Amazon

Amazon

The Amazon Rainforest, also known as Amazonia, the Amazon jungle or the Amazon Basin, encompasses seven million square kilometers (1.7 billion acres), though the forest itself occupies some 5.5 million square kilometers (1.4 billion acres), located within nine nations. The Amazon represents over half of the planet’s remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world. The Amazon River is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total flow greater than the top ten rivers worldwide combined. It accounts for approximately one-fifth of the total world river flow and has the biggest drainage basin on the planet. Not a single bridge crosses the Amazon.

Halong Bay

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is located in Quáng Ninh province, Vietnam. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes. The bay has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometres in size with 1969 islets. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves, other support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Another specific feature of Halong Bay is the abundance of lakes inside the limestone islands, for example, Dau Be island has six enclosed lakes. All these island lakes occupy drowned dolines within fengcong karst.

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls, in Iguazu River, are one of the world’s largest waterfalls. They extend over 2,700 m (nearly 2 miles)  in a semi-circular shape.  Of the 275 falls that collectively make up Iguassu Falls, “Devil’s Throat” is the tallest at 80 m in height. Iguazu Falls are on the border between the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones, and are surrounded by two National Parks (BR/ARG). Both are subtropical rainforests that are host to hundreds of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.

Jeju Island

Jeju Island

Jejudo is a volcanic island, 130 km from the southern coast of Korea. The largest island and smallest province in Korea, the island has a surface area of 1,846 sqkm. A central feature of Jeju is Hallasan, the tallest mountain in South Korea and a dormant volcano, which rises 1,950 m above sea level. 360 satellite volcanoes are around the main volcano.

Komodo

Komodo

Indonesia’s Komodo National Park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 square kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also dedicated to protecting other species, including marine animals. The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin.

Puerto Princesa Underground River

Puerto Princesa Underground River

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world’s longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water’s edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

Table Mountain

Table Mountain

Table Mountain is a South African icon and the only natural site on the planet to have a constellation of stars named after it — Mensa, meaning “the table.” The flat-topped mountain has withstood six million years of erosion and hosts the richest, yet smallest floral kingdom on earth with over 1,470 floral species. Table Mountain boasts numerous rare and endangered species. It is the most recognized site in Cape Town, the gateway to Africa, owing to its unique flat-topped peaks which reach 1,086 m above sea level.

But now the DA is firmly entrenched in both the Province and the City.  MEC Alan Winde’s first attempt at bringing all the Province’s marketing bodies together didn’t find public favour… after all, it was written by the same people who wrote what exists now.  His new attempt draws extensively on the London Development Agency and others, and saw Andrew Boraine, CEO of the very successful Cape Town Partnership, developing the new initiative.

If anyone can pull this off, it is Boraine.  The Economic Development Partnership (EDP) draws on the lessons and successes of the Cape Town Partnership, established 12 years ago. It embraces everything that is the Cape Town success story CapeInfo wrote about recently — click here.

The EDP will not be a statutory body and government will be a client rather than the owner.  It will operate outside the bureacratic regulatory system with a business mandate.

Boraine concedes that fancy mandates and structures will mean nothing if it does not attract the right people — and that is the risk.  It needs a creative environment to achieve that.

Boraine and his team have started with the fundamentals rather than the big-budget, more glamourous marketing initiatives.

What will the EDP do?  The EDP will be a partnership-based organisation that will lead, coordinate and drive regional economic growth, development and inclusion by concentrating on:

1. Economic and market intelligence and monitoring to ensure evidence-led strategy and planning.
2. Economic vision and strategy through building leadership and a common agenda.
3. Business attraction, retention and expansion through building an improved business and investment climate.
4. Creation of a single brand platform through a regional marketing alliance.
5. Organisation of the economic system for optimum delivery through performance monitoring and on-going coordination of reform.

To see the complete Powerpoint presentation on the EDP, click here.  It is an impressive document.

A steering committee was announced last week and met for the first time, with the goal of opening the new organisation by April next year.

I polled two of the steering committee members.  Peter Bacon, former CEO of Sun International and chairperson of CTRU, said:

“I am in agreement with the need for a public/private sector initiative to bring together under the umbrella of one organization the private sector support needed to grow the provincial economy. The responsibility for strategic planning, spatial planning, brand development, facilitation, research etc. is not, in my view, being dealt with at a macro level and the EDP will hopefully get all those involved in the public sector ‘On the same page’ together with the private sector to ensure the best outcome.

“If we are to attract more investment to achieve the growth levels needed to make a positive impact on unemployment then, as a destination, we need to make ourselves attractive. Also we need to support those industries which have already attracted very substantial investments e.g. the tourism industry and ensure that we maximize the return on the limited funding available from the public sector to support them e.g. destination marketing. To achieve this we must address the current confusion, overlap and wasteful expenditure which will be a focus of the EDP process.

