Afrigay Travel International has launched the inaugural Afrigay LGBTQ+ Tourism Growth Symposium 2027, taking place in Cape Town on 12 January 2027.

Created as a focused tourism industry event, the symposium is designed to help South Africa better understand, serve and grow the LGBTQ+ travel market. The first edition will take place under the theme “From Welcome to Readiness”, with the broader positioning: South Africa, Africa and the Future of Inclusive Travel.

The symposium will be hosted at Mama Shelter Cape Town, with an evening networking cocktail reception hosted at The Rockefeller Hotel by Newmark. The three Cape Town-based ONOMO Hotels will sponsor the afternoon Learning Lab, a practical and interactive session designed for honest, open conversation, exploration and hands-on engagement around LGBTQ+ tourism readiness.

An optional Glitter Trail Peninsula Experience will take place on 13 January 2027, giving delegates a live example of how LGBTQ+ tourism can be packaged with personality, storytelling, hospitality and commercial appeal.

The event is aimed at tourism businesses, accommodation providers, tour operators, attractions, tourist guides, destination bodies, SMMEs, LGBTQ+-owned businesses, travel trade partners, associations and public-sector tourism stakeholders.

“This is not a Pride event or a general diversity discussion,” says Michael Gladwin, founder of Afrigay Travel International and All Stay LGBTQ+ Education. “It is a tourism growth platform. South Africa already has strong appeal as a destination, but welcome is only the starting point. The real opportunity is to help the industry become more confident, more prepared and more intentional in how it serves LGBTQ+ travellers.”

The programme will include industry insight, panel discussions, practical conversation and the Learning Lab, where delegates will explore real tourism scenarios, guest experiences and practical steps towards stronger LGBTQ+ market readiness.

The symposium also aims to support wider participation in the LGBTQ+ tourism conversation, including SMMEs, emerging tourism businesses, guides and regional tourism stakeholders.

“Cape Town is the natural host city for the first edition,” says Gladwin. “But the opportunity is much bigger than one city. South Africa has the potential to become the leading LGBTQ+ travel gateway to Africa, and this symposium is intended to help start that work in a practical, industry-focused way.”

Registrations are now open at symposium.afrigay.com.

Event details

Event: Afrigay LGBTQ+ Tourism Growth Symposium 2027
Theme: From Welcome to Readiness
Date: 12 January 2027
Venue: Mama Shelter Cape Town
Evening Cocktail Reception: The Rockefeller Hotel by Newmark
Optional Day 2: The Glitter Trail Peninsula Experience, 13 January 2027
Website: symposium.afrigay.com

South African travellers returning from Solwezi to Johannesburg now have more convenient same-day connections as Proflight Zambia increases capacity and frequency on two of its key domestic routes.

The expanded October schedule includes additional Solwezi services timed to connect in Lusaka with onward flights to Johannesburg. Proflight Zambia has also doubled its Kasama schedule to six flights a week, giving regional and international travellers greater flexibility when travelling beyond Lusaka.

Better-timed connections from Solwezi to Johannesburg

A new Friday service from Solwezi departs at 12:50 and arrives in Lusaka at 14:00, giving passengers a connection time of 1 hour and 40 minutes before Proflight Zambia’s 15:40 flight to Johannesburg.

The additional Friday service will operate until Christmas and resume in March 2027. The corresponding flight from Lusaka departs at 11:05 and arrives in Solwezi at 12:15.

From 13 October, a further Tuesday service will operate between Lusaka and Solwezi, departing Lusaka at 16:35 and arriving at 17:30. The aircraft will remain in Solwezi overnight before departing at 06:25 on Wednesday and arriving in Lusaka at 07:20.

This gives passengers a 55-minute connection to Proflight Zambia’s 08:15 Johannesburg service, allowing travellers to leave Solwezi early in the morning and continue to South Africa without a lengthy wait in Lusaka.

The connections are particularly useful for business travellers whose work takes them beyond Zambia’s capital, helping them spend less of the working week in transit.

Kasama increases to six flights a week

Proflight Zambia has also doubled its Kasama schedule to six flights a week, using a 29-seat turboprop aircraft.

Flights operate between Lusaka and Kasama on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, departing Lusaka at 10:25 and arriving in Kasama at 12:00. The return flight departs at 12:35 and arrives in Lusaka at 14:10.

