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Africa
in One Country
by
Jerry W. Bird
Africa
Travel Association's Prestige Magazine to publish a
"GRAND TOUR "OF CAMEROON" edition, with year-round,
long-term worldwide
distribution!
 "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. Mount
Cameroon's rugged peak is the crown jewel of a
chain of volcanic mountains that are strung like a
giant pearl necklace along the Cameroon Nigeria
border. The range stretches from here all the way
to the northern plains of Maroua, gateway to
Waza
National Park - and
that's just part of the "Grand Tour of Cameroon,
Africa in One Country" a prestige edition of Africa
Travel Magazine making its debut in fall 2004.
 Cameroon's
Minister of Tourism , Hon. Pierre Helé, puts
"ecology first" in his country's efforts to win an
important share of the tourist trade from North
America and other markets. Each February the
popular ' Course of Hope.' attracts aspiring
climbers to the area and we're told that, while the
ascent is challenging, it's not dangerous or overly
strenuous. Many other sights would amaze and
impress us that day and in the week to follow.
Speaking personally, this trip was by far the most
complete tour of any ATA- African host country I
had experienced to date. At its conclusion most
travelers in our group were tired - and somewhat
bedazzled - yet I enjoyed a feeling of solid
accomplishment. As a result I will never forget
Cameroon and always hunger for more.
Road to economic
success
This progressive country is already high on the
preferred list in terms of business travel. Scan
the financial pages, or dig a little deeper in the
Internet, and you'll see what I mean - the country
is rich with potential in terms of agriculture,
forestry, marine life, minerals and natural
resources. And a word to the wise, "Where business
goes, tourism flows" - and vice versa. Europeans
discovered long ago what most North Americans have
yet to learn - that Cameroon is a Tourism Mecca in
the raw. Ministry officials such as our tour leader
Ebenezer Elimbi (below) agree with with the
popular expression that their land is Africa in One
country." In other words Cameroon is a little bit
of everything, or as my Grade 9 Spanish textbook
said in its title, "de todo un poco."
 Cruising
the West Central African Countryside
Our escorted bus trip through the hills, plains,
valleys and coastline of Cameroon was quite similar
to taking a small ship cruise or a personal rail
tour. Why?- it provided whistle stops, combined
with extended visits, photo opportunities and
overnight moorings.
Ports of call on this
'amazing land cruise' from Yaounde and Douala,
included Edea, Kribi, Limbe, Buea, Bafang,
Bandjoun, Bafoussam, Bamenda, Bangangte, Bafia,
Bafut, Foumban, Bafia, Maroua, Pouss, Mokolo,
Rhumsiki, Mora and Waza National Game Park. Sounds
like a heavy duty schedule - right? Well, the
surprising thing was the fact that in spite of all
the cities, towns and villages mentioned, nothing
was the same. In other words, when they say "Africa
in One country" they mean exactly that, as we
discovered in a way that you could never do by
flying . Whether the roads were smooth and broad or
rough and dusty, there was always something new and
interesting to look forward to.
Doors of Hospitality in
Cameroon
 Our
overnight stays on the North-South tour were at
Yaounde - Kribi - Douala - Limbe - Bamenda - Maroua
and Waza, and while the accommodation was varied I
would recommend all the hotels selected to our tour
operator friends.
Editor's Comment: The
tour, hosted by Tourism Minister Hon. Pierre
Helé and his team, was so extensive, I will
cover it in continuing installments during the
year. Our travels in Cameroon will eventually be
compiled in a book that will help future travelers
from North America enjoy this fascinating country
to the fullest. More chapters will be added in 2003
when Muguette Goufrani, Robert Eilets and I hope to
return to Cameroon.
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H.E. Pierre
Hele
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Ebenezer
Elimbi
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Jean
Npombo
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Boniface
Piga
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Editor's Comment: In addition to the Hon.
Minister Hele, we thank our tour supervisors
Ebenezer Elimbi, Jean Npombo and Boniface Piga.
They were great companions throughout my 30 days in
the country. Our travels in Cameroon will
eventually be compiled in a book that will help
future travelers from North America enjoy this
fascinating country to the fullest. It was a month
we will treasure forever, and even as time passes,
the images and voices of Cameroon have not faded
one iota - they've become even more vivid in the
theater of my mind. What I truly love about the
many Cameroonians whom I've come to know - is that
to a person, they "Accentuate the
Positive."
