South Africa’s small tourism businesses to shine at World Travel Market in London

AAbout 30 representatives from South Africa’s travel industry, including six exceptional emerging enterprises, will showcase a sample of the country’s vast tourism treasures to the world at the 2017 World Travel Market (WTM) in London from 6 to 8 November.

The high-level South African delegation will include Minister of Tourism Ms Tokozile Xasa and South African Tourism Chief Executive Officer Mr Sisa Ntshona.

Ntshona believes that WTM presents an ideal opportunity to showcase the breadth of South Africa’s tourism products and services – not least its vibrant small business sector that adds colour, diversity, variety and depth to its tourism palette.

“Creating jobs and contributing to the reduction of unemployment remains one of South Africa’s most urgent priorities in order to contribute to economic growth. Inclusive economic growth can only be achieved by creating a fertile environment in which tourism can take root and flourish. This includes giving small businesses and previously disadvantaged tourism players the opportunity to enter the industry, access the market and add to the diversity of our country’s tourism offering further making us a more attractive and unique destination.,” Ntshona adds.

Now in its 37^th year, WTM London sees the global travel industry meeting to conduct business deals and “discover the world under one roof”. Over three days, exhibitors will network with more than 50 000 travel professionals, industry leaders, owners of tourism products and services, journalists, digital influencers and tourism officials.

South African Tourism will anchor South Africa’s presence at WTM 2017, bolstered by provincial and city tourism authorities as well as private-sector exhibitors such as tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs), hotel groups and airlines.

South African Tourism’s United Kingdom team will host selected international buyers at a special function the day before the show opens and will encourage others to visit the South African pavilion. This targeted activity, Ntshona believes, will yield added value, preferential access and a higher return on investment for South Africa’s exhibitors.

Minister Xasa will take part in various discussions around responsible tourism locally and globally, while another focus area will be the #Madiba100 celebrations planned for South Africa and the UK next year, to coincide with the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth.

The UK remains South Africa’s largest source market for international tourists outside Africa, with almost 450 000 Britons travelling to South Africa in 2016 – 10% more than in 2015. The latest statistics show that 9.5% more Europeans travelled to South Africa in the first eight months of 2017 compared to the same period last year, with North America (8.2% up) and Central and South America (85% up) also showing robust growth.

Ntshona adds: “We are looking forward to another invigorating WTM, meeting trade partners from around the world as South Africa pursues its aggressive ‘5-in-5’ target of attracting four million more international tourists and one million more domestic tourist trips in the next five years.”

ENDS

For further information, contact:

 

Thandiwe Mathibela at South African Tourism        

Tel: +27 11 895-3177                              

Email: thandiwe@southafrica.net OR

Email: mediaq@southafrica.net

Website www.southafrica.net                 

 

Note to editors:

South African Tourism is the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination. It is headed up by Chief Executive Officer Mr Sisa Ntshona. 

Profiles of all representatives from South Africa’s travel industry taking part in WTM 2017:

aha Hotels & Lodges

aha Hotels & Lodges is the property management company of Tourvest’s Accommodation and Activities division. We represent and operate a portfolio of properties in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Uganda and Kenya. We offer our guests a beautifully different experience so that they always find something wonderful to look forward to when visiting one of our properties, ensuring that their stay with us will always be a unique experience.

 

AKILANGA DMC & EVENTS

AKILANGA DMC & EVENTS provides modular concepts that allows you to combine various options in order to design your client's perfect holiday in Southern Africa.

From tailor-made itineraries for their exclusive requirements to multilingual scheduled tours to make the most of their precious time and ensure they will not miss the most important as well as your local expert for corporate events and event management.

Avoca Travels (black-owned SME)

Travel is Avoca’s passion. They are accredited with the International Air Transport Association and the Association of Southern African Travel Agents, and have been producing bespoke travel experiences for discerning clients since 1980. Avoca offers a wide range of inclusive tours, self-drive itineraries, private chauffeur-driven and coach tours. Visit avocatravels.com

Buffalo City Tourism

Buffalo City Tourism is a regional marketing organization that is responsible for marketing and promotion of the destination. Buffalo City incorporates East London, King William’s Town, Mdantsane and King Williams Town. The role of the organization is to market and profile the city as a preferred tourist destination of choice by providing information on tourism offerings of the region to potential visitors.

Cape Town Tourism

Cape Town Tourism (CTT) is the City of Cape Town’s official tourism agency responsible for visitor information, industry services and tourism marketing. 

