exemplified for SA uptake

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th December 2017 The “tremendous” success of the Robben Island solar photovoltaic (PV) microgrid project lends itself to “fantastic” replication potential, as it serves as a model example for retrofitting existing energy systems with solar and batteries to significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption and... →

Microgrids add new arrow to Africa’s electricity access quiver

By: Mia Breytenbach 24th November 2017 The launch of a R25-million solar energy, lithium-ion battery storage microgrid on Robben Island – the World Heritage Site in Table Bay, Cape Town, which, until recently, relied on diesel to generate electricity – not only showcases the versatile advantages of microgrid technology, but also... →

Standard Bank, ICBC launch programme to spur growth through tourism

By: Anine Kilian 15th November 2017 To further cement trade ties, boost investment flows and encourage tourism between South Africa and China, Standard Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have launched the I Go South Africa loyalty programme in partnership with South African Tourism. This initiative, which... →

Upcoming energy event to showcase African project opportunities

By: Simone Liedtke 10th November 2017 A key focus point of the African Energy Indaba (AEI) – which celebrates its ten-year milestone next year – is to provide access to project opportunities across the African continent. →

GLOBAL PARTICIPATION
The event will include more African companies and delegates, as well as increase global participation in the event

Africa Energy Indaba (AEI) MD Liz Hart, AEI chairperson Brian Statham and South African Electrotechnical Export Council CEO Chiboni Evans discuss the AEI next year. Camera: Nicholas Boyd. Editing: Lionel da Silva.

Gold Brands buys 50% stake in Ed’s Diner

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 7th November 2017 South African franchising company Gold Brands (GBI) will acquire 50% of the rights, trademarks and intellectual property of burger restaurant chain Ed's Diner from owner Vasilis Lazaridis. Gold Brands and Lazaridis will operate the restaurant chain in a joint venture, which will own the exclusive... →

Newly inaugurated PV microgrid to supply almost 50% of Robben Island’s electricity

By: Mia Breytenbach 3rd November 2017 Robben Island, a World Heritage Site has gone green with the installation of a R25-million solar energy, lithium-ion battery storage microgrid that will supply almost half of the island’s yearly electricity requirement. The Department of Tourism, together with the appointed engineering,... →

Photo by Duane Daws
LEON VILJOEN This system makes it the ideal solution, not only for the environment, but also from a business perspective

Apartheid Museum to honour Advocate Bizos

By: Sane Dhlamini 24th October 2017 The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg will on Thursday commemorate stalwart anti-apartheid icon Advocate George Bizos by launching a new gallery in his honour a few weeks before his 90th birthday, and by launching his memoir, detailing his friendship with Nelson Mandela and titled 65 Years of... →

Advocate George Bizos

IDC will invest in infrastructure that unlocks industrialisation

By: Keith Campbell 20th October 2017 The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), South Africa’s development finance institution which exists to fund entrepreneurs and projects in the industrial sector, also seeks to use investments in infrastructure to free up industrial development opportunities. This was highlighted by IDC... →

Call for collaborative action to support sustainable tourism

By: Donna Slater 20th October 2017 In recognition of Africa’s tourism and travel industry’s ability to serve as an engine of progress for socioeconomic transformation, the African Development Bank (AfDB) calls for collaborative actions from all stakeholders for the development of sustainable tourism in Africa. →

Zuma unveils OR Tambo statue in commemoration

By: Sane Dhlamini 19th October 2017 The life of former African National Congress (ANC) president Oliver Reginald Tambo was commemorated on Thursday with the unveiling of a new statue of the former anti-apartheid struggle stalwart at international arrivals at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. President Jacob Zuma... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Jacob Zuma, members of the Tambo family & government officials

Airbnb injects $1m to boost community-led tourism projects in Africa

By: African News Agency 17th October 2017 Peer-to-peer property rental accommodation platform Airbnb on Tuesday announced that it will invest $1-million through 2020 to promote and support community-led tourism projects in Africa. Airbnb said this commitment is part of its vision to empower communities through home sharing and to promote... →

Aviation industry key to supporting tourism sector

By: Anine Kilian 13th October 2017 Aviation plays a central role in supporting the tourism sector, with over 54% of international tourists now travelling by air, KwaZulu-Natal economic development, tourism and environmental MEC Sihle Zikalala said at the Airlines Association of Southern Africa’s forty-seventh annual general... →

