Travel tips for 2018

Buenos Aires
Until recently Argentina’s charismatic capital was starved of direct, affordable flights from the UK but change is on the horizon. From Valentine’s Day, budget airline Norwegian Airlines will be showing its love for the South American giant with the launch of the longest-ever nonstop route from Gatwick — to Buenos Aires.
On arrival, spend the money you have saved on fantastic food (Argentina’s steakhouses are legendary but you’ll also, thanks to Italian immigration in the past, find excellent pizza and pasta all washed down with copious amounts of Malbec), futbol games(football is a religion) and first class tango (arguably Argentina’s greatest contribution to the world)  shows.

Rwanda
Rwanda – a tiny East African country whose name will always be tinged with tragedy – may not have previously figured on your bucket list but it should.
It has some of the world’s most wonderful wildlife (Rwanda is one of only three countries in the world where you can still find mountain gorillas in the wild, and is the leader when it comes to their conservation) and a particularly progressive capital in Kigali. Make no mistake: Rwanda’s capital city is safe (violent crime is near non-existent, and the terrorist threats that have plagued other East African destinations have not affected Rwanda) and spotless thanks to Umuganda, a monthly street clean-up).
What’s more, now that RwandAir flies direct from London Gatwick to Kigali three times a week, reaching Rwanda has never been more accessible or affordable.

The Year That Was

It’s been a busy year of travelling and it’s time to take stock. Here Just About Travel contributor and travel enthusiast, Kaye Holland, shares some of her favourite destinations from 2017

It’s been a busy year of travelling and it’s time to take stock. Here Just About Travel contributor and travel enthusiast, Kaye Holland, shares some of her favourite destinations from 2017

Panama
The waistline of the Americas, Panama flies under the radar – in part because it’ s overshadowed by its more developed and better known neighbours, Costa Rica and Colombia.
But if you want azure waters, confrontingly good cuisine, heritage sites, nightlife and affordable adventures, Panama delivers. And then some.
The traditional travellers’ route into the country is via Panama City – Latin America’s most cosmopolitan capital that’s the gateway to the famous Panama Canal, an awe-inspiring modern engineering marvel which was built by the U.S. between 1904 and 1914.
Yet much of Panama’s appeal lies beyond the city. When the noise and frenetic activity of the capital gets too much, seek out the San Blas islands – 365 pieces of remote paradise, perched off the coast of Panama, that feel exactly like what they are: off the beaten track and undiscovered. Alternatively make a beeline for Bocas del Toro – a dreamy Caribbean archipelago blessed with Bounty advert beaches.
It’s a great spot to end your trip to this underrated, affordable corner of Central America – and perhaps start planning your next one. Return is inevitable.

Hull
Hull often gets a bad rap for being a place where “only salesmen and relations come,” as Philip Larkin once put it.
But just because it was, doesn’t mean it is. A cool £25million has been invested into revamping the city centre, in a bid to put the port city back on the travel map and there’s a palpable sense of excitement in the East Riding air.
Not that Hull has forgotten its past: expect to see a cornucopia of cream coloured telephone boxes, for Hull has had its own telephone exchange (KCom) –  the only city in the UK to do so – since 1902.
Hull’s shopping scene is another symbol of it’s uniqueness, of its determination to be different from other British cities. Instead of gigantic shopping malls, you’ll find the locally loved Grade 11 listed Victorian Hepworth Arcade –  home to Fanthorpes  which has been serving music lovers since 1946 and Dinsdale’s Joke Shop (01482 223622), one of the country’s oldest joke shops.
Hull is also home to some exceptionally good museums  (named in the UK’s Top 10 free attractions by Guardian readers) that are also free, as well a plethora of characterful pubs.
Bottom line? Hull is no longer just “a place for salesmen and relations.”

