�Africa Travel Magazine .
africaafricaTravel Magazine.
ATA 34th World Congress EditionATA 34th World Congress EditionCairo, Egypt, May 17-22, 2009
In this issue:Africa’s Regions ATA Congress Preview Africa and USAEvents: 1975-2010 Destination ProfilesPre-Post Tours Directory
�Africa Travel Magazine .
Africa on the
World Scene By Jerry W. Bird
After 34 years staging major events in over 25 countries and 30 African cities, the Africa Travel Association has earned its place as one of world’s most reliable,
informed sources on travel to, from and within Africa. This magazine has been on the front line for many of those years - and that’s why our 14th Anniversary Project is so exciting! We’re developing a library of ‘World Edition’ magazines and resource books - in print, online and in audio visual format. We profile each of 5 Sub Regions of Africa defined by the UN.1. Northern Africa World EditionAlgeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Western Sahara. We have a wealth of material on Morocco and Tunisia - and will be spending some valuable weeks in Egypt this spring when we attend the ATA 34th World Congress in Cairo. The Egypt section of this edition is well advanced and will be further enhanced with fresh stories following the Congress.2. Western Africa World EditionBenin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Togo. This issue is available for preview on our magazine’s 4,000 page website which ranks #1 on Google and Yahoo for many searches, generating over a million hits per month. Our final version will be in November, when Togo hosts the ATA 12th Cultural and Ecotourism Symposium. To date, we have profiles on Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal and are adding Cameroon, Gabon and Angola, which touch the West Atlantic Coast, 3. Central Africa World EditionAngola, Cameroon, Central African Rep., Chad, Congo, Congo (D.R.), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe. By combining Cameroon, Gabon and Angola with our first Western Africa production, we have a head start. Other Central African Countries will be added later.4. Eastern Africa World EditionBurundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe. We are well advanced on Tanzania and Zanzibar and have a large standing file of articles on Kenya and Uganda.
Photo, Abuja Carnival, Nigeria by Muguette Goufrani. Cover photo Copyright © 2007 Egyptian Tourist Authority
Who benefits from our Africa Travel Library and World Editions?
�Africa Travel Magazine .
color printing was priced beyond most clients’ budgets, while typesetting was a world of its own. However, I decided from day one to learn everything I could to master the media - to use every tool available at the time and be on the lookout for new developments. At my first World’s Fair, I was fascinated by the spectacular Audio Visual features, which led to my
own advertising agency and recording studio, winning Awards for Creative Excellence in Audio Visual Production at the United States Industrial Film Festival. Who could have dreamed of such things as the Internet and desktop publishing - or the magic of Google, my best and most constant friend since we first met. I used Google research to develop the text for a 90 page book, my second in a series on National Highway Systems. Best of Africa World EditionsWe have been working on books for the 5 Sub Regions of Africa simultaneously. For example, we are about to print our second Ethiopia edition and will be producing updates annually. There are almost 50 pages on Tanzania alone since we returned from ATA’s 33rd World Congress in
5. Southern Africa World EditionBotswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland. This will be our second issue involving the SADC countries and we hope to have the issue ready to present at Indaba 2009 this May.
Others: Africa’s Air Highways; Culinary Africa World Edition; Africa Fashion World Edition Countless Benefits: Executive Director, Edward Bergman (right) has accelerated the Africa Travel Association’s ‘Partnership Program,’ with industry leaders, including show managers. His vision and direction has opened doors - giving us more venues to present Africa’s story in printed form and on the video screen. With the Africa Travel Library, agents can improve their knowledge about Africa and sharpen their presentation skills. The program will help teachers and trainers worldwide, and will encourage Africans to learn more about themselves. Where do we start? In building what we call the Africa Travel Library based on a series of World Editions, our editorial team started at its established base. We’ve selected the ”Best of Africa” from the magazine’s archives; positive stories and powerful images from the many countries we have visited, plus a wealth of material from a network of correspondents and authors. Modern Media MagicToday’s world of communications has placed tremendous resources in our hands, almost unbelievable from the day I began my media career with The Edmonton Journal in Alberta, Canada. At that time,
Arusha, World Safari Capital, where we took part in two other world class events. . So you may ask - how do you produce five comprehensive regional editions in just one year? We do by employing one of the marvels of the digital age - the Portable Document Format (pdf) developed by Adobe. I call these efforts my ‘Big Little Books,’ although some titles will grow
beyond 150 pages, since we believe in constant updates to keep the information timely - and allow our advertisers to make important changes in their messages. This concept allows us to launch our Africa Travel Library early, with Electronic Editions, some of which are nearing completion; others are but a few months away. Here is the current timetable for two basic formats available: 1. Printed Editions• Single Destination Profiles starting with “Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.” This issue will soon be in its second printing with
new sections added.• Africa Travel Association Semi- Annual Yearbook EditionsWe have been producing event issues for ATA since 1996, as follows: Spring Marketing Focus featuring ATA’s Annual World Congress. This year’s event will be May 17-22 in Cairo, EgyptFall Marketing Focus produced for ATA’s 12th Cultural and Ecotourism Symposium. This year’s presentation will be in November, in Lome, Togo, West Africa.2. Electronic EditionsA pdf copy of each printed edition will be available for download, printing and circulation from our magazine’s website, allied sites and ‘Corporate Press Display,’ world’s largest online kiosk for magazines and newspapers that reaches libraries and Fortune 500 companies. Over.
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Circulation and Promotion at Travel Shows Making a Positive Impact
By Muguette Goufrani Since 1995, scheduled events have been the perfect environment for marketing Africa. In the beginning we created our own shows, such as the “Air and Marine Tourism Conference” in Vancouver, which headlined 20 top speakers. For APEC ‘97 Summit we printed 10,000 special issues. We provided copies to IATA Airport Managers at another event. At the UN World Urban Forum, also hosted by Vancouver, we met and toured a group of African
Mayors. We’ve worked with ATA across the USA, from New York to Houston, Orlando, Seattle and Las Vegas. Travel Show Managers have shown keen interest in ATA and our magazine as a catalyst for attracting an increasing number of exhibitors to their events.
Photo by Muguette Goufrani
Building Solid African Participation at EventsAt our first Adventures in Travel Expo in New York City, less than 10 exhibits comprised the Africa Section. The following year, thanks to our groundwork, plus follow-up advertising, the number of Africa exhibitors quadrupled. This pattern set the stage for this year’s launch of our World Editions at ITB Berlin, largest travel trade show on the globe. Africa Travel Magazines and CDs will be available from African Section exhibitors.
AFRICA• ATA 34th World Congress, Cairo, • ATA Eco-Cultural Syposium, Togo• Indaba 2009, Durban, South Africa• East Africa Karibu Fair, Tanzania• African Diaspora Heritage Trail, • Leon H. Sullivan Summit, RwandaEUROPE, ASIA• ITB Travel Trade Show, Berlin• World Travel Market, London• International Travel Expo, ChinaUSA/ CANADA • Adventures in Travel Expo New York, Chicago, Washington, Seattle and Los Angeles• ASTA - The Trade Show, Las Vegas• New York Times Travel Show• Boston Globe Travel Show• Los Angeles Times Travel Show• Atlanta Travel Expo• Palm Beach Travel Expo, Florida• Houston International Festival• NBC 5 Travel Expo, Los Angeles• World Religious Travel Expo• Travelers’ Philanthropy Conference• Toronto Ultimate Travel Show• Ottawa Travel Show• Adventure Travel Summit, Quebec• Montreal International Travel Show• Globe 2010, Vancouver, BC
To order advertising e-mail: [email protected] To view many pages in our coming editions visit http://www.africa-ata.
