Kruger National Park Set for Revamp

SANParks has begun its three-year R370m upgrade and refurbishment programme in the Kruger National Park. Funds for the infrastructure upgrade were obtained predominantly from an Infrastructure Development Programme and allocated to SANParks from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. “The decline in tourist revenues under COVID-19 has impacted our revenue but the need to…

Paragliders Return to Ghana

Every Easter weekend, thousands of people from around the world flock to the quiet Ghanaian towns of Kwahu and Atibie for a paragliding festival and Easter carnival that residents hope may establish the West African nation as a hub for extreme sports. This year marked the festival’s return to its annual schedule after the Covid-19 pandemic forced…

WildEarth LIVE Safaris with EcoTraining

Please take note that EcoTraining have created a dedicated page on our website for the purpose of streaming our WildEarth live stream safaris, this replaces the two short live stream we previously had on our social media pages. Agents can now refer clients to this dedicated page on the EcoTraining website to enjoy WildEarth safaris. Viewers…

Indaba Declared a ‘Resounding Success’

Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 exceeded expectations and the organisers – South African Tourism, Durban Tourism and Tourism KwaZulu Natal  (TKZN) – are optimistic that the 2023 event will be bigger, better and even more meaningful. “Now that stakeholders in the African tourism sector have seen what we can do, we can only grow from here,”…

Indaba Kicks Off with 625 Buyers and 20,000 Meetings

Close to 625 buyers are attending Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022, which kicked off yesterday (Monday, May 2) at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre & Durban Exhibition Centre in Durban, KwaZulu Natal. Over 20 000 meetings have been confirmed on the matchmaking diary system, matching the right buyers with the right exhibitors. An upbeat Themba Khumalo, South…

Kenya Airways Reinstates Madagascar Flights

Kenya Airways has reinstated flights from Nairobi to Antananarivo, following the lifting of travel restrictions by Madagascar. The airline resumed flights on April 25, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The service also connects in Nairobi with flights to Paris, Johannesburg, Dubai, Amsterdam, London, Mumbai, Dar es Salaam, Accra, Abidjan, and Dakar. Flight KQ256 will…

Luxury Safari Camp to Open in Hwange

A new luxury tented camp, Camp Chitubu, will open on June 1 in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. The camp is built on a ridge overlooking a waterhole that attracts a huge variety of wildlife. Six spacious Bedouin-style tented guest rooms sleep two adults in twin or double beds with an option for kids. Each…

Uganda Airlines to Launch UK Flights

Uganda Airlines will launch direct flights between Entebbe International Airport and London Heathrow from November. According to Rahim Shakila Lamar, the airline’s Corporate Affairs and Public Relations Manager, flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Lamar said timings would be announced at a later date after consideration of other flights feeding into the London route.…

Serengeti River Lodge to Reopen in June

Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge, in the &Beyond portfolio, lies on the banks of a tributary of the Grumeti River in the remote western reaches of the Serengeti, is to reopen on June 6. There are very few lodges in this section of the park, and guests can expect the ultimate in exclusivity, says &Beyond. There…

First Destination Spa in Victoria Falls to Open Soon

Africa Albida is thrilled to announce that they are building Victoria Falls’ largest and first purpose-built spa, which is scheduled to open in October, and is set to place Zimbabwe’s top tourist attraction on the map as a wellness destination. This development, to be named Victoria Falls Safari Spa, comes as Victoria Falls is experiencing a much more rapid…

Nairobi Hilton to Shut Down After 53 Years

The iconic Hilton Hotel located in the Nairobi central business district (CBD) will shut down after 53 years of operation. The Standard understands that several staff members will lose jobs following the decision, which has already been communicated to the Kenya Tourism Board. The Five-Star hotel began operations in the capital city on December 7,…

America Leading a Tourism Comeback in Africa

With new flights on the horizon, an overhaul of traditional seasonality and improved traveler confidence, the future for Africa’s travel and tourism industry is looking up. This is in part thanks to American travelers, which African tourism has highlighted as one of the top three source markets leading the continent’s recovery. During a presentation at…

Uganda Revises COVID Testing Requirements

With immediate effect, the requirement of PCR testing by all incoming and outgoing travelers at Entebbe International Airport has been adjusted as follows: All in-bound and outbound travellers will be required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, except for travellers aged 5 years and below. Requirement for negative PCR test done within 72 hours…

Tanzanian President Solidifies Tourism Ties with US

Tanzania and the United States have pledged to promote and develop trade and tourism between the two countries following a meeting last Friday (April 15) between Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and US Vice President, Kamala Harris. “Our administration is deeply committed to strengthening the ties in Tanzania and to African countries in general. The United States and…

