Looking for bargains? Try Mexico ... Also, worldwide airline fees top $22 billion

Looking to book your winter vacation or something for the fall? Mexico might be a great option, says Taylor Cole of Hotels.com.

I had a coffee with Cole in Toronto on Monday and she said she hasn’t seen a concerted tourism push like the one Mexico is putting on in a long time. A spate of shootings and violent incidents in Mexico a few months ago put the nation on alert, and she said the tourism chief has been on TV all over the place, seeking to assure would-be visitors that all is fine.

“We’re seeing 30 per cent off right now for some places,” Cole told me. She singled out Los Cabos, Acapulco and Cancun/Riviera Maya (see photo) as places to look for deals. Cancun and the Riviera Maya, as well as Cabos, are particularly known as some of the safest spots in the country.

One might expect huge deals in Spain given the economy, but Cole said there are really only “pockets” of bargains to be had. One piece of advice she likes to give, and it goes for many countries/cities/destinations, is to stay outside of the most popular spots and commute. Or check out a secondary destination as well as the big boys.

In Spain, I’d advocate checking out Madrid or Barcelona but also spending time in the coastal city of Valencia, which has a fabulous old town and castles and a great market, plus a long stretch of coastline and excellent food. It’s the home of traditional Spanish paella. It’s also got a fabulous museum with marvelous, modern design and a great aquarium that the kids will love.

“When I go to France I love Strasbourg,” Cole said. “It feels German (see photo) but you speak French and it’s a great mix. It’s only 2.5 hours from Paris on the TGV, too.”

There’s been an “influx of inventory” (that’s code for a lot of new hotels) in New York, which helps visitors. But it’s still expensive if you want to stay in Times Square. Instead, Cole advocates mixing it up and moving to another part of the city and taking a short commute to the theatre.

If you don’t mind waiting a while to nail down your accommodations, Cole suggests booking your hotel at the last minute.

“Hoteliers don’t want to leave rooms empty. Check out upper category hotels for last-minute deals if you want that four or five-star room with a view.”

Other areas of note from our talk include:

-         New Orleans. Decent room rates and hospitable people in a city that’s definitely rebounded from Hurricane Katrina.

-         Indonesia. “You can often find really good hotel deals for a beach bungalow or something near the rain forest.”

-         Manila. “I didn’t know what to expect but the Shangri La in Manila is a fabulous property with great service.”

-         Toronto. “To have four big luxury properties built in such a small radius is quite a bit. There’s a bit of that in New York, of course, and maybe Dallas and California. But not like this.”

In a related note, Carlson Wagonlit Travel yesterday released its 2013 Travel Price Forecast. The report calls for modest growth in travel costs next year, with the highest increases coming in the Asia/Pacific and Latin American regions.

That’s probably no surprise given the economic growth (with some exceptions of course) in those regions.

Airline prices should go up about 2.5 per cent in the Asia Pacific region, while hotel rates will go up about 3.5 per cent. Singapore will lead the way with a healthy 8 per cent hike, the study said.

You think that’s bad? Carlson Wagonlit is forecasting a double digit price hike for hotels in Brazil (see Rio photo at right) as the economy booms and because of strong demand linked to limited supply. That could ease a bit as hotels come on line for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics, officials said.

Overall, Latin America hotel rates are expected to rise about 6.3 per cent next year. Which means not all countries are as red hot as Brazil.

Here in North America, Carlson Wagonlit expects airline prices to go up 2.8 per cent in 2013. A whack of U.S. airlines raised air fares on the weekend. Yeah, it was only by a few bucks per ticket, but still….

North American hotel rates are expected to rise 3.2 per cent next year, but car rental prices should drop 1.1 per cent, the report said.

Over in Europe, airfares should climb 2.5 per cent next year, while hotel rates will go up only 1.3 per cent. Car rental rates in Europe should climb about 1.2 per cent, but the cost of a high-speed rail ticket likely will go up 4.5 per cent, so keep an eye on that.

$22.6 BILLION IN BAG FEES AND SKINNY BLANKETS

Wow. A report says that 50 worldwide airlines last year brought in $22.6 billion in ancillary revenue through fees for bags and other services. Not only is that a huge amount of money on its own, it represents a 66 per cent increase from what airlines brought in two years ago, according to the study by IdeaWorks, a consultant specializing in ancillary revenue and brand development.

So, if you have the feeling that you’re getting nickel and dimed and quartered and dollared to death, you’re pretty much bang on.

Amazing, isn’t it? I mean, $22.6 billion?? That’s a lot of extra bags and skinny blanket fees and tinny headphone rental fees, folks.

Want to avoid the fees? You might want to skip United, which brought in $5.2 billion in ancillary fees. Next on the list was Delta at a relatively paltry $2.5 billion, followed by American Airlines and Qantas, which I didn’t realize was so heavy into the extra fee policy.

Figures for Canada weren’t available, but there were no Canadian airlines in the top 10 fee earnings list.

 

Crazy - guns could be allowed at Georgia airports...S. Africa/World Cup wrap

I got a lot of grief - tons, actually - when I told civil libertarians to shut up and quit whining about body scans at airports. So I expect this won't make them feel better, but I have to think that a Georgia legislature proposal to ALLOW PEOPLE TO CARRY LICENSED FIREARMS AT AIRPORTS IS UTTERLY, COMPLETELY, HOPELESSLY AND OH-SO-REMARKABLY STUPID THAT I CAN HARDLY FIND WORDS.

