hisXcellency

Once upon a time in Accra, I was a novice, a ‘Johnny-just-come’ as we will call it in the capital. Today, I am a travel guide, second only to Google map in giving you details of any location in Accra. It is a nostalgic memory I hold so dear. But it has not always been like this. This episode of the story been told is a far cry from what the earliest ones were. Nevertheless, in fairytale-like fashion, the end is always better than the beginning. Those days, some 20 years ago, Accra seemed like the land of Canaan spoken of in Biblical old before the Israelites inhabited it. It had the milk and honey tag to it. Yet, there was nothing creamy white or golden brown about the Canaan land to merit that attribute. Per what the people at the time identified, the reality was contrary to the scripts. Accra, then, was only a step better. The advent of high rise buildings ensured that. And that was all; a few beautiful and decent-looking buildings. Because these buildings were few and spars...

Often a colour associated with doom and gloom, black is generally accepted as the colour that comes with no good. Although fashion is gradually making black a likeable colour, many people still see black as a very bad colour. However, in the world of sales and marketing,black actually means something good,interesting and great for customers. Ever heard of black Friday ? Don’t be taken aback. Do not fear! It isn’t about doom and evil. It’s just a day (sometimes a period) of mind-blowing,captivating and amazing discounts. Every business tries to cash in at this time by reducing the prices of selected items to the barest minimum by providing very big discounts. Jumia Travel , Africa’s leading hotel booking website throws more light on this extraordinary sales period. All around the world, there is only one day! Sometimes one weekend! When you can pay less and get more. That time of the year when prices of goods and services are so reduced that all you hear customers say is ‘’wow...

Is it possible to perfectly get any list of the best in Ghana’s hospitality industry in one area or the other? The answer may  probably be a shy yes or a more profound no. That situation even, will not be definite. Let's thread the path more carefully then. All  hotels in Ghana  not to talk about 4-star hotels alone may be expert in one aspect more than the other which makes them ripe for competition. Who will not want the invaluable publicity that a mention in a best 4-star hotels in Ghana list will bring? So this piece will appeal more to your sense of sight than any other.   Major factors accounting for a place here are popularity and quality of service. The popularity of these hotels is among the highest in the country.  Almost everyone who has stayed in Accra at a point is likely to have heard about these hotels. Also, these hotels are among the most searched for hotels in Ghana on the internet. But perhaps , there is nothing that ...

Accra, Ghana - 18th November 2016  JumiaTravel, Africa’s leading online hotel booking website has awarded its partners at a ceremony in Accra. The awards ceremony, which was held at the Accra City Hotel served as a form of appreciation for the immense contributions of these partners in the development and success of the company. The company recently took giant strides by reaching a landmark of 1000 hotels on its website thus giving it’s customers more options to select from when they want to book a hotel anywhere in Ghana. ‘’These amazing partners are the focus of all our operations. We keep succeeding because they are always there to support us. Without them, we will not be in business. It is great to have partners who are always on hand to receive our guests, offer them the best hotel experience and give us the best rates in order to better serve our ever growing customer base‘’ said Claire Staal, MD of Jumia Travel ( Ghana ). Jumia Travel has over the past 3 years ma...

Less than 2 weeks to go! The countdown is on to. Black Friday is about to go down like  wildfire. Large scale shopping and big time discounts, Black Friday deals are more like winning a jackpot. WHAT IS BLACK FRIDAY ANYWAY? Black Friday originated in the Philadelphia, United States as far back as 1932. Ever since, Black Friday has been adopted worldwide. Year in - year out,Black Friday has grown to become the most anticipated week of the year in shopping circles. Black Friday comes a day after the fourth Thursday in November which is Thanksgiving day.  To be clear, the day has nothing to do with a misfortune or a something unpleasant. Just shopping, deals and more shopping and more deals. Some say outings during Thanksgiving left a lot of black marks from the numerous vehicles that used the road. Others say that the term Black Friday is as a result of the pen colour used by many establishments to record their profits as compared to using the red...

The festive season of Christmas is a bumper harvest season for hotels in Ghana . This is because events and activities are sprawled all over the country, there is bound to be a trip or an outing every day of that season. On the weekends, don’t go there! The days are packed from start to finish. Thus, a peak in hotel bookings during the Christmas season is inevitable. And all the industry players know this all too well. This year, December will be an extra special month of rejoicing for hotels, online bookings and travel and tour agencies mainly because 2016 General Elections in Ghana is around the corner too. With Ghanaians expected from the Diaspora to cast their ballots, it is more than a reminder of the cash that can be raked in by any prepared hotel/guesthouse, online booking platforms and travel/tour agencies. So then big hotel deals must be splashed. Prices must be cut down. The general rule in the game is that -“Money must be used to pull money”.  During this t...

‘’If you want to go fast, go alone! If you want to go FAR, go together’’ - African Proverb The business world is evolving with a variety of trends and strategies that one may find difficult to keep pace with. Often, e-commerce platforms are tempted to believe that the competition is so fierce that they have to do everything they can to stay in competition or beat their competitors. However, e-commerce can be alluded to an ocean. As big as it is, every fish will have it’s space to swim. In fact, the space is too big that in the absence of proper planning and strategies,you might even drown. It is however very important that when running an e-commerce platform, you sometimes establish and maintain profitable partnerships that will help grow the business. Jumia Travel enumerates a few examples of such partnerships and their importance. These partnerships can vary between the business and portals, search sites, fellow merchants as well brick-and-mortar retailers. Failure t...

A few hours from now, the many months of planning and anticipation will finally become a reality. You’ll be married !!! It is the hope of everyone that you have a glorious and memorable day. However, preparation for this ‘’BIG’’ day is as important for the bride-to-be as it is for her groom. This preparation can take many forms and come with different levels of commitment and attention to detail. One very important component of the wedding eve is where the ‘’to-be-couple’’ spend the ‘’last’’ night. That final night of independence before you commit yourself to sharing the rest of your life with another person. The big question is, where is the ideal place to spend this night? The same bedroom where you have lived all / the most part of your life or in a comfortable hotel room far from all the chaos and anxiety of family and friends? In fact, a lot of factors influence this choice. Distance to the wedding venue, budget, need for privacy and other sentimental considerations are just...

Welcome to Ghana and the beautiful city of Accra ! The coastal city of Accra houses much interesting and charming scenery peculiar only to the sub-region. The rich soil in Accra leaves it evergreen all year round. Various flowers, trees and grasses in the city are proof of the potency of the land. Among all the characteristics of Accra, the hospitality of the people is its trademark. It is very common to meet gorgeous and well-meaning people all over Accra. Expect to be offered a large bowl of fufu and palm nut soup or plate of banku and sauce with grilled tilapia. The people are always ready to freely lend a helping hand, be it with your luggage or with directions. In Accra, you will get from this one-stop location, varieties that you will not dream of in a combination of many other destinations in the world. Among the varieties, the beaches and resorts are paramount. Your vacation to the West African nation is not a vacation without a visit to a beach in Accra. Ju...