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South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. South Africa is an upper-middle power in international affairs; it maintains significant regional influence and is a member of both the Commonwealth of Nations and G20. It is a developing country, ranking 114th on the Human Development Index. It has been classified by the World Bank as a newly industrialised country, with the second-largest economy in Africa, and the 33rd-largest in the world. South Africa also has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa. Since the end of apartheid, government accountability and quality of life have substantially improved in South Africa. Wikipedia

South Africa is a tourist destination and the industry accounts for a substantial amount of the country's revenue. The official marketing agency for the country South African Tourism is responsible for marketing South Africa to the world. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the tourism industry directly contributed ZAR 102 billion to South African GDP in 2012, and supports 10.3% of jobs in the country.[1] The official national marketing agency of the South African government, with the goal of promoting tourism in South Africa both locally and globally is known as South African Tourism.[2] South Africa offers both domestic and international tourists a wide variety of options, among others the picturesque natural landscape and game reserves, diverse cultural heritage and highly regarded wines. Some of the most popular destinations include several national parks, such as the expansive Kruger National Park in the north of the country, the coastlines and beaches of the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces, and the major cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. According to Statistics South Africa's latest Tourism and Migration Survey, almost 3,5 million travellers passed through the country's ports of entry in August 2017.[3] The top five overseas countries with the largest number of tourists visiting South Africa were the USA, UK, Germany, the Netherlands and France. Most of the tourists arriving in South Africa from elsewhere in Africa came from SADC countries. Zimbabwe tops the list at 31%, followed by Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini and Botswana. In addition, Nigeria was the country of origin for nearly 30% of tourists arriving in South Africa. South Africa is ranked sixth out of the world's seventeen megadiverse countries[5] south Africa is home to a large variety of animal life. Among the large mammals found in the northern bushveld include lions, leopards, cheetahs, white rhinoceroses, blue wildebeest, kudus, impalas, hyenas, hippopotamuses and giraffes. A significant extent of the bushveld exists in the north-east, including the Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa, and the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. The Kruger National Park, established in 1926, is one of the most visited national parks in the country, with a total of 1 659 793 visitors in the 2014/15 period.[6] The region is also home to nearly 80 percent of the world's rhino population. Due to covid-19 restrictions impeding tourism and movement in the region, the killings of rhino species in South Africa have fallen by 53 percent in 2020.[7] The country is also particularly rich in plant diversity, with a wide variety of biomes found across the country. These include the grasslands in the Highveld, the succulent Karoo in central South Africa, and the endemic fynbos biome, constituting the majority of the area and plant life in the Cape floristic region of the Western Cape. This rare vegetation is protected as part of the Table Mountain National Park (which also includes the iconic flat-topped Table Mountain), which was the most-visited national park in South Africa in 2014/15, with a total of 2 677 767 visitors.[6] Ecotourism A vineyard in Franschhoek, Western Cape This section is an excerpt from Ecotourism in South Africa.[edit] Ecotourism is the concept of responsible trips and travel to areas that might be protected and especially fragile. The intent is to create as little detrimental impact on the environment as possible. South Africa has used ecotourism to sustain and improve its immense biodiversity, as well as invigorate its economy. Tourism is the fourth largest generator of foreign exchange in South Africa,[8] and ecotourism is the idea of encouraging visitors while promoting and supporting a country's biodiversity. South Africa contains a lot of biodiversity, and so ecotourism is a way for the country to benefit from wildlife in a non-consumptive and legal manner as opposed to illegal activities like poaching and trafficking for the international wildlife trade. Cultural attractions In addition to its numerous natural attractions, South Africa also boasts numerous attractions of cultural significance. These include the fossil-bearing caves forming part of the Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng, the ruins of the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in northern Limpopo, the wine routes of the Western Cape, and various historical sites in the cities of Cape Town and Johannesburg (such as Robben Island, the Castle of Good Hope and Soweto township). UNESCO World Heritage Sites Main article: List of World Heritage Sites in South Africa Ten South African sites are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu-Natal. There are five Cultural WHS, four Natural WHS and 1 mixed WHS. Wikipedia

South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho (which is completely surrounded by South Africa). It is a vast country with widely varying landscapes and has 11 official languages, as well as an equally diverse population. South Africa is renowned for its wines and is one of the world's largest producers of gold. South Africa has the strongest economy in Africa, and is an influential player in African politics. In 2010, South Africa hosted the first Football World Cup to be held on the African continent. Wikitravel

Regions of South Africa South Africa is divided into 9 provinces, they are: Gauteng Pretoria the administrative capital of the country. Johannesburg is the seat the provincial government, also the economic heart of Africa and the most common entry point into Southern Africa. Western Cape Cape Town, the mother city, the legislative capital and seat of Parliament, with famous landmarks as Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. The winelands near Stellenbosch, the Whale Coast along the Overberg, Agulhas where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet and the Cape Floral Region. The Garden Route, one of the top destinations, running along the Southern Coast from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth, with cities like Knysna and ostrich capital Oudtshoorn. Eastern Cape The remainder of the Garden Route, known as the Tsitsikamma. The former homelands, the Wild Coast, spectacular coastlines without the tourist crowd. Superb beaches in Port Elizabeth, East London and Jeffreys Bay, the surfing mecca of South Africa. Great parks like Addo Elephant National Park and Tsitsikamma National Park. Northern Cape Capital Kimberley, famous for its diamonds and the "Big Hole". Biggest province with fewest people, Upington is the second big city, a good base when exploring the Kalahari desert, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Augrabies Falls on the Orange River. Also Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and the semi-desert Karoo. Free State Capital Bloemfontein which also hosts the Supreme Court of Appeal, the highest court in non-constitutional matters (the Constitutional Court is in Johannesburg since 1994). The world heritage site Vredefort Dome, remnants of the largest and oldest meteorite impact crater. KwaZulu-Natal Durban, the largest city in the province and third largest in South Africa and popular coastal holiday destination for South Africans. The Drakensberg mountain range, if you like hiking and also the Tugela Falls, the world's second highest waterfall. North West Rustenburg, famous for Sun City and Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Mpumalanga Capital Nelspruit, gateway to Mozambique and southern section of the Kruger National Park. The Drakensberg Escarpment with the Blyde River Canyon is the third largest Canyon in the world. Limpopo Capital Polokwane (formally known as Pietersburg) a good jump off point for visits to the northern parts of the Kruger National Park and Zimbabwe. National Parks Rhino on a private reserve in Mpumalanga South Africa is a paradise for anyone interested in natural history. A wide range of species (some potentially dangerous) may be encountered in parks, farms, private reserves and even on the roads. The Kruger National Park is exceptionally well managed and a favourite tourist destination. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the heart of the Kalahari desert with wide open spaces and hordes of games including the majestic 'Gemsbok'. This is the first park in Africa to cross political borders. There are also a large number of smaller parks, like the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Pilanesberg National Park or the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. See African Flora and Fauna and South African National Parks for additional information. There are hiking trails available in almost all the parks and around geographical places of interest, Hiking in South Africa contains information on those. Wikitravel