Obviously this is not to allow guns on airplanes. Apparently any space controlled by the federal government is exempt from this. But the Atlanta Journal Constitution  reports folks could carry their guns in non-secure areas of the airport.

USA Today's Roger Yu reports guns would be allowed in terminals and parking lots.

"It expands on a state law passed in 2008 that allows Georgia residents with firearm licenses to bring concealed weapons onto public transportation, in parks and recreational areas and into restaurants that serve alcohol," Yu wrote in his airport check-in column/blog. "Gun advocates have since been lobbying to expand the law to include the airport."

The case is being closely watched by airport officials nationwide, Yu wrote, and I would hope so.

The Journal-Constitution said the National Rifle Association supports the bill, and isn't that a shock? Can't you just see Charlton Heston riding through Hartsfield, bare-chested on a horse, taking on all the commies and hardened felons?

Before anyone gets all "you hate Americans" on me, let the record state that I grew up in the U.S.A. and still carry American citizenship. And Canadian. I'm very proud of most of what the U.S. stands for and represents, and I feel equally strongly about my adopted country of 29 years - and three days if you want to be precise. My father used to have a gun in the house for protection - he needed it in the law enforcement-related job he had, or he felt he needed it. I grew up owning BB guns and have fired rifles and shotguns. I don't hate guns. They're quite useful for friends of mine who lived in the wilds of Idaho and shoot elk and deer for food. I have no problem with people in Ontario or anywhere else hunting animals in season. I eat venison when I see it; I can hardly moan about someone killing a deer themselves if they're going to eat it. My old neighbour in north Toronto taught hunting safety and, I believe, was a regular user of his rifle. Fine and dandy.

But me and handguns simply don't get along. There's no need for almost anyone to have one. They almost always lead to death and destruction of innocent people. And to allow people to carry them at airports? I'm stunned that even conservative lawmakers in Georgia could be this stupid.

How much security do we have at airports these days? Quite a damned lot from what I've seen. But apparently that's not enough. All those federal marshals and regular cops, God love them, and all those TSA people, they clearly can't cope with the hardened felons and evil-doers traipsing about at Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport and holding up innocent folks from Savannah waiting in line at the Budget rental car counter. So what the state legislators wanna do is allow everyone with a licensed firearm to be allowed to carry it at the airport.

Most people who own guns are responsible; I'm not going to categorize them all as yahoos. I have no idea why most of them carry one, and I suspect maybe 99.9999 per cent of them have no need for one, but that's their right under the U.S. Constitution. Fine. Carry it on the street if you feel you have to. But why at an airport? What makes anyone feel we need more guns in what might be the most secure parts of the entire country? I just don't understand.

That's my take. And now something a little more travel-related; Adrian Brijbassi's final thoughts on his trip to South Africa to check out preparations for the World Cup. Check out his previous postings for excellent, interesting and colourful reporting...

OUT OF AFRICA - SAFE AND SOUND

Adrian Brijbassi
Toronto Star

It’s safe to travel to South Africa.

I can say that after 10 days in the country’s three biggest cities and its largest game-viewing region. Eight flights, many kilometres on the road, a few late nights out, a visit to one of the nation’s poorest regions, four lodging stays, and nothing was stolen or lost.

Sure, anyone in the media is going to be well-informed, if not protected, by the hotels we visit and tour operators we enlist. But there were instances, particularly in Cape Town, where no liaison or guide was with me, and I had heavy-duty camera equipment in tow. In fact, I made it a point to go out to a late dinner away from the famed Victoria & Alfred Waterfront to see what the place was like at night.

Was it edgy? Absolutely. And I wouldn’t advise anyone to venture away from the waterfront unless they had pre-arranged for a driver who they could trust to drop them off and pick them up.

But the trendy restaurant, HQ (or Headquarters), was near full and young people of all sorts were coming into the bar area when I was leaving around midnight. The manager, Darren Richards, said drinks would be served until 3 a.m. or later. (FYI, the mojitos at HQ are really good.)

During the day, I wandered from the new Cape Town Stadium, past the waterfront, got a little off track before finding my way to the marina. I met a kind retired gentleman named Lex Wysocki who – as he was walking me back to my hotel – noted what everyone else does when the inevitable crime question comes up: “You know to stay away from dark alleys no matter where you go in the world.”

The statistics, though, are frightening: 50 murders a day and more carjackings and assaults than police can handle. And police are part of the problem. In Johannesburg, the former police commissioner is currently on trial for corruption-related charges, and more than 10,000 police officers throughout the country are either in jail or awaiting prosecution.

In Umhlanga, the ritzy suburb north of Durban, bed-and-breakfast host Monica Blomefield keeps a sunny disposition despite the fact she’s been hijacked eight times and shot at twice in her life (when she worked as a sales representative). Her advice is to always be cautious and to not rely on a GPS if you’re driving, because the devices direct you through the most efficient routes to your destination, not the safest.

If I was to recommend one thing for tourists to do, it’s to not drive at all. One wrong turn in any of the cities could steer you into some dire straits. South Africa’s metropolises are home to some of the worst neighbourhoods in the world for violence and crime; partly because there are more than 4.5 million firearms, including 2.8 million handguns, registered in the country, and an additional 500,000 to 1 million unregistered firearms, according to government data.

