Uganda Tourism Board and Jinja City Authority have concluded plans to develop Jinja as a gateway tourism city in the Eastern part of Uganda, executives said on May 19. The plans are a result of a meeting held between the UTB, Jinja City Council officials and the Private Sector at the Jinja City Hall under…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added five countries to its list of Level 3 ‘high risk’ travel destinations for COVID this week. The five new countries are South Africa, Lesotho, Antigua and Barbuda, and Taiwan. South Africa was previously on Level 2 and Lesotho on Level 1. New omicron sub…
Tanzania National Parks’ (TANAPA) recently introduced bicycle tourism saw 27 cyclists reach the top of the 4 566m-high Mount Meru in the north of the country. The cyclists, including both tour operators and tourists, completed their attempt to conquer Africa’s fifth highest mountain in three days. Speaking at the foot of Mount Meru, Albert Mziray, Assistant Commissioner…
Passengers no longer need to take a PCR test prior to their departure for Kigali, according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Health over the weekend. A rapid antigen test taken 72 hours before departure is now accepted. Travellers still have to take a second antigen test at their own expense (US$5/R80) on…
Delta Air Lines has announced that it will take its Johannesburg frequency from three to six flights a week, with effect from May 25. A Delta spokesperson told Tourism Update the additional flights had been for sale for some time. “We are seeing significant demand for travel between South Africa and the US from both points of…
Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South African Tourism Board to promote tourism and boost visitor arrivals and inbound traffic to South Africa from key markets across the Emirates network. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022 by Badr Abbas, Emirates’…
The luxury travel brand show, We Are Africa – organised by This is Beyond, hosted by the City of Cape Town and headlined by South African Tourism – has drawn approximately 700 people to the DHL Stadium in Cape Town this week. The four day show, which kicked off yesterday, includes participation by 320 exhibitors…
SATSA has received several reports of international travellers, especially travellers arriving from the United States, arriving at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) only to find they have to undergo a rapid antigen test despite showing proof of vaccination. The reason for the test requirement appears to be that most travellers from the US do not have a…
The Kingdom of Eswatini Government and Airlink have agreed to dissolve their joint-venture airline business, Eswatini Airlink, which will cease operations from June 1. Airlink and the Kingdom’s new national carrier, Eswatini Air, will then provide scheduled air services between Johannesburg and King Mswati III International Airport. Eswatini Airlink currently operates multiple daily services between…
Machaba Safaris will open a brand-new classic safari camp, Mana River Camp, in Mana Pools National Park on May 15. The camp is a temporary camp, functioning for seven months of the year, from May to November Mana River Camp occupies the site formerly known as Mwinilunga. It has six classic three-module Sahara Lodge tents…
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…
Premier Hotel & Resorts recently hosted a ground-breaking ceremony in Thohoyandou to mark the building of the hospitality gourp’s 25th hotel in the portfolio. Tsakani Masia, who attracted the interests of the Premier Hotel & Resorts, is the owner of African Century Group, and the founder of the project, reports Ghanamama. Premier Hotel Thohoyandou, situated in…
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…
Millat Investments has acquired control of the landmark Winston Hotel in Rosebank in Johannesburg, South Africa, adding another key property to its fast-growing hospitality portfolio. The acquisition of the five-star Winston property follows the successful Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 in Durban last week, an event that focused on reigniting tourism to South Africa and the…
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,”…
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 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…
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 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.…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
More options and more capacity between Johannesburg and Cape Town to Windhoek, Namibia Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city, is known for its modern, German influenced architecture, rich culture and welcoming people. It is a doorway into Africa’s wild landscapes with nature reserves, sand dunes and safari activities on the city’s outskirts. Why not book your customers…
TOA Hotel & Spa, a new luxury beach hotel on a private white-sand beach in Pongwe on the east coast of Zanzibar, is due to open in May. The hotel will offer 86 guestrooms, three swimming pools with ocean views, three bars, a restaurant, a spa with treatment rooms, a sun deck and a gym.…
Machaba Safaris will open Kiri Camp in the Okavango Delta in June. The new luxury tented camp is in a private concession on the Kiri River system, between the Boro and Kiri rivers. The camp is built on raised wooden decks with views of the Kiri floodplains which stretch out in front of the camp.…
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’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 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’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, 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…
Airlink’s new logo of a sunbird adorning the full size of the tail being applied to its 50 Embraer jets marks a decisive step in the company’s history. Previously the bird only flew over the top half of the empennage, inserted into the tail design of South African Airways (SAA), as Airlink had been operating…
The historic town of Zomba in southern Malawi is ready to be the backdrop of the second Zomba City Festival from April 29 to May 2. Venues will offer entertainment for all ages at various lodges and public spaces. There will be arts and culture, sports and kids’ activities spread throughout the town, including ‘Art in the…
TANZANIA is the home of the Number #1 Safari destination in the World and houses four of the most coveted adventure destinations on earth: the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, and Ngorongoro Crater. TATO, Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, Tanzania’s leading members-only group advocating for over 300 private expert tour operators in Tanzania, will deploy a…
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…
Air arrivals to East Africa are set to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 8.8% in 2024, according to GlobalData, an international data and analytics company. Projected growth in air travel would be due to investment in airport infrastructure and East Africa’s global reputation as one of the world’s best ecotourism and wildlife destinations, said Craig Bradley, GlobalData…
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 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.…
Award-winning Celebrity Chef Siba Mtongana reached global recognition with her televised food show and internationally acclaimed cookbook but it was a while before she ventured into business by opening her own restaurant in 2020. At the outset of the pandemic, Mtongana opened Siba The Restaurant as a pop-up in The Table Bay hotel in Cape Town. And this year she…
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 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’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…
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…
Bush and Beyond is excited to announce the premiere of Land of the Living – the inspiring documentary featuring The Emakoko, Tangulia Mara Camp, Lewa House and Ol Malo. To quote the film’s director, Goh Iromoto, “The concept for this film originated out of personal loss over 6 years ago, and eventually, after a long…
The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is now open to visitors! As of February 1, the general public can enjoy the campus’ exhibits and interactive learning tools. As the new permanent site of the Karisoke Research Center’s state-of-the-art facilities, this campus will also help researchers and conservationists make great strides in…
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…
With effect from March 28, vaccinated arrivals no longer need to present a negative PCR test result to be granted entry to Zambia. Unvaccinated travellers, however, still need to submit a negative PCR test taken within the 72 hours prior to departure. Children aged 11 years and younger are exempt from having to present proof…
Zimbabwe had scrapped PCR for inbound vaccinated travellers. The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting said in a tweet that a valid vaccination certificate showing travellers were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 would suffice. Custom Websites for the Travel Industry
Africa Showcase is the travel industry’s premiere destination to meet face-to-face with a selection of key travel providers from across the African continent. This year’s event will take place in-person April 5th in Ft Lauderdale, FL and April 7th in Los Angeles, CA. By participating in Africa Showcase you’ll have the opportunity to reconnect with top…