On Fridays, the service operates in the afternoon, departing Lusaka at 14:10 and arriving in Kasama at 15:45. The return flight departs Kasama at 16:20 and arrives in Lusaka at 17:55.

A few dates in October vary slightly owing to planned aircraft maintenance. All times are local, and passengers should consult flyzambia.com for the latest schedules.

Mansa, the third route to benefit from Proflight Zambia’s domestic expansion, had its schedule increased in July and, since 13 September, has had a daily scheduled service for the first time. The growth comes as Mansa Airport undergoes runway and terminal upgrades, which could eventually allow larger aircraft to serve the route.

“When passengers are travelling beyond Lusaka, frequency alone is not enough; the connections also have to work,” said Captain Josias Walubita, Proflight Zambia’s Director of Government and Industry Affairs.

“Proflight Zambia has timed the Solwezi services around the onward Johannesburg flights so passengers can spend less time waiting in Lusaka and more time where they need to be. The increase to Kasama forms part of the same focus on making Zambia’s domestic network more practical for both regional and international travellers.”

According to the report, the downward trend is driven by fears around job security, burned-out managers (whose own engagement sits at 22%) and poorly managed tech transitions. A related survey published by Gallup last month shows that AI-induced anxiety is linked to lower engagement and higher burnout.

The antidote? Real, in-person connection might be exactly what an AI-anxious workforce needs.

“It reminds me, in a way, of 2020/2021,” says Mummy Mafojane, GM at FCM South Africa, a travel management company (TMC) that manages travel for large enterprises and multinational companies.

“Teams had suddenly gone remote or hybrid, and getting people together again made a real difference. It was especially important for younger employees, who’d been missing out on the informal mentorship and on-the-job learning that happen when you’re in the same room as more experienced colleagues. AI is a different kind of disruption, but the uncertainty feels familiar. When leaders take the time to explain the developments in person and train their teams properly, many of those fears start to ease.”

Those fears run all the way up organisations. Leaders worry about falling behind competitors who adopt AI faster or investing heavily in tech that doesn’t deliver a return. Not to mention keeping sensitive company and client data secure.

Employees, meanwhile, worry that their jobs may disappear, that their skills and qualifications may become obsolete, that efficiency gains may be used to cut their wages, hours or benefits, or that they simply won’t be able to keep up with the pace of change.

The unease doesn’t stop at the office door, either. Deepfakes and AI-generated content have made it harder to know what’s real, and nearly half the people (48%) surveyed by identity verification company iProov in the US and UK say they now question the authenticity of almost everything they see online.

The conversation has also moved from AI to superintelligence, the point at which AI outperforms human intelligence. In September, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on AI companies to slow down development, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Elon Musk said they agreed. When the people building the technology start to sound uneasy, it’s hard for anyone else to feel relaxed.

So what can organisations do?

Mafojane believes that for multinationals with teams spread across cities and continents, much of the answer comes down to showing up in person.

Explain the plan face to face. When new tools arrive, a leadership roadshow to regional offices gives people the chance to hear the strategy first-hand, ask the difficult questions and understand where they fit in.

“The first challenge for leaders is to decide where AI fits into their business. In other words, when to invest, where to automate and what to keep human. The second is to build trust and drive buy-in and adoption,” explains Mafojane. “Presenting the strategy in person can make a real difference.”

Remind people of their worth. According to Gallup, employees who feel respected and cared for are less likely to fear that AI will take their job. That message is easier to believe when a leader delivers it in person.

Train together, at a human pace. Change takes time to absorb. In-person workshops let teams learn new tools side by side, ask questions and make mistakes without feeling exposed.

Prioritise travel opportunities. As Mafojane explains, business travel remains a high-value perk that boosts both employee satisfaction and professional growth.

“Not only does business travel help organisations attract and retain talent, but people tend to come back with renewed energy and fresh ideas,” she says. “In this environment, it’s good for morale.”

Check in regularly. Quarterly gatherings for remote and hybrid teams help people reconnect and raise concerns before they grow.

“The most valuable trips we see now have a clear job to do,” says Mafojane. “And they don’t need to be extravagant. A leader visiting a regional office, or a team spending two days learning something new, can make a real difference, as long as you agree up front what success looks like. A good travel management partner keeps that time purposeful and the costs in check, with duty of care covered. It’s a great way to steady the ship.”

