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| A special news update for the travel & trade industry. | ||
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www.knysnaonsale.co.za | ||
| KNYSNA ON SALE is back ! | ||
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Combine some of the most beautiful scenery in the Garden Route, the perfect weather of the secret season and unbelievable value for money and you get the annual Knysna-on-Sale campaign.
This annual campaign, co-coordinated by Knysna Tourism, runs every year for two months only - May and June - and gives visitors the opportunity to see, visit and play in one of the most sought-after destinations on the Garden Route, offering value-added stays with off-peak rates. The mild winters on the Garden Route ensure sunny and beautiful wind-still days and are often referred to as the "secret season." With its natural beauty and rich animal kingdom, Knysna offers a haven for nature lovers. Not only is it home to the mysterious Knysna elephant and the famous Knysna Loerie, but also hosts rare and in many cases endangered species such as the Knysna Seahorse, the Brenton Blue Butterfly and the Dwarf Chameleon. Various outdoor activities such as horse riding, hiking, yachting, fishing and canoeing leave outdoor enthusiasts spoilt for choice. The more adventurous visitor can choose from activities such as abseiling, paragliding, scuba diving or water skiing as well as some of the best mountain bike routes in the country. Not forgetting the opportunity to play Golf in the area recently voted : "The best Golf Destination in South Africa" Information on how to book holidays and qualify for additional special offers is available on the campaign website at www.knysnaonsale.co.za. Bookings can be made online and a collection of discount vouchers will be available to visitors upon arrival at accommodation establishments or from Knysna Tourism. All visitors to town, whether they are staying in local accommodation establishments or not, are eligible for discount vouchers printed in special A4-size holiday guides. | ||
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| KNYSNA - A PLACE FOR ALL SEASONS | ||
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Choosing a holiday destination can sometimes be a bit of a mind bender, creating more stress than excitement, however, choosing Knysna as your breakaway destination will set your mind at ease. With a multitude of diverse accommodation, restaurants, adventure and leisure activities to keep you occupied, South Africa's favourite town is the ultimate destination. Sun lovers can soak up Garden Route rays on one of the many clean and picturesque beaches in the area or on exciting lagoon cruises, canoe safaris up the Knysna River or sea kayaking trips. For golf lovers, Knysna offers 3 stunning golf courses and one mashie course that will test all levels of golfers. Fisherman will be mesmerized by the great estuary, river, fly, rock and surf fishing on 30km's of coastline. Other outdoor adventures include bird watching, horse riding, abseiling, paragliding, elephant patting and of course tree hugging in the Knysna Forests. For the non adrenalin junkies, make an appointment for the ultimate in relaxation with soothing reiki or aromatherapy massages where the experts which will leave you feeling rejuvenated. History buffs can brush up their facts at Knysnaˋs various museums. View photographs of a golden era and experience the days of the first gold rush in South-Africa. Visit the Millwood Gold Mine (the little ghost town north of Rheenendal) where gold was discovered in the 1880's. Culture lovers will enjoy the Cultural or Heritage Tours of Knysna including visits to sangomas, schools, crèches, orphanages and of course the Rastas! Shopaholics beware, Knysna is a shoppers paradise! Visit Woodmill Lane Shopping Centre, Knysna Waterfront, Woodmill Walk, Pledge Square, Thesen Harbor Town or the new Knysna Mall. Distinctive arts and crafts can be found all over town, art fundis will be in their element at the many galleries and foodies won't go hungry with visits to the fantastic food markets. Knysna is also full of talented musicians who produce a variety of sounds such as jazz and reggae. Self drive explorers will love the Rheenendal Ramble for an art experience you'll never forget and the Timber Route where you can view woodworkers, timber yards and crafters bearing witness to the importance of the timber industry to Knysna's economy. For the kiddies, the choices are endless, with the chance to get up close and personal with monkeys, birds and elephants. For the more adventurous kids (no age limit specified!), there is paintball, mashie golf and tree top canopy tours. The Featherbed Eco Experience offers hours of educational fun for all with a Lagoon cruise and spectacular walk. And of course, there's always time to look for the fairies in the Knysna Forest... Being a town for all seasons, if