This week, South African Tourism is hosting the 2018 News UK Travel Awards – a prestigious awards ceremony which celebrates the top UK travel journalists from The Times, The Sunday Times, Sunday Times Travel Magazine and The Sun. 

The travel editors and writers from these publications are hosted in South Africa along with top travel industry experts and CEOs of UK-based travel organisations. As 2018 marks Nelson Mandela’s centenary, South African Tourism decided this year would be the perfect time to collaborate with News UK and showcase some of the destination’s top experiences to its members.

Until tomorrow, the 21st of September, the group of 85 guests will be exploring the stunning city of Johannesburg, learning about its significance to Nelson Mandela’s life and visiting some of the city’s poignant and historic sites relating to Madiba. The guests will also have the opportunity to engage in the local culture and discover the city’s vibrant art and food scene.  

After experiencing the bustling city life in Johannesburg, the group will travel to Pilanesberg – home to “the Big 5” (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and cape buffalo) - for a safari adventure and the travel awards dinner. The guests will experience Pilanesberg National Park, the ecologically rich transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld, which promises spectacular landscapes, thrilling big game viewing and an array of flora and fauna.

Sthembiso Dlamini, Chief Operations Officer at South African Tourism, comments: “We are honoured to be the host country for the 2018 News UK Travel Awards. It is a fantastic way for South Africa to  showcase  its range of incredible experiences that suit every type of traveller. These experiences include food and wine, safari, culture, history and adventure.  

"It is events such as these that contribute to South African Tourism reaching its goal of increasing the number of international tourists by four million while increasing the numbers of domestic holiday trips by one million by 2021. Our tourism strategy for 2018 and beyond focuses on promoting these key pillars to highlight the destination’s diversity and wide-reaching appeal to future travellers. We are thrilled to welcome guests of The News UK Travel Awards to our wonderful destination and we look forward to showcasing some of the most eclectic and amazing experiences that our country has to offer.”