WAIVING OF VISA REQUIREMENTS TO TANZANIA

South Africans travelling to Tanzania on holiday or business no longer require visas - and vice-versa.

This significant move for co-operation between the two countries results from a bilateral country-to-country discussions and agreements.

Serena Hotels, a premier hotel, lodges and safari group in East Africa, has welcomed this development and expects it to play a key role in increasing interest in travel to Tanzania and growing the number of South African visitors to the country.

The positive outlook is underscored by the findings of the latest World Bank report, Tourism in Africa: Harnessing Tourism for Growth and Improved Livelihoods, 2013. The research identifies Tanzania as a country in Africa most likely to succeed in tourism, alongside with Botswana, Cape Verde, Namibia and South Africa.
Rosemary Mugambi, regional sales and marketing director of Serena Hotels believes that the mutual exemption of visas between Tanzania and South Africa, and the fact that they are both poised to reap benefits from tourism, can provide a strong foundation for further economic co-operation between the two SADC nations.
Dynamic growth
Tourism is one of the key drivers of the economy in Tanzania and has enjoyed dynamic growth over the last decade - overtaking agriculture as the main source of foreign exchange earnings. Between 2012 and 2013, the number of incoming tourists into Tanzania has risen by 24%.
"We expect that the introduction of low-cost flights between Joburg and Dar es Salaam this October will make Tanzania an even more attractive destination for South African travellers," said Mugambi. "We at Serena Hotels are ready to welcome South African tourists, families and the business community to Tanzanian wildlife, nature and boardrooms alike with our warm hospitality and excellent service."

SOURCE

 

TOURISM MINISTERS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA MEET IN MOZAMBIQUE

As 2013 comes to an end, the Tourism Minister of SADC, the Southern Africa block, met in Maputo, Mozambique, to plan the way forward for RETOSA, their region's dedicated tourism organization.

It was the Prime Minister of Mozambique who personally addressed the Tourism Minister's Meeting and opened the working session. This showed the importance of the tourism industry for Mozambique. The Prime Minister of Mozambique addressed the SADC Ministers of Tourism in the presence of the Governor of Maputo.

Most of the SADC Ministers of Tourism were present for this important end-of-year meeting. Apart from the host, Minister of Mozambique, Ministers from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Angola, Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland were all present, as well as senior executives of tourism from DRC, Tanzania, and Botswana. Mauritius was represented by their High Commissioner based in Mozambique.

Source: eTurboNews, www.eturbonews.com 

South Africa's Bungee Jumping Booms Adventure Tourism

Tourist experiencing Bungee Jumping

Orlando towers

Exciting scenes from Soweto

Bungee Jumping in South Africa is bridging the gap between adventure and tourism as many more tourists have been engaging in the jumping excitement.
 The country has a lot of enjoyable activities to promote tourism in that part of the world, but the experience of Bungee Jumping is really boosting the country’s tourism, according to reports.

Bungee Jumping is basically an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord.

In the hub of Soweto lies Orlando Towers, where one of South Africa’s Bungee Jumping and other kinds of exciting activities take place. It does not only provide excitement, but also gives tourists an opportunity to have an awesome view of Soweto from the top of the towers.

Well designed and painted to reflect the famous sons and daughters of Soweto as well as traditional township scenes, the towers are used for different adventure experiences.

These include bungee jump, a tower swing (the world’s first between two cooling towers), an internal tower swing and base jumping, all off the top of the West Tower, some 100m up.

Anyone who visits South Africa and does not visit the Orlando Towers would miss an opportunity to experience on of the best parts of South Africa.

The Soweto Bungee Jump sees one jumping 33 storeys down, and the Power Swing offers freefall for 40m until the swing cables kick in.

The ominously named Abyss, is similar to the Power Swing but sees one jumping inside the tower, swinging across the width of its base.

Yvonne Okoro Built Playground For Special Students On Birthday

 Talented actress, Yvonne Okoro, marked her 29th birthday on Monday, November 25 by commissioning a playground she built for children of the Dzorwulu Special School in Accra.
“Two years ago, I was at the school to celebrate my birthday with the students. When I was leaving, I realized that the playground was in a deplorable state. The metals were all rusted. So I told myself that, I won’t stop till I’m able to provide a good recreational center for the students so that at the end of the day, they can also pride themselves of having a beautiful playground.  That was the most important thing for me. And I wanted to thank everyone who supported this project,” she explained was her reason for the kind gesture.

Guest at the ceremony including Yvonne Okoro

Yvonne Okoro cutting the sod

Deputy Minister of Education, Okudzeto Ablakwa commissioned the playground on her behalf at a short ceremony which attracted other personalities as popular actor, John Dumelo, Sandra Ankobiah, Irene Logan, Roseline Okoro, and ex-Black Stars skipper, and Stephen Appiah among others.
The award winning actress also cut her birthday cake at the ceremony. 
Headmistress of the Dzorwulu Special School, Madam Veronica Sackey congratulated Yvonne for her kind gesture while Honorable Okudzeto Ablakwa also employed other private individuals to emulate her.
Among other side attractions at the ceremony were a dance performance by some of the students and also a rendition of Ghana’s National Anthem by songstress, Irene Logan.
Students were also thrilled to good music from DJ and also treated to pastries sponsored by Bakeshop Classics and food by Grill Bar Filli B at East Legon.

