New shuttle service launches in Cape Town
Cape Comoot, a new
shuttle business, will
begin operations in
the Western Cape. Bookings
opened on May 4, however the
service will only start running
from June 1.
The shuttle will run from
Greenmarket Square in Cape
Town to Cape Point and
Franschhoek. Services will
eventually be expanded to
Stellenbosch and Hermanus.
Each shuttle will offer
air conditioning, free WiFi
and mobile phone charging
stations.
Cape Comoot was
co-founded by Martin Bo
Nielsen and Yolandie Le
Grange. “Cape Town has
become a mainstream
destination with tourists
expecting the same service,
facilities and convenience
found at destinations such as
London, Tokyo or Paris,” says
Martin.
Yolandie adds that it’s
important that guests to
the city are able to pay for
transport at a price closer
to what they would if
they were to use public
transport in any other global
destination.
Midlands property unveils first phase of refurbishment
Midlands Saddle & Trout in
Mooi River is undergoing a
R16,7m refurbishment by the
First Group.
Work will be done on 59
chalets and to the general
upliftment of the property,
aimed at revitalising the
resort.
“The property has been
the darling of the Midlands
for many years and this
refurbishment investment is
our commitment to ensuring
that the Resort remains
unique and appealing,” said
Tim Spencer, hotel director of
the First Group.
The two-year project started
last year with the first phase
unveiled at the end of 2016
and the final phase scheduled
for completion by the end of
this year.
The chalets, which offer
360-degree views of the
mountains and dairy farms,
have received new rugs,
re-upholstered furniture, new
curtains and original acrylic
artworks and the fireplace now
has new black polished granite
tiles. The refurbishment also
includes 10 kilometres of new
paddock fencing, an animal
farm and a newly renovated
restaurant.
The work forms part of the
First Group’s massive R179m
refurbishment project that is
being rolled out across its
property portfolio.
Cape Town hotel becomes first SA Marriott-branded hotel
The African Pride Crystal
Towers Hotel & Spa has been
rebranded as a Marriott Hotel.
Launched on May 12, the
180-room Cape Town Marriott
Hotel Crystal Towers marks the
introduction of the first Marriottbranded
hotel in South Africa
since Marriott International
bought Protea Hotels in 2014.
The roll-out of the conversion
means new décor. The hotel
lobby, the Greatroom, has been
redecorated, as have the Orah
Bar & Lounge and the Acara
Pool Bar & Terrace. The spaces
are ideal for networking,
working and having fun,” says
the hotel’s gm, Carolyn Jones.
“Our recently opened Century
City Conference Centre is
performing way ahead of our
most optimistic expectations,
attracting a growing number
of national and international
conferences. Having a Marriottbranded
hotel substantially
increases our offering and will
no doubt appeal in particular
to our international delegates,”
says Leon Cohen, md of Rabie
Property Group (the developer
of Century City and the owner
of the Cape Town Marriott Hotel
Crystal Towers).
“Use mobile apps for MICE”
If you’re not exploring
how you can use mobile
applications to your
advantage, you’re seriously
missing out,” says Ricky
Reynolds founder of new MICE
travel app company, Apps in
Travel. Ricky recently created
Reynolds Travel’s Corporate
Events app and is now
launching a white-label version
of the product.
The app, which is currently
available on Android
and iPhone, is designed
specifically for the MICE
market. It is available to
agents and their corporate
clients.
The app has features such
as information regarding a
traveller’s itinerary (including
flights and accommodation);
a news feed which can
be constantly updated; a
profile section where users
can include pictures and a
biography of themselves; and
a “social wall” where users
can upload and share videos
and photos of the experience.
Other features include a video
section, where users can find
teasers of the destination
they will be visiting and a
notifications setting where the
user can set the app to send
updates on specific features.
The app can also be
customised to suit the needs
of the client. Ricky gives the
example of an instance where
a speaker at a conference
was unable to complete a
Q&A session due to time
constraints. But because the
app had been customised
so that users could send
questions to speakers by
using the app, the speaker
could then respond and
upload her answers onto the
app the next day.
Although you may know
Ricky from Reynolds Travel, he
says he is in no way looking
to steal anyone’s clientele. “I
want to partner with agents
who want to offer their
clients something extra at
an event. And of course I am
willing to sign non-disclosure
agreements and the like.
Ebola in the DRC – no need to panic
AN EBOLA outbreak in the
DRC remains limited to a
remote area of the country,
making travel or trade
restrictions unnecessary for
the time being, the World
Health Organization (WHO)
said last week. Currently
there are a total of two
confirmed, four probable
and 16 suspected cases
of Ebola in the DR Congo.
Three deaths have been
confirmed among the
probable cases.
However, despite the
fact that the WHO advises
against any travel or trade
restrictions based on
the current information
available, neighbouring
countries have stepped
up security measures at
airports. Kenya, Nigeria and
Rwanda have all enforced
intensified entry screening
at airports, with Rwanda
issuing an advisory against
travel to the DRC.
Industry players report
that the situation hasn’t
impacted on SA corporate
travel to the area. Noeline
Heaton, brand manager of
HRG Rennies Travel, says
for the moment, corporate
travellers have not changed
their booking patterns.
Ben Langner, md of
Carlson Wagonlit Travel SA,
agrees and says: “At this
stage, there doesn’t seem
to be great concern among
our corporate travellers
about the recent outbreak of
Ebola in the DRC.”
Ben adds that provided
the outbreak remains
contained, the impact on
travel into Africa is likely to
be minimal. He says: “CWT
keeps its clients appraised
of developments and has
support structures in place
should the need arise to
locate and assist travellers
in affected areas.”
“Ebola is a worry for
clients travelling to anywhere
in Africa, but we are equally
concerned about Cholera
in Nairobi, Yellow Fever and
Malaria,” says Rachael
Penaluna, business manager
of Sure Maritime Travel. She
says: “We advise clients
of no-go areas immediately
and in the case of Ebola, we
would suggest they do not
travel to affected areas.”
For more on the situation
regarding Yellow Fever, see
page 8.