CTT is the heart of the Mother City; its storyteller and connector. In essence we are the Mother City’s ultimate tourism host.

Comair

Comair is the British Airways franchise partner in Southern Africa. The airline serves the major tourist and business destinations in SA as well as flights to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Mauritius. Offers a range of inclusive fly in tours and safaris to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe and Zambia) Botswana and Namibia.

Cozy Nest Guest House (black-owned SME)

Based in Durban North in KwaZulu-Natal, close to King Shaka International Airport, Cozy Nest provides guests with excellent, personalised service and all the comforts of home. It offers eight air-conditioned en-suite bedrooms, with a private dining room as well as an outdoor swimming pool, conferencing facilities, a gym room, sauna and Jacuzzi, plus wheelchair access. Visit www.cozynest.co.za

Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site

Fit 4 Million Years into your next Trip! The amazing story of human origin is held in Gauteng’s only World Heritage Site - The Cradle of Humankind. This premier tourism destination is based on the conservation, exploration and interpretation of the story of humanity and hosts 400 diverse tourism offerings. www.cradleofhumankind.net

Durban Tourism

Durban is a natural paradise on the East Coast of Africa, known for its scenic coastline of sun-kissed beaches, subtropical climate and vibrancy of multi-cultures.  Recently acclaimed as one of the 07 Wonders Cities of the World, Durban has the competitive edge of a leading Tourism, Events and Business Destination.

Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency

The Eastern Cape’s rich biodiversity offers visitors the opportunity to experience the Big 7, incredible natural attractions and a great variety of adventure linking to Culture, History, Sport, Coast, Safari and much more. With nine regions and multiple tourism routes to explore the Eastern Cape is Destination Next.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is a provincial Conservation Agency entrusted with KZN’s rich biodiversity. It enjoys a huge and diverse portfolio of 63 Resorts and 1350 Camping Sites; boasting of 1380 beds and 1350 camping sites. These are situated within 114 protected areas of total 800 934 ha, of which two are World Heritage Sites; i.e. uKhahlamba Maloti-Drakensberg Park and the Isimangaliso Wetland Park.

Gauteng Tourism Authority

The Province of Gauteng includes the vibrant city of Johannesburg, which is Africa’s lifestyle and entertainment hub. It offers first class business travel opportunities, City lifestyle breaks, leisure holidays including adventure and heritage experiences. Renowned for its modern entertainment arcades, it also boasts exotic dining, shopping and wildlife experiences.

Gravity River Tours (SME)

Gravity Adventures is an award-winning Cape Town-based operator providing adventures for individuals and groups. Micro-adventures include coasteering (exploring a rocky coastline) near Boulders penguin colony, stand-up paddle boarding, rafting and wine tasting near Worcester, and whitewater rafting and tubing in the Kogelberg Reserve. Wilderness river safaris in the Northern Cape are also offered. Visit www.gravity.co.za

Hilton Worldwide

Hilton is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world, with more than 5,000 properties and more than 825,000 rooms in 103 countries and territories. In the nearly 100 years since our founding, we have defined the hospitality industry and established a portfolio of 14 world-class brands, including our flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, which is the most recognized hotel brand in the world.

Johannesburg Tourism

Joburg Tourism is the city’s official destination marketing organisation, responsible for positioning Johannesburg as a premier destination for business tourism, while also leveraging leisure tourism benefits off increased business tourism activity.  This includes promoting Joburg as a global, all year round destination for lifestyle, leisure, sports, cultural events and experiences.

New Frontiers Tours

Combining innovation with impeccable service delivery, New Frontiers Tours is a full service ground handler, offering VIP Meet and Greets, luxury transfers, private tours and creative experiences, hotel and lodge accommodation, car rental and plane charter. Our high level of consulting ensures professional advice and service levels throughout Southern Africa.

North West Parks and Tourism Board

Away from the hustle and bustle of life, North West Province offers and escape route to the real Africa. Nature has blessed this province with breathtaking scenic beauty, rolling fields of maize, golden sunflowers and vast plains of African bushveld.

The ling hours of daylight in the sun kissed province; provides the ideal backdrop for the enjoyment of the province outdoor attractions, superb game parks, home to the big 5, magnifiscent golf courses and excellent watersports and sporting facilities. Two major game reserves, Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game reserve are located in the province, while Sun City, the capital of tourism in the country, a spectacular recreational entertainment family resort, is adjacent to Pilanesberg National Park. The people of the North West Province, awaits to welcome you.