 As South Africa marks Tourism Month, Cape Town Tourism (CTT) and Visit Stellenbosch are joining forces to encourage visitors to stay longer and experience both destinations as part of a connected Cape journey.

The two organisations have signed a Joint Marketing Agreement (JMA), bringing together two distinctive destinations that complement one another within the same journey, from Cape Town’s coastline, city energy and cultural attractions to Stellenbosch’s wine, food, heritage, art, nature, shopping and unique local experiences.

The partnership will see the two organisations develop joint itineraries, share content and run collaborative campaigns across their digital channels, supported by joint media and trade activity. The focus will include domestic visitors during key periods such as school holidays, long weekends and the festive season, while also creating reasons to visit year-round and supporting efforts to address seasonality.

The collaboration will encourage visitors to extend their stay in either destination by adding the other to their itinerary, showing how two distinct destinations can work together to create a richer, longer Cape experience.

Joint content will showcase the breadth of experiences available across both destinations, with campaigns, competitions and giveaways creating further opportunities for tourism businesses on both sides to participate in shared storytelling. Joint media and trade engagement will also highlight the combined offering to travel journalists, travel sellers and other industry audiences.

Where relevant, international media and trade activity will position Cape Town and Stellenbosch together as complementary destinations within a longer South African itinerary. Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, says: “Cape Town is a destination that can easily fill a holiday, but it is also the gateway to so much more of the Cape. Stellenbosch adds another dimension to the Cape Town experience, and vice versa. There is a real opportunity to encourage visitors to stay longer, explore more and experience the diversity of our region. This partnership gives us a platform to make that connection more visible, particularly during key travel periods and throughout the year.”

The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, adds: “Cape Town’s visitor economy is showing strong momentum, with 1.44 million international overnight visitors and 1.42 million domestic overnight trips recorded in 2025. The opportunity now is to turn that demand into longer stays, greater visitor spend and wider economic benefits. One of my fundamentals for tourism has always been that we must be soft on borders and strong on vision. Visitors don’t experience destinations by municipal boundaries, and neither should our tourism thinking. Our Tourism Framework recognises working with neighbouring destinations as an important way to improve geographic spread and grow the visitor economy. This partnership puts that into practice. By connecting Cape Town and Stellenbosch more deliberately, we can encourage visitors to stay another night, explore more and spend more. Every additional night creates opportunities across the tourism value chain, from accommodation and restaurants to attractions, guides, retailers and the many businesses and people who depend on tourism.” 

Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch, says: “Working with Cape Town Tourism allows us to connect two complementary destinations and create a stronger proposition for the region. It also has a very practical benefit for our tourism economy. Longer stays mean more visitor spend, more nights in accommodation and more opportunities for businesses across the tourism value chain to benefit. “Importantly, this partnership is also about addressing seasonality and creating reasons to visit across the year. When we work together to grow the overall tourism pie, there is greater opportunity for both destinations and for the businesses and communities that depend on tourism.” 

Stellenbosch recorded more than 1.35 million overnight visitors in 2025, contributing an estimated R13 billion in total economic impact. The partnership with Cape Town Tourism builds on the strength of both destinations while creating new opportunities to distribute visitor demand, increase length of stay and broaden participation in the tourism economy. For visitors, the message is simple: Cape Town and Stellenbosch. One more night. So much more to experience.

The property has grown from four bedrooms to five, with capacity now at a maximum of 10 adults and two children under 16. The new, east-facing fifth bedroom features air conditioning, a private terrace, and an outdoor shower. The existing lounge has been extended to include a dedicated TV room and library, anchored by a dramatic 2.4-metre Farooo lamp by celebrated Dutch designer Marcel Wanders for Moooi, a striking centrepiece that sets the tone for the refreshed interior throughout. The current kids’ room now features two proper single beds, and a second rooftop terrace on the west side of the upstairs bar offers dedicated sunset views.