Cities Pretoria – The administrative capital of South Africa Bloemfontein – Location of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the highest court in non-constitutional matters. The Constitutional Court in Johannesburg became the highest court in constitutional matters in 1994. Cape Town – The legislative capital and seat of Parliament. A world-class city named for its proximity to the Cape of Good Hope. Also within a stone's throw of South Africa's winelands. One of the most beautiful cities in the world, nestled between the sea and Table Mountain, it is a popular summer destination by both domestic tourists and those from abroad. Durban – Largest city in KwaZulu-Natal, third largest in South Africa and popular coastal holiday destination for South Africans. Newcastle – 3rd largest city in KwaZulu-Natal, one of the large regional cities in South Africa and Capital of Northern KZN. Famous for Steel Production, Coal Mining, Heavy Industry and is South Africa's Textile Industry Capital. Johannesburg – The economic heart of Africa and the most common entry point into Southern Africa. Kimberley -- Capital of the Northern Cape Province. Famous for its diamonds and "Big Hole". Polokwane – Capital of Limpopo (formerly known as Pietersburg) and a good jump off point for visits to the northern parts of the Kruger National Park and Zimbabwe. Port Elizabeth – Coastal city in the Eastern Cape with Addo Elephant National Park located close by. Upington – Located in the arid Northern Cape province, this city is a good base when exploring the Kalahari desert and the many national parks located in the Northern Cape. Wikitravel