President Hotel

The President Hotel has an enviable location set in the exclusive Bantry Bay, minutes from Cape Town CBD. Experience affordable and luxury living in Cape Town’s most beautiful Urban Resort & Hotel. It has a total of 349 rooms with conference facilities that can accommodate up to 350 guests comfortably.

Protea Hotels by Marriott®

Protea Hotels by Marriott® is one of the most widely recognized hospitality brands in Africa with nearly 100 hotels in 8 countries. Comprising of two brands, the mid-up market Protea Hotels by Marriott (Protea Hotel Fire & Ice! by Marriott) and the superior deluxe African Pride Hotels brand. Protea Hotels is part of Marriott International, the largest hotel company based in USA.

South African Airways

South African Airways brings the world to Africa and takes Africa to the world.

With twice daily overnight flights from Heathrow to Johannesburg and easy onward connections, South African Airways offers flights to the largest route network within Southern Africa.

Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays (black-owned SME)

Southern Africa 360 Luxury Holidays is a family-owned and -managed destination management company that provides local ground handling, land arrangement contracting and office representation to international tour operators and travel partners. It caters for tailor-made individual holidays and leisure groups, as well as guaranteed set departures within the Southern African region. Visit www.southernafrica360.com

Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris

Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris is a leading Southern African tour operator. Our wide range of Guided Holidays, Day Tours and limitless Tailor-made Travel options offer innovative, authentic and competitively priced experiences with service levels that exceed expectation. Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris is a division of Cullinan Holdings.

Table Mountain Treks and Tours (SME)

This Cape Town-based tour operator guides interpretive nature hikes on Table Mountain as well as Devil's Peak, Lion's Head and at the Cape of Good Hope. They also specialise in multi-day hikes from Cape Town to Cape Point, and bird watching excursions. Private tours are available for the Cape Winelands, Cape Peninsula, West Coast, Cedarberg, and Hermanus.  Visit www.tablemountaintrekstours.com

Thompsons Africa

Thompsons Africa is a destination management company supplying meet and greets, transfers, fully escorted and group series tours, seat-in-vehicle tours, open-vehicle safaris and FIT services in South and Southern Africa. Established more than 35 years, we provide memorable and life changing African holiday experiences.

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal

THE ZULU KINGDOM

Home to the proud Zulu Nation whose cultural influence remains the strongest must see experience when visiting KwaZulu-Natal. With 600 – KMS of coastline of tropical beaches, the breathtaking mountains of Ukhahlamba Drakensberg and home to “Big Seven”. Perfect weather conditions make it a year round destination. This exceptional destination allows you to experience both land and Ocean safaris within 45 minutes.

Tourvest DMC

Tourvest DMC has continually evolved to support the growing demands of our international client base for leisure travel to Southern Africa & the Indian Ocean Islands. We are constantly adapting around the dynamic travel trade industry’s needs, ensuring that expectations are met at every touchpoint.

Tsogo Sun

Tsogo Sun is Southern Africa’s hotel, gaming and entertainment group listed on the JSE. Our group proudly comprises over 100 hotels in South Africa, Africa, the Seychelles and the Middle East; 14 gaming and entertainment destinations, theatres, cinemas, restaurants, and over 250 conference venues including the renowned Sandton Convention Centre.  

Village N Life

Our platform has been developed over the past 20 years where we successfully marketed all Village N Life establishments. As we were part of a group that was developed with small equity and large funding, the pressure was always on generating sales and specifically on developing sustainable sales programmes.

Wesgro

The Western Cape of South Africa is a place of unrivalled beauty. Its six regions – Cape Town, Cape West Coast, Cape Winelands, Cape Karoo, Cape Overberg, and the Cape Garden Route and Klein Karoo – provide a fabulous mix of nature and adventure, food and wine, culture and heritage an so much more. For more information: http://goto.capetown/home / @discoverctwc #discoverctwc #reclaimtheroadtrip

Wilderness Safaris

Wilderness Safaris is an ecotourism company that specialises in creating journeys through Africa’s most pristine areas. By offering guests private access to 2.5 million hectares of Africa’s finest wildlife reserves in eight different countries, it strives to protect the continent’s spectacular biodiversity, while including local communities in this process.

Zimasa Travel (black-owned SME)

Zimasa Travel is 100% black female-owned destination management company and tour operator that provides tailor-made travel solutions, from planning to execution, of any travel or conference need. Based in Rustenburg in the North West Province, Zimasa provides memorable travel experience with affordable tariffs for all its tours and a shuttle service to all its clients. Visit www.zimasatravel.co.za