Thursday 12 January 2012

Thanda Private Game Reserve was honoured at the Grand Final World Travel Awards, held on 11 January 2012 in Doha, Qatar, with an esteemed award for ‘World’s Leading Luxury Lodge’ for a third successive year.

At an impressive gala ceremony, Thanda once again won the coveted award in this competitive category. Thanda has won twelve World Travel Awards since 2006 for its exceptional safari experience and luxurious five-star facilities.

DThe award is testament to the dedication and hard work that Thanda have committed to over the years, ensuring the highest levels of achievement, not only in terms of hospitality but also in social and corporate responsibility efforts. To be recognised as the ‘World’s Leading Luxury Lodge’ three years in a row is something that Thanda accepts with tremendous pride and it proves that all the effort to excel in luxury and exclusivity is being accomplished.

Marketing Director Pierre Delvaux says; "It is a tremendous honour to be here in Doha, Qatar with Swedish entrepreneur and philanthropist Dan Olofsson and his wife Christin and Thanda's Assistant General Manager Dulcie Oliver to accept the award for ‘World’s Leading Luxury Lodge’ for the third consecutive year.

The grand finale is the culmination of a year of global regional award events in search of the world’s finest hospitality products. This means that winning at this event is a huge privilege, which makes me very proud of Thanda's amazing staff who go the extra mile and make the difference every time!

Judging from the packed and diverse turnout of top hospitality and tourism brands from around the world at this prestigious gala dinner, the World Travel Awards continue to make their mark as one of the most sought after awards in the world. .

I am delighted that Zululand in South Africa can feature amongst the best of the best in the world. Well done Team Thanda!"

Thanda Private Game Reserve is located in Hluhluwe Zululand, KwaZulu Natal in South Africa and remains the only safari lodge in the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World portfolio. Situated on 14,000-hectares of wild bush and rolling mountains, Thanda offers guests total privacy and exclusivity in an access-controlled environment where they can view all of the big five game as they occurred at the turn of the century.

Thanda’s World Travel Awards History: Winner of “Africa's Leading Luxury Villa” in the 2011 World Travel Awards
Winner of “Africa's Leading Luxury Villa”, “South Africa's Leading Luxury Villa” and “World’s Leading Luxury Lodge” in the 2010 World Travel Awards
Winner of “World’s Leading Luxury Lodge”, “Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge” and “South Africa’s Leading Safari Lodge” in the 2009 World Travel Awards
Winner of “Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge” and “South Africa’s Leading Safari Lodge” in the 2008 World Travel Awards
Winner of “Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge” in the 2007 World Travel Awards
Winner of “Leading Safari in South Africa” category in the 2006 World Travel Awards.

15 November 2011

Travel sales and marketing group Southern Spoor Marketing has today announced the latest addition to its fold of unique products: The SAB World Of Beer. Southern Spoor aims to use its traditional strength in sales, marketing and interfacing with both local and international travel trade in order to take this superb product to the next level within the hospitality industry.

The SAB World of Beer is situated in the heart of the Johannesburg Newtown Cultural Precinct and is a fun-filled showcase of brewing. It was founded in 1995 and has since won two prestigious Welcome Awards for South Africa’s Top Tourist Attraction. The SAB World of Beer is a unique experience in the magic of beer brewing. The beer tour takes visitors through the heritage and history of beer from around the world. The SAB World of Beer also has a greenhouse which nurtures natural beer ingredients and a full-scale brew house reveals the intricacies of the brewing process.

Director of Southern Spoor Marketing, Anita Vernes comments, “We are extremely excited and proud to now include this leading brand and a flagship tourism product in our portfolio. There is so much potential and opportunity to raise the level of awareness of The SAB World of Beer further, as the product is suited to all sectors of the industry. The SAB World of Beer has a really great and professional team and has so much to offer that we really look forward to showcasing it to trade”.

The SAB World of Beer is also a unique venue for conferences or functions. It is accessible, convenient, well-equipped and available at very competitive rates. The SAB World of Beer is open for tours and conferences Tuesday to Saturday from 10h00 to 18h00.

Southern Spoor welcomes The SAB World of Beer and is excited to start working with such a great and well established brand.

For more information and high-res images please contact the Southern Spoor office on 011 469 5082 or Email.

19 September 2011

Two wild cheetah have taken their first steps to a new life on Gondwana’s 11 000-hectare reserve. The arrival of the two males has sparked much excitement, with frequent sightings being reported on a daily basis by staff and guests. The two new males join the male and female cheetah that were released in September 2010. Gondwana is privileged to be able to participate in the conservation of this endangered and beautiful species. These two cats will add a new dynamic to the balance of the eco-system within the reserve.

The two males were strategically chosen based on their ability to hunt, their close bond and the fact that they have previously been exposed to apex predators like lion. The combination of these factors will greatly improve the success of survival for these big cats on the reserve. After an eight-hour journey in transport cages from the Eastern Cape, the two-year old male cheetahs arrived at Gondwana. They were then released into a boma; which is an enclosure that Gondwana specifically built and adapted for large predators rehabilitation and introduction to the reserve. The time spent in the boma allowed the cheetah to become comfortable and acclimatise themselves to their new surroundings, before being released onto the greater reserve.

On release day, the fastest land mammals were in no rush to leave their boma, but after 15-minutes the larger cheetah built up the courage to explore what lay on the other side of the boma. Once he had found the exit, the smaller cheetah was hot on his heels. The boys elegantly ambled along from the boma, where they had spent the last month in preparation for this significant moment, pausing frequently to observe their new home.

Both these males have been fitted with radio collars to allow the Gondwana conservation team to effectively monitor the cats’ performance on the reserve and to plot their movements and hunting patterns. This will improve Gondwana's knowledge of cheetah on the reserve's very unique and matchless eco-system.

The conservation team anxiously await positive interaction within the existing cheetah population, and hopes are that it will result in offspring. Gondwana intends to play a significant role in cheetah conservation in the Western Cape, as well as in the spirit of the greater meta-population management of this endangered species.

For more information and images please contact Southern Spoor Marketing on or +2711 469 5082.

Amazing mid-week special at Lions Valley Lodge: R1500.00pps/pn.

Falaza Game Park & Spa is giving away a two night stay for two people on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis to the value of R4408.00.

How It Works:

We will be giving away a two night stay for every 30 delegates sent to Falaza on one of our conference packages. This can be used for either the agent that booked it or it can be used as an incentive for the decision-maker of the company holding the conference. It doesn’t even need to be one conference, it can be made up of many conferences with a total of 30 delegates.

The more business you send our way, the more you will holiday! Booking is essential.

Contact Falaza on 035 562 2319 or reservations@falaza.co.za or visit www.falaza.co.za/ to make a booking.

Terms and conditions: management decision is final | excludes long weekends and public holidays | alcohol and soft drinks not included in prize | activities and spa treatments are not included | the prize cannot be exchanged for cash.