Category: Tourism

  • Maputo opens its doors to Africa’s tourism talent

    Maputo opens its doors to Africa’s tourism talent

    Montage: Jgefd and contributing photographers / Wikimedia Commons⁠, CC BY-SA 4.0⁠. Views of Maputo, shown for illustration.


    For a few days in September, Maputo became a meeting place for people whose work is to welcome others.

    Mozambique’s capital hosted the sixth edition of the Pyne Awards Africa at Indy Village, recognising professionals, brands and organisations contributing to tourism and hospitality across the continent.

    For the host city, it was also an opportunity to offer a welcome of its own.

    A CHANCE TO SHARE MAPUTO

    After five editions in Nigeria, the event moved to Mozambique for its 2026 gathering. The programme, scheduled for 24–26 September 2026, included a networking evening, an awards gala and guided visits exploring Maputo’s landmarks and cultural heritage.

    Alongside the celebration, visitors were invited to discover the city beyond the awards venue. Maputo became part of the experience, a place to explore, meet people and learn through its history and culture.

    RECOGNISING THE WORK BEHIND A JOURNEY

    A memorable visit depends on many people. Someone helps organise the trip, someone prepares the food, and someone makes a guest feel welcome. Their work is often part of what travellers remember long after they return home.

    The awards bring attention to talent across this wider industry. They offer a moment to recognise the care, knowledge and dedication that support hospitality across Africa.

    For MyHappyAfrica, that is the heart of this story: African talent receiving recognition, while Maputo shares its own welcome with the continent.

    Sources: Pyne Awards Africa; I Love Maputo.

  • Namibia’s red dunes: beauty with a human story

    Namibia’s red dunes: beauty with a human story

    Photo: Andrew Svk / Unsplash

    Imagine standing before the red dunes of Sossusvlei: sweeping curves of sand, open sky and a landscape that invites you to slow down. Namibia’s beauty is reason enough to visit. Yet some of its most rewarding discoveries lie beyond the view itself.

    Sossusvlei lies within the Namib Sand Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013, protected within Namib-Naukluft Park. Here, fog supplies vital moisture to wildlife adapted to life among shifting dunes. Even in this harsh environment, life finds a way.

    The human story unfolds in the wider region. At a November 2025 heritage gathering involving Maltahöhe, Aus and Utuseb, women brought traditional crafts and elders shared memories, according to UNESCO.

    Residents proposed storytelling walks, guiding and craft businesses. UNESCO described the approach as “placing local voices, particularly those of women and youth, at the centre of livelihood development.”

    These were early proposals, with later results still to be verified. Yet the possibility is compelling: visitors could discover the region through the skills and stories of its people.

    The red dunes of Namibia draw visitors with their beauty. The stories, traditions and aspirations of the people who live in the wider region may leave the deepest impression of all.

    Sources: UNESCO — Namib Sand Sea. Community heritage initiative


  • Uganda’s First Deaf-Led Tourism Company Wins International Recognition

    Travel should be open to everyone. In Uganda, two Deaf entrepreneurs are helping make that possible by transforming the safari experience for Deaf travellers.

    Denis Ssebayiga and Simone Pabsch co-founded SS Sign Language Tourism in Kampala in late 2024. The company received its official Ugandan tour-operator licence in October 2025 and is recognised as Uganda’s first Deaf-led sign-language tourism company.

    Safaris without communication barriers

    The company provides wildlife and cultural experiences guided in Ugandan Sign Language and International Sign.

    Its Deaf professional guides lead visitors on gorilla treks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, chimpanzee tours in Kibale Forest and wildlife safaris across Uganda’s national parks.

    The experiences are designed for both Deaf and hearing travellers. Guests do not need previous knowledge of sign language, allowing people with different backgrounds to experience Uganda together.

    From Uganda to the world

    Although the company is still young, it has already welcomed travellers from Uganda, Kenya, Germany, France and the United States.

    On 22 September 2026, Condé Nast Traveler selected SS Sign Language Tourism as one of its 25 “Bright Ideas in Travel” winners. More than 200 projects from around the world were considered.

    The publication described the company as East Africa’s first safari operator designed by and for Deaf travellers.

    Creating opportunities through tourism

    The founders now hope to train more Deaf guides, acquire a second safari vehicle and expand their accessible tours into Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

    Their work shows how inclusion can also create business opportunities. Deaf travellers gain access to meaningful wildlife experiences, while Deaf professionals can develop careers in tourism and conservation.

    SS Sign Language Tourism is not simply organising holidays. It is removing communication barriers, creating employment opportunities and presenting East Africa’s wildlife and culture to visitors from around the world.

    Real People. Real Progress. Real Africa.

    Sources: SS Sign Language Tourism and Condé Nast Traveler, 22 September 2026.

    https://www.ss-signlanguagetourism.com

    https://www.cntraveler.com/story/bright-ideas-in-travel-2026