From Safari Lodges to Coastal Resorts Minor Hotels Expands Focus on Diverse African Journeys

(NEWS) BANGKOK, Thailand, 2026-May-20 — /Travel PR News/ — As Africa Day approaches, hotel groups across the continent are increasingly positioning travel experiences around cultural diversity, conservation, and multi-destination itineraries rather than relying solely on traditional safari tourism.

That broader approach is central to a new campaign launched by Minor Hotels, which is highlighting its portfolio of properties across Southern Africa as part of a wider effort to showcase the range of experiences now shaping modern African travel. According to a press release published by Minor Hotels, the company is encouraging travelers to combine wildlife, coastal, island, and urban destinations into more connected regional journeys.

The initiative reflects a growing trend within international tourism, where higher-value travelers are increasingly seeking itineraries that blend different landscapes and cultural experiences within a single trip. Across Southern Africa, that can mean combining safari lodges with city stays, island retreats, conservation-focused experiences, and heritage tourism.

Within Minor Hotels’ African portfolio, destinations range from Zambia and Zimbabwe to Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, and the Seychelles. The group operates a mix of luxury safari camps, city hotels, and beachfront resorts under brands including Anantara Hotels & Resorts, Avani Hotels & Resorts, and NH Hotels.

One of the flagship properties featured in the campaign is Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara, located on the banks of the Zambezi River inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. The hotel combines access to Victoria Falls with river-based activities, wildlife encounters, and rail excursions aboard the Royal Livingstone Express.

Across the border in Zimbabwe, Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Hotel focuses more heavily on conservation-oriented tourism. Located inside the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve, the boutique property offers guided wildlife experiences connected to a long-running black rhino conservation programme operating in the reserve for more than 20 years.

Zambia is also set to welcome a new addition to the group’s portfolio later this year with the opening of Anantara Tented Camp Kafue River. Positioned along the Kafue River, the camp is designed as a low-density luxury safari experience in one of Africa’s largest protected wilderness areas.

Away from safari tourism, the campaign highlights the growing popularity of coastal and island destinations across the region. In Mozambique, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort offers marine-focused experiences including coral reef exploration and water-based activities within the Bazaruto Archipelago. Meanwhile, Avani+ Barbarons Seychelles Resort positions itself as a contemporary beachfront resort combining relaxed island travel with access to local culture and coastal attractions.

The company is also placing greater emphasis on African cities as standalone tourism destinations rather than simply transit hubs for safari travel.

Hotels such as Avani Gaborone Resort & Casino, Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino, and NH Johannesburg Sandton are being promoted as gateways to business travel, dining, entertainment, shopping, and cultural experiences in some of Southern Africa’s fastest-growing urban centers.

The campaign coincides with Africa Day celebrations, which recognize cultural identity, unity, and cooperation across the continent. Within the travel industry, the occasion has increasingly become an opportunity for tourism operators to present more contemporary and diverse narratives about African travel experiences.

Rather than focusing on a single image of the continent, the campaign positions Africa as a destination defined by variety — from wildlife reserves and national parks to coastal tourism, conservation projects, city experiences, and cultural travel.

As international tourism to Africa continues to recover and evolve, multi-country itineraries and experience-led travel are expected to play an increasingly important role in attracting travelers seeking longer and more diverse regional journeys.