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SCENES OF NGORONGORO CRATER AND THE SERENGET FROM "AIR HIGHWAYS TO AFRICA."
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Africa
Travel Association (ATA) Builds Bridges to Africa Africa
Travel Magazine Presents The Great Cities of Africa. Capials
of Culture and Historic Gateways to Tourism
Marketing
Africa Tourism in USA - An African Cruise:
The Ultimate Experience
The story of my journey from the Gulf of Guinea on Africa's Atlantic Coast to historic Mali Ville in the northern highlands appears in our bilingual Africa Travel Magazine. With that in mind, please consider this online version as an hors d'oeuvre - the full course banquet will come when you visit Guinea. I guarantee that your travel experience will be a feast - and like one of Nat King Cole' s most famous songs ... Unforgettable More-> From the Paris of
Africa to its elegant Roman
Cathedral Having heard
our Associate Editor Muguette Goufrani sing the praises of
her life and times in Cote d'Ivoire and other West African
countries, I was full of anticipation as we boarded the Air
Afrique jet at the Cotonou, Benin Airport, bound for the
legendary Ivory Coast. As serendipity plays a big part in
many of my African journeys, the first Ivorian we chanced to
meet en route was a Mr. Gakpo, "The Lobster Man of Abidjan"
(a possible song title), who kindly invited us to stay at
his seaside inn the following week
More-> Africa
in One Country "If you dance, you vibrate - and he who vibrates lives." Popular quotation. Mount Cameroon, West Africa's highest peak, stands like a giant sentinel, gazing out over the Gulf of Guinea on Africa's Atlantic Coast. Among it's legendary names is "Throne of Thunder," a fitting tribute to the powerful gods that are said to inhabit the mountain's inner core. Our group of travel agents and journalists approached the 'throne' shortly after one of its frequent volcanic eruptions, and the ribbons of cooled lava resembled grey frosting oozing from an enormous layer cake. The lava beds are evident from the main highway to Kribi and a hiking trail winds up and over them. The warning signs advised us to pay respect and to tread gently in this eco- sensitive area. More-> TUNISIA'S
ISLE OF FORGETFULNESS
Nigeria:
A tourism destination full of challenges I had the
wonderful opportunity to participate in a Familiarization
(FAM) Tour to Nigeria, West Africa this past October as a
member of Tourism Consortium International (TCI). The
overall purpose of this trip was to experience the level of
readiness of Nigeria's travel and tourism infrastructure to
include its hotel accommodations, air and road
transportation, hospitality amenities and security services.
This journey was made possible by the efforts of Chief
Margaret B. Fabiyi, Nigeria's ASTA Chapter President, who
was able to have KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the Nigerian
Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) cosponsor the
two-week program. Click
here
or on above photos for more pictures and
captions.
More-> Grand Tours and
Safaris in Magical Kenya As editors and publishers of Africa Travel Magazine, our most recent 40-day stay in Magical Kenya was the grand finale of a two-year effort that will result in 3 new issues designed to shatter the media myths and set the record straight on Kenya's return to world prominence as a tourism superstar. More-> Adrift on
the White Nile Downstream, the river raced swiftly out of sight and another huge rapid thundered a warning to our vulnerable rafts. Wisps of spray sparkled with the colors of the rainbow where the river disappeared and a menacing crocodile charged our rafts from the far bank. Sanctuary was a small eddy on the south bank of the river where hippos jumped on top of each other wary of the strange intruders. I shivered at the idea of running a rapid we had never seen, didn't fancy the idea of facing a crocodile longer than our raft and so opted to upset the hippos. A large bull rose out of the water, opened his huge mouth in warning and then crashed into the pool and disappeared. Seconds later, I pulled hard on the oars and spun the heavily laden raft into the eddy hoping he would not surface beneath me. We hit the bank, tied off the raft and watched the croc hold his ground behind a little rock island midstream. No-one had ever rafted these rapids before. More-> Flight to the Land
of Diamonds "Angola is a success story in the making -- a fascinating, uplifting saga of recovery, renewal, revival, restoration, and a massive face-lift for Luanda and points beyond. Shout it from the rooftops ... "Peace has come to Angola -- at last it can be told." This resource rich republic on Africa's South Atlantic Coast has finally escaped the shackles and shadows of its topsy turvy past, and is becoming a shining example for emerging countries around the world. Thanks to its presence in Angola, the Africa Travel Association (ATA) is the first international tourism organization to spread the good news far and wide, in North America and to its growing global audience. I saw the signs a few years ago, when Angola exhibited at an ATA Congress Trade Show. That positive move signaled the country's desire to get back on track for tourism -- and due to continued efforts by H.E. Eduardo Jonatáo. S. Chingunji, Minister for Hotels and Tourism, ATA has become the platform for Angola's happy return. More-> Berber Wedding Fair
