While travel is, for the most part, always a fun activity, it’s always nice to point out some of the top fun experiences or things happening in the world of travel and tourism. Below is a list of some of the best, coolest and tastiest things unfolding in this space at the moment.
Airbnb wants to fund your crazy home ideas
Airbnb is on the hunt for the world’s craziest spaces — and will help foot the bill to build them. Whether it’s the next boot, UFO house or a 6-tonne potato, the first-of-its-size $10,000,000 OMG! Fund is seeking ideas from existing and aspiring designers, architects, DIYers and makers from around the globe.
The fund’s USD $10 million will help finance 100 of the craziest ideas, giving 100 people an opportunity to turn them into actual Airbnb OMG! Category listings, which are Airbnb’s collection of the most unique homes.
Anyone with an out-of-this-world idea can submit an application via the website. One hundred people with the 100 craziest ideas will receive USD $100,000* each to make their creations possible and, ultimately, bookable. Ideas will be judged by an expert panel for their originality, feasibility, the experience the space will provide guests, and sustainability.
More hotels are becoming pet friendly
Numerous articles and studies over the last few years have found that pet ownership in South Africa is on the rise. Not only that, but the pet economy is booming, too. Bronwyn Williams, Trend Translator and Future Finance Specialist noted on a radio interview that those who could afford it, were spending more money than ever on their pets.
It should come as no surprise then that Radisson RED Rosebank recently announced that pets are welcome to stay at the hotel, something that its sister hotel in Cape Town had been doing for some time already.
Not only that, but the Rosebank hotel also hosted a cute pet adoption day in partnership with Woodrock Animal Rescue where guests and visitors were encouraged to mingle with the pups that were up for adoption. All in the hope that it would be love at first sight for many potential adopters.
God’s Window is getting a skywalk
The stunning area called God’s Window in Mpumalanga is receiving an upgrade. It will be a cantilevered glass walkway suspended off the edge of the cliff that offers guests a 360-degree panoramic view of the area.
In conjunction with the land claimants from the Blyde River, the local Motsamayi Group is forging ahead with the project and it will offer visitors a new way to experience God’s Window and take in the beauty of the surroundings.
Other offerings on-site include a sky swing, a zero-gravity chamber, artisanal foodie and craft delights, as well as meetings and events facilities.
Mouth-watering food contest
The Blue Ribbon Soweto Kota Festival will be returning to Soweto in September. The fifth edition of the annual township dish contest will give chefs from around Mzansi a chance to showcase their creativity through a flavourful dish made from a quarter loaf of bread and variety of meat fillings, fruit and vegetables, relishes – including the ever-trusted achaar, condiments, eggs, mopani worms, as well as spices.
All this will happen during a fun-filled day with loads of entertainment at the Elkah Cricket Oval in Rockville, Soweto on the weekend of 3-4 September – the perfect township outing for adults and children.
The popular dish kota is known by different names, depending on which part of the country you come from. If you are from the north, you may know it as ‘sphathlo’; if you are from around the Vaal triangle, ‘skhambane’, whereas people from Durban call it ‘bunny chow’ – though the jury is out on this one because a ‘bunny chow’ essentially involves a curry or stew and normally has a saucier texture.
Head of Marketing and Communications at online booking platform Jurni platform, Tshepo Matlou says, “I’ve been to many townships before and I’m yet to visit one that doesn’t regard ‘kota’ as its fast food of choice. It’s a national treasure and in the bigger scheme of things, township travel should leverage events like the Kota Festival as one of the events that South Africans relate to because of its common theme, to boost township economies.
“People always gravitate towards what they know and love. Township travel’s biggest problem is access to market and this kind of event can be used to attract an online audience. It’d be great to see people from outside Soweto and Gauteng coming to the event and booking accommodation in Soweto as part of supporting local tourism and to experience Soweto.”