Local and overseas travellers now have an authoritative, new, wide-ranging internet resource of places to stay and things to do in southern Africa at their fingertips. The Getaway website, www.getaway.co.za, has undergone a complete revamp to become a comprehensive destination and travel information finder rather than a library of travel features.

“Our goal was to move away from being a magazine archive and to build a photography-rich Destination Finder using Getaway’s expertise and quality content. What we have developed is a solid platform that will allow us to build upwards exponentially,” explained web editor Leigh Stefanski.

The new-look site catalogues places to stay, tour operators and travel packages as well as blogs, articles, photo galleries and maps. Browsers can choose to search the site using the Destination Finder or by photo or theme.

By typing an area into the Destinations Finder (www.getaway.co.za/page/destinations), users can access information on the location plus Places to Stay (a listing of hundreds of B&Bs, guesthouses, self-catering apartments, cottages and game lodges in southern Africa, all with photographs and full descriptions), tour operators and things to do in a given area (everything from wild safaris to relaxing beach holidays) – all supported by relevant travel features and blogs.

The Browse-by-pictures module (www.getaway.co.za/page/browse-by-pictures) navigates the site by photo themes, while the Travel Buddy allows prospective travellers to make their selections based on activity (hiking, birding, surfing), landscape (bushveld, rivers, beaches) or style (adventure, history, romance).

The site also includes downloadable maps, galleries of beautiful photographs, podcasts and videos that bring the travel dream alive, while links for weather, currency conversions and events were welcome tools for browsers, Leigh said.

Commenting on the decision to change the brand’s website to a more interactive, functional tool, Getaway’s publisher, Jacqueline Lahoud, said the new site and weekly web letters were an ideal combination to deliver valuable travel advice to online audience and “are a formidable communication platform for our advertisers”.