Whale Cottage Portfolio Blog

During a sport-intensive week and the death of Michael Jackson, a very important announcement by Cape Town Tourism, as well as a “Joint statement: City of Cape Town and Western Cape Provincial Government”, about the execution of a joint ‘Strategic Destination Marketing Plan’ by Cape Town Tourism and Cape Town Routes Unlimited, did not receive the attention it deserved from the tourism industry.

Designed to eliminate the duplication of marketing activity between the two tourism marketing bodies, a meeting was set up to focus on the growth of visitors to Cape Town and the Western Cape, and to ensure that tourism withstands political changes.    

Cape Town Tourism’s mandate to market Cape Town has been extended by another year, Cape Town Tourism’s Mariette du Toit-Helmbold announced in her statement.

The statement released by the City and the Province was the following:

Joint Statement: City of Cape Town and Western Cape Provincial Government

The City of Cape Town and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape met on Monday, 22 June and agreed to jointly develop a sustainable solution to market Cape Town and the Western Cape as a globally competitive tourism destination. The discussions were hosted by the Western Cape Minister for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Alan Winde and the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Development and Tourism, Alderman Felicity Purchase.

Also present at the meeting were the Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) and Cape Town Tourism (CTT). Winde said: “The opportunity to find a lasting solution to manage tourism for destination Cape Town and the Western Cape has never been better. There is a need for all spheres of government to work together so that an environment can be created for business and residents to work in partnership with us. We have given the mandate to the officials to jointly develop a lasting solution for tourism marketing. It is important that the solution is able to withstand changes in political leadership and ensures no duplication.”

Ald Purchase added: “The Fifa 2010 World Cup is around the corner and we should not allow this opportunity to be missed. The City will, in the meantime, continue to use CTT to provide Destination Marketing and Visitor Services…”.

The timeframe for developing a sustainable model will be nine months and the key focus will be on how to best increase the number of visitors to Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Ald Purchase further said: “Both the City and Province agreed that it is important to be open minded about the outcome…Ultimately, we would like to see government provide an enabling environment for the tourism sector to grow and create more jobs in the economy. It is therefore important for the proposed solution to provide business and other key stakeholders with an opportunity to contribute resources and participate in the decision making”.

During the meeting both the City of Cape Town and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape agreed that the Constitution would provide the guiding foundation for the appropriate solution. Both parties also acknowledged that the proposed solution would inform possible legislative changes that are required for tourism to grow.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The Sweet Service Award goes to Sue-Ellen at Goozi Cucina in Hermanus, a store selling La Creuset enamelled cast iron pots.   A recent BBC cookery programme filmed in France was the inspiration for the purchase.   A number of stores in Cape Town and the Boland sell the pots, all at the same price.   The customer called a number of the stores, to check prices and availability.   Of these, Sue-Ellen was the most pro-active, in promising to order the pot in the desired colour and to have it in the store to co-incide with the client’s next visit to Hermanus.   She was a bubbly surprise when the customer collected the pot, with few staff in shops generally appearing to enjoy their jobs.   Sue-Ellen is a chef, and loves what she does, to the benefit of her employer, and her customers.

The Sour Service Award goes to Tamarin Byne, Reservations Agent at the One&Only Cape Town, for her arrogance in dealing with guests prior to their arrival.   She mispronounced a surname, but refused to call the guest by her first name, saying that she had to use the guest surname.   She only sent the paperwork to be completed for the booking three days prior to arrival, instead of at the time that the booking was made 2 months ago.   A three page guest arrival questionnaire had to be completed, and as the guest was making use of the South African special of R 3 950 per room per night, she requested proof of South African residence!    Payment in full was expected to be taken prior to arrival.  The reservation made two months ago with her for dinner at Nobu  for 8 pm, was confirmed by her as 6 pm, and then moved to 8.15 pm when the guest pointed out her error.    Her boss Klaus Ahlers was great at undoing the damage she had done  prior to the guest’s arrival, which had made the guest not want to stay at the hotel any more.   A full review of the stay at One&Only and dinner at Nobu will be featured on the WhaleTales blog shortly.

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at  info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

Col’cacchio is collaborating with six top chefs in raising funds for the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.  For every ‘designer’ pizza sold, created by a different chef each month, R 5 goes to the Hospital fund. 

