Fairmont Mt Kenya Safari Club tops Africa

Fairmont Mt Kenya Safari Club has been voted Africa’s Leading Hotel 2018.

During the 25^th World Travel Awards Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2018 ceremony held in Durban, South Africa, Diani Reef Beach Resort was voted as Africa’s Leading Beach Resort 2018.and Spa while Leopard Beach Resort and Spa was ranked as Africa’s Leading Family Resort.

Other winners from Kenya were Kenya Airways ( Africa’s Leading Airline – Business Class and Africa’s Leading Airline – Economy Class), Diani Beach ( Africa’s Leading Beach Destination), Ol Pejata Conservancy ( Africa’s Leading Conservation Company), Destination Kenya ( Africa’s Leading Destination Management Company), Aberdare Country Club ( Africa’s Leading Green Hotel), Palacina The Residence and The Suites ( Africa’s Leading Residence Hotel) and Villa Rosa Kempinski Nairobi ( Africa’s Leading Luxury Hotel).

Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara ( Africa’s Leading Luxury Tented Safari Camp), Masai Mara National Reserve (Africa’s Leading National Park), Manda Bay (Africa’s Leading Private Island Resort), Finch Hattons (Africa’s Leading Tented Safari Camp) and Hilton Hotels & Resorts (Africa’s Leading Hotel Brand) also came tops.

Ethiopian Airlines was voted ‘Africa’s Leading Airline’, whilst ‘Africa’s Leading Airport’ went to Cape Town International Airport. Meanwhile in the Indian Ocean, Air Mauritius claimed a lion’s share of the honours, winning ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline’, ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline – Business Class’, ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline Brand’, and ‘Indian Ocean’s Airport Lounge’ (The Amédée Maingard Lounge @ Mauritius International Airport).

Hospitality winners included Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa (‘Africa’s Leading Boutique Hotel’), Thanda Island, Tanzania (‘Africa’s Leading Luxury Island’), Hilton Cabo Verde Sal Resort (‘Africa’s Leading New Resort’), Hilton Durban (‘South Africa’s Leading Business Hotel’), Legend Golf Resort & Spa, South Africa (‘Africa’s Leading Sports Resort’), and Transcorp Hilton Abuja (‘Africa’s Leading Business Hotel’).

Other highlights included awards for South Africa Tourism (‘Africa’s Leading Tourist Board’), Durban ICC (‘Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre’), Durban (‘Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination’) and Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Tourist Board’).

In the Indian Ocean categories, Mauritius cemented its reputation as the definitive romantic island by being named ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination’, whilst the paradise archipelago of the Maldives was heralded ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination’.

Hundreds of the leading travel industries figureheads from across Africa and the Indian Ocean attended the ceremony at the Durban ICC, the state-of-the-art events and entertainment venue, which was opened by the late Nelson Mandela in 1997.

Graham E. Cooke, Founder & President, WTA, said: “The Durban ICC has reinforced its standing as a world-class entertainment venue on what has been a magnificent evening of travel industry triumph, as well as a highlight of our 25th anniversary. We have had the privilege of recognising the leading hotels, airlines and hospitality providers from across Africa and the Indian Ocean and my congratulations to each of them.”

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The ceremony marked the sixth leg of the WTA Grand Tour 2018 – a series of regional events to acknowledge the world’s outstanding travel brands. Events on the tour include Ras al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates), Athens (Greece), Hong Kong, Guayaquil (Ecuador) and Montego Bay (Jamaica). The regional winners will progress to the Grand Final 2018, which is being hosted in Lisbon (Portugal) on 1st December.