w w w . v o y a g e s a f r i q . c o m ISSUE 007 June 2019 Edition | June - September 2019 Travel and Tourism Magazine ...Seychelles home to spectacular array of Flora and Fauna Cabo Verde Host first UNWTO/ICAO Conference Personality Profile -Jimi Kariuki Rich in Contrast Compact in Size Big in Hospitality One of Africa’s most beautiful and compact countries–the sheer contrast of attractions is amazing. Not only that, but Malawi is famed for its hospitality and its people are some of the friendliest in the world. 10 REASONS TO VISIT MALAWI • Pleasant climate • Peaceful and compact • Big on hospitality • Lake Malawi • Africa’s newest big Big Five destination • Authentic nature experience • Attractive outdoor sporting conditions • Rich cultural heritage • Local delicacies • Popular events @tourismmalawi malawitourism www.visitmalawi.mw Malawi Department of Tourism In South Africa In United Kingdom Tourism House, off Convention Drive, City Centre Malawi Consulate General 36 John Street, Holborn, Private Bag 326, Lilongwe 3, Malawi 4 Dodge Street, Woodmead 2157 London WC1N 2AT Tel: +265 1 775 499 PO Box 3881, Rivonia 2128, Johannesburg Tel: +44 207 421 6010 Fax: +265 1 770 650 Tel: +27 (0)11234 8577/8 or +27 (0)11803 4919 Fax: +44 207 831 9273 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] @VoyagesAfriq June 2019 Travel and Tourism Magazine Editorial Team Ben Ohene-Ayeh Consulting Editor LessonsEditoria African destinationsl Kojo Bentum-Williams Managing Editor can learn from OverTourism Samuel Obeng Appah Tourism is a sector that has lots of linkages and offer opportunities for Content Editor many. From the underclass to the aristocrats the industry has seen evolution since its emergence during the grand tour era. Contributing Writers Pamela Amia Winnie Since its inception, tourism has been considered a benign activity. It has Judy Kepher-Gona brought wealth to forgotten rural communities, cushioned the blow of Prof Wolfgang Thome financial crashes, conserved critically endangered species and restored Marian Ansah crumbling, historic cities and countries. Tourism’s potential benefits are Angela Dzidzornu clear. Administration/Marketing The industry has grown at a pace that every 10 employments in the world Jennifer Nyavor has tourism in one. Its importance to world economies cannot be over Glaou Eddie Fortune emphasized not to even talk about its relevance to developing economies Symphorien Kouabile in which Africa very much dominates. Michel Kouassi Tourism is the only industry where one will always have a job even though Photo Credit it might not be the preferred one. UNWTO World Tourism Forum Lucerne The industry like many others has grown with its accompanying challenges Dept. of Tourism, Malawi that needs to be tackled right to ensure the sector is sustainable and Alex Tackie continues to change economies and lives. Prince Charles Affum Michel Kouadio Kouassi In the last 2-3 years, the conversation on OverTourism has assumed a Ken Amoah greater proportion with cities such as Venice-Italy, Barcelona-Spain and Alphonso Stoffels Amsterdam-Netherlands dominating the discussion of why too many tourists are causing not only social problems but economic problems for Publisher its citizens. VoyagesAfriq dare say It is the most discussed or topical issue in tourism worldwide as at now forcing academia to go into research on Voyages Afriq how to best solve the problem. Media Ltd. What are the issues? Universities that collaborated with the UNWTO’s latest report on managing urban tourism defined OverTourism, as “the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively Africa's leading Travel and Toursim Magazine influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitors experiences in a negative way” VOYAGESAFRIQ 1 @VoyagesAfriq Local and national governments as well The discussion on overTourism and can be applauded for taking bold as tourist boards have long believed dealing with the issues involved has to steps to ban plastics coming into these that more is better. A “successful” year be emphasized. countries from abroad. in tourism is generally considered to be one in which numbers have Again, the challenges are just too Travelling responsibly, in smaller increased substantially. Never mind many, that is to say sometimes not the numbers, not only helps avoid whether these numbers are of cruise figures but also the over concentration overtourism. It gives one a greater ship passengers, duty free shoppers, of tourists or travelers at a particular connection with local people and ways resort guests, backpackers or high end point in time. Managers of African of life: a far more authentic holiday visitors; the number is all that counts. destinations need to take measures to experience. This has resulted in a reluctance – or ensure carrying capacity of destinations are not exceeded and also enact some In his foreword in the UNWTO report on often outright refusal – to cap numbers "Understanding and Managing Urban in any way, to increase (or introduce) bye laws to make sure travellers can be