ATA WORLD CONGRESS2009: Cairo, Egypt 2008: Arusha, Tanzania2007: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia2006: Accra, Ghana2005: Nairobi, Kenya2004: Douala, Cameroon2003: Lusaka,Livingstone, Zambia2002: Conakry, Guinea2001: Cape Town, South Africa2000: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia1999: Accra, Ghana1998: Arusha, Tanzania1997: Cotonou, Benin1996: Windhoek, Namibia1995: Nairobi, Kenya1994: Accra, Ghana1993: Lusaka, Zambia1992: Ivory Coast1991: Cairo, Egypt1990: Casablanca, Morocco1989: New York, New York 1988: Harare, Zimbabwe1987: Douala, Cameroon1986: Atlanta, Georgia1985: Nairobi, Kenya1984: Banjul, The Gambia1983: Cairo, Egypt
1982: Lome, Togo1981: Lusaka, Zambia1980: Libreville, Gabon1979: Tangier, Morocco1978: Sousse/Monastir, Tunisia
1977: Abidjan, Ivory Coast
�Africa Travel Magazine .
Obama Sparks Interest U.S. Travel to Africa “All over Africa, we can see how excited everyone is about President Obama’s connection to the continent,” said Edward Bergman, ATA Executive Director. “We have already seen a surge in interest about travel specials to Africa not only to Kenya, where President Obama traces his roots, but also throughout East Africa.”Surge of Interest ATA, the world’s leading global travel trade organization, is gearing up for its Second Annual U.S.-Africa Tourism Seminar. The two-day event takes place at the Washington Convention Center from February 19-20, immediately prior to the Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE). The seminar’s timing and location affords ATA an opportunity to build on the recent historic events, including President Obama’s commitment to service. With travel to Africa on the rise and an emerging interest in Africa as a culture and heritage destination, Africa is garnering more and more attention from American tourists as one of the world’s premier travel destinations Sports, Adventure, Diaspora Focusing on sports, adventure and diaspora travel and tourism, the seminar will showcase Africa as a top tourism destination from the U.S., as well as a site for investment and business opportunity in one of the world’s fastest growing tourism markets. Manute Bol, former NBA star and Ethiopian Airlines official spokesperson, will speak about different possibilities for responsible tourism and sports tourism in Africa. Stephen Hayes, President of the Corporate Council on Africa, and Edward Bergman, among other travel professionals, will speak about tourism policy choices at the opening plenary session.Sthu Zungu, President of South African Tourism-USA, will speak about travel trends, relating to who is traveling to
Africa, why they are going, and what can be improved on the travel front to increase communities can serve as Africa’s tourism ambassadors in the U.S. tourism markets.Branding Africa
Panelists will also speak about branding and marketing Destination Africa and Africa’s newest travel products, particularly in the areas of sports tourism, and adventure travel.Tourism experts and industry professionals from the U.S. and Africa, particularly travel agents and tour operators who market, sell
and specialize in Africa, are expected to attend the seminar, as well as ministers of tourism, representatives from Washington D.C.’s diplomatic community, and Africa’s national tourism offices.African American Family Representatives of the Spring Bank, Virginia Quanders family (1684), referred to as ‘America’s oldest documented African American family’ by Ebony and Jet magazines, will attend the event. Henderson Travel Services, the first African American travel agency in the U.S. to specialize in sending visitors to Africa, will also participate.Public relations firms specializing in marketing Africa destinations, such as the Bradford Group, will participate in the seminar, alongside faculty and students from George Washington University. ATA welcomes travel industry professionals to participate in the ATE expo immediately following the seminar. ATA members should contact ATA for discounts to exhibit. To register and to find more information on the seminar, as well as sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.africatravelassociation.org/ata/events/uats.htm
FOR A FULL PROFILE OF TRAVEL SHOWS AND EVENTS ASK ABOUT OUR “VENUES” WORLD EDITION.
�Africa Travel Magazine .
In Africa, it’s Festival SeasonAll Year Round!
Whether its Ghana’s Panafest, Nigeria’s Abuja Carnival, the East Africa Karibu Fair, Ethiopia’s Timkat, Mali’s Festival of the Desert or Zanzibar’s Sounds of Wisdom Music Festival, there’s a cultural activity to suit every taste. Learn more in our World Editions, one for each of five UN Sub Regions in the Africa Travel Library. Get places, names and dates of coming events in our Venues World Edition. E-mail [email protected] visit www.africa-ata.org/venues.htm
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Photos: (L)Hon. Zoheir Garranah, Minister of Tourism of Egypt (R) Robert Whitley, President, USTOA
Minister Expresses Optimism American Tourism to Egypt showed a dramatic increase of arrivals in 2008 over the previous year according to an announcement made by the Hon. Zoheir Garranah, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism. “We had 319,000 thousand visitors from the US last year, representing a 17% increase.” According to Hon. Garranah, “Egypt is optimistic that despite the challenging economic climate, this growth will continue because we have an excellent, diverse, high quality tourism product that offers Americans great value for the dollar.” The Minister added, “we are confident that the travel industry will bounce back and we will be ready. Infrastructure We have modernized our airports, ports, roads and we are now working on our railway networks. Regarding hotel investment, Egypt has been very successful in attracting international investment in tourism. It Is interesting to note that the US has the largest market share among foreign hotel management companies. By the end of 2008, we had 211,000 guest rooms with 156, 000 under construction, 70% of which are at Egypt’s coastal resorts.”Egypt a Proud Host The fact that Egypt is hosting four major US-based travel industry organizations within an eight month period is another indicator of the popularity of that destination in America. Mr. Sayed Khalifa, Director, Egyptian Tourist Office in New York, noted that “the American Tourism Society (ATS) held a conference in Cairo in October, 2008. This spring
EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF TOURISM ANNOUNCES DRAMATIC INCREASE OF TOURISTS FROM AMERICAN MARKET IN 2008
we are hosting the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Freelance Council February 2-10, 2009, the United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA) Executive Council in March 2-11, 2009 and the Annual Africa Travel Association International Congress, May 17-21, 2009.” Egypt Air, now a partner in the Star Alliance, has been offering special rates for delegates to these industry conferences. Much of this optimism is supported by US-based tour operators. Robert Whitley, President, USTOA, said “In these times when many Americans are cutting back on travel, the real bright spot is Egypt which has enjoyed growth while other destinations have had declines. USTOA is excited about going to Egypt with the hope that more tour operators will include Egypt in their programs and tour operators who currently have Egypt programs will expand their product.”Phil Otterson, Sr. VP External Affairs, Tauck World Discovery and President, the American Tourism Society (ATS), said “Exotic destinations that offer value for the dollar, such as Egypt, are doing quite well in 2009. We are very pleased that as a result of the ATS conference, some of our members who had never been to Egypt before, were so impressed with the quality of the tourism experience there, that they are now including Egypt in their tour programs.”“One of the strengths of our destination,” added Mr. Khalifa, “is that it has such a diverse range of activities and accommodation, that there are tours that appeal to the high end luxury client as well as for those on more limited budgets.” Mohamed Anwar, President, Lotus International Tours, said “we expect an
increase in traffic in 2009 despite the economic climate. At Lotus there is a demand for lower cost trips and we can offer quality Egyptian programs for limited budgets. In fact the demand for Egypt is so high for this coming summer, that Lotus is adding one more student package to its Egyptian programs.”“2008 was an excellent year for US tourism to Egypt and we expect that 2009 will be equally as good, “said, Ronen Paldi, President, Ya’lla Tours USA. “Egypt is what we call an ‘emotional’ destination. Our clients want to go to fulfill their once-in-a-lifetime dream, to see the world famous Pyramids, take a Nile cruise stopping Luxor and Aswan. For this reason, Egypt has proven to be almost ‘recession’ proof. Ya’lla has experienced a steady flow of bookings since the New Year and we have not had to compromise our high standard or quality of our large selection of tour options.” Adam Leavitt, Vice President Marketing at Trafalgar said “Egypt tours have been growing steadily in popularity over the past few years. Our passenger numbers for 2007 Egypt tours were up 35% over 2006, with 2008 up 44% over 2007. 2009 is looking strong as well, and we are over 35% ahead with our 2009 bookings year to date. Given the current state of outbound international travel in general, these numbers are incredibly encouraging and speak well to another successful year for Trafalgar’s tours to this region. We see this increase in popularity as a result of both the incredible value that escorted touring provides in visiting exotic destinations as well as the desire on the part of our passenger to visit Egypt knowing that all of the details and any of their concerns are being handled by experts.”
