Hoopenburg will present its wines and pair them with five courses, at the cost of R 170 per head.

Book at Marika’s at tel 021 438-2727

More than 400 law enforcement officers have been deployed at the Blue Flag beaches of Clifton 4th Beach , Camps Bay, Mnandi, Bikini Beach, Muizenberg and Strandfontein, reports the Cape Times.  They are issuing fines and confiscating alcohol on the beaches. 

On Saturday 26 December, a beach day traditionally popular with township and Cape Flats residents, 24 000 persons are estimated to have been on the Camps Bay beach area, despite cool weather.  On that day, 234 bottles of alcohol were confiscated and 74 fines were issued.   More than half the restaurants closed in Camps Bay on this day.  Similar influxes to Camps Bay are expected on 1 and 2 January. 

It is good to see that Metro officials are very visible in Camps Bay, with ticket book in hand, to fine illegal parkers outside Pick ‘n Pay, and in other areas with red no-parking lines.

The Pepper Club restaurant belongs to property developers the Solomon Brothers, who are constructing a R 400 million five-star hotel/sectional title apartments in the city centre, to be called the Pepper Club, described in the brochure of the Pepper Club as “unparalleled luxury living”.   It will have a spa, private cinema, gym and a boutique mall, and is expected to be completed by February next year.

The Solomon Brothers also own the Promenade in Camps Bay, and took over Summerville restaurant when it went into liquidation earlier this year.    To connect the two properties, the same brand name was used, and the services of the Solomon Brothers’ Rolls Royce Phantom is made available to the Pepper Club clients for airport transfers, sight-seeing trips and for a “glamorous night on the town”.

A touch of Hollywood is being introduced in Camps Bay, at the Pepper Club on the Beach, with Dinner Dance ”in the tradition of grand Old Hollywood” offered on Friday and Saturday evenings.  The brochure for the restaurant offers it as a venue for wedding anniversaries, private or corporate functions, a location for shoots, and 21 st birthday parties.   It also offers its Pepper Club hotel clients changing rooms, when they return from Camps Bay beach.

The Group Executive Chef that has been appointed is Michelin-starred Carsten Kocke, who has 30 years of experience in Germany.   The menu contains a selection of starters such as Avocado Ritz (R 79) and Lobster Cocktail (R 98); crayfish, prawn and avocado, and Caesar salads; seafood dishes such as salmon, calamari, and prawns; steaks at around R 120 for 200 grams – R 165 for the beef fillet, as well as ostrich game, curry, and duck; pasta dishes ranging from R 70 – R 189; and desserts.   Wine estates will be invited to showcase their wines in the restaurant.

The Pepper Club hotel has been announced as the official partner of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival for the next 5 years.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Camps Bay: www.whalecottage.com

In a tiny space the owners have managed to display a variety of decor items, and some furniture, that are stocked in the Franschhoek store, and will use the internet to show their Cape Town clients what they can offer them.

“EBONY is a unique and exclusive design space that showcases the finest in modern South African furniture, irresistible home accessories as well as a diverse collection of fine South African art.  Dewald Prinsloo, Leonard de Villiers and Marc Stanes, dynamic owners of Ebony, conceptualise and design a sophisticated range of bespoke, contemporary South African furniture. Working closely with other leading creative minds from across the country enables EBONY to offer a holistic approach to their clients’ specific needs.  Ebony has built strong relationships with world renowned and collectible South African artists whose work can be seen at the EBONY gallery” says the EBONY website.

EBONY Camps Bay, Shop 6, Central Parade, Victoria Road, Camps Bay, www.ebonydesign.co.za

I ♥ Camps Bay because …

Posted to: Visitorials: We Love South Africa, Western Cape

Hi, I’m Chris von Ulmenstein from Whale Cottage Camps Bay in Camps Bay, Cape Town. CAMPS BAY IS BEST KNOWN FOR its beautiful beach, having been awarded the Best Beach in South Africa accolade by the Sunday Times. It is also known for its beautiful sea views, with the palms on the beachfront, for its dramatic backdrop of the Twelve Apostles, and its nightlife, with an exciting mix of restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN AT the beach in Camps Bay, near the volleyballers – who knows, David Hasselhoff in his tiny red bathing costume may be one of the players. The Twelve Apostles, or the Bay Hotel, may form the backdrop to your pics.
THE BEST view PICTURES CAN BE TAKEN FROM the Twelve Apostles Hotel, with Lion’s Head in the background.
OTHER HAPPY SNAPS CAN BE TAKEN AT Caprice or at Vida e Caffe, where you might be lucky enough to see @2oceansvibe’s Seth Rothertham, rugby hero Schalk Burger, or visiting VIPs hanging around.

