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African Tourism News

243K views 2K replies 123 participants last post by  Umshini Wami 
#1 · (Edited)
African tourism is booming with rising international arrivals to Africa.
Most Africans are developing their tourism industries.
This thread is dedicated to news on African tourism developments
 
#176 ·
I've always thought the niger and benue rivers could be tourist attractions but the benue at least needs dregding. The niger is ok depending on the size of the boats. I know river cruises are very popular in Germany and could be a hit in NG if harnessed well
 
#178 ·
It would be big business!

Africans just need to become adventurists..

The boats i just posted above are in far East DRC lake, they are boats built by Congolese, Fior Congolese clients...
These boats are for cruising on the lake, they have really great comfort, outdoor space, food, Bar, and even music space in some of them....

Kinshasa also has it own little boat cruising on the mioghty River, some are starting to have concerts on the boats. lol

Though much of the tributies of the river need dredging as well.
 
#179 ·
TRAVELWEEKLY: Mozambique, unspoiled yet often overlooked
By Dorine Reinstein

Despite its undeniable beauty and charm, Mozambique tends to be overlooked by international travelers who continue to associate Africa with wildlife and the Big Five.

What Mozambique does offer is a haven of untouched wilderness, natural beauty and endless deserted white beaches on the Indian Ocean fringed with coconut palms and warm blue seas.

The Southeast African country’s bountiful marine life and breathtakingly beautiful coral reefs are especially appealing to visitors. Ponta do Ouro in the south of Mozambique is believed to be one of the best locations in the world for scuba diving. Divers can expect to encounter many species of marine life, including dolphins, manta rays and even the occasional shark.

Ponta is also the ultimate destination for travelers wanting to have a close-up encounter with dolphins. The team at the Dolphin Centre (www.thedolphincentre.com/) in Ponta takes visitors on various dolphin-swimming adventures. They have over the years built a special bond with a group of wild dolphins with which swimmers get to socialize. The dolphins have gradually become very curious of humans, and it would seem that they enjoy the encounters as much as the humans do.

Further up the coast lies the magnificent Quirimbas Archipelago in Cabo Delgado Province. The archipelago is a captivating chain of 32 coral islands and stretches for about 60 miles. It is the ideal destination for those looking for complete privacy and exclusivity.

For the truly romantic at heart, there are a few “private” islands in the archipelago. Medjumbe Island (www.medjumbe.com/), for example, is a castaway fantasy come true, a remote tropical location with only 12 beach chalets. This tiny, pristine island with its breathtaking coral reefs and ocean views is known the world over for its delicious seafood, gracious hospitality and exceptional diving.

Just a boat ride away from Medjumbe is Ibo Island, a quaint little piece of land with a lost-world appeal. From here, visitors can go on fully guided, custom-tailored, island-hopping safaris via dhow and kayak, snorkeling off deserted white sandbanks and sleeping in fly camps on uninhabited tropical islands. The local guides will conjure up fresh seafood and traditional cuisine over an open fire under island stars, leaving visitors free to soak up the starry night skies.

Although Mozambique does offer national parks, most of these have been severely neglected during the country’s turbulent past. Since peace has returned to Mozambique, numerous parks and reserves have started to return to their former glory.

Gorongosa National Park has recently undergone a hugely ambitious and successful rehabilitation program and has been entirely rejuvenated. For travelers looking for an off-the-beaten-track escape with diverse game, rich birdlife and a real sense of untamed Africa, Gorongosa is the perfect destination.


The park is home to populations of oribi, reedbuck, waterbuck, warthog and sable as well as elephant herds and bulls. In Gorongosa's rivers and lake, there are good populations of hippos and crocodiles, and on the floodplains zebras, impalas, monkeys and baboons can be found. Large herbivores such as buffalos, wildebeests and kudus are slowly being reintroduced to the park. Predators are recovering slowly, with a number of lion prides in the park.

