Africa Travel Week has selected local South African tour operator, Aunty Nita’s Tours, as the winner of Emerging Africa 2022. As part of her prize, Anita Hermanus (or Aunty Nita) will receive a 6 sqm stand at the WTM Africa Travel and Tourism Expo to the value of R31 635 to showcase her product to the world.
Aunty Nita’s Tours is run single-handedly by Anita Hermanus, who grew up on the Cape Flats and puts all her considerable energy into enticing travellers to visit her home turf. When informed of her win, Anita Hermanus was uncharacteristically speechless, but not for long.
“Wow, what a privilege this is!” she said. “Not in my wildest dreams. I have been working so hard to put Aunty Nita’s on the map. Never did I think such an opportunity would come my way. As a newcomer to the industry, I don’t think I even understand what impact WTM Africa could have on my business.”
“Winning this is a signal to me that the world is ready to explore my region. The Cape Flats is ready and waiting – able to provide a unique experience to be savoured and enjoyed. I want to change the narrative around the Cape Flats, to show off the perseverance, tenacity, strength, joy, character, quirks and humaneness that has become integral to our community.”
Launched in September 2021, the Emerging Africa series, organised by Africa Travel Week, aimed to shine the spotlight on inspirational local SMMEs in Africa and give them the opportunity to promote their product at WTM Africa, the leading global expo for the travel and tourism industry.
“We launched the Emerging Africa competition because we feel it is important to support and celebrate small tourism businesses in Africa who have weathered the COVID-19 storm and have continued to innovate and stand out,” says Megan Oberholzer, RX South Africa Portfolio Director Travel, Tourism and Creative Industries. “For entrepreneurs like Aunty Nita with small or non-existent marketing budgets, being able to showcase their product at WTM Africa to the entire global travel industry has the potential to be a true game-changer that can elevate their business.”
With Aunty Nita’s Tours being showcased as a worthy winner of the Emerging Africa campaign, the Africa Travel Week exhibition will now bring the world to our local African emerging entrepreneurs.
