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These are how many travellers from Africa visited KwaZulu-Natal

Looks like KwaZulu-Natal is fast becoming a must visit destination for travellers from Africa. The latest statistics from South Africa Tourism confirm that an increasing number of tourists are already visiting KZN from across Africa-and that they represent the biggest portion of international arrivals to the province. “In 2017, almost 60% of the international arrivals in KZN were from the African continent, which demonstrates the importance of this growing key market,” said Phindile Makwakwa, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of TKZN. “For the past two weeks we’ve hosted “Spotlight on Africa” workshops in Lusaka, Zambia, Gaberone and Namibia to engage key trade partners through workshops to educate them more about the province, so to ultimately bring more numbers from these regions to KZN. “Our aim is to get KZN in the all-important holiday brochures that the agents give to their clients.” TKZN is currently hosting 34 tourism buyers from 17 countries across Africa who are already keen to sell KZN and other South African regions to their customers. The hosted delegates, who form part of the Central, East and Land trade team, arrived in the province on Sunday and will be exploring the region’s hidden gem tourist attractions. The SA Tourism research revealed that more than 7, 5-million tourists from across Africa visited the country in 2017, which represented 73,5 % of the total arrivals into South Africa. Between January and October, 2018, arrivals from Africa increased by 2.9% to 6.4million. Arrivals into KZN from across Africa in 2017 were 485 775, up from 464 863 from the previous year. Further research reveals that the top activities that international tourists enjoy in KZN are the beach, theme parks, adventure and wildlife followed by visiting natural attractions. The visitors come from a range of countries and do not hold back when it comes to spending on their holidays and business trips when they get here. When it came to the Africa arrivals who flew into KZN in 2017, the top four source countries are Nigeria (3 564 passengers), Tanzania (3 013), the DRC (2 582) and Kenya (1 968). These visitors stayed the longest and were among the top spenders. While the number of visitors from Ghana (726) was low, the tourists stayed the longest and spent the most and thus this was a market with potential to grow, researchers felt. The Ugandan and Angolan markets had similar potential. As for the tourists who arrived via land borders, Swaziland topped with list with 292 038 visitors, followed by Botswana (49 741), Lesotho (48 922), Zimbabwe (40 799) and Zambia (9 690). The top big spenders were Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Lesotho. And those who stayed the longest in the province hailed from Malawi, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Mozambique. From May 2-4, KZN will host to the Africa Travel Indaba, which is a meeting place for buyers where the gems of South Africa will be marketed and sold. “These platforms have provided TKZN with an opportunity to position KZN as a top-of-mind ‘must visit’ destination. It’s a chance to educate agents about the province’s wide diverse tourism offerings as we drive the campaign to grow the number of tourists and get more people arriving at King Shaka International Airport,” Makwakwa said. Source credit: www.iol.co.za

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Emdoneni News

5 Practical Tips to Help Save the Bees

Our world’s food supply depends on honey bees. One of every three bites of our food originates from bees pollinating the flowers that produce our fruits, nuts, vegetables and even coffee–coffee production has been found to double when purposely pollinated by honey bees. Each one of us benefits from a healthy honey bee population. Honeybee populations have been declining for decades, (due to colony collapse disorder and other stressors) and they continue to struggle for survival. Honey bees are biological indicators, meaning that honey bee health reflects the general health of the environment. Bee losses are possibly a symptom of a much greater environmental problem. Some organizations and governments have taken steps to try to reverse the trend but it’s not enough. Here are 5 things you can do to help Save the Bee: Rethink the manicured lawn Dandelions and clover could not be any easier to grow–all you have to do is nothing. Let dandelions, clover, and other bee-friendly plants grow in your garden and yard. Community gardens The benefits of a community garden go way beyond helping to Save the Bee. They help improve air and soil quality, increase plant and animal biodiversity, and when you plant fruit, vegetable and grain crops, you will have a source of fresh food that does not need to be “trucked in” to your community. Keep away from toxic chemicals Bees do not stand a chance against toxic chemicals designed to kill weeds and pests. You can actually see the effects of spraying toxic chemicals on a bee or a beehive–the bees die. What you don’t see right away are the effects on you, your family and your pets. Weed killers and pesticides are marketed as being safe as long as you follow the instructions and allow the chemicals to dry before permitting children or pets to enter the area where the chemical has been applied. But, there is plenty of evidence that these chemicals are not safe for any living things, and some have been linked to certain cancers. Organic weed and pest control is a safer and healthier choice for you, your family and the bees. No-kill bee removal solution When bees nest inside your home you might be inclined to grab a can of pesticide and get them out. Or, you might call an exterminator who will use toxic chemicals and wipe out the entire colony. Consider instead a bee-friendly option that will save the bee–humane bee removal. Many pest removal services are educated about the plight of the honey bee and now offer humane bee removal. They’ll save the bee without using toxic chemicals and they’ll remove the honeycomb, which if left intact, will create a mess and attract other animals and insects. Contact your local beekeeping association or search online for “humane bee removal” or “live bee removal” to find a local service. Find out where your honey comes from CCorn-basedsweeteners are spectacularly energy intensive in growth and production, and cause a plethora of ethical problems. Honey is a great alternative but cheap, highly processed honey is very likely to be manufactured by companies that are not concerned about the treatment of their bees and the quality of the honey. The honey you can get from small local beekeepers is typically raw honey in its sweet, pure, most natural state. It’s unfiltered, minimally processed and contains protein-packed bee pollen and enzymes. Source credit: www.countrylife.co.za Images: Pixabay.com

