I NEWS I Discover the To
I NEWS I Discover the To Do Awards and its 3 fantastic winners in Nepal, Sweden and Uzbekistan ITB Berlin is hosting an award ceremony for the winners of this year's To Do Awards which will take place at 2pm on March 7 on the Congress stage in Hall 3.1. Every year, some of the world's most inspiring tourism NGOs are presented with the prestigious award, bestowed by Germany's Institute for Tourism and Development. The initiative has been helping local people to have a say in tourism projects, products and services since 1995. Two joint winners were announced in February including Sweden's Nutti Sámi Siida project and Uzbekistan's Nuratau Community Based Tourism Project. They join this year's winner of the To Do Award Human Rights in Tourism – the Sasane Sisterhood in Nepal. ADVERTORIAL NUTTI SÁMI SIIDA, SWEDEN For thousands of years, the indigenous Sámi have lived with their reindeer in northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Following several harsh winters in the late 1990s, the Sámi couldn't find enough food and looked for ways to protect their traditions in the face of climate change. Now they do this by inviting hotel guests to see their reindeer and culture. NURATAU COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM PROJECT, UZBEKISTAN In the early 2000s, German filmmaker Henry Mix launched a sustainable Discover South Africa – an exciting destination for unique experiences Nomasonto Ndlovu COO, South African Tourism tourism project in remote villages of the Nuratau mountains. His objective was to create alternative sources of income for villagers living on subsistence farming after the collapse of the Soviet Union. High growth rates in tourist arrivals has since enabled participating villages to reinvest in houses, education and social projects like water supply and school refurbishments. SASANE SISTERHOOD, NEPAL Women from underprivileged groups in Kathmandu are trained as tour guides to encourage economic independence and empowerment South Africa is back at ITB Berlin with its sensational new "Live Again!" campaign. Attendees are invited to experience the country with all their senses by sampling the excellent gastronomy and entertainment at its brightly coloured stand in Hall 21b. ITB Berlin News speaks to Nomasonto Ndlovu, COO of South African Tourism, about what to expect from its presence at this year's show. What makes South Africa such an appealing destination for travellers? South Africa is a country with an array of tourism experiences and offerings. The country has wide open spaces, scenic landscapes and really warm and welcoming people. One can enjoy the best safari experience, a wide range of culinary offerings and experiences ranging from adventure to relaxation. What are you presenting at ITB Berlin 2023? South Africa will be highlighting the country’s wide offering including sustainable products and some new and exciting products catering for a Mountains in Uzbekistan variety of traveller preferences. We will also be showcasing some SMME products including Evo Trak Quad Safari, Zilko Travel & Tours, Ubizo Events and Tours, and Mbombela Experience. How has the country's travel and tourism industry performed over the past year and what are your predictions for 2023? Between January and December 2022, arrivals to South Africa increased by 6.9% reaching close to 5. 7 million arrivals over the same period in 2021. The sector recovered at 37% of 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Overall, forward bookings to the country from January to December 2022 are up by 45.5% compared to the same period of last year. The top forward bookings were from Europe and the Americas. and combat human trafficking, domestic gender-specific violence, and child marriage Hall 3.1 / Congress Stage TO DO! AWARD CEREMONY Wednesday, 8 March 2023 > 2:00-2:45 pm Location: Hall 3.1 / Green Stage What are South Africa’s inbound markets and how have these changed over the past few years? The African continent delivers close to 80% of the total arrivals to the destination. Our top overseas markets are UK, Germany and the US Hall 21 b / Stand 210 © South African Tourism © Salohiddin Kamolov - unsplash ITB BERLIN NEWS • TUESDAY 7 TH MARCH 2023 17