Birding at Gorongosa is also very good, with special and endemic birds such as the collared palm thrush, the green coucal, narina trogon and spotted creeper.

Local operator Explore Gorongosa (www.exploregorongosa.com/) will take visitors on walking safaris, driving safaris and water-based safaris to discover the national park and learn more about the innovative restoration projects which are underway here.

However, for travelers wanting a more tried-and-tested safari experience, numerous tours have started offering combination packages between South Africa’s Kruger National Park and Mozambique. AndBeyond, for example, offers the option to spend a few nights in either the Sabi Sand Game Reserve or the Timbavati Game Reserve before heading to the beaches of Mozambique.

Need to know

Languages: Portuguese as well as several Bantu languages.

Climate: The climate is tropical in the north and subtropical in the south. Mozambique has a dry season from April to September and a wet season from October to March, with average temperatures hovering between 80 and 88 degrees.

Visas/ Passport requirements: Visas are required by all nationals and are usually issued for one month. It is advisable to prepurchase your visa.

Health: No immunization is required for visitors entering Mozambique. Mozambique is a malaria-risk area, and taking prophylaxis is most advisable.

Money: Mozambique’s official currency is the Metical. However, U.S. currency is widely accepted and is the best to bring along for exchange at banks and foreign exchange bureaus. Credit cards are not widely used. A 10% tip for service in most Mozambique restaurants is standard.

Flights: Maputo Airport is the main gateway into Mozambique with direct flights from Portugal and from Johannesburg and Cape Town in neighboring South Africa. For those wanting to combine a wildlife safari and beach holiday, there are flights from Kruger National Park to Vilanculos Airport, the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago. Pemba Airport is the gateway to the Quirimbas Archipelago and offers flights to and from Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, making for a great East Africa safari and beach holiday combination.
http://www.travelweekly.com/Middle-...mbique-unspoiled-yet-often-overlooked/?a=afme
 
#182 ·
Moz really needs to market itself. In the UK, I only know 2 people who have been there on holiday. The best beaches in Africa and also has wildlife as well as one of the more attractive capitals in SSA.

What worries me is that if they arent doing marketing now, then they will do even less when the gas money starts flowing. Evidence has shown this to be the case in Africa- Algeria, Libya vs Morocco and Tunisia are the best examples. Gabon, Cameroon,Congo-Brazzaville also.
 
#187 ·
We have more tourists from Portugal, Germany and our neighbours. I see Middle class south africans and zimbabweans visiting our country a lot as of late
I think more tourists will come as the country's infrastructure and economy improves
and don't forget we receive as much (or more) tourists than known countries in Africa like Kenya and Tanzania
 
#183 ·
Caneroon has more animals for sure and they do have those areas that'd be great for movies in the north east. But we share the highlands and have a good share of animals in the north. Despite the northern populations Islam limits the type of unbridled bush meat killing and eating you see in the south. I'm sure if we have lions in the south they'd be all eaten by now
 
#185 ·
Tanzania challenges violence-hit Kenya as regional tourism hub

Reuters

By Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala

DAR ES SALAAM, Aug 28 (Reuters) -
Tanzania expects tourist numbers to double to 2 million by 2017, the state tourist board said, challenging regional rival Kenya where Islamist attacks have scared away visitors.

Tanzania, famed for its pristine beaches and safari parks beneath snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, has always played second-fiddle to Kenya, which has a more developed tourism industry and better air links to the key markets in Europe and United States.

But a surge in visitors to Tanzania in the past two years has chipped away at Kenya's dominance and helped Tanzania's ambitions to become a regional tourist hub.

"We expect to reach 2 million tourist arrivals by 2017," Devota Mdachi, acting managing director of the Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB), told Reuters in an interview.

"With more international airlines flying into Tanzania ... improved infrastructure, increased tourism investments and marketing, we can reach that target."

