Dear Skålleague,
Welcome to winter! With the last few day’s weather, we can for sure say it is winter.
You would have received the e-mailer from the Skål Secretariat, stating: “It is with a huge sense of disappointment that we announce the cancellation of the in-person Skål International World Congress that was scheduled to take place in Quebec, Canada, from 9 – 13 December 2021.”
Knowing that we will not be able to interact on a one on one basis with fellow international Skålleagues this year, is a great disappointment. However, under the current circumstances, it is understood.
We wish the organising committee from Quebec all the best for their future bid and thank them for all that they have prepared to date.
Coming back to home ground, our July 2021 networking lunch event has been postponed. This was due to the call from the South African Government to cease all gatherings – including the closing of restaurants under lock down Level 4.
Social media has also been a buzz with suggestions of locals supporting their local restaurants by ordering takeaways and those that are selling produce that can not be used at this time. Let’s try to support our fellow Skålleagues in the restaurant industry.
Moving forward and trusting that the Level 4 restrictions will be lifted, on the 3rd August we will be having an overnight event at Aquila Private Game Reserve. So please keep an eye out for the invite & further info.
Please also note that our club furthermore nominated Premier Alan Winde for the Karl Twiggs Award for 2021.
Lastly, I am pleased to announce that our club submitted two entries for the 2021 Skål International Sustainable Tourism Awards, namely Goedgedacht and City Sightseeing. Thank you to both for submitting their entries.
We wish them all the best.
If you have any good news or specials that you would like to share with members on our website or social media, please forward it to me.
Stay safe during this 3rd wave and keep smiling.
HAPPINESS. GOOD HEALTH. FRIENDSHIP. LONG LIFE!
Wayne Bezuidenhout
President Skål International Cape Town
Senior Vice President Skål International South Africa
Condolences
It was with sadness that we received the news of Bill Harrop’s passing, shortly after the death of his wife Mary.
Our thoughts and prayers are with their family during this time.
Members are invited to join the “Celebration of Life” for Bill and Mary Harrop – streamed via Youtube on Saturday 10th July 2021 at 10h00am (South African time): simply click here to join the live streaming on YouTube
Should the contact details of any member change, please contact Anne Lamb to update our membership database as well as the Skål International and local websites.
NEW MEMBERS APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE:
Lee Dicks
Managing Director: Nova Constantia Boutique Residence
MEMBER COMPANY UPDATES:
Wayne Bezuidenhout
Sales & Marketing Manager: MLT Corp
Tanya Lubbe
Manager: Sun Blinds
Louise Rohner
Senior Sales Manager: Banyan Tree Mozambique
Kirsten van der Hoven
Director: Marketing Model
We wish our members well on their new tourism and career journeys.
We were thrilled to receive an update from our ex-Cape Town member, Joey Szwa: “We attended a networking event at the CR7 Pestana Hotel in Gran Via in Madrid with 52 members present”. He added: “Cape Town is the best club in the world!”.
Past Presidents Lunch
Thank you to our Cape Town member Dawn Smith from Simon’s at Groot Contstantia for hosting the incredible Past Presidents Lunch on 24 June 2021.
The Guest of Honour was Lavonne Wittmann (Director Skål International) and the lunch wine was kindly sponsored by Painted Wolf Wines.
JULY CAPE TOWN NETWORKING LUNCH
Although we would not have imagined postponing a networking lunch that both supports a member and encourages the ongoing recovery efforts, we were forced to announce the lunch postponement due to the fact that the Adjusted Risk Strategy for South Africa was amended to Level 4 with effect from Monday 28 June 2021 for a period of 14 days.
This period interrupts the planning of our intended lunch date at Breakwater Lodge (13 July 2021) and the current regulations forced the closure of restaurants for sit down service. The networking lunch event has been postponed to 12 October 2021. Further updates to follow.
2021 SKÅL INTERNATIONAL WORLD CONGRESS
The Quebec Organising Committee has met with the federal government, and there are many restrictions in place associated with Covid-19 and the potential for those to continue through the remainder of the year is significant – to the point that the Canadian Government and Health Authorities cannot guarantee that the quarantine rule for in-bound international visitors may be removed by December.
The Skål International Annual General Meeting will therefore once again be held virtually on 10 December 2021.
While Level 4 currently prohibits gatherings and postponed our networking lunch schedules, we welcome you to consider prizes for future events.
Your company or service is invited to offer raffle prizes at our upcoming lunch! Sponsors get fantastic recognition at our lunches and winners of prizes get to experience your product or service.
To offer a prize, please CLICK HERE to get in touch and send us your prize details.
Raffle tickets are on sale at our lunches. Please be reminded to bring cash to buy tickets. You have to be in it – to win it.
The hospitality industry was once again impacted hardest by the governments efforts to balance lives and livelihoods in their ongoing battle against the spread of Coronavirus. The latest Level 4 regulations prohibit restaurants from sit down service and only allows for take-away and collection.
We urge our members, their friends and their colleagues who can spare a few Rands, to commit to a few take-away meals while the Level 4 restrictions are in place – in an effort to support our fellow members during this very trying time.
If you can, phone in and collect or use the venues own delivery services to avoid any additional charges by international delivery corporations.
CLICK HERE TO READ the latest issue of the Skål International Magazine: TourismNow. Edition 282 is dedicated to #SustainableTourism.
We will make further updates and announcements via our email list and social media pages regarding upcoming events and lunches.
Please stay tuned for more event information as we navigate through the next few weeks.
03 NOVEMBER 2021:
Annual Travel and Trade Workshop at The Old Biscuit Mill. Make sure you take advantage of our early bird workshop rates.
Please make sure you follow our Skål International Cape Town social media pages for realtime updates. We also regularly feature various Cape Town members and introduce their tourism businesses to you through our #KnowYourSkålleagues updates.
Recent July 2021 introductions included:
André Gildenhuys: Director of Destination ZA
Lesley Ferreira: Owner of Cebisa Conferences
Doron Falkson: Owner of Citi Shuttles
Nicolette Fourie: Owner of Welcome Assist
Trevor Hewett: Owner of African Pride Tours
CLICK HERE to follow us on Facebook.
We thank our member – Bea Liebenberg – and Deetlefs Wine Estate for their Skål Toast wine sponsorship. CLICK HERE to buy online.
