Africa: A heavenly serene for backpackers

Calling Africa the ‘next big tourism hub’ would not be an exaggeration. Many African cities have witnessed increase in the number of tourists during recent years. in Africa, gradually globalization has grown enormously from language development to innovation, increased investments and easy movement of people and goods facilitated by significant development in the infrastructure sector. in a nutshell, Africa’s connectivity with the rest of the world has expanded extensively. Moreover, people’s way of life has been influenced positively and has in many ways got consolidated with the global social standards. This prodigious globalization subsequently has provided increased impetus to integration and interaction among the governments, corporations, cultures and people; a factor that has affected different sectors – one of them being the tourism industry – both negatively and positively.

Undoubtedly, Africa has a lot to offer to the visitors in terms of unique touristic experiences in the fields of culture, nature in general and more specifically wildlife. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), international tourist arrivals increased by 7% in Africa and 13% rebound in Sub Saharan Africa between January and April 2016. Moreover, these figures suggest that even greater inrush of tourists is expected into the continent in coming years. This implies that people’s lives are being opened up to appreciate and clasp new ideas, cultures and values that unite and diversify the world. furthermore, the growth and advancement of technology has facilitated easy access and spread of information across the continent. There are several factors that have contributed towards increasing number of tourists visiting Africa every year. The primary contributor is the penetration of smart phones into the African markets.

More and more companies are looking forward for developing mobile-based solutions to target the customer base. future projections of smart phone users to grow by 700% to 525 million by the year 2020 in Sub-Saharan Africa assert the future of African hospitality and tourism sector as a vibrant one. The other growth determining factor of African tourism and hospitality industry is the use of internet. Majority of the people are frequent users of social media channels such as facebook, Twitter and instagram. People share the pictures of their favorite destination via social media platforms. it is also a marketing strategy that is now being used to sell tourism destinations to the rest of the world. furthermore, technology has also facilitated the growth of e-commerce. With the success of various online platforms that enhance tourism such as Online Travel Agents that enable travelers to access information about hotels and make their bookings online from anywhere around the world. These agents have made travelling to different countries easy. Gone are the days when you had to wait in long queues in the travel agent’s office.

Plan your next trip to Africa

Africa has 54 sovereign countries, the most on any other continent and the second largest continent, both in terms of population and land area. 54 countries with different sites and amusing holiday spots, Africa’s tourism can appeal visitors from across the globe. interestingly, when it comes to geographical location on the map of African continent, if Algeria was a face, then Morocco and Tunisia would be its ears.

Make your mind for Morocco

One of the most popular touristic country is Morocco, situated in north of Africa where the sun sets behind the high Atlas Mountains (highest mountain range of Africa) with charming beauty and breathtaking views. it offers the ideal combination of activity, relaxation and culture. Marrakesh, with its cross section of markets with a carnival atmosphere and antiquated avenues, is a city with many sights to explore. it is referred as red city because of its sandstone buildings. The best way to sample its charms is to take off walking through the Medina, which is believed to be the heart of Morocco. it is one such place where most of the tourists are attracted because of the popular massage in a public bath, modern restaurants, dry-fruit shops, traditional and ethnic jewelleries, attractive souvenir shops, silver-copper brass, hand-embroidery, fast food chains and local delicacies, brightcoloured spices and big-brand stores. Half of the city converges throughout the day till the evening to explore this delightful market. This place becomes more beautiful at night with bright lights, crowd of people and pleasant traditional music with a tease of snake charmers.

