Tanzania opens up to SA travellers.
LAUDED as one of the
world’s most authentic
safari destinations,
Tanzania has always held
an appeal for European and
American travellers. In recent
years though, the country has
opened up to South Africans
looking to experience its
unique wildlife experiences,
bustling cities and the idyllic
beach resorts of Zanzibar.
Launched in October 2013,
fastjet’s flight between
Johannesburg and Dar
es Salaam opened up a
route that was previously
monopolised by SAA. The
viability of a low-cost carrier
on this route has been
proved since then, with the
steady increase in popularity
of the airline and, naturally,
increased ticket sales, says
Richard Bodin, fastjet’s chief
commercial officer.
Richard says Tanzania is
becoming known as a holiday
destination for South Africans
and fastjet is certainly playing
its role to stimulate this
demand: “The low-cost airline
business is not about taking
market share from current
operators on a route but rather
about offering a cheaper fare
to expand the market, making
air travel more accessible for
consumers.”
Favourable rates
Lodges have recognised the
potential of promoting their
accommodation to the South
African market and, as a
result, have adopted pricing
structures for SADC residents
that offer favourable rates for
South Africans who want to
experience a luxury getaway in
Tanzania.
Asilia Africa is one such
hospitality company looking to
attract South African travellers
in this way, says Mercedes
Bailey, group branding and
communications manager.
“We believe that now, with
fastjet’s low-cost flights and
our competitive rates for South
Africans, travelling to Tanzania
is a viable option for South
Africans.”
Mercedes adds that, while
safari holidays can seem
expensive at the onset,
perhaps deterring people from
booking them, it’s important
to stress that there are often
many inclusions, which means
there are very few costs while
on the trip itself. Game drives,
meals and house drinks are
usually included in the upfront
cost, reducing any “sneaky
extras” during the stay.
Competing with Kruger
A stumbling block for
persuading South Africans to
visit Tanzania could be the
simple question: “Why head
on safari there, when I could
just go here?” The reality is
that the style of safari offered
in Tanzania, along with a much
larger wildlife population, is
unique to East Africa, says
Mercedes.
“I think it is definitely
important to compare and
contrast the two. In East
Africa, the sheer number of
animals you see on a game
drive is mind-boggling. And
though you may have to work
harder for your sightings,
they are always rewarding,”
Mercedes says.
There is also an opportunity
to experience the culture and
heritage of another African
country, says Gerd Beurich,
gm of Gibb’s Farm, a coffee
plantation not far from the
Ngorongoro Crater. “We have
had a few South African
guests in recent months and
they always welcome the
change from safari to staying
on our working coffee farm.”
Business or pleasure?
The 50/50 split between
business and leisure travellers
on the Johannesburg-Dar es
Salaam route is showing how
important each of these cities
is within the fastjet network,
says Richard. “Both cities
are hubs of commerce in
their regions, and both offer
access to appealing tourist
destinations, either within
their city limits or within easy
access, using third-party
service providers.”
Richard says there has
been a rise in the number
of business travellers flying
with fastjet in recent months,
particularly for contract
workers headed to Tanzania’s
mining sites.
“We’ve also noticed an
increase in the number of
Tanzanian residents in
South Africa using fastjet
flights to go home and visit
their family and friends.
While these passengers may
not be who are traditionally
seen as business passengers,
they are coming back to South
Africa to work after they have
visited home,” he says.
Need to know...
TNW brings you a few tips
to pass on to your clients
when they choose to visit
Tanzania on their next
holiday:
y Tanzania is a malarial
area and travellers should
consult a travel clinic
before departure.
Tsetse flies are also
prevalent in the national
parks; travellers should
avoid wearing blue and
black items of clothing as
these attract these pests.
yUS dollars are widely
accepted but South African
rands are not. Currency
exchange facilities are
available at Julius Nyerere
International Airport in
Dar es Salaam but rates
can be unpredictable.
Advise clients to exchange
currency ahead of their
departure.
Tanzania declares
new tourist site
SONGEA town in the
Tanzanian Highlands has
been declared a new
tourist site by Tanzania’s
Ministry of Tourism. The
town is famous as the
place where the first
African resistance against
German colonisation took
place over a century ago.
A national museum has
been built, while other
attractions for travellers
include the Matongo
Forest Reserve and
German Castle.
Photocap: Emerald adds some spice
Emerald adds some spiceThe Dreams of Zanzibar Resort (pictured) closed in May last year for maintenance and
refurbishment. “The resort looks spick and span, still offering five-star quality service,” says
Porsche Dumagude, Emerald Collection sales and marketing manager for South Africa.
Dreams of Zanzibar offers travel trade rates starting from US$99 (R1 217). See Travelinfo for
more details. In other news, Hideaway of Nungwi Resort and Spa in Zanzibar, also part of the
Emerald Collection, has opened up a Sun Tours office on the property for guests who want to
explore what the Spice Island has to offer.
Lake Manyara opens boardwalk
SITUATED in Tanzania’s
northern safari circuit, Lake
Manyara National Park now
boasts a wooden boardwalk
to encourage visitors to
spend a longer period in the
park. The boardwalk extends
over 300 metres and trails
through hot springs and the
lakeshore around a marsh
and finally on to the lake.
The facility is free for visitors
to the park and the route is
punctuated with engaging,
informative signage.
