24 | LUXlife Magazine Share the Magic of Safari with Umlingo Sustainable, owner-run hotels and lodges in Africa all have a story to tell, and getting these heard by potential travellers in the UK and beyond is the job of Umlingo Travel PR. Spearheaded by industry veteran Claire Roadley, Umlingo prioritises flexibility and affordability across its services, helping to make PR accessible for smaller businesses. On the back of its recognition as the Best Safari Lodge PR Consultancy 2026 here in this feature, we caught up with Claire for more on Umlingo. After spending almost two decades at one of the UK’s leading representation companies for African hotels and lodges, Claire Roadley decided, against the backdrop of the pandemic, to start Umlingo Travel PR. This move was spurred by her desire to specialise exclusively in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, creating a niche that would help her stand out among global PR agencies. More than this, Claire was simply following her heart, as sustainable safaris that give back to people and the planet are her true passion. In her role at Umlingo, Claire handles everything herself, meaning that all her clients benefit directly from the 30 years of African travel PR experience she brings to the table, including her long-standing relationships with journalists, publications and other industry contacts. As a result, Umlingo now has some of Africa’s most luxurious and authentic safari camps in its portfolio, including the three Bushtops Safari Camps in Kenya and Tanzania, Mashatu Euphorbia in Botswana, Pambele Beach House in Mozambique and Onguma Camp Kala in Namibia. New clients also frequently approach Claire for travel PR support. More recent additions include The Wilderness Collection— whose properties include Craters Edge on the rim of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater and Warangi Ridge in the central Serengeti—as well as Nsele Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Waterberg and Carmines River Lodge and Shearzone Safaris in Zambia. The common thread linking these properties is that they are owned by people who care deeply about local communities and the conservation of these precious places’ biodiversity, aligning them with Claire’s vision for her PR consultancy. By aligning herself with respected, credible partners—she is a proud member of ATTA® and a Friend of The Long Run—Claire has established herself as a hardworking, down-to-earth person: someone who is more about the skills and less about the frills. She keeps her retainers affordable, making great PR accessible to all, including properties without large budgets. Explaining her approach in more detail, Claire told us: “I firmly believe that successful PR, especially in today’s age of AI content, is all down to hard-earned relationships and mutual respect between journalists, publishers and PRs. I focus on working with the national newspapers, the travel trade press, high-end travel publications and travel writers who are known to be authentic and credible voices in the space.” People throughout these circles have nothing but good things to say about Claire. Sue Watt, a freelance travel writer, said of the travel PR expert: “As a freelance writer specialising in Africa with bylines in various UK broadsheets and magazines, I’ve worked with Claire many times and have travelled with her in South Africa. She’s a pleasure to work with, great company, prompt and efficient in dealing with queries, especially urgent ones, and committed to promoting Africa and her clients.” These connections are just the beginning for Claire, who is also very proud of the community she is building among African travel PR professionals. Every November, Claire gathers around 15 fellow professionals who also have African clients, and together they host a small group of VIP media professionals who specialise in writing about this great continent. Claire added: “It’s all about collaboration for the greater good, which is why it’s called Ubuntu, meaning ‘I am because we are’.” As this initiative shows, for Claire, it is all about the people you meet along the way. Her meeting last year with local Maasai women who could not speak a word of English is a memory she will treasure forever, and it is moments of connection like these that keep her returning to Africa. Her passion for this land translates into quality travel PR through Umlingo, which we are thrilled to name Best Safari Lodge PR Consultancy 2026 in this year’s Leaders in Luxury Awards. Contact: Claire Roadley Company: Umlingo Travel PR Web address: https://www.umlingo.co.uk/
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