To keep tourists safe, the hotels and bed and breakfasts will often provide car service to and from the airport, as well as around town. Five-star Cape Grace in Cape Town offers to drive guests in one of its two BMWs anywhere within a 20-kilometre radius of the hotel, and at Umhlanga’s Tega Tata Lodge, Monica will drive you herself wherever you need to go.

Of course, any tours you sign up for will take you to and from your hotel, and if you want to venture outside of town, spring for a driver. A two-hour tour around Cape Town will cost you 1,000 rand tops (about $135). With the favorable exchange rate ($1 Canadian equals 7.38 rand), you will save a lot on food and lodging, so paying for transportation shouldn’t bust your budget.

Other travel safety tips include: not walking outside with a lot of cash, keeping your hotel room locked at all times, being aware of your surroundings and, perhaps most importantly, listening to the locals.

Is it worth going to a place where you need to use such caution? Why not just keep going to Florida or Hawaii like we’ve done for decades?

Well, besides the fact that South Africa will be hosting the World Cup, the best reason to visit is the inspiring beauty of the country and the warm disposition of the people. South Africa possesses six biosphere reserves, one of the world’s largest safari destinations in Greater Kruger Park, clean drinking water, Nelson Mandela and his overwhelmingly powerful life story, fantastic wines, great food, beaches galore and sing-song place names that make you smile.

South Africans are proud of their fledgling nation and they want to shout that it’s not as bad as its reputation insists. They’re accommodating people whose colloquialism for “thank you” is “pleasure”, but pronounced “pleshaaaah”, as if to provide service is a means of quenching their own thirst.

“I wish I could tell everyone to come, it is safe here,” said Sebastien Qweshe, the first person I met on my trip. He was my driver from the airport to Michelangelo Towers in Johannesburg.

Sebastien proved to be right. It is safe to visit South Africa – as long as you keep your wits about you, prepare yourself each day for where you will be going and how you will get there, and use the resources available to research the areas you will visit before you go.

That said, it’s great to be home. Like many Canadians, whenever I travel anywhere outside of the country it always strikes me how amazingly well we have it here. One of the first things I did when I got back to Toronto was go for a walk downtown, care-free and without worry.

Durban, S.A. in transition as new airport opens near wealthy suburban areas

Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi continues his South African adventure, checking out preparations for the World Cup. Today he looks at the air transportation situation and Durban's new airport.

Adrian Brijbassi

Toronto Star

UHMLANGA, South Africa – I flew into Durban at 7 p.m. local time on Friday and three hours later the last flight into the airport touched the tarmac. Minutes afterwards, a curtain came down in the lobby and desks and trolleys were removed.

The King Shaka International airport opened Saturday with South African Airways flight A340-600 making the first arrival at 6:30 a.m. from Johannesburg. The $950-million facility replaces Durban International, which served South Africa’s second largest city for 55 years. King Shaka International is located north of the city’s core; Durban International was to the south.

Durban sits on the Indian Ocean, a warm blue expanse of water that stretches island-free to the horizon. The sand is golden brown, the vegetation is green, the temperature is 25 Celsius and it’s late fall here. It’s one of the more beautiful settings you can see, but on land the story is different.

Crime is high and there are stretches within the city where you’re advised to stay clear of. One reason the airport was located north, in the area called La Mercy, is because that’s where many of the wealthy and middle-class in this part of KwaZulu-Natal province live.

One of the safer areas is Uhmlanga (pronounced Ooom-schlang-uh). It is like a ritzy California suburb, with large houses painted in sunny colours and situated on small hills that slope down to the ocean. It’s got a hopping nightlife scene on Chartwell Drive, which will be closed during the 2010 World Cup to create the atmosphere of a street party.

More than 70 bed and breakfasts are in Uhmlanga. I’m at Tega Tata Lodge, owned by a former South African rugby player. It’s a six-room B&B that has openings for most days during the World Cup, which runs from June 11-July 11. Property manager Monica Blomefield is a wonderful host with a sunny personality who took the time to show me around Durban and Uhmlanga. On a hot day with the ocean breeze blowing in off the water, it was easy to see why people rave about the potential of this area.

The biggest draw to Uhmlanga is the Gateway Theatre of Shopping, marketed as the largest mall in the Southern Hemisphere. Yorkdale Mall has nothing on this place. Gateway features 380 stores, loads of restaurants and a massive cinema complex. There’s also a mountain-climbing area, an indoor soccer stadium, hotels and a fashion institute. More than 1.8 million visited the mall last year.

During the World Cup, a shuttle service will take ticketholders to new Moses Mabhida Stadium and back. There are Park & Ride facilities at Gateway.

Moses Mabhida Stadium will host some key matches in the World Cup, including a semifinal game. Along with having the largest non-resident Indian population in the world, Durban also has a large Portuguese community. That’s one reason the game of the Group Stage was slated for Moses Mabhida Stadium. Brazil will face Portugal on June 25 in a match that could determine which of the two soccer powers – both are in the top five of the world rankings – advances to the Round of 16.

It is already among the hottest sports tickets in the world.

Terror and exhilaration on a South African night safari

Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi continues his exploration of South Africa in advance of the World Cup, which starts June 11. Today he takes a bit of a sidetrack to check out some African wildlife, as many visitors to the World Cup no doubt hope to do.

