THE BEAT
STORIES FROM WE ARE AFRICA, THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND AROUND THE GLOBE
3 -min. read This year’s Conservation Lab was the biggest yet. Whether you couldn’t be there, or just want to reflect on an inspiring few days, here are our top takeaways from across the weekend…
3 -min. read On Monday the We Are Africa tribe journey to Spier Wine Farm to energise ideas at FUSE, African travel’s first un-conference in partnership with RISE, the rebirth of Zimbabwe. Here’s how the day went down…
3 -min. read As time ticks down to the end of another awesome edition of We Are Africa, make sure you have a read of our Top 5 checklist and tick off our must-attend events and activations!
4 -min. read From offerings of tours inspired by Mandela’s life story to a chance to stay in the suite where the iconic man put pen to paper, Melissa Twigg finds out how Madiba’s legacy is driving tourism to South Africa.
3 -min. read The countdown to We Are Africa is nearly over, so before the tribe descends on Cape Town, we’re introducing you to three of our newest exhibitors with some of the most glamorous safari tents on the African safari circuit – keep your eyes peeled for them!
< 1 -min. read With mere days until the start of We Are Africa, get your tribe vibe on with tracks from award-winning Congolese legend and our closing party headliner, Trésor – along with a few from Durban musician Majozi.
2 -min. read In the third of our series spotlighting this year’s FUSE un-conference speakers, multi-award-winning architect, eco-designer and President of HM Design tells us why eco-planning is crucial to the future of luxury travel in Africa.
5 -min. read Winging your way to Cape Town for We Are Africa? Start your culinary adventure in the Mother City with these five new foodie hotspots…
< 1 -min. read ‘Sounds from’ is a new series of monthly playlists curated by music guru Jared Dietch that will drive Africa’s coolest tunes to the fore. First up are a sassy bunch of African female artists who’re bringing the girl power to ladies everywhere on International Women’s Day. They’ve got it – hear them flaunt it.
4 -min. read Everyone, put down your beer: cider is making its grand entrance on the South African circuit. Find out how up-and-coming cider brands like SXOLLIE are getting crafty and flying the South African flag around the Motherland and beyond.
4 -min. read Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment as President of South Africa has been met with much relief and hopefulness for the future. The big question on all of our lips? Will he be good for South African tourism? Melissa Twigg investigates.
3 -min. read In the second of our series spotlighting this year’s FUSE un-conference speakers, artist and adventurer Holly Budge explains how her passion for conservation led her to the top of Mount Everest, and how luxury travel can play a vital role.
4 -min. read From Botswana to Zimbabwe, travellers are flocking to Africa to fire a few frames, paving way for a flashy new niche in Africa’s safari industry – one that could provide a replacement for the controversial practice of consumptive hunting safaris, too…
3 -min. read Watch out, Cape Town: Johannesburg fine-dining scene is hot on your F&B heels. Richard Holmes gives us the low-down on Jozi’s fine-dining hotspots that are becoming attractions in their own right.
4 -min. read The DRC has been associated with war as long as we can remember. But its budding artists – and tourist attractions – are adding colour and life to the country’s sombre caricature. James Davidson investigates.
3 -min. read From urban safaris and artisan experiences to gorilla treks and luxury casinos, discover three new exhibitors who are are blazing an experiential trail across the continent.
2 -min. read This week’s game-changers know a thing or two about how to incorporate peace and harmony into travellers’ adventures around the Motherland – meet the tribe recruits who’re bringing wellness offerings to Africa’s tourism scene.
3 -min. read Introducing our keynote speaker for FUSE 2018: Tshekedi Khama, dedicated conservationist and Botswana Government Minister. Read how his pioneering work has helped light the fuse for high-end ecotourism.
3 -min. read In the first of our series spotlighting this year’s FUSE un-conference speakers, we caught up with mentalist and visionary Gilan Gork to discover the secret to influencing people (and winning friends) and why credibility is everything in luxury travel.
4 -min. read Wine lovers in Africa? Send them to the Cape, many will say. But what about the bush? Melissa talks to Allister Kreft, CEO of Under the Influence – a management and wine-based company out of Cape Town. Find out more about his work, and why he thinks that wine buffs and the bush are made for each other.
4 -min. read Education: it’s what the future of conservation depends on. Melissa Twigg investigates how African hotels and lodge owners have taken it upon themselves to educate children about protecting our planet – and by extension, their communities – in order to bring in the next generation of conservationists.
4 -min. read Find out why the parks in Ethiopia have the offerings that should be pushing the country on to the front of travellers’ bucklet lists and the fronts of our glossy mag covers.
5 -min. read One for your #designgoals: documenting the move from traditional safari clutter to a wanderlust-worthy, guest-centric aesthetic, Richard Holmes delves deeper into the reasons behind the shift in the design of Africa’s most prestigious safari lodges.
4 -min. read Africa, fasten your seatbelts: tourism prospects may well be on the up. The Single African Air Travel Market has arrived, and could well be the game-changer that puts the continent on the global air map. Hold tight as Melissa Twigg gives us the low-down before African air travel takes off.
3 -min. read From Coptic Christians in the Greater Cairo Area collecting garbage came the muse for upcycling guru and Egyptian artist dina Amin – and from them both comes the inspiration the hotel industry needs to combat throwaway culture.
3 -min. read The real-life key to Africa’s rise is in the virtual: Richard Holmes gets the low-down on the benefits of VR from African safari brands who’re donning new headsets and opening their eyes and businesses to a whole new world right in front of them.
4 -min. read Since Zeitz MOCAA made its entrance to Cape Town’s Waterfront in September 2017, Africa’s contemporary art scene has blossomed. But as an attraction that’s now arguably as alluring as the Motherland’s great landscapes, what’s next for the African art world? Melissa Twigg investigates.
3 -min. read Who could be better to show travellers how to live the high life than the tribe’s high-flyers? Let’s welcome the air extraordinaires who know how to take travellers to dizzying heights.
5 -min. read As the world marks International Women’s Day, we asked three trend-setting members of the tribe for their insights on the impact of women in the African tourism industry.
3 -min. read From treetop retreats to a secluded Namibian lodge, meet three of the tribes newest recruits proving that experiential offerings are the new luxury in travel.