A new camp, Akagera Safari Camp, is set to open in Akagera National Park, in Rwanda’s Great Lakes region. Martin Chege, Reservations Manager of 3B Group of Hotels, told Tourism Update that construction was ongoing and was expected to be complete in July. The camp will have 30 rooms and is expected to welcome guests in August.…
The Department of Public Enterprise (DPE) has finally signed an agreement for the sale of 51% of SAA to strategic equity partner, Takatso Consortium, says the Ministry in the Presidency following a Cabinet meeting on February 23. The signing took place after eight months of negotiations between the two parties, due diligence and evaluation by the…
Iata expects overall air traveller numbers to reach four billion in 2024 (counting multi-sector connecting trips as one passenger), exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels (103% of the 2019 total). “The trajectory for the recovery in passenger numbers from COVID-19 was not changed by the Omicron variant. People want to travel. And when travel restrictions are lifted, they…
US carrier Delta Air Lines applied on Thursday (February 17) to the US Department of Transport for the rights to operate a non-stop direct service between its hub in Atlanta and Cape Town. Should the application be approved, Delta plans to operate three flights a week year-round on the route using a 306-seat Airbus A350-900…
Last week, South African Tourism met with its bid partners for Africa’s Travel Indaba – including Durban Tourism, Tourism KwaZulu Natal and the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban – and preparations for the show are in “full swing”, said Chief Convention Bureau Officer of the South African National Convention Bureau, Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo. She…
Border Air has finally been folded into the aviation GSA, Rogers Aviation, after Rogers Aviation increased its South African footprint by acquiring the company, which previously belonged to Lu Dowell, in March 2019. This means that, effective from January 1 this year, the name Border Air became defunct and the company became known as Rogers Aviation…
Botswana has increased its park and licence fees for all its visitors and guides, effective April 1. For visitors, citizens, residents and non-residents, current entry park fees are BWP10 (€1), BWP30 (€3) and BWP120 (€9) respectively. The revised user and service fees for citizens, residents and non-residents in Chobe National Park and Moremi Game Reserve…
Africa is transitioning out of the pandemic phase of the COVID-19 outbreak and moving towards a situation where it will be managing the virus over the long term, the head of the World Health Organization on the continent has said. “I believe that we are transitioning from the pandemic phase and we will now need…
The Ministry of Health and Wellness in Botswana has confirmed that, with effect from today (February 14), fully vaccinated travellers do not need to show a negative PCR test result on entry. Travellers who are unvaccinated must present a negative PCR test result obtained within the 72 hours preceding travel, and will be vaccinated at…
Tsogo Sun Hotels has welcomed the newly rebranded Garden Court Victoria Junction into its portfolio. The industrial-chic Green Point hotel opened its doors today (February 15). In November last year the Protea Hotel by Marriott Victoria Junction closed and handed the property back to HPF Properties, which is owned by Tsogo Sun. “The impact of…
The luxury Blue Train will return to service after it has undergone a thorough technical assessment, according to Transnet spokesperson, Ayanda Shezi. A specific date for restarting operations has not yet been set. “We would like to apologise to guests who have booked trips, for the inconvenience that this has caused,” Shezi said. Lekkerwater…a luxurious off-grid…
Two female giraffes under two years old and one male, four years old, recently arrived in their new home at the River Club Lodge in Zambia. They will live in their holding boma at the lodge for a few more months until they can be released to roam the property at their leisure. Geraldine, Justyne…
The Radisson Hotel Group has opened three properties in Madagascar – Radisson Blu Hotel, Antananarivo Waterfront, Radisson Hotel Antananarivo Waterfront and Radisson Serviced Apartments Antananarivo City Center. Radisson Blu Hotel, Antananarivo Waterfront is close to the recently developed premier business district, which is surrounded by shops, entertainment and businesses. The hotel has 168 rooms and…
Hyatt House Johannesburg Rosebank opened yesterday (Tuesday, February 15), marking the expansion of the Hyatt House brand globally. Hyatt House Johannesburg Rosebank is the third Hyatt hotel opened in collaboration with an affiliate of Millat Investments. “Hyatt House Johannesburg Rosebank is everything the name represents – a welcoming and warm environment that encourages guests to…
Dubai-based hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has debuted in Uganda following the signing of a management contract to operate two boutique hotels, Masheda Palms in Buyala and A’lure Hotel & Suites in Kampala. Bani Haddad, Founder and MD of Aleph Hospitality said: “I am personally very excited to start operations in Uganda. This is a…
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reshuffled its four-tier travel advisory list on Monday (February 7), dropping South Africa from ‘Level 4: COVID-19 Very High’ to its ‘Level 3: COVID-19 High’ category. While the CDC originally recommended that holidaymakers ‘avoid travel’ to South Africa, the new risk assessment has seen the advice relaxed to…
Registrations for Africa Travel Week (ATW) 2022 – held in Cape Town from April 11 to 13 – have opened. The trade show will once again bring together pan-African and international exhibitors as well as buyers from across the globe at headline shows, World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) and International Luxury Travel Market Africa (ILTM Africa). The highly anticipated…