Egypt Tourist Authority/ATA- USA Road Show Promotes Congress ATA had 3 successful Destination Egypt evenings, one in Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles. ATA members are excited about coming to Egypt. Post tour options will include visits to some of Egypt’s new archaeological discoveries, a cruise on one of the new state-of-the-art luxury boats on the Nile, and visits to the coastal City of Alexandria and the resort of Sharm El Sheikh.For more information visit www.africatravelassociaiton.org
�Africa Travel Magazine .
Home to the world’s most ancient sites and famous monuments, including the Giza Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, the Nile and Red Sea coral reefs, and Sharm El Sheik resort, as well as the grand Khan El Khalily market, Egypt stands as one of the African continent’s top travel draws.
Egypt to Host ATA 34th Annual Congress, May 2009 The Egyptian Tourism Ministry, in coopera-tion with the Egyptian Tourist Authority, will host the Africa Travel Association’s 34th Annual Congress in Cairo, May 17-22, 2009.A joint announcement was made by Hon. Zoheir Garranah, Egyptian Tourism Minis-ter, and Edward Bergman, ATA Executive Directorat “It is with great pride that we are now working with ATA to welcome the world to Egypt for ATA’s Annual Con-gress,” said Minister Garranah. “We look forward to welcoming the world to our country.”Connecting Destination Africa Under the above banner, ATA’s hallmark event will be attended by African tourism ministers, national tourism board direc-
tors, private sector leaders, travel agents, tour operators, heads of nongovernmental organizations, scholars, and members of the media, who will discuss together chal-lenges related to global tour-ism promotion to Africa.“ATA is looking forward to engaging with the world’s leading travel specialists to bring the world to Africa,” Bergman said. “By combin-ing Egypt’s unique capacity to achieve record numbers in tourist arrivals with ATA’s ability to bring diverse industry leaders together to shape Africa’s tourism agenda, this meeting holds tremendous promise for change in the industry and the global mar-ketplace.”Active in ATA since 1983 ATA held its eighth congress in Cairo; its 16th was held in 1991. Today, tourism is the largest source of foreign currency rev-enue in Egypt and authorities plan to wel-come 16 million tourism arrivals by 2014. “We anticipate that the 2009 Congress will not only help Egypt reach its target, but it will also help the country generate
even more tourism growth from the U.S. and Africa, as well as from Asia and the Caribbean” said Bergman.The Congress, to be held at the Cairo In-
ternational Conference Center (CICC), will run for five days, engaging participants in work-ing discussions on a range of topics, such as intra-African industry cooperation, infrastruc-ture development and invest-ment opportunities. Roundtables for ministers, suppliers, travel agents and tour operators, along-side special networking events, a
marketplace expo, and ATA Young Profes-sionals events, will also be held. For the first time, ATA will also organize network-ing opportunities for Africans living in the Diaspora as part of its new Africa Diaspora Initiative.“Egypt also stands as an example for other African destinations to turn to, especially given that foreign and Egyptian investments helped drive the tourism boom by helping the government target coast regions and build supportive tourism infrastructure, including accommodation stock and better
airport services. In fact, ATA delegates will arrive in Egypt’s newly opened internation-al airport,” said Bergman.Host Country Pre Post Tours Egypt will organize a Host Country Day for delegates, who will have the opportunity to explore some of these tourism spots, as well as many more. Pre and post-country tours will also be offered.To prepare for the event, ATA sent a delega-tion to Egypt in August for a site inspec-tion. The team met Hon. Zoheir Garranah, Minister of Tourism, Mr. Amr El Ezabi, Chairman of the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA), as well as Mr. Riad Kabil, Secretary General of the Egyptian Travel Agents As-sociation, a 1,600-member association.The ATA delegation also met Captain Taw-fik Assy, Chair of Egyptair Holding Com-pany, and Mr. Ashraf Osman, EGYPTAIR’s General Manager of Sales to introduce the association and the congress. of the event. For more information on Egypt, visit the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA) website at www.egypt.travel.
Conference Centre, Cairo, Egyptian Tourist Authority: Bertrand/hemis.fr
“THE ROMANCE OF EGYPT BECKONS ATA’S WORLDWIDE MEMBERSHIP TO EXPERIENCE ATTRACTIONS OF THE AGES, MAY 17-22, 2009”Conference Centre, Cairo, Egyptian Tourist Authority: Bertrand/hemis.fr Alexandria, Catacombs, Egyptian Tourist Authority, Bertrand/hemis.fr
The Souk, Egyptian Tourist Authority, Bertrand/hemis.fr
Aswan, Old Cataract Hotel, Egyptian Tourist Authority: Bertrand/hemis.fr
Red Sea hanging coral reef and diver, Eyptian Tourist Authority: Armaud/ hemis.fr
Photo courtesy of ATA/ Bradford Marketiing
Cairo,, Night view: Nick Gosling
�Africa Travel Magazine .
Home to the world’s most ancient sites and famous monuments, including the Giza Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, the Nile and Red Sea coral reefs, and Sharm El Sheik resort, as well as the grand Khan El Khalily market, Egypt stands as one of the African continent’s top travel draws.
