Zululand Spring Festival

Zululand’s premier combined entertainment and exhibition showcase, THE ZULULAND SPRING FESTIVAL, will take place in Richards Bay, on Friday 30 September - 14h00 to 22h00. Saturday 01 October 2011 - 09h00 to 22h00. Sunday 02 October 2011 - 09h00 to 14h00.

The second largest combined entertainment and exhibition event in KZN, the Zululand Spring Festival provides an ideal platform for local and national trade, plus the opportunity for the public to enjoy the latest in South Africa’s, top entertainment. Entertainment includes both local and national artists and performers, making up a spectacular fusion of entertainment, that suits all age groups and cultures. The Zululand Spring Festival in Richards Bay once again attracted major crowds with 25 000 visitors and nearly 250 stands being sold at Spring Festival 2010.

The success of Spring Festival is evident by the R10 million turnover that emanates from the event into our community over this three-day period. Massive pre-publicity sets the pace for Zululand Spring Festival and the quality of the entertainment programme is of high standard and calibre, with many of South Africa’s top performers joining the ranks in the entertainment programme. Exhibitors from all over South Africa will once again display their products or services, which range from decor, sports and leisure, arts and crafts, fashion and accessories, motor industry, outdoor and garden, technology, tourism, education and industrial exhibits, as well as an array of flea market stalls, with an ambit of unusual products to choose from.

If you want to take full advantage of making new contacts and improving your sales or image, or being involved in a sponsorship exchange agreement, then Zululand Spring Festival is the place to be - a marketing opportunity not to be missed!

Click here for more information

New categories for entrants in 2012 AA Quality Assured Awards

South Africa’s only consumer-based accommodation awards programme has undergone extensive changes to keep up with modern trends in the hospitality industry. Hence, particulars of the 2012 AA Quality Assured Accommodation Awards programme have been announced.
 

Vanessa Sand, managing director of AA Travel Guides, convenors of the awards, says the programme is keeping up with trends in the accommodation sector so that achievers gain the maximum benefit from their participation.

“All AA Quality Assured Accommodation members – of which there are currently just under 2 500 in southern Africa – have automatically been entered into the awards,” says Sand. Guests can enter feedback into the review section of each establishment’s listing on www.aatravel.co.za, via traditional AA guest review forms, electronically via an APad, which has been customised into a digital guest book, or via eGuestSurv Reviews. “We now have the technology in place for feedback received to go live within a week of it being received, making the system so much more user-friendly to both the consumer and the establishment,” says Sand.

According to Sand, AA Travel Guides – having managed these awards for the past 18 years – has done extensive industry research and consultation in recent months, and has revised the award categories that establishments can enter 

“It was necessary to structure our award categories in line with current accommodation industry trends,” she says. “We are confident that establishments will find the exact relevant category for them to enter and that consumers understand these category definitions to be in line with their expectations.”

Feedback received from consumers relates to aspects such as service levels, the quality of food, ambience and value for money. AA Travel Guides will accept feedback until 30 April 2012, where after all reviews will be processed.

Provincial finalists and winners will be announced in July 2012. These winners will then compete against one another to become national winners, to be announced at the 2012 Getaway Show.
Finalists and winners will have the opportunity to profile themselves in the annual awards publication ‘South Africa’s Best’, 100 000 copies of which will be distributed via Getaway magazine, tourist offices and Caxton publications.

“With our new focus on AA Quality Assured properties only – truly our gateway product – we believe the awards programme will grow even further,” says Sand. “The AA brand is associated with trust, integrity and quality and we are now creating a platform that members can use to market themselves even more widely and effectively,” says Sand.

For more information on the AA Quality Assured program click here

Don't Miss The 2011 RBM Annual Birdwatch

Getting up close and personal with an Eagle Owl

The 2011, Richards Bay Minerals annual "Birdwatch" is a highlight on the Zululand eco-tourism calender with birders flocking from across the country to enjoy some of Richards Bay's best birding.

The event kicks off with an evening talk on Friday the 4th November by Shanan and Ben Hoffman of the African Birds of Prey Sanctuary. The talk will introduce the public to the fascinating world of raptors and include an "up close and personal" opportunity to experience these majestic birds.

Saturday the 5th Novmber's program starts off with guided birding walks at Lake Nhlabane in the RBM lease area. Lake Nhlabane and the surrounding forests is a legendary birding site along the Zululand Birding Route as it provides the southern most location to see species such as Livingstone's Turaco, Woodward's Batis, Southern-banded Snake Eagle and a host of water birds from Pygmy Geese to African Finfoot.

The weekend is specifically designed to get the public involved and out there birding, it does not matter if you are a seasoned "twitcher" or casual beginner - the RBM Birdwatch event is an ideal family weekend out!

To register visit our facebook event by clicking here or email us

34 000 Trees Planted at Zululand's Annual Reed Dance

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini has joined the Department of Environmental Affairs to launch a Greening Project that will see 34000 trees being planted in Nongoma, as part of the annual Reed Dance, one of the highlights on the Zululand Heritage Route, Route 66.

About 34 000 trees were planted by Zulu-maidens during the Reed Dance. The initiative comes ahead of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - popularly known as COP 17 - taking place in Durban in November. Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini with the Champions of the Environment Foundation plan to raise awareness about climate change through the project. 

Each of the 30,000 maidens who attended planted a sapling – led by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelethini and SA President Jacob Zuma. The trees were all grown by ‘tree-preneurs’ – individuals who support their livelihoods by growing trees and exchanging these trees for food, clothes, bicycles, education support, building materials, JoJo tanks and other goods they need.

More on Cop 17, click here  For more on the Zululand Heritage Route, Route 66, Click here