Ethiopian announces new routes
ETHIOPIAN Airlines has
finalised preparations
to start new services to
Tokyo’s Narita International
Airport on April 21,
following a codeshare
partnership with fellow
Star Alliance member, All
Nippon Airways.
The airline also plans to
launch flights to Dublin and
Los Angeles on June 19.
Doing business in Dar
A SHORT drive from Dar es
Salaam International Airport
and within walking distance of
the city centre and beach, the
Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel
is well positioned for corporate
travellers.
Karin Sieberhagen, sales
and marketing manager of
Serena Hotels, says the hotel
regularly hosts conferences
and events.
The 230-room property offers
free WiFi throughout, 24-hour
room service as well as
secretarial services.
Dar es Salaam Serena
Hotel’s conference and event
facilities can host about 600
guests. The hotel can provide
audio-visual equipment,
delegate support and event
planning and extensive secure
parking is also available.
Conference venues at the
hotel include the Kivukoni
Ballroom, the Ruvu, Rufiji,
and Ruvuma meeting rooms
and the Garden Marquee.
The Kivukoni Ballroom
can accommodate up to
440 guests in a theatre
configuration and can also be
split into three smaller venues
accommodating up to 130
guests each, while a fourth
ballroom can accommodate
up to 100 guests. The Ruvu,
Rufiji, and Ruvuma meeting
rooms accommodate up to 35,
30 and 15 guests respectively,
while the Garden Marquee
can accommodate up to 600
guests.
Conference add-ons
Adjacent to the hotel, the
Gymkhana Club has an
18-hole golf course and club
house. Hotel guests can play
18 holes for US$20 (R245).
Tennis and squash are also
available at the club.
The Makumbusho Cultural
Centre is a village museum
with traditional houses from
22 different Tanzanian tribes.
Guided tours take guests to
each of the houses, explaining
the different beliefs and
customs of each tribe. The
centre is open every day from
09h30 to 18h00.
“I found the Serena Hotel to
be a well-situated businesstype
of hotel with really great
service, which stems from
great management – that is
obvious,” said Richard Daneel
of Sure Stellenbosch Travel.
“I do know that they expend a
tremendous amount of energy
on training and this is very
obvious when dealing with
their staff. I thought the rooms
were extremely well appointed
and wonder why they find it
necessary
to revamp the rooms! I am
glad that the adjacent
Gymkhana golf course will
be revamped soon so that I
can refer my corporate golfing
guests to the Serena in
Dar es Salaam.”
Facilities at the hotel
include a gym, sauna, heated
swimming pool and a gift
shop. There are numerous
dining options including Jahazi,
a Mediterranean seafood
restaurant in a modern setting,
and the Serengeti Restaurant,
which offers breakfast, lunch
and dinner buffets. Freshly
baked pastries, cakes, and
baguettes are also available
at Baker’s Basket, the hotel’s
coffee shop.
New lounge at Addis Ababa
ETHIOPIAN Airlines has
entered phase two of
its exclusive Cloud Nine
lounge at its main hub
at Addis Ababa Bole
International Airport.
“When fully completed,
the new Cloud Nine
lounge will be three times
bigger than the existing
one,” the airline said. It
features a quiet corner
with sleeping cots and
individual reading lamps,
massage chairs, an
Internet corner with fixed
stations as well as free
and fast WiFi connection.
Asilia Africa launches
SADC website
DEDICATED purely to
attract SADC residents
to Tanzania, the Asilia
Africa residents’ website
highlights affordable
special offers and
getaways across its
various properties
Raising awareness....
IN A push to enhance
awareness of Tanzania as
a tourism destination to
a wider global audience,
the roll-out of a US$1,5m
(R18,4m) campaign has
been announced by Lazaro
Nyalandu, Tanzania’s
Natural Resources and
Tourism Minister. “The
Re-branding Destination
Tanzania project is expected
to result in an increase
in the number of tourists
entering the country, with a
goal of attracting at least
2,5m tourists a year in the
next five years,” he said.
The campaign will see the
release of new television
adverts to be broadcast
on major networks,
including the BBC and
CNN. A production crew
are currently filming tourist
attractions in Zanzibar, the
Serengeti National Park,
Mount Kilimanjaro and the
Ngorongoro Crater ahead of
the launch date in April.
Fastjet launches
Kilimanjaro-Mwanza route
A NEW fastjet domestic
route will be launched
on March 30 between
Mwanza and Kilimanjaro.
The route will be serviced
by four flights weekly on
Mondays, Wednesdays,
Fridays and Sundays and
will be operated by an
Airbus A319.
New facilities at JKIA
THE dedicated Kenya Airways
Terminal 1A at Nairobi’s
Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport has 30 check-in
counters and is now open to
all KQ passengers.
The Simba and Pride
lounges are new, spacious
lounges at the terminal.
Following the 2013 fire at
the airport, which destroyed
the arrival terminal,
renovations, maintenance
and a narrower focus on
the customer experience
have seen the Nairobi hub
grow as the entry point for
East Africa, says Rosemary
Adogo, Kenya Airways area
manager for Southern
Africa and the Indian Ocean
Islands. “Kenya Airways has
exclusive use of Terminal 1A
in Nairobi, which is brand
new with world-standard
facilities.
New route for KQ”
KENYA Airways will launch
three weekly flights to Hanoi,
Vietnam, on March 30 from its
hub in Nairobi. Launch fares
are from R9 068 (all inclusive)
for sales between March 24
and 31, for travel from March
30 to June 30.