Egypt to Host ATA 34th Annual Congress, May 2009 The Egyptian Tourism Ministry, in coopera-tion with the Egyptian Tourist Authority, will host the Africa Travel Association’s 34th Annual Congress in Cairo, May 17-22, 2009.A joint announcement was made by Hon. Zoheir Garranah, Egyptian Tourism Minis-ter, and Edward Bergman, ATA Executive Directorat “It is with great pride that we are now working with ATA to welcome the world to Egypt for ATA’s Annual Con-gress,” said Minister Garranah. “We look forward to welcoming the world to our country.”Connecting Destination Africa Under the above banner, ATA’s hallmark event will be attended by African tourism ministers, national tourism board direc-
tors, private sector leaders, travel agents, tour operators, heads of nongovernmental organizations, scholars, and members of the media, who will discuss together chal-lenges related to global tour-ism promotion to Africa.“ATA is looking forward to engaging with the world’s leading travel specialists to bring the world to Africa,” Bergman said. “By combin-ing Egypt’s unique capacity to achieve record numbers in tourist arrivals with ATA’s ability to bring diverse industry leaders together to shape Africa’s tourism agenda, this meeting holds tremendous promise for change in the industry and the global mar-ketplace.”Active in ATA since 1983 ATA held its eighth congress in Cairo; its 16th was held in 1991. Today, tourism is the largest source of foreign currency rev-enue in Egypt and authorities plan to wel-come 16 million tourism arrivals by 2014. “We anticipate that the 2009 Congress will not only help Egypt reach its target, but it will also help the country generate
even more tourism growth from the U.S. and Africa, as well as from Asia and the Caribbean” said Bergman.The Congress, to be held at the Cairo In-
ternational Conference Center (CICC), will run for five days, engaging participants in work-ing discussions on a range of topics, such as intra-African industry cooperation, infrastruc-ture development and invest-ment opportunities. Roundtables for ministers, suppliers, travel agents and tour operators, along-side special networking events, a
marketplace expo, and ATA Young Profes-sionals events, will also be held. For the first time, ATA will also organize network-ing opportunities for Africans living in the Diaspora as part of its new Africa Diaspora Initiative.“Egypt also stands as an example for other African destinations to turn to, especially given that foreign and Egyptian investments helped drive the tourism boom by helping the government target coast regions and build supportive tourism infrastructure, including accommodation stock and better
airport services. In fact, ATA delegates will arrive in Egypt’s newly opened internation-al airport,” said Bergman.Host Country Pre Post Tours Egypt will organize a Host Country Day for delegates, who will have the opportunity to explore some of these tourism spots, as well as many more. Pre and post-country tours will also be offered.To prepare for the event, ATA sent a delega-tion to Egypt in August for a site inspec-tion. The team met Hon. Zoheir Garranah, Minister of Tourism, Mr. Amr El Ezabi, Chairman of the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA), as well as Mr. Riad Kabil, Secretary General of the Egyptian Travel Agents As-sociation, a 1,600-member association.The ATA delegation also met Captain Taw-fik Assy, Chair of Egyptair Holding Com-pany, and Mr. Ashraf Osman, EGYPTAIR’s General Manager of Sales to introduce the association and the congress. of the event. For more information on Egypt, visit the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA) website at www.egypt.travel.
Conference Centre, Cairo, Egyptian Tourist Authority: Bertrand/hemis.fr
“THE ROMANCE OF EGYPT BECKONS ATA’S WORLDWIDE MEMBERSHIP TO EXPERIENCE ATTRACTIONS OF THE AGES, MAY 17-22, 2009”Conference Centre, Cairo, Egyptian Tourist Authority: Bertrand/hemis.fr Alexandria, Catacombs, Egyptian Tourist Authority, Bertrand/hemis.fr
The Souk, Egyptian Tourist Authority, Bertrand/hemis.fr
Aswan, Old Cataract Hotel, Egyptian Tourist Authority: Bertrand/hemis.fr
Red Sea hanging coral reef and diver, Eyptian Tourist Authority: Armaud/ hemis.fr
Photo courtesy of ATA/ Bradford Marketiing
Cairo,, Night view: Nick Gosling
�0Africa Travel Magazine .
I am Ghana Many travelers call me “the smile of the face of Africa.” Gha-nains living, working and traveling overseas have been my warm and friendly ambassadors, spreading the good word about my many charms. In case you were unaware, once again I have had the pleasure of hosting the Africa Travel Association del-egates from the USA, Canada and Africa. My tourism commu-nity awaits your happy return in May, 2006- and its members will roll out the welcome mat, woven in tradtional Kente cloth, naturally. My blessings, beauty and bounty are well known to members of ATA who have visited my sunny shores, but for oth-ers an exciting surprise awaits. Here’s are some interesting and complimentary comments the editors have to say about me: Warm Friendships Blossom Years before we set foot in West Africa, we had met many Ghanaians and found them to be one of the most outgo-ing, friendly races of people on the planet. During the historic ATA-WTO World Congress in 1999, we were impressed by the way Accra prepared for the millennium, with an infrastructure of wide highways, overpasses and boulevards, plus buildings, a new sports stadium and convention facilities of which any nation would be proud. Stories of the sights we saw and folks we met would fill volumes, so be prepared for our next few issues, where we can expand. Colorful Festival, Enchanting Vistas Here are a few of my most memorable experiences: (1) Koforidua and the colorful Durbar ceremonies.(2) Our motor coach trip along the Cape Coast. (3) Kakum Na-tional Forest, with its six swinging bridges. (4) Historic Kumasi with its king’s palace and weavers of famous Kente cloth. Among our many purchases in Ghana were multicolored Kente caps, which attract attention at home or away, especially at the travel trade shows we exhibit in across North America. We could have sold those Kente caps and shirts many times. What we saw en route, on the highways and byways was a story in itself. Small wonder we kept running out of film for the cameras. Looking Back with Pride Here’s a capsule profile of Ghana: “A darker era saw many of our people, and those of other African lands, leave our shores for the plantations of America and the Caribbean, creating the biggest Diaspora the world has ever seen. Today, citizens of many states around the world still acknowledge and treasure their family links with Ghana, returning to explore those links and to experience the soul of their motherland. Today, come home to Ghana, the gateway to that African Heritage.”This article is continued in this edition. For more visit www.ghana.gov.gh/tourists
Visit friendly Ghana “The smile on the face of Africa.”
Ghana Tourist Board: [email protected] . http://www.ghana.gov.gh/tourists/
��Africa Travel Magazine .
I am Ghana Many travelers call me “the smile of the face of Africa.” Gha-nains living, working and traveling overseas have been my warm and friendly ambassadors, spreading the good word about my many charms. In case you were unaware, once again I have had the pleasure of hosting the Africa Travel Association del-egates from the USA, Canada and Africa. My tourism commu-nity awaits your happy return in May, 2006- and its members will roll out the welcome mat, woven in tradtional Kente cloth, naturally. My blessings, beauty and bounty are well known to members of ATA who have visited my sunny shores, but for oth-ers an exciting surprise awaits. Here’s are some interesting and complimentary comments the editors have to say about me: Warm Friendships Blossom Years before we set foot in West Africa, we had met many Ghanaians and found them to be one of the most outgo-ing, friendly races of people on the planet. During the historic ATA-WTO World Congress in 1999, we were impressed by the way Accra prepared for the millennium, with an infrastructure of wide highways, overpasses and boulevards, plus buildings, a new sports stadium and convention facilities of which any nation would be proud. Stories of the sights we saw and folks we met would fill volumes, so be prepared for our next few issues, where we can expand. Colorful Festival, Enchanting Vistas Here are a few of my most memorable experiences: (1) Koforidua and the colorful Durbar ceremonies.(2) Our motor coach trip along the Cape Coast. (3) Kakum Na-tional Forest, with its six swinging bridges. (4) Historic Kumasi with its king’s palace and weavers of famous Kente cloth. Among our many purchases in Ghana were multicolored Kente caps, which attract attention at home or away, especially at the travel trade shows we exhibit in across North America. We could have sold those Kente caps and shirts many times. What we saw en route, on the highways and byways was a story in itself. Small wonder we kept running out of film for the cameras. Looking Back with Pride Here’s a capsule profile of Ghana: “A darker era saw many of our people, and those of other African lands, leave our shores for the plantations of America and the Caribbean, creating the biggest Diaspora the world has ever seen. Today, citizens of many states around the world still acknowledge and treasure their family links with Ghana, returning to explore those links and to experience the soul of their motherland. Today, come home to Ghana, the gateway to that African Heritage.”This article is continued in this edition. For more visit www.ghana.gov.gh/tourists
Visit friendly Ghana “The smile on the face of Africa.”