Rwanda
Let’s face facts: if we’re talking about which country to visit next, we probably wouldn’t put Rwanda  – an African nation whose name will always be tinged with tragedy – at the top of the list. But we’d be wrong. For there’s more to this tiny state – measuring a mere 10,169 square miles, Rwanda is the fourth smallest country on the African mainland – than the legacy of genocide.
The Land Of A Thousand Hills happens to be only one place in the world where you can look a mountain gorilla in the eye – a moment that you’ll remember for the rest of your life, something the great Sir David Attenborough can attest to.
The veteran broadcaster and naturalist famously recounted in his 1978 Life On Earth series that meeting Rwandan gorillas was “one of the most exciting encounters of my life. There is more meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance with a gorilla than any other animal I know.”
Yet while Rwanda maybe famous for its gorillas,it’s also the place to gawp at golden monkeys – another species found only in the tiny East African nation. Stir into the mix the full quota of the Big Five and you have an unsung safari destination.
What’s more, reaching Rwanda is easier than ever: RwandAir  – Rwanda’s national carrier – now flies direct from London Gatwick to Kigali (the capital) three times a week.

Athens
Our lives are short and the world is interesting so why do we spend so many of our weekends away in bland, well behaved cities? Athens is anything but. 
The charismatic Greek capital – easily one of the most exhilarating cities right now – is often overlooked by travellers in favour of Barcelona, Berlin, Paris and Rome. Error.  If good nightlife, bars and shops are your thing, then Athens is where it’s at.
The iconic Acropolis – the greatest symbol of ancient Greece and a wonder of the world – tops most first time visitor’s itinerary list but Athens isn’t about sightseeing per se but about exploring. It’s about wandering around neighbourhoods like Kolonaki and stopping for a leisurely coffee in a people watching cafe, gorging on fantastic Greek food and putting your bargaining skills to the test in the lively Central Market. Athens is made even more inviting by its people who are happy to share their world with you. Charming and hospitable, they always have time to talk.  Everyone knows somebody who has a friend, who has a cousin, who can help you out.

http://www.justabouttravel.net/2017/12/28/the-year-that-was-5/

Remarkable Rwanda: seven reasons to visit

Let’s face facts: if we’re talking about which country to visit next, we probably wouldn’t put Rwanda  - an African nation whose name will always be tinged with tragedy - at the top of the list. But we’d be wrong. For there’s more to this tiny state - measuring a mere 10,169 square miles, Rwanda is the fourth smallest country on the African mainland, behind The Gambia, Swaziland and Djibouti - than genocide and gorillas.

Here’s seven reasons why the Land Of A Thousand Hills should be top of your travel bucket list this winter…

Getting there is now a doddle
eaching Rwanda hasn’t always been easy. Bordered by Burundi to the south, Uganda to the north and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west - three destinations best described as ‘off the beaten track’ - the country could be regarded as one of the more unreachable areas of Africa.

Fast forward to 2017 and it’s all change: RwandAir  - Rwanda’s national carrier - now flies direct from London Gatwick to Kigali three times a week meaning that reaching Rwanda has never been more accessible or affordable. The flight takes approximately nine hours, with return fares starting from a reasonable £368. (01293 874 922; rwandair.com).

Rwanda is clean and safe
“You’re going where?” they said.
“Rwanda,”  I replied.
“Isn’t that where they had the genocide? It isn’t safe,” they asserted.

This conversation was repeated many, many times in the run up to my trip to this little African nugget. Even as I left for the airport, the last thing everyone said to me was: “Stay safe.” Clearly friends, family and work colleagues were all sceptical of my most recent travel plans.

Happily I’m here to tell you that their fears and concerns were misplaced.
Sure you should always exercise caution and common sense when travelling in sub Saharan Africa - for example, don’t drink the water - but Rwanda is one of the continent’s safest destinations.

What’s more it’s capital, Kigali, is not only free from danger it is - unlike most big cities - astonishing well kept. Plastic bags are banished and on the last Saturday of each month, every single citizen is required to spend half a day cleaning the streets. Subsequently not only do the streets sparkle, but there’s an onus not to litter in the first place.

