Anyone been to Zimbabwe on a press trip before?

[Doug Bardwell]

I'm signed up to go on a press trip to attend the Sanganai Travel & Tourism Fair and then tour another half dozen cities or so. Wondering what they've done in past years?  Any info would be appreciated.

[Travel with Pen and Palate]

I'll be joining you since I'm on the same trip and it's as new an experience as any I've ever been on. I'm wondering how many North Americans will be on the trip? I'll be in London for 4 days before we leave on the 10th.

[Susan Frost]

Hi Doug, sounds like a great trip. Would love to learn more about your Zimbabwe trip. How is it structured? What is required from the journalists?  It's possible that this is their first press trip.

Most press trips to Africa are not entirely comped. Flights are on your own and a partial fee is required to participate. I've been keeping my eyes open for press trips to Africa but haven't found anything that works--even with an assignment.

Susan Frost

www.frostphotography.com

 

[Hal Peat]

Every single Africa press trip I've seen that had posted advance notices for in recent years have in fact been fully comped - these being to S.A. and Kenya.  However, ust scanning the better known travel writer forums should never be a sole search method - although a certain other board with a nickname for a cat in it has at least one PR who fairly regularly posts upcoming Africa press trips.

 

A friend of mine who happens to be British went on one to Rwanda but then again that country was more focused on the European media and I think that's part of the challenge - unless North American journalists are really more proactive in making contact with the TB's and their PR, instead of waiting for something to happen the other way around - you're not likely to find anything much.  At least not for sub-Saharan Africa, since North African countries are already trying to revive their tourism post-Arab Spring, e.g, Egypt which was a press trip destination recently.  But as far as what I'd describe about proactive for any of this, unless there are specific Africa-focused travel industry events in the U.S. that bring in media decision makers over to the U.S.and that journalists can meet, the best thing IMO is still WTM for making the initial contact with media reps - even more so for resorts and other industry areas - air/sea, tour operators, etc. 

[Doug Bardwell]

@Marc  Saw your name on Felicia's email today. I look forward to meeting you.  I was glad to finally see the itinerary. Looks like a lot of bus travel from city to city. I'm hoping for a decent size coach.  When I was in Brazil recently, we went everywhere in a 10 passenger van with 11 people. 

 

@Susan  We're starting out covering the Trade Fair in the capital then hitting four or five main tourist areas. Luckily, most everything is comped with the exception of taxes and a few meals. Will let you know how it actually turns out.

 

@Hal  I'd love to be going to WTM this year but I'll be in Taiwan then. I made some good connections at TheTradeShow in Orlando last year. That show is still paying off this year.