With a projected growth of 3.7% in 2015 and accounting for nearly 9% of the continent’s GDP, Africa’s travel and tourism industry has incredible potential to help generate growth, create jobs and enable development. Yet, this potential remains largely untapped. Read More
Airlink is pleased to announce the re-introduction of air-services between Johannesburg and Nosy Be commencing Sunday 20 March 2016. Flights will operate weekly with a single return flight on Sundays. Initially the service will be on one of Airlink’s fleet of 18 Embraer ERJ 135 regional jet aircraft, and as soon as demand justifies, one…
Crystal Cruises has launched its newest ship — the 62-passenger yacht, Crystal Esprit — in the Seychelles.. The debut marks a milestone for the line, as it expands from its longtime fleet of two luxury cruise ships into the yachting world (and to river cruising in 2016).The elegant ceremony took place at Eden Island Marina…
Early findings from the largest ever aerial survey of African wildlife – the Great Elephant Census (GEC) – are proving that big data can make a big difference when it comes to saving the world’s largest land mammal. The Africa-wide census, funded by Microsoft billionaire Paul G. Allen, took off in February 2014, with the…
Sun City’s iconic entertainment center closed its doors on Monday for a major refurbishment. According to a press statement, the entertainment center will be re-imagined and rebuilt at a cost of R300m as part of the R800m revitalization of Sun City. “The Entertainment Centre opened its doors in 1980, as Frank Sinatra crooned to roaring…
Lodges within Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, have introduced a voluntary conservation levy, effective from January 2016. Concerned conservationists and stakeholders of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park region have created a collaborative group: The Conservation & Wildlife Fund (CWF). The objective of CWF is to work together with the wildlife authorities in Zimbabwe to raise awareness, resource…
The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has elected Ugandan native, Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya, to serve as its new President. Sebunya will focus on advancing a clear policy agenda for wildlife as part of Africa’s future. This is aimed at ensuring that the continent’s blueprint for development and growth provides space and protection for Africa’s natural heritage.…
Ethiopian Airlines is pleased to announce that preparations are being finalized to launch service to New York’s JFK airport by the end of June, to provide a vital link between New York and Africa once again with this new service. Flights from Addis Ababa to JFK will depart on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings, and…
Everyone knows about the great national parks of eastern and southern Africa – Masai Mara, Kruger and Serengeti all conjure up images of majestic landscapes, packs of lions lazing in the shade and herds of elephant roaming the savannah. But have you heard of Mole, Pendjari and Waza? These wildlife reserves are among the finest…
Uganda Tourism Board has recruited three Public Relations firms to represent the country in source markets. This is a UTB strategy developed to increase the country’s tourist arrivals. If the plan succeeds, it will generate not only more revenue for the country, but more employment opportunities as well. The firms chosen to represent Uganda are…
All individual members in good standing by January 31st, 2016 will stand a chance of winning one of two trips to South Africa. Two members will each win one ticket to Cape Town or Johannesburg on SAA Airways, and 8 nights’ accommodation generously donated by these valued corporate members; 1 Ticket on SAA from…
North Island Seychelles makes the list of the 50 greatest hotels in the world A guide to the world’s best hotels, featuring the most amazing places to stay in destinations including Europe, Asia, Indian Ocean, Africa, Americas, Middle East and Caribbean, for honeymoons, luxury escapes and city breaks, as chosen and reviewed by Telegraph Travel’s…
Space is available on some departures for these uniquely guided Migration focussed safaris. The tour will be guided by Carel Verhoef, Founder of HerdTracker and current presenter of Kenya Live. We are pleased to announce that ARP Travel Group has partnered with the innovative App “Herdtracker”, which gives accurate daily location of the wildebeest migration.…
Delegates attending events within the World Travel Market portfolio can take advantage of discounted air fares with oneworld airlines following a groundbreaking deal between the alliance and World Travel Market’s parent company Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE). Visitors and exhibitors are able to make reservations for themselves and a companion via a dedicated channel on the…
Described as one of the last strongholds of Central African wildlife, Zakouma National Park in Chad is renowned for its free-roaming herds of elephants. Despite its history of terrible poaching, there has been only one incident inside the park since 2011 and elephant numbers are on the rise. This is largely due to the work…
The Seychelles Tourism Board has confirmed the dates of the 2016 edition of the island’s Carnaval International de Victoria, the event set to continue to bring together the different cultures and people from around the world to one place. Dubbed as the ‘carnival of carnivals’, Carnaval International de Victoria, now going in its sixth year…
