Scores of travel professionals are expected to turn out next month at a series of National Workshops in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban, interacting with the General Managers of Protea Hotels and African Pride Hotels to strengthen relationships and make new connections. 

The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, situated just 100m from the Paul Kruger Gate of the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga, starts the first phase of its refurbishment plan this month that will encompass the rooms, elevated walkways, conference facilities, restaurant and perhaps most importantly, infrastructural changes that will see a marked improvement in water and energy consumption.

The picturesque Arabella Golf Course, nestled on the banks of southern Africa’s largest lagoon in Kleinmond, has climbed to number 4 in the latest Golf Digest rankings of South African courses that were revealed in the magazine this week. 

In January this year TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2012 were announced and, besides Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! Cape Town clinching second place in the “Trendiest Hotels in Africa” category, five other Protea Hospitality Group (PHG) hotels also made the top 20 list.

The Protea Hospitality Group has started a roll-out across South Africa of a purified water system that will replace bottled mineral water in their conferencing venues and ultimately save millions of plastic bottles from ending up in landfills.

The Protea Hospitality Group has appointed African travel specialist Ferruccio Tirone to market the hotel company’s 120+ properties spread across eight countries on the continent.

Getting married is probably one of the biggest decisions a couple can make in their lives. And planning that day to perfection can also be one of the most stressful experiences. There are so many things to consider: the dress, the music, who sits with who (or not), the food, flowers and the all important venue.

Majestic mountains, gorgeous sunset-hued vineyards, myriad sandy beaches and some of the best whale-watching on the planet  makes the Western Cape a domestic and international business and leisure tourism magnet. It is a place of legendary hospitality and, after a vote of 45 million travelers, it is also home to TripAdvisor’s 2011 best global destination, Cape Town. Add world-class hotels and conferencing facilities to the mix, and the region easily claims the MICE crown of South Africa.

The second and largest phase of the Protea Hotel Vineyards Estate in Cape Town’s northern suburbs is set to open on October 1.

The second phase comprises 64 apartments; 32 one bedroom units and 32 two bedroom units. This phase completes the hotel and brings the total number of rooms to 125 in 93 units.

Nicholas Barenblatt is the Group Marketing and Advertising Manager for the Protea Hospitality Group, which is the largest hospitality company on the African continent with more than 130 hotels in eight countries.