“Governments do not make money and need to support the private sector. The EDP will be mandated to do this.”

Otto Stehlek, Protea Hotels chairperson, said Alan Winde and Andrew Boraine need a round of applause.  “They have assembled a group of people who can be potentially effective.  And anything that makes the Western Cape more efficient must be welcomed.  South Africa does face difficulties competing at an international level and we must do everything we can to reduce these difficulties.

“This deserves our best shot.”

This time it must work — there must be a unified focus and efficiencies.  The bottom line — jobs, investment, tourists, etc — is more important than hype.

Are other provinces watching?  The depoliticisation of economic development and tourism is the only way to get them working.

The steering committe tasked with the job of making it happen comprises:

• Mr Ashoek Adhikari – General Counsel of Media24
• Mr Peter Bacon – Chairperson of Cape Town Routes Unlimited
• Dr Walter Baets – Director of the UCT Graduate School of Business
• Mr Michael Bagraim – President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce
• Professor Leon Campher – CEO of the Savings and Investment Association of South Africa
• Professor Brian Figaji – Director of Nedbank Group Limited and Chairperson of the DBSA Development Fund
• Mr Solly Fourie – Head of the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism
• Mr Ben Kodisang – MD of Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments and Chairperson of Wesgro Board
• Ms Nontwenhle Mchunu – Entrepreneur and owner of Ezulwini Chocolat
• Ms Lele Mehlomakulu – Head of HR at Allan Gray
• Mr Jannie Mouton – Non-Executive Director of PSG Financial Services limited
• Mr Patrick Parring – Entrepreneur and co-founder of WECBOF
• Mr Conrad Sidego – Executive Mayor of Stellenbosch Municipality
• Mr Otto Stehlik – Executive Chairman of Protea Hotels
• Dr Iqbal Surve – Chief Executive of Sekunjalo Investments
• Alderman Belinda Walker – City of Cape Town Mayco Member for Economic Development
• Minister Alan Winde (Chair) – Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism

After the announcement, the 3,000 conference-goers were treated to a glimpse of what to expect in Cape Town, in this stunning video by Muti Films and the sounds of Freshlyground.

In her acceptance speech Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille said: “It is an honour for me to be addressing you here today as mayor of the first African city to be named a World Design Capital. A city belongs to its people and it must be designed for and with them and their communities. For many years, people have been applying innovative solutions to our challenges. They have been using design to transform various aspects of life. But they have often been working without an overarching social goal in mind.

“The World Design Capital bid process and title have helped to bring different initiatives together and have made us realise that design in all its forms, when added together, creates human and city development.

“The World Design Capital designation gives cities like Cape Town additional motivation to actively think of transformative design in development plans. We look forward to learning from other cities that are using design as a tool for transformation, including past winners Torino, Seoul and Helsinki and our fellow short-listed cities, Dublin and Bilbao. We are honoured to have been considered with them.”

The Cape Town Partnership started the World Design Capital bidding process over a year ago, on behalf of the City of Cape Town. A Bid Committee was tasked to frame the theme of the bid and to source content and case studies for the bid book. It included design case studies in the Stellenbosch area. On 31 March  2011 the 465-page bid book was formally submitted to the International Council for Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) in Canada, with the theme, “Live Design. Transform Life”.

Explaining the importance of the year 2014, De Lille said it will be the celebration of 20 years of democracy in South Africa,

“That celebration will allow for a time of reflection, to think about how far we have come as a country and a city. We will also be positioning ourselves to plan for the future. The next 20 years, and the 20 years after that, demand nothing less if we are to prosper as a city and a society and truly mature into our full potential.

“2014 then is the moment when the past and the future will come together for Cape Town, in contemplation and in action. In South Africa, cities were designed over decades to divide people. But since our new democratic era, we have been focused on trying to bring people together, to create a sustainable city that fosters real social inclusion.”

“The challenges faced by cities today are numerous. Sometimes, they seem unique. When we broaden our horizon, however, we discover the tremendous energy and innovation of individuals, communities and firms using design every day to create solutions. They are to be found within our city… and all over the world.

“In 2014, we will channel that energy into a series of events that celebrate design as a driver of social and economic change in the urban environment. We invite the global design community to become a part of our design journey, in our city, in Africa and in the world,” De Lille said.

Cape Town’s bid has gained widespread public and private sector support at City and Provincial level. It provides the opportunity to embed design thinking into urban development planning for social and economic growth. The accolade will also enhance Cape Town’s reputation globally as being a place that is known for more than just its natural beauty.