WHEN THE WEATHER’S GOOD, I LIKE TO be on the beach, or at one of the restaurants in Camps Bay.
WHEN THE WEATHER’S BAD, I LIKE TO hide away, especially when the southeaster wind blows in summer.
I THINK THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT IS all year round, because even in winter, you can swim in the sea – surprisingly the ocean is warmer in winter than is summer, as the northwesterly winds push warmer surface waters to the beach. In summer the southeaster blows the warmer water out to sea.

The Kove

MY FAVOURITE BREAKFAST SPOT IS Café Caprice.
FOR LUNCH, I SUGGEST The Kove, sitting outside on the pavement, looking onto the beach, and ogling the passers-by. Their steaks are excellent.
MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IS The Grand Cafe, try the crayfish, and the avocado and prawn cocktail.
BEST LATE NIGHT SNACK FROM Col’cacchio, who make surprisingly good pizzas, even delivering them to the beach during the day.
FOR A NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN TRY The Theatre on the Bay, where there is always good theatre on show.
IF YOU WANT TO MEET LOCALS, GO TO Café Caprice and La Med, especially on a Sunday evening – you cannot believe how these two hotspots buzz. Goldfish, one of South Africa’s best bands, plays at La Med every Sunday evening in summer. Book your tickets beforehand at www.webtickets.co.za, as you might have to queue the whole evening just to get in. The food is not great at La Med, but the beer is in good supply!

MY FAVOURITE décor SHOP IS Ebony, which has just opened a branch in Camps Bay.
MY FAVOURITE whale-watching SPOT IS from our guest house. Our guests are delighted when they spot the whales or even dolphins.

CAMPS BAY’S BEST KEPT SECRET IS Codfather – it does not have a scenic view, but its good seafood selection and excellent service makes it hugely popular.

Sanctuary Spa

TO RELAX AND RESTORE MY SOUL, I LIKE TO go to the Twelve Apostles Hotel spa, which wins awards regularly. It is far away from traffic and the hectic pace of life.
IF YOU’RE FEELING ADVENTUROUS, TRY skydiving from Lion’s Head, or climbing up Table Mountain from Camps Bay, but do have a hiker’s map and water with you.
MY FAVOURITE DRIVE IS along Victoria Road, driving from Camps Bay to Hout Bay along the ocean and the unspoilt natural fynbos, and smelling the sea.
MY FAVOURITE people-WATCHING SPOT IS Café Caprice.

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN? A FUN OUTING IS enjoying a picnic or pizzas on the beach.

BEST CHEAP AND CHEERFUL OUTING IS at Col’cacchio, where a Margarita pizza costs R42, and they are yummy. Nando’s is popular as a value for money spot for teenagers.
WHEN MONEY’S NO OBJECT, I LIKE TO to eat crayfish at The Grand, and have some bubbly!

THE MOST UNUSUAL THING I SEE HERE IS the cloud cover tumbling over the Twelve Apostles when the southeaster blows.

I ♥ CAMPS BAY BECAUSE it is so beautiful and tranquil, and so close to the city. Camps Bay: Beauty and the Beach!

Whale Cottage Camps Bay

Whale Cottage Camps Bay

Whale Cottage Camps Bay has a magnificent view over the Atlantic Ocean, is cradled by the Twelve Apostles, and offers a side view of Table Mountain. Just 500 meters from the Camps Bay beach and restaurants, Whale Cottage Camps Bay is decorated in the distinctive Whale Cottage marine décor. Relax at our pool, in our lounge, or enjoy a drink and the delectable sea view from our terrace.

