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Why Southern Africa
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| South Africa is one of the most affordable 5* destinations in the world. With an ever strengthening exchange rate, the South African Rand (ZAR) currency enjoys a buoyant growth and international marketability, ie: in order to promote and sell a MICE destination one always compares apples to apples? It has been official for a while and now with the current economic status (and the fact that you are an Economist.com fan), the 2008 Big Mac PPP Index would have you reaching for your cheque book. |
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According to the Big Mac PPP (purchasing power parity) Index published by The Economist.com,
South Africa is a more cost-effective destination than our busier global tourism counterparts, such as;
Australia
Europe
Turkey
Switzerland
South America
AND YES EVEN EGYPT!
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP):is a measure of the relative purchasing power of different currencies. It is measured by the price of the same goods in different countries, translated by the FX rate (or exchange rate) of that country's currency against a "base currency".
*** Reference www.economist.com
And THAT makes Southern Africa now more affordable than ever…
So you need to save on your budget without compromising the quality? Now is the time to take advantage of the global credit crunch and head for Southern Africa with Travel Motives, DMC South Africa!
Why? Well as of today’s rates:
In the USA, your 1 U$ is worth 10 South African Rands
In Europe, your 1 EUR is worth 13.56 South African Rands
In Great Britain, your 1 GBP is worth 17.47 South African Rands! That’s almost 1:18 !!
And down-under, your 1 AUD is worth 7.07 South African Rands
It is true the global economy is in crisis and companies like you are being forced to reassess the budgets and certainly the incentive program ideas, but does that mean that you need to compromise on your level of quality and service? We at Travel Motives, DMC South Africa say NO! No, because now could not be a better time to travel and experience the wonders which are “Southern Africa”. This is the time to run the numbers, to question the budgets and to expect creativity to match!
Southern Africa is now more affordable than ever and to not take advantage of the region’s rates would mean a creative costing loss…
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More than 50 airlines, making around 230 000 aircraft landings and carrying about 33-million passengers a year, move through South Africa's 10 principal airports. These include three major international airports in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, as well as airports in Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberly, Upington, Bloemfontein and the Pilansberg. International Airports are scattered across the region; Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pilanesberg in the North West Province, Kruger Mpumalanga Airport servicing the Kruger National Park and surrounds, With direct flights from almost all major international hubs, South Africa is within easy reach for any inbound incentive group programme. This, together with the number of international airline carriers servicing the Southern Africa route, makes South Africa a relatively short and seamless point of access to Southern Africa.
Getting to South Africa
From the United Kingdom to South Africa
From the United Kingdom, South African Airways and British Airways offer the most direct flights but there are numerous European Airlines offering the same flight. London to Johannesburg is an eleven hour direct flight and London to Cape Town direct is eleven and a half to twelve hours flying time.
From Germany to South Africa
From Germany, Lufthansa and South African Airways offer direct flights from Frankfurt to Cape Town with a flying time of 13 hours and thirty minutes, or 10 hours, 10 minutes to Johannesburg.From the USA the only direct flight to South Africa is with South African Airways and Delta Air Lines. Both fly directly from New York (JFK) to Johannesburg (at 15 hours and twenty minutes this is the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world - NOTE: This flight is no longer in operation). Alternatively, there are direct flights from Atlanta to Cape Town or Johannesburg.
From the USA to South AfricaFrom the USA the only direct flight to South Africa is with South African Airways and Delta Air Lines. Both fly directly from New York (JFK) to Johannesburg (at 15 hours and twenty minutes this is the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world - NOTE: This flight is no longer in operation). Alternatively, there are direct flights from Atlanta to Cape Town or Johannesburg.
From Washington, D.C., New York L.A., Miami or San Francisco you can fly via a European capital with a European carrier such as Air France or Virgin. Virgin Atlantic Airways also flies daily from New York to Johannesburg via London and offers direct flights from London to Cape Town. (Virgin also flies Chicago > London > Cape Town ). Alternatively, try any of the European carriers like KLM in the United States which flies via Amsterdam and Air France flies via Paris.
From Australia to South AfricaFrom Australia, Qantas offers direct flights from Sydney to Johannesburg and South African Airways offer direct flights from Perth. Total flying time is approximately 11 hours and 5 minutes.
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The “Big 5” game and safari experienceRide an African Elephant in the wild, soar with the great African Bald-Headed Eagle high above the bushveld, track a pack of endangered African Wild Dogs or possibly even see an African Dung Beetle rolling its quarry along the parched African landscape.
Africa – A safari destination bar none…
Sandy, white beachesSurvivor SOS Beach Challenge – Spotters in Huey Helicopters, high speed motorboat relay teams, beach volleyball Olympics and harbour dragon boat building… ending off with a seafood BBQ with the ocean lapping at your feet…
WinelandsA vintage car rally through the undulating vineyards of Paarl, Franschoek and Stellenbosch followed by an organic picnic at the foothills of the Helderberg mountain range and finally a Harley Davidson GPS adventure en-route to cellar dinner nestled in the Franshoek mountainside…
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South Africa is home to some of the world’s most spectacular hotels and resorts and is home to the world-famous Palace of The Lost City at Sun City Resort.
In addition a number of South Africa's top-end hotels feature regularly in some of the best known "world's best" lists, such as the World Travel Awards, Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice survey, and Travel & Leisure magazine's World's Best Awards.
These include the Cape Grace, Arabella Sheraton Grand, Table Bay and Mount Nelson hotels in Cape Town; the Grande Roche in Paarl outside Cape Town; The Plettenberg on the Western Cape Garden Route; and the Grace in Rosebank, Michelangelo, Saxon and Westcliff hotels in Johannesburg.
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South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the south-western corner of the country to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights. Rainfall generally occurs during summer (November through March), although in the southwest, around Cape Town, rainfall occurs in winter (June to August). Temperatures are influenced by variations in elevation, terrain, and ocean currents more than latitude.
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South Africa has a modern and well developed transport infrastructure.
The roads are world-class with two-lane highways connecting all major centres and good arterial roads connecting these. South Africa's total road network is about 754 000 kilometres, 9 600km of which are surfaced national roads. Around 2 400km of the roads in the country are toll roads.
The air and rail networks are the largest on the continent and the country's ports provide a natural stopover for shipping to and from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australasia and both coasts of Africa.
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