Jubilee
celebrations in downtown Nairobi during
ATA 30TH WORLD CONGRESS highlights to
come. Photo by Muguettte Goufrani
 Hold
your next conference in one of Africa's
unique
cities
Did
you know that since 1976, over 30 African
cities have hosted events by the Africa
Travel Association? This astonishing
support represents 22 different countries
- no other travel industry organization
even comes close. What's more, a key
reason for ATA's wide acceptance and
flurry of new chapters is the fact that
Africans share in the leadership. For
example, our ATA Presidents are African
Tourism Ministers - responsibility, action
and example comes right from the top.
Africa Travel Magazine's feature "Africa's
Great Meeting Places and Convention Sites"
is in production. Book advertising space
now . E-mail africa@dowco.com,
or fax (604) 681 6595.
Ask
about Destination Specific Magazine
Inserts -> -> ->
GO
 African
Fashions Win World
Acclaim.
By
Muguette Goufrani
Africans are painting the world in a
kaleidoscope of bold colors and patterns.
Africa Travel Magazine features fashion in
every issue, and searches on MSN, Google
and Yahoo score our magazine's website #1
on "Africa
Fashion"
consistently, Vibrant color combinations,
dazzling patterns, rich fabrics, fabulous
headgear and elegant gowns we saw in
Conakry and traveling through Guinea were
outstanding. While returning to Paris from
Cameroon, we spent some quality time with
Seidnaly
Alphadi,
whose African- inspired creations are
taking Europe by storm.
(continued)
Guinea,
West Africa. Nature, Culture,
Hospitality
We
thank Hon. Sylla K. Diakite, Minister of
Tourism and Ibrahima Diallo, Director
General for a great congress. Muguette
Goufrani presents the first installment of
her post Congress journey from Conakry to
Mali Ville in Guinea's northern highlands,
the Switzerland of Africa.
Discover
Tanzania's Outstanding National
Parks
Our
editorial team explores the country from
Zanzibar and Mafia Islands on the Indian
Ocean Coast to remote highlands by land
and aircraft.
Uganda' s
Popular Namirembe Guest
House
A
million dollar view of Kampala,
Uganda.
Luxury
on Rovos Rail - Vintage Coaches on
Historic Route
Tour
by train from Cape Town, South Africa to
Pretoria via the world diamond capital of
Kimberley.
 Marketing
Communications.....
World
Tourism Growth
Figures
Why
Remain a Private
Company?
Powerful,
Award Winning
Websites
Win
with Great Broadcast
Interviews
PLUS:
World
Tourism Directory
Gallery: Photos
by Robert Eilets
Sales:
Ethiopian
Cultural Artifacts
Global: ATA'S
New Reach and
Influence
 More
items of interest
-
Special : Adventure
Tour to Namibia
- Profile: WTO: Response
to International
Terrorism
-
WTO: Tourists
Undeterred by
Threats
-
Hot
News from Prof. Wolfgang Thome
(ATA
Uganda). More on Pearl
News Page
KENYA
TO STUDY RAIL LINK FROM AIRPORT TO THE
CITY
Assistant
Minister for Transport in Kenya, Andrew
Ligale, had during a recent workshop of
East African Airports Association
announced that the Kenya Government was
studying the possibility of a rail link
between the airport and the city center.
The main rail line from Mombasa to Nairobi
runs near the perimeter of the airport and
a link could substantially speed up the
transfer time from the city to the
airport.
KQ
TO OFFER LONDON &endash; MOMBASA DIRECT
FLIGHTS
From
December onwards Kenya Airways will ease
travel from the UK to the Kenya Coast by
introducing a weekly B 777 service ever
Friday evening from Heathrow via Nairobi
to Mombasa. This will make clearing
customs and immigration of visitors on
this flight in Nairobi a thing of the
past, as they will do their clearance in
Mombasa, from where the flight is then due
to return nonstop to London. Demand for
Kenya holidays has rocketed during the
year in spite of lingering anti travel
advisories and the entire region has
recorded a renewed interest of overseas
visitors.
GRANT
FOR KENYA CULTURAL SITES
The
US Embassy has given a K Shs 2.3 million
grant to protect rock art paintings in
Western Kenya, where a new tourist circuit
is now being opened up.
In
a statement earlier in the week, the
embassy said the fund would be used to
promote three sites on Mfang'ano Island
(Suba District), Kakapel (Western
Province) and Ng'Moritung'a (south Lake
Turkana). "The grant from the Ambassador's
Fund for Cultural Preservation will be
signed at Mfang'ano and help develop a
rock art management plan,'' the statement
said. "It will lead to responsible tourism
of three rock sites and help conserve them
through community-based management."