the weather in Knysna does happen to take a turn for the worse, don't despair, take in a movie, browse the book stores, visit the historical pubs and museums or pamper yourself at one of Knysna's many health and wellness centres. For oyster lovers take a tour at the Knysna Oyster Company to learn the secrets of cultivated oysters while you indulge in sparkling wine and this famous aphrodisiac. Relax for an early brunch and keep on going until you reach late lunch in one of the many fine restaurants. You will find something to tickle every taste! Beer lovers can while away hours at Mitchell's Brewery - grab a beer and enjoy a tour. And for the chefs in all of you, fine tune your cooking skills with a full day cooking course or join an interactive restaurant to see a master at work. The list of activities and experiences are endless and of course it's all up to you to come and enjoy them. What easier holiday decision to make than the one to visit Knysna. Become a part of our town for a day, a week, a month or a year and develop your love for all things fun and fine! | ||
| www.oysterfestival.co.za | ||
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OYSTER-LICOUS! From the 6th to the 15th of July 2007, all oysters gear up for the prestige of being announced mollusk of the year… …unfortunately awarded posthumously of course! 10 days, 18 new events, approximately 58 000 visitors, yip, figures that definitely prove that the 2006 Oyster Festival broke some long standing records making it the best yet! So, the goal for 2007, to make this years festival even better! Annual events, especially the Oyster Festival, which is now in its 24th year, allow for diversity and change from one year to the next, improving on existing events and adding new and more exciting ones to the programme. The 2007 Oyster Festival will be no exception, with the inclusion of the Oyster Rock Spots, following on from the extremely successful Oyster Hot Spots. Oyster Rock Spots will include a definitive assortment of fantastic music events and as festival co-ordinator, Nicci Rousseau explains, "live music forms a vital part of a person's enjoyment of festivals and it is my aim to ensure that there are at least two live music choices for all music tastes each and every day of the Festival." Sounds exciting - y'all best get your dancin' shoes on! Oyster Hot Spots will be featuring en masse once again during the festival with more than 20 restaurants, the Knysna Tourism office and the Loerie Park festival hub again playing host to these delectable creatures. The Oyster Festival plays an integral role for the local community, ensuring maximum exposure for charitable organizations and more importantly the distribution of funds to these charities. The big events of the Festival, namely the Pick 'n Pay Weekend Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour (R430 000 raised in 2006, donated to charities and used for bursaries for tertiary education) and the Pick 'n Pay Cape Times Forest Marathon (R225 000 raised in 2006, also donated to various charities and used for local athletics development) are definitely the serious crowd pullers, with almost 6000 entrants for each weekends events. A number of midweek events, which drew pleasing crowds in 2006, will again be appearing on this year's line up, including the Wade Bales Wine Festival at Pezula, the Knsyna Sports Festival at Loerie Park, the Duesouth XTERRA at Pezula and the Petzl Night Run and Night Bike. A new and very exciting addition to the programme for the little festival festino's is the Young Oyster Festival including collaboration a youth company from Stellenbosch University. Events will include puppet shows, a Mask and Movement workshop, teen cabaret and a cooking course. Once again, the SA Navy will make their awe inspiring entrance through the Knysna Heads, giving locals and visitors the opportunity to board one of three minesweepers anchored at Thesen Islands. And of course, don't miss the annual Navy street parade or the SA Navy Band in Concert at the Waterfront. The "Local Loerie Project" was initiated 2006 and aims at providing a chance for the local disadvantaged community to get involved in the Oyster Festival by removing entry barriers such as high participation costs and by providing training and mentorship to participants in various events. The Project is aimed at promoting a spirit of togetherness and participation, ensuring that local communities benefit economically, as well as the growth and development of sport talent in our local communities and the growth of Sustainable Tourism small medium micro entrepreneurs such as catering businesses, Home stays, Event Management Businesses; Cleaning Companies, Informal vendors and transport services. 165 members were involved in the first year of the campaign and the following events, amongst others, included Local Loerie participants: Van Loveren Oyster Cooking Competition; Rotary Cycle Race; Forest Marathon; Oyster Shucking Event and the ASWD Development Cross Country meeting. It is initiatives like these that make the Festival such an integral part of Knysna life, ensuring that each and every person can become a part, enjoy and ultimately benefit from the festivities. So, with so many exciting events on offer to tantalize the oldies, boldies, foodies and kiddies, Knysna is definitely the place to be from the 6th to the 15th of July 2007. For further programme details visit www.oysterfestival.co.za, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | ||