Previous World Design Capital title holders have seen increased visitor numbers as a result of the designation. Torino, Italy, World Design Capital for 2008, reported higher visitor numbers in their title year – which coincided with the global economic downturn – than in 2006, when they hosted the Winter Olympics.

Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana, Managing Director of the Cape Town Partnership and co-ordinator of the bid on behalf of the City said: “It has been a long and rewarding journey to get to this point. The real key to our success has been the partnerships that have been forged during the bid process, and the unwavering support of the City of Cape Town and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape. Being named World Design Capital for 2014 is a unique opportunity for us to reposition Cape Town on the world stage as a city of innovation, creativity and caring – and to continue to foster and promote our design industries at home and abroad.”

The World Design Capital 2014 title results in a year-long programme of design-focused events that will see creative communities across the globe turning to Cape Town for social, economic and cultural solutions. These connections are vital in the long-term links the city will secure with global role-players within creative industries. This win also highlights how design innovation has led to growth in the Stellenbosch area, taking the bid beyond the city’s borders to acknowledge the design assets of the region.

Said Stellenbosch Mayor Conrad Sidego from Taipei, where the theme of the IDA Congress is “Design at the Edges”: “The edge is where design of the past and design of the future meet – in this moment we have the opportunity to shape a new design legacy for our region.”

Table Mountain seen from the vineyards of Durbanville Hills

The economic value of being voted as one of the New7Wonders of Nature has been estimated at R8 billion over five years for each winner. The projection is based on an independent impact report by Grant Thornton, an international organization of chartered accountants and management consultants.

According to Grant Thornton, South Africa could benefit by R1.6 billion a year, equivalent to over US$ 1 billion for the first five years, if Table Mountain is chosen one of the Official New7Wonders of Nature. Tourism to Cape Town would increase by up to 20 percent annually, with 70 percent of the visitors expected to come from overseas. “This would support around 11,000 employment opportunities in South Africa,” the Grant Thornton report said.

Table Mountain is one of 28 Official Finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign. The winning seven will be announced on 11 November after an estimated one billion votes — online and via telephone and SMS — have been cast.

Grant Thornton’s projections are based on the campaign to choose the man-made Official New 7 Wonders of the World that culminated in 2007, in which 100 million votes were cast. Its report states that “measurable” results were seen at sites which made the top seven shortlisted in that campaign. “Visitors to Petra in Jordan increased by 61 percent and visitors to Christ the Redeemer in Brazil increased by 30 percent.”

The man-made Official New 7 Wonders of the World have “become part of school curriculums all over the world, and if the same happens to the New7Wonders of Nature, children from every corner of the globe will be learning about Table Mountain and South Africa as a destination.”

The Grant Thornton report was welcomed by Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Director of New7Wonders, who said that its findings confirmed the conclusions of an academic study released last year by the London-based publisher Pearson (publisher of the Financial Times newspaper) in which the worldwide economic contribution made by the campaign to elect the man-made New 7 Wonders of the World was valued at more than US$5 billion.

He also pointed out that the Grant Thornton report refers to purely economic value. “If you add the marketing, advertising, image and branding value, you would easily double the numbers, which means that the New7Wonders of Nature campaign is likely to generate well over US$10 billion in economic and marketing value globally” he said.

“This shows that New7Wonders is an extraordinarily positive force, bringing people together using modern, direct, interactive media, and in the end through this generating real economic plus-value for the world,” Jean-Paul de la Fuente added.

So vote now!

1. Visit www.votefortablemountain.com and cast your vote
2. SMS “Table” to 34874 at R2 an SMS
3. Vote via Mxit for free… and you can win Moola!
4. Vote on Facebook
5. Vote by phone

Where does accountability lie?  Is it the Destination Marketing Organisation (in this case Cape Town Tourism [CTT] and Cape Town Routes Unlimited [CTRU] — the provincial agency) or the industry itself?   Cape Town Tourism’s CEO, Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, says plainly that it’s not her organisation’s job to make conversions – getting the bodies on the planes or in hotel beds, its job is to create awareness and demand.  But with the 16% drop in market share (and no growth) during her tenure as CEO, it’s seems that the demand isn’t there.

Yes, the industry needs to do more and get behind CTT, calling it to account more often, but it’s also a fact that few in the hospitality industry are marketing experts (well, some think they are, but…) and they look to CTT for marketing expertise and guidance.

My first question when I saw this figure was, “How can this be?  After all the awards and accolades, how can Cape Town fare so poorly?”  Mariette’s response was: “Destination awards and accolades are great to get and does contribute to general destination awareness. It does not however automatically translate to increased arrivals and economic growth especially in tough economic times when the consumer mind-set is not necessarily conducive to making travel decisions.”

