A Spaniard in the Works

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Illustration of a bird flying.
  • Where are tourism’s Titans, and why is the tail wagging the dog?

    I am fortunate to have known some of the titans of South Africa’s tourism industry — Sol Kerzer of Southern Sun & Sun International, Hans Enderle of City Lodge, David Jack of the V&A Waterfont (who I worked with for 25 years) and many others.  I miss people like them in today’s tourism industry.  <!–…

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    July 11, 2020
  • There ARE solutions to safeguard tourism & hospitality jobs! Government doesn’t care.

    Isn’t it time for the tourism industry to start playing hardball with government?  Maybe it’s time for the Tourism Business Council of SA (TBCSA) to start a campaign for employers in the industry to start educating their employees about why they are losing their jobs.  Jobs are being lost and more will be lost, because…

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    June 29, 2020
  • When will tourism in SA open again?

    “It will not be business as usual in the tourism sector in the post-COVID-19 era,” he said, appealing to the TBCSA to tailor-make tour packages for SADC, Africa, and Brics countries.  “This will be one of the strategies boosting regional tourism and supporting the recovery and sustainability of the tourism sector in the foreseeable future.” —…

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    June 15, 2020
  • Is TAP Air Portugal the first airline to schedule regular flights to SA?

    Is TAP Air Portugal the first airline to announce regular flights to South Africa?  On the home page of its website you will now see this image: It announces Cape Town as a new destination with flights to Lisbon starting from R15,034 return.   The first flight from Cape Town departs on November 12, 2020.  You…

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    June 13, 2020
  • Tourism: Lessons for Government

    Science isn’t cast in stone The last lecture of my Bachelor of Science course at university was presented by our professor.  As Prof Engelbrecht finished, he looked at us all for a long time, and then said that this was the end of this stage of our studies.  “The most important advice I can give…

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    June 12, 2020
  • A Letter to the Minister of Tourism

    Dear Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane Minister of Tourism Thank you for the opportunity to ask questions.  I look forward to watching and hearing your answers and your discussion with the tourism industry at 12h30 today. I’d like to know who your advisors are because, if your decisions on tourism are based on ideology, you will be leading…

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    April 29, 2020
  • Life goes on… but Hope is not a Strategy

    South Africa’s situation is very different to countries which have already experienced the brunt of the coronavirus. As a country, our economy is in tatters after 10 years of State Capture and mismanagement.  National & local government have often been tourism’s worst enemy, demonstrated by the visa issues and, in Cape Town, the Day Zero…

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    March 19, 2020
  • Is this another example of corruption or complete incompetence at SAPS?

    I need a Police Clearance Certificate from the SA Police Services for a visa.  The SAPS website says this takes around 15 days.  But when I go to the local police station for fingerprinting and to complete the form, they say it takes three to four months.  “There’s a backlog,” they say… The cost of…

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    February 10, 2020
  • Zero Alcohol Drink & Drive comes in June

    The new traffic regulations, which introduce a 0% legal blood-alcohol limit in June 2020, means that drivers will not be allowed to drink alcohol and drive at all. Restaurants, accommodation establishments and wine estates need to remind guests — especially foreign guests — of this and offer solutions.  For accommodation establishments: Are you within walking distance of restaurants and pubs?…

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    February 5, 2020
  • POLL: What do you look for when you travel?

    Do you look for a “Home away from Home” when you travel, or something as different as you can afford, which is comfortable and stimulates your senses and imagination? [socialpoll id=”2577275″]  

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    October 21, 2019
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A Spaniard in the Works

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