Africa Showcase North America will return IN-PERSON April 5th in Fort Lauderdale and April 7th in Los Angeles. The event format delivers productive meetings and networking, face-to-face. You can choose the time that works best for you: the morning meeting session with lunch (09:30AM – 2:00PM) or, the afternoon meeting session with cocktails (2:30PM –…
Following its success in the Maasai Mara, Angama will expand with a second location in Kenya — Angama Amboseli NAIROBI, KENYA (9 February 2022) — With exclusive traversing access to Kimana Sanctuary — a 5,700ha game-filled oasis and critical wildlife corridor linking the greater Amboseli, Chyulu Hills and Tsavo ecosystems — Angama will bring its signature blend of…
The pandemic has all but ended in South Africa. Sure, there are still signs warning everyone to maintain a social distancing. And people continue to wear masks in public. But talk to South Africans, and you get the sense that it is, as they say in the American South, all over but the shoutin’. The…
South African Airways will reinstate its popular twice-weekly service to Mauritius will resume on March 1, 2022. The Mauritius government suspended SAA flights late last year due to COVID-19 and concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant. Flights between Johannesburg and Mauritius will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring Business and Economy Class…
Emirates will make a full return of passenger services to and from Casablanca from 8 February. The return of Casablanca in Morocco marks a full restoration of Emirates’ pre-pandemic African network including 21 cities spread across the continent. Customers flying to and from Casablanca can safely travel on Emirates to Dubai, and enjoy an array of…
After two months of uncertainty about mandatory quarantine for travellers arriving in Zimbabwe, including reports of quarantine not being implemented, the government has now lifted the requirement for all arrivals with immediate effect. The removal of mandatory quarantine will be welcome news to local tourism businesses as well as those in the hospitality industry who have spent…
When the results of his study came in, Kondwani Jambo was stunned. He’s an immunologist in Malawi. And last year he had set out to determine just how many people in his country had been infected with the coronavirus since the pandemic began. Jambo, who works for the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, knew the total number…
National carrier of the UAE, Etihad, intends to resume flights between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg from March 3, following the UAE Government’s approval of passenger flights to South Africa and 11 other African countries. The UAE lifted the restrictions on flights from the 12 countries and a ban on passengers from those countries, plus a…
The long-awaited announcement from Emirates regarding the restarting of its passenger services on the South African route was finally made today. This came after the news broke yesterday that the UAE would begin to allow in foreign visitors from African countries that had been ‘red-listed’ due to the Omicron variant. The airline says it will…
A new chapter began yesterday (February 1) when one of the Western Cape winelands’ most iconic hotels, The Lord Charles, opened its doors. The hotel closed in August 2020 after the Spanish-based NH Hotel Group said it would not renew the contract. The new owner-managed organisational structure allows for flexibility in managing the day-to-day operations…
African Bush Camps will open a new luxury lodge in June in the eastern part of the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia. Lolebezi is African Bush Camps’ second safari property in the country, along with Thorntree River Lodge in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Accommodation includes standard suites and two family suites with riverfront views. Each…
After a successful relaunch in September last year, South African Airways (SAA) has just recorded operating over 1,000 flights and is now leading its local competitors when it comes to on-time performance. Furthermore, since its restart in September last year SAA has also recorded a 100% completion rate – the percentage of completed scheduled flights…
The 131-room voco The Bank luxury hotel – the InterContinental Hotel Group’s first voco in Africa – officially opens to guests tomorrow (February 1). Situated in the trendy suburb of Rosebank Johannesburg, the hotel – managed locally by Valor Hospitality – appealed to international and domestic leisure and corporate travellers, said GM, Jessica Redinger, speaking to Tourism…
One of the most popular African nations for tourism is reopening to international travel. Morocco, which has had a ban on visitors since November 29, 2021 due to the Omicron variant breakout, announced it will reopen to visitors beginning February 7. The Moroccan government made the decision and announcement but did not provide any details…
Royal Balloon Rwanda, in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board and Akagera Management Company, is pleased to announce the start of its operations in Rwanda by offering a hot air balloon experience in Akagera National Park, the first of its kind in the country. Royal Balloon Rwanda operates two hot air balloons that can accommodate…
The Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has launched Destination Uganda brand ‘Explore Uganda’ as his government seeks to sustainably promote the Pearl of Africa as a competitive tourism destination for inclusive development. “We unveiled and launched the brand for destination Uganda, a proud Lily Ajarova told eTurboNews today.” Lilly Ajarova is a Ugandan conservationist and tourism…
Local creativity, talent and festivity will be in the spotlight at the Cape Town Carnival on March 19, set to return after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From 14h30 to 21h30, each Carnival Hub will host five consecutive shows celebrating the diverse cultures and stories of Cape Town, with clean-up in between…
