Dear Cape Town Skålleagues and tourism friends across the world,
What an incredible and action-packed April it has been for Skål International Cape Town! Our club was exceptionally visible and active, particularly during Africa Travel Week and WTM Africa right here in our vibrant home city.
A major highlight was undoubtedly the immense privilege of hosting our Skål International World President, Denise Scrafton. We were thrilled to welcome Denise to Cape Town, and I extend my sincere thanks to our dedicated committee and all Cape Town members who warmly hosted her during her visit. The committee also had the pleasure of hosting Denise for a wonderful dinner at the newly opened Canopy by Hilton Cape Town, a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our international network.
Our presence at WTM Africa was a significant success. Thanks to the invaluable partnership with Skål International South Africa, we hosted a prominent stand that served as a hub for networking. It was fantastic to see global members mingle and connect with potential new members. We recorded over 300 visitors to the stand, indicating strong interest in joining our dynamic Cape Town tourism community.
The absolute pinnacle of our April activities was the Skål International Cape Town Evening during WTM Africa. Held at the iconic Cape Sun, this formal dinner night was a truly memorable occasion where we had the honour of hosting the world in our home city. With over 200 guests in attendance, we welcomed members and guests, heard insightful international updates from World President Denise Scrafton, and celebrated excellence with the Skål International South Africa Awards.
On behalf of Skål Cape Town, congratulations to all the deserving recipients! A very special thank you must go to our own Past Cape Town President and Skål South Africa Vice President, Dawn Smith, for her instrumental role in securing the Club of the Year award for 2024 for Skål International Cape Town – for the second year in a row! This is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our committee and members. We also celebrated our very own Heinz Erwee for receiving the Niel Els Skålleague of the Year award.
Beyond the formal events, it was beautiful to witness the spirit of Skål networking in action throughout Africa Travel Week. A wonderful example is our member Julia Immenkamp-Hill, who won a stand at WTM Africa through a partnership with RX and WTM Africa at a previous networking lunch. This provided Julia in Africa with an invaluable platform to promote her tourism business.
As we wrap up April, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all members for your enthusiasm in promoting Cape Town and for truly embodying the spirit of “doing business among friends.” I constantly hear inspiring stories of new connections, business growth, and lasting friendships being established through our club engagements.
We also celebrated World Skål Day on 28 April, appreciating every member locally and globally as we work together to create a future-fit and sustainable sector that supports our members and the wider communities of our planet.
A message from Skål International President Johan van Schalkwyk
Looking ahead to May, our work continues! We eagerly anticipate our next networking lunch, which will be held outside the city centre at the Pyrgos Restaurant, Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers on Tuesday, 06 May 2025. I strongly encourage all members to attend, bring plenty of business cards, and make a conscious effort to mingle and connect with both new and familiar faces.
For those attending Indaba in Durban in May, please wear your Skål badges proudly and engage with fellow tourism professionals and industry friends. Also, keep an eye out for the Indaba Skål gathering scheduled for 14 May.
Thank you for your continued commitment and passion. Together, we are strengthening our industry and our friendships.
Skål!
Yours in friendship and tourism,
JOHAN VAN SCHALKWYK
President – Skål International Cape Town