Tanzania's tourist arrivals rose 1.7 percent in 2013 to 1.095 million, earning the country $1.85 billion. In 2012, arrivals surged 24 percent as the country hit the 1 million-mark for the first time. Visitors mostly come from Britain, Germany, the United States and Italy.

Next door, Kenya's industry has struggled. Tourist numbers slid last year to 1.5 million after an all-time peak of 1.8 million in 2011. In the first quarter of 2014 arrivals fell 4 percent compared to 2013, while a leading Kenyan hotel chain said the real figures were worse.

Frequent attacks by Somali Islamist militants have crippled Kenya's tourism industry, scaring away tourists, some of whom looked elsewhere for tropical beaches and wildlife safaris.

Some Western tourists have found that, due to their governments' travel advisories about the security situation, their travel insurance does not cover them for the Kenyan coast.


KNOCK-ON EFFECTS

Tanzania has experienced nothing like the level of deadly violence that has hit Kenya, which angered Islamists militants by sending troops to fight al Shabaab militants in Somalia.

The semi-autonomous Zanzibar islands have experienced sporadic security problems, with a series of bomb attacks over the past year, targeting mosques, churches and restaurants, and acid attacks on a Catholic priest and two British teenagers last year which were blamed on Islamist militants.

But one tour operator in Zanzibar said the archipelago had benefited from the fact that the problems were worse in Kenya. "A lot of tourists who have cancelled their trips to (the Kenyan port city of) Mombasa are now coming to Zanzibar and that's something that's good for the local tourism industry."

The impact on Kenya's woes on Tanzania has been mixed.

While some operators say tourists are switching from Kenya to Tanzania, others say they are suffering due to the fact that Nairobi remains an air transit hub for the whole region.

"The Kenya security issues have impacted negatively on Tanzania ... as 30-40 percent of tourists visiting Tanzania come through Kenya due to the fact that Kenya has more international carriers," Lathifa Sykes, CEO of the Hotels Association of Tanzania (HAT), told Reuters.

She said Tanzania's tourism industry had potential for further growth over the coming years, but investments were stifled by a complex and unpredictable tax regime, limited tourism infrastructure and inadequate marketing and branding.

Growth of 9 percent a year since 2010 could be accelerated to 20 percent a year if the government worked more closely with the private sector, Sykes said.

Tourism employs about a third of Tanzania's work force and contributed 13 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012, making it a vital industry for a nation of 45 million people that needs more jobs.

Like other African nations, tourist officials are now worried that fears about the spread of the Ebola virus, which has decimated tourism and other business in West Africa, could have knock on effects on the other side of the continent.

"The message that we've been putting across is that this disease (Ebola) has not entered Tanzania and so far we have not had any cancellations," said the tourist board's Mdachi, adding that airlines for now were saying their flights were still full.
 
#189 ·
The hospitality and tourism sector has been included in the Angola Investe programme, an initiative of the Angolan government to support investment in productive sectors, the minister for Hotels and Tourism announced Monday in Luanda

Minister Pedro Mutindi said the move was long overdue, since “only the existence of a fund for the promotion of tourism would be able to facilitate a better positioning of the Angolan businesses linked to the sector.”

With this measure, the minister continued, sector operators, who will have access to funding from Angola Investe in the same way as entrepreneurs from other sectors, may choose to use these funds to promote their business.

The Angola Investe programme was initially designed to support investments in the areas of agriculture, livestock and fisheries, construction materials, services to support the manufacturing sector, energy and mining.

This programme provides maximum funding of 20 million kwanza (for micro enterprises), 150 million kwanza (small businesses) and 500 million kwanza (medium-sized businesses).

Also according to Angolan news agency Angop, the Economy Minister Abraão Gourgel, said that in two years the Angola Investe programme has granted 180 loans, totalling 32.8 billion kwanza or US$340 million.
 
#192 ·
^^

Those boats are small, the new large one has seated places of 500 seats im total, though devided in 3 sections, Economy class, medium class and the VIP class whicih also has access on tope of the boat.


