World Travel Market 2015 update

The 2015 World Travel Market in London has kicked off with a bang. According to their official updates, traffic was up three percent from last year and nearly 30% in buyers. Here are some of the highlights from yesterday's sessions. 

Rosy outlook for African tourism

According to the WTM Global Trends Report 2015, in association with Euromonitor International, Africa is set to see an increase in international visitors, especially business travelers. This will inevitably translate into leisure travel opportunties as many people will wish to add on a few days to their business trips. Online travel agents, such as sites like TripAdvisor and Your African Safari, will play an even more prominent role in helping travelers plan and shape their African holidays. 

Tech startups dominate African travel. Travel 3.0 is now.

It comes as no surprise to anyone in the travel industry that today's traveler is more tech-savvy and more independent than ever. People are eschewing general travel sites and using sites that offer personalized travel suggestions base on their profiles. Travelers today want to play an active role in researching and planning their holidays, and will quickly leave sites that don't reflect their needs or interests. YAS is listening carefully to what safari travelers are looking for and is continuously looking to improve its user experience.

Your African Safari WTM update

Yesterday was spent primarily at the Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania stands. It was great to see such comraderie among the tour operators and we were especially impressed with the vibe at the Uganda stand. The photos say it all. YAS CTO, Javier Luque, was also able to come down and meet with tour operators and get their input on future features. It was great to speak with everyone. Here's to two more days of great collaborations!