Retail and online travel agents can access an even greater range of African accommodation thanks to GTA. As consumers begin planning their 2013 holidays, GTA has introduced 170, 3- to 5-star hotels from 12 countries.
GTA, part of Kuoni Global Travel Services, adds 170 African properties from 12 countries as the continent’s tourism potential rises, out of which 44 new hotels are in South Africa and 35 new hotels are in Morocco. More than half (58%) of properties are in sub-Saharan destinations where visitors can enjoy a rich range of holiday experiences and services are also offered by GTA. Africa’s potential has been underlined in recent months by the International Monetary Fund, hotel chain expansion and the aviation industry predicting passenger numbers to increase from 71 million in 2011 to 150 million by 2030.
Retail and online travel agents can access an even greater range of African accommodation thanks to GTA. As consumers begin planning their 2013 holidays, GTA has introduced 170, 3- to 5-star hotels from 12 countries – Algeria, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia – as well as 44 in South Africa and 35 in Morocco, two of GTA’s most popular destinations.
More than half (58%) are in sub-Saharan destinations, where visitors can enjoy a range of experiences whether cultural, heritage, ecological, culinary, rural or community-based.
Says Rami Mashini, Vice President for FIT Sales Middle East & Africa: “We scour the globe for tens of thousands of accommodation options, destination services, attractions and experiences. We connect businesses to this vast portfolio through our retail booking site gta-travel.com, which makes it easy for them to successfully market and sell travel to consumers.
“Our wealth of experience, privileged relationships and the expertise of locally employed account managers mean travel businesses trust us to find opportunities that will help them profit.”
Among accommodation on the new list:
- 4-star Far Hills Country Hotel, George, overlooking the Outeniqua mountains and in the heart of South Africa’s Garden Route. A great base to explore white, sandy beaches and forest walks, wild animal sanctuaries and charming nearby towns.
- Marrakech’s 5-star Sofitel Lounge & Spa hotel from where you can explore the bustling Medina and the Djemaa el Fna square, just 10 minutes from the hotel, or relax at the So SPA and swimming pool.
- The 3-star Peermont Metcourt Inn in The Grand Palm resort in Gaborone, Southern Botswana. Stay there to visit locations from The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, to enjoy a wide range of sports from boating and cricket to volleyball and yachting, or as a base to explore rural Africa and its wildlife.
- 3.5-star Casa Piccolo Guest House, a 16-bedroom pension in one of Windhoek’s oldest suburbs offering poolside relaxation under Namibia’s ‘big sky’. A photographer’s dream, Namibia boasts seascapes, mountains and deserts, and enough wildlife and city life to keep visitors busy.
The 170 new additions recognise the increasing potential of Africa for travel and tourism, particularly sub-Saharan nations unaffected by the Arab Spring. GTA is capturing the continent’s growth potential for fully independent travellers (FIT) by expanding its destination footprint as part of its ambition to ‘grow where the future is’.
Africa’s potential has been underlined by the International Monetary Fund, which last October revised up its 2013 forecast to 5.7%, and by international hotel brands scouting African capitals: Accor will add 30 hotels by 2016 and Marriott will have 50 hotels there by 2020, a six-fold increase. According to The Economist, Africa’s fast growth means it does not yet have nearly enough hotels for demand: occupancy rates are sky-high, as are margins.
According to the International Air Transport Authority, Africa’s airline industry is among the fastest growing in the world. Traffic to the country is rising with airline passenger numbers expected to increase from 71 million in 2011 to 150 million by 2030.
Powering global travel, GTA provides ground travel products and services for fully independent travel, supporting the biggest and best in travel. Part of Part of Kuoni Global Travel Services, a division of Kuoni, GTA is trusted to deliver because of its wealth of experience, privileged relationships and on the ground expertise. Its technology solutions easily connect travel suppliers and sellers worldwide. Booking sites – GTA retail, TravelCube, Travel Bound and Octopus Travel retail, as well as GTA wholesale – process over 21,000 bookings daily, in more than 25 languages.