South Africa Find a Hotel CHECK-IN / CHECK-OUT Apr 28Apr 30 GUESTS / ROOMS 2 Guests , 1 Room South Africa Banner.jpg Understand Get in Get around See Do Buy Eat Sleep Stay safe Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, Western Cape Location South Africa in its region.svg Flag Flag of South Africa.svg Quick Facts Capital Administrative: Pretoria Legislative: Cape Town Judicial: Bloemfontein Currency Rand (ZAR) Area 1,219,912km² water: 4,620km² land: 1,214,470km² Population 59,308,690 (2020 est.) Language Afrikaans English Zulu Religion Christian 68% (includes most Whites and Coloured, and about 60% of Blacks), Muslim 2% (includes most Malays, 40% of Indians and some immigrants from Africa), Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs, animist, other religions and people without religion 28.5% Electricity 220-240V, 50HZ (South Africa plug) Country code 27 Internet TLD .za Time Zone UTC+2h South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho (which is completely surrounded by South Africa). It is a vast country with widely varying landscapes and has 11 official languages, as well as an equally diverse population. South Africa is renowned for its wines and is one of the world's largest producers of gold. South Africa has the strongest economy in Africa, and is an influential player in African politics. In 2010, South Africa hosted the first Football World Cup to be held on the African continent. Understand If you want to travel in southern Africa then South Africa is a good place to start. While you can fly into any country in southern Africa, most flights will route through South Africa anyway. South Africa is also a good place to get used to travelling in the region (though some would argue that Namibia is better for that). Of course South Africa is not only a jumping off point, it is itself a superb destination rich in culture, fauna & flora and history. Outsiders' views of South Africa are coloured by the same stereotypes as the rest of Africa. Contrary to popular belief, South Africa is not devastatingly poor with an unstable government. South Africa is to a large extent two countries within one. On the one hand it is a first world state, especially the major cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg, and on the other hand it is under-developed and has large scale poverty. South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world where opulence and severe poverty can often be observed together. The rural part of South Africa remains among the poorest and the least developed parts of the world and poverty in the townships can be appalling, progress is being made. The process of recovering from apartheid, which lasted almost 46 years, is quite slow. In fact, South Africa's United Nations Human Development Index which was slowly improving in the final years of apartheid, has declined dramatically since 1996, largely due to the AIDS pandemic, and poverty levels appear to be on the increase. South Africa boasts a well-developed infrastructure and has all the modern amenities and technologies, much of it developed during the years of white minority rule. History The tip of Africa has been home to the Khoisan (collective name for Hottentot (Koi) and Bushmen (San)) people for thousands of years. Their rock art can still be found in many places throughout South Africa. It is estimated that Bantu tribes may have started to slowly expand into the northernmost areas of what is today Southern Africa around 2,500 years ago and by around 500 AD the different cultural groups had been established in the lush areas to the north and east of the what is today known as Eastern South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The desert and semi-desert areas of the Western and Northern Cape provinces, as well as the western parts of the Eastern Cape province remained unsettled by the Bantu as the arid climate, limited seasonal rainfall, sparse vegetation and scarcity of natural sources of water could not sustain large migrations of people and herds of cattle, cattle being the primary livestock reared by the Bantu and fulfilling numerous cultural and economic functions within the tribal society (cattle served as a rudimentary currency and basic unit of exchange with a mutually agreeable value between bartering parties, thus fulfilling the function of money). The "Khoisan" existed in these areas as nomadic hunters, unable to permanently settle as the movement of desert game in search of dwindling water supplies during winter months determined their own migration. Not until the "Boers" (see next paragraph) moved into these areas and established boreholes and containment ponds could any permanent settlements be established in these areas. Today, with more reliable sources of water and modern methods of water conservancy the agricultural activity remains limited mainly to sheep and ostrich ranching as these animals are better suited to the sparse feed and limited water. The first Europeans to reach South Africa were the Portuguese, who named the end of the country "Cape of Good Hope" in 1488, when they managed to sail around it to reach India. Permanent European settlement was only built at Cape Town after the Dutch East India Company reached the Cape of Good Hope in April 1652. In the late 1700s, the Boers (Dutch for farmers) slowly started expanding first eastward along the coastline and later upwards into the interior. By 1795, Britain took control of the Cape, as a consequence of the Napoleonic wars on the Dutch, in 1820 a large group of British settlers arrived in the region. In 1835, large numbers of Boers started out on the Groot Trek (the great migration) into the interior after becoming dissatisfied with the British rule. In the interior, they established their own internationally recognized republics. Some Boers were initially able to get along with the locals (as with the Tswana) and in other areas Boers clashed badly with native populations (especially the Zulu). On 16 December 1838, a badly outnumbered Boer unit slaughtered over 3,000 Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in what is now KwaZulu-Natal. Two wars for control over Transvaal and Natal were fought between the Boers and the British in 1880 and 1899. The second war occurred after British settlers flooded into the area surrounding Johannesburg known as the "Witwatersrand" (white water escarpment) in response to the discovery of gold in 1886. The Second Boer War (Afrikaans: Die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog or 'Second War of Independence') was particularly unpleasant, as the British administration contained the Boer civilian population in concentration camps. Thousands of Boer civilians died in the camps from starvation or disease. Boer farms, livestock, crops and homesteads were also largely destroyed. After peace was restored by the 1902 Treaty of Vereeniging, the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, consolidating the various Boer republics and British colonies into a unified state as a member of the British Commonwealth. In 1961, the Republic of South Africa was formed and SA exited the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, during the early 20th century, a number of Afrikaner thinkers began to articulate a philosophy of white supremacy. This philosophy was given a theological foundation by the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, which preached that there would be no equality in church or state. In 1948, the Afrikaner-dominated National Party came to power and began full implementation of its long-cherished dream of white supremacy, at the expense of blacks and coloureds. In addition, the NP sought to promote Afrikaner culture at the expense of English culture and either co-opted or marginalized English-speaking whites. The NP introduced numerous apartheid laws during the 1950s which mandated classification of all persons into arbitrary racial categories (which in many cases resulted in nonsensical results since interracial couplings had been occurring in the country for over 300 years and siblings within the same family could end up in different "races"); limited the vote to white persons (previously, coloureds were able to vote in the Cape Province which made up most of the country's territory); mandated segregation of all public amenities (and ensured that non-whites always got the inferior ones); and divided both cities and the countryside into "group areas." All adult citizens were required to carry a "passbook," a kind of internal passport. Non-whites had to obtain special permission from whites to be present in white-only areas. Police (who were always white) could demand to see non-whites' passbooks at any time, arbitrarily strike out the holder's permission to be in a white-only area, and then promptly arrest, fine, and imprison the holder for being present in a white-only area without permission. Some existing districts (such as Sophiatown in Johannesburg and District Six in Cape Town) were either too prosperous or too racially integrated from the government's perspective; they were summarily re-designated as white-only and all non-white residents were summarily evicted. As the Cold War took shape in the early 1950s, the NP attempted to justify apartheid as necessary in the face of an alleged communist conspiracy to take over South Africa. The NP's focus on anti-communist propaganda was particularly ironic, as South Africa under the NP ended up with a much higher level of state control of the economy than the vast majority of anti-communist countries. Many state-owned enterprises were later spun off into private enterprises after the end of apartheid. In order to fight communism, state censorship was omnipresent, and the freedoms of speech, press, and public assembly were all vigorously suppressed. The technology of television was also banned and suppressed. It was reluctantly allowed into the country only after South Africa suffered the embarrassment of being one of the few countries where the November 1969 moon landing could not be watched live, even by its wealthiest citizens. However, apartheid was never one unified program. It existed in a state of constant tension between those Afrikaners who envisioned most of the country completely purged of non-whites and those Afrikaners (particularly businessmen) who recognized that it would take decades, if not centuries, to either create enough white children or import enough white immigrants to provide a sufficiently large labour force which would make up for the eventual long-term expulsion of all non-whites from South Africa's cities. As a result, on the one hand, all non-whites were designated as citizens of one of several quasi-sovereign national "homelands" (known as "bantustans") which were intended to be like Native American reservations in the United States, but on a much larger scale. (Like Native American reservations, the homelands were usually allocated to the worst-quality land, while whites were allocated the best-quality land.) On the other hand, the government forcibly relocated urban non-whites into areas on the edges of South Africa's cities (Cape Flats near Cape Town and Soweto near Johannesburg) where whites could use them as cheap labour. Those non-whites, then, had to put up with lengthy, miserable commutes on overcrowded trains and taxi vans into white-controlled areas (where their permission to remain could be revoked at any time) and work for wages that were a pittance compared to those available to similarly qualified white employees. The African National Congress (ANC) initially resisted all these developments with non-violent protests. The ANC managed to score a handful of legal victories during the 1950s, as the South African judiciary still had many fair-minded judges appointed by the previous United Party. Many of those judges still respected the rule of law and were willing to give a fair hearing to a well-reasoned legal argument even if they personally despised the defendant on account of his race. In 1960, a breakaway group of former ANC members formed the Pan Africanist Congress under the leadership of Robert Sobukwe, who attempted to organize protests against the hated pass laws. An outnumbered police unit panicked and fired into a crowd of unarmed protesters at Sharpeville. As a result, the NP declared a state of emergency and used it as an excuse to tear up the remaining shreds of the rule of law in South Africa. ANC leadership correctly recognized that the ANC would soon be banned (along with all other anti-apartheid political organizations) and would no longer be able to openly operate within South Africa as a political organization. Therefore, the ANC founded an armed wing called Umkhonto we Sizwe ("Spear of the Nation", known as MK for short) to implement a program of domestic sabotage and terrorism. In 1963, a police raid at a farm in Rivonia enabled the government to seize enough evidence to arrest and convict a large number of ANC and MK leaders (including Nelson Mandela) in 1964, at what was later known as the "Rivonia Trial." The apartheid regime's power peaked during the late 1960s and 1970s, after the anti-apartheid resistance had been brutally crushed. During that era, South Africa's white citizens enjoyed the fruits of strong economic growth and rapid infrastructure development in the form of the highest-quality lifestyle in Africa (that is, nearly equivalent to First World living standards), and were content to keep quiet and not ask too many questions. The ANC and MK quietly rebuilt themselves in exile, trained numerous operatives, and began to launch new domestic uprisings and terrorist attacks. At the same time, the black majority's frustration with their miserable situation continued to build. It finally boiled over and exploded in the form of the famous Soweto uprising of 1976, followed by the Black Consciousness Movement. South Africa's prisons were soon flooded with a new generation of BCM radicals. Ironically, BCM caused the government to shift to a more lenient approach towards the older generation of ANC-MK activists, because it had its hands full with suppressing BCM activists. By the early 1980s, the United States had finally overcome its own historical experiments with white supremacy and racial segregation, and was no longer willing to tolerate the apartheid regime. Thus, the international community belatedly began to turn against South Africa, by implementing strict weapons and trade embargoes. South Africa was banned from the Olympic Games and most other international sporting competitions. Many international