So when I get a media release from CTT a day later saying that Cape Town Tourism’s leadership in the e-marketing discipline has been confirmed as the world’s thirteenth Most Influential Tourist Board and Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) online by Influencers in Travel, I realise how little this accolade actually means – other than to remind and reassure politicians why they back tourism.  Surely increased arrivals and economic growth are the only bottom line?

If CTT wasn’t the best DMO in Africa, something would be seriously wrong and, if accolades meant anything, it should be in the top ten worldwide.  There isn’t another city in Africa that has the same allure, is as well run or has as much going for it – notably the entrepreneurial spirit and capability of its citizens.

After reading her presentation on Cape Town’s new marketing plan (click here to see it), I put some questions to her:

Which destinations have grown their market share at Cape Town’s expense?

Mariette: “We are seeing statistics broken down for Cape Town for the first time, which give a more accurate indication of our ‘real’ market share, i.e. not bloated by local travel.

“The growth in travel has been limited to the East, predominantly linked to intra-regional travel.  There has also  been an uptake in domestic or regional travel in Europe, with many of our traditional travellers opting for shorter and closer breaks from home.“

This begs the question: Is Cape Town doing enough to grow domestic and regional tourism like the other successful destinations, especially given the recession in the city’s traditional markets?

Would it be reasonable to associate loss of market share (but not the lack of growth, since others will experience the same) with the failure of CTT’s marketing actions over the last five years?

Mariette:  “Cape Town Tourism’s marketing actions have been informed by global and local trends, input from experts and the industry. We have been flexible, open and honest in developing and sharing the plans we have, never afraid to adapt when the market conditions dictate change (which is evident from the latest plans shared). We have never proclaimed to have all the answers, but we are certainly committed to remain relevant and dynamic.

“Cape Town Tourism has done ground-breaking work over the last 5 years, despite tough conditions, limited funding and a short-term annual mandate.”

One expects leaders to have more answers, more quickly and provide more leadership than CTT has displayed.  This is a criticism I have made directly to CTT on a number of occasions relating to a number of issues.  CTT consults more than it acts; it has more strategies than action plans.

Did CTT have a plan and put any marketing actions into effect to mitigate the expected drop in tourism that follows every mega event?

Mariette: “Our marketing strategy and activities pre, during and post- World Cup were aimed at long-term growth.  CTT was always very vocal about the need to have realistic expectations and focus on using the WC and the obvious benefits related to investment in infrastructure and awareness, as a springboard for long-term economic growth.”

In other words, CTT did nothing to directly mitigate against or counter the impact of a post-World Cup slump.  Surely, safeguarding jobs today is far more important that long-term strategies alone?

How should ratepayers and CTT members measure the benefit they receive from CTT’s funding?

Mariette refers to the Memorandum of Agreement and the Service Level Agreement (SLA) that exists between the City and CTT.  But neither evaluate value for money or bang for the buck: whether CTT gets R4 million or R40 million in funding makes little difference to these agreements. Mariette didn’t answer the question of how CTT members or the tourism industry should evaluate CTT’s performance.

Could you provide the percentage breakdown of total international versus domestic tourist numbers and your source for these statistics?

This question was asked since Mariette’s presentation contained the following slide which we dispute – it shows domestic tourism accounting for less than 30% of total arrivals.

She answered with some actual figures for 2010:

Just as the tourist arrivals graphic is misleading, I’m pretty sure the visitor spend graphic is equally misleading.  Cape Town Routes Unlimited estimates tourism to the Western Cape is 75% domestic and 25% international in origin.

Before chasing international business, one should bear in mind Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus’ view that local consumer spending will underpin SA’s economy during the global recession.  The national Department of Tourism conducted research that showed a far higher return – bang for the buck – on domestic tourism marketing at present, and that’s where their priority currently lies.  Is CTT prioritising its focus on a diminishing market?

In the UK, it has taken a terrible recession to fuel the domestic industry – which is currently doing very well and has proved to be the saviour.  Are there lessons there?

The City of Cape Town – the main funder & client

How does the City view all of this?  I asked Grant Pascoe, mayoral exco member for tourism, “how you measure the success of your ‘investments’ or funding.”  I also included the questions I had asked Mariette.

He was on the phone before the email read receipt arrived, thanking me for asking the questions.  “This has been worrying me,” he said, “but whenever I try to get answers, I’m faced with a blank wall.  My job is on the line if CTT doesn’t deliver.”  He went on to say that if they don’t, their R40 million grant is on the line.

Nombulelo Mfeka, the City’s director of tourism and an ex officio member of CTT’s board, provided a more detailed response:

“The City manages performance by monitoring indicators – visitor arrivals and deliverables in the SLA.

