ISSUE 03 | Quarter 3 2018
ISSUE 03 2018 PUBLISHER TourismTattler.com PO Box 891, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320 KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Website: www.tourismtattler.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Des Langkilde Cell: +27 (0)82 374 7260 Fax: +27 (0)86 651 8080 E-mail: editor@tourismtattler.com Skype: tourismtattler
ATTRACTIONS
ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bev Langkilde Cell: +27 (0)71 224 9971 Fax: +27 (0)86 656 3860 E-mail: bev@tourismtattler.com Skype: bevtourismtattler
SUBSCRIPTIONS
CONSERVATION
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BACK ISSUES (Click on covers to download). ▼ ISS 2 2018
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DESTINATIONS ▼ OCT 2017
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PROPERTY REVIEW Disclaimer: Tourism Tattler is published by the sole proprietor, Desmond Langkilde, and is the official trade journal of various trade ‘Associations’ (see page 04). The information provided and opinions expressed herein are provided in good faith and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the proprietor, its ‘Associations’, its staff or its production suppliers. Advice provided herein should not be soley relied upon as each set of circumstances may differ. Neither the proprietor, its ‘Associations’, its staff or its production suppliers can be held legally liable in any way for damages arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages or from any statements made or withheld or from supplied photographs or graphic images reproduced by the publication.
FIRST CAPTIVE BRED
Cheetah RELEASE
REAL AFRICA. REAL CLOSE TO CAPE TOWN
Tourism Tattler
Issue 3 of 2018
Official Trade Journal and Media Partner to: The Africa Travel Association
Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association
+1.202.835.1115 • africatravelassociation.org ATA is a division of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and a registered non-profit trade association in the USA.
+248 432 5560 • www.shta.sc The SHTA’s primary focus is to unite all Seychelles tourism industry stakeholders under one association.
The African Travel & Tourism Association
International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP)
+44 20 7937 4408 • www.atta.travel Based in London, the Atta has members in 22 African countries and 37 worldwide.
www.tourismpartners.org ICTP is a travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to Quality Services and Green Growth.
National Accommodation Association of South Africa
International Institute for Peace through Tourism
+27 86 186 2272 • www.naa-sa.co.za The NAA-SA is a network of mainly smaller accommodation providers throughout South Africa.
www.iipt.org IIPT is dedicated to fostering tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation.
Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa +27 11 315 2420/1 • www.retosa.co.za RETOSA is responsible for tourism growth and development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
The Hotel Show Africa 2018 TheHotelShowAfrica.com Thousands of hospitality professionals from around the world will be at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 25-27 June.
Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association
Tourism, Hotel Investment and Networking Conference 2018
manager@savrala.co.za • www.savrala.co.za SAVRALA is the representative voice of Southern Africa’s vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management sector.
Website: thincafrica.hvsconferences.com THINC Africa 2018 takes place on 5th and 6th September 2018 at Century City Conference Centre, Cape Town.
Accommodation Adventure Activities Events Tours Bringing Africa to the World and the World to Africa
+27 (0)72 224 9971
www.bookings2africa.com Tourism Tattler
Issue 3 of 2018
bev@bookings2africa.com
BIG 5 SAFARI & SPA Real Africa. Real Close To Cape Town. Over 10 000-hectares of Big 5 conservancy.
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4-STAR ACCOMMODATION | SPA | GAME DRIVE | HORSEBACK & QUAD BIKE SAFARI At the award-winning Aquila Private Game Reserve and Spa, guests will get the opportunity to experience a Big 5 safari, together with outstanding service; it just does not get any better than this. With game drives, quad bike and horseback safaris situated just 2 hours’ drive from Cape Town, it’s the closest you will get to real Africa, in the lap of luxury. The world-class spa at Aquila adds to the already exceptional facilities and services on offer. It is a masterpiece of luxury, defined by its serenity and creative use of natural elements.
