Emirates has announced it will operate double daily flights to Seychelles from 24th December 2021, until 9th January 2022 to serve market demand during the busy holiday season. The added service will offer customers more travel choices, flexibility and enhanced connectivity to the island-nation. Emirates currently operates a daily flight to Seychelles utilising its Boeing…
As champagne corks popped throughout Southern Africa this afternoon when the UK Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, announced that all 11 countries would be removed from Britain’s red list, there were renewed calls for other major source markets to follow suit. The removal from the red list will be effective from 04h00 GMT tomorrow (Wednesday, December 15)…
Swift action by the government to launch a vaccination campaign against Covid-19 has had a positive effect on tourism, it was revealed here yesterday. Despite being severely battered by the pandemic, the sector recorded a 52 percent increase in the number of visitors from last January to November . Likewise, this led to a 69…
Ghana will charge airlines $3,500 for every passenger flown in the country who isn’t fully vaccinated against Covid-19, part of a push by the West African country to avoid a fresh wave of infections. Carriers that take vaccinated passengers without negative PCR test results into Kotoka International Airport will also be fined starting Tuesday, the…
Brussels Airlines is resuming some of its previously canceled routes to Africa due to the COVID-19 crisis. For its 2022 summer schedule, the Belgian flag carrier will add West-African destinations Conakry (Guinea) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) from June 11th. The airline credits its expansion to an additional Airbus A330 that will join its fleet some…
Years before the obsession with wild-borne pathogens latching onto humans gripped the world, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka was already dealing with disease spillovers. Except, she worried about humans infecting gorillas in her native Uganda. “Disease transmission goes in both directions,” says Kalema-Zikusoka, a trained wildlife veterinarian. It demonstrates, albeit narrowly, an idea gaining currency in the COVID-19…
The new version of Zambia Airways has taken to the skies and the airline has ambitions to fly to Johannesburg and to service at least two routes in Zimbabwe. The new airline forms a building block in Ethiopian’s hub strategy across Africa. The publication New Business Ethiopia says Ethiopian Airlines has a 45% stake in the joint…
BON Hotels has announced the addition of its latest property in its portfolio – The Royal Palm Hotel and Apartments by BON Hotels, located in upscale Umhlanga Ridge, KZN. All 94 luxury apartments overlook the stylish Palm Boulevard in the heart of the vibrant shopping, restaurant and lifestyle hub of Umhlanga Ridge. There are14 penthouses,…
Four suspects have been arrested following the massacre of four rhino, including a pregnant female, on Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve in the Western Cape last week. This was confirmed by Inverdoorn owner, Searl Derman: “As previously mentioned, the South African Police Service, Cape Nature, forensic investigator Wayne Stoltz – who was instrumental in solving the 2011 Aquila poaching incident –…
Seychelles will receive about $10 million from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the coming 18 months to improve its Blue Economy sector, the UNDP resident representative to the island nation said on Tuesday. Amanda Serumaga paid a visit to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House in Victoria, the culmination of a two-week mission in Seychelles.…
Tanzania is banking on a cable car facility on Mount Kilimanjaro to unlock its potential to attract tourists who cannot climb Africa’s highest mountain. The Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mary Masanja, said the project is on track and would begin soon. On Tuesday, Ms Masanja told a press conference in the capital…
United Airlines has resumed its thrice-weekly non-stop service between its New York/Newark hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Cape Town, with a special (grey) water salute marking the arrival of the first flight UA1122 into Cape Town International Airport last night (Thursday, December 2). The seasonal service was operated for the first time from December 2019…
The government of Mozambique has opened a new international airport, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi Airport, at Chongoene, near Xai-Xai in the Gaza province, making the region accessible by air for the first time. The airport was officially opened by President Filipe Nyusi, who said it would promote the development of the local and regional economy, especially with…
South African Airways (SAA) has signed a co-operation agreement with local and regional carrier CemAir that extends the route network reach of both operators and offers customers using both airlines on a multi-destination voyage a seamless check-in experience. SAA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer Thomas Kgokolo says, “Airlines the world over constantly strive for efficiency and…
A Zimbabwean safari guide who ventured to the US in the 1990s, living on Cup-a-Soup while working at making children’s dreams come true, returned home to continue his profession with a bag full of ideas. He’s now making waves in the schools, communities and tourism boardrooms of his country. Blessing Munyenyiwa pours his own labelled…
Africa’s largest aviation group, Ethiopian Airlines, has been crowned as the ‘Best African Airline’ at the 2021 Business Traveller Awards. The votes made by the business travellers for this year took into account the COVID period with key questions covering airlines’ effectiveness in communication, effective implementation of COVID precautionary measures, handling of loyalty program member…
