EAST Africa came back
into the spotlight this
year, with Zanzibar one of
the top sellers among leisure
travellers looking for exotic
island experiences with a
difference. Kenya has also
recovered from its perception
as unsafe as high-end
travellers start to return.
Angela Wood, gm of
marketing of Thompsons
Holidays, says its bookings to
Zanzibar are up over 200%.
Not only is it affordable, says
Angela, but it also offers a
fresh alternative for leisure
travellers who have already
experienced the other Indian
Ocean island destinations.
She says the archipelago’s
broad offering caters
for budget and high-end
travellers.
“We’ve seen a much bigger
interest in Zanzibar this year,”
agrees Stephen Jordan, ceo
of Access to Africa. He says
increased access to the
destination, through greater
availability of direct flights,
has also helped Zanzibar gain
momentum.
Bookings to Kenya have
also improved as a result of
the country having stabilised
from previous incidents of
terrorism, says Stephen.
Thompsons has recorded
a 49% increase in local
travellers headed to
Kenya this year, though
Cameron Charlie, product
and contracting executive,
says this growth comes off
a low base. He says it is
predominantly high-end safari
travellers who are heading to
Kenya, adding that because
it’s not cheap, the destination
still struggles to attract South
Africans.
In terms of the rest of East
Africa, Stephen predicts
that many more people will
travel to Ethiopia in the
coming months. He says the
country’s economy is growing
and this is creating a lot of
interest in the destination.
