South Africa Scoops Top Awards at World Travel Awards Ceremony

World Travel Awards Africa

Unsurprisingly South Africa shone at the recent World Travel Awards Ceremony held at the ICC in Durban on 12 May. The first World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony was opened on Monday evening by Zulu King Zwelithini Goodwill kBhekuzulu, and was attended by 400 VIPs and leading industry figures. South Africa scooped awards for Africa’s leading airline SAA, Africa’s leading family resort Western Cape Hotel & Spa, Africa’s leading destination Cape Town, and Africa’s leading travel agency Club Travel. Also SA Tourism was named as best destination marketing organisation in Africa, while Indaba Explorations was named Africa’s premier travel exhibition.

All this serves to confirm South Africa’s leading position on the continent as not only a destination in itself but as a force for the development of African tourism continent wide. ‘The awards are evidence that the creativity, application and hard work of the South African Tourism and Indaba teams have been justly recognised,’ said SA Tourism CEO Moeketsi Mosola.

Other Wins

Other local winners included: Oliver Tambo International Airport – Africa’s leading airport; International Convention Centre, Durban – Africa’s leading conference centre; Shamwari Game Reserve – Africa’s leading safari; Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve – Africa’s leading safari lodge; Thanda Private Game Reserve – Africa’s leading luxury lodge; Mount Nelson Hotel & Spa, Africa’s leading hotel; Sun City Resort – Africa’s leading resort, and Sun International – Africa’s leading hotel brand.

World Travel Awards 2008

World Travel Awards Africa is part of a World Travel Awards Grand Tour programme with regional award ceremonies staged in various cities around the world. The circuit concludes with a Winners Dinner to be held in London on 9 November, and a Grand Final to be held at Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean on 12 December 2008. The next regional event is the World Travel Awards Australasia Ceremony to be held in Sydney on 10 June, followed by the World Travel Awards Asia and Indian Ocean Ceremony to be held on 19 June in Shanghai.