Cape Town Tourism’s blog has been nominated in two categories at the 2010 South African Blog Awards: Best Travel Blog of the Year and Best Company Blog of the Year. Take time to vote for our blog every day from now until September 17.

Winners will be announced on September 25, at the annual awards ceremony at the One & Only Hotel in Cape Town.

The Cape Town Tourism blog is a resource where anyone interested in Cape Town can find daily images and information about the Mother City.

Cape Town Tourism would like to thank everyone who played a part in nominating our blog for the awards. To vote for our blog, click on the banner below. 

The I ♥ Cape Town Facebook page, which has more than 118 000 fans, is now South Africa’s third most popular, behind the Springboks and Gary the ToothFairy (aka local comedian Bevan Cullinan).

This is according to Memeburn, a company that specialises in website analysis. A blog posted on the Memeburn website today, written by Alistair Fairweather, listed the 10 most popular Facebook pages in the country.

Fairweather wrote of the I ♥ Cape Town page: “South Africa’s most beloved city was bound to make an appearance somewhere in our list. The fact that half the fans are probably German is irrelevant. Cape Town Tourism deserves a big pat on the back for this one.”

The page has become a place for Cape Town residents and visitors to share their photos, experiences and opinions. It is also a great place for visitors to get local advice about where to go and what to do in the Mother City.

I ♥ Cape Town has up to twice as many fans as some of the pages in the bottom half of the top 10.

Other groups that made the top 10 are Die Antwoord, Bafana Bafana Supporters, Jack Parrow, Huisgenoot, The Blue Bulls, The Power of 5FM and Steve Hofmeyr.

You too can become a fan of I ♥ Cape Town on Facebook.

An aloe at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Photo courtesy Derek Keats

Because 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, Cape Town Tourism is running a competition in which schools can increase their knowledge of biodiversity and stand a chance of winning some great prizes, including their own landscaped garden.

Cathy Alberts, Cape Town Tourism’s area manager for the southern region, said the aim of the competition was to “create awareness about the important role our biodiversity plays in our tourism offering”.

Schools who wish to enter the competition need to submit a floor plan (A4) or model (A3) of their landscape for the perfect garden, showing how it represents the rich biodiversity of Cape Town’s Fynbos. The drawing or model should be to scale for a three-metre by three-metre garden and be accompanied by a written entry (one page maximum) which describes the garden, as well as a definition of biodiversity and how it links with tourism.

To enter, fill in the entry form below and deliver it to your nearest Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information Centre (these are listed on the form) before September 15. The winner and runner up will be announced at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on September 27.

My Cape Town Grows entry form

Fatima Borez with one of The Big Issue vendors

Cape Town Tourism’s continued support of The Big Issue magazine got a boost today when Cape Town Tourism (CTT) staff members put themselves in the vendors’ shoes, hit the streets and spent the morning selling The Big Issue to Cape Town motorists.

Local radio station Heart 104FM did a live broadcast from the Somerset Road/Buitengracht intersection and there was a colourful array of helpers egging the CTT team on – including a Burmese python and belly dancers!

“It was good fun and we learnt a lot about prejudice,” said CTT Marketing Services Manager Wendy Van der Byl.

CTT Events Coordinator Fatima Borez was the star sales rep and the her sales pitch of “I have no change” doubled the profits.

“We are looking forward to working with The Big Issue again during the My Cape Town Weekend in September,” said Wendy.

Here are some more responses from the CTT team:

“I’ve always been on the other side of the car window at a busy intersection surrounded by vendors of one kind or another with irritation and annoyance in my demeanour. Being on the street trying to convince a member of the public that I am not poor and desperate, and that I will not rob you – I merely want to convince you that your contribution of R14 will make a difference to someone less fortunate – was one of the biggest challenges I have faced in a while. The lack of eye contact and quick roll-up of a window shouts ‘Go away!’ louder than words ever could. I now have a greater respect and empathy for vendors trying to make an honest living and I value the contribution The Big Issue makes to our society at large. It’s an experience I’d recommend to anyone who needs a touch of reality to put life back into perspective.” Wendy Van der Byl – Marketing Services Manager, CTT