Bottom line? Rwanda can be explored with confidence. But don’t just take TNT’s word for it. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office claims that “Rwanda is generally safe and crime levels are relatively low.” For more information visit www. gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/rwanda.

Gorillas in our midst
There’s only one place in the world where you can look a mountain gorilla in the eye and that place is the Virunga Mountains - a chain of volcanoes which runs along the north of Rwanda, the south-west of Uganda and a stretch of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Here - if lady luck is on your side - you’ll find around 800 mountain gorillas. (https://virunga.org)
 
One caveat: getting up close and personal with the mightiest primates doesn’t come cheap as the Rwandan government doubled the fees for gorilla encounters from US$750 to US$1,500 a head earlier this year.

However should the steep price prove perturbing, keep in mind that the money you are shelling out goes towards safeguarding the gorilla population (10 years ago, Rwanda was home to fewer than 60 gorillas).

More than this, you’re guaranteed a moment that you’ll remember for the rest of your life - something the great Sir David Attenborough can attest to. The veteran broadcaster and naturalist famously recounted in his 1978 Life On Earth series that meeting Rwandan gorillas was “one of the most exciting encounters of my life. There is more meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance with a gorilla than any other animal I know.”

Book your pass (80 are available per day) through the Tourism and Conservation Reservation Office of the Rwanda Development Board (00252 57 65 14; reservation@rwandatourism.com).

Supreme safaris
Rwanda maybe famous for its gorillas but it’s also the place to gawp at golden monkeys - another species found only in the Land Of A Thousand Hills.

Stir into the mix the full quota of the Big Five (think lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard) plus crocodiles, hippos, zebras and giraffes - all of which can be spotted at Akagera National Park (akageranationalpark.org) over on the east flank of the country - and you have an unsung safari destination.

Meanwhile bird lovers will want to make a beeline for the Nyungwe Forest National Park (rwandatourism.com/destinations/nyungwe-national-park) to see more than 300 species of birds. Covering over 1,000 square kilometres of pristine mountain rainforest, the park is also home to East Africa’s only canopy walkway that will bring you face to face with Rwanda’s wonderful wildlife.

Rwanda is an African success story
Case in point? A record 64 per cent of Rwanda’s MPs are women, the highest percentage of any country, helping make Rwanda one of the most gender-equal nations in the world.

That’s not all… Rwanda has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has emerged as one of Africa’s leading business tourism destinations.

Just last month the architecturally splendid new Radisson Blu Convention Centre – whose design was inspired by traditional Rwandan basket weaving – hosted no fewer than three prestigious events. Step forward leading hotel investment conference AHIF, AviaDev Africa - a unique event bringing together airports, airlines, governments, industry suppliers and tourism authorities - and World Travel Awards (aka the travel industry’s leading awards programme) Africa Gala Ceremony 2017.

Fab accommodation
Until now those visiting Rwanda have had to hunker down in clean but basic, simple places to stay. But just because it was, doesn’t mean it is…
In Kigali, seek out the Serena Hotel (serenahotels.com/serenakigali) which opened its doors earlier this year and serves up five-star accommodation and a refreshing courtyard swimming pool.

 

Further afield Wilderness Lodges - famed for its gorgeous accommodation in seven other African countries - has opened a jaw dropping six bedroom lodge called Bisate. The lodge has been built on land bought from farmers and is embedded in the local community: expect to wake in your room (all of which boast spectacular views of Mount Bisoke, an active volcano) to the sound of a goat or cow. (www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps/bisate-lodge)

And there’s more still to come: a new luxury lodge – here’s looking at the One & Only Nyungwe (www.oneandonlyresorts.com/one-and-only-nyungwe-house-rwanda) -– is scheduled to open at the end of this year on the edge of the Nyungwe National Park.
 