Painted in a mesmeric blue and white hue, chefchaouen – a maze like blue washed walls enclosed by the rolling mountains offers thousands of picturesque views. People visit to walk through the town and see the vividly painted buildings and even paths. A colour which rinses and covers not only chaouen’s houses with blue walls, blue stairs, blue flower pots, but also its mosques, and government buildings. The splashing multi-coloured artistry including beautiful hand-woven blankets and rugs, brass teapots, and colourful pottery are sold by street artisans and craftspeople. Goat cheese is very popularly available, but it doesn’t match the popularity of kief, a part of cannabis plant, that is openly sold in shops here. from watching the gorgeous sunset over the dunes to looking at the sky full of bright stars, Merzouga – a small town in the Sahara Desert, not too far from the border of Algeria is a luxury desert camp which demands has so much to offer; a serene place to relax and gaze at the changing colours of the desert. The sand dunes reach up to 150m (500ft.) height, created by winds, which is undeniably a must watch! Travellers looking for a unique experience at Morocco’s wild side are to venture into the Sahara on an overnight camel trek through the wavy, deep beautiful reddish – orange dunes. casablanca signifies ‘white house’ in Spanish, where you’ll locate a cutting edge city where aggressive youthful Moroccans come to set up business and to taste worldwide eateries. it usually holds stunning historical mosque buildings. The port of casablanca is opened up to the world, helping the city turn into an economic hub of the nation. Wherever you are in the city, you can’t neglect to see the Hassan ii Mosque overwhelming the horizon. A Mosque which is opened for non – Muslims as well, which holds a large prayer hall with a capacity for up to 25,000 people, further around 80,000 individuals can be suited in its yard.

No doubt! One of the main reasons to visit Morocco is to enjoy the amazing food. it is an important part of many celebrations and ceremonies in Moroccan cultures. One of the great cuisines of the world, Morocco serves delicious and mouth-watering local street food with combination of different spices and flavours that make it unique. One of the most famous Moroccan dishes, couscous is really luscious. This spicy chicken on a bed of chickpea, couscous will really be a treat to your taste buds! Lemon and chilli combined with cumin and flaked almonds give you the entire flavour you need. Second most famous dish of morocco is Tajine. it is a slow-cooked stew containing different meat and vegetables with green olives and preserved lemons. Unlock exotic fabulous flavours with this tantalising chicken and apricot tajine with a combination of ginger and cinnamon rubbed all over the chicken. Vegetarians are definitely not left behind. Harirais the national soup of Morocco with a hint of tomato juice and plenty of cumin, turmeric, vegetables such as lentils, carrot, beans, chopped coriander leaves, each offering different health benefits.

A proper meal is always incomplete without a sweet dish. One of the most famous Moroccan sweet dishes is Halwa chebakia, which is decoratively folded into a flower shape, fried and crispy coated with honey. This sweet dish is popularly made at the time of ramadan and some special occasions as well. Mint tea holds up an important place in the culture of Morocco and is also considered as an art form. Tea here is served almost three times a day, early breakfast is always incomplete without a cup of tea and crispy bread drizzled with olive oil, during evening snacks and maybe later in the evening before bedtime too. it is a drink with a very refreshing taste and aroma which can make you feel so relaxed after a long sunny day!

Majestic Tunisia

When it comes to enjoy and relax, Tunisia cannot be left behind! The North African country has become one of the most interesting tourist destinations over the past few years! from wide ranging beach overlooked by small sugar– cube houses, to fabulous old vestiges, rolling dunes of the Sahara, Tunisia exemplifies everything that is alluring about North Africa. You can enjoy the maze of Medina lanes in Tunis (capital of Tunisia), explore Meghreban mosques of Kairouan and remain on the sparkling salt pads of chott El Jerid. The city is full of cafes, bars and restaurants. The old, walled city centre or Medina is the most traditional site of the country and appropriate for tourists of all types and ages. Within the famous walls is a bustling market, full of local products. it is a car-free labyrinth where blacksmiths, carpenters, and leather tanners work. At the door to these Medinas, there’s a group of paths lined up with different stalls offering leather, carpets, glass silk, brocade, carvings and perfumes. Out of all famous destinations on the run down, El Djemis probably the one that most readers will be familiar with! its main attraction is the amphitheatre, where thousands of people can gather and watch the live performances. Enjoy the fiesta with dramatic and bright-coloured lighting at night while dancing and frolic moves.

