review wtm africa


Winner sets an example W


ilderness Safaris scooped the African Responsible Tourism Awards’ main


prize at WTM Africa for steps taken to reduce bottled water usage. Wilderness Safaris, based in Botswana, operates in seven African countries and received the honour for driving down bottled water consumption, thereby not just reducing plastic waste, but also the greenhouse gases emitted in its transportation. The awards were sponsored by


Cape Town tourism investment and promotion agency Wesgro and organised by Better Tourism Africa. The judges said the winner set an example to the industry “and challenges the industry to do far more”.


It added: “The industry needs to take much more vigorous action to reduce its water consumption; the resilience of individual businesses and the sector requires it.” Wilderness Safaris also picked up the top prize in the Global Goals category.


Other category winners were


Kenya’s Basecamp Explorer for Responsible Cultural Experience; North Island Seychelles for Best Aquatic Species and Habitat Conservation; and Spier Wine Farm


$365


million of deals


New cruise terminal for Durban


EVENT REVIEW


18% visitor increase exhibitors 600


new cruise terminal will open in Durban in 2020 following an agreement between MSC Cruises and port authorities. MSC is throwing its weight behind the development, as South Africa is an important destination for the brand. It is hoped that the new €13.5 million KwaZulu Cruise Terminal development will be in operation by October 2020.


A


Wilderness Safaris scooped the main prize


(South Africa) for Decent Work and Social Inclusion.


Harold Goodwin, judging panel


chair, said: “All of those long-listed should be recognised as having made a signifi cant contribution and be proud of what they have achieved.” He added that judges looked for winners who might educate and inspire others, challenging the industry to achieve more by demonstrating what can be done by businesses and organisations to realise the ambition of responsible tourism. “That ambition is simply put: to use tourism to make better places for people to live in. This also benefi ts the industry: great places to live are great places to visit.”


MSC Cruises’ executive chairman, Pierfrancesco Vago, said: “This agreement represents a great development for MSC Cruises’ South African operation. We could not be prouder.” The project is expected to dovetail with the city’s latest work to extend the beachfront promenade from uShaka beach southwards to the harbour entrance, as well as the development of Durban Point Waterfront.


Cruise passengers entering Durban


currently use the port’s N-Shed, but the new terminal is designed to be a major upgrade of the current makeshift facilities. Although development is being led by MSC, it will be available to all cruise lines.


• Next year’s WTM Africa will take place April 10-12 in Cape Town.


Show ‘key for Thailand’


Thailand: popular with South African tourists


country’s popularity with South African travellers continues. Thailand is already the second most popular outbound destination among South Africans after Mauritius, and the number of South African holidaymakers to Thailand increased by 17.8% last year, from almost 80,000 in 2016 to 93,000, despite the absence of a direct fl ight connection.


A wtm.com “Sixty per cent of these are repeat travellers,” said Chiravadee


direct fl ight from South Africa to Thailand could become a reality if the


Khunsub, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in London. South Africans currently have a choice of six airlines to take them to Thailand – Singapore Airlines,


Cathay Pacifi c, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.


“If we have signifi cant growth from the South African market in the near future, we believe our national carrier would defi nitely consider operating a direct fl ight between the two countries,” said Khunsub. Six hotel


groups, including


Centara Hotels & Resorts and Elephant Hills, were on the


TAT stand at the event. Khunsub described WTM Africa as “a key event


for TAT”. summer 2018 wtm insights 13


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