Rwanda Tourism Revenue Up 25%

Rwanda’s tourism revenue increased by 25% in 2021 – from US$131 million recorded in 2020 to US$164 million for 2021 – according to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Statistics released earlier this week by the RDB show that the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions sector generated US$12.5 million in 2021 compared with US$5.4 million in…

Delta’s Route Application Approved for Atlanta/Johannesburg/Cape Town Triangle

Delta Air Lines’ application to fly a triangular route between Atlanta, Johannesburg and Cape Town has finally been approved by national government – a move welcomed by the Western Cape government, which had reinstated an intergovernmental dispute process last month to ensure a speedy resolution. Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, said that while…

South Africa to Introduce a Digital Nomad Visa

South Africa’s captivating coastlines and unique ecosystems attract millions of travellers every year. With tourism bringing in an estimated $10 billion (€ 8.2 billion) to the economy and employing millions throughout the country. However, South Africa’s tourism industry suffered a major setback in 2020, when COVID-19 reached the country’s shores. Before the pandemic, international visitors…

Malawi Aims For Tourism

Malawi, in southeastern Africa, is often confused with Mali, or even the Maldives in the Indian Ocean — but it is working hard right now to change that. On my one visit there about 20 years ago I could see the reasons that, despite its natural beauty and wildlife opportunities, Malawi had yet to be…

Malawi Has a New $660MM Tourism Master Plan

Malawi may become the tourism investment paradise in Africa. This was made clear after Malawi’s President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera last week Monday unveiled a $660 million tourism investment master plan. This plan will help map up the infrastructure development for this southeast African Nation. Malawi has no history of political instability and has all the…

Uganda Updates from Classic Africa Safaris

Classic Africa Safaris reports that the Bugungu Airstrip in Murchison Falls National Park will be closed for upgrading from 18 Jun 2022 to 18 March 2023. During that time, all flights will be redirected to the nearby Pakuba airstrip. This closure is only a minor logistical change to safaris in MFNP. The Uganda Wildlife Authority…

Air Mauritius Returns to Madagascar

Air Mauritius is now operating four flights a week between Mauritius and Madagascar. Flights started yesterday, April 7. The flights operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and both an Airbus A350-900 and an A330-900neo aircraft will be used on the route. Flight MK288 departs Mauritius at 14h20 and arrives in Antananarivo at 15h15. MK289…

Radisson Rolls Out Africa Plan

Radisson Hotel Group has an ambitious African growth plan. The group has signed five new hotels across the continent so far this year, adding almost 600 rooms to its African portfolio. This year, the group aims to add more than a dozen hotels, reaching just over 100 hotels in operation and under development in Africa.…

Eswatini Drops PCRs for Vaccinated Visitors

Eswatini has reopened to all vaccinated international visitors without the need for a negative PCR test result. According to The Kingdom of Eswatini’s official tourism website, those entering the country must produce one of the following upon arrival: either a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate or a valid negative PCR test result that is no older…

KLM Ups Frequencies to Cape Town

KLM has announced that it will increase the flight schedule between Cape Town and Amsterdam as a result of greater demand for flights between the cities. The airline has increased its flight schedule between Cape Town and Amsterdam to six flights per week and daily flights will commence from July 11. The flights depart Cape…

Airlink Links Durban and Harare

Airlink’s inaugural flight between Harare and Durban, using its modern Embraer ERJ135, arrived in Durban on Tuesday (April 5). Durban Direct, the KZN Route Development Committee, arranged a water cannon salute as the aircraft touched down with a full load of passengers, the first of thousands who are expected to boost trade and tourism between…

Kenya Park Fees Increase

Following two years of reduced park fees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced amended park fees for Kenya’s National Parks. Click here to view Kenya Wild Life Services July 2022-December 2023 fees.

Elewana Announces Special Offers

Be the Early Bird Save up to 20% off nett contract rates Stay 4+ nights and save 10%, stay 7+ nights and save 15%, stay 10+ nights and save 20% Beach & Bush Package Get 25% off your accommodation at Kilindi Zanzibar When combined with 3 nights at any Elewana bush property. High season included! Return Discount…

SAA Update on Ticket Refund Requests

South African Airways is nearing the completion of processing ticket refund requests for customers whose travel plans were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in flight cancellations, border closures, and various travel restrictions. It has been South African Airways’ utmost desire to fulfill our commitment to provide a duty of care to our customers that…

Kenya Removes PCR Requirements for Vaccinated Travelers

All travelers arriving into Kenya through any point of entry must have a certificate of COVID- 19 vaccination. The following categories of travelers are exempt from the requirement: Travelers with medical conditions precluding vaccination. Such persons shall be required to provide a letter from a recognized medical practitioner detailing the medical reason precluding vaccination. Travelers…