Visit Whale Cottage Camps Bay
Make a Booking

Desirable Digits

Café Caprice +27 (0)21 438 8315
Codfather +27 (0)21 438 0782
Col’Cacchio Pizzeria +27 (0)21 438 2171
The Grand Café +27 (0)21 438 4253
The Kove +27 (0)21 438 0004
La Med +27 (0)21 438 5600
Nando’s +27 (0)21 438 1915
Sanctuary Spa at The Twelve Apostles +27 (0)21 437 0677
Theatre on the Bay +27 (0)21 438 3301
Vida e Caffè +27 (0)21 424 5829
Whale Cottage Camps Bay +27 (0)21 438 3840

Source: http://blog.sa-venues.com/provinces/western-cape/love-campsbay/

Marika’s
Phone: 021 438 2727
Mobile: 082 955 4390
38 Victoria Road
Bakoven
Cape Town

Posted by Gregory Franz on 08 December 2009 / Labels: Rose Korber

ROSE KORBER’s 18th ART SALON
14 December 2009 until 31 January 2010
48 Sedgemoor Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town- a comprehensive and varied overview of the current state of South African art -
- directed towards the demands of the contemporary collector -
- together with best possible works of established South African artists -
- in keeping with international trends -

The summer season sees many new and exciting events in Cape Town, but, for our art lovers, possibly none are awaited with as much anticipation as the annual ART SALON, curated by noted Cape Town art dealer and consultant, Rose Korber. Once again the Salon promises to live up to the high reputation of its previous incarnations, when it celebrates its 18th anniversary. The exhibition opens on 14 December 2009 until 31 January 2010 at ROSE KORBER ART 48 Sedgemoor Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town. Gallery hours are 10 am – 6 pm daily, including weekends and public holidays.The ART SALON – widely regarded as one of the key events in Cape Town’s visual arts calendar – aims to present a comprehensive and varied overview of the current state of South African art. Artists featured include William Kentridge, Robert Hodgins, Sam Nhlengethwa, Colbert Mashile, Richard Smith, Paul du Toit, Kevin Brand, Stephen Inggs, Robert Slingsby, Paul Blomkamp, Diane Victor, Deborah Bell, Claudette Schreuders, Nina Romm and Wendy Anziska.

Contemporary, younger artists have become increasingly important since 2000, and this year the Salon will have plenty to offer on this score, with artists such as Pamela Stretton, Peter Eastman, Sanell Aggenbach, Dan Halter, Kate Gottgens, Jaco Sieberhagen, Kathryn Smith, Alexandra Ross and Stuart Bird represented.

In addition to the traditional genres of landscape and figurative painting, the ART SALON will also feature some of the best in sculpture, photography, ceramics and contemporary Shangaan beadwork.

Leading ceramic artists on this year’s Salon include Louise Gelderblom, Astrid Dahl, Barbara Jackson, Hennie Meyer, Helen Vaughan, Ruan Hoffmann, Laura du Toit, Rebecca Tetley and Yvette McGee; while photographers of note include Stephen Inggs, Dale Yudelman, Kathryn Smith and Jurgen Schadeberg.

According to Korber: “This year’s Art Salon promises to have a more focused selection and is more directed towards the demands of the contemporary collector than ever before, while still showing the best possible work of established South African artists. We hope this year’s offering will be the most exciting ever’. ‘Given the economic crisis facing the world’, she adds, “art, and especially South African art, seems to have weathered this storm amazingly well – against the most dire predictions”.

For further information about this exhibition, please contact Rose Korber or Valerie Botha at ROSE KORBER ART.
Tel:
Fax: 021 – 438 6262
Mobile: /
email: roskorb@icon.co.za
website: http://www.rosekorberart.com

Source: http://capetownnatural.blogspot.com/2009/12/rose-korbers-18th-art-salon.html

Wanting to do a bit extra to get fit, for Oceans or even Comrades? Why not join Thomas’s email list for any up and coming runs See the Running Stuff section down the side for details

The Run this week….

We meet this week at the Waterfront at 7:00. Our usual meeting spot has been turned into paid parking so we suggest you park on the road above.

Starting from the gravel car park (see below for directions), the Waterfront Run takes you along the coast to Camps Bay, with stops at Moullie Point, President’s Beach, and Camps Bay High School. It then climbs up the high road, giving you superb views of the coast before dropping down again at Sea Point Pavilion, and returning along the coast road to the Waterfront. A very pleasant out and back 18 kms, with turn back points at 6 and 12 kms for those taking it easy.