Franschhoek chefs who are supporting this worthy cause are Reuben Riffel (in July) and Margot Janse from Le Quartier Francais (in August).  

Other top chefs include Philippe Wagenfuhrer, chef patron of Top Ten restaurant Roots in Johannesburg; Mike Bassett, owner of Myogo, Ginja and Shoga restaurants in Cape Town; Citrum Khumalo (owner and chef at Asidle catering in Johannesburg); and Rudi Liebenberg (new executive chef at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town).

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

The Department of Labour’s new Minimum Wage for the hospitality industry is applicable from today, as detailed below:

The wage increase, based on inflation plus 2 %, does not take the credit crunch into account, as it was designed two years ago.   Many a worker may wish to retain his or her job at the current level than to be made redundant due to a further financial burden on employers.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

FIFA’s Secretary General Jerome Valcke has rated South Africa as 8/10 on its readiness to stage the 2010 World Cup from 11 June to 11 July next year, reports the Cape Times.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter downsized the score to 75 % at the conclusion of the Confederations Cup.

The FIFA rating is based on the country’s current organisation and hosting of the Confederations Cup, for which the final was played on Sunday evening.   “The organisation from the LOC has been really top class.  What is more pleasing is the players are returning to their countries with a good opinion of South Africa, the people, fans, stadiums, hotels, and training facilities.  That is the best advert we could hope for”, Valcke said.

Blatter added that the Confederations Cup had been well run and that FIFA is looking forward to a “hugely successful 2010 World Cup”, reports the Cape Times.

Incidents such as a strike by volunteers at Ellis Park, and the alleged theft of cash from the Egyptian team players’ rooms have been effectively dealt with. 

 FIFA President Sepp Blatter said that crime could happen in any country:   “Players being robbed  is sad, but it can happen anywhere in the world - even in the United States.   We take as many precautions as possible, but I am satisfied fans, teams, and the public will be safe during the 2010 World Cup.”   At the media briefing at the conclusion of the Confederations Cup, Blatter did not refer to crime as one of the issues that need to be addressed for the 2010 World Cup.

Blatter said that he hoped to give South Africa a score of 10/10 in 2010.

Further problems which the Confederations Cup highlighted is a shortage of 15 000 beds in Bloemfontein, and problems with the park-and-ride system in Johannesburg.   FIFA has also highlighted that it does not wish the new soccer stadia to become “white elephants” after 2010.

Valcke said the the teams, the players and the officials who are part of the Confederations Cup will be South Africa’s best ambassadors for 2010.

Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com

A number of Franschhoek restaurants are offering good value winter specials:

Allora: 3-course winter meal R 85, one free children’s meal for every main course ordered, Sunday roast R 95, complimentary Gluehwein, and delivery of pasta.

Bouillabaisse:   Food and wine pairing 4-course dinners on Thursdays at R 225

Burgundy’s:   Daily specials, including oxtail (R 78), soup (R 40), pasta (R 65), savoury pancakes (55), cakes (R 28). Free glass of wine per main course.

Cotage Fromage:   10 % off main course if have two courses for lunch

Dieu Donne: Friday evening “Pub Fair” at R 75 and 25 % off Dieu Donne wine and beer

French Connection:  Set menu for R 125 Monday - Friday lunch and Monday - Thursday dinner, also sandwich or pita plus glass of Pierre Jourdan Tranquille at R 60.  Christmas in July at R 225, with contribution to charity, date to be announced.  

Genot: 3-course set menu at R 150

Grande Provence:   2-course lunch and dinner R 150, 3-courses R 195 and 4-courses R 240 Mondays to Saturdays.

Haute Cabriere:   2-course set menu Monday - Friday lunch, and Friday and Saturday evenings, R 100 per head 

ici:   chicken, glass of wine, and a movie at R 120, on Wednesday and Saturday evenings

La Petite Ferme:   Friday evening winter “loosen your belt” dinners, 3-course set menu R 150 + carafe of wine

Reubens:  2-course set menu at R 130 and 3-course set menu at R 150

Further details about  the Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com 

This article was first published in the July issue of The Franschhoek Month.

The hospitality industry is under severe pressure to survive financially, given the decline in occupancy, and the reduction in rates to attract bookings and to conserve cash flow.  