The new advanced partnership is a key milestone towards both airlines’ ambitions of co-starting a Pan-African Airline Group by 2023. The partnership framework follows the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) that the two airlines signed two months ago to foster the exchange of knowledge, expertise, innovation, digital technologies, and best practice between the two airlines. The…
African leaders are pushing back on travel bans imposed by wealthy or Western nations in an effort to stop the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant — and expressing their anger that the result of South Africa’s openness in sharing news of the variant has led to what they see as punitive measures. The…
Tanzania’s economy is projected to grow as expected despite the resurgence of Covid-19 in some countries plus raising energy prices. The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) said on Tuesday that the global growth has been slightly lower than projected but will still support the country’s growth prospects. The country’s GDP is forecasted at 4.8 per cent…
30 white rhinos have been successfully translocated to Akagera National Park in Rwanda, from &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa. 30 years ago there was not a single white rhino on &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve. Now, 30 years later, &Beyond was able to take part in the largest ever rhino translocation in…
Better days for tourists and diplomats are in the offing, thanks to the rollout of the police training programme, as part of key players’ ambitious strategy to enhance tourist’s safety and security. Dubbed, a tourism management, safety and security tailor-made course, is brainchild of Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato) in partnership with Saint Augustine…
Appeal for taking a “risk-based and scientific approach” to travel bans to Southern Africa with consideration of the devastating human implications following the announcement of the B.1.1.529 variant of COVID-19. Africa’s Eden Tourism Association is a private sector, membership based organisation representing the tourism ecosystem in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We are appealing to…
Visitors from seven southern African countries will not be permitted to enter Seychelles from Saturday November 27 until further notice under new travel measures announced by the local health authorities on Friday due to a new variant of COVID-19. The Ministry of Health said that the new restrictions apply to South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia…
The government of Tanzania has ordered additional jets for its national flag carrier, Air Tanzania, supporting its network expansion plans. The airline will receive three jets; one Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and two Boeing 737 MAX jets. Air Tanzania plans to expand services from the country to new markets across Africa, Asia and Europe. “Our flagship…
The development of two of Malawi’s ecologically-crucial wilderness areas, Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve – which form part of the Nyika-North Luangwa section of the Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area – is “progressing in leaps and bounds”. This according to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife, Dr Michael Usi, who visited the parks…
A remarkably well-preserved fossil elephant cranium from Kenya is helping scientists understand how its species became the dominant elephant in eastern Africa several million years ago. Dated around 4.5 million years old and recovered from a site on the northeast side of Lake Turkana, it is the only well-preserved elephant cranium — the portion of…
Eastgate Airport near Hoedspruit, which serves as a gateway to Limpopo’s safari destinations, completed a R20 million (€1.13m) upgrade this month. A spokesperson for the airport told Tourism Update that, with an average of 150 monthly flights and over 7 000 passengers passing through its gates in any given month, Eastgate needed an upgrade to better service…
After the cancellation of two signature global trade shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, South African Tourism is excited to once again host both Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba. The destination marketing organization confirmed that the flagship business events and leisure trade shows will return next year, with both platforms being hosted…
The Zanzibella Hotel & Spa is set to open in Zanzibar, Tanzania in January 2022. Located in Kiwenga – the north eastern part of Zanzibar – the hotel will initially open with 28 rooms, with additional rooms to be added later. The rooms will have either garden or ocean views. There is also a family…
SAA has announced that with effect from December 12, it will commence operating three flights a week to Lagos in Nigeria. SAA has been flying to Nigeria for the past 23 years and the resumption of its service to Nigeria’s largest city and commercial hub will be a welcome addition to its growing continental offering.…
The island nation is open to visitors from all countries again after travel restrictions were removed for India, Brazil, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The five were removed from the restricted list in a revised travel advisory released Friday by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health said that for entry into Seychelles visitors have to…
If you’re planning your next adventure to or from the Americas, enjoy a seamless travel experience with Emirates JetBlue partnership. Book your entire journey with Emirates and connect to the US, the Caribbean, or South America, all on one ticket. Codeshare flights are available to 50 domestic cities via New York (JFK), 41 cities via…
The Ceres Rail Company’s vintage steam train is set to resume services between Cape Town and Elgin on November 28 – after 20 months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trips will resume every Saturday and Sunday, where the train departs Harbour Bridge Hotel & Suites on Dockrail Road in Foreshore, Cape Town at…
The cruise ship season in Seychelles will reopen after an 18-month hiatus with the arrival of Le Bellot from le Ponant group on 18 November, a top official said on Thursday. The last cruise ship to visit Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, was in March last year before a temporary closure was announced by…