Congolese are learning to be adventurists! or perhaps because Congolese love water. lol
 
#199 ·
DRC has access to half the lake of Tanganyika , the lake is the 2nd deepest lake in the world and we have more tahn 200 km of this lake shores like shown above... its a matter of identifying the places that needs to be exploited for sake of Tourism industry and DRC would be again, mighty giant in Leasire Tourism industry.
 
#200 ·
Cape Town just shining like the star she is :)
Rated number one place to visit in the world for 2014!


The New York Times

52 Places to Go in 2014
Witness a city in transformation, glimpse exotic animals, explore the past and enjoy that beach before the crowds.
UPDATED September 5, 2014


Table Mountain and Cape Town. Samantha Reinders for The New York Times

1. Cape Town, South Africa
A place to meditate on freedom, and the creative life that followed.
When Nelson Mandela was incarcerated at Robben Island prison, he found inspiration in Cape Town. “We often looked across Table Bay at the magnificent silhouette of Table Mountain,” he said in a speech. “To us on Robben Island, Table Mountain was a beacon of hope. It represented the mainland to which we knew we would one day return.”

Cape Town’s importance to Mandela, who made his first address there as a free man, will doubtless draw many visitors in the wake of his death. The country has transformed itself since Mandela’s imprisonment, but there’s still much to be done. Many in Cape Town have been grappling with that challenge, including its creative class, which has been examining whether inspired design can solve some of the issues stemming from years of inequality.

The city formally takes up that issue this year during its turn as World Design Capital. Cape Town is celebrating design in all its forms, putting on fashion shows by students and established designers alike, hosting architecture open houses, welcoming the public into artists’ studios and folding the annual visual arts spectacular Design Indaba conference, which took place in February, into the design capital program. Also part of the lineup are locals seeking to rejuvenate impoverished black-majority townships: The Maboneng Lalela Project turns township homes into galleries and performance spaces; Foodpods constructs sustainable farms, giving residents access to healthy produce; and the Langa Quarter project seeks to make the precinct a cultural tourism destination.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/10/travel/2014-places-to-go.html?_r=2
 
#202 ·
African vacationers discover attractions of holidays in their home countries

Financial Times


Close encounter: Kenyans now make up 45 per cent of bookings at Saruni, the ‘eco-chic’ lodge in the country’s Samburu area

September 19, 2014 - As a senior east African banking executive, John Ngumi could holiday pretty much where he pleases. But rather than the French Riviera, Venice or Dubai as preferred by his high-rolling Kenyan and Nigerian friends, the Standard Bank director tends to stick to five-star destinations on his own continent.

“I’ve been on holiday to Zanzibar, Rwanda, Uganda and I’m planning on Johannesburg,” says the 58-year-old Kenyan father of three, who owns five cars. “Many Africans, especially those on the up and up, would regard anything described as an ‘African luxury holiday’ as an oxymoron. But the quality is getting higher and higher.”

Africans still make up a small proportion of the world’s 1.1bn cross-border travellers, who spent $1.4tn last year, and still less of its luxury segment. However, hoteliers have no doubt that this proportion is growing.

“Before, anybody who could afford to went to Europe. Now, that is changing. I was amazed by the number of Kenyans on Lake Kivu Serena [in Rwanda] last Christmas,” says Mahmud Janmohamed, managing director of Serena Hotels, which has 24 upmarket properties across five east African countries.

“The market for weddings and anniversaries is growing, and we also have a group of 30 ladies from the elite in Nairobi – in the past they only went to Europe, South Africa and Dubai. Now, their tastes have changed and three times a year they go to our properties here in east Africa.”

Serena’s headquarters are in Kenya, and Mr Janmohamed finds that Kenyans tend to be the most numerous travellers to its Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda properties. South Africans tend to holiday most in Mozambique. Overall, Africans made up 31 per cent of Serena’s clientele last year at its nine upmarket lodgings in Kenya (its biggest market), up 2 per cent on the year before, at 76,174 bed nights.