responsible. Encouraging sustainable Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions" daily tourist taxes, to charge cruise lines - the Secretary General of The World for docking, or to try and ensure that tourism practices are things that can learn in this new wave of overTourism Tourism Organisation Ambassador tourists’ behaviour is beneficial – or at Zurab Pololikashvili said ‘’Tourism will the very least, not damaging – to local to save the environment and local cultures. only be sustainable if developed and lifestyles and landscapes. managed considering both visitors and As African destinations sometimes, Governments and local authorities local communities. This can be achieved we are tempted to stay aloof of the need to look at ways to control tourist through community engagements, discussions considering Africa only numbers – whether by raising prices, congestion management, reduction receives 5% of the world’s tourism issuing permits to certain attractions, of seasonality, careful planning that figures (65million)tourists and these banning cruise ships over a certain size, respects the limits of capacity and the also are not the very high end travellers. or having greater control over which specificities of each destination, and businesses open and where. Countries product diversification.” such as Tanzania, Kenya and few others Correspondence: Copyright subsists in all published in this magazine. Any reproduction or Voyages Afriq Travel Magazine adaptation, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publishers is Office Location strictly prohibited and is an act of copyright infringement which may in certain Accra Tourist Information Centre circumstances, constitute a criminal offence. The paper used for this production is a Off Liberation Road, Accra – Ghana recyclable and renewable product. It has been produced using wood sourced from Ghana Office line: +233 30 397 2764 sustainably managed forests and elemental or total chlorine free bleached pulp. [email protected] UK Office line: +44 744 849 4933 France Office VoyagesAfriq VoyagesAfriq VoyagesAfriq VoyagesAfriq 6 Impasse Robert Labarre 49300 Cholet - France Copyright NMC No. +33 753 082 350 Voyages Afriq Media Ltd. NMC/C.I39/17/3036 e : [email protected] . w : www. voyagesafriq.com 2 VOYAGESAFRIQ IssueIN THIS Rwanda reiterates commitment to MICE as key 16 tourism booster African Ministers of Tourism, Transport and Aviation 06 adopt Santa Maria, Sal Island Declaration UNWTO on the ground - AGENDA FOR AFRICA, 11 Roadmap to inclusive growth Malawi International Tourism Expo 2019 showcases the 17 real African experience Human Capital pivotal in 08 the Digital World of Tourism Onomo Hotels remain on experts reveal 13 expansion course / Radisson Hotel Group debuts Malawi International Tourism in Madagascar with three Expo 2019 showcases the properties 18 real African experience World Travel Market 19 - Africa wraps up VoyagesAfriq is 2018 Tourism 10 Oriented Media of the Year / 7th World Tourism Forum Autograph Collections Lucerne heads to Ras Al- debuts in Kenya welcoming Khaimah 14 Sankara Nairobi to its Portfolio University of Brighton holds Mantis Group acquires workshop on arts and waste Siringit Seregenti Camp / 23 for sustainable community 15 dev’t in Accra Pride Inn Hotels eye tented camps and lodges in conservancies 33 Visa 'red tape'and crime are deterring tourists from coming to SA – says Ramaphosa UNWTO launches preliminary report Winners of The Start on Visa Openness in Africa Up Innovation Camp In 24 Switzerland Take Home US$ 20K 40 Bombadierembarks on CRJ Series Africa Tour 41 United Airlines to Launch New Non- Stop Route to Cape Town 34 43 UNWTO partners Telefónica The Seychelles Island... Emirates announces an interline ...to promote tourism sector agreement with Africa World Airlines 25 digitalization IcelandAir acquires 49% in Cabo Verde Airlines Air Seychelles inks deal with Air-Fi for new wifi services on its 27 Airbus A320 NEO TIDA 2019 Conference Focuses On Impact Of Sustainable Tourism 37 University of Brighton holds workshop 44 on arts and waste for sustainable Ethiopian Airlines wins ‘African University of Brighton holds community dev’t in Accra Champion of the Year’ Award workshop on arts and waste 28 UNWTO participates in SITA Travel AFDB does not fund acquisition of for sustainable community planes dev’t in Accra Exhibition 46 Rolls-Royce to expand African Presence Air Mauritius takes delivery of first Airbus A330-900 47 Launch of Marseille route marks Ethiopian’s 20th destination in Europe 38 PERSONALITY PROFILE AFRICAN SUN HOTELS records Jimi Kariuki - MD Sarova massive growth in their operations 30 Hotels & Board Chairman of Kenya Tourism Board @VoyagesAfriq African Ministers of Tourism, Transport and Aviation adopt Santa Maria, Sal Island Declaration he First Ministerial Conference on Air Transport and authorities to join forces to improve Tourism in Africa co-organized by the World Tourism connectivity within the region. Organization (UNWTO), the International Civil Aviation The President of the ICAO Council, Dr.