By Marc Nkwame
Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, has won the 2017 ‘Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction’ title in the recent World Travel Awards (WTAs). The Moshi located mountain was one of Tanzania’s three entries that won in the African Category of the 24th edition of the prestigious WTA whose gala was held at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda last Tuesday.
The Director-General of Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) Allan Kijazi, received the coveted trophy. Kilimanjaro National Park, under which the mountain is managed, is one of the country’s 16 national parks under TANAPA.
Kilimanjaro Mountain has retained the title for the fourth time, after winning it consecutively in 2015 and 2016. The mountain first won the award in 2013. The Diamonds La Gemma Dell’Est of Zanzibar was named ‘Africa’s leading All-Inclusive Resort 2017 and the property also won ‘Africa’s Leading Beach Resort 2017’ in the WTA.
The ‘Four Seasons’ of Serengeti was crowned ‘Africa’s Leading Safari Lodge,’ while the Thanda Island of the Shungimbili Island of Mafia District in the Indian Ocean, won ‘Africa’s leading Luxury Island’ title.
The ‘Africa’s Leading Private Island Resort,’ title went to the ‘And Beyond Mnemba Island Lodge.’ Tanzania also scooped one of the Tour Company awards, with Arusha-based Abercrombie and Kent crowned ‘Africa’s Leading Luxury Tour Operator.’
Other winners from Tanzania include ‘And Beyond,’ the luxury lodges’ operator, winning ‘Africa’s Leading Conservation Company 2017, the Singita Game Reserves was crowned Africa’s Leading Game Reserve Brand.
Kenya Airways won the Africa’s leading ‘Business Class’ airline, while Ethiopian Airways, the continent’s largest carrier, topped the ‘Africa’s leading economy class airline category. ‘Fast Jet’ was crowned “Africa’s Leading Low-Cost Airline.”
Rwanda, which hosted the 2017 Gala for Africa’s WTA version was named ‘Africa’s Leading Destination 2017,’ while South Africa’s Cape-Town International Airport was declared the continent’s leading airport in 2017.
