Travel Africa

Page 36

Black-owned Hotels & Rentals in Africa

Sleep In Africa: The Instagram Account Helping People Find Black-Owned Accommodations Across Africa By Brunno Braga

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atimatou Diallo is a young Afro-French woman from Paris who created an Instagram page to help people find good and reliable places to stay in Africa. Launched in 2018, Sleep In Africa’s Instagram account has 12,000 followers who are often informed about Black-owned accommodations across Africa. We recently chatted with Diallo about Sleep In Africa and how she is helping people find out what Africa can offer during a vacation on the continent. She shares the inspiration behind Sleep in Africa and how it can boost the Black-owned hospitality sector across the continent. Travel Noire: What has inspired you to launch Sleep in Africa? Fatimatou Diallo: The concept was born in 2018 after realizing how easy it was to travel the world and find enough information about destinations and accommodations, but when it came to traveling in Africa, planning was more difficult. Simply because there were not enough resources to help us organize our trips. I was convinced that I had to do something! I didn’t know exactly what to do or where to start, but I knew why I would do it. I thought it was essential to create a place, a community where travelers could exchange recommendations, get advice, and give feedback on where to stay in Africa. I also wanted to show the diversity and authenticity of Africa by sharing unknown destinations and giving a glimpse of African vibes through unique places. TN: How did you start it? Fatimatou Diallo: In January 2018, Sleep in Africa was finally born. It was first a Facebook page named “Where to Sleep in Africa?”. Initially, I wanted this page to be a kind of forum where travelers could share about places to stay. A few days after its creation, I launched the Instagram

page: @sleepinafrica. I started posting daily pictures of different accommodations taken by travelers. TN: What is the main goal of Sleep In Africa? Fatimatou Diallo: Every African city has international hotel chains that everyone knows, but I wanted my page to highlight unique and atypical places that will guarantee travelers an unforgettable experience. I wanted to put forward places where travelers will have the feeling of being totally disoriented and will have at the end of their stay the impression of having spent an unforgettable moment. I think that traveling is about meeting others, discovering a culture that may be different from ours. Traveling is simply escaping, that’s why I always look for accommodations that have a soul. A little something that the others don’t have and that makes their authenticity and their charm. When you have slept in a lodge in the middle of the bush in places like Ivory Coast, for example, you must be able to remember it for many years. Staying in a hotel is a whole experience that should keep all our senses alert. TN: What does Sleep in Africa offer Fatimatou Diallo: For four years, Sleep in Africa was only on social media. I now want to turn my concept into a real traveling business. I am currently building my website, which will be online with my Instagram page. The website http://sleepnafrica.com/ will be launched soon. I want it to be a booking platform that showcases as many unusual and unique accommodations in Africa as possible. Travelers from all over the world will be able to book their rooms directly on the site. TN: Have you seen support from the Black community in the US or from any other place from the Diaspora?

36 | ABA Publications | Africa TRAVEL | May 2022

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Articles inside

African Cuisine! Republic of Reunion

6min
pages 77-79

Golf Africa

4min
pages 72-76

Ski Africa

4min
pages 70-71

Travel Africa

5min
pages 64-69

Park Rangers Enter Fray in West Africa’s Battle with Militants

7min
pages 56-59

Cruising - RV African Dream

1min
pages 60-61

WORLD HERITAGE SITES

4min
pages 62-63

Netfl ix’s New Reality Series ‘Young Famous and African’ Highlights All Things African Luxury

2min
pages 54-55

Here are the Top Exciting, Cheap (and Overlooked) African Countries to Move Abroad

6min
pages 50-53

Your Top Questions About Moving to Ghana Answered

4min
pages 48-49

Packing Tips from the Experts on Maximizing Space

9min
pages 44-46

JW Marriott to Open First Luxury Safari Retreat in Kenya in 2023

2min
page 47

Jessica Nabongo: First Black Woman to Visit All 195 Countries to Release Book in June

1min
page 42

Black & Abroad - Talk the Importance of Black Luxury Travel

7min
pages 38-41

Sleep In Africa: The Instagram Account Helping People Find Black-Owned Accommodations Across Africa

5min
pages 36-37

Rick Ross Receives Warm Welcome in Angola, Blesses Local Residents

1min
page 35

Travelers Will No Longer be Restricted

1min
page 43

Wind Down at These Six Luxurious Wine Resorts Around the World (focus: 2 South Africa wine resorts)

1min
page 34

‘Chef of the Year’ Wandile Mabaso

4min
pages 32-33

8 Visa-Free African Countries for U.S

3min
pages 26-28

Travel Infl uencer Cedtripping Takes 20 Travelers to Zanzibar

2min
page 25

Will Metaverse Change the Future of Travel?

3min
page 31

7 Most Visited African Countries by International Tourists, According to Latest Available Stats

4min
pages 22-24

Business Travel is Growing on Ethiopian Airlines’ Busy US Routes

3min
pages 18-19

Nigerian Airlines Halt Operations Over Rising Jet Fuel Costs

2min
page 21

Ten African Languages Added to Google Translate

5min
pages 29-30

The US Extends its Aviation Mask Mandate Despite Growing Opposition

2min
page 17

How to Create a Smart Budget for the Comeback of Business Travel

4min
pages 14-15

South Africa Relaxes COVID-19 Restrictions in Hopes of Boosting Tourism Industry

1min
page 16

Expansion in Asia and Africa: TUI Blue set to Grow to 300+ Hotels Worldwide

3min
pages 11-12

New Booking Systems Signal Next Step for Blockchain

2min
page 13

South African Airline Comair’s Fleet Grounded Indefi nitely

2min
page 10

United Airlines Teams Up with Travel Company to Book Curated Travel Experiences in Africa

2min
page 8

Zimbabwe’s Air Zim Expects to Join IATA in 3 Months

2min
page 9

From the Publisher

7min
pages 4-7
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