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”.

The 2009 Cape Town Tourism AGM was held last night at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. With the audience dressed to the theme “Live it, Love it, Louder” and blowing their complimentary vuvuzelas, Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold outlined Cape Town’s 2020 vision – to double the economic impact of tourism on the city by 2020.

Three new board members were elected to serve for the next three years – Guy Lundy, chief executive officer of Accelerate Cape Town, Rashid Toefy, chief executive officer of the Cape Town International Convention Centre and Ian Bartes, manager of service standards and quality assurance, Airports Company South Africa, Cape Town.

Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana, vice-chaiperson of the Cape Town Tourism Board, thanks members of “Team Cape Town Tourism” for their work over the last year.

Cape Town International Convention Centre CEO, Rashid Toefy, welcomes guests to the recently ISO-certifed convention centre. The CTICC is only the second convention centre in the world to be ISO-certified.

Ian Bartes, chairperson of the Cape Town Tourism Board, delivers the chairperson’s report, calling on Cape Town Tourism to start looking towards the “next big event” after 2010.

Claus Tworek, chairperson of Cape Town Tourism’s financial sub-committee, summarises Cape Town Tourism’s financial standing. Surpluses from the last financial year have been put towards the refurbishment of the Burg Street Visitor Information Centre.

Cape Town Tourism Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold shares Cape Town Tourism’s strategy for the year ahead and towards 2020. “The simple, bold target is to double the economic impact of tourism on the city by 2020,” she says.

Mike Evans of Webber Wentzel outlines the board’s resolutions (which were unanimously accepted) and the election of the new Cape Town Tourism Board.

Keynote speaker Pere Duran, general manager of Barcelona Tourism, outlines Barcelona’s transformation into a leading European destination after the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.

Good Hope FM DJ Nigel Pierce calls on Capetonians to unite behind the 2010 Fifa World Cup, telling members that visiting fans would expect the city to be running 24 hours a day during the World Cup.

FNB Provincial Chairman Stephan Claassen outlines the bank’s commitment to the tourism industry ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

AGM organiser Fatima Borez receives thank-you flowers from Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold.

The Cape Town Tourism AGM team.

Cape Town band Coda rocks out after the formalities.

The Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Dan Plato, along with major tourism associations such as Cape Town Tourism, signed the Cape Town Responsible Tourism Charter today, committing the City of Cape Town and the industry to responsible tourism behaviour and practices.

The charter, which essentially seeks to make Cape Town a better place to live in and to visit, is based on the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism which was signed in 2002 when Cape Town hosted the first International Conference on Responsible Tourism.

As the 2010 FIFA World Cup approaches, considerable attention is being focused on how the event will benefit the people of Cape Town beyond 2010 by stimulating sustainable economic development.

The charter establishes the basis for sustainable tourism that will contribute to poverty alleviation and economic empowerment, protect the value of local lifestyles and heritage, and minimise the impact on the environment by reducing resource consumption.

Along with Cape Town Tourism, associations that signed the charter are the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa), the Southern African Tourism Services Association (Satsa), which represents the private sector of the region’s incoming tourism industry, and the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), which represents the interests of conference organisers and venue owners.

Mayor Plato said, “Responsible tourism makes sound business sense. A significant and growing number of tourists are looking for a ‘different’ travel experience and a higher quality product. They want to get closer to the people in the country they visit and experience its real natural and cultural heritage, but they wish to do so in good conscience and in the knowledge that they are doing so in a responsible way and without having any adverse effect on the countries that they visit and the destinations they frequent.

“Cape Town has recently won major international tourism awards, including Africa’s Leading Destination Award two years in a row, and this can to some extent be attributed to the efforts already made in making Cape Town a leading responsible tourism destination.”

Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, commented on the significance of the Responsible Tourism Charter: “Ours is a city of contrasts. Cape Town has made its mark internationally as a premier tourist destination and boasts incredible natural beauty and good infrastructure. This is juxtaposed with social problems and poverty that are directly related to our colourful past and troubled history.

“The tourism sector in Cape Town is well placed to lead in terms of responsible practice and can make a real difference in Cape Town by implementing small changes to the way we live and do business. We must invest in solid, practical and firm principles of ethical behaviour, management and lifestyle, balancing the fragile state of our climate, communities and the natural environment with the need to grow the tourism economy to address poverty and unemployment.”

With 255 days to the kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June 2010, a Green Goal programme has been put in place to ensure an environmentally responsible event. Lessons learnt from this will change the events industry in the city as waste is minimised and water and energy are used responsibly.

More details can be found on the City of Cape Town website at: www.capetown.gov.za/EN/TOURISM/Pages/ResponsibleTourism.aspx

We wish all Capetonians and lovers of Cape Town a very happy Heritage Day. Why not spend the day revelling in the Mother City’s rich history? Visit the Bo-Kaap, the District Six Museum or the Company Gardens. Whatever you do, enjoy the uniquely Capetonian spirit of it!

With warm wishes,

Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold and the entire Cape Town Tourism team

The election of three (3) Board Members for the Cape Town Tourism Board will take place at Cape Town Tourism’s fifth Annual General Meeting on 13 October 2009 as outlined in the Constitution of Cape Town Tourism.

One vacancy exists and two members (Ian Bartes: Cape Town International Airport and Derek Bock, Eurocape) are standing for re-election to the Board of Cape Town Tourism).

Nominations, with the required documentation, received by close of business on 14 August 2009 have been reviewed against the minimum criteria as set out by the nomination process (Sub-clause 9.2.2 of the Constitution).

Download a PDF of the AGM Board Nominee Shorlist here.

Cape Town Tourism (CTT) is ready to welcome the world for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and committed to use the event to establish a positive lasting legacy for Cape Town.

An opportunity exists for one or more strategic business or tourism consultants to assist the CEO with the development and implementation where appropriate of one or several key commercial and legacy programmes and concepts for CTT.

Submissions close at 17h00 on August 17 2009.

Download the proposal brief here.

Cape Town Tourism is ready to welcome the world for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and committed to use the event to establish a positive lasting legacy for Cape Town.

In our preparations we have begun an exciting refurbishment and upgrade of our City Centre Visitor Information Centre (VIC) at Burg Street.

The Visitor Centre, the 1st of 18 other VICs to be upgraded over time, will be upgraded to world class standards, making use of cutting edge design, technology and an eclectic mix of local art.

Some of the unique aspects include: audio visual interactive spaces, a refurbished food and beverage outlet with enough space for visitors to relax, refresh and plan their visit to Cape Town with a strong focus on ease of accessibility and creating a cosmopolitan vibe.

An opportunity exists for an entrepreneur or established business interested in the management of a high-quality food and beverage facility at the Burg Street VIC. You will be able to input and contribute to the design, layout and shop-fitting in collaboration with our design team.

Please note that shortlisted candidates, that comply with criteria set, will be invited for one on one discussion with our team around design, layout and shop fitting. These meetings will take place prior to the announcement of a successful candidate.

You can download the proposal brief here.

Photo courtesy Chris Kirchhoff

Cape Town Tourism wants to feature your experiences of the Confederations Cup matches on our 2010 blog.

If you have any action-packed pictures or videos of a match or you just want to tell everyone about how great it was watching Bafana Bafana, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), and have your moment in the limelight.