Story vs Price – that’s a story!
"Do you compete on price or do you have a story to tell?" This question by Vinpro's Christo Conradie at the annual Industry Information day,...Read More
Trade & Travel
Whether it really saves you money is debatable, but there is something very alluring about duty free shopp...Read More
Entertain, but above all, educate
Experience marketing brings the opportunity of turning consumers into ambassadors. Wine Tourism is doing an exceptional job for the wine ind...Read More
Diversity – a challenge with charisma
Diversity is one of the key descriptors when it comes to South Africa - for its people, landscape, culture and wine! As challenging as it ...Read More
Employment vs Technology
JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! tweets Wandile Sihlobo on opportunities within South African agriculture. On the other side of the world in China, Alib...Read More
Mallorca – more than Spanish wine and Sobrasada
There is nothing that inspires a winemaker like the sight of vineyards in beautiful terroir. On a cycling tour with some friends on the isl...Read More
Lessons from the Michelin ratings
Being awarded a Michelin star is something restaurant dreams are made of. But as we know from wine industry accolades, the food an...Read More
Tourism – make it easy!
Exploration is an ancient desire - from the time of the Vikings to Bartolomeu Dias and Christopher Columbus. In today's world, many of us ...Read More
Tourism – a demand for innovation
Peter Drucker's "Business only has two key functions: marketing and innovation", is very relevant for the tourism industry. With ITB Berlin ...Read More
Culinary tourism – alive and well in Brussels!
European food traditions are well-known: French cuisine, the food lifestyle that is Italy, the world-renowned chefs of San Sebastián, herit...Read More
Making wine work – industry & harvest insights from #VinproDay
Despite focussing on the drought, global short supply, the challenge of pricing and branding as well as political and policy uncertainty, I ...Read More
Evaluating the odds: SA Tourism’s 5 in 5
In layman terms, I believe success is possible when you have a dream, when you have the tools and when you are willing to combine these two ...Read More
Experience – the 5th P of Marketing
Marketing handbooks taught us about the 4 P's of marketing: Price, Product, Promotion, Place but in today's world it is missing one componen...Read More
Plans for Africa! #WEFAFRICA2017
This week, Durban played host to the World Economic Forum on Africa 2017.This international organization is committed to improving the s...Read More
Eat Like a Local and Other Tourism Trends for 2017
Last week I touched on involving communities in our tourism strategies with reference to the opportunity in the Cape Winelands and tourists...Read More
Take an Interest in Community-Based Tourism
“Direct “seats” on planes into Cape Town have soared by half a million and generated R3bn in direct tourism spend for the province,”...Read More
Russia – Rich With History, Heritage and Even Some Wine Culture
I have just returned from Europe and my first visit to St Petersburg. Experiencing the rich culture and history of Russia is always amazing ...Read More
Hong Kong – Where All Things Wine are Happening
Next week we will be at the seventh Vinexpo Hong Kong, one of the most important trade-only wine and spirits fairs in Asia.I always look...Read More
Marketing South African Sauvignon Blanc
The South African Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group invited me to their marketing seminar. Passionate about the complex intricacies of wine, ma...Read More
Culinary Tourism Reconsidered
Culinary Tourism was on the agenda when renowned international guests and important global role players met in Franschhoek last week as part...Read More
How Wine Can Influence Your Choice of Airline!
If you travel frequently and you like wine, like me, you will be anticipating the wine selection on your flight. Sometimes it is a delightfu...Read More
Spring – A Season for Sustainability
Sustainability is not a seasonal thing – living in a responsible and sustainable way should be part of everyday living. The importance of ...Read More
The Wonder of Winter in The Winelands
Winter is a wonderful season. Right in the middle of the year, it allows time to contemplate how far we have come and to reconsider and plan...Read More
Hong Kong – An Important Beacon in The World of Wine
In 2014 the most expensive wine lot ever has been auctioned in Hong Kong. 114 bottles of Burgundy were sold for HK$12 556 25 = US$1.6 millio...Read More
A Well-Kept Surprise – Ireland’s Long and Rich Wine Culture
This week I visited our wine importers and agents in Ireland, Classic Drinks. Enjoying the lush green countryside, hospitality and golf cour...Read More
Stimulating Holiday Sales
Full parking lots and empty shelves are what you can expect if you have not yet done your shopping for Easter Weekend.While Easter, like...Read More
Top Travel Destinations For 2014 – Leisure, Business and Honeymoon!
