The Top 10. The Best of Africa.

More than 250 finalists from over 30 countries, chosen from entries across the continent and the diaspora. Every one is worth the journey. Only one per category will lift the Balearica on 1 November.

Hospitality

Independent Brand Hotel of the Year

One-of-a-kind hotels with a soul of their own, from a Nile-side palace to a Kigali sanctuary.

  • Al Moudira Hotel (Egypt)
  • Citi Residence Ikoyi (Nigeria)
  • Delaire Graff Lodges & Spa (South Africa)
  • La Mamounia (Morocco)
  • Pax Manor Muthaiga (Kenya)
  • Royal Mansour (Morocco)
  • The Envoy Abuja (Nigeria)
  • The Nest Kigali (Rwanda)
  • Villa Monticello (Ghana)

Resort of the Year

Where the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Atlantic meet five-star service.

  • Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort, Diani (Kenya)
  • Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt)
  • LUX* Marijani (Tanzania)
  • Mazagan Beach Resort (Morocco)
  • Rixos Premium Seagate (Egypt)
  • Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay (Morocco)
  • Serena Beach Resort & Spa (Kenya)
  • Shangri-La Le Touessrok (Mauritius)
  • Steigenberger Alcazar (Egypt)
  • Sun City Resort (South Africa)

Luxury Hotel of the Year

Private islands, Atlas kasbahs and suites above Victoria Falls. Africa's most extraordinary addresses.

  • Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort (Mozambique)
  • Azura Benguerra Island (Mozambique)
  • Ethiopian Skylight Hotel (Ethiopia)
  • Kasbah Tamadot (Morocco)
  • La Mamounia (Morocco)
  • North Island Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • One&Only Cape Town (South Africa)
  • Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara (Zambia)
  • Royal Mansour Marrakech (Morocco)
  • The Oberoi Mauritius (Mauritius)

Safari Lodge of the Year

From a train on a bridge over the Sabie River to a lodge in the Okavango, these are where Africa's wild nights are spent.

  • Esiweni Safari Lodge (South Africa)
  • Jabulani Safari Lodge (South Africa)
  • Kruger Shalati (South Africa)
  • Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge (Uganda)
  • One&Only Gorilla's Nest (Rwanda)
  • Singita Sasakwa Lodge (Tanzania)
  • The Royal Malewane (South Africa)
  • Xigera Safari Lodge (Botswana)
  • Zannier Sonop (Namibia)

Hotel Group of the Year

The groups investing in Africa's rooms, people and skylines.

  • Accor
  • CityBlue Hotels
  • Hilton
  • IHG Hotels & Resorts
  • Jaz Hotel Group
  • Marriott International
  • ONOMO Hotels
  • Radisson Hotel Group
  • Serena Hotels
  • Southern Sun

Restaurant of the Year

African flavour, world-class kitchens. Book a table at any of these and you've planned a trip.

  • Cultiva Farmlands (Kenya)
  • FYN (South Africa)
  • Khufu's (Egypt)
  • La Colombe (South Africa)
  • La Grande Table Marocaine (Morocco)
  • Le Golfe (Tunisia)
  • NOK by Alara (Nigeria)
  • PIER (South Africa)
  • Salsify at the Roundhouse (South Africa)
  • Table 3 (Morocco)

Tourism Attraction of the Year

The places that stop travellers in their tracks, from pharaohs' treasures to Lagos art.

  • Grand Egyptian Museum (Egypt)
  • Jardin Majorelle (Morocco)
  • Lion & Safari Park (South Africa)
  • Nike Art Gallery (Nigeria)
  • Robben Island Museum (South Africa)
  • Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (South Africa)
  • The Great Wildebeest Migration (Tanzania)
  • V&A Waterfront (South Africa)
  • Victoria Falls / Mosi-oa-Tunya (Zimbabwe)
  • Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (Nigeria)

Transport & Travel Services

International Airline of the Year

The carriers connecting Africa to the world, and the world to Africa.

  • Air Algérie
  • Air Mauritius
  • ASKY Airlines
  • EgyptAir
  • Ethiopian Airlines
  • Kenya Airways
  • Royal Air Maroc
  • RwandAir
  • South African Airways
  • TAAG Angola Airlines

Regional Airline of the Year

The airlines making it easier to fly from one African city to the next.

  • Air Côte d'Ivoire
  • Air Peace
  • Airlink
  • ASKY Airlines
  • Fastjet Zimbabwe
  • FlySafair
  • LAM Mozambique Airlines
  • Precision Air
  • RwandAir
  • Uganda Airlines

Inbound Tour Operator of the Year

The experts who turn a dream trip into a perfect itinerary.

  • Gatsio Safariz (Uganda)
  • Golan Tours (Ethiopia)
  • Apstar Tours (Ghana)
  • Kassumay Tours (Guinea-Bissau)
  • Papillon Reizen (Mali)
  • Berakha Tours & Travel (Côte d'Ivoire)
  • Forward Travel (Australia)
  • Explore STP (São Tomé & Príncipe)
  • Pollman's Tours & Safaris (Kenya)
  • Morocco Discovery (Morocco)

Travel Agency of the Year

The agencies sending more travellers across, into and out of Africa every year.

  • Atlas Voyages (Morocco)
  • Berakha Tours & Travel (Côte d'Ivoire)
  • BTM Travel (Nigeria)
  • Finchglow Travels (Nigeria)
  • Satguru Travel (Equatorial Guinea)
  • Satguru Travel & Tours (Namibia)
  • Satguru Travel Management (Angola)
  • Terra Nova Tours (South Africa)
  • Twsta Tours & Expeditions (Ethiopia)
  • White Sand Travel Consult (Ghana)

Online Travel Agency of the Year

Africa's travel, a tap away.