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Emdoneni News

Recognition of Excellence Award

We are super proud to announce that we have received a #RecognitionofExcellence ranking from HotelsCombined.com Emdoneni Lodge was chosen, based on a strict set of criteria. In order to be considered, properties must meet the following criteria: • At the time of judging, a winner is rated 8.00/10 or over with a minimum of 50 customer reviews certified by HotelsCombined. • No major customer service problems, nor recurring or unresolved issues were detected. Moreover, HotelsCombined is taking in great consideration the way the hotel staff answered the Hotels communication team, demonstrating their commitment in providing quick assistance. Emdoneni Lodge boasts a high satisfaction rating among guests and travel industry experts, receiving 391 reviews for an impressive rating of 8.9 out of 10. “We are thrilled to be working with the best hotels in South Africa and Emdoneni Lodge is certainly among them” What is different about the Recognition of Excellence is the way information is gathered and analysed: it all depends on the guest and his or her experience with that particular accommodation.” – Alberto Castellucchio, Market Manager of HotelsCombined South Africa

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Emdoneni News

Our Cat Release Program

The main emphasis of the cat project is to release the progeny of animals back into the wild. We only keep our breeding pairs (ambassador animals) and those animals that cannot be released, at the project and for educational purposes. All offspring, where possible, will be released into the wild, back where they belong. In the 22 years that the Emdoneni Cheetah Project has been in operation, we have successfully rehabilitated and released Servals, Caracals, African Wildcats and Cheetahs. ‘We are delighted to accept the two new Servals and play our part in ensuring the conservation of this rare and beautiful species. ‘iSimangaliso provides them with a secure home away from inhabited areas and the threat of snaring,’ says iSimangaliso Wetland Park CEO, Andrew Zaloumis. Servals are listed on the ‘Threatened or Protected Species’ (TOPS) list owing to their rarity. They are vulnerable to being snared and killed by farmers, in particular for their beautiful pelts. October 2017 – Servals Released at Fanie’s Island April 2017 – Servals Released at iSimangaliso Wetland Park March 2017 – African Wildcat Release at Private Game January 2017 – Cheetah Released – Mossel Bay March 2014 – Servals Released at Mkuze Game Reserve August 2012 – Servals Released at iSimangaliso Wetland Park The adult female and young male were confiscated from a farmer in Vryheid who kept them in captivity illegally, apparently to be used for hunting purposes. According to the farmer they were found in snares, but on investigation, no marks were found on their bodies to support the claim. They were recovered by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife District Conservation Officers and taken to the Emdoneni Cheetah Project near Hluhluwe. The cats were set free in the open grassland area in the Easter Shores side of the park, a suitable habitat and where plenty of prey is available. Servals eat mainly rodents, fish, birds, insects and small reptiles which are found in abundance in natural wetland areas. On a previous occasion Servals were released in the Western Shores side of the park. August 2011 – Caracals Released at Private Game Reserve July 2011 – Caracals released at a Private Game Reserve Releasing two caracals born in captivity into the wild, turned out to be both a sad and exciting moment for Emdoneni Cheetah Project owners Louis and Cecillie Nel. Two one year old male caracals, born at Emdoneni Cheetah Project, Hluhluwe, were part of the breeding project aimed at saving the African wildcat, Caracal, Cheetah and Serval from extinction. The intention is to breed where possible and release the offspring back into their natural habitat. The cats were released in the Mziki Shareblock at Phinda Game Reserve after being judged fit and able to hunt for themselves. Tiptoeing out of the crate, the first male entered his new home by first stopping right in the middle of all the spectators to give them a last close-up inspection before disappearing into the forest. Male number two wasn’t too keen on exploring his new habitat and it took a lot more convincing before he made his leap for freedom. The caracal is an endangered species, mostly killed by farmers because of predation on their livestock. In some areas they are killed for their skin and meat. The Nel Family truly have One Heart, One Passion and One Goal, to save these rare species. “I think I could turn and live with the animals, they are so placid and self-contained; I stand and look at them long and long.” By Walt Whitman