Jerry W. Bird is President of ATA Canada Chapter,
Editor and Publisher of Africa Travel Magazine, and
Webmaster for the ATA site www.africa-ata.org. He
is also Publisher of Air Highways Magazine, Journal
of Open Skies and voice of aviation, tourism and
transportation worldwide. His career began with the
Edmonton Journal Daily Newspaper, and expanded into
the full spectrum of media - radio, television,
magazines and Internet. He has won international
awards for creativity in audio visual and print
production.
Sucess of
Africa Travel Association's 29th International
Marketing Congress, in Cameroon sets stage for long
range promotion
 
Cameroon's Tourism Minister
Hon. Pierre Hélé uses "Africa
in One Country," to describe his ecotourism
paradise on the Atlantic Coast. What makes Cameroon
such a hot item for today's North American travel
buyers and business travelers? It's safe and
friendly for starters. What's more, it's a
shoppers'delight, with a favorable exchange rate
for U.S. dollars. Are substantial oil reserves,
improved agriculture and forestry management,
political stability and religious tolerance setting
an Africawide example?  How
much will tourism benefit from this bounty and wise
stewardship? Several hundred industry executives ,
government officials and investors discussed these
and other topics at the Africa Travel Association
29th International Congress. Event headquarters was
the Sawa Hotel in Douala, Cameroon's major port and
largest city. Several carriers, including SN
Brussels and Cameroon Airlines, offer value-added
packages for ATA members.
Cameroon
Delegation the the USA, March 2004. Africa
Travel Association hosted sessions in Washington,
DC, Los Angeles, CA, Atlanta, GA and New York, NY,
includes:
• Madame Marthe Angeline Minja, Secretary
General, Ministry of Tourism (Head of
Delegation)
• Mr. Daniel Mukete, Inspector Ministry of
Tourism
• Mr. Bernard Fosso, Ministry of the
Environment and Forest
• Mr. John Atagwa, Ministry of Commercial and
Industrial Development.
• Mr. Pierre Rajaonarivony, Director General
Hotel Sawa
• Mr. Georges Sangang Simo, Director General
Aigle Voyages
• Ms. Marie Julie Monkam Nitcheu, Ministry of
Economic Affairs, Programming and Regional
Development.
• Ms. Francoise Kameni LeLe, President ATA
Cameroon and Director General, Cameroon Travel
Center
 Council
of Tourism Ministers of Africa
The CTMA opened the Congress agenda, followed by
the annual ATA Chapter Presidents Forum. "Doing
Business Together" sessions include roundtable
meetings between U.S. and Cameroon tour operators,
organizers and ground operators. "How to market to
the U.S. Consumer" is a key topic on the marketing
agenda.
Host Country
Activities: On Host Country Day, ATA delegates
visited banana, tea and rubber plantations near
Mount Cameroon, strolled through the world famous
Limbe Botanical Gardens. Limbe's Seme Beach Hotel
hosted a luncheon, and a festive "homecoming"
dinner
All agreed that "Africa in
One country" was no stretch - you can sample the
best of many lands and cultures. Here's what one
seasoned traveler had to say, "Value for the dollar
is a big attraction. We stayed almost month through
the pre Christmas season, and though our bank
account was starting to thin out, the prices for
goods and services allowed us to stretch the trip
much longer than normal
About Cameroon:
Located on the West coast of Africa,Cameroon
(population 15,000,00) is bordered by Nigeria,
Gabon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo and
Equatorial Guinea. While there are over 200 tribal
groups, the main languages of commerce are French
and English. Much of the architecture remains from
the country's days as a German colony. Cameroon's
Atlantic Ocean coastline extends 400 km, offering
long stretches of beach. The varied climate ranges
from tropical rain forest to open Savannah, with
high mountain ranges on the North West border.
Throughout Cameroon there are areas of thermal
springs for those who like an outdoor health spa
retreat. As they say, "A little bit of
everything."
Waza
National Park. Visitors
can observe elephant, giraffe, ostrich, antelope,
gazelle and lion - and a variety of birds. Lions
are best observed during April.
Photo
Credits: ATA Archives / Robert Eilets/ Muguettte
Goufrani
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