Africa’s share of world tourism remains tiny relative to its population, however. The UN’s World Tourism Organisation estimates African tourists made up 3.1 per cent of global tourism last year, at 33.4m travellers. But the number is rising, up 73.1 per cent since 2005, more than any other world region.
And while arrivals to Africa grew 6.1 per cent annually from 2005 to 2013, with 56m visitors last year, the growth of African holidaymakers outpaces that, rising 7.1 per cent over the same period.

“With rising levels of disposable income, many emerging economies have shown fast growth over recent years,” says the UNWTO, citing Africa among significant markets.

Nigel Vere Nicholl, chief executive of the UK-based African Travel & Tourism Association, expects more and more Africans to holiday in top-notch spots at home. “There’s very little African tourism really – local people go to the beaches, it’s not a big market,” he says. But he predicts that it “will be the biggest market. Cross-border tourism is the biggest future for tourism in Africa.

“The numbers will rise sharply, because everything is changing: there’s so much money pouring into east and southern Africa. It’s going to happen in the next five to 10 years.”

Safaris are traditionally seen as too “rugged” for African holidaymakers keen to get away from it all. They would traditionally head to the coast rather than endure uncomfortable nights in the bush. But things are beginning to change.

While five-star Russian holidaymakers have revitalised the French Rivieria and Dubai remains the top long-haul luxury destination worldwide, Africa has developed and widened its luxury tourism offering in the past decade and can rely on homegrown appeal as well. However, Mr Vere says the trend for the high end is shifting away from “gold tap safaris” to something more decidedly barefoot and bucket-shower, although no less expensive.

Mr Ngumi believes his peers want “what the Nigerians call being treated like an oga – a big man – wherever you are. If you are in Europe, let’s be candid, on the French Rivieria, you are no match for European aristocracy or any of those celebrities. In Africa, I feel far more at ease, wherever I am.” But he says that while he is not very fond of camping himself, a new wave of ultra-boutique safaris does appeal.

At Saruni, an “eco-chic” lodge on a precipice in a vast wildlife reserve in Kenya’s Samburu area, guests pay $800 per couple to dine in the bush amid the sounds of big game and stargaze late into the night.

Sales manager Fatima Salim says Kenyans now make up 45 per cent of her bookings. Western tourism into Kenya has slumped, after warnings about the risk of terrorism in the wake of an attack on a Nairobi shopping mall, and several deadly coastal raids.

But Ms Salim at Saruni says that Kenyan bookings have held so firm that the company has not had to reduce its prices. “We are getting lots and lots of domestic tourists. Kenyans are really spending – they’re calling every day and booking,” she says. “We’ve only really had a local market for the past two years. Kenyans are realising that they actually have a beautiful country.”
 
#204 ·
Good news indeed!


Domestic and regional tourists is the real tourism.....

The likes of DRC's biggest problem is lack of logistical infrastructures. e.i Roads and Rail. Far East, Far West, Far South East are the ones that have higher economic activies and obsiously with most money spenders, but the only way to get to any of that region from other regions is by airplane and it's more expensive than flying withi the US :nust: :bash:
 
#205 ·
Minor Makes Hotel and Mixed Use Investment in Mozambique


Minor Hotel Group has further expanded its presence in Mozambique through a significant hotel and mixed use investment in the capital Maputo, in addition to increasing its hotel portfolio with the rebranding of existing assets in the country to its Anantara and AVANI brands.

Minor Hotel Group has invested approximately USD 101 million to acquire 49% of a hotel and mixed-use property project in Maputo in a joint venture with Rani Investment LLC. The hotel and mixed-use development consists of the existing 154-key Radisson Blu Hotel, together with a 187-key residential tower and a 21-storey office tower of approximately 20,900 square metres, both of which are under construction. The project is well located in prime Maputo CBD, facing the renowned Maputo Bay. The residential project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015, the majority of which will be retained as rental units. The office project is also expected to be completed by the end of 2015 and will cater to pent-up demand for international quality office space.

