SAA is expanding its fleet and laying the groundwork for its first overseas routes. The long-awaited development was announced on Friday, May 5, in a media release. The airline said it had been greenlighted by the Government for “a significant expansion” of its fleet. The intention is to pave the way for the national carrier…
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…
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…
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…
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest airline in Africa, took delivery of its 20th A350-900 aircraft from Airbus at the end of April. With the delivery of the A350, the airline now operates 144 modern aircraft to more than 150 domestic and international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Airbus A350-900s, Boeing 737s, 777s, 787s, and Bombardier…
Mont Eco, a new Big Five private game reserve in the Klein Karoo has opened this month. It is 25km outside the historic town of Montagu, close to Cape Town. A 6 500-hectare rehabilitated conservation stronghold, the reserve offers an experience that is truly off grid. Guests will enjoy not only the diversity of game but the…
With 12 storeys, a breathtaking view of Cape Town’s imposing Table Mountain and a minimal ecological footprint, the world’s tallest building made with industrial hemp is soon to open its doors in South Africa. Workers in central Cape Town are putting the finishing touches on the 54-room Hemp Hotel, which is due to be completed…
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…
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, 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…
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…
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…
Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge is expanding its product offering with the introduction of two Bedouin-style family tents elevated on a wooden platform. The tents offer a scenic view of the Karatu Hills and will welcome guests from July. Perched atop a hill, the lodge is in Tanzania’s northern safari circuit in Rhotia, near Karatu on…
Polentswa Lodge – owned by the Ta Shebube group and located in the Mabuasehube area on the Botswana side of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – has reopened following a devastating veld fire that destroyed the nine-unit tented lodge in September 2021. Shabani Ndzinge, Ta Shebube MD, told Tourism Update: “We have decided to open the lodge with just…
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…
The country’s catchphrase of Tanzania unforgettable has got a boost, thanks to the tour operators and police in Arusha for rolling out an ambitious training package for tour drivers in a bid to offer tourists hustle free trips. The first batch of Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) and Arusha Regional Traffic Police Office initiated…
The Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE) is back after a COVID hiatus and currently underway in Lilongwe. A record number of international attendees are in Lilongwe this week, well over 100, making this the biggest and most successful itineration of MITE ever. More info at http://tourism.mw/
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 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…
RwandAir will launch its first ever direct flights to Paris in June. This means passengers flying from Kigali to Paris will reach their destination in eight and a half hours. From June 27, the thrice-weekly flights will link the two cities – a signal event in the life of the young, rapidly-growing airline. RwandAir CEO, Yvonne…
Southern Sun has announced the rebranding of the Holiday Inn Sandton to Southern Sun Sandton. “We are delighted to extend our presence in Sandton with this exciting addition, providing our signature Southern Sun Hotels brand to one of the area’s most well-established business and conferencing hotels,” said Southern Sun CEO, Marcel von Aulock. “In addition to…
“Rich in contrast, compact in size and big in hospitality!” That’s how Sarah Njanji, Vice Consul Tourism at the Malawi Consulate in Johannesburg describes Malawi in a nutshell. Malawi has several national parks, which are enjoying more and more attention for the successes of their conservation efforts over the past 20 years and for the richness…
Mauritius beach resort, Outrigger, on the south coast of the island at Bel Ombre, has been temporarily closed to visitors since February 18, due to the detection of the presence of Legionnella, the microorganism that causes Legionnaire’s disease. Although no new cases related to the hotel have been identified since February 18, the property has…
RwandAir has signed a new codeshare with Turkish Airlines. Passengers coming to Africa on Turkish Airlines’ flights into Kigali will have access to RwandAir’s growing African network in Southern, West, Central and East Africa, in a seamless experience, including their baggage. RwandAir passengers, when travelling from Africa, will now have access to the Turkish carrier’s…
Wilderness has revealed plans to open a new luxury tented camp in September on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta. Wilderness Mokete will be situated in the game-rich Mababe concession. Nine solar-powered en-suite canvas tents, each with a retractable roof, will be linked by ground-level wooden walkways leading to a tented lounge area and…
The Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA), the largest and longest operating travel trade organization for African specialists in North America, is extending the early registration date for its Global Forum through April 15, 2023. The APTA Global Forum will be held in Cape Town, South Africa September 26-30, 2023 and the…
The Warm Heart of Africa will welcome guests to the 4th edition of “Takulandirani” Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE) to be held from 26th to 27th April, 2023 at the Bingu Wa Mutharika International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe. More info here.
Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) will raise the conservation fees for accessing Victoria Falls National Park from April 1. This decision was made despite the previous backlash from stakeholders who claimed they were not consulted earlier this year when Zimparks first proposed the increase. Back in December, the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe…
SAUDIA, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, launched its first direct flight to Dar es Salaam this past weekend. The airline will be operating four weekly flights between King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The flights are operated with an…
J.W. Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of 30 hotel brands, officially announced the opening of J.W. Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, marking the company’s highly anticipated debut in the luxury safari segment. Located within the Masai Mara National Reserve in Southwestern Kenya, one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife and wilderness conservation regions, the lodge…
Marriott International has signed a franchise agreement with Tingana Hospitality Group to open a new Autograph Collection Hotel in the Kruger National Park (KNP). The property, called Leopard Sands, is currently being built and will undergo brand positioning before opening as a Marriott Autograph Collection property. Tingana Hospitality Group has a collection of luxury lodges…
While there are major actions needed to elevate the tourism sector – improving safety, increasing air access, increasing investment, and growing tourism’s contribution to the economy – the industry is ready to come back with a bang! This was the positive message from the Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, speaking at WTM Africa, which kicked…
Continuing with its impressive international route expansion, Ethiopian Airlines is set to operate yet another route between New York and Côte d’Ivoire starting on May 23. The airline will resume the flight between New York JFK international and Felix Houphouet Boigny International Airport in Côte d’Ivoire, commonly known as the Ivory Coast. This route was launched in June 2019…
Johannesburg to Nosy Be will re-commence from 25 June 2023 with a once-weekly direct flight on Sundays as part of the drive to restore flights between South Africa and Madagascar to pre-pandemic levels. “Having just recently re-established connectivity between Johannesburg and Antananarivo, which is a predominantly business and trade route. Airlink is preparing to re-ignite tourism…
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2023 is expected to almost double in size, drawing growing revenue and attracting thousands of delegates and international buyers to the Durban International Convention Centre from May 9-11. This is the forecast business and government tourism leaders, including Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, gave of the continent’s upcoming premier tourism and travel business…
Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) will raise the conservation fees for accessing Victoria Falls National Park from April 1. This decision was made despite the previous backlash from stakeholders who claimed they were not consulted earlier this year when Zimparks first proposed the increase. Back in December, the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe…
Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira, on a private island off the coast of Mozambique’s Nampula province, is on track for opening in the first quarter of 2024. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the ultra-luxurious resort was slated for opening in the second quarter of 2022. The property will be only the third Banyan Tree resort in…
As of 22nd March 2023, Zambia no longer requires proof of Covid vaccination or a negative PCR test to enter the country. Botswana, Namibia and Zambia now offer free movement with regards to any Covid-19 restrictions. We hope that Zimbabwe will soon follow. For up-to-date travel information regarding Covid-19, please refer your clients to the…
Turkish Airlines is to relaunch its Lusaka service with two flights a week via Dar es Salaam from 26 March 2023. Outbound flights to Istanbul will operate on Mondays and Saturdays, and inbound flights on Sundays and Fridays. Flights depart from Lusaka at 02h50 and arrive in Istanbul at 14h40, after a flight of 10 hours…
TIME Magazine’s coveted list of 50 “World’s Greatest Places” for 2023 is now out and includes several African destinations including: Musanze, Rwanda Giza and Saqqara, Egypt Dakar, Senegal Rabat, Morocco Loango National Park, Gabon Chyulu Hills, Kenya Click here to check it out
Tanzania has launched an international tourist centre at the iconic Serengeti National Park in a bid to promote the country’s vast tourism offerings. Opened by Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mohamed Mchengerwa, the visitor centre provides information on the country’s 22 national parks and 29 game reserves, including maps and key attributes of the various…
SAA has alerted the trade that clients who are holding open tickets and travel EMD vouchers (Electronic Miscellaneous Document), have travel credit vouchers that expire on Friday, March 31, 2023. Following its Business Rescue, SAA created the option for customers holding unflown tickets to exchange them for credit vouchers. These unused tickets and credit vouchers…
Zambia Airways will debut its regional operations with thrice-weekly flights between Lusaka and Harare from March 28, as the relaunched national carrier seeks to achieve its goal of carrying 1.9 million passengers annually by 2028. The airline was relaunched in December 2021 through a partnership between the Zambian Government, the Industrial Development Corporation and Ethiopian…
The Mozambique government has officially approved the addition of 28 countries to its visa exemption list, in what the tourism industry has touted as a significant move to boost inbound tourism to the nation. The expansion of the visa waiver list is part of a package of economic stimulus measures announced by President Felipe Nyusi in August…
A new ‘Star Bed’ tower and ‘Star Drift’ experience will debut at Chiawa Camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia on May 1. Located just downstream of the main camp, the ‘Star Bed’ tower – an open-to-the-skies sleep-out experience – is positioned on the banks of the Zambezi River, overlooking ‘Scout’s Hollow’, an…
Emirates is adding flights to Dar es Salaam and Entebbe to meet increased demand. Daily flights to Dar es Salaam will start on May 1, up from the current five times a week, and daily flights to Entebbe will start on July 1, currently six times a week. The flight schedules will be as follows:…
The cyclone has unleashed torrents of water in built-up areas of Blantyre along the rivers, and terrible landslides have swept down hillsides. Boulders more enormous than houses have rolled down the mountainside leaving no trace of dwellings, humans or life behind. The plains in Chikwawa and Nsanje have again disappeared under water, leaving thousands of…
Five years ago, the river valleys and high plains that are now safeguarded by the Babanango Game Reserve in the KwaZulu Natal region of South Africa were virtually devoid of wildlife after decades of cattle grazing and unrestrained hunting. “All the big animals had been killed and most of the smaller ones had run away,”…
Airlink has appointed AVIAREPS as its GSA to consolidate the airline’s presence in the crucial North American and Asian source markets. “North America is a significant source market, not just for Airlink but for businesses, entrepreneurs and leisure travellers. Economic activity between South Africa and North America is increasing, including tourism, trade and commerce,” said…
SAUDIA, in collaboration the Saudi Air Connectivity Programme (ACP) and the Saudi Tourism Authority, is launching flights to four new destinations including Johannesburg, Kano (Nigeria), Birmingham (UK), and Beijing. The new direct flight routes are being launched in response to the increase in consumer demand from travellers looking to visit or transit through Saudi from…