New opportunity - African Americans via Atlanta

ATLANTA, USA - 2 February 2000: Emotions are running high in this city and the canny tour operators who capitalise on it could lay the foundation for steady growth in tourism business for years to come. That is the view of African American George N Hawthorne, a leading Atlanta-based businessman who, like many black people in this African American heartland, sees SAA's move to Atlanta as the catalyst needed to generate African American interest in a continent where they feel they have a historic role to play. While the cream of Atlanta society was on hand to welcome the first scheduled aircraft to land in the city from Africa, Hawthorne pointed out that it also represents a wonderful opportunity for the entrepreneurial tour operator. The average African American spends $3 200 (R19 500) on a seven- to eight-day vacation. If South Africans can come up with something competitive like $2 500 (R15 300) for eight nights they will have a winner, he told Travel Now. (Dave Marsh)