As the capital city of Mozambique, Maputo is expected to reap the growth benefit of the country's robust economy, buoyed by foreign investment and emerging domestic consumption, growth in the extracting sector and recent discovery of a substantial offshore natural gas reserve.

In line with its continued growth strategy for Africa, Minor Hotel Group launched its first property, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa in Mozambique, in November 2013, and has recently rebranded two properties which were part of a previous investment partnership with Rani Investments LLC in April 2014.



Representing the first AVANI on the African continent, AVANI Pemba Beach Hotel & Spa provides a prime location in the heart of Pemba for business guests and also attracts leisure guests as a gateway to the Niassa National Reserve and spectacular local diving sites. The hotel is situated in the country's far northern province of Cabo Delgado, and offers 185 guest rooms, suites, villas and apartments. Pemba Airport is accessed from Johannesburg, Maputo, Nairobi and Dar as Salaam.

Located in the Quirimbas Archipelago, a 250 kilometre long string of tropical islands off Mozambique's northern coast, Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort & Spa offers a tranquil hideaway on a paradise private island. The resort offers a boutique collection of 12 thatched beachfront villas, each with their own pool and hammock, and combines sophisticated simplicity with unrivalled hospitality. Anantara Medjumbe Island is home to its own airstrip, a 45-minute light aircraft flight from Pemba Airport.

The Quirimbas Archipelago is also the location of one further property in the portfolio which is currently closed for an extensive renovation, to be rebranded to Anantara Matemo Island Resort & Spa in 2015.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO Minor Hotel Group, commented, "Minor Hotel Group's continued investment with Rani demonstrates absolute confidence in our strategic partnership, as well as in Mozambique's growth prospects. We are delighted to launch the very first AVANI branded hotel in Africa and to grow our luxury Anantara brand, and with our added presence in Maputo, Minor Hotel Group now has investments from the north all the way to the south of Mozambique. Minor Hotel Group's expertise in the hotel and real estate industry, combined with Rani's business expertise and network in Mozambique, will help ensure the effective execution of these properties and new developments."

Rani Investment LLC is the investment arm of Aujan Group Holding with more than USD 300 million of dedicated investments in the Middle East and Africa. Rani Investment LLC is the largest private hospitality owner-operator in Mozambique, having first established its presence in 1999 under the Rani Resorts name.

Salim Bitar, CEO Rani Investment LLC, also commented, "Our relationship with the Minor Hotel Group is built on a shared vision about the potential for economic growth in Africa. We are therefore pleased to join hands again in our newest joint venture in Maputo. This expanding partnership which now covers five locations, represents our commitment to bring world-class brands and services to our destinations, and to continue making significant investments in the hospitality and tourism sectors in Mozambique."
http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article79923.html
 
#207 ·

Welcome to the Swahili International Tourism Expo (S!TE)

1 - 4 October 2014
Mlimani City Conference Complex, Dar-es-Salaam
Admission is reserved for delegates over 16 years of age

Swahili International Tourism Expo (S!TE) is Tanzania’s first ever International Tourism Expo, developed by Tanzania Tourist Board. The Expo will be held annually in October at the Mlimani City Convention Centre in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital located along the coastline of Tanzania, East Africa. S!TE will focus on inbound and outbound travel to Africa and is expected to draw hundreds of tourism and travel professionals from all over the world.

The Expo will take the format of a travel and trade exhibition with a conference element focusing on topical tourism, sustainability, conservation and other market related issues. TTB has appointed a leading exhibition and events management company, Pure Grit Project and Exhibition Management Ltd. to partner with them. Pure Grit Project and Exhibition Management Ltd. has many years of experience in managing local and international trade events within various business sectors.

Don't miss this opportunity to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with the global travel trade.