celebrities, such as Bruce Springsteen, noisily boycotted South Africa, composed protest songs attacking South Africa, and harshly criticized any performer or athlete who was willing to perform or play in South Africa. Simultaneously, by the late 1980s, many white moderates began to recognize that change was inevitable. International sanctions and internal strife were beginning to take a severe toll on South Africa. White moderates recognized that white supremacy could not be indefinitely maintained through the naked use of force, and allowing black rage to keep building would only result in an even more explosive endgame similar to what had happened in many other African countries (e.g., Algeria). On the ANC side, black moderates had already long recognized that taking revenge by expelling all whites from South Africa was neither just nor wise. (In his famous speech at his 1964 trial, Nelson Mandela noted that he had fought both "white domination" and "black domination.") They recognized that for better or worse, South Africa was the only home which most white South Africans had ever known, and any peaceful resolution would have to accommodate that fact. From a purely pragmatic perspective, the white monopolization of the best educational resources had resulted in a situation where the vast majority of qualified executives and professionals capable of operating a modern industrialized economy were white. Summarily expelling those professionals and executives risked creating a huge economic disaster (as had occurred in many other African countries during the decolonization process), and would do nothing to improve the long-term prospects of the black majority. Accordingly, white moderates within the security service and the National Party itself began to quietly reach out to ANC leaders to find common ground and negotiate how to dismantle apartheid. The actual process began with the freeing of political prisoners in 1990. The freeing of Nelson Mandela from Victor Verster Prison near Cape Town on 11 February 1990 was covered live on television around the world. Political violence worsened badly during the early 1990s as extremists of all kinds and races attempted to derail the peace talks at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) in favour of their own deranged visions of the future of South Africa. Thousands of people were murdered in riots or terrorist attacks. Regardless, in 1992, 73% of the voting white population voted in a referendum in support of the abolishment of apartheid. During this terrible and dangerous period, the CODESA negotiations became gridlocked and stalled numerous times; then the parties backed off and tried a new process on 1 April 1993 called the Multi-Party Negotiating Process (MPNP). A few days later, the assassination of popular political activist Chris Hani on 10 April 1993 threatened to push South Africa to the brink of civil war. That night, Mandela gave a televised speech which was later seen in retrospect as "presidential" in terms of his ability to calm the country's severe racial tensions. In turn, Hani's death became a catalyst for pushing all sides back to the bargaining table. The MPNP ultimately led to the enactment of a new interim constitution at the end of 1993 and then the nation's first truly democratic election in April 1994, in which all SA adult citizens were allowed to vote regardless of their ethnic and cultural background. Former political prisoner Nelson Mandela was selected as the country's first democratically elected president. The ANC won a 63% majority and proceeded to form a Government of National Unity with the NP. As part of the peace talks, it was recognized that once apartheid was abolished, it made no sense to allow its opponents to continue to maintain their own paramilitary resistance forces. Accordingly, a process was set up in 1994 by which the various guerilla units (including MK units), as well as bantustan defence units, were all integrated into the South African Defence Force, which subsequently became the South African National Defence Force. In 1996, the interim constitution was replaced with South Africa's current constitution. The ANC solidified its control over the electorate in subsequent years, with the exception of some opposition strongholds. The National Party subsequently withered away. After a failed re-branding and a collapsed deal with the opposition Democratic Party, now the Democratic Alliance, they merged with the ANC. Place names Many region, city, street and building names in South Africa have been changed several times after the end of apartheid. Some of them are still being changed today. These changes can sometimes lead to confusion as many of the new names are not yet well known. The underlying problem is that the 1994 Government of National Unity immediately began changing names so that they would be neutral and non-offensive. This included the principle that if at all possible, places should not be named for particular persons so as to avoid offending any particular racial group. For example, Jan Smuts International Airport became Johannesburg International Airport. After the ANC assumed full control of the government in 2004, the ANC reversed course and moved towards a policy of changing European names to African names, and to name places after leaders of the apartheid resistance. For example, under the new policy, Johannesburg International Airport became O. R. Tambo International Airport in October 2006, after the ANC leader who was dispatched overseas to keep the organization alive in exile. This travel guide will use the official new names, but also mention the previous names where possible. Climate Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Daily highs (°C) 30 30 30 27 25 24 23 26 29 29 32 30 Nightly lows (°C) 23 23 21 17 12 8 8 11 16 18 21 22 Precipitation (mm) 166 100 39 35 9 3 16 16 24 49 114 112 The climate in South Africa ranges from desert and semi-desert in the north west of the country to sub-tropical on the eastern coastline. The rainy season for most of the country is in the summer, except in the Western Cape where the rains come in the winter. Rainfall in the Eastern Cape is distributed evenly throughout the year. Winter temperatures hover around zero, summers can be very hot, in excess of 35° Celsius (95°F) in some places. The South African Weather Service provides up-to-date weather information, forecasts and satellite imaging. SAWS has also implemented a network of high-resolution Doppler radars to improve the quality of its forecasts. Unfortunately, SAWS radar imaging is not syndicated to commercial news services and is thus difficult to find online. Public Holidays The public holidays in South Africa are: New Year's Day (1 January) Human Rights Day (21 March) Easter weekend (4-day long weekend in March/April) - Consisting of "Good Friday", "Easter Saturday", "Easter Sunday", and "Easter Monday", the dates are set according to the Western Christian tradition. Freedom Day (27 April) Workers Day (1 May) Youth Day (16 June) Woman's Day (9 August) Heritage Day (24 September) Day of Reconciliation (16 December) - see Bloodriver. Christmas Day (25 December) Day of Goodwill (26 December) - Often referred to as 'Boxing Day'. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, then the Monday following will be a holiday School holidays occur early December to middle January, early in April, middle June to middle July and late September. Most South Africans go on leave during these times and accommodation will be harder to find. The Protea is the national flower of South Africa Tourism Offices South African Tourism operates a number of offices in other countries. You might wish to contact the office in your country for any additional information or assistance Australia, Level 1, 117 York St, Sydney, ☎ +61 2 9261-5000 (info.au@southafrica.net, fax: +61 2 9261-2000). edit France, 61 Rue La Boetie, Paris, ☎ +33 1 456-10197 (info.fr@southafrica.net, fax: +33 1 456-10196). edit Germany, Friedensstrasse 6-10, Frankfurt, ☎ +49 69 929-1290 (info.de@southafrica.net, fax: +49 69 28-0950). edit Italy, Via XX Settembre 24, 3F, Milano, ☎ + 02 4391-1765 (info.it@southafrica.net, fax: +39 02 4391-1158). edit Japan, Akasaka Lions Bldg, 1-1-2 Moto Akasaka, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, ☎ +81 33 478-7601 (info@southafricantourism.or.jp, fax: +81 33 478-7605). edit Netherlands, Jozef Israëlskade 48 A, Amsterdam, ☎ +31 20 471-3181 (info.nl@southafrica.net, fax: +31 20 662-9761). edit United Kingdom, No 5 & 6 Alt Grove, Wimbledon, London, ☎ +44 20 8971-9350 (info.uk@southafrica.net, fax: +44 20 8944-6705). edit United States, 500 Fifth Ave, 20F, Ste 2040, New York, ☎ +1 212 730-0000 (info.us@southafrica.net, fax: +1 212 764-1980). edit Regions South Africa is divided into 9 provinces, they are: Regions of South Africa Gauteng Pretoria the administrative capital of the country. Johannesburg is the seat the provincial government, also the economic heart of Africa and the most common entry point into Southern Africa. Western Cape Cape Town, the mother city, the legislative capital and seat of Parliament, with famous landmarks as Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. The winelands near Stellenbosch, the Whale Coast along the Overberg, Agulhas where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet and the Cape Floral Region. The Garden Route, one of the top destinations, running along the Southern Coast from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth, with cities like Knysna and ostrich capital Oudtshoorn. Eastern Cape The remainder of the Garden Route, known as the Tsitsikamma. The former homelands, the Wild Coast, spectacular coastlines without the tourist crowd. Superb beaches in Port Elizabeth, East London and Jeffreys Bay, the surfing mecca of South Africa. Great parks like Addo Elephant National Park and Tsitsikamma National Park. Northern Cape Capital Kimberley, famous for its diamonds and the "Big Hole". Biggest province with fewest people, Upington is the second big city, a good base when exploring the Kalahari desert, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Augrabies Falls on the Orange River. Also Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and the semi-desert Karoo. Free State Capital Bloemfontein which also hosts the Supreme Court of Appeal, the highest court in non-constitutional matters (the Constitutional Court is in Johannesburg since 1994). The world heritage site Vredefort Dome, remnants of the largest and oldest meteorite impact crater. KwaZulu-Natal Durban, the largest city in the province and third largest in South Africa and popular coastal holiday destination for South Africans. The Drakensberg mountain range, if you like hiking and also the Tugela Falls, the world's second highest waterfall. North West Rustenburg, famous for Sun City and Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Mpumalanga Capital Nelspruit, gateway to Mozambique and southern section of the Kruger National Park. The Drakensberg Escarpment with the Blyde River Canyon is the third largest Canyon in the world. Limpopo Capital Polokwane (formally known as Pietersburg) a good jump off point for visits to the northern parts of the Kruger National Park and Zimbabwe. Territories Marion Island Prince Edward Islands Cities Pretoria – The administrative capital of South Africa Bloemfontein – Location of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the highest court in non-constitutional matters. The Constitutional Court in Johannesburg became the highest court in constitutional matters in 1994. Cape Town – The legislative capital and seat of Parliament. A world-class city named for its proximity to the Cape of Good Hope. Also within a stone's throw of South Africa's winelands. One of the most beautiful cities in the world, nestled between the sea and Table Mountain, it is a popular summer destination by both domestic tourists and those from abroad. Durban – Largest city in KwaZulu-Natal, third largest in South Africa and popular coastal holiday destination for South Africans. Newcastle – 3rd largest city in KwaZulu-Natal, one of the large regional cities in South Africa and Capital of Northern KZN. Famous for Steel Production, Coal Mining, Heavy Industry and is South Africa's Textile Industry Capital. Johannesburg – The economic heart of Africa and the most common entry point into Southern Africa. Kimberley -- Capital of the Northern Cape Province. Famous for its diamonds and "Big Hole". Polokwane – Capital of Limpopo (formerly known as Pietersburg) and a good jump off point for visits to the northern parts of the Kruger National Park and Zimbabwe. Port Elizabeth – Coastal city in the Eastern Cape with Addo Elephant National Park located close by. Upington – Located in the arid Northern Cape province, this city is a good base when exploring the Kalahari desert and the many national parks located in the Northern Cape. Other destinations National Parks Rhino on a private reserve in Mpumalanga South Africa is a paradise for anyone interested in natural history. A wide range of species (some potentially dangerous) may be encountered in parks, farms, private reserves and even on the roads. The Kruger National Park is exceptionally well managed and a favourite tourist destination. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the heart of the Kalahari desert with wide open spaces and hordes of games including the majestic 'Gemsbok'. This is the first park in Africa to cross political borders. There are also a large number of smaller parks, like the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Pilanesberg National Park or the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. See African Flora and Fauna and South African National Parks for additional information. There are hiking trails available in almost all the parks and around geographical places of interest, Hiking in South Africa contains information on those. UNESCO World Heritage Sites The Cradle of Humankind, near Johannesburg is a must see for anyone interested in where it all started.A large collection of caves rich in hominid and advanced ape fossils. Robben Island just off the coast from Cape Town where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for many years. The Cape Floral Region in the Western Cape iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Mapungubwe Kingdom, in Limpopo Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, [56], for its landscape, biodiversity and rock art. Vredefort Dome, remnants of the largest and oldest meteorite impact crater. Wikitravel

