Open the wallet of love

04 February 2016 - 02:46 By Nivashni Nair

If you haven't booked for Valentine's Day dinner yet, you could soon be out of time. From Fly & Dine deals, roses and expensive jewellery, South Africans are not putting a price on love this Valentine's Day.Despite tough times, some are spending as much as R399 on red roses and R60000 on jewellery."There are definitely a lot of cards from 'Guess Who'. We also see multiple recipients on one order, each with a Valentine's Day message," NetFlorist spokesman Thalissa Theeruth said.NetFlorist's Valentine's Day orders are already slightly higher than last year's with more than 1000 orders in January.A dozen red roses costs R399.Mark Gold Jewels owner Dean Gorrie does not believe the financial climate will affect sales."We have already received orders with prices ranging from R17000 to R60000," he said.Saloshnie Naidoo, co-founder of Skyler T, said the store at De Beers headquarters has received "lots of orders" for cocktail and engagement rings with prices varying from R2500 to R60000.Online shop Takealot.com has also reported "strong sales".Takealot's Declan Hollywood said the sales were in the low- to mid-price range, with Jamie Oliver Steak Knives, Fifty Shades of Grey and a biltong maker being among the top sellers.The hospitality industry is expecting booming business.General manager Robert Hodson is convinced that the four-course dinner at R1100 a couple at Maximillien Restaurant in the DaVinci Hotel and Suites in Sandton will be fully booked.Cape Town's Nac Helicopter's Fly & Dine deal - a 12- to 15-minute flight at R985 a person and a 45- to 60-minute flight at R3499 a person - and the Madevu Executive Charters' sunset cruise in Durban at R1100 a couple are "nearly fully booked".Economist Dawie Roodt was not surprised by the spending."In fact, people spend more on Valentine's Day just because we are going through difficult times."People just want to feel a little better and have something nice under difficult circumstances," he said.Sandton clinical psychologist Bradley R Daniels said the powerful and necessary desire and need to feel love and be loved made people spend a lot on Valentine's Day irrespective of their financial circumstances...

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