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Emdoneni News

Turtle Tours

St Lucia turtle Tours (iSimangaliso Wetland Park) begin in November when Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles come ashore on the golden beaches in the St Lucia Turtle Sanctuary, to lay their eggs. On the St Lucia turtle nesting tours we drive along the beach (iSimangaliso Cape Vidal too Leven Point) at night in search of turtles. At certain stages during the nesting process, turtles can be approached, viewed and photographed without causing disturbance to the turtles. Once the female Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles have nested, the eggs incubate for about 65 days, depending upon nest temperatures. On St Lucia turtle hatchling tours, we drive along the beach in the turtle sanctuary with very dim flashlights looking for baby turtles as they move down the beach towards the ocean. If you are going to be in South Africa in the St Lucia area, this is a phenomenon not to be missed. 2014 Shoreline Boat Turtle and Walking Safaris have officially been awarded with the Turtle Tour concession for the iSimangaliso Wetland Park area. The commencement date for the Turtle Tours is 12 November 2014. The tours will depart from St Lucia and please do take note that the times vary according to the tides and therefore each evening will vary. Its an incredible tour with the benefit of being able to witness two separate types of Turtles that frequent the beaches of St Lucia, these include the Logger Head and Leather Back Turtles. Please do take note that sightings are not guaranteed as the same applies to a safari into any game reserve. What is incredible is that one will travel through the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park enroute to the beach at Cape Vidal while traveling to the beach one also has the added benefit of coming across various animal species that frequent the area these include Hippo, Buffalo, Rhino, Antelope and even the odd Leopard. Once you arrive at the Cape Vidal beach your guide will deflate the open game drives tyres and then you are officially off on a Turtle Tour along the beach, the stretch of beach that you will 4×4 on is a reserve and the distance that you will travel is aprox 27km before you get to the sanctuary. It is along this stretch of beach that you will be looking for the turtles. From November the Turtles start to lay their eggs and once the incubation period is complete then only will the hatchlings depart into the water never to set foot onto land again in the case of the males. Did you know that when the females are ready to lay their eggs that they will always return to their birth stretch of beach never mind where in the ocean they are. Turtle Tours are an incredible and magical outing definitely a once in a life time experience should you be interested in booking this tour then please do Click Here for prices and availability. Seats are limited to 10 so please do ensure that you have made bookings prior as the Turtle Tours do coincide with High season in St Lucia. We are incredibly excited to mention that during our current season of 2015 that the sightings have been awesome thus far not to mention that our success rate currently is more than 94% for Leopards. This is amazing as it adds so much more value to the extraordinary outing as it is. Turtle Viewing Season: Starting Date: 1 November End Date: 31 March Telephonic Bookings: +27 35 5901555 iSimangaliso Wetland Park, St Lucia Why not join a Turtle Tour while in iSimangaliso Wetland Park , St Lucia and not only get to witness the Turtles, Leopards but some magnificent scenery as well. Turtle Tours are conducted on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Accessing the Eastern shores is done by entering the Cape Vidal gate from St Lucia. The Eastern shores borders the Indian Ocean on the East and the St Lucia Estuary on the West. Traveling to Cape Vidal is a 28 km journey prior to one being able to access the beach. What makes the Turtle Tours even more spectacular is the fact that one has the opportunity to enjoy a Night Drive Safari both en route and back to St Lucia on completion of the Turtle Tour. While en route one may come across various wildlife species including Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino, Hippo, Antelope and smaller nocturnal species such as Chameleons. Its a magnificent outing in an incredible park. Turtle Tour Sightings The 2015/2016 Turtle Tour Season (area: St Lucia/iSimangaliso Wetland Park) has truly been a magnificent season thus far. November 2015 started of with splendid sightings of Leopards virtually each evening. Furthermore our Ranger Jacques was fortunate to spot more than 1 Leopard on most nights in and among-st other Nocturnal wildlife. The Turtles started showing themselves from mid November and continued throughout the season. Leatherback Turtles and Logger Head Turtles where witnessed on numerous occasions throughout the season. December Leopard sightings dwindled a bit due to more traffic on the Cape Vidal road but quickly increased after the festive season. As of late January a lot more LeatherBack Turtles had been witnessed with numerous Logger Head hatch-lings. LeatherBack Turtle Facts LeatherBack Turtle: Reptile Carnivore 45 year Lifespan Can weigh up to 900 kg LeatherBacks are the largest turtles on earth. As their name implies their skin is thin, tough and rubbery. Made up of thousands of bone plates that gives an impression of leather. The LeatherBack is the only turtle that does not have a hard outer shell. The length of a adult Turtle can be up to 2,7 m long. Scissor like jaws, jellyfish is the main diet of this magnificent creature. Female Turtles between the ages of 6 and 10 years will mate every 2 to 3 years. A female may lay her eggs up to 9 times during one season with an average of 10 days between nestings.

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