Wild animals in their natural habitat Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape Great White Sharks of Gansbaai iSimangaliso Wetland Park (World Heritage Site) Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park between South Africa and Botswana Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga and Limpopo and the private reserves bordering. Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary was built by the animal welfare organization Four Paws in 2007 and is situated 18km outside Bethlehem, Eastern Free State. Whale Route in Hermanus Zilkaatsnek Nature Reserve in Hartbeespoort Areas of natural beauty and botanical interest Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park between South Africa and Namibia Augrabies Falls in the Northern Cape Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga Botanical Paradise Grootbos Nature Reserve Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch Drakensberg and Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park (World Heritage Site) in KwaZulu-Natal Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town Tsitsikamma in the Eastern Cape Cultural heritage Robben Island (World heritage site) off Cape Town Itineraries Garden Route in the Western Cape Province Route 62. Wikitravel

Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to South Africa every year to see the country's many natural and cultural attractions. From wild elephants to stunning landscapes, cave paintings, colonial heritage and bustling townships, South Africa is an enchanting land of contradictions and great beauty. Some of the best ways visitors can explore South Africa's natural scenic and cultural experiences, apart from private run enterprises, are provided by state-developed entities such as the various Provincial Park Boards and National Nature Reserves. Also available but less known by outsiders are government resorts mainly operated under the Forever Resorts brand for example. There are more than 20 of these resorts nationwide. They provide a mix of activities to be enjoyed by small or large groups of people. Activities such as thermal water spas, leisure, kids activities, hiking, camping, mountain biking and guided game viewing are all catered for. Accommodation available in these resorts is reasonably priced outside school holidays or long weekends and consists of a choice between, 3- or 4-star hotel, bungalows, cottages, thatched rondavels, caravan park and camping grounds, accommodation is priced per unit, therefore, making a six-sleeper bungalow or four sleeper cottage, a very affordable proposition. The resorts provide all amenities within and you are free to go to the restaurants or cater for yourself. Bring in your own supplies, as wine, beer, whisky and soft beverages and food items like meat, butter, cheese, coffee, can be substantially more expensive bought inside than from outside supermarkets. Wild animals in their natural habitat South Africa is the most popular safari destination in the world and for many visitors a glance at the "Big Five" and other wildlife is a must. The iconic Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga is surely the most famous place to have that glance, but Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape is another popular pick. The vast dry plains of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park with its migratory herds of wildebeast covers parts of both South Africa and Botswana. Along the border with Mozambique another transfrontier park, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, offers very different landscapes and fauna. For scuba divers, South Africa's underwater wildlife has a lot to offer, with the annual sardine run being a highlight. The popular seaside town of Hermanus is probably the best place in the world to go whale watching, with cage diving opportunities with great white sharks for the truly adventurous. Areas of natural beauty and botanical interest South Africa's landscapes are grand and diverse, varying from flat desert scrublands to lush green coastal areas and high peaks. The view from the famous, flat-topped Table mountain is a classic Africa experience. Also in the Cape Town region, the beautiful beaches attract thousands of sun lovers. The green coastal Garden Route is a great natural experience, passing countless lagoons, several interesting towns and the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park. The Augrabies Falls National Park boasts a 60-m-high water fall. Close to the Kruger Park is God's Window and Blyde River Canyon, the largest green canyon in the world, not far from there are the high peaks of the Drakensberg mountain range. The Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park is one of the country's 8 Unesco World Heritage sites for its exceptional natural beauty and the many cave paintings found there. The Namaqualand transformation from a dry monochromatic landscape into a colourful myriad of flowering during spring season, is a sight to behold, but there are many others including areas of the Kalahari desert, where stubborn endemic life forms defy the harsh environment and thrive. Cultural heritage Large numbers and some of the oldest hominid fossils have been found in South Africa, especially in the Cradle of Humankind, another World Heritage Site. Over 30 different caves held important fossils, but the caves of Sterkfontein are perhaps the most important one at the site. Far more recent, the 17th-century Castle of Good Hope in beautiful Cape Town is one of the cultural heritage sites from colonial times. Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was famously imprisoned, has become a major destination. For more insight in the Apartheid times, visit the District Six Museum in Cape Town or the Apartheid museum in Johannesburg. Other attractions Although regularly criticized, visits to the infamous townships are increasingly popular. Some say such trips turn poverty into entertainment while others think they benefit all those involved. In any case, a township tour is an experience that will stick. The Cango Caves near Oudtshorn, is an extensive and complex cave system within the Swartberg Mountains, containing many unique natural limestone formations. Management of the site falls under of the Western Cape Parks Administration and is open to visitors. The shorter "standard tour" is available for everyone and lasts about an hour, however, the "adventure tour" is only open to experienced cavers, as it can last 4 to 6 hours and requires a high degree of physical fitness to belly crawl through tight spots and nooks to reach the various chambers spread over 4 km. Soweto, in Johannesburg, is particularly well known. South Africa has gained world-wide fame as a wine country, and if you're interested, a visit to one of the over 800 wineries can be a great addition to your trip. Head to the Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch for some of the best picks. Rand Airport in Germiston, near Johannesburg, is a regional airport serving mostly private pilots, small air service operators and flying schools. It also houses several well kept and maintained vintage aircraft such as the privately owned World War II "Harvard Squadron" usually quite active on weekends. Helicopter sight seeing and nostalgic air tours, specifically flying on a "Dakota DC3" and a wind in the face "Tiger Moth" biplane, are also available. Wikivoyage

