Zimbabwe makes it into Travel 2 Africa brochure

Africa product manager Michael Creighton said southern Africa had suffered in recent years due to a number of factors. However, with Travel 2 sales for Africa package holidays up 6% in the last year and South Africa, Namibia and Madagascar increasing by 15%, 81% and 215% respectively, he added now was the time to extend the programme.

Creighton said: “If you have a look at last year, there was a lot of negative publicity around Africa as a whole.

“We had Ebola on the west coast and we had a lot of Foreign Office advice against travel to Kenya and that had a negative impact on the region as a whole.”

Now, he argued, with the Ebola crisis over and the FCO lifting its advice against travel to swathes of the Kenya coast, the continent is viewed entirely differently.

He added: “Now we’re in 2015, the perception of travelling to Africa is a lot more positive than last year and that’s had a big impact.”

Creighton said Zimbabwe was being added with one new tour and would appeal to people who have been to southern Africa before and are now looking for a new experience.

He added: “It is really unique and it is for the more intrepid traveller.”

Meanwhile, Mozambique’s inclusion would allow the operator to cater for the more high-end market with its largely luxury properties.

Prices for the 10-day Highlights of Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls tour lead in at £6,069pp, including flights and selected meals.