THE BEAT
STORIES FROM WE ARE AFRICA, THE AFRICAN CONTINENT & AROUND THE GLOBE
After decades of being overshadowed by espresso rivals, Africa – birthplace of the coffee bean – is finally enjoying a renaissance. Lisa Davidson explores how a new generation of java junkies are fuelling fresh hope for the continent.
First came Mozambique; then Rwanda; Ethiopia, then Zimbabwe – and Angola is next. Melissa Twigg tells us why this African hotspot is the next in line to see a tourism boom.
Plastic: it’s no small fish to fry. Richard Holmes introduces us to the African travel pioneers who’re leading the way by cutting down their single-use plastic consumption.
Social entrepreneur, philanthropist, project manager: Beks Ndlovu’s list of accomplishments prove doing well by doing good is the way forward for the African travel industry. A year after his Innovation Awards win, we caught up with him to see how it has impacted his work.
It’s less than a year old, but we already can’t imagine Cape Town without MOCAA – or The Silo Hotel. Designed by Royal Portfolio, their masterwork won them the 2017 DESIGN Africa award. In the run-up to this year’s Innovation Awards, we caught up with them to talk African identity and how destinations should steer designs.
Innovation Awards season is well underway – so ahead of this year’s ceremony in May, we’re catching up with last year’s victors. First up: Ultimate Safaris, creators of wonderful Namibian itineraries (and worthy winners of the Experience AFRICA award).
Sweary and tenacious, relentless and vexing, South Africa has much to learn from hip hop–music duo Antwoord. While enraging as much as they enrapture, they are pioneers in setting your own path and being comfortable in your skin – a sort of cultural originality that should be celebrated, not hidden.
Tintswalo Safari Lodge’s spectacular revamp responds directly to the growing demand for luxury exclusive-use safari properties. Richard Holmes provides the goss on and pretty pics of our hotspot of the week.
To kick the We Are Africa Innovation Awards proceedings in 2018, we caught up with our last panel of expert judges to get the low-down on 2017’s entries: what impressed them; what moved them; and what they thought was missing… (Hint: now’s your chance to fill that void!)
South Africa has just got that little bit closer: there’s been a slew of international carriers launching flights to Cape Town and South Africa and Johannesburg – which is just in time for We Are Africa 2018. To lower airfares and increased connectivity on the horizon…
Conservation is the “sexy cause of the moment”: countless celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon to help rescue animal kingdoms – but even with their international reach, are their efforts beneficial – or even appropriate – to the cause at hand?
Heather Richardson tells the inspirational tale of how nature tourism revived the almost barren landscape surrounding Grootbos, a luxury lodge a few hours away from Cape Town. See what how conservation goals can be achieved with bucketloads of perseverance and collaboration…
Africa, get ready for your close-up! With travellers snapping their way around the globe, looks may not be everything, but they sure do help. Check out just a few of our most Insta-ready new recruits who’re showcasing our continent from its finest angles…
From theatrics to flavours of brandy with mushrooms and Oloroso with squash, mixology is reaching way beyond the bar. As fine dining pushes its creativity through the roof, the divide between bar and kitchen is growing ever narrower…
Richard Holmes introduces the Wolwedans Foundation Trust, a stellar example of how to walk the walk when it comes bringing tangible benefits to the local community.
In the run-up to the much-awaited We Are Africa, we have decided to honour our fantastic new exhibitors for 2018 with a warm shout-out. Up first are the three companies who fulfil and delight every rover’s African fantasies…
Truly secluded beach retreats are hard to come by, even in low season – but pockets of true tranquility can still be found; you just have to know where to look. Lucy Shave points you in the direction of a trio of new tribe members, from Zanzibar to Plettenberg Bay.
When just 0.05 per cent of the works shown at Art Basel or the Frieze Art Fair are of African origin, the African-centric 1:54 Art Fair has proved revolutionary in raising the profile of African art outside of the continent, and consequently, in bringing more tourism to Africa. But are region-specific shows excluding Africa from art’s central stage?
Introducing Sara Ouhaddou, the French-Moroccan artist combining the craft traditions of the Arab and Islamic world with international contemporary culture – an inspiration for African nations in an age of globalisation, showing them to move forward while keeping their own singular identities.
Forget tired tours and predictable routes – from Sideways-inspired wine excursions to immersive festival experiences, discover three new exhibitors who are are blazing an experiential trail across the continent.
Britney-Spears-obsessed performance artist Jana ‘Babez’ Terblanche deviates from Africa’s historical, same-old narrative, instead moving towards an outrageous feminist statement that unites Africa and the world at large.
Over the past two years we have seen many of the world’s most iconic travel destinations suffer from terrorist attacks. In the wake of such public assaults, how has tourism been affected – and how can it recover?
Delicate filigree jewellery handcrafted in a centuries-old tradition is perhaps the last thing you’d expect to find on a far-flung Mozambican island… Richard Holmes discovers the famous silversmiths of Ibo.
Shout-out to the unsung heroes going above and beyond to conserve their ecosystems who are joining the We Are Africa tribe this year.
Get acquainted with four of our newest tribe members who are offering a secluded, private-island experience with a difference that’s guaranteed to call out to travellers as the ultimate opportunity to reboot this festive season.
2018 may still be young, but its calendar is already jam-packed with new openings across our continent. From the lush forests of Rwanda to the sparkling sands of the Seychelles, there’s no shortage of exciting new destinations to entice visitors to Africa. Here are five of our favourites…
Wilderness Safaris is ending 2017 on a high note with the opening of a brand-new camp, Qorokwe, in Botswana’s iconic Okavango Delta.
It’s time to introduce you all to three more new tribe members: allow us to introduce We Are Africa’s new, nature-loving exhibitors who allow their guests to unleash their wonderlust for the elements.
With a few exceptions, conservation has traditionally been seen as a man’s world. However, an emerging generation of determined African women are flipping the script and bringing new solutions to Africa’s conservation challenges. Diana Odero and Olivia Squire meet a few of these pioneers.
Fired up on a disdain for the establishment and a spirit of resilience, African creativity has embraced DIY ethics and trodden its own radical path. James Davidson dives into modern Africa’s punk rock rebellion.