RwandAir Continues Fleet Expansion

RwandAir has continued to expand its fleet with the recent delivery of its seventh Boeing 737 aircraft. The Boeing 737-800 will be based at the carrier’s Kigali hub and will operate throughout Africa and the Middle East. The aircraft will allow RwandAir to further expand its regional operations and offers customers connectivity and quick transfers…

AURIC AIR and MONTE Sign Agreement to Explore Zero Emission Propulsion Technologies

Auric Air is excited to announce a collaborative agreement with MONTE, marked by a meeting between MONTE’s Executive Chairman, Raymond Eyre, and AURIC AIR SERVICES LIMITED’s Nurmohamed Hussein and Sajid Hussein. This agreement signifies a mutual commitment to explore the conversion of Auric Air’s fleet to low/zero-emission propulsion technologies. MONTE will work with Auric Air…

Imbali Safari Lodge Shines with Dual Win at 17th Annual World Luxury Hotel Awards

Johannesburg, 31 October – The World Luxury Hotel Awards, a globally recognised benchmark of excellence in the luxury hospitality industry, recently concluded its 17th Annual Awards ceremony. We are thrilled to announce that Imbali Safari Lodge received top honours in not one, but two prestigious categories: Luxury Eco Safari Lodge (Global) and Luxury Safari Lodge…

Sierra Leone Wins Earth Shot Prize

COMBINING COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP AND DIGITAL TOOLS, THE CITY OF FREETOWN’S INITIATIVE, FREETOWN THE TREETOWN, IS GALVANISING A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT FOR TREE PRESERVATION IN SIERRA LEONE’S CAPITAL. Over the past half century, Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, has undergone rapid population growth, resulting in the loss of millions of trees due to urban development in…

More Nature Reserves in the Pipeline for Cape Town

The Council of the City of Cape Town has supported the proclamation of six new City-managed nature reserves across Cape Town, and the extension of various nature reserves. The proposed new nature reserves are Ariesfontein Nature Reserve; Haasendal Nature Reserve; Soetwater Nature Reserve; Symphony Way Nature Reserve; Van Schoorsdrift Nature Reserve and Westlake Nature Reserve.…

Seychelles Kicks Off New Cruise Season

Seychelles’ highly anticipated 2023-2024 cruise season was launched with the arrival of the newly built SH Diana late last month. To kick off the new season, Mahé Shipping, the Seychelles shipping agent responsible for co-ordinating this year’s launch event, orchestrated a ceremony in collaboration with the Seychelles Ports Authority, the Tourism Department, and key partners such as…

New flight to Link Zimbabwe and Kruger

Starting March 1, 2024, Halsted’s Aviation Corporation (HAC) will begin operating weekly flights between Buffalo Range Airport (Chiredzi, Zimbabwe) and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (Mbombela, South Africa), enhancing connectivity between two sought-after safari destinations in sub-Saharan Africa. This new flight routing will enable guests to seamlessly link Singita Malilangwe in Zimbabwe and the Singita Kruger…

Gondwana Collection Opens The Pearls

Gondwana Collection Namibia has recently unveiled the latest addition to its upmarket Secret Collection, The Pearls, in the coastal town of Swakopmund. Situated just steps from the beach, The Pearls’ accommodation offering includes all meals and drinks, a fully stocked kitchen, and a private bar. There is also a central dining area and lounge with…

Botswana Unveils First Cable Car Project

Cable Cars Botswana (CCB) has revealed ambitious plans for the installation of cable cars in the southern region of Gaborone, atop the scenic Kgale Hill. The cable cars will offer an exciting urban adventure, providing visitors with panoramic views of Gaborone and its surroundings. In 2019, CCB initially tried to launch cable cars in Chobe…

Terror Threat Advisory Issued for Small Part of Tanzania

Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice to Tanzania yesterday (October 30), advising against all but essential travel to any area within 20km of the Tanzanian border with the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique. This is due to attacks by groups linked with Islamic extremism and follows an earlier terrorism warning regarding certain…

KZN South Coast Focuses on Building Rural Tourism

There is a drive to develop rural tourism assets globally, with inclusive tourism economies beneficial for both tourists and hosts. Through rural tourism, outlying communities are included in mainstream economies, tourists are afforded more authentic, nature-based experiences, and conservation becomes a central tenet. On the KZN South Coast, this welcome trend has unearthed unique tourism…

Fastjet’s New Flight a Boost for Bulawayo

Zimbabwe’s tourism industry has welcomed fastjet Zimbabwe’s continued route investment into the country, celebrating the additional flight frequencies from Bulawayo’s JM Nkomo International Airport to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport that launched on Monday (October 30). The new weekday flights increase the daily service to 12 weekly flights from Bulawayo to Johannesburg, introducing choice and…

Upcoming Webinars from APTA Members

WETRAVEL – THE BOOKING & PAYMENTS PLATFORM FOR MULTI-DAY AND GROUP TRAVEL BUSINESSES EVENT DETAILS Wednesday, November 15th at 2pm Eastern REGISTER HERE: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/292904651107414 Join this webinar to learn about WeTravel, a platform built to support travel businesses by digitizing and simplifying the booking and payment process. Now used by more than 5,000 travel companies,…

Airlink Expands Malawi Operations

Airlink, Southern Africa’s premier airline, will expand its South Africa – Malawi operations with additional flights between Johannesburg and Lilongwe from 16 December 2023. In September, Airlink launched services to both Lilongwe and Blantyre in its foray into the Malawi market, which became the 15th country in the independent regional airline’s comprehensive route network. “As anticipated,…