In regards to hotel photography of HILTON hotels and HILTON hotel brands in particular, Can Burak Bizer | Hotel Photography + Hotel Video Production is HILTON preffered consultant for hotel photography and hotel video production; in North America, Southeast Asia Pacific and india, Europe and United Kingdom, Middle East and Africa regions worldwide - appointed by HILTON hotels.

For HILTON preferred hotel photographer in South Africa or for HILTON approved hotel photographer in South Africa, please contact us.

Our signature hotel photography is the perfect mixture advertising photography for hotels and product photography for hotels - for hotel marketing communications - exceeding architecture photography, interior design photography, and real estate photography.

Our expertise in photography and video production is the perfect fit for hoteliers looking for hotel photographer to photograph hotel photo shoot or hotel photography of hotels and resorts or for resort photographer to photograph resort photography of resorts and hotels; for hotel marketing directors in need of hotel lifestyle photographer to photograph hotel lifestyle photography with cast and model of hotel property and hotel facilities; for architects seeking for architecture photographer (with tilt shift lenses and technical photography camera) to photograph architecture photography of completed buildings and designs; for interior designers searching for interior design photographer (with natural light or artificial light) to photograph interior design photography of completed interiors; for short stay hosts and airbnb hosts looking for airbnb photographer to photograph airbnb photography of airbnb homes, for realtors and real estate agents seeking for real estate photographer to photograph real estate photography of airbnb villas and airbnb apartments; for restaurateurs seeking for restaurant photographer to photograph restaurant photography of restaurant spaces and restaurant menu; for chefs looking for food photographer to photograph food photography of chefs, kitchen and signature dishes; for company executives seeking executive portrait photographer to photograph executive portrait photography of company executives; for social media managers in need of hotel social media photographer or restaurant social media photographer to photograph hotel photography or restaurant photography; etc.

Technically, scope of our photography spreads across advertising photography, product photography, architecture photography, interior design photography, real estate photography, lifestyle photography, fashion photography, food photography, beverage photography, portrait photography, destination photography, travel photography, concierge photography, etc. and our photography can be defined a perfectly balanced mix of some or all of these elements of hotel photo shoots, hotel and resort photography of hotel building, hotel rooms, hotel restaurants, hotel venues, hotel spaces, hotel facilities and hotel lifestyle, architectural photography of buildings, interior design and furniture photography of interiors, real estate photography, airbnb photography, restaurant photography of restaurant spaces and restaurant menu, gastronomy photography of food and beverage, fine dining photography, chef portrait photography and signature dishes, company executives portrait photography, travel photography and destination photography ot landmarks, landscapes, cityscapes and lifestyle - for hoteliers, architects, interior designers, realtors, airbnb hosts, lifestyle marketers, fashion designers and influencers, restaurateurs, chefs, executives, destinations, and so on.

Through invitation, Can Burak Bizer | Hotel Photography + Hotel Video Production is genuinely excited on the possibility of providing hotel photoshoot and hotel photography expertise as ACCOR approved hotel photographer in South Africa, BEST WESTERN approved hotel photographer in South Africa, CHOICE approved hotel photographer in South Africa, HYATT approved hotel photographer in South Africa, IHG approved hotel photographer in South Africa, JIN JIANG approved hotel photographer in South Africa, RADISSON approved hotel photographer in South Africa, MARRIOTT approved hotel photographer in South Africa, WYNDHAM approved hotel photographer in South Africa... to provide leading hotels and hotel brands with brand approved hotel photography and brand preferred hotel photography, at its finest.

