Test your travel knowledge: the 2025 quiz

1. In January, a Boxing Day incident on a local low-cost airline went viral after a passenger’s friction with a flight attendant turned nasty. What was the passenger demanding?

A. Extra peanuts

B. More wine

C. An upgrade

2. In February, Farm Sanctuary SA in Franschhoek — a popular stop for visitors to the valley — offered a R1.2 million reward for the safe return of a sheep famous for creating paintings. What is his name?

A. Vincent van Goat

B. Baanksy

C. Claude Moo-et

3. Also in February, Netflix released the third season of The White Lotus — a show whose hotel destinations are as dramatic as its plotlines. In which country is the season set?

A. Thailand

B. Italy

C. United States

4. In March, the Cape Town Carnival featured a special guest — Erika Januza, the “Queen of the Drums”, fresh from the Rio Carnival. She performed a dance style globally associated with Brazil. What is it?

A. Salsa

B. Samba

C. Tango

5. Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Aqua, debuted in April with a headline attraction billed as a “first at sea” — a hybrid of which two features?

A. A roller-coaster and a waterslide

B. A surf simulator and a mechanical shark

C. A Ferris wheel and a zipline

6. In May, the 12th Beach Soccer World Cup turned one lucky coastline into a giant sandy stadium. Which nation hosted it?

A. Brazil

B. Portugal

C. Seychelles

7. In July, Nigeria celebrated the return of 119 objects that had spent more than a century in European collections. These treasures form part of a larger group of artefacts looted during the colonial era. What are they collectively known as?

A. The Kingdom of Ife Hoard

B. The Elgin Marbles

C. The Benin Bronzes

8. In October, an iconic KwaZulu-Natal hotel unveiled a statue of its longtime “VIP Guest Number One”, Skabenga the cat, who died in March. The tribute now sits at the reception desk. Name the hotel.

A. The Capital Pearls

B. The Oyster Box

C. The Beverly Hills

9. In October, thieves pulled off an €88 million crown-jewel heist at the Louvre. They disguised themselves as this to inside.

A. Firefighters

B. Museum tour guides

C. Construction workers

10. Time Out’s annual “coolest streets in the world” list came out in November, and Cape Town made the cut again. Which street featured in 2025?

A. Kloof Street

B. Long Street

C. Bree Street

11. This South African fashion designer has partnered with Cape Town’s iconic, 125-year-old Mount Nelson hotel to create a suite in his name, set to launch next year.

A. Thebe Magugu

B. Lukhanyo Mdingi

C. Rich Mnisi

12. South Africa’s first Club Med resort — set to open in July 2026 on KZN’s North Coast — will offer a long list of activities, including the brand’s first-ever what?

A. Underwater restaurant

B. Ice lounge

C. Surf school

ANSWER KEY

1. B
2. B
3. A
4. B
5. A
6. C
7. C
8. B
9. C
10. C
11. A
12. C