BULK OF ASIAN TOURISTS EYE AFRICAN MARKET

The Asia Pacific region will be the leading tourist source market for African destinations next year. This is according to Visa’s Sub Saharan Africa Global Travel Intentions Study for 2013. It is estimated that 43 per cent of people in the Asia Pacific region, which includes Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, intend to travel to Africa within the next year. The survey also showed that traditional source markets, the Americas and Europe, would account for four and 19 per cent respectively of visitors arriving in Africa in 2014. Africa and the Middle East meanwhile will account for a combined 34 per cent, the report adds.

According to the study, East Africa in particular is drawing the attention of international travelers. This comes at a time when the East African Community region is close to introducing a single tourist visa that would see the member States market the region as a single destination.
Visa Country Manager for Southern and East Africa Jabu Basopo said despite the climate of continued economic uncertainty and a relatively weak global economy, it is expected that leisure travel will continue to grow in 2014. He added that there is an increasingly positive sentiment regarding intended future travel to Africa.

On choosing destinations, the survey showed that Mauritius and South Africa are the most popular choices in Africa among travelers worldwide. The top five choices are Mauritius (14per cent), South Africa (14per cent), Seychelles (7per cent), Tanzania (6per cent) and Zanzibar (5per cent). Almost a third (29per cent) of travelers to Africa are affluent compared to the global context at 18 per cent. These travelers stay in luxury hotels and resorts (59 per cent to the global 39 per cent).

SOURCE; THE PEOPLE REPORTER.

The Asia Pacific region will be the leading tourist source market for African destinations next year. This is according to Visa’s Sub Saharan Africa Global Travel Intentions Study for 2013. It is estimated that 43 per cent of people in the Asia Pacific region, which includes Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, intend to travel to Africa within the next year. The survey also showed that traditional source markets, the Americas and Europe, would account for four and 19 per cent respectively of visitors arriving in Africa in 2014. Africa and the Middle East meanwhile will account for a combined 34 per cent, the report adds. According to the study, East Africa in particular is drawing the attention of international travelers.
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000098924/bulk-of-asian-tourists-eye-african-market

The Asia Pacific region will be the leading tourist source market for African destinations next year. This is according to Visa’s Sub Saharan Africa Global Travel Intentions Study for 2013. It is estimated that 43 per cent of people in the Asia Pacific region, which includes Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, intend to travel to Africa within the next year. The survey also showed that traditional source markets, the Americas and Europe, would account for four and 19 per cent respectively of visitors arriving in Africa in 2014. Africa and the Middle East meanwhile will account for a combined 34 per cent, the report adds. According to the study, East Africa in particular is drawing the attention of international travelers.
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000098924/bulk-of-asian-tourists-eye-african-market

WHY COST OF AIR TRAVEL IS EXPENSIVE IN AFRICA?

The 45th African Airlines Annual General Assembly 2013, Mombasa, Kenya.
Players in the aviation industry blame high cost of air travel in Africa to inadequate support by governments. Air operators gathered in Mombasa for the 45th African airlines annual general assembly yesterday decried lack of adequate investment by governments in national carriers had led to a decline in growth of the sector and ensured “air transport remains a preserve of the rich”.

Led by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), they contrasted the period between 1980s and 1990s, where Africa had at least 26 states with airlines flying intercontinental routes to and from Africa to now where the number of airlines have reduced to only about a dozen.

“We need the African Union and African States to help reverse this through the full implementation of Yammoussoukro Declaration on the full liberalisation of the sector, and ensuring a common African negotiating position since the EU negotiates as a block while African states negotiate individually,” said AFRAA Secretary General Dr Elijah Chingosho.

Chingosho also noted that African governments need to desist from giving more favourable treatment to foreign carriers at the expense of African airlines in terms of giving them more traffic rights. “ In west and central Africa, due to lack of a strong African carrier, the region is dominated by non-African carriers, he said.

Chingosho said the current contribution of African aviation of less than three per cent of global traffic can be increased if governments adopt appropriate policies to reduce the extremely high industry costs. He said aviation infrastructure in many African states is deficient and not coping with the growing industry.

“At many airports, there is need to develop and expand airports, runways and air navigation facilities. Airports should be open 24 hours,” he said. Speaking at the conference AFRAA president, Dr Titus Naikuni, said there are massive air transport opportunities in Africa.

“We are witnessing a huge interest in Africa as global aviation players seek to take advantage of what’s taking place in Africa,” Naikuni, who is also the chief executive of national carrier Kenya Airways said. Naikuni’s and Chongosho’s comments were echoed by a separate report released at the conference yesterday showing Africa has the potential to be a significant force in aviation on the back of robust economic growth forecasts.

However, the report noted the performance of the African aviation industry is lagging behind than of the rest of the world due to high industry costs, inadequate infrastructure at several airports, slow implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision, lack of a single traffic rights negotiating body with respect to third parties like the European Union.

“With a population of more than 1.07 billion, spread across the vast the continent of 54 countries, there is huge potential for growth in intra-Africa air travel,” it said. The report projected that over the period 2010 to 2015, Africa will be one of the fastest growing regions in the world in terms of international traffic with an average growth rate of 6.1percent compared to the global average of 5.8percent.

However, African aviation needs to grow at double digit rates to be a significant player in the global industry. Middle East and Asia Pacific will, however, surpass Africa’s growth at 7.9per cent and 6.9per cent. Europe, Latin America and North America are projected to record lower international passenger growth of five per cent, 5.8 per cent and 4.9per cent. Africa’s positive growth trend is expected to continue in the coming years due to robust economic growth, demographic boom, increasing urbanization, and emergence of the middle class. - By Brian Ngugi

Posted by: The People in BusinessNovember 26, 2013