2007-8 year on year         9.32% positive growth
2008-9 year on year        -9.72 negative growth
2009-10 year on year      -1.76 negative growth

“The 2010 figures included the SWC 2010 tournament that inflated arrivals.

“Since their appointment their performance can be seen against a very successful SWC 2010 tournament with resulting accolades, and a good visitor experience.”   Was CTT’s role in this visitor experience really that great, or was it due Cape Town’s citizens and hospitality industry?

“Yes, we haven’t taken up the opportunities that the “2010 glow” afforded as effectively as we could have but some things have been done.”  But was it enough?

“Cape Town Tourism has responded to what was happening to the industry not only the drop off period but the impact of the global economic crisis that hit our source markets.”   How, she doesn’t say.

“We use the international arrivals at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) as the barometer … because our international visitor spend is much greater than domestic tourism spend.”

Surely this is beyond short-sighted? Using international arrival statistics from CTIA alone (while large numbers of visitors arrive from Johannesburg) rather than total bed-nights, and excluding domestic travel – which accounts for up to 75% of all travel – present such a distorted picture that it’s almost useless.

If CTT and its funding are being driven by a poorly informed client, that’s where criticism should be ultimately directed.  Should the CTT board be more informed, visionary and decisive?  Well, that’s another whole story!

I can understand Councillor Pascoe feeling that he meets a blank wall – his staff and the City’s representative on CTT’s board are doing a questionable job!  I haven’t been impressed by the City’s tourism department for the past ten years – maybe it needs a complete review?  Hopefully that will come with (or prior to, given the urgency) the establishment of the new Economic Development Agency.

A Marketing Plan for Cape Town

I wasn’t able to attend the presentations on August 10 & 11 by Ian Macfarlane, CTT’s Australian/expatriate consultant, and Mariette but CapeInfo was represented at one presentation by Mel Miller.  I wanted to interview Ian Macfarlane, whose presentation was unanimously applauded, about his experiences internationally and his perceptions of Cape Town.  Mariette initially facilitated this by introducing Ian and I, but then reversed her decision saying that he isn’t a spokesperson for CTT and I should put questions for him in writing to her first!

I also phoned and emailed around to get broader comments from a wider range of people, and here they are:

The plaudits

• It has taken forever, but the manner in which they have done this is positive.   They’ve had a long, thorough and robust process in building and formulating this strategy, and have presented it.  So, I think they have their act together now.
• There is an action plan and a detailed schedule of the activities and actions that are being taken.
• CTT is retaining its foothold in the overseas source markets and not listening to the calls to rush off to developing markets to spend even more money starting from scratch.
• I love their new focus on the urban tourist but we did not get any real meat on what the joint city marketing (CT, Jhb, Dbn & SA Tourism) will do.

The critics

• There nothing in Mariette’s presentation that can be measured and what people want to see now are results.
• I expected to see the glue, or nuts ‘n bolts, that will bind this house of cards.
• There are no action plans – not the high-level, big-picture stuff but rather measurable marketing plans, segmentation, media, travel trade, online, etc.
• I’m concerned that the focus on “inspiration” is far too airy-fairy in relation to the very real challenges the average consumer is dealing with today.
• Much will depend on Ian Macfarlane’s on-going role at CTT – he comes across as incisive, informed, dynamic and as gets the job done – the complete opposite of most of our public sector DMO’s
• CTT uses too many consultants who have twisted reality without any need to be accountable for end results, which are sales, bums and beds and tourists – be they local or international.
• A lot of new things on the table but we’re still trying to deal with the past issues which have not been accounted for.
• Managing communications to the travel trade is their single biggest challenge and something they need to effectively do on a continual basis…  The new marketing manager (who joins on September 1) is a case in point – to address the speculation, they should announce who this is to instil confidence!   Instead, the silence does them no favours….

I also watched what appeared on Twitter from the presentations and was filled with a sense of despair.  It all sounds good but either lacks substance or has been said before (without the goods being delivered).  It reminded me of an interview with the MD of the old Garlicks department store in the mid-80s, which was becoming very run-down.  “We’re about to start competing with Woolworths on garment and food quality,” was the action plan he gave me.  “And how will you achieve that, without the technical resources that Woolworths has and gets from Marks & Spencer?” I asked.  “Oh, we’ll develop those too,” was his reply.  The store closed a year later.

Here are a few tweets:

• Cape Town Tourism launches plan to propel the city to world prominence.
• We are working on an urban tourism marketing campaign with Johannesburg and Durban – showcasing the live-ability of our cities.
• We will position CT as ideal ‘short-break’ city in the domestic market especially during winter & shoulder seasons.
• We will put significant effort into addressing the domestic market’s perception of CT as unwelcoming, racist and expensive.

