World Travel Awards – the leading authority that recognises and rewards excellence in travel and tourism – has unveiled its Africa and Indian Ocean 2021 winners.

In the Africa categories, Kenya enjoyed a strong showing, with its thriving capital Nairobi named ‘Africa’s Leading Business Travel Destination’, Kenyatta International Convention Centre collecting ‘Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre’ and Kenya Tourist Board winning ‘Africa’s Leading Tourist Board’.

Cape Town was recognised as ‘Africa’s Leading City Destination’ and its majestic Table Mountain won ‘Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction’ for the third year in succession.

Tanzania – with its national parks, wildlife and palm-fringed beaches – was voted ‘Africa’s Leading Destination’.

In the Indian Ocean, Maldives cemented its reputation as the definitive secluded sanctuary to win ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination’, ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Beach Destination’ and ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination’.

Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation was named ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Tourist Board’.

Meanwhile the lush forests and palm-fringed beaches of Seychelles helped the islands scoop ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination’.

Mystical Madagascar was named ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Green Destination’, while Reunion Island was heralded ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Nature Destination’.

In the hospitality sector, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club took ‘Africa’s Leading Hotel’, while Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa, South Africa picked up ‘Africa’s Leading Boutique Hotel’.

In a fiercely-contested category, Vakkaru Maldives was named ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Resort’, while Velaa Private Island, Maldives won ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Private Island Resort’.

In the newcomer categories, Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre, Johannesburg was voted ‘Africa’s Leading New Hotel’ with ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading New Resort’ going to ‘Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas’.

In the aviation sector, Kenya Airways won both ‘Africa’s Leading Airline’ and ‘Africa’s Leading Airline - Business Class’, Cape Town International Airport took ‘Africa’s Leading Airport’, while Air Seychelles collected ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline’.

The results follow a year-long search for the world’s top travel, tourism and hospitality brands.

Votes were cast by travel industry professionals and the public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.

Graham Cooke, founder, World Travel Awards, said: “Our winners represent the very best of travel and hospitality in Africa and the Indian Ocean and my congratulations to each of them.

“They are all playing starring roles in spearheading the travel and tourism recovery.”

Country-level winners include Sandfontein Lodge & Nature Reserve (Namibia’s Leading Safari Lodge’); Xigera Safari Lodge (‘Botswana’s Leading Luxury Safari Lodge’); and Morukuru Beach Lodge (‘South Africa’s Leading Beach Hotel’).

More Information

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.

For more information about World Travel Awards visit the official website, or find a full list of Africa and Indian Ocean winners here.