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Many African Americans Are Discovering Travels To Africa
Ghana Has Gotten a Good Publicity
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Today, members of the African diaspora are traveling to Africa to rediscover the travel fun of visiting their ancestral homes. One notable beneficiary of the good publicity highlighted by the recent American President Barrack Obama visit to Ghana is yielding in increasing numbers to African American choice to see the paths their ancestors traveled. Be prepared for some strong emotions. After visiting Cape Coast Castle, Obama said he would "never forget" the sight of his daughters passing through the infamous "door of no return" -- and then walking back out.
Ghana also has miles of relaxing beaches and several wildlife parks, so the trip can offer more than heritage tourism. Before you go, make sure all paperwork is in order and health considerations are addressed. There are many other locations which could provide as much travel and insight into Africa. Namibia, Bostwana, Cape Verde Islands, kenya, Senegal are just a few. The fact is rediscovery, the growth potentials of these parts of the world hold the key to future growth and development. Its a good sign that African diaspora is now making these travel tours, its been long over due. These tours should in time bring with them, improving infrastructures to accomodate the commerce of the industry, and should form a part of the nexus of economic development that many of the countries despirately needs today.
Marriott Hotel To Open Three Hotels in Africa
Two More in the Middle East and A Strong Confidence in the Region
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Marriott International recently announced the signing of five hotels for its newly established Middle East & Africa Region, including its first properties in Algeria, Ghana and Morocco. The hotels are scheduled to open under long-term management contracts over the next 36 months and represent the company’s Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Marriott Executive Apartments brands. The properties announced today add 1,126 rooms to Marriott’s Middle East & Africa development pipeline, which now totals 44 hotels and 10,800 rooms under construction or in advanced planning.
Opening between now and year-end 2015, these new properties will boost Marriott's Africa regional presence to more than 70 hotels across six lodging brands, totaling nearly 20,000 rooms in 12 countries. Marriott’s first hotels in Algeria -- the 227-room, upscale Algiers Marriott and the 180-unit Algiers Marriott Executive Apartments properties. Marriott’s sixth resort on the Red Sea and eighth hotel in Egypt, the 294-room Sahl Hasheesh Marriott Beach Resort.
Marriott’s first hotel in Sub-Saharan Africa -- the 209-room Accra Marriott in Ghana which is scheduled to open in late 2010. Owned by African Hospitality Ltd., the hotel will be located within minutes of Kotoka International Airport. Marriott’s first hotel in Morocco -- the 216-room Marrakech Marriott Palm Golf Hotel which is expected to open in 2012. The hotel is owned by a JV between J. Partners and Domaine Palm Marrakech SAS.
"The opening of our new regional headquarters in Dubai recognizes the dynamic nature of tourism in the Middle East and the emergence of Africa as a viable destination for business and leisure. The strong pace of Marriott’s development pipeline shows long-term confidence in the region, "especially since this growth is occurring in the context of the difficult global economy and tight credit markets.
South Africa To Arm Guard English Soccer Fans
Violence is Common Already in South Africa
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England fans will be offered armed guards to escort them as they travel hundreds of miles between matches at the World Cup in South Africa next summer. The opening game against the United States on June 12 will be at the Royal Bfokeng Stadium. Supporters then face a 861-mile trip to the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town for the second match against Algeria.
Extreme violence is a regular occurrence in South Africa, where 50 people are murdered every day. Most crimes are committed against South Africans in townships and other poor settlements, but security specialists are warning foreign visitors that they could become targets.
One British tour operator is offering a “fully armed security service” as part of its package for corporate groups and another will send trained escorts with prominent clients. Foreigners who fail to be vigilant often fall victim to theft at cash machines or at traffic lights. There were 15,000 recorded incidents of carjacking last year. Most tour operators are using gated hotel complexes near Johannesburg and taking clients to and from matches by bus. Few of their guests, paying upwards of £4,000 a head for a tour taking in England’s three group matches, will be wandering the streets. The South African Government has announced a dedicated force of 41,000 police officers, after a recruitment drive to increase the total to 190,000 by the end of this year. A further 86,000 private security guards will work around the stadiums, official hotels, fan parks, restaurants and bars to cope with an influx of nearly 500,000 overseas visitors including up to 50,000 England fans. Any criminal cases involving foreigners will be given priority during the tournament with more than 50 courts operating for 15 hours a day to try, sentence and imprison offenders on the day they are caught.
Experiencing Hotels in Africa
By Chris Simpson
Experiencing Hotels in Africa
By Chris Simpson
Returning to the Central African Republic, Chris Simpson reflects on his wide-ranging experience of hotels across the continent of Africa. Hotels should be clean, safe and affordable. But they should not be boring
So where will you stay when you get there?" The inevitable first question from friends and family as you set off for a new country.
Never good on planning, I tend to be evasive, alluding to non-existent friends of friends and tips from former travellers. But knowing I was arriving around midnight in the Central African Republic, with way too much luggage, cash reserves for two months and a stack of valuable gadgetry, I knew it was probably worth booking a hotel. Excellent thinking and planning does it. Book hotels ahead and plan for Africa. Tips on such travel plans are vital, reflecting in retrospect, it makes all the difference.
Tourist toilets clean up Nigeria
A new range of public toilets has been launched in Nigeria in a bid to clean up the country for tourists.
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The toilets will be stationed at markets, public transport hubs and mobile ones used for festivals.At 20 naira ($0.16) for each visit, the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation hopes the promise of "money for muck" will create thousands of jobs.Due to the lack of public toilets and sewers, people are often forced to relieve themselves by the roadside."I was passing through Heathrow airport and I spoke to the manager of the toilets there. He's an educated man, and he told me there was a lot of money to be made in that line of work," Otunba Olusegun Rwusewe the director general of the NTDC said.
Attractive prospect
When the NTDC advertised the contracts to manage the new toilets, hundreds of people - including 21 university graduates - wrote in keen to take them on.Each loo costs 60,000 naira ($500) to make. Sanitation in Nigeria is a giant problem.
In towns and villages without sewers, people use "the flying toilet" - defecating in a bag and then throwing it out of the window."Its really embarrassing to see people easing themselves in public," said Grace Nkechi Ibendiogwu, a civil servant.
"Everyone knows what its like to be pressed like that, and public toilets here are disgusting."Nigeria will have to overcome many other problems if it is to attract more tourists from Europe or America.Prospective visitors need to have a letter of invitation to get a visa, and they must prove they can pay their way around the country by showing travellers cheques.But no bank in the country will accept them, because of widespread forgery.
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