at Imilchil, Morocco My father, who operated a tour company in Morocco and France for many years, took me along with a German tour group to visit a traditional "Wedding Fair" at Hadiddou Imilchil, a Berber village in southern Morocco. While I knew that many Berber Fairs combine a local Saint's Day with a regional market event, only at September's 'moussem' (pilgrimage) of Imilchil, have I seen such a colorful pageant, with instant engagement, and a mass exchange of marriage vows. Berbers have inhabited North Africa for centuries, some being of Caucasian ancestry, with fair complexions and blue eyes. Visitors may think of Berbers as exotic outsiders, yet they preceded the Arabs in settling Morocco, and they remain the country's main culture. This is expressed by the phrase, "Morocco is Berber - the roots and the leaves of freedom." More-> Grand Tour of
Ghana- A Golden Experience What was my
impression of Ghana on our first visit since 1999? Morocco's Vegetable
Foods No one who has enjoyed couscous, the national dish of Morocco, in all its meat varieties, will dream that in many peasant homes this delicacy is prepared solely from vegetables and semolina. These toilers of the soil who never taste meat for weeks at a time prepare, not only their couscous, but almost all their dishes from grain and vegetables. With the right amount of herbs and spices they create incredibly tasty meals, forming an important part of the Moroccan kitchen - a cuisine with an illustrious history. A great number of the Moroccans firmly believe that no other country's culinary art has reached the exalted heights of their cooking. A number of travelers support this assessment, stating that if the food of this North African country is not the greatest in the world, it stands near the top as one of the world's eminent cuisines. More-> Bunce Island -
Legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Industry Bunce Island, which was established as a major slave trading fortress and castle in 1670, is locate approximately twenty miles upriver in the Freetown Harbor on the Sierra Leone River. Bunce Island is a small piece of land measuring just 1700 feet long and 300 feet wide. Its strategic importance was that it was the last navigable point for Ocean going ships of the slave trade which made it advantageous for trade and defensive purposes. Today Bunce Island is in ruins, and it is very difficult to see the fort from a distance. Vines and other tropical vegetation have grown over the ruins and in crevices in the halls of the stone buildings. More African Fashions
and Designers Win World Acclaim Africans are painting the world in a kaleidoscope of bold, vibrant color combinations and dazzling patterns. The rich fabrics and virtually unlimited selection of turbans and other festive headgear, bright scarves, colorful wraps, wearable art and elegant gowns that brightened our days and lit up our evenings in Morocco, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire Uganda, Benin, Ghana, Tanzania, Guinea and other African destinations, were simply outstanding. What's more, so were the creators. During the past decade as publishers, we've had the privilege of meeting several of the brightest stars in Africa's fashion galaxy, and thanks to the magic of serendipity, more will surely appear in the near future. As I've learned, in many African societies, the choice of colors and textiles has special significance to the wearer. For example, hats often tell stories of everyday life, with its struggles, spiced by uplifting periods of joie de vivre. More-> Great Cities of
Morocco Series: Discovering Marrakech A destination where one may enjoy the customs, culture and pleasures of laid back tourism, Marrakech is loaded with outstanding attractions, events and accommodation. Its conference facilities are a magnet for international events, trade missions and summits, such as our ATA Ecotourism Symposium at Le Palais d'Congrès. Where else are all the walls and buildings tinted in a rich pastel peach, the broad avenues and promenades lined with rows and rows of orange trees, with ripe fruit dangling from their branches like holiday ornaments? More-> Great
Flying Safaris in Tanzania Our Air Safari, which took place during the 10 days of Christmas 2003, began with a seafood dinner on the patio at one of my favorite places, "The Slipway" on Dar es Salaam's rapidly-changing waterfront. At this unique shopping mall, now in its third or fourth stage of development, we were introduced to the owner Nicola Colangelo, an exceptional person and gracious host. Having just completed two weeks of dawn to dusk sessions at conferences in Zanzibar and at Dar es Salaam's Golden Tulip Hotel, the idea of flying on the Coastal Air Safari circuit had a special appeal. Another good omen that same day was our reunion, after five years, with popular entertainer King Kiki, the Swahili Coast's Louis Armstrong - his musical beat goes on forever. More-> Discovering
Essaouira Central Africa's
Pristine Parks and Wilderness Safaris Among my journeys throughout the length and breadth of this vast continent, the Central African Republic provided an opportunity for me to experience something beyond the ordinary. This relatively new nation is roughly the size of France, with geographical features that include Savannah plains, mountain ranges, dense rain forests and many rivers. Back in late 1800s, the French Colonial powers named this country ' Ubangui-Shari, ' and focused on making it an agricultural resource with vast cotton, coffee and tobacco plantations. More-:> What's Your Hat-itude? I am fascinated, and often captivated by the designs, textiles and in particular, the head wear, hats, coiffure, turbans and wraps of indigenous peoples around the world. In many African societies, the choice of colors and fabrics is outstanding and has special significance to the wearer. Hats often tell stories of everyday life, with its struggles, spiced by uplifting periods of joie de vivre. While I have worked in various African countries and journeyed widely in my earlier career as a travel agent, my ten year involvement with Africa Travel Magazine has brought the importance of African fashion into sharp focus. More-> Togo West