The United States reopened its borders Monday to foreign visitors fully vaccinated against Covid-19 after 20 months of travel restrictions, paving the way for eagerly anticipated reunions among family members and friends. The ban, imposed by then president Donald Trump in early 2020 and upheld by his successor Joe Biden, has been widely criticized and…
Leading global travel publisher Lonely Planet have released their hotly anticipated Best in Travel list for 2022 and rising African star Malawi has been include in the Top Ten Countries once again – making its second appearance in 8 years on this most respected of travel inspiration lists. The destinations chosen by Lonely Planet span…
Kenya’s tourism marketer, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has released exciting new courses in the Magical Kenya Travel Specialist Program. The program which was launched earlier this year in March is designed to deliver and maintain effective online training targeted at travel agents around the world. Kenya is an iconic travel destination in East Africa, owing…
So there are now new things you have to do before you can see Rwanda’s famed gorillas. Effective immediately, fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in Rwanda no longer need to quarantine at designated hotels while waiting for airport-administered PCR test results. Proof of full vaccination is required to avoid quarantine requirements, and travelers who cannot…
APTA’s Webinar Library is growing! New content is being added all the time, including: APTA’s recent session during Africa Showcase 2021 APTA’s Explore Africa Webinar Series – Welcome Back to East Africa Tanzania is Rebooting Its Tourism Industry APTA North East Panel Discussion on Travel to East Africa The Story of Kasbah Tamadot APTA members…
Tanzania has been voted as Africa’s leading travel destination ahead of South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda and other countries of the continent. Tanzania was voted Africa’s leading destination in the 2021 World Travel Awards (WTA). World Travel Awards is the travel industry’s most prestigious awards programme, rewarding leaders in the tourism, airline, hotel and hospitality sectors.…
British Airways has added Airbus A380 flights to Johannesburg to its schedule from January 10th. As things stand, the route will be the fourth long-haul flight operated by the giant of the skies, following its return to passenger service with the airline, planned for next Monday. British Airways is slowly bringing the Airbus A380 back…
It is a few minutes past 11am local time. The sky above is bright. The sound of ocean waves calmly splash the shores, welcoming another busy day on the beaches of Nungwi in Zanzibar. Excitement is palpable among a group of people gathered around a coffee table nestled on the white sand in Kendwa Rocks…
Emirates will soon resume twice-daily flights to Seychelles, President Wavel Ramkalawan announced while heading a delegation at the Dubai Expo 2020. The Dubai-based airline, Emirates, which previously operated twice-daily flights to Seychelles prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed daily passenger services to Seychelles in August last year. Speaking at a press conference, Ramkalawan said the Seychellois…
ANEW Hotels & Resorts has announced two new additions to its portfolio with the grand opening of ANEW Hotel Parktonian (formerly Protea Hotel by Marriott Johannesburg Parktonian) in Braamfontein and ANEW Hotel Roodepoort (formerly Protea Hotel Roodepoort) on November 1. ANEW Hotel Parktonian will be the largest hotel in the group’s portfolio, offering 300 rooms…
In a great leap forward for aviation and health in the region, Airlink is to become the first carrier in Southern Africa to trial the Iata Travel Pass, a secure digital smartphone app that allows passengers to provide accurate information on their COVID-19 health status and also to access the entry requirements of any countries they…
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT), responsible for running Malawi’s only wildlife rehabilitation centre and a key campaigner in Malawi’s fight against wildlife crime, have released their latest newsletter covering a collection of latest projects and conservation successes. This month, the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust were excited to announce the launch of their apprenticeships programme which will offer Malawian…
Tanzania Tourism players have pumped multi-millions of shillings into an extensive anti-poaching program designed to protect the priceless wildlife heritage of Africa’s animals in the Serengeti National Park. Under the auspices of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO), tourism investors have dished out 150 million shillings (US$65,300) to boost a de-snaring program, redoubling their…
On Thursday, October 21, World Travel Awards, a global initiative that recognises and rewards excellence in travel and tourism unveiled its Africa 2021 winners. World Travel Awards also recognised Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro among Africa’s leading destinations, making the three Tanzanian national parks claim a spot on the 2021 conservation awards list. Tanzania won…
Another adventure tour operator is joining the South African market, with LEETO Nomads, a self-described outdoor lifestyle experience hosting and trade marketing services agency, announcing its official launch this past weekend. Tourism Update caught up with the founder, Lehlohonolo Pitso, who has 22 years’ experience in the tourism industry – including heading the South African Tourism Regional…
Announcements that the US has moved South Africa down to Level 3 and that it will open borders from November 8 to fully vaccinated travellers only bodes well for market recovery. This is according to Sense of Africa, South Africa Chief Operating Officer, Martin Botha. He told Tourism Update the North American market would likely pick up for travel…