I am not unique in enjoying some reflection at this time of the year. While time seems to fly, it is when we reflect that we realise that th...Read More
The Future Potential of Chinese Cruise Liners
According to BreakingTravelNews.com, Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, has signed a memorandum of understanding wi...Read More
Marchesi Antinori – Tradition, Trends and Tourism
Being part of a family-owned wine estate that treasures history and heritage, our visit earlier this week to one of Italy’s oldest, bigges...Read More
Gold Replaces Alcohol in Wine – Only in Dubai!
This week we joined Argentina and Chile at the Wines of the Beautiful South Trade Tasting in London and I’ll shortly share some of my insi...Read More
Tourism – South Africa’s “New Gold”
On Wednesday, newly appointed Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom addressed Parliament saying that bold new initiatives are needed to further gr...Read More
Tourism Supports Foreign Investment in The Winelands
This week’s Landbouweekblad (an Afrikaans agricultural magazine), reports that since October 2013, 42 farms to the value of approximately ...Read More
SA Tourism After 20 Years of Democracy
Much has changed in the 20 years since South Africa’s first democratic election. One sector that tells a very positive story, is Tourism. ...Read More
The Passions of New Zealand – Pinot Noir and High-End Tourism
Our visit to Australia’s Barossa Valley and Mclarenvale was difficult to top, but visiting New Zealand was no let-down! Thank you very muc...Read More
Franschhoek and Barossa Working Together
Last night we stayed at the spectacular The Louise Luxury Vineyard Retreat – one of the luxury lodges of Australia.We were treated to ...Read More
Another Day in the Barossa Valley
Day two of our tour of the Barossa Valley and I am impressed. This morning we visited the charming Rockford Wines .What an interesting c...Read More
A Day in the Barossa Valley
What a wonderful day in Australia’s famous Barossa wine valley!I understand why it is the most active wine route in Australia. Not onl...Read More
Types of Tourism
Yesterday, we were visited by an Italian film crew producing a documentary on tourism in South Africa for one of their local television stat...Read More
#Thingstodo In the Winelands This Summer
“Wine Tourism in South Africa is a multi-sensory experience that will not only deepen your appreciation of fine wines, but will also enhan...Read More
Tourism Supporting the Wine Industry
“The glamour that people perceive is just that — perception,” says Earl Sullivan, founder of Telaya Wine in Idaho in reaction to what ...Read More
Chinese Holidays
The Chinese mid-Autumn festival or Moon Festival followed by a National Golden Week of Holiday celebrating the Country’s independence just...Read More
Chinese Tourists
Earlier this year, President Jacob Zuma was quoted when the annual tourism statistics were released indicating that the number of tourists v...Read More
Celebrating the Joie De Vivre of Our French Heritage
This weekend the Franschhoek Valley celebrates its 20th Bastille Festival and tonight we will start the festivities with a French-inspired d...Read More
A Celebration of Wine Tourism
Yesterday saw the Great Wine Capitals of The World’s 2013 Best of Wine Tourism awards for South Africa being presented to the various winn...Read More
The importance of wine tourism
On 9 May this year, the Great Wine Capitals of the World will be hosting a Best of Wine Tourism event at La Motte Wine Estate in the Fransch...Read More
Travel and Nature in South Africa
Earlier this week we looked at South Africa’s infrastructure and how it adds to what makes South Africa a special country....Read More
South Africa
We just returned from our Easter holiday along South Africa’s Garden Route and once again I was reminded of what a special country we live...Read More
Wine Tourism – making it work!
“We have enormous potential in this country and while we always knew about the contribution of tourism, we suddenly realised the immense p...Read More
Cape Winelands Cuisine and the Flavours of France
On our travels we have fell in love with the concept of regional food. And when we started conceptualising a restaurant on La Motte Wine Est...Read More
Wine tourism – working together works
Earlier this year South Africa’s wine tourism industry has been rated the best-developed in the world by International Wine Review, one of...Read More
Having Fun at La Motte
Featured is a a home movie that was produced by one of the families enjoying a day at la Motte. It is very rewarding to see families having ...Read More
At Paul Bocuse Institute
I spent the last two days at the Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon with my wife Hanneli and her daughter Berdine. We had a tour of the world’s...Read More
Visiting Institute Paul Bocuse
My travels in France have also taken me to the Institute Paul Bocuse in Lyon. The institute, which offers courses in culinary arts and hotel...Read More
Meeting and Tasting on Our Rhone Trip
I am currently in the Rhone region of France discussing ways to strengthen ties between the region and the Franschhoek region of South Afric...Read More