• International luxury: Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, Russia Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Thailand Rosewood London, England International luxury hotels offer high-quality amenities, full-service accommodations, on-site full-service restaurants, and the highest level of personalized and professional service in major or capital cities. International luxury hotels are classified with at least a Five Diamond rating or Five Star hotel rating depending on the country and local classification standards. Example brands include: Grand Hyatt, Conrad, InterContinental, Sofitel, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, The Peninsula, Rosewood, JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton.
• Lifestyle luxury hotels & resorts: Shangri-La's Fijian Resort in Yanuca Island, Fiji Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates Raffles Praslin, Seychelles Lifestyle luxury resorts are branded hotels that appeal to a guest with lifestyle or personal image in specific locations. They are typically full-service and classified as luxury. A key characteristic of lifestyle resorts is focus on providing a unique guest experience as opposed to simply providing lodging. Lifestyle luxury resorts are classified with a Five Star hotel rating depending on the country and local classification standards. Example brands include: Waldorf Astoria, St. Regis, Shangri-La, Oberoi, Belmond, Jumeirah, Aman, Taj Hotels, Hoshino, Raffles, Fairmont, Banyan Tree, Regent and Park Hyatt.
• Upscale full-service hotels: Upscale full-service hotels often provide a wide array of guest services and on-site facilities. Commonly found amenities may include: on-site food and beverage (room service and restaurants), meeting and conference services and facilities, fitness center, and business center. Upscale full-service hotels range in quality from upscale to luxury. This classification is based upon the quality of facilities and amenities offered by the hotel. Examples include: W Hotels, Sheraton, Langham, Kempinski, Kimpton Hotels, Hilton, Lotte, Renaissance, Marriott and Hyatt Regency brands. Wikipedia
• Boutique hotels: Boutique hotels are smaller independent non-branded hotels that often contain mid-scale to upscale facilities of varying size in unique or intimate settings with full-service accommodations. These hotels are generally 100 rooms or fewer. Wikipedia
• Focused or select service hotels: Small to medium-sized hotel establishments that offer a limited number of on-site amenities that only cater and market to a specific demographic of travelers, such as the single business traveler. Most focused or select service hotels may still offer full-service accommodations but may lack leisure amenities such as an on-site restaurant or a swimming pool. Examples include Hyatt Place, Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn.
• Economy and limited service hotels: Small to medium-sized hotel establishments that offer a very limited number of on-site amenities and often only offer basic accommodations with little to no services, these facilities normally only cater and market to a specific demographic of travelers, such as the budget-minded traveler seeking a "no frills" accommodation. Limited service hotels often lack an on-site restaurant but in return may offer a limited complimentary food and beverage amenity such as on-site continental breakfast service. Examples include Ibis Budget, Hampton Inn, Aloft, Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield Inn, and Four Points by Sheraton.
• Extended stay hotels: Extended stay hotels are small to medium-sized hotels that offer longer-term full-service accommodations compared to a traditional hotel. Extended stay hotels may offer non-traditional pricing methods such as a weekly rate that caters towards travelers in need of short-term accommodations for an extended period of time. Similar to limited and select service hotels, on-site amenities are normally limited and most extended stay hotels lack an on-site restaurant. Examples include Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton, Residence Inn by Marriott, Element, and Extended Stay America.
• Timeshare and destination clubs: Timeshare and destination clubs are a form of property ownership also referred to as a vacation ownership involving the purchase and ownership of an individual unit of accommodation for seasonal usage during a specified period of time. Timeshare resorts often offer amenities similar that of a full-service hotel with on-site restaurants, swimming pools, recreation grounds, and other leisure-oriented amenities. Destination clubs on the other hand may offer more exclusive private accommodations such as private houses in a neighborhood-style setting. Examples of timeshare brands include Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriott Vacation Club International, Westgate Resorts, Disney Vacation Club, and Holiday Inn Club Vacations.
• Motel: A motel, an abbreviation for "motor hotel", is a small-sized low-rise lodging establishment similar to a limited service, lower-cost hotel, but typically with direct access to individual rooms from the car park. Motels were built to serve road travellers, including travellers on road trip vacations and workers who drive for their job (travelling salespeople, truck drivers, etc.). Common during the 1950s and 1960s, motels were often located adjacent to a major highway, where they were built on inexpensive land at the edge of towns or along stretches of freeway. New motel construction is rare in the 2000s as hotel chains have been building economy-priced, limited-service franchised properties at freeway exits which compete for largely the same clientele, largely saturating the market by the 1990s. Motels are still useful in less populated areas for driving travelers, but the more populated an area becomes, the more hotels move in to meet the demand for accommodation. While many motels are unbranded and independent, many of the other motels which remain in operation joined national franchise chains, often rebranding themselves as hotels, inns or lodges. Some examples of chains with motels include EconoLodge, Motel 6, Super 8, and Travelodge. Motels in some parts of the world are more often regarded as places for romantic assignations where rooms are often rented by the hour. This is fairly common in parts of Latin America.
• Microstay: Hotels may offer rooms for microstays, a type of booking for less than 24 hours where the customer chooses the check in time and the length of the stay. This allows the hotel increased revenue by reselling the same room several times a day. Wikipedia

• Single hotel rooms are for single travellers. In many hotels, a single room is actually the same as a double room.
• Double hotel rooms are for two travellers sleeping in the same bed. Might be used by one guest and is referred as Double Sole/Single use.
• Twin hotel rooms have two separate single beds.
• Triple hotel rooms have either three separate beds, or a double bed plus a single bed.
• Quads hotel rooms are designed for 4 people or more.
• Hotel Suites are complete apartments with multiple rooms, generally intended for longer stays. Wikitravel

• Bed and breakfast (B&B) hotels: The morning meal is included. This may range considerably from a simple roll and coffee to an elaborate spread.
• Half board (aka half pension, demi-pension, modified American plan) hotels: A hotel rate that includes breakfast and one additional meal, typically dinner. Also called Modified American Plan and demi-pension.
• Full board (aka full pension, full American plan) hotels: A hotel rate in which three meals a day are included in the price.
• All inclusive hotels and All-inclusive resorts: All meals and drinks are included. The list of "free" drinks is usually limited though: house wine is probably OK, champagne probably isn't. Wikitravel

• Six and seven-star hotels: The notion that a hotel can be six or seven stars is a joke among travel professionals since most respectable hotel rating systems do not give out a rating higher than five stars. The consensus is since so few hotels really can achieve the five star rating then there shouldn't be a rating higher than five stars. An example of a claimed "seven star" hotel is Dubai's Burj al-Arab. It's certainly one of the most luxurious hotels in the world (as awarded earlier by Conde Nast Traveller Magazine). In reality, it is a 5 star deluxe property (the alleged seven star status is not often corrected in the media, though).
• Five-star hotels: The five-star hotels is the quintessential luxury hotel, offering thrills above and beyond the actual needs of the travel. They have restaurants and night spots that are world class, with food and entertainment that draw non-guests to sample it too. Five-star hotels also tend to have opulent and expensive decorations; fancy gyms, swimming pools and spas. Major five-star chains compete to offer the most ludicrous thrills imaginable: Loews offers dog-walking services, while Conrad will let you order from a menu of pillows. Needless to say, all this comes at a steep price, and you're unlikely to be able to justify the expense of a five-star for ordinary business travel. The other downside to five-stardom is that hotels that can jump through all the hoops to achieve the rating are likely to be large and impersonal. Major chains: Orient-Express Hotels, Conrad (Hilton), InterContinental (IHG), Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, St. Regis, Le Meridien, W, JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton (Marriott), Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel (FRHI), Shangri-La, Kempinski, Mandarin Oriental, Sofitel (Accor), Four Seasons, Regent, Langham International, Mövenpick Hotel and Resorts
• Four-star hotels: The four-star hotel is a good business hotel. Everything works smoothly, there's Internet in every room, a well-equipped business center, they'll arrange your airport transfer and room service is palatable and only somewhat expensive. And your boss will probably not faint when they see the bill. Major chains: Hilton, Marriott, Novotel (Accor), Crowne Plaza (IHG), Kimpton Hotels and Radisson BLU Hotels (Carlson Rezidor). Wikitravel
• Three-star hotels: Three-star hotels are solid but dull. Your room will have an attached bathroom and there's probably a restaurant downstairs and 24-hour reception service. Major chains: Mercure (Accor), Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn (IHG), Best Western Wikitravel
• Two-star hotels: In this class, hotels will typically be small to medium size and offer more extensive facilities that one star hotels. Two star means no-frills hotel. In many countries, two stars means that your room may have its own bathroom and there's almost certainly a TV and perhaps a telephone in your room, but rooms are bare-bones and you're unlikely to want to spend any more time than strictly necessary inside. Major chains: Ibis (Accor), Comfort Inn, Motel 6, Super 8 and Etap
• One-star hotels: You don't see many of these, and with reason. One-stars are not just no-frills, but often downright dodgy: rooms are barely functional, shared bathrooms are somewhere down a corridor and the painted ladies from the all-hours karaoke bar next door dance the horizontal tango all night long in the room next to yours.
• Unrated hotels: Unrated hotels are a mixed bag. Most, it is safe to say, are hotels that are either too dodgy to achieve even the meager requirements of a one-star — or, alternatively, too small and personal to be able to offer (say) 24-hour room service, although the service and amenities offered are otherwise of five-star caliber. There are also selective hotel groups for smaller properties that generally select for high quality, boutique hotels. Wikitravel

