Adeola Victor

So, you’re heading to South Africa for a meeting or a conference, perhaps on short notice, and are unsure about what to expect when you get here, or how to get around? Well, luckily, there’s a piece of technology you probably have already that can help you – your smartphone. Armed with a set of handy apps and other useful resources, you'll find your stay in South Africa to be nothing short of lekker (Afrikaans for nice/great). Below is a list of useful technologies to take advantage of on your next business trip or holiday to South Africa: Getting here Seat Guru is a website that'll help you find out what seats are available for your flight, and help you choose the best one. It works for a number of international airlines, including South African Airways. If you have a domestic flight lined up on one of South Africa's low-cost airlines, make life easier and check in on your phone. Mango has a dedicated app, while Kulula has a mobisite. Getting around You've la

Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd MP today launches a major new travel initiative which is designed by young people for young people. At an event at London’s Transport Museum, The Minister is set to unveil The National Express Youth Promise, an industry-leading package of commitments by the UK’s largest coach operator which has been shaped by members of The Youth Parliament to the benefit of their peers. Developed in partnership with The British Youth Council, The National Express Youth Promise is built around five core pledges made by the national coach operator. These include: -  An ongoing commitment to deliver value travel -  Working on a grassroots level with young people in the communities across the UK -  -  Supporting young people into work and education -  Delivering the most accessible public transport network possible -  Providing platforms on which to showcase youth talent. CONTINUES BELOW Young people from the Youth Parliament including those who advised on

Rents in Abu Dhabi will increase by as much as 50 percent, according to a report in The National. Some tenants in the city have received notices posted at their building’s entrance from landlords outlining rent increases of anywhere between 10 and 50 percent. The rents, according to the notices, are being increased to a uniform value. The most recent Asteco report said average apartment rental rates ran in parallel with villas, recording modest Q2 growth rates of up to eight percent. The report also noted that Abu Dhabi plans to launch its own rental index this year, which is designed to create a more transparent market for UAE national investors and regulating maximum rental increases. www.arabianbusiness.com

South African Airways (SAA) has been named Best Airline Africa for the twelfth consecutive year. Feedback from SAA’s customers also ensured that SAA walks away with the Best Airline Staff Service Africa award for the third time. The awards were presented at the Skytrax World Airline Awards ceremony in London, today. “The fact that these awards are directly based on customer surveys makes them the benchmarks of airline excellence,” says Monwabisi Kalawe, CEO of SAA. “Customers are undoubtedly the heartbeat of any business, and Excellent Customer Service is one of the five strategic objectives of our long-term turnaround strategy, Gaining Altitude: to be rated so highly by our customers testifies that we are on the right flight path.” The awards are based on a consumer satisfaction survey conducted each year by Skytrax, an independent aviation research organisation. This year, the survey elicited responses from 18-million business and leisure air travellers from 160 countries, cover

To give a true overview of Nelson Mandela in all phases of his life, from his youth in Qunu to his role as statesman, the museum built in his honour comprises three separate structures: the Bhunga Building in Mthatha, the Qunu component and an open-air museum at Mvezo, where Madiba was born. The Nelson Mandela Museum is situated on the N2 highway in Mthatha in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. It promises visitors a memorable cultural experience and insight into the life of Nelson Mandela, with guided tours and a heritage trail that follows his in his footsteps. Comprising three separate locations, the Nelson R. Mandela Museum consists of the Bhunga Building in Mthatha, the Qunu component and an open-air museum at Mvezo. The historic Bhunga (translated loosely as council or caucus) building accommodates an exhibition tracing Nelson Mandela’s journey, as told in his own words, and narrated in part from his acclaimed biography A Long Walk to Freedom. It also showcases a dive

Nigerians travelling within Nigeria spend at least $2 billion, about N320 billion every year on hotel accommodation. Travellers at the arrival wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport II Ikeja in Lagos. Founder/ Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria's Online Hotels Booking Limited, Hotels.ng, Mr. Mark Essien disclosed this when speaking to Vanguard on the operations of the hotel booking portal and the potential of online hotel booking business in Nigeria. Hotel.ng, an online hotel booker officially launched in January 2013 and has over 4, 000 hotels listed on its website and currently process over 400 bookings daily. "Hotel booking or travel in general is always a massive part of every economy. Hotel booking in Nigeria alone is $2 billion worth annually. This means that every year, Nigerians traveling within Nigeria spend at least $2 billion, about N300 billion in hotel accommodation. This is a result of an independent verifiable survey conducted by Euro Monitor. So all we are