Afri-Centric Selects The Blake Agency as PR Agency of Record and Announces First US Marketing Campaign

Travel company partners with full-service public relations firm, The Blake Agency, to launch its inaugural Media Familiarization (FAM) tour to South Africa

Afri-Centric, a boutique travel company offering sustainable luxury travel experiences, today announced The Blake Agency as its public relations agency of record. The new partnership will promote Afri-Centric’s immersive, one-of-a-kind trips to Africa, and amplify the company’s brand presence in the U.S. market. The travel marketing campaign will focus on cross-promoting several niche tourism markets, including ancestry travel, luxury travel, and sustainable tourism. As Afri-Centric’s agency partner, The Blake Agency will work to position the brand as a leader in curated and affordable luxury vacations in South Africa. The company’s long-term vision is to encourage travelers to engage with Africa’s history, people, culture, food, and environment. “Our business is deeply rooted in African tradition, and we pride ourselves on curating one-of-a-kind experiences with stories that you could never find by browsing a mainstream travel marketplace. We are laser-focused on shaping how travelers, specifically those from the African diaspora, think about Africa as a luxury destination,” says Itumeleng Pooe, owner and managing director of Afri-Centric. The partnership announcement precedes Afri-Centric’s inaugural Media Familiarization (FAM) trip, which is slated for September 2023. The FAM trip, also titled #AfriLuxe2023, aims to educate Black American travelers about affordable luxury destinations in South Africa. Afri-Centric will host U.S.-based travel agents, journalists, and influencers for a 2-week tour, including historical sites, safari experiences, a luxury train excursion, the Cape Winelands, Soweto, The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, and more. “We are thrilled to partner with Afri-Centric and introduce them to the U.S. market. The work we’re doing is so important because we’re bridging the diversity gap in luxury travel at a niche level. From the onset of this campaign, we’ve been very intentional about working with Black content creators, influencers, and journalists who are underrepresented or rarely invited on press/FAM trips,” says Nicole Blake-Baxter, founder and managing director of The Blake Agency. Earlier this year, the brand kicked off a pre-launch tour in Johannesburg and Cape Town sponsored by local travel partners, including Lanzerac Hotel and Spa, Chapter House Boutique Hotel, Vida Nova Retreat, Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel, Saxon Villas & Spa, Lush Private Game Reserve, and Palace of the Lost City in Sun City. AfriLuxe 2023 is powered by the media network Suite929.tv and SquadTrip.com professional online booking platform. ABOUT AFRI-CENTRIC Afri-Centric is a South African-based boutique travel company that specializes in curating matchless travel experiences for incentive and high-end leisure travelers. Recognized travel industry leader and owner Itumeleng Pooe and her close-knit team offer fully customized travel programs that yield once-in-a-lifetime experiences and precious memories for years to come. The company has worked with clients across sectors, including Silver Sea Luxury Cruises, Harvard Business School, United Nations, Nile Dutch, Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls, and more. To learn more, visit https://africentric.co.za/. ABOUT THE BLAKE AGENCY The Blake Agency LLC is a full-service public relations firm specializing in strategic planning, media relations, content development, and content marketing. The firm partners with established and emerging businesses, organizations, and personal brands to help shape their stories and build meaningful relationships with their audiences. Founded by PR and marketing expert Nicole Blake-Baxter, the agency caters to tech, travel, nonprofit, and lifestyle brands. In 2009, Nicole launched her consultancy NUBIA Media & Marketing and later relaunched as The Blake Agency.