Do visit the “island of dream” i.e. Djerba, also known as “island of the thousand palm trees”. Enjoy the pictureperfect beach with white powdery sand smoothly rubbing your feet, go for a relaxing and refreshing swimming in the tranquil turquoise waters and relish the heat of the sun by getting brown/tan or tanning yourself and delicious seafood with coconut juice. Do not miss the Midoun of Djerba where Arabian doors with flowers hanging from the balconies welcome you to explore the local street market. crocodile farm is also an interesting place in Djerba to roam around and watch the wild crocodiles. Experience the cold mornings over the dead trees and reddish dunes in the large Saharan National Park i.e. Jebil National Park. it demonstrates impressive dunes and eye-catching rock formations. cheer your night with party music and bright born-fire, lively lighting lanterns and decorations just like a carnival.

East Africa: a beautiful serene

East Africa is a region with opposing sentiments as far as tourism is concerned. Some countries are a haven for tourists, while some are high seas for this sector. The lands of Mauritius, Egypt, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and rwanda, have gained successes in attracting large number of tourists.

Mesmerizing Mauritius

Pull your socks, pack your bags, and get ready for the trip to Mauritius. Mauritius is a small beautiful island, which gives the glimpse of world that lies just beyond one’s imagination. The island is surrounded by powder white beaches, located in the middle of splendid blue indian Ocean with welcoming mountains and breathtaking scenery, making it a perfect fusion. The year-round sunshine gives glory to all the resources on the land. A colourful crowd is in constant flow with diverse religions and cultures. A great majority are indo-Mauritians. But there is a good proportion of Africans, Europeans, french, and a handful of chinese, all forming a million inhabitants of the island. With massive urbanization, the tradition is still being followed and respected in Mauritius. indian women wear saris in their decent style. The local people in a friendly spirit of good will, a smile, and honesty are a part of the polite tradition. Tourists have an eye for unique opportunities that are found in the essence of this small island. Mauritius has developed a variety of entertainment opportunities besides its popular beach attraction. To adventure lovers, it offers water sport activities like scuba diving, parasailing, water-skiing, deep sea fishing, catamaran sailing, and submarine ride. Land sports give equal competition to that of water. Any resort or hotel will provide you with land sport activities such as mountain and quad biking, hiking, kayaking, and cycling. Sky-diving is a wonderful activity in which you can explore Mauritius from top to bottom. flying in the air, you can figure out the shape of clouds, inhale the freshness of lush green forests, and feel the waves of the turquoise blue waters. These exciting offers pull tourism towards Mauritius. Don’t stop your hearts here, there’s lot more to explore!

Mauritius provides heavenly places for the sight-seeing lovers. The 100 metres waterfall, chamarel is the highest in Mauritius. it looks like the one in fairy tales with the mist of soft silk droplets falling on the earth’s surface. chamarel is also famous for its seven-colour dearth which is made up of sand dunes of different shades including red, brown, grey, and purple. Black river Gorges National Park has exhilarating power, which is famous for waterfalls, vistas, hiking, and bird-watching. Mauritius blows away one’s mind with its local vegetation. The botanical gardens of Pample mousses offer lakes with giant turtles and fish, tropical palm trees, and fruit bat trees with bats hanging on the branches. it is famous for its giant water lilies on which an infant could easily float. A wide variety of flowers, cuddling each other colours the entire place. Trees planted by famous figures including Nelson Mandela and indira Gandhi are orchestrated in an exuberant manner. The perfumed land is surrounded by sugarcane plantations, which make Mauritius famous for. innovation lies in the hands of Mauritians. They generate electricity from burning the byproducts of sugarcane after extracting sugar from it, making two-way use of the production. Tea-growing is second in production after sugar. casela Bird Park is a paradise on the earth with various types of birds including parrots and peacocks, flying with their open wings, making a perfect view.

