To all appearances, the 2017/2018 festive season seemed to have been another whopping success for the Town of the Year with thousands of local and global visitors enjoying the beauty of the pristine South Cape.

 

Photo: Mana Perold

Mosselbayontheline asked the Mossel Bay Tourism Bureau as well as the Hartenbos ATKV Resort for their impression and feedback of the season:

Attie Roos, Acting Chief Operations Officer of Mossel Bay Tourism:

“The following are some observations I made during December 2017 and the first week of January 2018 :

– Holiday makers made a slow start to the period leading up to Xmas in terms of bookings.

– Even well into December shops were not so busy as in the past.

– Vacation bookings seemed to be for shorter periods as in the past – the struggling economy in the country appears to have had an effect on visiting Mossel Bay.

– On the brighter side despite some incidents on our beaches in terms of swimmers getting into trouble, we had no drownings. Well done NSRI, life guards and paramedics. It also seemed that very few serious road accidents occurred.

– As far as the delivery of Municipality services such as water (pipe) leakages, power breakdowns, overflow of sewerage, refuse removal etc, I did not become aware of any major incidents. Likewise, no major fires occurred – compared to last year.

– I have had several positive comments from our visitors and residents this year on the cleanliness of our streets and beaches.

– Also, congratulations to our Municipality for their prompt response to complaints from the public.

– Although we had some windy and cold days, the sun was still the major player in terms of weather.

– All and all, a somewhat ‘quiet’ 5 weeks compared to last year but remaining proud of our 2nd Town of the Year award for 2017/18 (and 2007).”

Hoewel Hartenbos se strate en strand tot die naweek van 6 Januarie 2018 nog soos ‘n miernes van bedrywighede gelyk het, was daar nie regtig meer besoekers dié jaar nie.

Mornay Beukes, oordbestuurder van die ATKV Hartenbos-Strandoord:

“Wat ATKV-Hartenbos Strandoord betref was ons besetting dieselfde as ander jare. Vanaf 16 Desember 2017 tot 03 Januarie 2018 was die oord vol bespreek en kan ons nie getuig van ‘n toename in besoekersgetalle op die oord nie. Die oord self het onder omstandighede goed gedoen en kan ons nie kla oor die seisoen nie.

“Wat betref die res van Hartenbos is dit moeilik om te sê. My persoonlike ondervinding is dat die groot klomp mense eers vanaf 26 Desember hierdie jaar op Hartenbos toegesak het en nie 23 Desember soos in die verlede nie. Die verkeer was so ‘n paar dae baie druk besig, maar oor die algemeen bietjie rustiger as ander jare. My gesprekke met van die besighede en stalletjie eienaars was maar een van gemengde gevoelens of welslae. Party was baie gelukkig en beter daaraan toe as verlede jaar, terwyl ander weer gekla het dat dit swakker gegaan het as ander jare. Dit wil voorkom of die voedsel besighede en supermarkte beter daaraan af was as die handelsware stalletjies en winkels.

“ATKV-Hartenbos het saam met InHoudhuis die nuwe formaat konserte aangebied in Desember en was dit net die groot konsert van 30 Desember waar daar 14 kunstenaars opgetree wat uitverkoop het – 12 000 mense op die Amfiteater! Die ander 3 konserte en ook die fliek het ook bo-gemiddelde aantal gaste gelok. Ons skryf die goeie opkoms toe aan die regte aanbieding van kunstenaars en die feit dat dit meer ‘n “vertoning” nou is as wat dit ‘n konsert is. Die organiseerders is baie in hulle skik en is daar reeds sprake om weer die komende seisoen InAfrikaans Hartenbos toe te bring!

“In die algemeen gesien was dit ‘n baie rustiger vakansie as ander jare vir ons. Die gaste was meer gemaklik en gemoedelik wat bygedra het tot ‘n lekker aangename vakansie atmosfeer. Waaraan dit toegeskryf kan word kan ons lank oor bespiegel, maar ons glo en vertrou dat elke gas goed gerus het en vol nuwe energie terug huis toe is!”

Kyk ook wat stalletjie-eienaars te sê het op die videos hieronder:

https://web.facebook.com/mosselbayontheline/videos/2077725885792001/

https://web.facebook.com/mosselbayontheline/videos/2077722912458965/

https://web.facebook.com/mosselbayontheline/videos/2077720542459202/

https://web.facebook.com/mosselbayontheline/videos/2077716405792949/

https://web.facebook.com/mosselbayontheline/videos/2077712262460030/

https://web.facebook.com/mosselbayontheline/videos/2077710512460205/

Mosselbayontheline het só op hul FB-blad berig oor die seisoen:

https://web.facebook.com/mosselbayontheline/posts/2076815259216397