The winners of the inaugural African Travel Week Travel & Tourism Awards have been announced, shining a spotlight on exceptional individuals and businesses which have written the most compelling stories in the book of African travel for 2019/20.
The Awards celebrate the history of storytelling in Africa, which stretches back thousands of years, with tales passing on knowledge from one generation to the next, around the boma under glittering African skies. It’s in this spirit that the African Travel & Tourism Awards presented by WTM Africa celebrates the stories of those who have shared their uniquely beautiful African tale with visitors, representing a continent full of vibrancy, life, soul and heart.
Eight categories were established to celebrate the success of national, regional and city tourist boards and to recognise outstanding private sector companies and individuals, with the winners in each announced as:
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- Most Compelling Tourism Story: Spring Marketing Campaign by Northern Cape Tourism Authority.
- Most Compelling Innovation & Technology Story: Virtual Reality for Tanzania by Views4D.
- Most Compelling Agency Story: CNN International Commercial for Farm to Table (Dangote).
- Most Compelling Luxury Story: Table Mountain Ring by Shimansky.
- Most Compelling Sustainability Story: International Dark Sky Certification Campaign by !Xaus Lodge.
- Most Compelling Digital Story: Blood Lions Campaign and Love Africa Marketing.
- Most Compelling Adventure Story: Pioneer Trail by Gondwana Game Reserve.
- Most Compelling Foodie Story: Africa’s Original Elephant Dung Gin by Indlovu Gin.
Megan Oberholzer, Portfolio Director for Africa Travel Week says that the judging panel were impressed by the standard of entries. “There is some sterling work being done out there to showcase the best of our continent to the world on a variety of different platforms. It’s a privilege to have been able to see these fantastic campaigns collected in one place, as we judged them – and we can’t wait to see how the creators apply their creativity to continuing to share Africa’s beauty and diversity with the world in the face of the challenges the global travel industry faces for the foreseeable future,” she says.
The Awards were due to be announced at a ceremony which formed part of World Travel Market Africa 2020 in Cape Town, but with the event postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the independent panel of industry expert judges decided that excellence in the travel space still needed to be rewarded at an incredibly trying time for the global travel industry. The winners will be officially honoured at the next installment of WTM Africa, at a dedicated awards evening.
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Table Mountain Ring by Shimansky
On Friday 29 November 2019, The Table Mountain Ring was launched by luxury jewellery design house Shimansky and serves to pay homage to South Africa’s most iconic natural wonder.
The unique Table Mountain Ring collection by Shimansky is a precious metal and diamond creation that harnesses the power and presence of the Cape Town phenomenon that is Table Mountain and transforms it into a wearable piece of art.
The collection enables locals and visitors to take home their treasured memory of South Africa’s much-loved Table Mountain, enshrined in a ring.
The Table Mountain Ring collection is available at all Shimansky stores as well as at the very top of Table Mountain at their Shop at the Top.
Wahida Parker, MD of Table Mountain Cableway says: “At Table Mountain Cableway we believe strongly in the power of teamwork and collaboration, which is why this project with an authentic South African brand like Shimansky makes so much sense to us. Ultimately it will help us share the message of the beauty of Table Mountain with even more people. Just think what a great conversation starter this will make.”
Pioneer Trail by Gondwana Game Reserve
Big Five wilderness trails are predominantly in the lowveld area and KwaZulu-Natal and the overall objective of this campaign was to showcase that Gondwana now offered an equivalent adventure safari experience in the magnificent Cape landscape.
In November 2019, the award-winning Gondwana Game Reserve on the Garden Route launched its Pioneer Trail – a 3-day walking safari for up to 8 guests per trail. Gondwana offers the first such opportunity in a fynbos-covered, malaria free landscape within easy reach of Cape Town.
Gondwana has taken the best of what South African wilderness trails have to offer and combine the journey of a new destination reached each night, similar to the Whale or Otter Trail with the guided interpretation and exhilaration of walking in a Big Five game reserve under armed expert escort offered on Kruger Park wilderness trails.
The first of its kind, participants traverse Gondwana’s spectacular, mountainous, Big Five terrain on foot reaching a new tented camp located in a different biome each night.
For more details on the story behind each Award, visit https://africa.wtm.com/