Africa Where do many West Africans go for an extended holiday or weekend fun? Chances are better than average that Togo tops many of their agendas. While we were living in West Africa, my family and I will never forget the Togolese hospitality we enjoyed during our visits to that friendly country. Some say, should a popularity contest be held today, amongst all West African countries, Togo-"Pearl of West Africa" would come first. Lome, the capital city, with several five star hotels and acres of sandy, sun-drenched beaches, has become a highly popular vacation center for Europeans. For most Americans and Canadians, it's still a well kept secret. Visitors hardly need to leave their hotel area; the Atlantic ocean is one block from the heart of the city. . More-> Gabon: West Central
African Profile As part of my decade living on Africa's West Coast, our family spent a memorable year in the Republic of Gabon, which hugs the Atlantic, straddles the equator and is roughly the size of France. Being health fanatics and outdoor types, my mother Suzanne, brother Jean Pierre and I thrived in the hot, humid climate - and in 12 months, managed to visit much of the countryside. This gave us an intimate connection with the Gabonaise culture and was valuable in my future career in tourism. We enjoyed a laid back, tropical lifestyle; food was delicious and varied, the shops and stalls were full of interesting items and tempting snacks. What's more, to our delight, the traditional West African culture had in no way disappeared with the oil boom." More-> I am
Uganda I am Uganda, gifted by nature - a land that's painted in 1,001 shades of green, a friendly land whose balmy temperatures are matched only by the warmth and hospitality of its people. While I straddle the equator, thanks to an average altitude of 4,000 ft. above sea level, instead of blistering days and hot steamy nights, you'll enjoy an amazingly mild and pleasant climate all year round. In fact, I am one of only three countries in the world that is located on the equator and has similar geographic conditions with respect to altitude. One can enjoy my endless attractions and activities without wearing a jacket or sweater, even in the mid December. More-> The Emerald of
Africa Upon preparing for the Africa Travel Association's Eighth Cultural and Eco-tourism Symposium, I decided to research and compare itineraries and prices at various tour operators in Uganda. I came upon Edsa African Safaris and Tours, Madam Sarah G. Mugabi, Director. At 1 Portal Avenue, Suite 308 Span House, P.O. Box 27871, Kampala, Tel: +256-41-252647/230921, Mob: +256-77-882844, Fax: +256-41-252647, E mail: info@edsatours.com, Web Site: www.edsatours.com Continued Cape Town to
Pretoria and Beyond on Rovos Rail "The design of the train has given us suites considerably larger than the world's famous trains such as the Orient Express, the Blue Train, Royal Scotsman in England and El Andalus in Spain." Rohan Vos One of the first lessons one learns on entering the wonderful world of Rovos Rail is that this "tour of a lifetime" is not just a South African experience -- its routes extend to five countries on a network of steel rails. For example, there's an annual excursion to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which many rave about. On this cool January morning, however, the destination is Pretoria, South Africa's capital city and headquarters of Rovos Rail, the Pride of Africa. Our leisurely two and a half day trip north through the country's heartland, allows ample time to relax, lay back, sip the wine, smell the roses, think lofty thoughts and get to know some interesting people. Daniel Dunn, one of the Western Cape's best informed tour guides, drove us to the Cape Town station, where Rovos Rail's owner Rohan Vos and Sales Manager David Patrick greeted us, as our baggage was whisked away in a flash More-> Africa's Historic
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Quick
Now! When you think of Africa, what image comes to mind? Do
you visualize a luxury tented camp near Mt. Kilimanjaro in
Tanzania? Do you see an elegant, Orient-Express class
railway coach sailing through a grassy sea? Is a world class
United Nations Convention Center and 90 foreign embassies
your idea of Addis Ababa? How about a Manhattan skyline in
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa? Believe it! The state
of the art facilities in hotels, resorts, lodges, and
meeting places for tourists and business visitors in many
African countries shatters the myths and blows away most
preconceived notions of today's visitor. So does the
Transatlantic service of Africa bound airlines. Another
monster myth is the price tag. Thanks to fleet expansion and
alliances, getting to Africa from the USA is easier and
cheaper for your clients than ever. Just ask anyone from the
Africa Travel Association (ATA) who has flown there
lately.
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