 

Adrian Brijbassi

Toronto Star

 

SABI SANDS RESERVE, GREATER KRUGER PARK, South Africa – It’s night in the jungle. Night means night here. No glow from a lamp on Yonge Street or the neon digits of a microwave or alarm clock. Your eyes adjust from black to black.

We’ve been in this position for a half an hour, long enough for the light to disappear and mayhem to creep close. To the left, rhinos lurk. Before the dark blanketed the plains of switchgrass and acacia trees, we had seen two of them knocking horns, a sign of aggression that would make any tourist uneasy. Behind us elephants stand and grumble: a six pack of them who could stampede over our Land Rover if they felt the urge. Ahead, a herd of wildebeest grazes unaware of what predator stares from beneath the tall reeds and bush. Directly to our right, is a stark-still impala who seems to know what we know: That somewhere close a pride of lions caterpillars toward this scene.

 

It’s been an hour since we first spotted the jungle kings. Our ranger, Brett du Bois of the Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, could tell they were on the hunt. Their posture gave it away: the slow swivel of the neck; the head butts exchanged between the group’s lead hunter and her followers. Then the slow, stealthy walk toward the wildebeest.

 

Brett moved us into position, settling the Land Rover in the middle of the action. When the sun’s glow was present and you could see all around you, Africa kept you riveted with nature that’s as primordial as it gets. But when the dark came and you were told to shut up (so the ranger could hear the sounds out there) and not move (in case we spooked the nocturnal animals that can see us), the realization that you are in a place nowhere at all like the Toronto Zoo strikes you hard.

 

You go to a zoo to see animals. You come to a safari to see animals fight to survive.

 

Terror is finding yourself parked in an open plain encircled by wild animals that can see in the dark and must kill every day to live. You have no vision except for when the tracker flashes a spotlight so Brett can see what’s happened in the last few minutes. Call it the “Blair Witch Project: South Africa.”

 

Amid the grumbles of the beast, the crackle of crickets and our own breaths, Moses the tracker hears something that makes him throw a burst from the spotlight he holds. In that blink, Brett’s eyes catch sight of a movement — a twitch or a gallop, or any motion in between — that makes him say, “Okay, something’s going to get killed tonight.”

 

Your hand grips the rail of the uncovered Land Rover and your heart smacks your lungs with the beat of a tribal drum as you wonder to whose death he refers.

 

The lions start. They leap forward and you can follow them because their eyes, which were merely glints like fireflies moments ago, have become lanterns. Chasing toward the herd, they vault over fallen branches and bushes as they speed toward a potential feast. Forget the World Cup, you think, this is the game humans should be coming to South Africa to see.

 

A wildebeest fires a snort, a warning sound for him and his brothers to flee for tomorrow. The impala spots the lions and runs too. The rhinos and elephants are still in the dark, left behind by the Land Rover as Brett puts it in gear and rumbles ahead over terrain as unsteady as everyone’s nerves. Our safari group of six, all from big cities, hangs on as we keep pace with the chase.

 

The only witness I can see is a full moon, too far away to help should any creature need it on this African night.

 

 

Luxury hotel rooms available for World Cup in South Africa.

Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi continues his blog posts from South Africa with a look at a terrific hotel you can use if you feel like taking in the World Cup, which starts in just a few weeks.

Adiran Brijbassi
Toronto Star

Want to catch the World Cup while staying in a world-class environment?

If so, Cape Grace may be the answer for you. One of South Africa’s finest hotels still has rooms available during the Group Stage of the World Cup, which begins June 11. Cape Grace, which has hosted luminaries such as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and Matt Damon, sits on the waterfront of South Africa’s most popular tourist city and is a 10-minute drive or 25-minute walk to newly built, 69,000-seat Cape Town Stadium.

General manager Nigel Pace said the hotel is booked during the first week of July when the tournament’s quarterfinal and semifinal games will be played. But rooms are available, starting at around 6,000 rand ($818 Canadian), for games that will be held in the first round of the tournament. Cape Town will host games featuring England and the Netherlands, among other European powers.

Although the Group Stage games are sold out, they are available through online resellers and packages may be purchased that include tickets and accommodation to a choice of hotels. 

More than 900 five-star hotel rooms have been added in Cape Town in the lead-up to the world’s most watched sporting event. Pace said there may have been over-enthusiasm for the tournament from property owners who rushed to build on the waterfront.

You’ll be reading more about Cape Grace and Cape Town in the Toronto Star in the coming weeks as we really ramp up our World Cup coverage.

In the meantime, with six weeks to go before the kickoff on June 11, anticipation is building and nerves are twitching. Here’s a look at what else is making World Cup news:

Reports: No Mandela at World Cup

Nelson Mandela’s grandson said on Thursday that the father of the new South Africa will not be on hand during the opening ceremonies of the World Cup. The 91-year-old Mandela is having health issues because of old age and has made only rare public appearances in recent years.

“My grandfather at this age is very elderly and we are not trying to intensify his program. He’s said he would prefer to be at home,” Mandla Mandela said.

Nelson Mandela may indeed end up watching the games at home, but South Africans will still cling to hope of an appearance by their former president during the tournament. An avid sports fan, Mandela lent his support to bringing the World Cup to Africa for the first time.