Directions

For those that don’t know, we normally meet in the gravel car park next to the circle where Granger Street and Granger Bay meet. Apparently this is being turned into paid parking. We might therefore meet & park at the intersection of Beach Road and Granger Street. For those lucky to have got a GPS for Christmas, Easter, Fathers Day, Mothers Day, Birthdays etc – this is for you -33.902985, 18.416884 for the rest of you, here is a map

View Larger Map

Source: http://sundaystars.blogspot.com/

For the past 11 years, Christiane von Ulmenstein, owner of the Whale Cottage Guest Houses in South Africa, has been doing a very interesting experiment. Instead of trying to beat her competitors in Cape Town, she decided to work with them. The following is the story of why she did it, how she did it, and what the results have been.

There are many ideas here you can use, so I hope you enjoy her story…

“I came from a big corporate environment where there are competitors, you do competitive intelligence, and you try to defeat your competitors. One does not usually consider working with them.

When we started out with the guesthouse we began doing print advertising, because that was the best way get the word out when you are new then. I decided to call a meeting with other guest house owners — we were about 20 at the time. I said let’s get together and have an informal association, which is now called Camps Bay Accommodation Association. (Camps Bay is a suburb of Cape Town.) And everyone was happy with that. We were all kind of new to the guesthouse industry.

We made a few firm rules for it. One of them was to realize the importance of referrals. We were all receiving inquiries, and if you can’t use it, it would be so wasteful to say “We’re sorry, we are fully booked.” So one of the first rules of our association was that if you were full, you had to refer the inquiry to other guesthouses. Our goal was that Camps Bay – as a whole – should get the business, and the business should be retained there. It did not matter if you had friends with other guesthouses and suburbs close by, you need to keep the business in Camps Bay. And it has worked fantastically.

Our guests are amazed, because they feel we offer incredible service as a suburb. Instead of inquiring through one or two websites, they now can have options at 24 different guesthouses. So they can choose in terms of quality of accommodation, and also a range of prices. So our guests have a far wider choice. They think we’re extremely organized!

Organizing the system

The association began as just a referral network, but as we grew we encountered two situations. The first was long-term bookings, where you could see in advance which rooms you have available. And then there was the very real scenario of someone arriving at your guesthouse when you’re full, and you need to send them somewhere else. The process of contacting 24 other guest houses was very time-consuming.

I drew up a template, where each of the members had to e-mail me their availability for the next five days, and I would put everything together and e-mail it to all the members. That was a lot of work, but I didn’t mind doing it because it helped us all know what was available, and helped the members become more efficient.

And then we decided to set up a website: www.CampsBayInfo.com. it’s just a general marketing platform for Camps Bay.  The hotels are obviously members, and we have an availability schedule that is now updated automatically. Each member has to update the information on the website using a system we set up.

We have learned how valuable this website is. People are finding out about the area from the website, and it is driving reservations to our member hotels.

How we developed the website

The 24 guesthouses paid for the website ourselves. We did not charge the restaurants or other businesses. We found restaurants are very important part of our guesthouse offering. Every night, the guests want to know a good place to eat, so it’s important to have relationships and recommendations to good restaurants.

Things to do and things to see were provided by the website developer. No one other than the guesthouses paid any money to be included. We don’t accept advertising. It’s purely an informational website, and the content is there to help our potential guests. When people plan to visit Cape Town, we want them to stay in Camps Bay… so this website shows the benefits of our neighborhood. This helps Camps Bay, and it helps each of us individually as well.

How we promoted the website

I’m embarrassed to say we didn’t do any marketing at all at first!  There was a vague attempt to do a blog, but that never materialized for a couple reasons. When we launched the website, blogging was just taking off and none of us really knew what blogging was about.

Now of course, I am very passionate about blogging, but I still find many people in this industry are behind when it comes to social media. So to ask them to write something may have been too much — they would say that they can’t do it.

Since this website is a content website, the large majority of our traffic comes from natural search. When people type in terms related to our area, we tend to rank highly.

Our web designers are a very good company here in South Africa. We chose the best company in the business to design the website so that search engine optimization would be part of the site from the start.

Challenges we had to overcome in launching this.

It’s important to keep it in a tight geographic area. I don’t think I could have done it for all of Cape Town.  But this started off as a suburb which was a quite nice area.

There will always be suspicions. Some guesthouses have one bedroom, some have three, some have five… I’m the largest with 11 rooms. So the level of referrals is not always equal. Guesthouses with one bedroom will not provide the same number of referrals as a larger property. And then there’s always a difference in sophistication of marketing. I am reasonably visible, since I have worked very hard to build my online marketing. So more people find me and I have more to share than the properties that do no marketing. We had to just accept that we would not get an equal level volume from everyone.