Commissioned to reimagine the interiors were Guus and Fenny Koevoets of Vervoort Living, a Netherlands-based studio with an international portfolio spanning hotels and restaurants worldwide. Rooted in a hospitality-focused background, their overarching design philosophy holds that hospitality sits at the core of all human environments – a belief that translates instinctively into spaces that feel as considered as they are beautiful. Their design direction for Morukuru Ocean House introduces a more Scandinavian minimalistic style in soft beige and blue tones – a palette drawn directly from De Hoop Nature Reserve’s beaches, ocean, and fynbos landscape. Layered textures and tonal depth bring warmth to the spaces, while selected works by South African artist Lionel Smith are positioned throughout the house, deepening the sense of place across all five bedrooms, as well as the living and dining areas.

“Morukuru Ocean House has always been somewhere special. A place where families come to truly exhale. This refurbishment is about honouring that feeling while elevating every detail of the experience. We can’t wait for our guests to discover it,” said Ed Zeeman, Co-founder and Co-owner of Morukuru Family.

Co-founder and Co-owner Anka Zeeman added: “Working with Guus and Fenny has been a joy. They understand intuitively how a space should feel, not just how it should look and they moved to a calmer and more minimalistic, kind of Scandinavian design style, which deeply connects with its surroundings and emphasises the extraordinary location of this special off grid house.”

Morukuru Ocean House remains exclusive use only. Rates are unchanged despite the additional bedroom and wider enhancements. Trade partners should note that the minimum stay requirement at Morukuru Family De Hoop during peak season 2027 has been revised to three nights.

For bookings, prospective guests can contact their preferred travel advisor or get in touch with Morukuru Family directly via reservations@morukuru.com. Ts & Cs apply.

At the heart of the restructure is the consolidation of sales and marketing under unified regional leadership. For travel agents across the MEA region, it means a single, aligned team working in step to help them sell NCL more effectively and grow their cruise business with confidence.

Leading that charge in MEA is Gary Anslow, appointed as the region’s new VP. Anslow brings considerable experience to the role, which will serve alongside his position of VP and Head of UK and Ireland, one of NCL’s most established and high-performing markets. He takes over from Kevin Bubolz, who spearheaded NCL’s growth across MEA. Bubolz will now assume full oversight of NCL’s Continental European business. Both report into Jason Krimmel, NCL’s Chief International Sales and Marketing Officer.

Commenting on the transition, Bubolz said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time leading our strategy in MEA. The engagement and support we have had from our partners in the region has been exceptional. I know Gary and the team will continue to build on very solid foundations.”

Anslow added: “MEA is a region with tremendous energy and real appetite for cruise travel, and I am committed to making sure our trade partners have everything they need to capitalise on that. I am looking forward to deepening our relationships across the region and to ensuring that agents feel the full benefit of a more integrated sales and marketing approach.”

The announcement comes at a particularly compelling moment for travel trade partners to be selling NCL. Great Stirrup Cay, the cruise line’s iconic private island in The Bahamas, is set to launch the new Great Tides Waterpark on 4 September – a significant enhancement, with 19 waterslides, unique cliff jumps, and a Tidal Tower standing over 50m tall, that adds fresh appeal for families and gives agents a powerful new conversation-starter with clients.

An impressive portfolio of 2027 Europe itineraries, including expanded Mediterranean and Northern Europe sailings, offers strong options for the well-travelled South African market, while a pipeline of innovative new ships continues to grow one of the industry’s most modern fleets.

“The investment is real, the support is growing, and the opportunities for agents who lean into cruise have never been greater,” Anslow concluded.

Home to South Africa’s largest concentration of award-winning restaurants, celebrated wine estates, visionary chefs and artisan producers, Stellenbosch once again invites visitors to experience why it is recognised as the country’s leading food and wine destination.

Some destinations are known for great restaurants. Stellenbosch is something else entirely.

Here, award-winning chefs, passionate winemakers, artisan producers, farmers and welcoming hosts come together to create a destination where every meal tells a story. Whether it is an intimate chef’s table, a long table feast among the vines, an innovative tasting menu or a leisurely brunch that turns into an afternoon, food is not simply something you enjoy. It is how you experience Stellenbosch.

It is this extraordinary concentration of chefs, winemakers, farmers, cheesemakers, bakers, distillers, olive producers and hospitality experiences, all within minutes of one another, that makes Stellenbosch unlike anywhere else in South Africa. Every meal begins long before it reaches the table, rooted in exceptional local produce, generations of craftsmanship and a culture that celebrates creativity, collaboration and genuine hospitality.