Bryan Adams among music stars

Vancouver rocker Bryan Adams, who was part of the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, will perform at the closing concert of the World Cup on July 9 – two days before the final match – in Johannesburg. Adams and Andrea Botecelli were confirmed as the musical stars.

On June 10, Alicia Keys, Shakira and the Black Eyed Peas will perform at Orlando Stadium in Soweto during the opening ceremony on the eve of the games.

Airports: out with old, in with new

One of the amazing achievements of the World Cup preparations has been the renovation and construction of airports. About $1 billion has been spent on King Shaka International alone. The new airport that serves the Durban area will open Sunday and its official unveiling, with South African President Jacob Zuma presiding, will take place a week later. Durban International Airport will be used during the World Cup before being decommissioned.

Bafana relief

The South African national team, nicknamed Bafana Bafana (or “boys, boys” in Nguni), did what it had to do against Jamaica, winning 2-0 in an exhibition game on Wednesday night in Offenbach Am Main, Germany. The victory near Frankfurt eased concerns after a disappointing scoreless draw against North Korea last week. South Africa (No. 88) and North Korea (No. 105) are the two lowest-ranked teams in the World Cup.

 

Top signs the World Cup is almost here...(good and bad)...Jim's deals of the day

Adrian Brijbassi of the Star's Travel department is wrapping up a visit to South Africa to check on preparations for the World Cup, which starts in just over a month. Here's his latest report:

CAPE TOWN - Six weeks to go to the World Cup and South Africa is gearing up to welcome the globe. More than 40,000 police officers will be deployed during the 64-game tournament that runs June 11 to July 11 with games in nine cities. Much work remains; however, South Africa is well along in some areas. Here’s a look at what it’s doing right.

Mandela’s “Cup:” Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world.” South Africans are hoping the presence of the world’s game in their country will be enough to bring their national icon back into the spotlight. But Mandela is 91 and health issues could keep him from opening the tournament. Nevertheless, FIFA president Sepp Blatter recently confirmed, “It will be his World Cup.” That means FIFA, international soccer’s governing organization, intends to repeatedly recognize Mandela’s struggles and triumphs to lift the country out of apartheid following his release from prison in 1990.

“Little England:” Astute planners equipped Cape Town Stadium with three jail cells and dubbed the lock-up zone “Little England.” Fans whose rowdiness goes too far will be taken from their seats and put in the cells that are beneath the spectacular $610-million stadium, which sits between the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain. A court will be set up outside to process any cases. Cape Town hosts eight games, including the England-Algeria match on June 18.

The Diski: The dance combines moves from the night club and the soccer field. Scores of people show off their Diski steps each “Football Friday” in public squares. “Diski” is the name used for “soccer” in many of the black townships.

Bafana Republic: Despite a shameful 0-0 tie last week against North Korea, optimism remains high for Bafana — this being the nickname of South Africa’s team. Their three games were the first to sell out. “Bafana” means “boys” in Nguni.

Airports: More than $2 billion has been spent on airport construction in preparation for the World Cup. O.R. Tambo International in Johannesburg and Cape Town International spent about $400 million each on renovations. In Durban, the $950-million King Shaka International opens on May 1. Left out of the renovations for the big three airports were rental stations for luggage carts. They’re all lined up near the baggage carousel. Just grab one and go. No nickel, no dime.

On the other hand, there are a number of illustrations of why they're not ready just yet. Here are five areas that need improvement prior to June 11:

Public transportation: Johannesburg’s train and bus stations are far from complete, and the city is counting on them to get people to Soccer City Stadium and Coca Cola Park, the venues that will host World Cup games in South Africa’s largest city.

Prince of petulance: You can’t go anywhere in this country without hearing the name Julius Malema. The abrasive leader of the African National Congress Youth League has made headlines in the past week for shouting down a British journalist. The BBC reporter had suggested Malema was being hypocritical for flaunting a lavish lifestyle while promoting the nationalism of key industries.

Racial tensions rising: The murder of white supremacist Eugene Terre’Blanche on April 3 followed Malema’s endorsement of a song whose lyrics include “kill the boer”. That situation has caused an escalation in provocative language and fears of retribution from supporters of Terre’Blanche.

Unsold tickets: Danny Jordaan, head of the World Cup’s organizing committee, said this week that about 120,000 tickets remain unsold. Several of the tournament’s 64 matches have seats available.

Porter scamming: North Americans and Europeans are not going to be impressed when they get out of a cab at an airport and have their bags seized by opportunists who wear “porter” uniforms and promise to get you to the front of the line. They may drop your bags on a luggage cart and wheel it for you to a self-serve check-in counter that doesn’t recognize your e-ticket code issued from out of the country. By that point, you should decide to hand over a few dollars (50 rand, or $7, in my case) and move on alone through the regular queue.

And now, back to Jim Byers daily travel blog

 

JIM'S DEALS OF THE DAY

 

Up to 75% off - Summer cruise sale w/upgrades, up to US$250 in onboard credits & more
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US$109 - Book by May 2 to save on luxury suites in Miami (you save US$90 per night!)
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$142 - Toronto to Montego Bay, Jamaica, non-stop return airfare ($421 w/tax)
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HAWAII NO KA OI

Sorry, that means Hawaii is the best. Well, it's my favourite spot on earth, anyway. And it seems things are picking up on the tourism front.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority this week said visitor arrivals in March were 9.3 per cent higher than the same month last year, with nearly 608,000 visitors. Total spending was up 12.7 per cent.

