AFRICA the birthplace of glamping
The African safari mobile camps have offered luxury in nature since the 17th Century, but the origins go even further back to trading routes between the African and Arabic lands. In fact, the word safari originates from the Arabic verb ‘safar’ which means to make a journey. Africa now offers much more than just the traditional safari tent option to today’s travellers. Unique accommodation abounds and many African countries are now involved in developing new types of nature-based tourism. In May this year, Business Insider Africa ranked the top 10 economies in SubSaharan Africa enabling Travel and Tourism development 1. Mauritius 2. South Africa 3. Botswana 4. Kenya 5. Tanzania 6. Cape Verde 7. Namibia 8. Rwanda 9. Zambia 10. Ghana Much of the attraction of glamping in Africa is obviously focused on the amazing wildlife that can be found but this can also be a challenge for hospitality operators. In Kenya, safaris take place in the National Parks and Reserves, with the Masai Mara Game Reserve still the most popular with international guests.
Africa has been called the birthplace of humanity but we could also argue that it is the birthplace of glamping too.
In June of this year, The Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife launched a new strategy that seeks to diversify the country’s tourism offering, moving away from dependence on Safari and Beach tourism. Dubbed “the new vision for Kenya’s tourism” the strategy will provide a road map for the sector and will shape the future of Kenya’s tourism industry by providing a framework that details how to successfully develop sustainable tourism in Kenya. In Namibia, however, the wild animals are not contained in national parks but still roam freely. This poses a unique challenge for Journeys Namibia – a management company that takes the strain off lodge owners by taking care of the day to day running of lodges. Marta Bormioli Gambardella was
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