Johannesburg ranked most visited city in Africa

By: African News Agency 10th October 2017 South Africa’s most-populated city, Johannesburg, has emerged as the most popular destination city in Africa in 2016 followed by Cape Town, according to the annual Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index released on Tuesday. The Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index showed that... →

National Parks visitation up by 24% in 2017

By: African News Agency 3rd October 2017 The South African National Park (SANParks) announced on Monday that its ‘Know Your National Parks’ campaign increased the number of visitors to its parks by 24% in 2017. “We had an increase of just over 24 percent this year from last year’s 62,312 visitors. SA National Parks Week aims to create a... →

Small businesses remain optimistic, despite volatility and uncertainties

By: Mia Breytenbach 29th September 2017 Despite economic volatility, South African small business owners remain optimistic and are actively pursuing growth, according to research from cloud based accounting software company Xero. The research report, titled ‘State of South African Small Businesses’ surveys the challenges facing the... →

HELPING HAND
Some small business owners want the government to provide more funding and some believe government should grant tax breaks for their business

Photo by Bloomberg
HELPING HAND Some small business owners want the government to provide more funding and some believe government should grant tax breaks for their business

Ramaphosa leads SA delegation to London to bid for 2023 Rugby World Cup

By: Sashnee Moodley 21st September 2017 As part of South Africa’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup 2023 tournament, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and a high-level delegation will make their way to London on Sunday to make a presentation to the World Rugby Council. The delegation will consist of Sport and Recreation Minister Thulas... →

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa

World’s largest museum dedicated to African art opens in Cape Town this week

By: Kim Cloete 18th September 2017 The world’s largest museum dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora has been unveiled at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, and will officially open its doors to the public on Friday. The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is the V&A Waterfront’s R500-million... →

New retail development to open in Walvis Bay

By: Mia Breytenbach 15th September 2017 The new R500-million Dunes Mall in Walvis Bay, Namibia, is in the final stages of completion, with its doors set to open next month. The mall is developed by South African property developer and investor Atterbury, in partnership with local developers Tradehold. →

SIZING UP The new 27 500 m2 Dunes Mall in Walvis Bay, will be the largest in the area and the second largest in Namibia

Domestic travel shrinks in South Africa due to financial hardship – Stats SA

By: African News Agency 4th September 2017 Domestic tourism within South Africa has declined over the past two years due to economic hardships, the Domestic Tourism Survey 2016 (DTS 2016) released by Statistics South Africa on Monday shows. According to the survey, the total number of day trips undertaken within the country decreased from... →

Changes made to keep up with economic uncertainties

By: Victor Moolman 25th August 2017 Despite challenging economic conditions, the local food and beverage industry continues to constantly change its menus and atmosphere to fit the latest spending trends of the middle class, says Cape Town-based restaurant Strolla co-founder Brendon Crew. →

Cape Town, New York sign city partnership agreement

By: African News Agency 24th August 2017 In a first for the African continent, the City of New York and the City of Cape Town signed a historic city-to-city partnership agreement on Wednesday to boost tourism and business between the two iconic destinations. NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon and Cape Town Tourism’s CEO Enver... →

Cabinet approves coastal tourism plan

By: Anine Kilian 18th August 2017 Cabinet has approved a coastal and maritime tourism implementation plan. In a statement released on Friday, Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa said the implementation plan was developed by the Department of Tourism in partnership with various tourism stakeholders. →

Outreach programme providing opportunities for participants

By: Simone Liedtke 28th July 2017 Engineering company Bosch’s Outreach Robotics Programme has provided participants the opportunity to compete in the 2017 World Robot Olympiad, in Costa Rica, in November this year. →

MARKUS THILL The programme aims to ensure that children from various backgrounds have an opportunity to study robotics

Joburg Property Company showcases city’s heritage

By: David Oliveira 21st July 2017 In a R60-million renovation project, the former post office on Rissik street is being restored to its former glory as one of Johannesburg’s stand-out heritage sites. During a media tour hosted by the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) last month, Johannesburg-based Paradigm Architects principal... →

JOBURG CLASSIC GETS FACELIFT The post office in Rissik street, which was built in 1897, is currently undergoing a R60-million renovation