Recognised by the Eat Out Awards, Gourmet Guide and the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants, Stellenbosch continues to set the benchmark for culinary excellence in South Africa. Home to some of the country’s most celebrated restaurants and wine estates, the destination has earned a reputation for delivering world-class food and wine experiences that are authentic, innovative and deeply connected to place.

“Taste Stellenbosch is more than a celebration of exceptional food and wine. It is a celebration of the people, passion and craftsmanship that have shaped Stellenbosch into South Africa’s leading food and wine destination,” says Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch.

“Every chef, winemaker, farmer, artisan producer and host contributes to a culinary story that is uniquely Stellenbosch. Here, remarkable experiences begin with extraordinary ingredients, are brought to life by talented people and shared around tables that inspire conversation, connection and discovery. Taste Stellenbosch invites visitors to slow down, savour every moment and experience a destination where every meal becomes a lasting memory. We hope every visitor leaves inspired, already planning their return, because the very best way to discover Stellenbosch is one unforgettable meal at a time.”

This year’s programme celebrates the remarkable breadth and diversity of Stellenbosch’s culinary landscape. From intimate chef collaborations and immersive food and wine pairings to vineyard feasts, long table gatherings, heritage dining experiences and menus created exclusively for the season, every experience has been thoughtfully curated to showcase the creativity, generosity and unmistakable sense of place that define South Africa’s leading food and wine destination.

“Taste Stellenbosch is an invitation to experience the extraordinary diversity of our destination,” says Daniel Kriel, Chairman of Taste Stellenbosch.

“Whether it is an intimate chef’s table, a vineyard feast, a long lunch with friends or discovering a hidden culinary gem for the first time, every experience has been thoughtfully created by passionate people who love sharing Stellenbosch. Visitors won’t simply enjoy exceptional food and wine. They’ll discover the warmth, creativity and generosity that make this destination so memorable and leave with every reason to return.”

Highlights of Taste Stellenbosch 2026 include:

• De Warenmarkt’s interactive Test Kitchen and Pinotage & Venison Winemakers’ Dinner with Beyerskloof.

• 96 Winery Road Restaurant’s nostalgic four-course celebration of 30 years of Good Food, Good Wine and Good Times.

• HŌSEKI at Delaire Graff Estate’s Nihon Jūdan, an elegant culinary journey through regional Japanese flavours.

• Muratie Farm Kitchen’s Story Room Experience, where exceptional wines, slow-cooked cuisine and heritage storytelling come together.

• Pink Valley Restaurant’s Pink Drinks & Petite Plates experience, pairing rosé wines with beautifully crafted tasting plates.

• Warwick Wine Estate’s signature gourmet slider and wine pairing.

• Lanzerac’s guided Taste Lanzerac experience and Family Style Sundays.

• Klein Joostenberg Bistro’s spectacular long table farm brunch celebrating seasonal produce, artisan charcuterie, oysters and sparkling wine.

But Taste Stellenbosch doesn’t end at the table.

Some places deserve more than a day

Exceptional seasonal accommodation experiences at boutique guesthouses, luxury hotels, vineyard estates and countryside retreats invite visitors to slow down and stay a little longer. Wake up among the vineyards, linger over another breakfast, discover another cellar, book another table and give yourself the greatest luxury of all: another day to experience the flavours, people and unexpected moments that make Stellenbosch unforgettable.

Because the best meals are never rushed. Neither is Stellenbosch.

Taste Stellenbosch accommodation highlights include:

• 10 Alexander B&B: Stay for two nights and savour a third night free at the #1-rated Tripadvisor B&B in Stellenbosch.

• Rozenburg Guesthouse: Stay within walking distance of Stellenbosch’s historic village centre, top restaurants and wineries, and enjoy 30% off your accommodation.

• Spier Wine Farm: Book two nights or more and receive R1,600 credit to indulge across dining, wine and spa experiences.

Discover the full range of participating accommodation at: taste.visitstellenbosch.org/accommodation/

Come hungry. Leave inspired. Return soon.

Taste Stellenbosch runs from 1 August to 20 September 2026.

