Embassy's Tourism Newsletter - January 2013

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS 2013
It's time to dust off those vuvuzelas! The Cup of Nations is Africa's biggest sporting event and this year it's being held in South Africa. The tournament kicked off on 19 January 2013 and the matches are being played in 5 stadiums that were built for the World Cup. Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg will host the final on 10 February 2013. Who do you think will win?
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SECOND BEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD
Cape Grace at Cape Town's V&A Waterfront has been named second in the top 25 hotels in the world by TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site. Cape Town winners in the World's Best Small Hotel category include:
#3 - Blackheath Lodge, Cape Town Central
#13 - Derwent House, Cape Town Central
Cape Town winners in the Bed & Breakfast's and Inns category are:
#11 - Cube Guest House>/span>, Hout Bay
#20 - Boutique Manolo, Cape Town Central

OTHER AWARDS FOR SOUTH AFRICA
- CNN Travel includes "Safari in South Africa" on its list of best things to do in 2013
- Top 6 African Resorts & Safari Camps are in South Africa
- South Africa wins 32 World Travel Awards
- Stellenbosch named one the 5 best wine destinations in the world
- Cape Town Voted World's Second Best City
- Cape Town named Top Beach Destination
- Table Mountain one of the new 7 wonders of nature

CITY SIGHTSEEING OPENS IN JOHANNESBURG
Did you know that City Sightseeing has begun operating in Johannesburg on 13 January 2013? The exciting bus route through the Johannesburg CBD offers locals and tourist alike the chance to hop on and hop off at the attractions of their choice, whenever they like, sampling the sights, sounds, colours, cultures and rich heritage in a comfortable and safe way.
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CITY SIGHTSEEING CAPE TOWN CANAL CRUISE
Cape Town's famous open-top bus tours have long been known as one of the best ways to see the Mother City. But Cape Town is not just about roads. It's also an important port city. The harbour area has great historical significance, and, of course, there's no better way to see it than by boat. City Sightseeing Cape Town now offers canal cruises from the V&A Waterfront to the Cape Town International Convention Centre and back, providing an interesting insight into the city's waterways, and some stunning views to boot.

SOUTH AFRICA IN BTL 2013
South Africa will be present at BTL, the Lisbon International Tourism Fair, which will take place from 27 February to 3 March 2013. The Embassy in Lisbon will join the stand of Os Especialistas, which gathers a group of specialized tourism companies. During the fair, the Embassy will promote South Africa as a travel destination, while "Os Especialistas" will present their latest products and announce its "Tourism Road Show 2013" in which the Embassy will also participate.