Kenya
has a number of rock sites dating from
roughly 4,000 years ago. Most of them
however are not yet accessible to the
public and have not been promoted as
tourist attractions. The new grant aims at
promoting and preserving the existing
sites.
Other
famous rock art paintings can be found in
Tanzania and new sites have recently also
been discovered in Uganda.
More->->
Did
you know?
The
African American population in the USA at
last count was 34,658,190 representing
over 12.3 % of the total. Almost half
(43%) are homeowners, and nearly one
quarter (23%) hold Bachelor's degrees or
higher from US. Universities. As
consumers, African Americans spend over
$500 billion annually, or an average per
household of $23,442. Their purchases will
include around $33 billion on new
automobiles and close to $4 billion on
consumer electronics. African Americans
are no longer rural; 85% live in urban
centers, mostly the top 20 metro areas.
The African American median age is 30,
some 6 years younger than the total US
population.
 Miracle
Corners Of The World
2005
Benefit Dinner
Founders: Edward J. Bergman (left) And
Robert Alsbrooks with Presentation of
Tanzanian Art work to Keynote Speaker, The
Honorable David N. Dinkins, former Mayor
of New York City
"Road
to Morocco
Tours."
Many ATA tour operators and USA
chapters plan return tours to Morocco. For
a sample, read Majestic Mountains,
Romantic Kasbahs by Habeeb Salloum and
Morocco
Tourism
Attractions
by Helen Broadus. Travel Agents' Special
Festive Holidays Hotel Packages' and Tours
by the Blue
Men of Morocco.
Africa
in One
Country:
We thank Tourism Minister Hon. Pierre Hele
for a superb tour of Cameroon this spring.
It was like visiting Africa in One
Country, and a dress rehearsal for the ATA
29th International Congress in Douala, May
2004. Much more to come.
Ethiopian
Airlines Goes
Boeing
.
Industry News Release
 Berber
Wedding Fair in
Morocco:
My father, who has 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.
(continued)
Business
Opportunities in
Africa:
David J. Saunders on Economic
Partnership / Investment in Africa /
Prosperity
Central
Africa's Pristine Parks and
Wilderness:
Among my journeys through the length
and breadth of this vast continent, the
Central African Republic presented an
opportunity for me to experience something
well beyond the normal. This relatively
new nation is huge; roughly the size of
France, with geographical features that
include well-watered 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.
(continued)
Gabon-
West African
Profile:
As part of my decade on Africa's West
Coast, our family spent a memorable year
in 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.
(continued)
Africa
Exhibitors Shine at Canada's Greatest
Adventure Show
Interest
in African destinations and events was
keen at the ATA booth in Vancouver, where
hundreds of copies of Africa Travel
Magazine, featuring a wide variety of
countries, were provided to visitors. This
first show of this year's series proved
that this exciting event attracts Canada's
most active and affluent travel
enthusiasts.
 African
Americans: Africa's Tourism Mega Market in
North America and Caribbean
by
Jerry W. Bird
The longer our magazine remains on the
cutting edge of travel to Africa from the
USA, Canada and the Caribbean, the more
myself and colleagues appreciate how vital
the African American Market is to our
success as the Africa Travel Association's
official magazine. David J. Saunders,
ATA's membership Chairman based in
Washington, DC expands on this timely
topics, but first let me begin by getting
personal. It's a real eye opener, heart
warmer and soul lifter to visit Africa
several times each year with my many
African Americans friends. What joy to
share the thrill as they discover their
historic roots, explore exciting new
tourism destinations and enter an
ever-expanding world of business,
investment and networking opportunities.
The fact that most of our readers and web
site visitors are Travel Agents and
Tourism Professionals is a huge plus. This
means that the more they get to know about
Africa through our magazine and web site,
annual congresses, ecotourism symposia,
ATA chapter seminars and events, the
greater Africa Travel Magazine's reach and
influence will be. One active, effective
travel agent can represent several
thousand consumers -- that's what an
influential readership means. A key
indicator is the popularity of Africa
Travel Magazine Online
(www.africa-ata.org) with page views
soaring every month. Combined with our
print circulation, the mail boxes are
overflowing. It's truly a win, win
situation.
.. 
La
Francophonie Commonwealth and
Africa:
In the window at our local French Club
in downtown Vancouver, Canada, is a sign
that reads, "One out of every 3 Canadians
speaks French." That's a startling fact,
yet what is lesser known in the world of
travel, trade and commerce, is that almost
half of Africa speaks French. To serve
their needs, La Francophonie has provided
institutions to preserve the French
language around the world.