Discover the full programme of dining experiences, accommodation packages and seasonal inspiration at: taste.visitstellenbosch.org

About Visit Stellenbosch

Visit Stellenbosch is the official destination marketing organisation for Stellenbosch, working in partnership with tourism businesses, local government and industry stakeholders to position Stellenbosch as one of South Africa’s leading year-round leisure, lifestyle and business events destinations. Through strategic destination marketing, visitor services and industry collaboration, Visit Stellenbosch inspires travellers to discover the region’s exceptional wine, award-winning culinary experiences, rich heritage, vibrant culture and breathtaking natural landscapes.

Pangolin.Africa announced a coordinated campaign to achieve the approval of a pangolin emoji with the Unicode Consortium, marking a renewed effort following a rejection of an application in 2019. 

The Unicode Consortium, the non-profit organisation responsible for approving new emojis, requires specific, quantifiable evidence of public interest. Petitions and social media campaigns are explicitly not accepted. Instead, Unicode evaluates:

• Google Search volume and trends
• Google Video Search metrics
• Website traffic data
• Comparative analysis with approved animal emojis

“Unicode’s requirements are rigorous, and rightfully so,” notes Toby Jermyn, Director of Pangolin.Africa. “They need proof that people will actually use a pangolin emoji. Our campaign is designed to build exactly that proof – transparently, measurably, and in accordance with their documented standards.”

The campaign launches on World Pangolin Day (21^st February 2026) with a call for global audiences to search for “Pangolin” on Google and alternative search engines to build the quantifiable public interest metrics that Unicode requires for emoji approval.

“A pangolin emoji was proposed to Unicode in 2019 and was summarily declined,” says Emma Bracher, Programme Director at Pangolin.Africa. “Then COVID-19 hit, and suddenly everyone was searching for pangolins because of the virus’s suspected origins. Search traffic spiked dramatically. But we can’t rely on a global pandemic to generate awareness. We need sustained, organic interest—and we’re building that now.”

The Case for Pangolin Representation

Pangolins occupy a unique position among endangered species: they are simultaneously real animals facing extinction and creatures of almost mythical quality in popular imagination. Their distinctive scales, long tongues, and solitary nature make them unlike any other mammal on Earth.

Yet while dragons, unicorns, and other mythical creatures have emoji representation, pangolins do not. Even extinct animals like the dodo and dinosaurs are represented in emoji keyboards worldwide.

“There is a genuine incomprehension as to why pangolins don’t have an emoji,” explains Jermyn. “They’re visually distinctive. They’re culturally significant across Africa and Asia. They’re critically endangered and need awareness. And they have all the characteristics that make for compelling emoji use. The only thing missing has been demonstrated public interest.”

Emoji Design Competition

Following the awareness campaign, Pangolin.Africa will launch a design competition open to anyone who has completed the Pangolin Guardians Course. Participants will create Unicode-compliant emoji designs (curled-up and walking poses) for submission.

Pangolin.Africa will open submissions for design entries from 15 March 2026. A full design brief with details of the Unicode specifications, is available on the Pangolin.Africa website. 

The winning designer receives international recognition and the distinction of creating the first pangolin emojis, with designs submitted to Unicode during May 2026.

The Conservation Context

Pangolins are the world’s most illegally trafficked mammals, with over one million individuals stolen from the wild in the past decade. All eight pangolin species – four in Africa and four in Asia – are threatened with extinction due to poaching for their scales (used in traditional medicine despite having no medicinal value) and meat.

Despite this critical conservation status, pangolins remain largely unknown to the general public. Digital representation through emojis would provide a tool for everyday conservation conversations, much as elephant 🐘, rhinoceros 🦏, and gorilla 🦍 emojis have done for those species.

“When people can text about pangolins as easily as they can text about elephants, pangolins become part of our cultural conversation,” says Bracher. “That visibility drives awareness. Awareness drives action. Action drives conservation outcomes.”

The COVID-19 Precedent

In early 2020, search interest in pangolins surged dramatically as scientists investigated the virus’s origins and potential wildlife reservoirs. Google Trends data showed a spike in “pangolin” searches that persisted for several months.

“That spike proved people were interested. But it was driven by a global health crisis, not by genuine conservation engagement,” explains Jermyn. “What we’re building now is sustainable, education-based interest. People aren’t searching because they’re afraid. They’re searching because they want to learn, understand, and help.”

