February 12, 2004
By Lucille Davie
THE City of Johannesburg dished out certificates of recognition on Wednesday to some of the city's top tourism award winners of 2003.
The Johannesburg Tourism Company, together with the City's Tourism and Marketing Department felt that, in an effort to recognise and praise the contribution the industry has made to the promotion of the city, the award winners should receive the certificates.
Joburg's tourism industry collectively received several awards last year, and Deon Viljoen, CEO of the Johannesburg Tourism Company, acknowledged their efforts in a press statement.
"The recipients of the many awards and all the other players who have provided service excellence are not only giving significant support to my Company's drive to grow tourism in Johannesburg but are also contributing handsomely to the economy of Johannesburg."
The city picked up some prestigious awards last year. The InterContinental Sandton Sun and Towers was awarded the World's Best Business Hotel, while The Saxon was judged the World's Leading Boutique Hotel by the 2003 World Travel Awards, the travel and tourism industry's top accolade. The Saxon has won this award three years in a row.
The Sandton Convention Centre was given the award for the Best Venue without Accommodation in the 8th Annual Venue Awards. The Protea Hotel Group was included in the Top 10 Companies of 2003 category, and the Mandela House Museum in Soweto and Montecasino in Fourways won the "international visitors" and the "South African visitors" categories respectively in the Top Johannesburg Tourism Site awards.
"These, and a number of other awards, demonstrate that the Johannesburg tourism industry is highly regarded not only in a South African context, but in the international arena as well," said Viljoen.
According to Viljoen, the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 was attended by 37 000 foreign visitors who spent an average of R31 400 in the city, adding up to a total contribution to the city's GDP of R1.1-billion.
He added that the 2003 Markinor-Sunday Times Top Brands Survey's finding that Johannesburg was rated the most popular city in South Africa by 36.5% of the sample surveyed, has given a "tremendous boost" to the city's development as a tourist destination for both domestic and foreign tourists.
In addition, a research project conducted in 250 cities by Mercer Human Resource Consulting in 2003 rated Johannesburg as the "best value for money" tourist destination among 20 prime international destinations.
"Looking ahead, I expect that the high energy and level of activity that characterised 2003 will continue well into the future," concluded Viljoen.
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