“I have new-found respect for The Big Issue vendors and will make a point to greet them, search for any change and make them feel special in future. This morning was heartbreaking, to say the very least. It was sad that the owners of sporty cars, who quite frankly could afford R14, were the ones who were annoyed, on their phones, rolled up their windows and dodged us.” Fatima Borez – Events Coordinator, CTT

“Stepping into the shoes of The Big Issue vendors was an eye-opening experience. Apart from a few motorists who very kindly refused, most were like robots programmed for their destination and not willing to divert or make a stop for a worthy contribution along the way. I have great respect for the vendors who are trying to make an honest living. I wish more motorists would open their hearts and help make a contribution. R14 will not dig a deep hole in your pocket.” Thirumerni Naidoo – Events & Business Tourism Coordinator, CTT

The newly renovated Visitor Information Centre in the city centre and its vibrant new coffee shop is quickly becoming synonymous with big events and exciting launches, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ was the perfect opportunity to test its ability to surprise and delight visitors of all creed and kind. What better day to formally launch Café del Cabo than that before the much anticipated final between Spain and the Netherlands. Alfaro Coffee, exclusive to the shop, took the opportunity to boast about a brand new identity and flavour, straight from Guatemala to right here in the Mother City.

Gustavo Alfaro explains: “This is a single origin coffee from Huehuetenango in Guatemala. It’s grown between 4 500 to 5 200 feet above sea level from the specific lot of Pena Blanca at Finca Santa Rosa, Buenos Aires. With its elegant and fruity chocolate combination, this high altitude coffee provides the consumer with a unique taste, especially dedicated to Café del Cabo at Cape Town Tourism.”

Not only can you catch a cup of heavenly Huehuetenango coffee at the Visitor Information Centre: you can also enjoy a selection of tasty treats, courtesy of Crush.

Says Alfaro, “The partnership with Crush has been well planned. Simply dedicated to the philosophies and principals of health and high quality with a foundation of elegance, this partnership was meant to be. Being at Cape Town Tourism is simply the cherry on top – it’s like being part of a family.”

The partnership has lent itself to the creation of an exclusive new brand, Café del Cabo. With a wrap-around balcony, insulated in the winter with weather guards and a mushroom heater, it also easily opens up to the summer breeze. The menu includes only the freshest and healthiest ingredients, and the café is fast becoming the new spot for meetings and lunch breaks alike.

Stefan Damad of Crush explains: “Our philosophy is centred around fresh food fast. Being a part of one of the best visitor centres in the world is fantastic for the brand and the people who visit Cape Town. We have been loving the energy that has been created by the new-look centre and we fit perfectly into the design and energy of the space. We have recently added breakfast to our menu, so Capetonians and visitors alike can look forward to beating the traffic and enjoying an early morning coffee and breakfast with their papers, delivered daily to us. With our liquor license, we’ll also be able to make after work drinks and meetings less stressful.”

Cape Town Tourism Area Manager (Central and Coastal) Annely Taimi Ickua and Gustavo Alfaro

The launch of Café del Cabo was well attended, as Chef Tim Whitford from Zevenwacht Restaurant and Chef School did his chocolate demonstration followed by an Alfaro Coffee pairing and a tango performance from the Fanaticos del Tango Escuela. With a visit from the editor of GQ, who described the event and the information centre as just “wow” , it certainly was an evening to remember.

The space within the centre is cleverly designed for event hosting, with seating that is interchangeable to suit a wide range of occasions, even a tango demonstration.

Striking the right balance of information hub and the top spot for great coffee and good food has been a long process; brand identities had to be cohesive and aligned. The result: Café del Cabo at Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information Centre. The launch signifies a long and fruitful partnership established in the service of visitors.

Cape Town Tourism is stepping up its YouTube channel, and we’ll be loading new videos showcasing Cape Town and some of our beautiful attractions on a more regular basis.

You can subscribe to the channel here (you’ll need a YouTube or Google account to do so):

Watch some of the videos about Cape Town we’ve already uploaded:

Watch A Beautiful Day in Cape Town. Take a four-minute tour through Cape Town – up Table Mountain in the cable car, to the Two Oceans Aquarium, Kirstenbosch National Garden, Cape Point and more!