FACILITIES & ACTIVITIES 4-STAR ESTABLISHMENT | PREMIER, FAMILY & LUXURY COTTAGES | LODGE ROOMS | DAY TRIP SAFARI | HORSEBACK SAFARI | QUAD BIKE SAFARI STAR SAFARI | OVERNIGHT SAFARI | FLY-IN SAFARI | WINE TASTING | INDOOR & OUTDOOR RESTAURANTS | OUTDOOR POOL | WET BAR | CIGAR LOUNGE | CONFERENCE CENTRE | SPA | CURIO SHOP | CHILDREN’S FACILITIES & JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAMME
www.aquilasafari.com
AquilaSafari
AquilaSafaris
RESERVATIONS: +27 (0)21 430 7260 or RES@AQUILASAFARI.COM Tourism Tattler
Issue 3 of 2018
A world-class cheetah sanctuary and working farm outside Paarl in South Africa’s Western Cape, Ashia is a mere 45-minute drive from Cape Town. At Ashia we support conservation initiatives through our efforts to release captive-bred cheetahs back into the protected wild. We also offer the opportunity to contribute in aiding conservation initiatives through our volunteer programmes, working holidays and research/internship programmes.
Protect • Preserve • Educate www.ashia.co.za
Proud supporters of Cheetah Experience Ashia
Tourism Tattlerl Issue 3 of 2018
Tourism Tattler
Issue 3 of 2018
DESTINATIONS
BALLOON SAFARI OVER TANZANIA’S
Ruaha National Park At 20,226 square kilometres (7,809 sq mi) Ruaha National Park is the the largest park in Tanzania and East Africa. And there’s no better way to view herds of elephant, wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle, than from above, in a hot air balloon.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Yet, despite all this space for wildlife to roam, the greatest concentration of game occur along the Great Ruaha River, after which the park is named. This 475 km (300 mi.) long river is the life-blood of the park and the focus for land-based game-viewing. A one-hour Ruaha Balloon Safaris flight avoids the game-viewing masses, enabling you to see the Park from a unique perspective. Whether skimming the river surface as pods of hippo scatter before you, or floating high above the baobabdecorated plains, as you view wildlife trails made by generations of animals, these sights are impossible to witness from the ground.
You will also fly over areas that are out of bounds to vehicles as off-road driving is not permitted in the Park. Ruaha is famed for its vast herds of buffalo, elephant, and prides of lion as well as being one of the very few places where you can view greater and lesser Kudu in the same park. Balloon flights launch daily from 15 June to 31 October annually.
For more information, visit www.balloonsafaris.com. For reservations, contact Glory on bookings@balloonsafaris.co.tz or call +255 (0)27 254 8967 OR +255 (0)73 297 2308.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
CONSERVATION
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eauty is in the eye of the beholder, and there is no better place for tourists to see the beauty of Africa’s most endangered big cat, the graceful cheetah, than at Ashia, a recently established wildlife sanctuary and education centre located in Paarl, a 45-minute drive from Cape Town.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
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heetah Experience Ashia is 35-hectare working agricultural farm where environmental values are applied with an emphasis on supporting the conservation of endangered big and small cats, particularly cheetahs. Founded in 2016 by husband and wife team Chantal Rischard and Stephan Illenberger, in partnership with Riana van Nieuwenhuizen, the founder of Cheetah Experience Bloemfontein, the aim of their sanctuary is to help prevent the decline of cheetah populations and increase the genetic gene pool through captive breeding programmes. These cheetahs will then be re-introduced into the wild through protected wildlife reserves by offering support to other ethical and sustainable conservation initiatives. They further aim to educate the public, especially the youth, about the plight of cheetahs.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
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shia is an African name, meaning “life and hope�. Through educational experiences visitors get to understand the urgent need for action and the critical need to protect these majestic predators.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
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ccording to the World Wildlife Fund, cheetah numbers have dropped from about 100,000 in 1900 to probably 6,800 today and now only cover about 23% of their historic range in Africa. Of these, only about 2,000 live in protected areas. The species loss today is about 10,000 times higher than their natural death rate. This is mostly due to human/animal conflict in rural settlements and on commercial farms where cheetahs are seen as a livestock threat.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
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shia offers an opportunity to aid in cheetah conservation through volunteer programmes, working holidays and research/internship programmes. Luxurious guest accommodation opened in January 2018, where visitors can experience farm life and cheetah conservation. Four spacious suites (3 x one-bedroom and 1 x two-bedroom) offer sumptuous comfort in relaxed surroundings, each en-suite with a fully equipped kitchenette. Guests can refresh and eat at the CafÊ with its sweeping views over the Drakenstein mountains, browse through the extensive selection of high-end gifts and memorabilia in the Boutique Shop, or explore the beauty and diversity of the farm on foot. For more information visit www.ashia.co.za or email enquiries@ashia.co.za Read our Q&A interview with Ashia’s co-founder Chantal Rischard here.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
STOP PRESS: First Captive Cheetah Release
Cheetah Experience Ashia & Bloemfontein have announced that their first cheetah release permit has finally been issued by the conservation authorities. The release - managed and financed by the registered non-profit company Ashia Cheetah Conservation - took place end of August..