The increases in telephone costs, electricity costs, in the price of petrol and diesel, and the increase in the Minimum Wage, combined with the lack of a cut in the interest rate by the Reserve Bank last week, is a severe blow to the industry, but also affects every South African household, the main source of income for the industry.

The worst shock is the increase in the price of electricity by 31 % from 1 July.   The increase is justified on the basis of new electricity infrastructure that is required, to prevent electricity load-shedding, as was experienced in 2007 and 2008.   Eskom had requested a 33 % price increase.

The price of petrol is set to increase by 40 cents a litre from 1 July, raising the price to R 7,90 a litre in Gauteng, reports Reuters.

TELKOM boasts about a minimal rise in its costs to consumers, but has sneakily left out the call cost increases of 11 %.

For hospitality establishments with fewer than 10 employees, the Minimum Wage increases by 11% to R 1 843,23 per month, R 425,43 per week and R 9,45 per hour from 1 July.   The formula for calculating the annual increase has been laid down by the Department of Labour ( consumer price index + 2 %).   Many staff may be prepared to hold their salaries to ensure that they maintain their jobs, but this flexibility is not allowed by the Department, who could not have foreseen the credit crunch when it introduced the Minimum Wage for the hospitality industry in 2007.

Department of Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk says that tourism has been more resilient than other sectors of the economy, but that tough times lie ahead.    “We are not immune to the effects of the economic crisis” he said.                                                                                   

 Warning of difficult times ahead, Van Schalkwyk said:   “Some of the impact will only become more visible in the next few months as the full consequences of the global meltdown trickles down.   There is clearly no denying that the marketplace for tourism today looks dramatically different to a year ago.   Although this sector is not as hard hit as some others, demand is down and for many the times are tough.”   He added that the World Tourism Organisation had forecast that international tourism arrivals had declined by 8 %.  At best, they are forecasting a 0 to minus 2 % growth by December this year.  

He stressed that “greater resilience against future external economic shocks” must be built, reports BuaNews.

Whale Cottage Franschhoek hosted the accommodation for Nicci Botha, editor of Wine Tourism News, last week, and received excellent feedback.  

She was the guest of the Franschhoek Wine Valley Tourism Association, and spent two days enjoying the best of what Franschhoek has to offer:  gym at the Franschhoek Health Club, dinner at Grande Provence, breakfast at Mont Rochelle, lunch at Bread & Wine, the Franschhoek Motor Museum, winetasting at Vrede & Lust and lunch at Cotage Fromage, and sleeping over at Whale Cottage Franschhoek.

 “Nicci raved about jumping into your stunning ball and claw bath! She said she had never seen such a welcoming sight in her life! She raved about Whale Cottage saying that it felt like she was in a real seaside cottage! She loved it!” was the fabulous feedback Whale Cottage Franschhoek received!

The Sweet Service Award goes to Abas at Pick ‘n Pay Gardens in Cape Town, for organizing the same-day delivery of a grocery order, after a colleague had arranged to only deliver it a day later because she was leaving the store early to go home.  Even more impressive was a follow-up call received from him, to check that the order had been delivered correctly.

The Sour Service Award goes to the City of Cape Town’s municipality.  The City of Cape Town owns many palm trees in Cape Town, but never proactively trims their dead branches.   During the wild wind storms of the past few days, Fresnaye has been littered with these branches.  The City of Cape Town was requested to collect a large number of branches that had come down from two palm trees, and was amazed when the doorbell rang an hour after making the request. A Council official stated that he had come to take the branches away, and asked how much he and his team (driving in a Council truck!) would be paid.   They drove off, without removing a single branch, after he was told that he would not be paid, as the request had been logged with the Call Centre!    The City offices were called immediately, but the call centre staff was unable to deal with the complaint about this rogue team.   The senior manager Helene Bam was uninterested in the complaint of wastage of ratepayers’ monies, and bribery and corruption by City staff, saying that the details provided about the incident were “too vague”, given that the caller could not tell her exactly what the City truck says on its outside and what the reference number is on the truck!  The City has one central call centre, and does not allow one to call any of its departments directly.   This is most inefficient, and is not conducive to preventing the Council’s facilities being abused for personal gain by City employees.

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website