ile Aux Aigrettes Nature reserve is a little island in Mauritius which is a former home to the now extinct Dodo. Dodo is the symbol of Mauritius which is extinct by man. Walking with lion cubs in casela Wildlife Park turns the spirits wild. La Vanille crocodile Park includes large number of crocodiles, giant bats, giant turtles, monkeys, and a huge insect collection. Your eyes won’t even blink while watching the dolphins dancing in the rhythm of water waves in the Dolphin Watching Tour. The unique atmosphere of the capital city, Port Luis is a home to large businesses and little trades. The market of Port Luis is popular across the world, selling every variety, from vegetables and fruits to fine fabric. Mauritius is famous for its textile industry. champs de Mars has one of the oldest horse-racing tracks in the world. Put on your best attire, go for horse-racing, and enjoy the crispy canapés and refreshing drinks. The rejuvenating hotels and luxurious resorts provide the tourists with great ease and comfort. The night life is a surreal mix of pleasure and excitement. Dancing and giggling all night on the Sega music (popular dance form of Mauritius), and chilling with rum is more than fantastic. The Mauritian cuisine is a blend of chinese, french, European, and indian. Spicy appetizers are served with great presentation. curries, chutneys, and pickles are made in indian style. The crunch of crispy chicken and squid makes the eaters delighted. The sizzling flavour of rice and noodles, served with garlic sauce attracts thousand mouths towards their spicy plates. The National drink, rum is highly demanded all around the world. Mauritius is a fun-loving and beautiful place to visit. A holiday is perfectly spent with the blues of water and thousands of activities. from dawn to sunset, the island is an immense mirror, reflecting every colour of the sky and the water. from the sparkling crystal waters of Mauritius, let’s move upwards and explore the authentic Egyptian treasures!

Seductive Egypt

Egypt is a transcontinental country binding the two A’s- Asia and Africa. The ancient Egyptian word, ‘NeferTiti’, which means ‘the beautiful one has come’, perfectly defines the country. Life, sound, adventure, and visuals of beauty are produced on the land of Egypt. The golden, hot, dry summers with moderate winters makes the environment glorious. A treasure hunt of water leads to the creation of mirage. The desert contains mysteries and secrets of the ancient world. The natives of Egypt, commonly known as Egyptians share a common culture, tradition, and language which make the country one. Their friendly and hospitable nature attracts large number of tourists to the country. Tourism is one of the major sources of income in Egypt. in 2010, the country employed 12% of workforce and contributed 11% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Egypt is a talent-hub of art, painting, sculpture, and style. Ancient Egyptian art has attained a powerful status in the country and made the history alive. These art forms are preserved today in the Egyptian museums and monuments. The pictorial subtle carvings of the Egyptian art represent real life of human beings, nature, and the environment. The sculptors molded clay, wood, metal, ivory, and stone into fabulous art forms. Symbolism established a sense of order in Egypt. Symbols of Egyptian gods and goddesses, Pharaohs, and holy and powerful animals were sculptured. The ancient Egyptian paintings were created to make the afterlife of the deceased a pleasant place. The admirers of the art are countless. river Nile, another Egyptian asset, is the world’s longest river and Egypt’s primary water source. it originates from the equator and ends up at the Mediterranean Sea.

The capital city, cairo is crammed with multiple spots and adventures. it is a mixture of culture, religion, and relaxation. cairo’s Egyptian Museum is one of the world’s great museums. it exhibits the golden glory of King Tutankhamen and the fascinating royal mummies. The iconic Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World has awed the travelers down by its remarkable archeology. White Desert is the Egypt’s kookiest natural wonder where chalk Mountains have been created in the middle of arid sand. Out in the west, the tonic to the hustle of Egyptian cities, Siwa is one of the gorgeous little oases, surrounded by palm plantations and sprinklers. The Egyptian economy is highly based on religious beliefs. A glut of tourism floats in the Nile-side town of Luxor. it is famous for the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, and the Memorial Temple of Hatshepsut. The colourful wall art of the tombs and enlightening columns in the temples fascinates the tourists. South Sinai region is the centre for beach fun in Egypt and a home to the best dive sites. Egypt is a country of crystalline treasuries and remarkable history. A trip to Egypt is a package learning experience and fun experience. The right beauty is on the right i.e. East Africa. The grandeur of the region cannot be measured, but can be experienced, felt, and captured.

The worldwide influence

There are several preconceived connotations associated with Africa. However, these connotations are just erroneous. Africa was considered as ‘the dark continent’, but these connotations don’t hold any truth. African countries are witnessing increased foreign investments and tourism. Africa have much more to offer in terms of business, investments and tourism. People have started realizing the potential of this unexplored market. The future of Africa is vibrant and indeed a prosperous one.