South Africa was recently awarded the Star All-Round Destination accolade in the Travel Bulletin Star Awards, the UK’s most prestigious awards programme, which was held at the Langham Hotel in London.

The awards were voted for by UK travel agents.

SA was also a finalist in four other categories, including Star Adventure & Activity Holidays Destination and Star Cultural & Heritage Holidays Destination.

The UK is one of South Africa’s most important source markets. Between January and May 2017, the country welcomed 209, 891 tourists from the UK, a 2.5% increase compared with the same period last year.

The country was also recognised in several categories of the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards 2017, held earlier this month in London. Readers were asked to rate their favourite countries, cities, islands, hotels, spas, airlines and tour operators.

Singita Sabi Sand in Mpumalanga was the winner in the Overseas Holiday Hotels category in the Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean region. Ellerman House Cape Town, Londolozi Game Reserve, Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel Cape Town, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat, One&Only Cape Town and Cape View Clifton Cape Town were also listed in the top 20.

In the Countries category, South Africa was awarded sixth place, while Cape Town was voted seventh in the Overseas Cities category.

South African Tourism Hub Head: UK & Ireland, Tolene van Der Merwe, says: “We’re absolutely delighted that South Africa’s offering has been recognised by so many awards this week from the UK travel industry, key partners in the trade as well as holidaymakers themselves. It really underlines what a fantastic array of experiences our beautiful country has to offer. As we work toward contributing to achieving our 5-in-5 strategy of adding five million more arrivals to South Africa within the next five years, we’re looking forward to continuing to put South Africa on every UK traveller’s wish list in 2018 and beyond.”

First published in Tourism Update September 2017

West Coast Way is Your Route To Nature

West Coast Way is your ultimate gateway to experiencing the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Cape West Coast of South Africa. As a premium tourism brand, we offer six uniquely themed trip plans that promise an unforgettable journey: Cape, Culture, Foodie, Tractor, Berg, and Wild.

Discover over 101 incredible things to see and do with West Coast Way: Savour the delights of wine, craft beer, olives, and Rooibos tea tastings. Indulge in authentic Weskus cuisine and the traditional braaivleis (barbecue). Feel the thrill of swinging into Citrusdal on a zipline or challenge yourself with Cederberg bouldering. Rejuvenate in natural warm pools and embark on serene cruises across lagoons and rivers. Explore the diverse landscapes of nature reserves and a National Park, or embark on exciting game drives. Hone your skills in archery and angling, or amp up the excitement with sandboarding and quad-biking. Enjoy horse riding, immerse yourself in the unique San culture, and experience the vibrant Riel dancing. For water sports enthusiasts, kite- and windsurfing, surfing, and kayaking trips await. Go beach hopping, learn about bees and whales, and delight in birdwatching in a twitcher’s paradise – all within South Africa’s renowned wildflower reserve. For more information on the best places to visit on the West Coast, road tripping routes, hikes, tours, and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777.  Follow us on  on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn @WestCoastWaySA.

West Coast Way is South Africa’s road trip with the most twists. South Africans and visitors can explore a unique collection of themed routes to do adventure-filled Cape West Coast self-drive trips or a West Coast Holiday. The new West Coast Way “basket” of free routes on offer include the West Coast Way Tractor Route, the West Coast Way Berg Route, the West Coast Way Foodie Route, the West Coast Way Cultural Route – as well as the newly launched West Coast Way Wild Route, all of which are designed to showcase the many attractions and activities that are already on offer on the Cape West Coast and inland areas – but may be unknown to many. For more information on West Coast Way’s #WestCoastTwist and the list of 101 Things to Do on the West Coast visit www.westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Connect with West Coast Way on Facebook and Twitter at WestCoastWaySA.