Business holds small-business funding line, despite serious postreshuffle trust deficit

By: Mia Breytenbach 30th June 2017 It is now well documented how President Jacob Zuma’s March 31 Cabinet reshuffle, which saw South Africa’s highly-regarded Pravin Gordhan removed as Finance Minister, seriously undermined trust between government and its social partners, including business. The controversial move also placed the... →

Construction starts on Graskop Gorge glass elevator

By: Anine Kilian 20th June 2017 Construction has started on the Graskop Gorge elevator, with around 160 t of concrete poured on the first section of the lift base last week. Building the viewing lift on Mpumalanga’s Panorama Route is an engineering first for South Africa and it is estimated that the tourism node will be open... →

SA retail Reit to actively pursue opportunity in Spain

By: Mia Breytenbach 9th June 2017 JSE-listed real estate investment trust (Reit) Vukile is actively evaluating opportunities in Spain to diversify its earnings stream and enhance its high-quality portfolio. During the company’s results presentation in Johannesburg last month, CEO Laurence Rapp noted that Vukile had a R1.5-billion... →

ACQUISITION ADDITION Vukile Property Fund acquired a 25% stake in the Springs Mall, in Gauteng, which opened in March

Ring main unit launched to cater for increased renewables output

By: David Oliveira 2nd June 2017 Electrical engineering firm Lucy Electric launched its modular Aegis36 ring main unit at Africa Utility Week, which took place in Cape Town last month. The unit is designed for switchgear of up to 36 kV installed in secondary distribution networks and particularly for renewable-energy projects. →

Work-based experience for graduate interns

By: Mia Breytenbach 26th May 2017 Technology ecosystem company Resolution Circle has welcomed 115 South African graduates to its graduate internship programme, which aims to develop them into high-quality, employable individuals that can excel in South Africa’s economy. Resolution Circle, an ‘idea-to-barcode’ ecosystem that... →

GAINING EXPERIENCE Resolution Circle’s internship will provide the 115 participants with practical skills in decision making and client services

Tourism can change people's lives for the better – Zuma

By: News24Wire 17th May 2017 Tourism has the potential to change people’s lives for the better, especially during these globally depressed economic times, President Jacob Zuma has said. In addition to job creation, tourism also provided opportunities for entrepreneurship, Zuma said at the official opening of the Travel... →

SA 'working on scrapping visas for all African citizens'

By: News24Wire 15th May 2017 South Africa is working towards allowing all African citizens to enter the country without visas – but at first “trusted travellers” like diplomats, officials, academics, business people and students will be the only ones to benefit. The Department of Home Affairs outlines the steps that will be... →

Western Cape to grow business ties with incoming French government

By: African News Agency 25th April 2017 The Western Cape Investment and Trade and Promotion Agency (Wesgro) said on Monday it was closely monitoring the remaining leg of the first round of France’s most contested and controversial election with the aim of growing business ties with France and the European Union (EU). Widely considered... →

Tourism supports 1 in 10 jobs

By: News24Wire 18th April 2017 Travel and tourism generated 1 in 10 of the world’s jobs in 2016, according to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). WTTC’s Economic Impact Report 2017, which is conducted in conjunction with Oxford Economics, researches the economic impact of travel and tourism on a global... →

SAA, Ethiopian Airlines extend code-share agreement

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 29th March 2017 The extension of South African Airways’ (SAA’s) code-share service agreement with Ethiopian Airlines to include Cape Town, Durban and Toronto, Canada, became effective this week. The expanded code share now offers a direct service between Addis Ababa and Cape Town and Addis Ababa and Durban.... →

Stifling legislation deters economic disruptors – Winde

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 29th March 2017 Stifling legislation slowing down businesses and innovators will not be tolerated in the Western Cape, provincial Economic Opportunities Minister Alan Winde said on Wednesday. During his budget speech for the province’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Winde highlighted that the... →

Domestic tourism declines between 2013 and 2015, but expenditure increases

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 16th March 2017 Domestic tourism declined from 54.4-million day trips in 2013 to 44-million in 2015, Statistics South Africa’s Domestic Tourism 2015 report, published on Thursday, reveals. However, while there was a downward trend in the number of day trips, the total expenditure on day trips increased from... →

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