SKÅL INTERNATIONAL - CAPE TOWN - No. 109

APRIL 2011

EDITOR'S NOTES

I suppose we mostly live via advertising of sorts, while as consumers we try and work out what is spin and what is patent nonsense. A budget airline in the UK has just been stopped from running adverts for “winter sun holidays” when it was pointed out that the historical MAX day time temperatures at that particular destination in winter hit a steamy 14C! An awful lot of local claims seem pretty dodgy to me, and with new consumer legislation enacted, perhaps it's time for advertisers to double check their copy.

Money. Ducks. Ah yes, ducks. The Duckathon is gathering pace and hopefully you will all be buying a couple of these little dears and joining in the fun. The “Best Dressed Duck” competition definitely has potential. The Skål /TIR Auction is going strong, the Famous Race has a date, as does our Golf Day-wow, lots on the go! And do remember that all these activities are open to non Skål members.

See you around
Tim Sale

BIRTHDAY WISHES TO:

Many happy wishes to:

Anja du Plessis	03 May
Terry Berrington, Charmaine Beukes, Jonathon Matthysen	09 May
Ester Andrade	16 May
Brian Segal	18 May
Dave Vermaak	19 May
Lucy Gregory	24 May
Michael Hunter-Smith	25 May
Tim Sale, Philip Morse	28 May
Owen Jinka	29 May
Frank Glettenberg, Lee Botti	30 May
Lucia Davadoss, Alan Romburgh	01 Jun
Yolandé West	02 Jun
Helen Turnbull	03 Jun
Sharon Fergusson	08 Jun
Frank Dwyer, Paul Osborne	09 Jun
Hans van Heukelum	11 Jun
Jill Wagner	13 Jun
Judi Buikman	16 Jun
Michelle Whitehead	17 Jun
John Watson, Karl Twiggs	24 Jun
Gary Leibov	25 Jun
Janet van de Vijver	26 Jun

Look out for your electronic Personal Birthday card from your President, Vernon Kirsten

OTHER CLUBS

Lunches of other clubs are scheduled as below, so if you are around these locations on due days, do join in.

Cape Winelands	last Thursday
Durban	3rd Thursday
Garden Route	3rd Wednesday
Johannesburg	3rd Friday
KZN-Midlands	3rd Thursday
Nelson Mandela Bay	2nd Tuesday
Pretoria	3rd Tuesday

As and when notices are received, these are sent out to you.

The National AGA and 1st Bi-Annual meetings will be hosted by Skål Cape Winelands during 25-27 March. Programme details will be sent out as soon as we know them.

SKÅL INTERNATIONAL
Skål, founded 1934, is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Its members, the industry's managers and executives, meet at local, national, regional and international levels to discuss and pursue topics of common interest , AND doing business amongst friends.

NEW VENUES

If you have an idea for an interesting venue for lunch or anything else, do please mention it to a Committee Member.

We are spreading ourselves around quite nicely, but new venues are always welcome. We now also include Golf Course management as well as restaurateurs involved in the tourist trade-we are pleased to have a couple of the latter now joining us.

INCREDIBLE FRIENDSHIP RACE

You will have had a memo all about it. Now scheduled for June 8. It was a terrific event when last staged, and at just R375 pp, a heck of a lot of fun for the price of a fancy meal!

BRANDING

The corporate BRANDING sales are going very well-the concept allows members to promote themselves at a low cost while helping to keep general subs down, so its all good.

But, to make it successful, sponsors will need your support. Lunches are available right now for R1500 each-what a BARGAIN!!!

A big Skal Thank you to Enver from the TCD Trust who will be branding a lunch this year.

Joy has also indicated that she will be approaching Ellerman House to possibly brand a lunch - Thank You Joy!

MEMBERSHIP 2011

Membership cards will be available shortly.

YOUNG SKÅL

Catherine Biggs and her Young Skål team are doing well, with more events to follow.

MEETINGS

APRIL

On 12 April a goodly bunch went out to PURE, Hout Bay Manor. What a lovely place, much enjoyed-the Committee received several positive comments on the efforts being made to move lunches around, especially to new venues.

Heartfelt thanks to those who gave prizes for our raffle - sincere apologies if there are any omissions:
Lorna Simone	Thompsons Travel & Touring
Lucia Davadoss	Hout Bay Manor
Anne Lamb	Skål Cpt
Sumari Vorster-Stevens	Steenberg Hotel
Susanne Faussner-Ringer	Greenways Hotel
Helen Turnbull	Serendipity Africa
Lee & Sabina Botti	Lee Botti & Assoc
Anja du Plessis	African Luxury Brands
Lew Rood (Singita)	Protea, Fire & Ice.
Nils Heckscher	Winchester Mansions
Helena MacPhail	Awol Tours


Vernon Kirsten and the boys - Dominic Wardell, James Blomerus and James Sale	Phillip Morse manning his Duck-a-Thon table

MAY

Lunch gathering will be at the Cape Milner Hotel on the 10th. We thought about moving it to either side of Indaba, but it has become a tradition to have a small but very enjoyable lunch when the hordes are in Durbs, so that's the way it will be, no doubt excellent fun, and by the look of the menu at the Cape Milner, very good value as well.
So if you are in town, join the sensible non- Indaba bunch! Skålleague Niall Bruyns is offering a superb 3-course menu with main course choice. And remember. Accounting rule 1-members are fully, totally, completely and absolutely responsible for payment for their guests! That is also Rule 2 and 3, etc.