Kapama Kruger Homestead Opens

The moment we’ve all been eagerly awaiting has finally arrived – the official opening of Kapama Kruger Homestead!   Nestled in the heart of the renowned Kapama Private Game Reserve, Kapama Kruger Homestead is a testament to luxury and untamed beauty.   We invite you to explore a haven where your wildest dreams of an…

Angels View Graskop Scoops a KLCBT Annual Award

Angels View were thrilled to be announced the winners of the KLCBT/PricewaterhouseCoopers Emerging Entrepreneur Award 2023 at this year’s Annual Awards Dinner. This prestigious award focuses on newly established businesses recognising unique business enterprises focusing on innovation and job creation. Owners Dr Reuel and Ms Mumsy Khoza were present to collect the award personally, “It…

Malawi’s Lilongwe Wildlife Trust Receives ‘Outstanding International Sanctuary’ Award

Lilongwe Wildlife Centre has been selected as the winner of the GFAS 2023 Outstanding International Sanctuary Award. The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) is one of the leading global bodies for accrediting ethical sanctuaries. Lilongwe Wildlife Centre has been accredited by GFAS since 2015 and was selected from over 200 other GFAS-certified sanctuaries for the…

Goway Announces New Updates for Africa

More than two dozen suppliers and destinations – from South Africa to Saudi Arabia – took part in Goway’s Africa & Middle East event, the first since 2019. Moira Smith, Goway’s VP, Africa and Asia, connected with Travelweek to talk about what’s new. Moira Smith, Goway’s VP, Africa and Asia, connected with Travelweek to talk…

Zambia’s Tourism Gets Big Budget Boost

THE government of Zambia has approved an almost 25% increase in the budget allocated for tourism in 2024, with a focus on the development of tourism infrastructure, marketing, wildlife management and development of tourism products. Presenting the 2024 National Budget at the end of September, Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwanesaid government had…

Uganda Airlines Launches Lagos Service

Uganda Airlines has launched flights between Entebbe and Lagos, with the inaugural flight touching down in Nigeria last week. The flight will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays, using a 258-seat Airbus A330-800neo. “Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy while Uganda’s central location on the continent makes it the ideal connection hub between East, West, North…

SAA Signs Lease for Aircraft

SAA and SunExpress – a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines – entered into a damp lease agreement that will allow SAA to operate a schedule using two SunExpress aircraft for six months, commencing this month. The first of the two aircraft was received on October 11. The SAA lease covers the provision of…

Rwanda Focuses on Aviation Upskilling

The African Development Bank has provided US$53 million to develop a cutting-edge aviation training facility in Rwanda. The facility, the Centre of Excellence for Aviation (CEAS), scheduled to open in 2025, is designed to accommodate 500 students annually. It will offer pilot training, maintenance instruction, air traffic control expertise and drone piloting proficiency, reports airspace-africa.com. In anticipation of…

Babanango Rebuilds Elephant Populations in SA

The Babanango Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, which has become one of South Africa’s latest Big Five wilderness areas through a successful rewilding project, has reintroduced another seven elephants to the 20 000-hectare property. The elephants were successfully relocated from the Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape, bringing the total number of the mega-herbivores…

Uganda’s Parks Remain Open Following Attack

All national parks managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) remain open to visitors. UWA will continue to work with other security agencies to ensure that all people visiting the country’s protected areas are safe. This statement was issued by UWA earlier today (October 18) following a tragic attack by “unknown assailants” in the Queen Elizabeth…

Malawi Promotes Walking & Hiking

Malawi is a hidden gem for walking and hiking enthusiasts. With its stunning and diverse landscapes, this tiny African nation is perfect for those looking for some action and adventurers on their holidays. From the shimmering shores of Lake Malawi to serene forests, roaming zebras and ancient rock art, trace the Rift Valley’s escarpment or…

Pollman’s Tours & Safaris Named Kenya’s Leading Destination Management Company 2023 by World Travel Awards

Pollman’s Tours & Safaris, a premier tour operator in Kenya, is honoured to announce that it has been awarded “Kenya’s Leading Destination Management Company 2023” by the World Travel Awards. The prestigious accolade was presented at a glamorous gala event held in Dubai. World Travel Awards, renowned as the global hallmark of travel industry excellence,…

Born Free Expands

With the exciting addition of Anne Bellamy and Richard Haas-Winkelman, previously with Great Safaris and Africa Travel – Born Free need help!!  Do you want a long-term career in tour operations with an emphasis on Africa? We need an in-house office administrator for all duties in planning trips. Office is located in the West San…

Cycle Malawi Returns with Tours in 2024

Cycle Malawi, a tour operator in Malawi specialising in cycling excursions across the country’s contrasting landscapes, will be returning in 2024. The inability to travel during the height of the pandemic meant the operator had to put on the brakes before launching more tours. But now tourism is back in full flow, Cycle Malawi has…

First Lady of Zimbabwe Recognized by UNWTO

The First Lady of Zimbabwe, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, was recognised by UNWTO Secretary General Zurub Pololikashvili for “championing gastronomy tourism” in the country and region at the eighth UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in San Sebastián, Spain, over the weekend. Mnangagwe took University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, and students from three other universities in the country…

City Lodge Sells Iconic Sandton property

The City Lodge Hotel Group (CLHG) has entered into a sale agreement for the City Lodge Hotel Sandton, Katherine Street property in Sandton, Johannesburg. “The sale agreement includes a restriction on the use of the property for short-term accommodation purposes,” said Andrew Widegger, the group’s CEO. He did not elaborate on who the buyer was or…

New Direction for The River Club Zambia

Ultra Properties, which manages The River Club in Livingstone, Zambia, recently announced the closure of the property as a lodge, effective January 1, 2024. The River Club property was passed on to new owners on December 1 last year, and they have now decided to refocus the use of the property. “The Ultra Properties team is now…