I’d love to read concrete action plans for the last item…  Some time back I tried to address perceptions that Cape Town is unfriendly, which some CTT staff argued was a false perception.  (Click here for more.)

The trend to and perceptions of elitism is one of the greatest challenges Cape Town faces.  I’d like to see as much dedicated effort put into reversing this as has been put into the city’s bid as World Design capital.  As someone wrote recently, “CT is becoming elitist and too ‘in thrall’ with creative, foodie, tourism rankings stuff.  The Design Bid, whilst commendable, I think is a step too far in the elitist direction.  I have heard sentiments of elitism too from national tourism people – they don’t like Cape Town, I think they are threatened by its success.”

CTT’s strength is the big picture but it spends a lot of time putting out fires and being reactive.  Sometimes it’s overwhelmed with requests it cannot service.  This is all the more reason for solid planning and implementation, with a clearer focus with measurable outcomes (and the ability to say “no, we can’t do that”).

I wonder if CTT’s marketing manager shouldn’t in fact be a Joint CEO, because CTT is a marketing organisation and needs to focus on the nuts and bolts of the ‘now & today’.  Strategizing needs to be secondary or run parallel to accountability and results, and delivering the goods is CTT’s big challenge ahead.

But then I’m reminded of something Liz Westby-Nunn said to me after the appointment of Noki Dube as CTRU CEO: “Since when have you heard of a consultant being able to run a company?”    CTT’s new marketing manager, Velma Corcoran, comes from a successful consulting background but still has to prove herself at the coalface of bottom-line accountability for a city and industry.  I really wish her well and I’m always ready to be supportive wherever possible.

Everybody needs to realise that the hospitality industry is a perishable industry, something the late Don Titmas pointed out to me many years ago:  “Bodies in beds and bottoms on restaurant seats not sold today, can’t be sold tomorrow.”

There is a need for urgency.  As Winston Churchill said, “Action this day!”

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Mariannhill Toll Plaza in KwaZulu-Natal. Pic: THEMBINKOSI DWAYISA. 2009. © Sunday Times

The SA National Roads Agency (SANRAL) wants to introduce toll roads on the N1 and N2 between the city and the Winelands.  The City of Cape Town has objected and declared an intergovernmental dispute.

The story first appeared, as far as I know, in The Sowetan – Cape Town not happy with tolls. SANRAL’s website has info on the N1/N2 Winelands Project and N2 Knysna Toll Highway.

Tolling roads is the most insidious form of tax (since motorists already pay a road levy as part of fuel taxes).   As has been shown in Gauteng – which has more toll roads than the whole of the UK – it is the thin end of the wedge.  Tolls for sections like Chapman’s Peak Drive and the Huguenot Tunnel can be justified, but not roads that are part of the essential infrastructure government is duty-bound to provide.

SANRAL has the policy of “the user pays”… but the user already pays.  Toll roads are run by concessionaires for profit, and I don’t believe that essential infrastructure should have costs loaded in this way.

Have your say.  If SANRAL has theirs, you can expect a toll plaza near you sometime soon.

Rupert Murdoch

Most people have been horrified by the hacking scandal that hit Rupert Murdoch’s News International and the late News of the World.  But, to his credit after initially refusing, the 83-year old Murdoch appeared before the British Parliament saying, “This is the most humble day in my life.”

I can’t help wondering though if the sins of News International are any worse than those of the Roman Catholic Church, where sexual abuse of young boys at the hands of priests has continued for years.  Why isn’t the Pope called before the parliaments of the world to satisfy lawmakers that he has matters in hand?

Both are influential men with large audiences and significant responsibilities.  Both should be subject to the same laws.

Something in the hacking scandal that should be noted was the way that London’s top policemen, who evidently hadn’t been doing the job rigorously enough, resigned.

Back home we have yet another police commissioner in the worst kind of dog box, a minister of public works in contravention of the consitution, and a minister of local government on extended sick leave to foil the investigation into his wasteful personal expenditure.  Will they resign, be fired or re-deployed to do more damage elsewhere?  Will Zuma show that South Africa now is a banana republic?

Sheryl Cwele

And this of course brings us to Sheryl Cwele — convicted in a court of law as a drug trafficker.  After she was suspended without pay with effect from June 10, Cwele took the Hibiscus Coast council to the Labour Court to reverse a council resolution regarding her salary.

The council decided that the chances of successfully opposing Cwele were slim and the municipality acceded to Mrs Cwele’s submission.  So we have a convicted drug trafficker earning money for no work.

Drug and substance abuse are two of the biggest challenges facing South Africa.  It pains me to admit that CapeInfo’s pages ofering help for substance abuse (click here) remain amongst the most popular on the whole site.