Maui, again my personal favourite but they're all great, saw the biggest growth, with visitor spending up a very solid 25 per cent.

There have been some great deals for Hawaii. It might be a good time to book, especially with Ontario's new HST about to slap more taxes on our airline bookings.

 

STARWOOD HOTELS PROMOTION

USA Today reports Starwood on Thursday will announce a new promotion where in members of their loyalty/points program can make three stays at Starwood properties and get a weekend night free. Sounds like a pretty good deal.

Starwood includes Sheraton, W hotels, Westin, Aloft hotels and more.

Visiting Robben Island S. Africa for Freedom Day, Hugh Hefner saves Hollywood

Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi continues his visit to the home of the World Cup 2010. Here's his latest report. Stay tuned for more, and be sure to check coming issues of Star Travel for more on how things are shaping up for the big event, which starts in June.

Adrian Brijbassi
Toronto Star

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – South Africa is a nation of easy smiles. Perhaps that’s because the icon of their country can’t cry.

One of the fascinating things you will learn on Robben Island is Nelson Mandela’s tear ducts were so damaged from dust while he broke rocks on a limestone quarry that he can no longer shed tears. Others will do it for him today, the 16th anniversary of the culmination of the first democratic elections in South Africa.

More than 20 million people went to the polls over a two-day period in 1994 and Mandela’s ANC party won 62 per cent of the votes. He was 75 when he was elected president four years after being released from prison.

The first 18 years of his 27-year incarceration were served on Robben Island, the 574-hectare speck of land where the totality of apartheid will water your eyes when you hear the grim facts. Mandela’s oppressors covered every detail in their attempt to degrade the prisoners on the island that’s three kilometres from Cape Town and for many years was miles from humanity.

“The history here just hits you in the gut,” says Ntombomzi Mlonyeni, a young woman who conducts bus tours of Robben Island. Hundreds come each day and tickets, which cost 400 rand (about $54), sell out fast for the 15-minute ferry sailings that depart from Cape Town’s waterfront.

Former prisoners talk about their experiences in riveting detail. Michael Ntando was imprisoned on Robben Island from 1984-91 on terrorism-related charges. Remarkably, he is one of the 200 residents who now live on the island, along with a few hundred penguins. Ntando and other former prisoners reside alongside men who used to be their wardens. Together, they keep alive the deplorable history that is important for many reasons, not the least of which is Mandela.

When a tour group approaches his prison cell, the crowd clamours to get a peek. In no other jail cell in the world would you see people eager to go in. Mandela’s cell is locked, but there is one in the prison where people can enter.

As you might expect, Mandela is so revered here some consider him to be divine.

“It was a gift from God,” Gloria Pikitsha, a former Soweto resident, says of Mandela’s struggles and triumphs. “He was blessed with a great mind, wisdom and humility. He was meant to lead South Africa to freedom.”

Pikitsha was 16 when the Soweto uprising of 1976 took place. She was a student at Orlando West High School, the starting point of the black school children’s protest march. Security forces opened fire on the children, killing more than 600 on June 16-17. Pikitsha’s neighbour at the time, an 18-year-old named Mbuyisa Makhuba, was photographed carrying 12-year-old Hector Pieterson, the youngest victim of the violence. The boy died at a clinic and Pikitsha says she never saw Makhuba again. Like many who took part in the uprising, he disappeared. The photograph has become a symbol of the struggle against apartheid and a large print of it is outside of the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto.

“We recall we didn’t get this easily,” Pikitsha said over the weekend in Soweto when asked about her feelings on Freedom Day. “We didn’t get it for free. We paid a price for it, and that price was paid by kids.”

And now for something completely different...Jim Byers' regular travel blog

THANKS, HEF

Word out of L.A. is that Playboy magazine Hugh Hefner donated $900,000 to help the Hollywood Sign Trust people buy enough land around the iconic "Hollywood" sign in the hills above Los Angeles and save the sign from a redevelopment scheme.

The fund is now said to have $12.5 million U.S. for the sign saving effort. The 138 acres of land around the sign will now become part of Griffith Park.

You probably already knew this, but the sign originally was to advertise a housing development and it used to say "Hollywoodland."

Anyway, it's nice of Hef to get out of his pajamas long enough to sign a few cheques. Guess all those magazines I bought as a kid had a good influence on tourism, if nothing else. (Just kidding, honey).

ARIZONA DINNER

Thanks to the folks at the Arizona Office of Tourism for a fine meal at Buca on King St. W. on Monday night. They took a half dozen or so media types out to chat a bit about what's happening in their state.

There were some 514,000 Canadians who visited the state last year, and they're hoping/expecting that will increase to something like 530,000 or 540,000 this year. The strength of the Canadian dollar against the American greenback no doubt helps a lot, as does the continuous additions of new hotels, golf courses and spas in Arizona.

Ontario used to be the biggest contributor to Canadian tourism in Arizona, but officials say that's slipped a bit. Not because Ontario folks have lost interest, but because Alberta has grown so much.

It's certainly a lovely state, with lots of sunshine and plenty of outdoor activities to keep you busy.

The meal at Buca was delicious, too. I had a nice pasta with testa (like a salami) and wild ramps (spicy leeks) and chili and garlic, but the pizza I sampled was divine; a great crust topped with homemade prosciutto. They make their own salami's on site and there's also a terrific wine list and wonderful cheeses.