By Dean Karemera, NEW TIMES Isabukuru Family, one of the 20 groups of mountain gorillas gazetted for research and tourism in Volcanoes National Park, welcomed a rare gift of twins born to Isaro yesterday. According to Belise Kariza, the Chief Tourism Officer at Rwanda Development Board, the birth of the twins is great news to…
By MARTIN MWITA, The Star: KENYA’s fate on direct flights between Nairobi and the United States now lies with America, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority reports. The country’s aviation industry must undergo a final audit by America’s Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates and oversees the American civil aviation sector. According to KCAA, Kenya must achieve…
Choda is one of the few traditional dances still practised on the Mozambique shores of Lake Malawi. Each year, a number of villages invite their neighbours to a dance-off. Male drummers, positioned in the centre, are surrounded by a thick, two-tiered circle of women, who are colourfully-clad and resplendent with sunglasses and whistles. – As…
Djibouti is out of this world. It’s a claim no travel writer should ever make, but it really is as if a great chunk of Mars has been carved out and jigsawed on to the Horn of Africa. Seated on the Afar Triple Junction, –, the meeting-point for three of the Earth’s tectonic plates, which…
Set upon a raised deck with breath-taking views of the mighty Zambezi River and private Kandahar Island, the organic combination of wood, thatch, canvas and glass of Toa Spa blends effortlessly into the natural surrounds. Soothing interiors, in earthy tones, are complimented by copper, glass and splashes of vibrantly coloured ‘chitenge’ (African fabrics). Toa means…
Ranger Safaris partnered with Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE to offer a special Photographic Safari & Clinic. The 2 week program is designed for serious and amateur photographers that want to improve their photographic skills. The itinerary is packed with extended game drives, bush walks and cultural visits to give participants a large variety of photo opportunities.…
South African Airways Vacations launched its 2016 Collection brochure, featuring an expanded portfolio of air-inclusive vacation packages to destinations in Southern and East Africa. All SAA Vacations packages include round-trip air transportation on South African Airways, with origins from over 100 cities in the U.S., as well as hotel accommodations, airport transfers, sightseeing and a…
BioCarbon Partners (BCP), supported through the USAID Community Forests Program (CFP), in partnership with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), and Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ), are proud to announce achieving the world’s first carbon neutral national park from operations in Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia. Every single tourism concessionaire based in Lower Zambezi National Park (NP),…
The Africa Travel Association will become an operating element under the Corporate Council on Africa, effective immediately. The formal announcement was made at the New York Times Travel Show on January 8, 2016. Stephen Hayes, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) said, “The addition of the Africa Travel Association (ATA) to…
Without a doubt, the most popular tourist attraction in Zambia is the Victoria Falls, an experience that is on most travellers’ bucket lists The falls are unforgettable. However, it is Zambia’s off-the-beaten-track treasures that keep intrepid travellers coming back for more. Zambia is home to a vibrant mix of cultures, traditions and people from more…
Senegal’s Blues du Fleuve is an annual music festival founded and headlined by Baaba Maal – a singer so popular and influential in this part of the world that in the course of the weekend a shipment of mosquito nets is dropped off at his house, courtesy of the minister of health, to protect his…
In a bid to save Africa’s elephant populations from extinction in the wild, Botswana has joined Kenya, Gabon and Uganda by signing a declaration which makes it the fourth country to join The Giants Club, an elephant-protection plan to fight the illegal ivory trade. With The Giants Club implementation charity, Space for Giants, work is…
Traveller24: 2016-01-11 09:36 – Selene Brophy The Kaza uni-visa, which allows visitors from 40 countries to travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia using the same document, has been reinstated, after initially being put on hold towards the end of December. This was due to Zambia’s running out of the required stamps, Zimbabwean Minister of Tourism, Dr…
On the 7th of January, the beloved Chapman’s Baobab, a national monument of Botswana and one of the 3 largest trees in Africa, fell. It is not yet clear what caused Chapman’s to fall, or whether the tree is still alive. The National Parks and Museums authority of Botswana is sending a team of botanists…
AFK Insider by Roxanne Reid There are more than 40 water holes in Etosha, each with its own strengths – unless they’re dry or there’s water everywhere in the veld after good rains, which usually fall between November and April. For the most consistently good wildlife sightings over the years, here are 10 of my…