Culture vulture
While in Kigali - Rwanda's modern, bustling capital city - do take the time to visit the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre (a collective that runs walking tours, hair braiding and basket-weaving classes, www.nwc-umutima.org/). Follow this up with a trip to the Niyo Cultural Centre which displays local art and teaches traditional Rwanda dancing and drumming to street kids. (www.niyoculturalcentre.org)

 

Then make for the Kigali Memorial Centre to confront the horrors of the genocide - which saw an estimated one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus butchered during 100 days of madness in 1994. The memorial is movingly done and genuinely unmissable - not only out of respect for the victims of the genocide who met their fate as the rest of the world watched, but out of necessity.

Or as the great philosopher, George Santayanas, once said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” (www.kgm.rw)

Words: Kaye Holland

http://digitaledition.tntmagazine.com/remarkable-rwanda-seven-reasons-to-visit/
 

Hosts announced for World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremon

World Travel Awards (WTA) has named the hosts for its upcoming Africa Gala Ceremony 2017.

George Ndirangu and Makeda Mahadeo will compere the show, which will take place in Rwanda’s thriving capital, Kigali, on 10th October.

Ndirangu is a presenter and producer at CNBC Africa, covering daily business news across the region. Fellow local star, Mahadeo, is a passionate DJ and media personality.

Mr Graham E Cooke, World Travel Awards Founder and President, said: "George Ndirangu and Makeda Mahadeo are two of the most talented and brilliant presenters in Rwanda, and we look forward to working with them at our upcoming Africa Gala Ceremony."

World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony 2017 will take place at the five star Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre – which features the first convention centre in Rwanda with room for up to 5,000 delegates – alongside the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) and AviaDev Africa (10th-12th October).

The leading hotel investment conference that connects business leaders from the international and local markets, driving investment into tourism projects, infrastructure and hotel development across Africa, AHIF is attended by the highest calibre international hotel investors of any conference in Africa.

AviaDev Africa is a unique event bringing together airports, airlines, governments, industry suppliers and tourism authorities to determine the future air connectivity and infrastructure development of Africa. The event provides an opportunity for the aviation and hotel development communities to share intelligence on their future plans, catalysing tourism development on the continent.

A full list of nominees for the World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony can be seen at:www.worldtravelawards.com/nominees/2017/africa

Notes to Editors

About World Travel Awards

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.

World Travel Awards Gala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.

For more information about World Travel Awards, please visit the official website, www.worldtravelawards.com.

View the post here: https://www.worldtravelawards.com/press-337

Satguru Travel confirmed as sponsor for World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony

23 August 2017- London

World Travel Awards (WTA) is delighted to announce another sponsor supporting this year’s Africa Gala Ceremony. We welcome on board, Satguru Travel.

Graham Cooke, World Travel Awards Founder and President, embraced the news in the run up to the glittering event – which will take place at the five star Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre in Rwanda’s thriving capital, Kigali, on 10 October 2017 (www.worldtravelawards.com/event/africa-2017).

He said: “We look forward to Satguru Travel helping us to tell WTA’s story all over the world, particularly in their home market in Africa where they are such an established and recognised presence.”

Founded in Rwanda in 1989, Satguru Travel - the first travel service provider in Ivory Coast Togo, Burundi and Niger - now has branches in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Nilesh Thakkar, Chief Commercial Officer at Satguru Travel and Tourism, said: “With a network extending to 82 branches in 61 countries, all over Africa, Asia, America, South America, Europe, UK and Middle East, we work with a mission to provide total travel management.


“We are committed to promoting local African Tourism to the world, being present in 98% of the African geography for last 27 years.   


“It is a privilege to be associated with World Travel Awards and we look forward to a lasting partnership with this platform.” 

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.
 

Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Each year World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.

World Travel Awards Gala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.

For more information about World Travel Awards, please visit the official website www.worldtravelawards.com.

For more information on Satguru Travel, please visit www.satgurutravel.com

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Worldtravelnews365/posts/Sk3Z28BFawk

ttp://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/satguru-travel-signs-on-as-partner-for-world-travel-awards-africa-gala-cere/