Opening times:
1 October 09:00 - 18:00 Conference, Trade and Media
2 October 09:00 - 18:00 Conference, Trade and Media
3 October 09:00 – 12:00 Trade and Media
12:00 – 18:00 Trade and Public
4 October 09:00 – 17:00 Public




 
#208 ·
Mozambique engages Botswana agents to boost tourism

MAPUTO: The Mozambique Tourism Authority (MTA) and hotels in the country are wooing travel consultants in Botswana to start marketing their country’s tourism products.
Over the weekend Botswana travel consultants visited Maputo in a bid to build relations with hotels and tour operators in the country.

MTA marketing manager Jeremias Manussa said Mozambique would continue engaging tourism players in other countries to market the country.

“We are trying to resuscitate the country’s tourism to be ranked among the best in Africa. One way of doing it is building strong relationships with tourism players from other countries among them Botswana so that they market us to tourists,” he said.

He further said travel agents in Botswana deal with a lot of leisure and corporate tourists, adding that he wants them to market the country to potential investors.

Commercial and marketing manager at TD Hotels Diogo Gomes said they invited travel agents to show them what the country has to offer.

“We wanted to afford them an opportunity to see what exactly we offer so that when they market us, they are well accustomed with our products and also give us feedback as to where we should improve,” said Diogo Gomes, commercial and marketing manager at TD Hotels.

Manussa further said that the country is currently putting in place a few measures to position itself as a tourism destination of choice in the African continent.

“The government recently approved a strategy which will only allow tourism investment in some areas. It will be put into use soon. This is part of the country’s efforts to turn the country into a tourism powerhouse within the next decade,” he said.

The Mozambique government is also drawing a strategy devoted to creating a partnership between the private sector and government, in the development of the tourism sector. Tourism contributes slightly above five percent to Mozambique’s economy.

Manussa added that the country is also improving its infrastructure in a bid to position itself as one of the tourism hubs on the African continent. “We recently completed a new state-of-the-art airport in the Nampula province as part of the country’s plans to boost the tourism industry. Good infrastructure is critical if we are to take our tourism industry to another level in the country,” he said.

Mmegi witnessed that most roads around Maputo are being revamped following years of war and political instability. There is also a lot of construction of commercial buildings in and around Maputo and Manussa said the developments would also support tourism growth in the country.

Manussa also said the country has over 46,000 beds spread across hundreds of hotels around the country, which will support tourism growth in the country.

“The available accommodation can support millions of tourists coming into the country. I however acknowledge that our hotels will have to revamp some of the facilities within the next years. In fact some have already started renovations,” he said.

Mozambique receives approximately two million tourists annually. Manussa said the number could double in the next decade with vigorous marketing and improvement of infrastructure.
- See more at: http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=46263
 
#210 ·
Wyndham Hotel Group Signs First Upscale Property in Africa​

NAIROBI, Kenya (Sept. 25, 2014) – Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company with approximately 7,540 hotels and part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), today announced the signing of a management agreement for the first upscale Wyndham Hotels and Resorts® property in Africa, the Wyndham Amboseli Golf Resort and Spa, close to the Amboseli National Park in Kenya.

The 290-room resort, complete with an 18-hole golf course, conference centre and spa, is expected to open in 2017, becoming the second Wyndham Hotel Group brand to launch in the country following the signing earlier this year of the first Ramada® hotel in Nairobi.

The addition of Wyndham Amboseli Golf Resort and Spa continues the rapid growth of the company’s namesake brand in the Middle East and Africa, joining five other Wyndham Hotels and Resorts properties under development in the region. Other locations under construction include the iconic twisted glass façade of Wyndham Grand Manama in Bahrain and the 497-room Wyndham Dubai Marina in the United Arab Emirates, both expected to open in 2015.

