Major Refurb for Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

The renowned Victoria Falls Safari Lodge in Zimbabwe is getting a fresh new look, with new furniture, soft furnishings and décor across its 72 rooms and central area, which includes the Buffalo Bar and MaKuwa-Kuwa Restaurant. Africa Albida Tourism (AAT) CEO, Ross Kennedy, said the refurbishment, which should be completed by the end of June, was part of the…

Seychelles Signs Codeshare with Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways and Air Seychelles have signed a codeshare agreement. Under the codeshare, Qatar Airways will place its code on Air Seychelles-operated flights between Mahé and Praslin, enabling passengers to continue their journey using a single booking. Currently, Qatar Airways operates a daily flight between Doha and Seychelles International Airport (SEZ). Qatar Airways serves over…

Spotlight on Endangered Species Day: Insights into the Mabula Ground-Hornbill Project with Dr Lucy Kemp

They look wildly different from us but Southern Ground-Hornbills have surprisingly ‘human’ characteristics when it comes to their behaviour. According to Dr Lucy Kemp, this is just one of the reasons that this species is truly remarkable, and she is certainly the expert.   “Southern Ground-Hornbills are amazing tourism attractions; they are a flagship umbrella…

Tanzania Developing Africa’s Largest Carbon Offset Project

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered between the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) and GreenCop Development PTE, Ltd., a Singapore-registered company, will develop the carbon-offset project as they seek to hook a share of the carbon credit billions to bankroll conservation of a territory covering 2.4 million hectares in Southern Tanzania. The voluntary carbon offset project that…

Indaba Highlights Strong Africa Tourism Rebound

Post-outbreak travel to Africa tourism is rebounding strongly, with key destinations including South Africa experiencing significant visitor growth, outpacing global arrivals in 2023. African tourism was “one of the hardest-hit sectors” during the pandemic, said Patricia de Lille, South Africa’s minister of tourism, speaking at the Africa Travel Indaba conference in Durban, South Africa this past…

Kenya Removes COVID Entry Requirements

Kenya has revised its COVID-19 travel regulations, removing the requirement for all travellers entering the country to show proof of either vaccination or a pre-departure COVID-19 test, with effect from May 9. Now, only travellers arriving at any port of entry into Kenya with flu-like symptoms will be required to fill the passenger locator form…

Future Looks Bright for St Helena

The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the island of St Helena’s tourism sector, but since the lifting of restrictions in August 2022, the remote destination has shown strong signs of recovery. Estimates forecasted that the peak tourist demand season for 2022/23 (between October to March) was likely to see around 50% of the number of visitor…

APTA Webinar | Welcome to Waybird for Individuals!

REGISTER HERE Welcome to Waybird for Individuals! If you’ve ever wanted to build (or are currently building!) your own travel business, this is the platform for you. Included is liability insurance, licensing and a whole host of other features. What can you expect from Waybird for Individuals? — Cutting edge tech — Liability insurance and…

JENMAN Photo of the Year Competition: Celebrating the Beauty of Wildlife in Africa

JENMAN African Safaris proudly presents our exciting new Photo of the Year competition, open to all passionate travelers who have explored the breathtaking landscapes of Africa and Madagascar. Entries are now open for the highly anticipated JENMAN Photo of the Year competition. This year’s theme is “Wildlife,” inviting photographers and travelers from around the world…

Who’s Coming to APTA Global Forum?

APTA is excited to be hosting its Global Forum in Cape Town, South Africa September 26-30, 2023. This is the first time that APTA has held the Global Forum on the African continent, so this will be a great opportunity for travel advisors from North America to experience and explore one of the most beautiful…

Eswatini Air Touches Down in Durban

The national carrier of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Eswatini Air, touched down at King Shaka International Airport in Durban on its inaugural flight from King Mswati III International Airport in Manzini on Friday (May 5). An Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, with a maximum capacity of 50 passengers, will be deployed on the route, offering three…

Samburu Intrepids Re-Opens After 20 Month Closure

Heritage Hotel’s Samburu Intrepids has reopened following a 20-month COVID-era closing. The lodge is once again open for business and already receiving guests at normal capacity. Samburu Intrepids’ location deep inside the reserve guarantees close encounters with Samburu’s shier species, including elephant, leopard and Samburu’s famous ‘special five’ – the rare reticulated giraffe, long-necked gerenuk…

Botswana Waives Park Entry Fees for Tour Operators

The Botswana government has announced that employees of tour operators in the country who are Botswana citizens will no longer have to pay park entry fees. This development was confirmed by Thato Raphaka, the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation, and Tourism. The new regulation was effective from April, pending a gazette…