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, has been chosen to host the first upcoming Africa’s Eden Travel Trade Show, a four-part conference that will meet between February 2022 and November 2023 in the southern African countries that make up the KAZA region. In celebration of what the KAZA area has to offer both domestic and international tourists, the…
An award-winning film, Binti – Swahili for ‘young women’ – produced by an all-women team, became Tanzania’s first-ever Netflix release on January 7. The debut film of Tanzanian film studio, Black Unicorn, tells the story of four women who are connected by their perseverance and strength while struggling with extreme hardship in Dar es Salaam. Sisters Alinda and Angela Ruhinda produced…
Seychelles expects to welcome over 200,000 visitors to its shores this year as traditional tourist markets show signs of rebounding faster after the removal of travel restrictions in several European countries, a top official said on Monday. The Principal Secretary for Tourism, Sherin Francis, made the statement to the press following the start of the annual tourism…
Kapama Private Game Reserve, near Hoedspruit in the Limpopo province, is increasing its conservation area by expanding its borders and incorporating the 11-room Klaserie River Safari Lodge as part of its property. The neighbouring property on the northern border of the reserve, stretches along the Klaserie River and is home to a variety of wild…
Just as the African tourism industry was starting to show promising signs of recovery, a new variant reared its ugly head and threw everything off-kilter. Luckily, Africa specialists predict that a flourishing future awaits the travel and tourism industry in Africa in 2022 and beyond. The world’s reaction to the fact that South Africa’s scientists…
SAA has issued a trade release with the news it is starting Durban flights. The airline said three flights a day between Johannesburg and Durban would commence from Friday March 4. SAA Interim CEO, Thomas Kgokolo said the route was one of the busiest in South Africa and the national carrier had been guided by data in…
From the New York Times: After nearly two years of restricted travel and the recent detection of the Omicron coronavirus variant, South Africa’s many outstanding wildlife reserves and conservation projects are badly in need of support. Lockdowns caused a 96 percent drop in visits to South Africa’s national parks, jeopardizing the efforts of places like iSimangaliso Wetland Park,…
With 2022 around the corner, Africa experts have shared their top trends to Africa for the coming year: Exclusivity and privacy “We expect to see more requests for private experiences that allow guests to enjoy specific attractions in the most exclusive way possible,” said Wayne Nupen, regional touring director at AndBeyond. Regenerative travel “‘Restorative safaris…
#3 – Mauritius Looking for lots of outdoor adventure? Head to the beautiful island of Mauritius. Mark Twain compared the island’s coral reefs and transparent waters set against a rugged interior backdrop to paradise. This island’s fascinating cultural mix and intriguing natural setting make it the perfect remote escape. #9 – Malawi Add conservation work…
Safari airline, AirKenya, has expanded its network by adding Tsavo National Park to its destinations. The flight is already operational from the Finch Hatton airstrip (FIH) in the park. The daily service leaves Wilson Airport in Nairobi at 07h30, arriving at 08h30 via Amboseli National Park. The return service departs Finch Hatton at 08h45 and…
Registration for the 16th Meetings Africa is officially open. Following the announcement by South African Tourism last year that the trade show would be staged in a physical format after its absence in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Meetings Africa is set to reignite Africa’s business events industry. “The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll…
A brand-new biometric corridor for traveller health screening has been installed at Seychelles International Airport, making the country only the second in the world after the UAE to use walk-through biometrics. The ‘bio-corridor’ identifies the individual traveller using biometric facial recognition technology and checks their temperature with a thermal camera. Fully integrated with the Seychelles…
A collaboration between Giraffe Conservation Foundation, African Parks and Department of National Parks and Wildlife is helping Malawi to repopulate some of its protected areas with Giraffe. Few months ago, the longest wild Giraffe translocation ever was undertaken by road. 10 South African Giraffe made their historic trip to Malawi where they joined the 13 giraffe already…
For the first 10 months of 2021 (January to October) Kenya recorded a 40.8% growth in tourism numbers, with 663 036 visitors over the period compared with 470 971 arrivals over the same period in 2020. This was highlighted by Magical Kenya, the country’s official destination website. The destination organisation said this year could see even further performances in tourism…
Mozambique’s Council for Ministers has issued a decree to formally merge the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of Maputo Special Reserve and Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve into one conservation area, the new Maputo National Park. The proclamation of the 1 700 sqkm park follows two decades of intensive development and restoration activities led by the…
As South Africa’s airlift gradually returns following the global Omicron variant scare of late November 2021, agents will be relieved to hear that Qatar Airways will start carrying passengers outbound from South Africa into its Doha hub, on its 21 weekly flights from South Africa, starting January 13. On that date, the airline will resume double-daily…