If the Hibiscus Coast municipality is too scared to act boldly, then society needs to demonstrate its disgust.  Who are Cwele’s bankers?  Close all her accounts; bar her from ever opening another account of any kind at any bank.  Where does she do her shopping?  Right of admission is reserved by the shopkeeper and her rights should be refused.

Just think where tourism would be if we didn’t have the millstone of crime and the reputation as a banana republic. (“Over 70% of all crime and violence is drug- or alcohol-related, and the reason for 95% of all trauma patients in hospitals.”)

The city’s top attractions are listed as Robben Island, Table Mountain, hiking, cycling and tours.  They describe it thus: “Cape Town glistens at the southern toe of the African continent. Tourist brochure-views at Blaauwberg Beach and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens are within easy driving distance of ‘The Mother City.’ The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve provides sweeping sea vistas, hiking trails and wildlife encounters. On a more somber note, travelers can visit Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years.”

Their top 25 destinations are:

1. Cape Town, South Africa
2. Sydney, Australia
3. Machu Piccu, Peru
4. Paris, France
5. Rio de Janiero, Brazil
6. New York City, New York
7. Rome, Italy
8. London, United Kingdom
9. Barcelona, Spain
10. Hong Kong, China
11. Kyoto, Japan
12. Queenstown, New Zealand
13. Jerusalem, Israel
14. Siem Reap, Cambodia
15. Prague, Czech Republic
16. Venice, Italy
17. Buenos Aires, Argentina
18. Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand
19. Honolulu, Hawaii
20. St Petersburg, Russia
21. Florence, Italy
22. Grand Cayman
23. San Francisco, California
24. Petra/Wadi Musa, Jordan
25. Las Vegas, Nevada

Excerpt from TripAdvisor's website

For the full list, visit http://www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations

An email just received from avaaz.org emphasizes the point:

Dear friends,

Avaaz is on fire. The pace of our activity, our growth, and our victories is intense! Scroll down through this email to see highlights of the last few months — it’s astonishing what we’re building and achieving together.

There are over 8.2 million of us now, growing by 100,000 people per week! Two weeks ago, 650,000 Indians joined our campaign for a powerful new anti-corruption bill, and we won!! We’re racking up major victories every month — fighting political corruption in Italy, media-corruption in the UK and Canada, environmental destruction in Brazil and more. And across the Middle East, brave democracy activists are getting vital equipment and communications support funded by donations from almost 30,000 of us.

From people-powered revolutions in the Middle East to national anti-corruption movements, you can feel it and see it everywhere today — democracy is on the march, and together we are beating the drum. The press is noticing in hundreds of stories, with one 2000 word feature in the Times of London calling us ‘One of the most important new voices on the global stage’. Here’s a quick summary of the last few months in our amazing people-powered community…

From Avaaz.org: SA is in its sights as well

RECENT CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Anti-Corruption Campaign Explodes in India
Two weeks ago, Anna Hazare, a 73 year old Gandhian activist, declared a fast unto death until the government agreed to let civil society draft a powerful new anti-corruption law. In just 36 hours, an unprecedented 500,000 Indians joined Avaaz’s campaign to support Hazare’s call for sweeping reform. In 4 days, the public outcry forced India’s government to sign a written submission to all of Hazare’s demands! We won!! Today, a new India is being born — and just as last year in Brazil with landmark anti-corruption legislation, Avaaz is helping to breathe life into it.

Breaking the Middle East Blackout
Funded by donations from almost 30,000 Avaazers, an Avaaz team is working closely with the leadership of democracy movements in Syria, Yemen, Libya and more to get them high-tech phones and satellite internet modems, connect them to the world’s top media outlets, and provide communications advice. We’ve seen the power of this engagement — where our support to activists has created global media cycles with footage and eyewitness accounts that our team helps distribute to CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera and others. The courage of these activists is unbelievable — a skype message from one last week read ‘state security searching the house, my laptop battery dying, if not online tomorrow I’m dead or arrested’. He’s ok, and together we’re helping to get his and many other voices out to the world.

Huge Win on Hilton Hotels vs the Rape Trade
24 hours after 317,000 Avaazers called on the Hilton CEO to sign a code of conduct on the rape trade or face hard-hitting ads in his hometown, we got a frantic call from his vice-president. ‘You’re going to WHAT?’, she asked. Hilton had dragged its feet for months. We gave them four days, and they signed. Now 180,000 hotel employees will be trained to spot and prevent the horror of of sex slavery of women and girls.