(continued)
Mali's
City of Mystery- Tombouctou
There's
a Tuareg proverb which says that: "It is
better to see oneself than to be informed
by a third person." On these words we will
invite you to mention Tombouctou on the
first page of your twenty first century
agenda. Located near the river Niger and
at the terminus of the great trans-Saharan
caravan route, Tombouctou became
fabulously wealthy in the 13th to 15
centuries. Loaded with blocks of salt and
other trade goods, huge convoys of camels
would spend weeks crossing the unforgiving
Sahara to reach Tombouctou. It was here
that salt was traded pound for pound with
African merchants bringing gold and ivory
along the Niger from the heart of Africa.
(continued)
Mauritius
Island: A Tropical
Paradise:
One year during my decade in Africa,
instead of taking off for France as usual
for my annual vacation, I left our
family's adopted home in Cote d'Ivoire,
West Africa to tour East Africa and the
Indian Ocean Coast, with its adventure
islands of Madagascar, Reunion and
Mauritius. My favorite souvenir - or most
memorable experience at the time -- was
the trip between Port Louis and Pereybere.
The island capital of Port Louis, named
after the King Louis XV of France, is a
relatively small port, yet it happens to
be one of the busiest in the Indian Ocean.
Its bustling market resembles something
between an Arab soukh and the Parisian
Halles. (continued)
Pearl of 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. (continued)
The
Flying
Gourmet:
There have been many well traveled
experts on fine wines, good food and great
restaurants in North America's media, but
the standout person is James Beard , an
icon of the past century. We salute
Portland's native son, who some have
called "The father of American Cooking."
Beard spearheaded the food revolution,
converting a gastronomic wasteland, making
North Americans aware of their bountiful
heritage and the joy of cooking.
(continued)
New
software translates West African
languages: Lagos, Nigeria: An African
software developer, Paradigm
International, announced that it will
launch a series of unique software
products into the Nigerian market. This
includes a program called Schools(r)
(developed in-house) that will translate
Nigerian languages. Company chairman,
Olumuyiwa Asaolu of Lagos, stated that
Paradigm's products address specific
problems in the nation, and are motivated
by the desire to contribute positively to
meeting societal needs (more to
come).
We
are proud to welcome Kwandwe Private
Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape. Much
more information to come on this web site.
For now, their address is http://www.kwandwe.com.......
A
Musical Tour of Africa: Rarely do we
make a trip to Africa without being
overwhelmed and enchanted by the music of
each country we visit, and the talented
entertainers we meet, whether it be at a
lodge in the Serengeti, a world event in
Accra, Ghana, an open air buffet in
Arusha, Tanzania, or a charismatic church
service in Kumasi. King Kiki, (left) Dar
es Salaam's star performer is a prime
example of Africa's abundant talent; we
enjoyed his friendship for several days in
that historic crossroads city on
Tanzania's Indian Ocean Coast, and look
forward to seeing and hearing him again
soon.(See
Music
Page)
PAN
AFRICAN JAZZ FESTIVAL: Venue
International Professionals, Inc. is
pleased to announce that it will be
promoting, in conjunction with the W.E.B.
DuBois Memorial Center For Pan African
Culture in Accra, Ghana, their Pan African
Jazz Festival as a part of the African
World History Month activities in West
Africa. (See
Music
Page)
Building Bridges Between Developed and
Emerging Nations: "Prejudices about a
country or its people can best be removed
by visiting the place." The stone walls of
prejudice and indifference are crumbling
fast, as vast areas of the world, such as
China, Mongolia, Arabia and much of Africa
open their doors to tourism. Small wonder
today's need for solid partnerships and
workable action plans has become front and
center.
by
Hon. Michael A. Gizo . Continued.
Ghana
:
ATA
31st World
Congress / Web
News:.
What's the Score?
SA:
Safari
on
Big Screen
/ Sahara:
Africa's
great desert:
Tanzania:
Climb
Kilimanjaro / Cameroon:
Africa
in One Country
CCA
2005
USA-
Africa Summit / Ethiopia
Holy
Route Tour
Uganda:
The
Country speaks / Corinthia-Bab-Africa,
Libya
Globe
2006 .
Africans
at World's Biggest Eco
Expo
Education:
Apples
for Africa a Winning
Idea
Uganda
: Hotel Developments in Kampala,&
Beyond
Dunn
family.
Zulu
Heritage and Tourism Legacy
.
Trade:
Fly
to Africa with a Stop at
Dubai
New!
Visit
Zambia Program Launch in USA
South
Africa
Diamonds
Forever AT Jewel Africa
SAA
New
Air Routes Announced
Zanzibar
Voted
Best Island Destination
Zambia
Peace
Through Tourism a Success
|
