Tourism industry showcase during Africa’s Travel Indaba
|Published
Durban — Delegates from around the globe continued their engagements with various tourism industries – which include hotels and hospitality, airlines and wildlife reserves – during Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI), in order to do business and network.
Jen Dunlop-Jones, Blue Zebra Island Lodge’s general manager sales & marketing, said they are grateful for the platform given at the ATI and hope it will help put Malawi on the map.
She said: “Malawi is an emerging destination for travel in Africa. Over the years, we have been trying to enhance our exposure and make Malawi known. It has been fantastic to see how many agents are coming through and wanting to extend their tours to Malawi.”
Dunlop-Jones said they had been networking with partners across the continent to ensure tourists travel to their country. She added that the lodge is an exclusive 11-bedroom retreat and is extremely private.’
Elephant Walk Retreat marketing director Danielle Sheedy said her exhibit started from the family’s love and passion for wildlife.
Located in the Kruger National Park, Sheedy said: “My great grandfather was in the fuel industry and he was responsible for putting TotalEnergies into Kruger National Park, and through that, he always had a love for the area and wildlife. He purchased the land in 1973 after it became available with the idea of further building on the property.”
Sheedy added that there was a delay to the building due to a civil war that took place in Mozambique, so the building only resumed in 1994 through her grandparents.
“What started as two chalets soon developed into five cabins and four chalets. And next year we will further extend by building a tented camp. We have also recently received our own safari vehicle, so it helps with more safari tours.”
Sheedy concluded by saying she’s had appointments the whole day and the ATI has been successful by giving her multiple appointments and building multiple networks.
Laluka Safari Lodge owner Giulia Avanzi said: “The reason I am at the Indaba is to try to attract and market new countries that are not current lodge owners. I would also like to meet with new operators, and to really focus on high-end and luxurious travel as we’re a five-star lodge.”
CemAir chief financial officer Laura van der Molen shared that their airline has a fleet of 32 aircraft as well as 10 domestic routes and five regional routes.
“Our aim (at the ATI) is to provide direct connectivity to destinations for both business and holiday-makers. We aim to meet and connect with both inbound and outbound tour operators.”
She said that since 2005 they had also provided an aircraft leasing service which had allowed other airlines to use their aircraft – in places like Mongolia, Gabon, and the Caribbean. “We started with routes to Margate and Plettenberg Bay, but then expanded to Durban, Kimberley, Cape Town, Bloemfontein; as well as regional routes to Maun (Botswana) and Harare (Zimbabwe).”
Van der Molen concluded by saying key for them are relationships and partnerships with other airlines – locally and internationally – and allowing travellers to connect seamlessly.
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