Ghana Tourist Board: [email protected] . http://www.ghana.gov.gh/tourists/
��Africa Travel Magazine .
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tanzania’s amaz-ing Ngorongoro Crater is truly a photographer’s paradise, and ideal for photo safaris. That is what our ATA delegates experienced during Host Country Day at the Africa Travel Association’s 33rd Congress in Arusha. To prove my point, most of the wildlife images on this page were taken within a few hours by Muguette Goufrani, Africa Travel Magazine Associate Editor, who has lived and worked in several African countries. The group of ladies in their colorful Maasai tribal attire were photographed near the Serena Lodge, where we stopped on our return to Arusha. Our ATA party included Hon. Dhino Chingungi, Tourism Minister, Re-public of Angola (second from left) next to Editor Jerry W. Bird).
8TH WONDER OF THE WORLDOne of Tanzania’s seven World Heritage sites, the Ngorongoro Crater is located in Northern Tanzania, and is part of the famous Serengeti. It is a deep Volcanic crater, the largest unflooded and unbroken Caldera in the world at 19.2 km in diameter, 610m deep and 304sqkm in area. UNESCO declared it an International Biosphere Reserve and
“FROM ARUSHA WE ENTERED THE CRADLE OF MANKIND, NGORONGORO CRATER”
World Heritage Site because of its wild-life and Cultural Heritage. It is also home of the world famous archaeological site, Oldupai (Olduvai) Gorge, often referred to as the “Cradle of Mankind,” because some of the oldest humanoid remains, dating back 2,000,000 years ago, have been found there. In order to protect this unique blend of scenery, wildlife, human culture and pre-history. The Ngorongoro Conserva-tion Area Authority is not a national park,
but a unique multiple use area with an indigenous population sharing the area with the wildlife. Rare Species The rich pasture and permanent water of the crater floor supports a large concentration of wildlife of up to 25,000 large mammals, predominantly grazing animals. “The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the few places in East Africa
THE CRATER
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“FROM ARUSHA WE ENTERED THE CRADLE OF MANKIND, NGORONGORO CRATER”
where visitors can be certain of seeing black rhinoceros in a natu-ral setting,” said Stephen Lebo, Tourism Manager. “And for the adventure traveler, there are walking safaris in special areas such as the Olmoti and Empakaai Craters; to the Great Rift Valley, the Northern Highlands Forest Reserves and the Eastern Serengeti Plains.” One of the lures of Ngorongoro, besides witnessing the breathtaking sunrise and sunset from the Crater’s rim, is that it is a dynamic and constantly changing eco-system and the numbers and proportion of some animals there have fluctuated consider-ably over the past 30 years.
Safari Contact: Looking for a company that is familiar with Ngorongoro Crater and all prime locations in Tanzania? Look to Predators Safari Club. Their fleet includes 36 Safari vehicles all 4X4 combina-tions, specially modified for safaris with pop-up roofs and sliding windows for unrestricted viewing. Visit www,predators-safaris.com - www.ngorongoro-crater-africa.org - or www.africa-ata.org
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TANZANIA EXPERTS PREDICT GROWTH IN USA BOOKINGS The year �00� is ushering in brisk business for tour operators booking safaris to Tanza-nia, the largest country in East Africa. Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director, Tan-zania Tourist Board, concludes “In a year when people are conscious about cost/value, Tanzania offers an excellent travel experi-ence where the dollar buys much more than is available in other countries. America is Tanzania’s number one source for tour-ism and we are encouraged by the positive feedback we have received that this growth will continue even during a challenging economic climate.” Jo Bertone, USA Director of Naipenda Sa-faris, has seen no evidence of a travel slow-down when it comes to Tanzania. “While the media was filled with doom and gloom for the past few months about the U.S. economy in general,” she says, “right after the elections and the holidays we resumed normal -- if not higher -- quote requests on bookings to Tanzania. People see that the sky isn’t falling, they know that Tanzania is a beautiful and peaceful country (we have never had a problem in any part of Tanzania), and they’re ready again for a good travel experience. “ In fact, in an article written for USA Today (U.S.’s highest circulation na-tional daily newspapers) in December, �00�, Mark Nolting Africa Adventure Company cites Tanzania as “One of the Top Two Safari Destinations in the World.” He added “Business the first two weeks of the New Year has been GREAT!” Kenneth Hieber, founder and presi-dent of New York based �Afrika, as a guest on Voice of America (January ��) told listeners that “the price struc-ture in Tanzania now, combined with its beauty, make it the must-go-to des-tination this year. Take advantage of its good deals while you can!” At his company, ”Tanzania is without ques-tion my best seller at the moment. I am turning them out a dime a dozen.” He adds that “Tanzania still remains so popular that Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine is running it AGAIN in the March issue under the �0 BEST DEALS.” Ina Steinhiler, Manager of Sales and Marketing, at the Boston-based Thomson Safaris, notes that their sales of safari packages to Tanzania are also
brisk. “Few people are canceling or postpon-ing for economic reasons. We are more than pleased,” she comments. “People aren’t putting their lives on hold.” “Despite a challenging environment in �00�,” said Tom Armstrong, Corporate Communications Manager, Tauck World Discovery, “Tauck was nonetheless very pleased to see strong growth in our Tanzania itineraries. The economic environment has only become more challenging in recent months, yet Tanzania continues to be a popular destination for Tauck and we con-tinue to take bookings on our safari itinerar-ies there.” At Safari Ventures based in Florida, Rumit Mehta, Director of Business Development in New York City, feels that many Ameri-cans are fulfilling a dream in keeping and/or creating travel plans to Tanzania. “In the last five or so years, Safari Ventures has seen a steady growth of clients from business schools and universities who are interested in the intellectual and cultural heritage of Tanzania. There are more than enough value-added hotels, safaris and other attrac-tions to keep them booking this year.”Lynn Newby-Fraser of Africa Dream Safaris says “Despite the economic gloom
there still seem to be people who are look-ing for a trip-of-a-lifetime and interestingly they’re looking to Tanzania for the experi-ence. Our bookings for the �st week of January �00� are double what they were in 2008 and our website traffic is also up substantially. I think that people are begin-ning to recognize that the Serengeti is not only the undisputed champion for wildlife viewing and that the overall quality of safari available to them in Tanzania is nothing short of superb. I think that people just need to look at the �00� Worlds’ Best Safari Outfitters as voted by National Geographic Adventure, and see that three of the Top Ten Outfitters-Africa Dream Safaris being one -focus specifically on Tanzania. That’s a high percentage and says a lot about what the country and its operators have to offer tourists!” Kent Redding of Adventures in Africa states “ …I think bookings are starting to pick up in �00�. From our standpoint, we are cautiously optimistic for �00�—so optimistic that I’ve hired a Director of Sales and Marketing, and am increasing market-ing activities such as the New York Times Travel Show, and more.”