Indaba Kicks Off in Durban

Africa’s Travel Indaba (ATI) 2023, the continent’s iconic leisure trade show, officially kicked off yesterday (May 9) at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, and will continue until tomorrow (May 11). Ministers, tourism officials, exhibitors, media and more, were all in attendance at the opening ceremony. “It gives me great pleasure to…

Waybird is Hiring

We’re looking for someone to join our US team to empower independent travel specialists to easily plan trips to remote and specialist destinations such as Africa, Latin America and Asia. Check out the role here or get in touch with us on hello@waybird.com  

Airlink to Launch New Kruger/Vic Falls Route

Independent regional airline, Airlink, will launch flights between Mbombela (Nelspruit) and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from November 28. The new route will complement Airlink’s existing service between Mbombela’s Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) and Livingstone on the Zambian side of the world-famous waterfall. “The new service to Victoria Falls expands our direct connections between Southern Africa’s…

Proflight Launches First Lusaka-Cape Town Service

Starting July 1, Proflight Zambia is launching the first direct flights between Lusaka and Cape Town, making it the airline’s fourth South African route, adding to its Lusaka-Johannesburg, Ndola-Johannesburg and Lusaka-Durban flights. The direct service to South Africa’s second-largest city means that, for the first time, travellers will no longer need to transit through Johannesburg. Proflight…

Classic Portfolio Appoints Olivia Havens in North America

Classic Portfolio, the group of independently owned lodges and camps in Africa, has recently appointed Olivia Havens as its Head of Trade Relations in North America. Based outside Chicago, Havens will be working closely with Classic Portfolio’s Managing Director Suzanne Bayly in managing North American trade partnerships. Known for her strengths in driving sales and networking, Havens has been…

Malawi International Tourism Expo a Success

The Malawi Ministry of Tourism has hailed the return of the Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE), which was an overwhelming success this year. The two-day international tourism expo tagged “Takulandirani” brought together tourism operators, experts, DMCs, and local suppliers to transact business at the Bingu Wa International Convention Centre in Lilongwe. Speaking at the official…

Auric Air Services Limited achieves prestigious ISSA certification for operational excellence

Auric Air is delighted to inform that it has attained the official certification of ISSA and is now a certified airline. ISSA (IATA Safety Standard Assessment) is IATA’s internationally recognized and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of airlines operating smaller aircraft not eligible for the larger IOSA program.…

Mara Elatia Camp Ready for Bookings

Mara Elatia Camp and is now ready to begin bookings. Nestled in the peaceful North Western plains, ELATIA, meaning “The Good Neighbour” in Maa, rests a twelve tented camp gracefully perched along the Oloololo escarpment of the Masai Mara. ELATIA is an easily accessible luxury camp set on the interlocking hills of the Mara triangle…

Kenya to Revise Carry-On Rules

Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority Director-General, Emile Arao, has announced that soon, passengers departing the country’s airports won’t need to remove electronics, such as laptops and iPads from their carry-on baggage for security screening before boarding. This, said Arao, should save time spent in queues. There will also be a revision to the liquids allowance for carry-on…

APTA Welcomes New Corporate Member – Machaba Safaris

Jill Polsky, Getaway Journeys, L.L.C. – exclusive representation for Machaba Safaris is proud to announce that we are now APTA Corporate Members. Machaba Safaris operates in Botswana and Zimbabwe with locations in prime safari destinations including the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Mana Pools National Park, and Hwange National Park. While each site has its own…

APTA Global Forum Q&A

The Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA) is excited to be hosting its Global Forum in Cape Town, South Africa September 26-30, 2023. This is the first time that APTA has held the Global Forum on the African continent, so this will be a great opportunity for travel advisors from North America…

Arusha Airport Undergoes Massive Expansion

Arusha Airport in Tanzania, popular for charter flights for tourists, will soon be back to full operation after a TZS6.3 billion (€2.4m) expansion. The airport, located on the outskirts of Arusha, is one of the oldest in the country and work has been carried out recently to extend its runway to accommodate larger aircraft. The…

JENMAN African Safaris Celebrates 25th Anniversary

JENMAN African Safaris: Celebrating 25 years of creating unforgettable travel and safari experiences Cape Town, South Africa – JENMAN African Safaris, one of the leading tour operators in Southern Africa, East Africa and Madagascar, is proud to announce its 25th anniversary. Since its inception in 1993, JENMAN has been dedicated to providing high-quality service, expert…