  • FlightSite
  • Flyin
  • Travel.co.za
  • Travelbeta
  • Travel Den
  • Travelstart
  • Travel Yalla
  • Tripindigo
  • Volz
  • Wakanow

Media

Travel Content Creator of the Year

The voices making millions of people add Africa to their list.

  • Abdul Wanders
  • Authentic Traveling
  • Collins Nkem
  • Dercio Rodrigues
  • Jesse Manuel
  • Jovenchi.K
  • Queen Bethia
  • Niyi Fagbemi
  • Tunisian Bedouin
  • Wode Maya

Tourism Photographer of the Year

The lenses behind the images that made you want to go.

  • Alicia-Rae Light
  • Dayo Adedayo
  • Greg du Toit
  • Jay Roode
  • Jesse Manuel
  • Jonathan & Angela Scott
  • Morkel Erasmus
  • Paul Joynson-Hicks
  • Piper Mackay
  • Wim van den Heever

Tourism Video of the Year

Two minutes, and you're packing.

  • and Beyond Suyian Lodge Tour
  • Explore Benin, A World of Wonders
  • GILTEDGE: This is Africa
  • Madagascar Uncharted: Beyond the Baobabs
  • Mnemba Island, Zanzibar
  • Plains & Peaks of Rwanda
  • South Africa's G20 Signature Story
  • The Moments That Matter: Wilderness Bisate Reserve
  • Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe
  • Vivez l'instant T, vivez l'instant Tunisie

Travel Writer of the Year

The writers telling Africa's story with depth, honesty and wonder.

  • Harriet Akinyi Owalla
  • Kebba Ansu Manneh
  • Kofi Dotse
  • Kojo Bentum-Williams
  • Michael Turyakira
  • Mike Unwin
  • Sam Kemp
  • Sue Watt
  • Tafadzwa Mwanengureni
  • Yvonne C. Mtengwa

Destinations

Tourism Board of the Year

The teams selling their countries to the world, and winning.

  • Benin Tourism
  • Egyptian Tourism Authority
  • Kenya Tourism Board
  • Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority
  • Moroccan National Tourist Office
  • Namibia Tourism Board
  • National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone
  • Rwanda Development Board
  • Seychelles Tourism Board
  • Tourism Ethiopia

Country Destination of the Year

Ten countries. Ten reasons to book your next flight.

  • Angola
  • Benin
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Kenya
  • Morocco
  • Namibia
  • Rwanda
  • Sierra Leone
  • Tanzania

City Destination of the Year

From Accra's energy to Marrakech's medina, the cities setting Africa's pace.

  • Accra
  • Addis Ababa
  • Cairo
  • Cape Town
  • Casablanca
  • Kigali
  • Lagos
  • Lomé
  • Marrakech
  • Nairobi

Beach Destination of the Year

White sand, warm water and not a crowd in sight.

  • Agadir
  • Bazaruto
  • Cape Town
  • Cabo Verde
  • Diani
  • Freetown
  • Mauritius
  • Seychelles
  • Sharm El Sheikh
  • Zanzibar

Safari Destination of the Year

The wild heart of the planet. Big Five, great migrations and mountain gorillas.

  • Chobe National Park (Botswana)
  • Etosha National Park (Namibia)
  • Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe)
  • Kruger National Park (South Africa)
  • Maasai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)
  • Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)
  • Sabi Sand Game Reserve (South Africa)
  • Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)
  • South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)
  • Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda)

Adventure Tourism Destination of the Year

Summit Kilimanjaro, raft the Nile, bungee over the Zambezi.

  • Atlas Mountains (Morocco)
  • Cape Town (South Africa)
  • Drakensberg (South Africa)
  • Jinja (Uganda)
  • Livingstone (Zambia)
  • Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
  • Okavango Delta (Botswana)
  • Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt)
  • Swakopmund (Namibia)
  • Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)

Cultural Destination of the Year

Where history, heritage and living culture welcome every visitor.

  • Benin
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Morocco
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Zanzibar
  • Zimbabwe

Airport of the Year

First impressions matter. These gateways make Africa's count.

  • Accra Kotoka International
  • Addis Ababa Bole International
  • Cairo International
  • Cape Town International
  • Casablanca Mohammed V International
  • Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International
  • Kigali International
  • Marrakech Menara
  • Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International, Mauritius
  • Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International

Responsible Tourism Initiative of the Year

The projects proving that great travel can protect wildlife and lift communities.

  • Ecotourism Kenya
  • Gorilla Junction Foundation (Uganda)
  • Mai Shayi Coffee (Nigeria)
  • West Africa Ecotourism Network
  • Wildlife ACT (South Africa)
  • Wildlife Division, Forestry Commission (Ghana)

Destination of the Year: African Diaspora

The Caribbean and South American nations where African heritage lives on, and calls the diaspora home.

  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Barbados
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Jamaica
  • St Kitts & Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • The Bahamas
  • Trinidad & Tobago

Honouring the Builders

Some awards aren't voted on. They're earned over a lifetime. On 1 November we will honour the people whose careers built Africa's tourism industry, including Lifetime Achievement recipients Alain St. Ange and Craig Rix, Industry Icons Gerhard Franken, Septi Bukula, Fatmata Carew and Thomas Noll, and Young Tourism Personality of the Year Ibrahim Makanjuola. Further honourees will be revealed on the night.

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