• Destination resort: A destination resort is a resort that itself contains the necessary guest attraction capabilities so it does not need to be near a destination (town, historic site, theme park, or other) to attract its patrons. A commercial establishment at a resort destination such as a recreational area, a scenic or historic site, amusement park, a gaming facility, or other tourist attraction may compete with other businesses at a destination. Consequently, another quality of a destination resort is that it offers food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping within the facility so that guests have no need to leave the facility throughout their stay. Commonly, the facilities are of higher quality than would be expected if one were to stay at a hotel or eat in a town's restaurants. Some examples are Atlantis in the Bahamas; the Walt Disney World Resort, near Orlando, Florida, United States; PortAventura World, near Barcelona on the Costa Daurada in Spain; Costa do Sauípe, Northeastern Brazil; Laguna Phuket, Thailand and Sun City, near Johannesburg, South Africa. Closely related to resorts are convention and large meeting sites. Generally, they occur in cities, where special meeting halls, together with ample accommodations and varied dining and entertainment, are provided.
• Seaside Resort: A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the German Seebad.[a] Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort. Wikipedia
• All-inclusive resort: Entrance of an all-inclusive resort in Egypt An all-inclusive resort charges a fixed price that includes most or all items. At a minimum, most inclusive resorts include lodging, unlimited food, drink, sports activities, and entertainment for the fixed price. In recent years, the number of resorts in the United States offering "all-inclusive" amenities has decreased dramatically. In 1961, over half offered such plans, but in 2007, less than a tenth do so. All-inclusive resorts are found in the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica, Dominican Republic; in Egypt, and elsewhere. Notable examples are Club Med, Sandals Resorts, and Beaches Resorts. An all-inclusive resort includes three meals daily, soft drinks, most alcoholic drinks, gratuities, and usually other services in the price. Many also offer sports and other activities included in the price as well. They are often located in warmer regions. The all-inclusive model originated in the Club Med resorts, which were founded by the Belgian Gérard Blitz.
• Recreation Resort: A spa resort is a short-term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa goers to develop healthy habits. Historically, many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters. Typically over a seven-day stay, such facilities provide a comprehensive program that includes spa services, physical fitness activities, healthy diet programs, and special interest programming. Golf resorts are resorts that cater specifically to the sport of golf, and they include access to one or more golf courses and/or clubhouses. Golf resorts typically provide golf packages that provide visitors with all greens and cart fees, range balls, accommodations, and meals. A view of a typical ski resort and ski lifts In North America, a ski resort is generally a destination resort in a ski area. The term is less likely to refer to a town or village. A megaresort is a type of destination resort of an exceptionally-large size, such as those along the Las Vegas Strip. In Singapore, integrated resort is a euphemism for a casino-based destination resort. A holiday village is a type of self-contained resort in Europe whose accommodation is generally in villas. A holiday camp, in the United Kingdom, refers to a resort whose accommodation is in chalets or static caravans.
• Timeshare Resort: There are more than 1500 timeshare resorts in the United States that are operated by major hospitality, timeshare-specific, or independent companies. They represent 198,000 residences and nearly 9 million owners, who pay an average $880 per year in maintenance fees. A reported 16% of the residences became vacation rentals. Wikipedia

• Advertising photography: Advertising photography photographs made to illustrate and usually sell a service or product. These images, such as packshots, are generally done with an advertising agency, design firm or with an in-house corporate design team.
• Architectural photography: Architectural photography focuses on capturing photographs of buildings and architectural structures that are aesthetically pleasing and accurate in terms of representations of their subjects.
• Event photography: Event photography focuses on photographing guests and occurrences at mostly social events.
• Fashion and glamour photography: Fashion and glamour photography usually incorporates models and is a form of advertising photography. Fashion photography, like the work featured in Harper's Bazaar, emphasizes clothes and other products; glamour emphasizes the model and body form. Glamour photography is popular in advertising and men's magazines. Models in glamour photography sometimes work nude.
• 360 product photography: 360 product photography displays a series of photos to give the impression of a rotating object. This technique is commonly used by ecommerce websites to help shoppers visualise products.
• Concert photography: Concert photography focuses on capturing candid images of both the artist or band as well as the atmosphere (including the crowd). Many of these photographers work freelance and are contracted through an artist or their management to cover a specific show. Concert photographs are often used to promote the artist or band in addition to the venue.
• Crime scene photography: Crime scene photography consists of photographing scenes of crime such as robberies and murders. A black and white camera or an infrared camera may be used to capture specific details.
• Still life photography: Still life photography usually depicts inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made. Still life is a broader category for food and some natural photography and can be used for advertising purposes.
• Real Estate photography: Real Estate photography focuses on the production of photographs showcasing a property that is for sale, such photographs requires the use of wide-lens and extensive knowledge in High-dynamic-range imaging photography.
• Food photography: Food photography can be used for editorial, packaging or advertising use. Food photography is similar to still life photography but requires some special skills.
• Photojournalism: Photojournalism can be considered a subset of editorial photography. Photographs made in this context are accepted as a documentation of a news story.
• Paparazzi: Paparazzi is a form of photojournalism in which the photographer captures candid images of athletes, celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people.
• Portrait photography and wedding photography: Portrait and wedding photography photographs made and sold directly to the end user of the images.
• Landscape photography: Landscape photography depicts locations. Wildlife photography demonstrates the life of wild animals. Wikipedia

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