| www.pinkloerie.com | ||
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A weekend and two public holidays - what more can one ask for to make the 2007 Pink Loerie Mardi Gras the biggest and best ever. It will happen from 26 April to 1 May 2007 right where it started 7 years ago and you are invited! For those who do not know - it is the first and only Mardi Gras on the African Continent and the biggest and most fabulous 4 day party in the country. Some of the highlights for next year: The Pink Loerie will kick off with a pre-pink party at Portland Manor with a variety concert in the Portland Manor Farm Theatre. The rest of the weekend we will see: On the art scene - installation art by the fabulous internationally renowned boys from Magpie in Barrydale, (lighting design) launch of my Cook Book and hopefully the world famous Robert Hamblin with a photography exhibition. We have also invited the fabulous fine artist, Jaco Benade as official artist. On the Party scene: Parties every night organized by the gorgeous ex Bronx (CT) boys, Martin and Kobus and parties for the ladies too and also another Gat Party. Then one of the highlights will be a five night Rocky Horror Dress up party - complete with cast, etc. Tickets already selling. Then on the shows scene: A cabaret venue with daily shows, a unique venue with drag shows daily, awaiting confirmation of a specially written theatre production, physical theatre and more. And furthermore: there will be boat cruises, a cocktail route, wine and champagne tasting, "boere sport", a fragrance launch, underwear and fashion show, gay literature exhibition and a mini gay film festival. There will even be a nudist hike through the world famous Monkeyland. And for the lonely travelers and the single ones amongst us - beautiful boys to keep you (maybe even you and yours) company plus the inaugural Queen Street High Heel Street Mile and a Pink Charity Motorcycle Breakfast run. And the bigger events: The annual street parade, the after street parade party promises to be one of the parties next year, the very popular yearly woman's event and the climax - the PINK party! There will also be the drag competition - the Queen of Clubs and NEW this year will be the Mr. Pink Loerie Mardi Gras Competition as well as the Gay/Lesbian Hairstylist of the Year competition. And the not to be missed - Freedom Day Celebration at the fabulous Birds of Eden - a day of music, song and dance PLUS 2007 will see hundreds of gay people "getting married"- two huge very up market weddings have already been planned over that period with guests from around the world. So with this in mind - we are planning a Las Vegas Style Wedding Chapel where you would be able to get married in 15 min. or less - with all the trimmings. We have been inundated with requests already and we will show the world that "gay marriages" are long overdue. There are rumors that a very well-known (and I mean well-known) celebrity plans to attend this year's festivities to celebrate the government's acceptance of gay marriages and that he might even get married himself - my lips are sealed. Again 1000's of people will come down to celebrate gay life - just life I suppose or just to be here again - and you are a guest of honor - we are looking forward to seeing you down here. Make sure you book your accommodation early - it is a long weekend after all and it is Knysna. We have secured a few gay only places with great rates. See provisional program for more details… | ||
| INFORMATION WITH THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON | ||
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www.tourismsedgefield.co.za www.visitknysna.co.za Each one of these websites is committed to providing you with up to date information. Whether it is press releases, pictures or information on accommodation and activities, you will definitely find it all here. For specific enquiries please do not hesitate to contact our offices for specialised attention. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Sedgefield Tourism Office - 044 343 2007 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | ||
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Issue 2 - March 2007
Be welcomed into colorful, vibrant and friendly communities and experience true Knysna.
Business, legal and practical resources for our members and online membership applications.
