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STOKVEL TRAVEL
www.spotongmag.co.za
STOKVEL TRAVEL
GOALS FOR 2020 Ideal destinations for first-time group travel By Chelsey Hale
Y
ou’re sitting around the braai chatting to friends and family, when someone mentions their burning desire for an overseas holiday and before you know it, diaries are synced and you’re contacting your travel agent. But, deciding on a destination can take a bit more work and planning.
Your oldest friend suggests a trek into the far-off mountains, a cousin pipes up about a tropical beach, and Mom suggests a walking tour through an historic city. You’ll go anywhere that gives you the chance to experience a little adventure while spending quality time with your favourite people. In its best moments, travelling with friends and family means bonding over common interests, insider jokes, laughter and moments that will be recounted at every get-together, forever. If that’s what you can envision for your crew, here are a few international destinations that tick all the right boxes for first-time group travel you may want to consider:
New York, US Best for: City-slicker friends and a big city adventure. Travellers looking to take a bite out of the Big Apple can hop on Cape Town’s new (and only) direct flight to the New York area. The new service has been four years in the making. Aside from being a major show of confidence for South Africa in tough economic times, it’s a conveniently shorter, hassle-free route to the United States. But what about the cost of a long-haul holiday? Lance Nkwe, the business leader of emerging markets at Flight Centre Travel Group, suggests starting with a stokvel. A stokvel is essentially a group savings account. Any number of members save towards a common goal by contributing a certain amount to the shared account each month. Flight Centre has adapted the concept for travellers, and it’s proving hugely popular, says Nkwe. “It’s a great way to save up some money for flight tickets without having to incur debt,” he says. “And, anyone can do it. There’s no credit check involved and no difficult approval processes when you want to access the funds. All that it takes is R500 to get started.”
New York
