Sun is shining on Mother City

Cognac at R2750 a tot and 100% occupancy rates - the sun is shining on Cape Town.

Thanks to the gems attending the Mining Indaba in Cape Town this week, the J&B Met last weekend and the international tourist season, business is booming.

Ian Manley, spokesman for the five-star One&Only, said the hotel was packed.

"The Vista Lounge is the natural meeting hub for the delegates to finalise and celebrate deal-making. Cappuccinos and water are generally ordered during the day, but then it hots up to requests for top-end single malt whiskies and South African brandies.

"There were also requests for Richard Hennessy cognac, which sells for R2750 a tot. Double tots were the norm," said Manley.

Tills are also ringing at the Protea Hospitality Group, which has the largest spread of hotels in the city.

"It's the high season for international tourists, but there has been very limited room at the inn for the past week with the additional influx of visitors for the Mining Indaba and the J&B Met," said Nicholas Barenblatt, group marketing manager.

"The rest of the month will continue to be busy, due to events such as the opening of parliament and Design Indaba."

Barenblatt said the African Pride 15 on Orange Hotel near parliament and the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice were running at between 95% and 100% occupancy, as were the group's hotels on the Atlantic seaboard.

According to Nicky-Anne de Beer, m arketing m anager for the Madame Zingara Group, restaurants had been "exceedingly busy" recently. "Café Paradiso in Kloof Street is a firm favourite among Mining Indaba delegates . It's a Mediterranean restaurant with a pretty garden and postcard view of Table Mountain," said De Beer. Café Manhattan in De Waterkant was a "magnet for the J&B Met and jet set". The cherry on top is the movies and commercials being shot in Cape Town.

Monica Rorvik, film and production unit head at Wesgro, the Western Cape's official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency, said over 12 feature films were shooting in December.

According to Wesgro, the tourism industry contributes over R18-billion to the economy and employs 150000 people.