Read more >>
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
CONSERVATION
FIRST CAPTIVE BRED
Cheetah RELEASE AT KUZUKO LODGE
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
>> Kuzuko Lodge, a contractual area of South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park and managed by Legacy Hotels & Resorts, released the first Ashia Cheetah Experience captive-born cheetah into the protected wildlife reserve on Wednesday 29 August. The four-year-old cheetah named Jasmin, was released into a boma on her arrival to acclimatise to her new surroundings. From here, Jasmin will be released into a 300ha enclosure before her eventual release into the expanse of the 15,000ha reserve to meet the two resident males. Read more about this story HERE.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Place of Glory As a nature reserve, Kuzuko is in its infancy. A five-year environmental study provided the benchmark for a sustainable re-growth of the area to its natural habitat. Working in conjunction with SANParks, a programme was embarked upon to re-stock the area with indigenous flora and fauna. Originally created by combining twenty-two farms, comprising an area of about 40,000 acres, the land was barren due to the negative impact from years of goat farming. To protect the reserve, 70km of solar powered electrified fencing was erected by a team of 70 men over a period of 10 months. In clearing the land approximately 230km of old farm fencing, 41 windmills, 15 farm buildings, 18 water reservoirs and 20 tons of metal were dismantled and removed.
Game had to be introduced in phases after the removal of 250ha of alien plant species and the cultivation and re-planting of Spekboom (portulacaria afra). An indigenous plant known as “elephant’s food”, Spekboom has enormous carbon-storing capabilities. Its capacity to offset harmful carbon emissions is equivalent to that of moist, subtropical forests. Once the flora began to recover, buffalo, zebra, and various species of antelope were re-introduced into the reserve in partnership with SANParks and the Addo Elephant Park. In 2005, after an absence of 150 years, elephant and black rhino were released on Kuzuko. Predators were only introduced in 2007 when there was sufficient game to
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
sustain their numbers. Kuzuko is committed to the conservation of disease-free elephants, black rhino, and mountain zebra. For conservation to be successful, Kuzuko believes that all children need to learn to love and protect their heritage. Funded by the Kuzuko Foundation, educational school programmes mainly focuss on the upliftment of disadvantage communities and their educational needs. The only expense that the school/institution is responsible for is transport of their groups to and from Kuzuko Lodge and Reserve. For more information visit legacyhotels.co.za or email kuzuko@legacyhotels.co.za
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
DESTINATIONS
September is Tourism Month. Take a Sho’t Left and dare yourself to experience adrenaline-fuelled activities and adventures in South Africa. From diving to walking safaris, hot air ballooning to windsurfing, treetop zip lining to river rafting – there’s no shortage of raw adventures and adrenaline-pumping moments.
ADVENTURE Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Great White Shark cage diving - Gansbaai, Western Cape. Image courtesy South African Tourism / Greatstock.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
From popular beaches to incredible wetlands, South Africa’s long stretch of pristine coastline is yours to discover.
