SOUTH AFRICA:
WHERE THE DOLLAR IS WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD

 

Americans can enjoy the good life South African-style with a strong exchange rate

 

March 17, 2008 (New York) – Paris? Too expensive. London? Also too expensive. Montreal? Hard to believe but Canada is also too expensive. It seems like U.S. travelers, crushed by the tumbling dollar, have nowhere to turn to get a bang for their buck these days. Nowhere, that is, except South Africa, one of the few international destinations offering Americans a very favorable exchange rate – approximately 8.17 Rand per U.S. dollar, as of March 17, 2008. That’s up from about 7.1 Rand per U.S. dollar just six months ago, and compared with the slide against myriad other currencies, quite a bargain, indeed.

What can travelers look forward to doing with all those extra Rands? What not! Dangling at the tip of the African Continent, South Africa offers no shortage of refined and luxurious vacation options, including hotel and game lodge accommodations, restaurants and recreation comparable to the finest offerings from Europe – and with access to the Big Five and other jaw-dropping wildlife to boot. The country’s wine regions are noted and respected around the world, and its 1,790-mile coast harbors 20 Blue Flag Beaches.

Still not convinced? Just do the math: According to a search* on TripAdvisor.com, a four-star hotel room in Paris could run between $750-800 USD per night for a standard room. Current rates at The Westcliff, a world-renowned four-star hotel in Johannesburg, start at $459 USD with the current exchange rate. The Victoria & Alfred Hotel in Cape Town, a luxury boutique hotel, has current starting rates of $509 USD per night for a standard room. Meanwhile an entrée on the dinner menu at a trendy London restaurant might cost an average of $50 USD.* A dinner for two at La Madeleine in Johannesburg, a long-time resident on many local critics’ “top 10” lists, starts at just $9.50 USD with the current exchange rate. And with the favorable exchange, you can bet luxury shopping is going to cost a whole lot less in the land of the Rand than anyplace the EURO calls home.

In keeping with the theme of saving American travelers money on their South African vacation, many tour operators are offering affordable, air-inclusive packages. One such example is from South African Airways Vacations, the official vacations package division of South African Airways in North America, which is offering their “South Africa In Style” package at an unheard of price of $1,999 USD. This package includes roundtrip economy airfare from New York or Washington; 4 nights accommodations at 5-star The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa, The Table Bay Hotel or the Commodore Hotel in Cape Town; and 2 nights at Jackalberry Lodge, a luxury game lodge in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve. This package also includes 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, game drives at Jackalberry Lodge, ground transfers, and even domestic flights within South Africa.

Travelers can book this package or choose from many others by visiting www.flysaavacations.com or calling SAA Vacations toll-free at 1-888-722-4872. For additional packages to South Africa starting at $1,999 travelers can also visit the recently launched “My South Africa” site from South African Tourism at www.southafrica.net/usdeals.

South African Airways Vacations is the official vacation package division of South African Airways, serving the U.S. and Canada. With over 70 years of serving the continent, their long-standing, strategic relationships with key hotels, game lodges and other travel partners in South Africa, allow SAA Vacations to offer unprecedented value for all Southern African vacations. In addition, SAA Vacations can easily customize vacation packages to create dream vacations to suit every taste and budget.  South African Airways, a member of Star Alliance and consistently voted “Best Airline to Africa,” offers daily service to South Africa, with non-stops from Washington, D.C., and direct service from New York JFK.   United Airlines’ Mileage Plus members can earn and redeem mileage on all South African Airways flights.  For more information on South African Airways, call 1-800-722-9675 or visit www.flysaa.com.

South African Tourism is mandated with the international tourism marketing activities of the country.  For travel and tourism information on this world-class destination, the ideal place for both business and leisure, contact South African Tourism at 500 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2040, New York, NY 10110; Tel: 1-800-593-1318; Fax: 212-764-1980; email info.us@southafrica.net or visit www.southafrica.net.

 

*According to a search conducted on March 17, 2008, comparing rates at three four-star luxe Paris hotels.

** According to The New York Times online, “36 Hours in London” by Stuart Emmrich.

 

 

Contact:

 

Elizabeth Ninomiya, South African Airways, Tel: 954-769-5120
elizabethninomiya@flysaa.com

 

Louise O’Brien, Hawkins International, PR (212) 255-6541
louise@hawkpr.com