You have fixed capacity in a guest house or hotel. You only have so many rooms, and you can’t put them anywhere else. It doesn’t matter if they are your favorite guests that visit you every year… if the dates they want to visit are booked you can’t kick the other guest out. You run the risk of losing referrals if they are happier at another place that they’ve found through the referral system. But that has never stopped us from doing it.

I think the biggest thing is learning to trust each other at the beginning. We all have the same problems, and the same questions. By getting together and discussing things, we can all learn together. People realize how beneficial this is for their business. We’ve become good friends over the course of the past 11 years.

Closing thoughts

For me, it’s a matter of “Give and you will receive.” As with all good things in life, the people that you give to are not always the people that will give back to you. But in the universe there is some power that dictates you will get back for what you give.

So the overflow that you get and pass along to other colleagues benefits everyone. It’s okay to share. It’s okay to give away.

The fabulous informal dinner enabled us to try Marika’s wide choice of ‘mezedes’ (delicious starters to wet the appetite) of  Hummus, Taramosalata, Tsatziki and then Baby Calamari, Prawns, Dolmades, Haloumi Cheese, Greek Meat Balls, Crisp Fried Brinjals, Mussels in Cream and Garlic Sauce and Fried Chicken Livers. This was followed by a well-received scrumptious main course of Mousaka,  Chicken Kebabs and Salad and last but certainly not least we enjoyed a dessert of Greek Yoghurt  with a hint of lemon to tantalise the taste buds  and Baklava (nuts in phyllo pastry soaked in syrup – very decadent).

The wine for the evening was sponsored by Robin Marks of Bay Export – Glenview Wines. Robin is a wine merchant who resides in Camps Bay and offers fine quality wines, delivered to your door at extremely good prices. For more information visit Robin’s website www.glenview.co.za . For orders tel: 021 438 1080 / 082 821 2847.

Marika’s is a popular  small  family run restaurant and  gets booked  up quickly so it is essential to book  a table to avoid disappointment.  As a family run restaurant, Frank & Marika offer that something special in Greek home cooking which provides a welcome contrast to the food offered by the more conventional steak and sea-food restaurants in Cape Town. The ambience of the restaurant is lively, friendly and casual. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday for dinner from 6:30pm and for Sunday lunch from 12 noon.

The Guest House Owners convey their thanks to Steve & Pam of Cape Rose Cottage Camps Bay for arranging the evening. Our thanks also to Frank and Marika, Vanjee (Marika’s mom) and the staff of Marika’s for hosting us and and giving us such a warm welcome ,  excellent service  and a superb selction from their menu.

Marika’s, 38 Victoria Road, Bakoven. Tel: 021 438 2727.

The fabulous dinner we had, of sushi and sashimi, roquefort salad, seafood or fillet steak and a platter of delicious desserts and fine wines was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Skippy’s’ staff, as always, provided us with excellent attentive service throughout. The evening was rounded off with group dancing in the Sumbar where many of the Association members danced the ‘Salsa’ under the guidance of an experienced Latin American dancer. 
 
Summerville not only offers excellent cuisine at reasonable prices but is a superb place to enjoy drinks or cocktails watching the sunset over Camps Bay beach.  The views are just mesmerising.  A recent addition to Summerville Restaurant is Sumbar, a unique cigar lounge and bar area where you can relax with a cigar and a cognac or, if you prefer, dance to their in house DJ. A great place to eat, drink and have fun!
 
The Guest House Owners convey their thanks to David and Jenny of The Bay Atlantic for arranging the evening. Our thanks also to Skippy and the staff of Summerville for hosting us and and giving us such excellent service.

Summerville
The Promenade, Victoria Rd, Camps Bay
Telephone: +27 (0)21 438 3174

This upmarket is restaurant is luxurious and has a beautiful ambience. Needless to say, Chef Proprietor Steve Edwards’ menu has it all – from the the aptly named First Course section features dishes from succulent Calamari Steak to Sevruga’s signature Lamb Shank Cannelloni while the Seafood and Shellfish choices include delicious Linefish served with pomme pureé, tomato salsa, lemon crème fraiche and a citrus beurre blanc. Poultry options include Duck Pitihivia and Ostrich Medallions while the Meat selection is the perfect mixture of simple perfection in the Sirloin Steak and pure genius in the Fillet Rouge, a superbly aged fillet served with a buttered pomme pureé and wild mushrooms.