Condé Nast Traveler, Written by Sarah Khan: Botswana’s appeal as a classic safari destination is timeless: It boasts a great mix of topographical diversity, as well as a staggering range of activities—from elephant-back rides to river cruising—all in a fairly compact region. The Okavango Delta, with its iconic lodges, should be the first place you…
&Beyond is set to expand its island footprint by adding &Beyond Vamizi Island to its portfolio. We will take over the management of the island, situated in the Quirimbas Archipelago off the coast of northern Mozambique, from 01 March 2016. The island’s six luxury private villas will continue to operate under our signature brand of…
Mombasa, 12 January 2016, Speaking at the opening of Kenya’s first luxury yachting marina (English Point Marina) in Mombasa, H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced an unprecedented tourism incentive package to attract world travellers back to Kenya. Visa fees for children under 16 will be scrapped indefinitely from 1st Feb 2016. VAT charges on National Park…
Tourism continues to be one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors in Africa. and the continent has witnessed a significant improvement in tourism activities since 2013. The 2015 edition of the Africa Tourism Monitor, released by the African Development Bank, in partnership with the New York University, Africa House and the Africa Travel Association,…
Transport Cabinet Secretary said Kenya had completed “almost all” relevant audit requirements by the United States aviation authorities, hence the bold projection. “We anticipate that we shall commence direct flights to the USA by May 2016, having as of now cleared almost all aviation audit issues,” Mr Macharia told the Nation. Kenya has been pushing…
Marriott Rewards, Marriott International’s award-winning loyalty program, announced that members can now earn South African Airways (SAA) Voyager miles for stays at more than 4,000 Marriott hotels across 16 distinctive global brands. As part of this new partnership, Marriott Rewards members can now also redeem points for SAA Voyager miles. “Providing our members with even…
Turkish Airlines has launched flights to Port Louis and Antananarivo, the capitals cities of Mauritius and Madagascar. The Istanbul-Port Louis-Antananarivo flights are being operated every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in both directions with the airline planning the addition of Monday flights from February 8, 2016 with . Read More
Off the tourism map for decades, Ethiopia has become an accessible tourism destination in recent years. The government’s tourism promotion entity, the Ethiopian Tourism Organization, has mounted a campaign to publicize the country’s rich menu of historical, cultural and natural attractions. But the going has been tough. Soon after the Ethiopian Tourism Organization got its…
December 2015 – The Wilderness Safaris conservation team was honoured to host Prince Harry in Botswana recently as part of a three-month trip to southern Africa to take part in various frontline conservation activities, including the company’s pioneering Botswana Rhino Project. On his Instagram account, Prince Harry wrote: “Trying to stop a three-tonne rhino with…
On Thursday, 10 December, Game Rangers International (GRI) hosted a celebration to honour the achievements of Cosmas Mumba, the Project Manager of GRI – Zambia Primate Project. As the first ever Zambian, Cosmas was recently nominated to the prestigious Tusk Conservation Award, supported by HRH Prince William. Cosmas attended the glittering award ceremony in London…
PROSPECTS of career opportunities in the hotel and hospitality industry in Nigeria and other African countries have received a tremendous boost with the debut of the African Hospitality Academy in Lagos. The Academy, operated with the support of The Hague Hotel Schools of the Netherlands, intends to revolutionise and enhance the nation’s hotel and hospitality…
January 8-10, 2016Complimentary Trade Day Exhibition Only! (Regular price: $20) Exclusive time in the Exhibition — meet with over 500 exhibitors, representing over 150 different countries in the following pavilions: Adventure, Africa, Asia, Australia/South Pacific, Caribbean, Cruise, Europe, Latin America, Mexico, River Cruises, Sponsor, Spa & Wellness, Travel Services and the U.S.A. See who’s exhibiting…
A new report by New World Wealth reveals which safari destinations in Africa are the most popular among the world’s super-wealthy. The top-rated safari lodges were based on a recent New World Wealth survey, which focused on the preferences of the super-rich. Africa received approximately 43,000 multi-millionaire visitors in the 12 months to September 2015,…
INCA – International Nature & Culture Adventures will introduce a new safari in Zimbabwe sure to appeal to adventurous travelers. From March through December 2016, INCA will offer the 10-day Footsteps of Giants that includes six nights in Hwange National Park at two different safari lodges and three nights at a camp on the Zambezi…
The Gathering 2016 – An APTA Northeast Event Join us as we celebrate the start of the most prestigious travel show in the USA, the New York Times Travel Show, in January 2016. Take this unprecedented opportunity to meet some of the finest product suppliers on the African Content – those who we feel are…