Call to Action

Individuals worldwide are encouraged to:

1. Search “pangolin” on Google (web search, image search, video search)
2. Visit Pangolin.Africa to learn about the species and conservation efforts
3. Complete the FREE 15-minute Pangolin Guardians Educational Course

Media organisations can support the campaign by:

• Covering pangolin conservation and the emoji campaign
• Including pangolin imagery in World Pangolin Day coverage
• Linking to Pangolin.Africa educational resources
• Explaining the trafficking crisis and conservation needs

For more information about the campaign, to access educational resources and imagery, or to complete the Pangolin Guardians Course, visit pangolin.africa

View video by Toby Jermyn here on the Pangolin Emoji Campaign.

Media Contact

Nikki Evans
Marketing Manager, Pangolin.Africa
Email: nikki@pangolin.africa
Phone: +27 082 578 3602
Website: www.pangolin.africa

About Pangolin.Africa

Pangolin.Africa is a South African based registered non-profit organisation (Reg. No. 2018/380634/08) dedicated to the survival of the most highly trafficked wildlife species on Earth – the African pangolin. Through Pangolin.Africa’s three-pronged approach of publicity, participation, and protection, its projects enable global partners in tourism, conservation, and business to contribute to research, protection, and rehabilitation of this vulnerable species.

The decision to host the 2026 edition in Zanzibar aligns with growing global interest in the island, which recorded a 10% increase in international tourist arrivals in December 2025. As a tropical island just a short flight from popular safari circuits and adventure hubs, Zanzibar offers international buyers the opportunity to explore how Africa’s varied tourism experiences can be woven into seamless, multi-stop itineraries.

“After working closely with the Diamonds team in Malindi to deliver an exceptional experience in 2025, we’re excited to see this collaboration evolve into a true strategic alliance and to extend the growth of Essence of Africa across the continent,” says Amanda Margison, Co-Founder of Essence of Africa.  “The launch of their new property in Zanzibar provides a perfect setting for another distinctive destination for our international buyer forum, and their investment in their people and products reflects a shared commitment that delivers real value for both buyers and African exhibitors.”

“Essence of Africa is designed to move across the continent, and bringing the forum to Zanzibar reflects both the rotational nature of the show and the growing importance of Africa’s island and coastal destinations,” says Chris Mears, Co-founder of Essence of Africa. “Zanzibar offers a unique contrast to traditional safari experiences, combining natural beauty, culture and a strong sense of place in a way that resonates deeply with international buyers. By hosting Essence of Africa here, we’re giving the global travel trade the opportunity to experience first-hand how destinations like Zanzibar elevate and enrich African itineraries.”

Essence of Africa 2026 builds on the success of the previous year’s edition in Malindi, where 158 international buyers from 39 countries met with 150 African exhibitors in over 5,600 pre-scheduled meetings.

Curated by On Show Solutions and ATTA® Group Events, the forum continues to focus on facilitating commercially meaningful connections between buyers and Africa’s tourism suppliers, supported by immersive destination experiences and in-depth content sessions.

Registration for exhibitors opens 16 February with favourable early bird rates available. Interested buyers can review information and apply on the website https://essenceofafrica.travel/

This enhancement is not a limited-time initiative, but a permanent shift designed to simplify and clarify commission structures, making NCL the easiest cruise line to work with. It reflects NCL’s ongoing commitment to partnership, transparency, and the long-term success of travel professionals.

“Removing NCFs is a meaningful commitment to strengthening our partnership and ensuring travel agents are fully rewarded for the value they bring to their clients and to NCL,” says Nirosha Sidat, NCL Country Manager, Africa. “With 21 ships and voyages to more than 350 destinations worldwide on sale, including Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska and Asia, there is no better moment to plan and book an effortless escape with NCL.”

Beyond simplifying commission structures, this change delivers tangible advantages for travel partners. First, higher commission earnings: the full cruise fare (excluding taxes and fees) is now commissionable, delivering more revenue with every booking. Second, a simplified and transparent structure: the streamlined fare model enables advisors to understand their earning potential upfront, present NCL confidently, and focus on selling the experience. Finally, a partnership that puts partners first: NCL recognises the critical role travel advisors play in delivering exceptional holidays worldwide, and this enhancement represents a direct investment in their business success.

To learn more about NCL’s new commission structure, travel advisors are encouraged to visit Norwegian Central.

For more information about the Company’s award-winning 20-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional or visit www.ncl.com