Holocaust & Genocide Centre opens in Johannesburg
ALMOST 70% of Airbnb
bookings in the past three
years have been made by
guests under the age of 40,
and millennials account for
nearly half of the platform’s
revenue to date, according to
stats the company released at
the end of March.
The platform, launched in
2007, now offers over six
million homes in 191 countries
and 81 000 cities worldwide.
Hosts have earned $65bn
(R920,6bn) while millennials
have spent over $31bn
(R438,6bn). Today, three
guests check in to an Airbnb
every half-second.
The platform has also
expanded to included unique
accommodation: over 14 000
tiny houses; 4 000 castles
and 2 400 tree houses.
At the end of 2016, Airbnb
launched experiences such
as violin making in Paris,
truffle hunting in Tuscany, and
marathon running in Kenya.
Today, there are over 25 000
experiences bookable.
Earlier this year, the platform
announced plans to establish
itself as an end-to-end travel
platform, hinting that flights
may be on the horizon. “We
are focused on reimagining
travel by building an end-to-end
travel platform that combines
where you stay, what you do,
and how you get there, all in
one place.
New Garden Route walking trail
GONDWANA Game Reserve
in the Garden Route will offer
a three-night walking trail
traversing through the reserve
from November. The activity is
already bookable.
The Pioneer Trail takes
guests to three remote
tented fly camps within the
reserve and can be booked
out by families and groups,
with a maximum of eight
guests. Each of the camps
comprises four sleeping tents
with en-suite bathrooms and
covered outdoor seating area;
a dining and lounge tent;
outdoor dining boma and
campfire area.
All meals are catered for,
as well as beverages. Guests
must be at least 12 years old
and fit enough to walk about
10km per day. There are two
full days of hiking. A camp
assistant and two guides will
accompany guests.
New Garden Route walking trail
GONDWANA Game Reserve
in the Garden Route will offer
a three-night walking trail
traversing through the reserve
from November. The activity is
already bookable.
The Pioneer Trail takes
guests to three remote
tented fly camps within the
reserve and can be booked
out by families and groups,
with a maximum of eight
guests. Each of the camps
comprises four sleeping tents
with en-suite bathrooms and
covered outdoor seating area;
a dining and lounge tent;
outdoor dining boma and
campfire area.
All meals are catered for,
as well as beverages. Guests
must be at least 12 years old
and fit enough to walk about
10km per day. There are two
full days of hiking. A camp
assistant and two guides will
accompany guests
Village tours launch at Kruger
SHISHANGENI Lodge at the
Mpanamana Concession
Crocodile Gate, has added
local village tours to its
experiential offerings. Visitors
explore Orlando village and
spend a day with the local
community, rounded off with
a meeting with a sangoma.
Orlando comprises
local Swati and Tsonga
communities, with the
Tsonga being a particularly
diverse people. Visitors on
the tour will learn about the
villagers’ family structures,
beliefs, history, music, dance
and social and cultural life.
Adventure Hub comes to Panorama Route
THE Panorama Route
in Mpumalanga will
soon have a new
Adventure Hub as part
of the second phase
of development of the
Graskop Gorge Lift Co.
New developments
will include a 70-metre
freefall Big Swing, a
130-metre zipline,
guided electric bike
trails, walking trails and
mountain bike trails.
A suspension bridge
will link the southern
side of the gorge where
the lift is situated, with
the northern side, which
houses the Big Swing.
A walkway will be built
around the edge of the
gorge as an alternative
way to access either side.
Mountain bike trail
experts and a residentdriven conservation group
will help rehabilitate and
create new trails along
the part of the Jock of
the Bushveld hiking trail
known as Fairyland.
The viewing lift will be
fitted with air-conditioning
and glass doors; while
the road leading to the
Graskop Gorge Lift Co.
entrance will be reworked
to allow for increased
traffic.
Inside the property,
a casual outdoor food
area will be created to
complement the Life
Café, which serves sitdown meals.
CPT nature challenge
TOURISTS will have the
opportunity to engage with
the City of Cape Town in an
innovative way through the
2019 Global City Nature
Challenge.
A hundred and fifty cities
take part in this challenge
worldwide, which sees each
competing to record the most
observations of plant and
animal species in their city.
Cape Town will co-ordinate
activities in the conservation
areas of the city, and
will open all its reserves
to anyone interested in
recording, mapping or
assisting with the four-day
challenge. ‘Bioblitzes’ and
tours of the reserves with
local experts and managers
will take place during the
course of the challenge.
The competition runs from
April 26 to 28, and is open
to residents and tourists
of all ages. To take part,
participants need to register
on iNaturalist.com, and can
upload their findings to the
website or app.
