As the sun set on Cape Town on the evening of 17 April, the Two Oceans Aquarium was transformed, displaying its full glamour, to welcome Travel Massive Cape Town - one of South Africa's largest networking events for the travel and tourism industry.
This is the third year running that the Two Oceans Aquarium has been selected as the venue for the official launch of World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) which would be taking place over the next three days in Cape Town. WTM Africa is the largest gathering of tourism professionals on the continent - bringing more than 5 000 industry leaders together for this exclusive business-to-business networking and trade opportunity. Nothing like our view of blue to set the tone for such a prestigious event!
Delicious sustainable edible munchies tonight thanks to @2OceansAquarium #TMCapeTown #WTMA18 pic.twitter.com/pC4i0rmvau
— IG: The Jax Blog (@thejaxblog) April 17, 2018
I'm at the Water Saving and Conserving #TMCapeTownofficial @WTM_Africa networking event at the @2OceansAquarium ... are you here? @TravelMassivAFR pic.twitter.com/gKF5vXC2sT
— Fuad Peters (@fuadpeters) April 17, 2018
Such love for the Cape Town @travelmassive community, all at the @2OceansAquarium and my fellow Chapter Leaders @moving_sushi and @LylesTravels, as well as killer registration team @LemorW and @EdenWeiss Such a great evening! Thank you all, especially our generous sponsors x pic.twitter.com/ROM6gtWUtx
— Dawn Bradnick (Jorgensen) (@DawnJorgensen) April 17, 2018
Great evening at @2OceansAquarium for the Official WTM Africa Networking Event #WTMA18 #wedotourism @MarineDynamics @WhaleWatchSA @DyerICT pic.twitter.com/ckOwz360FT
— Yolanda Smit (@smit_yolanda18) April 17, 2018
Good to sea you too @2oceansaquarium! So good to be here with my @travelmassive family at #TMCapeTown for the unofficial launch of @WTM_Africa #WTMA18 #ARTA18 pic.twitter.com/0FhA9Yg7lz
— Meruschka (@MzansiGirl) April 17, 2018
#TMCapeTownofficial @WTM_Africa networking event at the @2OceansAquarium tonight @TravelMassivAFR #TravelChatSA #WTMA18 pic.twitter.com/zgsxVKyzWS
— Marlize Stander (@Winelands) April 17, 2018
The main event:
The theme for this year's event was "Water Saving and Conserving", and attendees had the chance to learn about the importance of this precious resource as well as the life inhabiting our oceans and waterways.
Two Oceans Aquarium Communications & Media Executive Renée Leeuwner took to the stage to talk to attendees about the work being done at the Aquarium to create awareness of the issues affecting our environment and what the Aquarium is doing to create a more sustainable future - educating over 100 000 children in our classroom and outreach programmes, attaining Diamond Status for Sustainability and retrofitting our building to use as little freshwater as possible.
The stage was then taken by Conservation Coordinator Talitha Noble, who wowed the crowd with stories from our turtle rehabilitation facility - the "hidden" gem on the Aquarium's roof where dozens of tiny loggerhead turtle hatchlings are being prepared for their return to the ocean and where large turtles like the immense Yoshi and the ever-loved duo of Bob and Sandy are cared for and prepared for release.
We then handed over to Dawn Bradnick who kicked the Travel Massive event into the next gear - with lucky draw prizes and a boost to the networking which would set the tone for the next three days of the main WTM Africa even at the CTICC.