The Guest House Owners convey their thanks to Petra of Le Gouverneur for arranging the lunch. Our thanks also to Samantha and the staff of Sevruga for hosting us and giving us such excellent service.

Codfather Food Emporium 
37 The Drive, Camps Bay, 8001
Telephone: +27 (0)21 438-0782/3

Ginja, which has been on the Top 10 list forever, has not made the new top 20 list this year. Grande Provence in Franschhoek, currently on the Top 10 list, has also not made it onto the new top 20 list.   Haiku, and Bosmans at Grande Roche, are surprising omissions from the top 20 list.

The Prudential Eat Out Top 10 restaurants will be announced on 30 November.

Directed by its creator Ian von Memerty, Roelof Colyn and Jonathan Roxmouth at two grand pianos, give a dazzling display of pianistic virtuosity and hilarious impersonation.

A performance of constant surprise, intelligence and wit, with music that ranges from the great classic masters Bach and Beethoven; through the kings of soul Ray Charles and Fat Waller and via the queens of showbiz and pop, Elton John, Freddy Mercury and Liberace. A HANDFUL OF KEYS is a completely South African product of international standard.

Dates: 3 Sep 2008 to 20 Sep 2008
To book visit: A Handful of Keys

Chess is used as a metaphor for romantic rivalries and the US-Soviet conflict during the Cold War. The main characters form a love triangle: the temperamental and arrogant American Grandmaster, Freddie Trumper; Anatoly Serievsky, the determined but gentle Russian champion who plans on defecting got the West, and Florence Vassy, the Hungarian-American chess second, to arrives at the international championships with Freddie, but falls in love with Anatoly.

From Bangkok to Budapest, the players, lovers, politicians and spies all struggle to gain the upper hand.

Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals and Sir Tim Rice’s original concept was to write a musical about now the Cold War affected the lives of all it touched, the two central characters’ personalities are loosely based on those of Victor Korchnoi and Bobby Fisher.

Visit the Website to book: Theatre On The Bay

Guests are desperate, and many did not think of booking for this period in advance, which traditionally is booked out nine months ahead of time in areas such as Camps Bay and Plettenberg Bay.  Von Ulmenstein, owner of the Whale Cottage Portfolio of guest houses in Camps Bay, Hermanus, Franschhoek and Plettenberg Bay, says that the increase in visitor numbers is very welcome for the Hospitality industry, given that South Africans have been burdened by several interest rate and petrol price increases, and have to tighten their belts – clearly something they have decided to delay until 2008!

Late minute bookings challenge the Industry to meet sudden demands, but many residents on the Atlantic Seaboard and in popular holiday destinations rent out private accommodation, so there always is “room at the inn”! New accommodation establishments open all the time, and many locals visit their family and friends, and are less likely to use the formal accommodation industry. Many visitors to Cape Town have had to accept that they cannot stay in Camps Bay and have had to look for accommodation in other suburbs of Cape Town. Guest house owners are excellent at passing on their overflow to other colleagues in the area, which means that guests wanting to book are almost always accommodated.

“Heavily populated roads to Hermanus and the Garden Route just after Christmas, and throngs of shoppers in popular shopping centers are proof of the vast numbers of out-of-town visitors in the Western Cape,” says Von Ulmenstein.

Their presence is certainly felt in shopping centres and restaurants.  Chairman of the Restaurant segment of FEDHASA Cape, Rey Franco, says that eating establishments in the Blouberg area are definitely experiencing an increase in visitor numbers, with double dinner bookings every night, and Cape seafood dishes an all-round favourite.

One of the challenges facing the Accommodation sector during this time of year, is that many suppliers to the Hospitality Industry close over the Festive Season, a practice that cannot be understood, given that the Hospitality Industry is at its busiest right now.

Also, staff arriving for work over the festive days is always a concern for accommodation management, given that most of their friends and family have annual leave at this time. Availability of basic service providers such as plumbers and electricians also is a concern, as their services are much needed in such a time.

FEDHASA is the lobbying body and watchdog for the South African hospitality industry nationally, and in all tiers of government on tourism, legislation, trading conditions, taxation, education and related industry issues.  The association services four segments: the Hotel segment, the Small Accommodation segment, Restaurant and Catering segment, and the Suppliers segment.