“As Kenya’s economy continues to grow, demand continues to increase for internationally renowned, world-class brands in virtually all segments, from budget through to upscale and extended stay,” said Bani Haddad, Wyndham Hotel Group’s regional vice president for the Middle East and Africa. “With Wyndham Amboseli Golf Resort and Spa catering to discerning leisure and business travellers and Ramada Nairobi welcoming business guests in the capital, Wyndham Hotel Group will be well placed to cater to both international and domestic travel needs in Kenya.”

Wyndham Amboseli Golf Resort and Spa will be located approximately 160 kilometres (100 miles) from Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, bordering the country’s second most-visited national park. Offering stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro and the surrounding nature reserves, the resort will combine state-of-the-art, flexible meeting space with fitness facilities including swimming pools and a tennis court.

“Our vision for the 400-acre site was to create a new class of luxury resort incorporating not only world-class golf and spa facilities but also a 300-delegate capacity, international standard conference centre as well as serviced plots for the development of private cottages,” said Dr. Anthony Monyo, chairman of Wyndham Amboseli Golf Resort and Spa. “The Wyndham® brand, with its upscale positioning and strong global footprint, provided the ideal fit and I’m extremely proud to be partnering with Wyndham Hotel Group to bring the brand to Africa for the first time.”

In addition to the 18-hole championship golf course, the development will include what is expected to be the country’s first executive nine-hole course, designed for golf enthusiasts with limited time.

Guests staying at the hotel who are members of Wyndham Rewards®, the free-to-join guest loyalty programme of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and parent company Wyndham Hotel Group, will be able to earn valuable points during their stay. Points may be redeemed for a wide variety of reward options including free hotel stays, air travel, gift cards for leading retailers and more. Information is available at www.wyndhamrewards.com.
 
#211 ·
Medical tourism growing as more travel to Kenya

The East African

October 6 2014 - Kenya is positioning itself as a medical hub, taking services to other East African countries and offering credit to patients who finance health bills out of their own pockets.

With growth in technology and many specialised medical practitioners in the region, many patients in East Africa are now opting to come into the country as it is nearer home for the same medical treatment they seek abroad.

These patients come from Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and some from as far as Zambia, Malawi and Congo to seek medical services that include in vitro fertilisation (IVF), open heart surgery, cancer treatment, kidney transplant, neurological disorders and diagnostics services.

Stephen Masinde director of A&K Global Health, a medical tourism firm, said they bring about 200 patients per month into the country with the majority (about 70 per cent) coming for IVF.

“We expect to be bringing in 2,000 patients a month in the next one year,” said Mr Masinde.

He added that previously patients had to rely on their own research or recommendations to choose a hospital in Kenya. This was tricky for some as they did not have a contact person before travelling for medical care.

But now medical tourism firms in Kenya market the available medical services, cost and state of hospitals in the country to potential clients in neighbouring countries.

“Once we get the patients, we then handle the logistics — bookings and medical billing issues,” said Mr Masinde.

“We seek to connect patients to the best healthcare options, where they can evaluate the various options of treatment, access a wider range of experts and the best treatment at the lowest cost,” he added.

However, there has been another challenge across the region: Money with which to pay the medical bills.

“Medical tourism firms are now closing in on this by extending loans at interest. The money is paid at an agreed time after the patient is treated,” he said.

The loan, according to Mr Masinde, can be from 30 per cent of the total medical cost to 70 per cent. But in cases where there is collateral, it can go as high as 100 per cent.

Some providers are now working with insurance firms and banks to provide financing options that would have been unavailable to individuals.

Besides bringing patients into Kenya for medical care, medical tourism firms are taking the services to the patients in their home countries as another way of marketing the country as a medical hub.

“For example, we have partnered with hospitals in Ethiopia to take our doctors there to conduct up to 5,000 open heart surgeries next month,” said Mr Masinde.

“For the slightly complicated cases that need more attention, the patients will be brought here; for the more complicated cases that cannot be handled by our doctors, we shall get doctors from India to conduct the surgeries.”

It is estimated that about a million people have heart-related diseases in the country. However, a number of these can only be handled abroad.

....rest of story
 
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