eBusiness Weekly
Zimbabwe is one of the four African countries named by Bloomberg — a US based new agency — as a must visit tourist destination in 2020. The other three countries are Ethiopia, Mozambique and Egypt.
According to Bloomberg, the best way to plan a trip is to think about what you love to do and when you need a break — not which destination you have yet to check off some list.
“With these key points in mind, we tapped our network of in-the-know editors and global correspondents to deliver two dozen inspiring spots that will be particularly enticing this coming year,” writes Bloomberg.
Among places that made the Bloomberg list are far-flung places you may have never considered, such as the nomadic villages of Kyrgyzstan, the archaeological ruins deep in Guatemala, and the pristine landscapes of Lombok, Indonesia. There are also sleepy beach towns getting glammed up by posh hotels, or classic cities revitalised by hot restaurants and fresh cultural institutions.
“And if you’re looking for a chance to commune with the great outdoors or go on an animal adventure, we’ve got those, too.”
Also included on the list are four African countries including Zimbabwe. All that’s left is for you to pick your favourite. Bon voyage!
For Zimbabwe, places that were picked by Bloomberg include one of the seven wonders of the world, Victoria Falls and wildlife infested Mana Pools.
“An hour from the falls, you’ll find newly thriving packs of wild dogs in Mana Pools National Park, where Wilderness Safaris’ Chikwenya Camp has seven tents at the confluence of the Sapi and Zambezi rivers.”
Nearby, the Nyamatusi Camp by the Zimbabwean-owned African Bush Camps team offers canoeing, walking safaris and the chance to catch the famously ferocious tiger fish. And with conservation work getting a boost from African Parks, the venerable non-profit backed by the UK’s Prince Harry, the spotlight has never been brighter, writes Bloomberg.
When to go: June to November, when the wildlife congregates along the Zambezi River near Mana Pools. Within those months, September is best, coming just before dry season peaks and making for relatively private but prime animal spotting.
When not to go: Most camps are closed during the green (rainy) season, from December to March.
Mozambique
With dozens of white-sand islets ringed by vibrant marine life, Mozambique is Africa’s under-the-radar answer to the Maldives. Despite weathering back-to-back cyclones last year, the country is more enchanting than ever. Its most impressive newcomer, Kisawa Sanctuary, will command rates of $5 500 a night when it opens this summer; each of its 12 rooms sits on a full acre of sand on Benguerra Island.
The resort is purportedly the first in the world to (at least partly) 3D-print its structures, combining sand and seawater to make mortar. Better yet, its non-profit arm, the Bazaruto Centre for Scientific Studies, will use the technology to help propagate local coral reefs. When the hotel opens, it will immediately become one of the most coveted vacation spots, not only in Africa but anywhere on earth.
When to go: May to September offers great beach weather — and if you’re tacking on a visit to Gorongosa National Park, prime wildlife viewing.
When not to go: Rainy season — which can include cyclones — lasts from January to the end of March.
Cairo
Ancient history never looked so fresh. When the Grand Egyptian Museum finally opens in the fall, the entire collection of precious objects from the Upper and Lower kingdoms will be showcased together for the first time with the respect it deserves — in a half-billion-dollar space near the Giza pyramids.
It’s one of several improvements that will help the Egyptian government continue the upward trend of post-revolution tourism, which grossed an all-time-high of $12,5 billion in the year ending in June 2019. More forthcoming draws include renovated historic Jewish synagogues such as the 116-year-old Sha’ar Hashamayim and a sumptuous St. Regis by Michael Graves Architecture & Design. Book through Abercrombie & Kent, and you’ll have access to flexible flights on private jets to get around the country — a relief from EgyptAir’s strict early morning schedules.
When to go: The shoulder season months of March, April, October, and November offer cool weather and thin crowds. Ramadan, from late April into May, is especially interesting in Cairo, where restaurants stay open, alcohol is allowed, and locals celebrate well past midnight.
When not to go: From May to September, Saharan weather is even more punishing than you’d think.
Ethiopia
The first step to getting on travellers’ bucket lists is to have a tourism ministry that cares, and few care like Ethiopia’s. In 2015 it set out to make the country a top five African destination by 2020; in 2018 tourism grew 48,6 percent from the previous year, faster than any other country. Its formula is a mix of history (the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela), cultural experiences with the tribes of the Omo Valley, and wildlife viewing in the Bale and Simien mountains.
Plus, Ethiopian Airlines is offering new routes from Houston and Chicago, and Journeys by Design has added helicopter safaris in the north with an anthropological twist. Travellers see species such as walia ibex and gelada baboons as well as religious sites and 1 000-year-old fortresses — with expert guides including one of the palaeontologists who discovered Lucy.
When to go: The Ethiopian calendar is unique, with 13 months instead of 12. And while 11 of those months are known for sunshine, such must-see spots as Lalibela are best visited during October through February (on the Gregorian calendar), when it’s drier.
When not to go: July and August are especially torrential, but avoid January, too. It’s when locals flood sites for Ethiopian Christmas and Timkat, which commemorates Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. — Business Writer/Bloomberg