Also thanks to Vincor for some fun wine-tasting at Origin: Hardy's, Kim Crawford, Mondavi and Ravenswood. Nice way to spend a Monday evening!

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Canadian company grabs World Cup business/headlines - Adrian Brijbassi in SA

With this report, Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi continues his look at what's happening in South Africa as they prepare for the coming World Cup.

By Adrian Brijbassi

Toronto Star

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Canadians are making news in the South African newspapers. Sunday’s edition of the Cape Times included a story about the Toronto-based travel website iStopOver.com, which has succeeded where many South African agents have failed. Run by Mark Skapinker, iStopOver.com has matched World Cup ticketholders from across the globe with homeowners in South Africa who are offering low-priced alternatives to hotels and resorts for the June 11-July 11 tournament.

Skapinker’s company is keen on the term “hometel” to describe the accommodations listed on its website. A room rate in most of those homes runs about 500-700 rand ($67-$94 Canadian) and iStopOver.com has matched 1,500 of its 3,000 clients with South African homeowners, the Times reports. The ticketholders are from South America, Mexico and the Far East, and Skapinker cited the company’s Facebook site as one reason for its success. 

“Our soccer visitors are telling us that hotels still have space, but it’s expensive space – so well-priced accommodation is the key,” he said.

Meanwhile, two days in Johannesburg and I’ve met a range of people who live here. Several of them are now friends. Johannesburg (or Joburg for short) is full of gracious, hospitable people who are unabashedly proud of where they live. They want to change the perception that South Africa and its largest city are lawless and frightening. The South Africans I met do so by telling their stories.

You’ll read about them more in the next month or so as Star Travel previews the 2010 World Cup. Here’s a quick snapshot of some of these kind people.

Brian Green and Carla Pienaar – Brian is from New Brunswick and works for McCain Foods here. Carla is his girlfriend from South Africa and a former restaurant owner. They toured me around the city and to the fascinating Cradle of Humankind, located in the historic Sterkfontein Caves about an hour outside of town. The museum announced another monumental archeological find earlier this year and will be a major attraction for tourists, regardless of the World Cup.

Maria Sekwane and Gloria Pikitsha – Both are women who grew up in the black townships and they give tours of Soweto. The most famous of South Africa’s townships, Soweto was central to the anti-apartheid movement. Maria and Gloria showed me several important buildings and places where history was made, and where the world was changed. Nelson Mandela’s footprints are all over Soweto, including the house he lived in prior to his arrest more than 50 years ago. Visiting Soweto for three hours will impact my life forever.

Wayne Cutting and Eugene Williams – I relied on Wayne and Eugene to show me Johannesburg’s hot spots for nightlife and bars. They did their job very well. Wayne, a former police officer, works for ABSA bank and investigates financial crimes while Eugene is a businessman.

Chris and Jane van Melle Kamp – Chris is a former diplomat who worked under Nelson Mandela while stationed in Paris and elsewhere. Jane, his wife, is a former television producer. They provided marvelous insight into what the World Cup will mean for the country.

More about them and others soon.

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South Africa dances to the World Cup - Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi

 

Adrian Brijbassi
Toronto Star

 

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Brian Green greets me at Nelson Mandela’s foot wearing a bright yellow football jersey and the cheerful admission that he looks like a giant bumblebee. We’re standing beneath the six-metre bronze statue of Mandela that presides over the square that bears his name.

 

Brian is from Florenceville, New Brunswick, the headquarters of McCain Foods. He’s graciously agreed to show me around Johannesburg because “I love introducing Canadians to South Africa.” And for no other reason. Talk about class.

 

We meet on Football Friday at the square, where three women are working the Diski. They dance on stage, teaching the moves to a chorus line of three dozen enthusiastic participants eager to learn. We call the game soccer, South Africans from Johannesburg’s townships know it as “diski”, thus the name for this dance that incorporates moves you’d expect from the Brazilian national team.

 

It ends with a Rockettes-style kick and a wide grin that’s clearly meant to signal “goal”.

 

The Diski is the “official dance” of the 2010 World Cup and everyone in the country is encouraged to learn it in time for the tournament’s kickoff on June 11. No one seems shy about giving it a try – except for the two Canadians in the group.

 

Maybe if our country had a team in the tournament…

 

Instead, Brian and I take a seat and order baby kingklip, a long whitefish shaped like an eel. Served grilled, its tasty, silky flesh falls off the bone. It costs 120 rand, about $16, at Montego Bay, one of many cafes and restaurants that bracket the stage where the Diski dancers bounce.

 

Nelson Mandela Square is in Sandton City, the fast-developing area in north of Johannesburg’s central district. Many of the city’s main banks and retailers are beating it out of a beat-up downtown, relocating to this spot that’s called “the Beverly Hills of South Africa,” Brian says.

 

He works for McCain Foods as an IT manager and has been living in South Africa since 2006. Like many others in Johannesburg, he wears a soccer shirt with his company’s logo on Football Fridays (and has kindly given one to me).

 

How does he find living here?

 

“I have a hard time seeing myself going back to Canada.”

 

He basks about the weather, even as a storm cloud creeps over our heads, and says fears about the crime rate are exaggerated. “You have to be careful and there are places where you don’t go out at night, but it’s not at all like what people outside the country might think.”