UK — The People vs Murdoch’s Media Monopoly
Global media kingpin Rupert Murdoch’s bid to tighten his stranglehold over the UK press faces a relentless challenge from Avaaz members, who’ve run adverts, staged public stunts, delivered massive petitions, and organised phone-ins week upon week in an effort to safeguard public debate. An Avaaz-commissioned independent poll found that only 5% of Brits take Murdoch’s side — and new criminal charges for hacking politicians’ phones are further eroding the momentum of the Murdoch media machine. The government has been forced to extract concessions from Murdoch, and has now delayed a decision on the deal — costing Murdoch billions and giving us more time to stop him for good.

Libyan Massacre Prevented — one million messages to the Security Council
Our messages called for sanctions, asset freezes, and an internationally enforced no-fly zone to protect civilians in Libya. Our voices got through: the UN Ambassador from the US, one of the last hold-outs to back the motion, publicly thanked us for our messages. International action began just as Qaddafi’s tanks encircled the rebel-held city of Benghazi — and is widely credited with preventing a likely massacre of large numbers of civilians.

Berlusconi’s Censorship Bill, Defeated
Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi, facing souring political winds and a trial for statutory rape expected to coincide with general elections, tried to force a censorship law through parliament that would have silenced his critics on independent TV shows. But Italian Avaaz members fought back — powering a 70,000-strong petition and thousands of phone calls to parliament at the crucial moment that helped swing the final vote. The law was blocked, in a huge victory for Avaaz members and for the future of Italian democracy and free speech.
The ‘Angel’ Tackling Corruption in Spain
This week a Spanish newspaper trumpeted Avaaz as its ‘Angel of the Day’ for battling corruption — one highlight of a nationwide torrent of media coverage of Avaaz’s 100,000-Spaniard petition and theatrical stunts calling for Spanish politicians with records of corruption to be barred from upcoming elections. The rising pressure is fuelling a national debate on corruption, and political parties are feeling the heat.

Brazil: Blocking an Amazon-Destroying Mega-Dam
The proposed Belo Monte dam complex, an environmental catastrophe in the making, has been delayed — thanks in part to the spectacular delivery led by indigenous tribes-people of more than 600,000 petition signatures from Avaazers in Brazil and around the world. The Organization of American States has now joined the opposition to the dam, saying it violates human rights — and the momentum is building to cancel it and focus on clean renewable energy sources instead.

A Million-Strong Swarm to Save the Bees
Over a million people, including 200,000 in France, signed an explosive petition to ban pesticides that are mass-killing bees the world over — and, standing with a team of French beekeepers, delivered the petition to the French Agriculture Minister at a major conference. The campaign continues, building pressure for action in France, the EU, and around the globe.

Under Pressure, South Africa Begins to Confront ‘Corrective Rape’
When a local group in South Africa launched a petition demanding that their government address ‘corrective rape’ — the sickening epidemic of rapes of lesbian women to ‘turn them straight’ — they were, at first, ignored. But when their petition reached 170,000 signatures, the government noticed — and now, with nearly a million of us signed on and massive media attention, the pressure for meaningful action is becoming unstoppable.

Delivering 1 million voices for food safety
Before the ink even dried on an exciting new tool for direct democracy in Europe, over one million people from every country in the EU took part in the first-ever European Citizens’ Initiative — a process where people can lodge official petitions that require a response. Avaaz members called for an immediate freeze on genetically modified crops entering the EU until objective studies free from industry influence could show they were safe. The initiative had a spectacular delivery directly to the EU Commission that flooded the media with coverage and sent a clear message to officials.

… And All of This is 100% Funded by Avaaz Members Worldwide!
All of these campaigns are demonstrations of the promise of people power — of what’s possible when we come together to do what’s right. And all of them were funded entirely by small donations from Avaaz members, including almost 250,000 of us who have donated to Avaaz campaigns and 10,000 of us who have become ‘sustainers’ and donated a few dollars or euros a week or month to cover all of Avaaz’s core costs — click here to join in giving. Because of these small donations, Avaaz doesn’t have to answer to corporate sponsors, large individual donors, or government grantmakers. Instead, Avaaz is accountable only to its members, and all our dreams of a better world for all.

With hope and enormous appreciation for the service of every person in this amazing community,

Ricken, Ben, Saloni, Alice, Graziela, David, Shibayan, Morgan, Tihomir, Emma, Giulia, Rewan, Kien, Luis, Alex, Mia, Stephanie, Milena, Heather, Veronique, Iain, Pascal, Benjamin, Yura, Laura, Saravanan, JC, Alma, Dominick, Brianna, Sam, Mohammad, Tricia, Janet, Laryn, Aleksandr, Maksim, Denis and all the volunteers, translators, and all the members of the Avaaz team.

The amount of the levy has not been disclosed at this stage.