INDABA

Indaba attendees will hope that the Hilton actually remembers
to cook the food for lunch this year.

SKÅL INTERNATIONAL DAY


Craig Ferreira and Rory Goldhill huddling around the fire with fellow Skalleauges	Frank Dwyer and Sue Towse with the extended Ferreira family

We were a bit lucky that our Newlands Forest Family Day on Freedom Day was not rained out-the sun more or less shone. But we did hear that snow had fallen in Ceres! A hardy bunch had loads of fun, while wreathed in smoke, and some interesting things were cooked. Having time to get into longer conversations with Skållies is one of the benefits of the smaller and longer gatherings.

JUNE

A new lunch venue to really look forward to, and that's the Steenberg Hotel, in the Constantia Valley. Having the venues we have both in Cape Town and Winelands-wow, are we lucky or what? A special Thank You to Thrifty Car Rental who will be "branding" the lunch and Sumari has offered to sponsor the wine. Thank you Skalleauges!

SKÅL GOLF DAY

This is on 03 June at Bellville Golf Club-Enver is running it, so if you are either a golfer, or would like to sponsor prizes or holes, or are able to contribute in any way, please contact him. It's a vital fund raiser to help keep your subs down!!

ECO AWARDS - now renamed SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM!

	Cape Town has submitted 2 entries-one for The Tourism Community Development Trust and one for Uthando. Now, we are on the hunt for the next bunch of entries.

NATIONAL MEETINGS

The 2nd Bi-Annual meeting will be hosted by Skål Garden Route during 12-14 August. Venue: Turnberry Boutique Hotel, Oudtshoorn. Cost R1950 Single, R1750 pp sharing. The programme will be available shortly.

On National matters; Cape Town will be hosting the AGA/1st Bi-annual, which avoids ITB and will be on 16-18 March, 2012.

The sub-committee is working on a venue and programme, and if any members have suggestions for the entertainment of our guests on the Friday, please let Anne know.

MEMBER NEWS

Many members have been in touch with Gary Pinchen, whose business was destroyed when the historic Straightway Head Country Hotel, Somerset West was consumed by fire. The Hotel hosted the National AGM recently, and our sympathies go to Gary, the staff, and all involved.

Re new members: do bear in mind that members recruiting new members who are approved by the Secretariat during March/May will be eligible for a separate draw in June. The prizes? We'll let you know...

TIR/SKAL ONLINE AUCTION

Bids can be done online on - http://www.tir.co.za/360.htm

PRIZES ARE:

AFRICAN HOTEL AND ADVENTURES - Value R20720 (on auction soon)

2 nights B&B BANTRY BAY LUXURY SUITES GETAWAY
2 nights B&B SIMONS TOWN QUAYSIDE HOTEL GETAWAY
2 nights B&B HARBOUR BRIDGE HOTEL & SUITES GETAWAY
2 nights B&B LEISURE BAY LUXURY SUITES

LEGEND LODGES - Value R12800 ( on auction soon)

2 nights ALL INCLUSIVE at Hangklip Mountain Lodge,
Entabeni Safari Conservancy - incl all meals & game drives.
Plus 2 rounds of golf on 18th hole signature Course @
Legend Golf & Safari resort (not interchangeable with other activity)
Golf Course closed Mondays.

WEBSITE

NB READ THIS!! It's EASY-promise.

Easy way to log in: to find our website and the Cape Town information.

1	go to www.skålsouthafrica.org
2	Along top navigation bar - click on Skål Clubs
3	Drop down will appear - click on Cape Town
4	Further drop down appears with Committee, Functions, Newsletters
5	Click to read or link to lunches/events on the functions
6	page.

See you soon
Until then, Skål!
Vernon Kirsten
PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT:	VERNON KIRSTEN	SECRETARY:	ANNE LAMB
tel:	+27(0)21 790 4205	tel:	+27(0)21 434-7023
fax:	+27(0)21 790 8003	fax:	+27(0)21 434-7023
cell:	+27(0)83-2811-872	cell:	+27(0)82-708-1836
email:	vkirsten@reservhotel.com	email:	anne@yebo.co.za

PO Box 1418, Cape Town, 8000 South Africa