 

On Saturday, Brian will arrange for us to visit Soweto and the Cradle of Humankind, as well as some places where Canadians will feel at home when they visit.

 

That’s a day away. In the meantime, it’s Football Friday and there’s more of the soccer frenzy to take in before the heavy rain falls.

 

Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi heads to South Africa...Win a Chicago trip!

Toronto Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi is on his way to South Africa to check out preparations for the World Cup, which stars in June. He'll be blogging regularly during his trip, so look for his postings here. Also, check out Star Travel both in print and on-line as folks all over the globe get ready for the World Cup.

By Adrian Brijbassi

Toronto Star

NEW YORK – Leon Raubenheimer beams and says, “You’ll love South Africa. Everyone who goes comes back and tells me it’s the best time of their life.” He waves a finger and adds, “Just watch your back.”

It’s a caveat anyone familiar with the country throws in. South Africa’s reputation for beauty is matched by the perception of its lawlessness. Its crime statistics – including 18,148 murders last year and about 250,000 assaults annually – are gory details.

That hasn’t deterred FIFA from putting the 2010 World Cup there, or Torontonians familiar with the country from feeling affection for it.

Leon, the CEO of Zed Financial on Bay Street, was born in South Africa and moved to Canada in 1995. He and his business partner, Barry O’Neill, a Canadian who lived in Johannesburg in the 1990s, filled me in on local gems to see during my trip and connected me with several people who they promise will provide excellent insight into the nation’s character and spirit once I’m on the ground.

“They’ll show you a good time too,” Leon said, still smiling.

Turns out South Africa has another reputation: one for being wickedly fun.

“There’s so much tension in the country, people are just happy to let loose and they know how to do it,” Barry says.

Letting loose and partying will be daily business in the coming months. Nine cities will host World Cup games starting June 11 and no volcanic ash or any other obstacle would faze Europe’s soccer crazies from attending. Plenty of North Americans are coming too. Prior to the release of an additional 500,000 tickets last week, Americans had purchased 118,945, the most of any nation. Meanwhile, Canadians had bought 16,001 tickets to soccer’s biggest showcase.

The story, though, is about those who are staying away. The expected number of visitors has dropped sharply since last year’s estimate of 450,000. Last month, the tournament’s organizers said it expected 350,000 tourists and that number was revised to “maybe 200,000” last week.

As such, tickets are still available for more than half the games. Good seats can still be had for the U.S. vs. Slovenia match in Johannesburg on Friday, June 18, and several tickets are available for all four games scheduled for Nelspruit, the closest city to famed Kruger Park.

Organizers blame the recession and the cost of flights for the low turnout from the not-so-serious fans. The media in Europe has blamed South Africa’s crime rate as the No. 1 reason why no one wants to go. Brit tabloids have even said people would be risking their lives if they attend the first World Cup held in Africa.

If that’s the case, I’ll find out soon enough.

In the next 11 days I will be writing from the three big cities: Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. And keeping in mind what I’ve been told.

“You have to be careful and use street sense,” Leon warns again. “But as far as beauty, there’s nowhere like where you’re going.”

“South Africa will change how you look at life,” Barry says. “You can even eat zebra.”

Uhmmm ... we’ll see….

Now, back to Jim's blog and a look at various issues in the world of travel...

WONDERLIST OFFERS FREE TRIP TO CHICAGO

Wonderlist is giving away another trip; this time to the Windy City!  One winner will be sent to Chicago the weekend of May 7^th – May 9^th courtesy of Wonderlist (with Porter and the Hilton) with $500 and a night out!  For information, go to ww.wonderlist.ca.

If you've never been to Chicago, you're missing out. There's great food and music, wonderful architecture, terrific shopping and tons of sports, most notably at this time of year the Chicago Cubs at venerably Wrigley Field.

BAD NEWS IN BANGKOK

The street riots and deaths in Bangkok aren't helping tourism in Thailand, of course. Authorities blame terrorists for explosions that killed one person and injured 86, and that's not going to help make anyone feel better.

The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs is warning Canadians to avoid "non-essential travel to central Bangkok's commercial business district" because of the ongoing protests and the "significant risk of violent clashes and further unrest" in the area.

SYDNEY RE-BRANDED

New South Wales has launched new tourism marketing campaigns for Sydney and Regional New South Wales.

The NSW Government is working with a range of well-known Sydneysiders and tourism industry partners to ramp up efforts to attract more international and domestic tourists to Sydney. Report say they want to get beyond the iconic stuff like the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

"We know that Sydney is seen around the world as Australia’s only global city, it’s up there with Paris, Rome, London and New York,” tourism minister Jodi McKay said.

 “We want to capture all the extraordinary aspects of Sydney – its ethnicity, diversity, audacity - under the Sydnicity banner, to describe the city’s unique energy and to build on visitors’ positive perceptions of Sydney, in Australia and around the world.

I loved it when I was there for the Olympics, WAY back in 2000. Hoping to make a return trip later this year and it'll be interesting to see what's changed in an even ten years. Oddly enough, one of the things I DIDN'T Do was the Harbour Bridge, which is on my list!

It's important for tourism folks to change things up now and then. But they should never lose sight of the basics. I was in London this week and had a couple hours before heading to Heathrow to do a news story. I didn't have time for a big, new cultural place so the British tourism folks set me up for a quick tour of the Tower of London, and I loved it. So keep that in mind...