BEACH Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Chapman’s Peak, Cape Town, Western Cape. Image courtesy South African Tourism / Greatstock.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Whether it’s Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans or Venda, our 11 official languages and cultures each offer something unique.
CULTURE Issue 3 Issue of Issue 2018 33 of of 2018 2018 Tourism TourismTourism Tattler Tattler Trade Trade TattlerJournal Journal
Traditional rain dance ceremony in a forest in Limpopo. Image courtesy South African Tourism / Greatstock.
Issue 3 Issue of 2018 3 of 2018 TourismTourism Tattler Trade TattlerJournal
Every day in scenic South Africa ends with a horizon to look out on. No matter which province you’re in, you’re always around the corner from something breathtaking… something that will leave you incapable of saying anything other than “wow”.
NATURE Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
West Coast National Park, Western Cape. During early August and September the landscape is transformed into a wonderland of wildflowers. Image courtesy South African Tourism / Greatstock. Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
PROPERTY PROFILE
The uMfolozi Big Five Reserve is positioned on the south-western border of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park - the oldest proclaimed protected Game Reserve area in South Africa, dating back to 1895. Stretching over 96,000 hectares, it is located approximately 190km (2.5 hours) north of Durban, in central Zululand, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa. The reserve is known for its rich wildlife and conservation efforts. The uMfolozi Big Five Game Reserve represents the future of forward-thinking sustainability as it blends past and present conservation models. Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
The uMfolozi is a special conservation story – the story of how Dr Ian Player started a global effort to save the rhino from extinction, and how years later the tribal chiefs contributed their land to conserve this part of South Africa’s natural heritage. Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Mthembu is the first lodge being buit at the uMfolozi Big Five Game Reserve. It has an earthy character, yet is just as luxurious as the second lodge, Biyela. Situated somewhat higher off the river, it provies guests with panoramic views over the waters and riverine bush. Mthembu Lodge is comprised of 7 luxurious 1-bedroom Private Villas and two 2-bedroom Family Villas, sleeping a total of just 22 guests. The spot where Mthembu Lodge stands is the exact place where Dr Ian Player stabled his horses which were first used on patrols and later on wilderness leadership training in this area. Mthembu Lodge will open its doors to welcome its first guests in October 2018 and Biyela Lodge will be ready in January 2019. Tourism Tattler
Issue 3 of 2018
Computer generated artists impressions of Mthembu Lodge bedroom and bathroom.
www.mantiscollection.com +27 (0)41 404 9300 reservations@mantiscollection.com
Tourism Tattler
Issue 3 of 2018
PROPERTY REVIEW
REAL AFRICA. REAL CLOSE TO CAPE TOWN Review by Des & Chase Langkide
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Set in the pristine Southern Karoo Highlands against a backdrop of dramatic mountains, the
four star Aquila Private Game Reserve & Spa offers an exciting taste of real Africa just two short hours from Cape Town by road. Home to an enormous variety of game, including the Big 5, two- to three-hour game drives at Aquila are a perfect way to see the animals from four-wheel-drive vehicles, quad bikes or on horseback.
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
Aquila’s afro-chic Aquila Lodge is comprised of 3 levels, accessible by a glass panelled lift with magnificent Karoo vistas. The Lodge has an outdoor swimming pool, a pool bar, a cigar lounge and a large dining room where the chef presents a rich variety of authentic South African cuisine.
The four-star cottages are strategically placed for privacy and built largely from rock, thatch and wood to blend with the environment and offer every comfort like roaring log fires, wooden viewing decks, air conditioning, crisp percale linen, rock bathrooms and, in some, alfresco rock showers. The Tranquila Spa features two large heated indoor pools, steam room, sauna, nail bar, ten treatment rooms, a couples or group treatment room and an outdoor pool.
0861 73-73-78-3 +27 (0)83 301 9222 For availability & bookings click here Tourism Tattler Issue 3 of 2018
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