So good to be here with our @travelmassive family at @2oceansaquarium for @WTM_Africa! #WTMA18 @DawnJorgensen & @moving_sushi. #TMCapeTown pic.twitter.com/h6h0v8V0Hk
— TravelMassive Joburg (@TravelMassivJHB) April 17, 2018
Opening night at @2OceansAquarium #WTMA18 #TMCapeTown #WTMA18 #jellyfish mouth is found in the centre of it's body; no brain, heart, bones or eyes but they can find you and sting you. They stun and paralyze their prey before eating it up. #lethalwhite pic.twitter.com/da6C9wiZuy
— Wandering Warthog (@TravelinWarthog) April 18, 2018
Turtles travel too! Follow Yoshi's journey on the @2OceansAquarium blog #TMCapeTown pic.twitter.com/LgEdEsmc9x
— IG: @i_am_anwynn (@i_am_anwynn) April 17, 2018
So great seeing you again after soooo long @MzansiGirl welcome back to the Mother City! #TMCapeTown #WTMA18 #experiencetheworld #thejaxblog @2OceansAquarium pic.twitter.com/quLVoGzJch
— IG: The Jax Blog (@thejaxblog) April 17, 2018
Rubbing shoulders with some millennials @2OceansAquarium @travelmassive cape town chapter #WTMA18 #mosselbay #networking #SocialMediaSpecialForcesTeam pic.twitter.com/yGZq8GMQ6i
— Mossel Bay Tourism (@visitmosselbay) April 17, 2018
We love Sharks and we love selfies #sharkselfies #TMCapeTown @2OceansAquarium pic.twitter.com/3dYFfBgAH6
— IG: @i_am_anwynn (@i_am_anwynn) April 17, 2018
Animal facts:
Throughout the night, guests were encouraged to explore the Aquarium and share their favourite underwater animal facts. We got to pick some lucky winners and give them a set of Aquarium tickets to bring their families back during the daylight. Here are a few of their animal facts:
Did you know that stingrays have no bones in their body – their skeleton is made up of flexible cartilage (the bendy stuff that your ears and nose are made from!)? #experiencetheworld #TMCapeTown #WTMA18 #thejaxblog @2OceansAquarium @TravelGround pic.twitter.com/9l2jcVN60a
— IG: The Jax Blog (@thejaxblog) April 17, 2018
Animal Facts @2OceansAquarium
— IG: @i_am_anwynn (@i_am_anwynn) April 17, 2018
Spider crabs live at depts of approximately 400m. Not even scuba divers can dive this deep.
Seahorses doesn't have stomachs.
Shy sharks juveniles hatch at 10cm in length. #TMCapeTown pic.twitter.com/WuJceAxdBi
All of this SINGLE USE PLASTIC was “pooped” out of a turtle! Can you believe it?! @2OceansAquarium #TMCapeTown #WTMA18 pic.twitter.com/prdyRzQ1Cy
— Jenna Maree-Kipling (@jennakipling) April 17, 2018
Animal facts. Did you know
— The Roaming Giraffe (@DiBrown5) April 17, 2018
that crabs run sideways so their legs dont get tangled ! #TMCapeTown @2OceansAquarium pic.twitter.com/dkQnqvB2Ql
#didyouknow #spidercrabs @TravelMassivAFR @2OceansAquarium #tmcapetown pic.twitter.com/10oz4CHjmJ
— ThingsToDo WithKids (@thingstodo_kids) April 17, 2018
Did you know that the @2OceansAquarium rehabilitates sea turtles and that recently released Yoshi has swum all the way to Angola? #TMCapeTown #twooceansaquarium pic.twitter.com/IQknzcC68s
— Mareike Pietzsch (@mareike_maya) April 18, 2018
Another FINtastic #TMCapeTown evening at the @2OceansAquarium with @cari_kat representing @MarineDynamics @DyerICT ahead of #WTMA18 pic.twitter.com/IcKvdHkON3
— IG: @i_am_anwynn (@i_am_anwynn) April 17, 2018
As the Aquarium grew quiet and guests returned to their accommodation, getting ready for the big WTM Africa event the next day, we couldn't help but be grateful to be situated in Cape Town - the beating heart of the African tourism industry. Great things are happening behind the scenes of our city and whether you are a tourism professional, a learner looking for a way to learn the skills needed for eco-tourism or a young professional who'd like an opportunity to work with the ocean - the Two Oceans Aquarium would like to support you and this growing industry. Just want to host an event at one of Cape Town’s top attractions? We’re here to help you create the most unforgettable night yet.
Well done Travel Massive on another successful event! Looking forward to hosting you again in 2019 (wink wink)!
Thanks TSC for a lovely function @2OceansAquarium #WTMA18 #Experiencetheworld pic.twitter.com/up2ATGByXs
— Nicci Fourie (@Fullhouse_C) April 20, 2018
Such an amazing turnout @TravelMassivAFR @WTM_Africa launch of #WTMA18 ������ #ExperienceTheWorld Thank you to all the organizers & sponsors for a wonderful event �� And thank you to @2OceansAquarium for hosting us & the amazing conservation work you do ���� #MeetSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/yhEZvBQh6d
— LivingItUpCT.com �������� (@livingitupct) April 17, 2018
The pics from this week's @travelmassive Cape Town with @WTM_Africa and @RedLip_PR at the @2OceansAquarium are up. Take a look here and tag and share. Thanks to all who made it incredibly special - it was such a goodie! ❤️https://t.co/J1MNUT5JlB pic.twitter.com/ACAmmV1msO
— Dawn Bradnick (Jorgensen) (@DawnJorgensen) April 22, 2018
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