“Business was good to Tanzania in �00�”, reported Brad Ford, Director of Business Development, G.A.P. Adventures in Canada, “and early indicators tell us we will be up ��-�0% across the board there in �00�. Our Tanzania safari trips (trips that spend most if not all of the time in Tanzania) were up �0% this past year, compared to the previous year and Kilimanjaro trekking trips were up about ��% compared to the previous year.” Amant Macha, Director of Mar-keting, Tanzania Tourist Board, confirms that they expect to hold and/or increase market share in �00� as a result of “the increase in hi-end accommodations to meet the demand of the luxury travel segment and improved air access combined with ongoing advertising on CNN and other U.S. media.”
For more information about Tanza-nia visit www.tanzaniatouristboard.com.Visit www.africa-ata.org/mag.htm for more information on World Edi-tions of Africa Travel Magazine.
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THE SWAHILI COAST
From Seashore to SafariBy Jerry W. Bird, Editor
Not long ago, thanks to Nicola Colangeno and the Coastal Aviation team in Dar es Salaam, we discovered that East Africa’s Swahili Coast is the ideal place for a laid back vacation. In these enchanted islands that have won the raves of our readers and travel industry colleagues from near and far, we learned the true meaning of the Swahili expression ‘Pole-Pole,’ which we readily adopted as our motto. Together, those catchy words and a local song by the same name, are sure to invoke a feeling of euphoria, Swahili style. Our first-ever Seashore to Safari experience was a rare chance to enjoy the best of two worlds - the many delights of an Indian Ocean Swahili Shangri-la and a world class safari at camps in Selous and Ruaha. Details on these and all Tanzania National Parks can be seen in the “Tanapa” section of this Best of Africa World Edition. Coastal Aviation services the three main islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago - Pemba Island in the North, near the Kenya border - Zanzibar (Unguja) in the middle - and Mafia, Island, southernmost of the chain.
The big three, and dozens of smaller islands off their shores provide an opportunity to explore by canoe, sailing boat, ferry, motor launch or the classic ‘dhow,’ which has plied these warm, idyllic waters for many centuries. History and Culture The dhow is a symbol of the local culture. This traditional Arab sailing vessel has one or more lateen sails, and is seen along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India, and here in East Africa. Some dhows accommodate as many as 30 persons They are a reminder that while the western world slumbered through the Middle Ages, here on the Indian Ocean coast, trade, commerce and civilization thrived. It became the meeting place for cultures from China , the Indian subcontinent, Persia and Arabia, each adding to the mosaic and fabric of the rich Swahili tapestry. A common sight along the Swahili Coast of East Africa, the dhow is honored by the Festival of Dhow Countries in June and July. (http://www.ziff.or.tz/)Gem of the Indian OceanPemba is a jewel from a sparking necklace of large and small islands in the famous archipelago, 50 km north of Zanzibar. Most fertile of the ‘Spice Island’ group, Pemba has been the prime source of most of Zanzibar’s famed clove production, in addition to other cash crops. Pemba is also the East African hub of traditional medicine,
where folks from as far away as Central Africa come for healing or to learn the ancient arts. A blessing for today’s visitor is the fact that Pemba was closed to all foreigners until the 1980s. That’s why the beach areas a so pristine and uncrowded. Pemba is geologically older than Zanzibar Island and was settled earlier than its better known counterpartSport and Adventure in the DeepThe sport of Bull Fighting was introduced by the Portuguese, first of the Europeans to become involved in this area. This spectacular activity can be seen in different villages. Of special note, Pemba is earning worldwide notice for its outstanding dive sites, with vertiginous drop-offs, untouched
DISCOVER A SWAHILI SHANGRI-LA ON PEMBA ISLAND, A PARADISE IN THE EXOTIC ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGOcoral and a great variety and abundance of marine life. Chake-Chake, the mid-island capital of Pemba is perched on a hill, with a view of the bay area and the Misali Island, where the tides determine when a dhow can enter the harbor. To its west, on the Ras
Mkumbuu Peninsula, visitors will discover some of the oldest, best preserved ruins in the archipelago. Why is Pemba famous for its rich fishing grounds? Here, between the island and mainland is the deep 20 miles wide Pemba Channel, known as one of the
most profitable locations for game fishing on the East Africa coast. With a booming tourism industry in Zanzibar and the coast of Mainland Tanzania, many adventure travelers from the USA, UK and beyond, have been attracted to the more pristine, less-crowded Pemba Island. The catalyst is
‘dive tourists’ who relish the uncrowded and unspoiled reefs the island offers to experienced divers.Visitors enjoy Pemba’s Swahili culture, beach activities, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, exploratory tours, cruises and world class diving at some of the finest reefs or the deep waters of the Pemba Channel. Where there’s great fishing, there’s also fabulous seafood - so be prepared to enjoy.New World Class ProjectOver a decade ago Monsoon Empires, The Management company, laid the foundations on northern Pemba Island to create
its first land based accommodation. They knew that their discriminating clients would enjoy the bliss of being alone on an
island and exploring undiscovered reefs, and empty beaches. As they said at the time, “We built simple structures, called them tented rooms, and used a small boat to get around. How simple it was to please people then. Then ambition and competition set in. We did whatever we could to improve our level of accommodation, services and excursions. We moved on to wooden chalets, coral rooms, yachts. A bigger lounge. A bigger verandah. A pool. But still no end in sight.” Early this year the resort was acquired by Resort Investor, and the resort is now run by the management company Monsoon Empires. The new owners have developed the first underwater resort, based on a successful concept from Sweden, planned to launch on Pemba during 2009.
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THE SWAHILI COAST
From Seashore to SafariBy Jerry W. Bird, Editor
Not long ago, thanks to Nicola Colangeno and the Coastal Aviation team in Dar es Salaam, we discovered that East Africa’s Swahili Coast is the ideal place for a laid back vacation. In these enchanted islands that have won the raves of our readers and travel industry colleagues from near and far, we learned the true meaning of the Swahili expression ‘Pole-Pole,’ which we readily adopted as our motto. Together, those catchy words and a local song by the same name, are sure to invoke a feeling of euphoria, Swahili style. Our first-ever Seashore to Safari experience was a rare chance to enjoy the best of two worlds - the many delights of an Indian Ocean Swahili Shangri-la and a world class safari at camps in Selous and Ruaha. Details on these and all Tanzania National Parks can be seen in the “Tanapa” section of this Best of Africa World Edition. Coastal Aviation services the three main islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago - Pemba Island in the North, near the Kenya border - Zanzibar (Unguja) in the middle - and Mafia, Island, southernmost of the chain.