See also:

Cape Town Tourism shows the features off the main Visitor Information Centre, just off Strand Street.

Cape Town Overview – showcasing the variety of attractions Cape Town has to offer, including beaches, business activities, culture, food, wine, nature and art.

Watch these and a number of other videos we’ve already uploaded, and let us know what you’d like us to showcase more of on YouTube. Please also feel free to “make friends” with us on YouTube, and to notify us of any videos about Cape Town we should know about!

The Cape Town Tourism and Cape Town Routes Unlimited 2010 Indaba stand.

Showcasing Cape Town at the 2010 Indaba

If you are headed to the INDABA in Durban this weekend, Cape Town Tourism would love to meet you at their stand in Hall One of the Durban Exhibition Centre.

Cape Town Tourism and Cape Town Routes Unlimited will partner on two stands: a combined destination stand, where the focus will be on Cape Town and the Western Cape’s readiness to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, and a product pavilion, showcasing the region’s small and medium-sized tourism enterprises.

These emerging enterprises highlight the important legacy benefits that can be derived as a result of the event.

For more information about INDABA 2010, see our press release.

Cape Town Tourism staff spinning their wheels

In support of the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, Cape Town Tourism invited those members who offer cycling-related products to exhibit at its new visitor centre in Burg Street.

Virgin Active helped out by giving a spinning demonstration, with Cape Town Tourism members and staff burning a few calories.

All participants and visitors received a Pick n Pay carrier bag holding, among others, Cape Argus and Bike n Wines brochures and a Cape Town Tourism visitor guide.

Read about Cape Town road closures for the event.

Photo by Skye Grove

Cape Town Tourism hosted a photo competition to celebrate the month of love in Cape Town during February 2010. Team members were invited to submit a photo of the most romantic spot in Cape Town, motivating why it was special to them.

It was a hotly contested competition, but PR, communications and guest relations manager at Cape Town Tourism, Skye Grove’s photo took our breath away. 

The photo of a fire dancer was taken on Noordhoek Beach and if you focus your eyes on the centre of the photograph, you can see a swirl of fire in the shape of a heart.  Skye motivated her selection of this photograph with the following inspiring words:

The most romantic spot in Cape Town

is the place where earth meets water and fire

in the rhythm of a faultless fire dance

on a balmy February night at Noordhoek Beach.

This is where all of my senses meet

the smell of the ocean in the rhythmic beating of my heart

I stand in awe of the passionate energy of my city

my Cape Town

Skye and her partner will be enjoying a Dinner Club Tour, worth R1000, with Cape Town Tourism member and nightlife tour operator, Luna Nights. 

Visit Luna Nights’ website now for a stunning selection of Mother City night spot tour packages. 

Congratulations Skye, it is good to know that we have another photographer on the team!

Boulders Beach, photo courtesy Ian Junor

Readers of the UK’s Guardian newspaper and website have voted Cape Town their second favourite overseas city, after Sydney, Australia.

The Guardian announced the much anticipated results of its Travel Awards 2009 this week, with Cape Town sailing into second position, from its ranking of seventh in 2008.

The publication is regarded as one of the UK’s leading newspapers, with an average issue readership of more than 1.2-million.

Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold says, “Cape Town Tourism is thrilled about receiving this notable accolade. It is a sign that Cape Town is now widely recognised and celebrated as one of the world’s favourite city destinations.” 

The accolade has come at the most opportune time, with the final draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup just over a month away. 

“The eyes of the world are on us and we are working hard to maximise the exposure of Cape Town,” says Du Toit-Helmbold. “Coming in second has really elevated our status as one of the top 10 cities in the world to visit, live, work and study in.”

The UK is a key source market for Cape Town, particularly for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The Mother City’s latest accolade follows a series of earlier awards, such as Travel & Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best Poll 2009, in which readers voted Cape Town the world’s number two city. Additional accolades include National Geographic Traveler including Cape Town in its “50 Places of a Lifetime” selection, Conde Nast Traveler calling it the “Top City in Africa and the Middle East” (fourth in the world) and the UK’s Telegraph voting Cape Town its “Favourite Foreign City”.