The big three, and dozens of smaller islands off their shores provide an opportunity to explore by canoe, sailing boat, ferry, motor launch or the classic ‘dhow,’ which has plied these warm, idyllic waters for many centuries. History and Culture The dhow is a symbol of the local culture. This traditional Arab sailing vessel has one or more lateen sails, and is seen along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India, and here in East Africa. Some dhows accommodate as many as 30 persons They are a reminder that while the western world slumbered through the Middle Ages, here on the Indian Ocean coast, trade, commerce and civilization thrived. It became the meeting place for cultures from China , the Indian subcontinent, Persia and Arabia, each adding to the mosaic and fabric of the rich Swahili tapestry. A common sight along the Swahili Coast of East Africa, the dhow is honored by the Festival of Dhow Countries in June and July. (http://www.ziff.or.tz/)Gem of the Indian OceanPemba is a jewel from a sparking necklace of large and small islands in the famous archipelago, 50 km north of Zanzibar. Most fertile of the ‘Spice Island’ group, Pemba has been the prime source of most of Zanzibar’s famed clove production, in addition to other cash crops. Pemba is also the East African hub of traditional medicine,
where folks from as far away as Central Africa come for healing or to learn the ancient arts. A blessing for today’s visitor is the fact that Pemba was closed to all foreigners until the 1980s. That’s why the beach areas a so pristine and uncrowded. Pemba is geologically older than Zanzibar Island and was settled earlier than its better known counterpartSport and Adventure in the DeepThe sport of Bull Fighting was introduced by the Portuguese, first of the Europeans to become involved in this area. This spectacular activity can be seen in different villages. Of special note, Pemba is earning worldwide notice for its outstanding dive sites, with vertiginous drop-offs, untouched
DISCOVER A SWAHILI SHANGRI-LA ON PEMBA ISLAND, A PARADISE IN THE EXOTIC ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGOcoral and a great variety and abundance of marine life. Chake-Chake, the mid-island capital of Pemba is perched on a hill, with a view of the bay area and the Misali Island, where the tides determine when a dhow can enter the harbor. To its west, on the Ras
Mkumbuu Peninsula, visitors will discover some of the oldest, best preserved ruins in the archipelago. Why is Pemba famous for its rich fishing grounds? Here, between the island and mainland is the deep 20 miles wide Pemba Channel, known as one of the
most profitable locations for game fishing on the East Africa coast. With a booming tourism industry in Zanzibar and the coast of Mainland Tanzania, many adventure travelers from the USA, UK and beyond, have been attracted to the more pristine, less-crowded Pemba Island. The catalyst is
‘dive tourists’ who relish the uncrowded and unspoiled reefs the island offers to experienced divers.Visitors enjoy Pemba’s Swahili culture, beach activities, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, exploratory tours, cruises and world class diving at some of the finest reefs or the deep waters of the Pemba Channel. Where there’s great fishing, there’s also fabulous seafood - so be prepared to enjoy.New World Class ProjectOver a decade ago Monsoon Empires, The Management company, laid the foundations on northern Pemba Island to create
its first land based accommodation. They knew that their discriminating clients would enjoy the bliss of being alone on an
island and exploring undiscovered reefs, and empty beaches. As they said at the time, “We built simple structures, called them tented rooms, and used a small boat to get around. How simple it was to please people then. Then ambition and competition set in. We did whatever we could to improve our level of accommodation, services and excursions. We moved on to wooden chalets, coral rooms, yachts. A bigger lounge. A bigger verandah. A pool. But still no end in sight.” Early this year the resort was acquired by Resort Investor, and the resort is now run by the management company Monsoon Empires. The new owners have developed the first underwater resort, based on a successful concept from Sweden, planned to launch on Pemba during 2009.
��Africa Travel Magazine .
THE MANTA RESORT, PEMBA ISLAND, ZANZIBAR
Recent DevelopmentsDuring the period of April to August, the Manta Resort has gone through a major facelift, with new guest rooms and public areas. At the heart of the resort you will find Oxygene Pemba, a PADI 5 star Dive Center, offering a combination of diving, snorkel- ling, fishing and water sports. • In the front there will now be six Seafront Villas, dedicated to comfort and romance. The honeymoon market as well as guests that demand elevated levels of service is a growing segment of business. • Air conditioned, large bathrooms, private sea side verandahs - all the trimmings.• The brand new Village are ten cottages nicely set in the gardens with wooden floors, mosquito net covered king size beds, lamu screen floored en-suite bath rooms, and a makuti-thatched verandah – all with views overlooking the Pemba channel.• The sea side Kipepeo Spa offers all customers soothing massage treatments that have become an expected service in boutique lodges.
•A watersports centre, a swimming pool, and a beach lounge will form the hub of the clients’ social life during the day.• Dining facilities have been increased, as well as the main bar and lounge relaxing area, overlooking the amazing views of the Pemba channel. The Manta Resort has the potential to become the most unique ocean product in the world.
The Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzaniawww.themantaresort.com+254 (0) 41471771/2,[email protected] Aviation [email protected] Tanzania Tourist [email protected] Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa)[email protected] of Dhow Countries. www.ziff.or.tz
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THE MANTA RESORT, PEMBA ISLAND, ZANZIBAR
Recent DevelopmentsDuring the period of April to August, the Manta Resort has gone through a major facelift, with new guest rooms and public areas. At the heart of the resort you will find Oxygene Pemba, a PADI 5 star Dive Center, offering a combination of diving, snorkel- ling, fishing and water sports. • In the front there will now be six Seafront Villas, dedicated to comfort and romance. The honeymoon market as well as guests that demand elevated levels of service is a growing segment of business. • Air conditioned, large bathrooms, private sea side verandahs - all the trimmings.• The brand new Village are ten cottages nicely set in the gardens with wooden floors, mosquito net covered king size beds, lamu screen floored en-suite bath rooms, and a makuti-thatched verandah – all with views overlooking the Pemba channel.• The sea side Kipepeo Spa offers all customers soothing massage treatments that have become an expected service in boutique lodges.
•A watersports centre, a swimming pool, and a beach lounge will form the hub of the clients’ social life during the day.• Dining facilities have been increased, as well as the main bar and lounge relaxing area, overlooking the amazing views of the Pemba channel. The Manta Resort has the potential to become the most unique ocean product in the world.
The Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzaniawww.themantaresort.com+254 (0) 41471771/2,[email protected] Aviation [email protected] Tanzania Tourist [email protected] Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa)[email protected] of Dhow Countries. www.ziff.or.tz
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During the day, guests may discover the extraordinarily diverse plants, birds and animals on Chumbe Island’s magnificent nature trails, or snorkel close to the 400 species of fish in the shallow coral reef. (Due to the shallowness of the reef, the fish are virtually by one’s side.) Scuba trips nearby can be easily arranged, and exploring Zanzibar’s main city Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another option. Truly an authentic and rare eco-travel experience, a stay at Chumbe Island is only 165 $ per person per night in low season and 220 $ per person per night in high season. Access is by once a day boat from a location near Stone Town, and guests may arrange to be picked up at the airport or other locations for transport to the boat. Chumbe Island Coral Park, PO Box 3203 - Zanzibar / Tanzania. Phone/Fax:+255 (0)24 2231040, mobile:+255 (0)777 413582, Fax UK:+44 (0)870 1341284 www.chumbeisland.com . [email protected]
ASK ABOUT OUR AIR HIGHWAYS AFRICA WORLD EDITION WHICH PROFILES AIRLINES, AIRPORTS, LAND AND SEA TRANSPORT SERVING AFRICA’S � SUB REGIONS
Explore Chumbe Island Coral Park in the Zanzibar Archepelago
100 “WAYS TO GO AUTHENTIC” The award-winning Chumbe Island Cor-al Park, located off the coast of main-land Tanzania and its spice islands of Zanzibar, received its latest accolade via Islands Maga-zine. Chumbe Island Coral Park was 2nd on the magazine’s first Blue List of 100 eco-conscious
islands that will “ensure environmentally and culturally sound” natu-ral beauty “for future generations.” The first -ever Blue List issue of Islands, highlighting “100 Ways to Go Authentic” and singling out the most “offbeat, eco-conscious travel adventures” in the world appeared in the December 2007 issue.Chumbe Island Coral Park is a unique privately managed nature reserve developed and managed by the Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd. (CHICOP). It is a rare example of a still pristine coral island ecosystem in an otherwise heavily overfished and over-exploited area. The reserve includes a reef sanctuary, and a forest reserve. Approximately 90% of Chumbe Island is covered by one of the last remaining pristine ‘coral rag’ forests in Zanzibar.A Diverse Eco System This private, not-for-profit marine reserve, “was one of the first of its kind,” says Helen Peeks, Chumbe Island Project Manager. In 1994, it became Tanzania’s first marine park, and it has since been regis-tered as a UN recognized Protected Area. “The diverse eco-system here is a perfect example of sustainable conservation and tourism in action together,” Ms. Peeks comments. There are only 14 guests per night on the Island. The rest of the tiny population consists of guides and other staff, Park Rangers, and occasional researchers, and local school children on daylong nature trips.The 14 guests stay in one of seven eco-bungalows designed to provide both privacy and a sense of freedom of living in the open. All overlook the sea, a 30 second stroll away from the warm tropi-cal ocean. Dining takes place under a huge palm thatched roof stretching over the ruins of the historical, 100-year-old converted lighthouse keeper’s home with sweeping views across the ocean. An historic, elegant mosque, still in use, stands next door. Dinners on the Island are a celebrated mixture of Zanzibarian, Arabic, Indian and African tastes and satisfy both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.A Scuba Diver’s Paradise
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diving come from near and far - these ad-venturous souls are much more aware of me than the average visitor who has yet to learn of my charms and hidden treasures of the deep -- and ashore as well. At Moucha, one of my most popular retreats, after a refreshing swim and a relaxing stroll around the island, the ATA members enjoyed a spread of seafood fresh from the Gulf of Aden, and were entertained by dancers dressed in color-ful costumes of Arabic design. Visitors will love shopping at my Central Market (Marché Central) and other places in Dji-bouti city for a wide array of textiles and jewelry, decorative weaving and needle-work, shawls and turbans, unique Djibou-ti hats and hair ornaments, plus bracelets and necklaces made of local materials.Here’s what one researcher had to say about my lifestyle and fashion. “Unlike women in many other Muslim countries, women in Djibouti do not wear veils, al-though married Afar women wear a black headscarf. City dwellers wear Western-style clothing, while those in rural areas wear the loose clothing of desert dwell-ers. The traditional outfit of the Afar is a garment called a sanafil, consisting of a
cloth tied around the waist and reaching to the calves, with a knot at the right hip for men and at the left for women. The wealthier Afars wear another piece of cloth, the harayto, slung over the shoul-der. Afar men are known for the long, sharp, double-edged dagger, called a jile, that they wear at the waist. Among the nomadic Somali in rural areas, the men wear a garment similar to the sanafil of the Afars, while the women wear a long, brightly colored cloth called a guntina, wound around the torso and knotted at the right shoulder.”Africa Travel Fashion is sweeping the world!Guess who’s sweeping the web?Who would have thought when we launched Africa Travel Magazine 12 years ago, it would become such a popu-lar resource for fashion. Try “Googling” for Africa Travel Fashions or other Africa topics sometime, and you’ll find our web-site at or near the top. Ditto for Yahoo and MSN. According to Webtrends statistics month after month, we get more hits for fashion than any other topic - which tells us what features attract a growing majority of our readers. The Editor and I wear African attire almost daily at home
By Muguette Goufrani
I am Djibouti. Being located in an area that offers summer weather all year round, my ladies and gentlemen of all ages and races make a special effort to look their finest for all occa-sions, or no occasion at all. My location at the
crossroads of the world beyond Suez to the Indian Subcontinent and Cathay, lends itself to variety of influences in costumes, hair styles, jewelry and wearable art. The examples on this page were taken at the new five star Djibouti Palace Kempinski Hotel and during host day activities for the delegates, speakers and guests at the Africa Travel Association’s 11th Eco Cul-tural Symposium. Day trip sites included Lake Assal, where the camel caravans transport bags of salt to the markets in Ethiopia, then venturing beyond my har-bor to the Island of Moucha a short and pleasant boat ride, where they could taste the salt spray. Here’s where those who love the thrill of snorkeling and scuba
AFRICA’S RED SEA MIRACLE BLOSSOMS WITH A BURST OF COLORS FOR ALL SEASONS
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AFRICA’S RED SEA MIRACLE BLOSSOMS WITH A BURST OF COLORS FOR ALL SEASONS
called kangas because their brightness reminded Africans of guinea fowl. As vil-lage folks say, “kanga nenda na urembo, shani urembo na shani”-”the kanga struts in style. The kanga cloth is a lightweight loose weave fabric, it’s versatile and easy to care for.What’s a Kikoi?The kikoi, woven from the fi nest cotton grown in the region, is a rectangle of pure cotton with a work of art inspired by the vibrant colors of East African Coast. The traditional way of wearing kikoi is simply wrapping it around the lower part of your body and tucking it in at the waist. Inspired by a multitude of colors and
shapes, the kikoi are woven in thousands of different Getting to Djibouti I am Djibouti - connected by road and rail, major sea lanes and airport gateways of the world. Most passengers arriving at my modest, but soon to be expanded airport for the ATA Symposium, flew here on Daallo Airlines, now operated by Dubai World in joint venture with the Djibouti Government, founders of the airline, which has a fleet of 10 aircraft including Boeing 757 and 737 aircraft. Interline agreements are in place with leading world carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Delta Airlines, Srilankan, Alitalia and Ethiopian Airlines. The airline has 16 years of experience op-erating scheduled passenger flights, cargo and charter flights to major destinations in Africa, Middle East, Asia and Europe. It has been flying to the UAE since 1992, to Paris since 2001 and London since 2002. Mr. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chair-man Dubai World said ‘Africa’s aviation industry can play a major role in the socio-economic development of the coun-tries. In an environment where most air routes are dominated by foreign carriers,
or away, and we pay close heed to the simple effective ways Africans make a distinct fashion statement. To create a lasting impression and stand out from the humdrum, everyday world, consider kanga and kikoi fabrics in dazzling, eye catching colors.Kanga Who?A kanga is a pure cotton, with a border wide enough to cover you comfortably. It often features a strong, central design or theme, such as fertility signs, moun-tains, landmarks, soccer stars or popular singers. Many African ladies wear a kanga over their skirts while work-ing in the fields in order to control the dust. A kanga is a perfect family gift that is extremely popular throughout Africa thanks to its other option - multiple use as a matching or contrasting head wrap. You may see a Swahili proverb on some kanga that is derived from the words “guinea fowl.” Why? Because the original kanga were brightly colored Portuguese hand-kerchiefs intended for gentlemen traders and officials. These items were then sewn together by Africans to create a piece large enough to be worn head to toe - and
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1. Northern Africa World Edition
2. Western Africa World Edition
3. Central Africa World Edition
4. Eastern Africa World Edition
5. Southern Africa World Edition
*With any Africa Travel Magazine (Printed Edition) advertisers will appear in one of the 5 Electronic Editions.
Our World Editions feature Africa’s Five Sub Regions
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MORE PAGES TO COME IN THIS EDITION
FROM DESTINATIONS IN AFRICA’S FIVE
SUB REGIONS, PRIOR TO THE LAUNCH OF
OUR WORLD EDITIONS ON MARCH 11,
2009 AT ITB BERLIN.,
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