South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that Ndabenhle David Simelane has become the first black Chief Pilot for SANParks Air Services. SANParks Chief Operating Officer Lize McCourt, said: “Simelane’s most recent promotion sees him moving from the rank of pilot to SANParks Chief Pilot and Person Responsible for Operations as per the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s…
With travel somewhat picking up and President Cyril Ramaphosa moving the country into adjusted alert level 3, South African airlines are capitalising on air travel demand by offering new routes. Low-cost carrier FlySafair is one of the latest airlines to launch a new route. The airline will offer flights between Bloemfontein and Cape Town from…
The APTA Executive Board is excited to announce the launch of our 3 part webinar series starting next week. This diverse, virtual series will feature some of our incredible Corporate Members and will include everything from Africa’s tropical Seychelles and Maldives to Egypt, Kenya and beyond. This is not your typical webinar series. We know…
As Tanzania gets prepared for the influx of tourists after Covid-19 pandemic, spectacular black rhino tourism has been launched. The Rhino Sanctuary is at Mkomazi National Park ‘The Home of Black Rhinos’ that extends in Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions, overlooking Mount Kilimanjaro in the north and Tsavo West National Park. The first Africa’s wildlife park…
Qatar Airways has joined Tourism Seychelles in a strategic marketing partnership to support tourism recovery in the country. In anticipation of the increased demand for travel to the Seychelles, Qatar Airways has increased its flights to the island destination from three a week to daily, using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 22 seats in business…
Recent changes in Botswana’s lockdown regulations have caused some confusion for tourists visiting the country. But the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (Hatab) has now released a statement confirming that travellers only have to present a PCR negative test result not older than 72 hours on boarding, and do a rapid test at the…
Air France will start flights to Zanzibar, via Nairobi, from October 18. The flights will operate twice weekly using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. On Mondays and Fridays, flight AF0836 will depart Paris-Charles De Gaulle at 23h45 and arrive in Nairobi at 08h55 the next day. It will depart at 10h35 and arrive in Zanzibar at…
RwandAir has become the first sub-Saharan airline to launch a loyalty partnership with Qatar Airways. The two carriers have joined to offer RwandAir Dream Miles and Qatar Airways Privilege Club loyalty members access to each other’s destinations with the opportunity to earn points across their reciprocal route networks. Under the new deal, RwandAir Dream Miles…
Tanzania will host the East African Community (EAC) regional tourism expo in October, the country’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Damas Ndumbaro announced Friday. The tourism expo will be held in the northern tourist city of Arusha, Ndumbaro told a virtual meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers for Tourism. Ndumbaro said Tanzania offered…
Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest Pan-African airline, has become Africa’s top airline in passenger and freight traffic retaining its leadership position in the continent. According to the African Airlines Association’s (AFRAA) report, Ethiopian has been ranked first by passenger and cargo traffic in 2020. Ethiopian carried 500 thousand tons of freight and 5.5 million passengers…
The South African tourism industry is mourning the loss of a ballooning legend. Bill Harrop, the founder of Bill Harrop’s Original Balloon Safaris, has died of Covid-19 complications only five days after his wife, Mary’s death. Tributes have been streaming in from all over the country with people remembering Bill Harrop’s sense of humour, his wit…
The lifting of travel restrictions across the world is giving a bullish outlook for Tanzania’s tourism industry which has seen its earnings from tourism at an 11-year low, official data shows. Tanzania’s tourism earnings took a hit in the past two years as the world imposed travel restrictions to avoid spread of the viral Covid-19…
Comair is suspending all kulula.com and BA Comair flights for three weeks in light of the new adjusted level four lockdown regulations, which prohibit non-essential domestic travel in and out of Gauteng. The move is hot on the heels of a similar announcement of suspended July flights made by domestic airline, LIFT, also announced this…
Following an aggressive vaccination program that enabled it to become the world’s first nation to achieve COVID-19 herd immunity, Seychelles is re-open to the world and ready to welcome travelers for their post-COVID vacations. Join the Seychelles Tourism Board for a one hour session reintroducing the Seychelles and all its 115 islands have to offer…
Botswana properties are seeing an increase in bookings as travellers return to the country for photographic safaris. Toby Jermyn, Director of Pangolin, says: “The Pangolin Chobe Hotel has returned to pre-pandemic levels of occupancy for June as wildlife photographers have raced back to make the most of Botswana’s extraordinary wildlife and photo opportunities with the…
RwandAir will resume flights between London Heathrow and Kigali on July 10. The Kigali/Brussels/London service will operate initially once a week on Saturdays and a second flight will be added on Tuesdays on July 20.
South Africa has entered at least two weeks of strict lockdown to combat a devastating third wave of Covid-19 linked to the more transmissible Delta variant. The country is experiencing a massive surge in infections, President Cyril Ramaphosa said as he announced the new wideranging lockdown during a nationwide address on Sunday. The third wave…
Kenya Airways has increased its flights to the United States to three times a week, up from one. The flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Effective June, July, August and December, Flight KQ002 departs Nairobi at 23h35 and arrives in New York 07h35 the next day. The return flight KQ003 departs New York…
Eswatini Airlink and its operating partner, Airlink – the South African-based domestic and regional airline – have cancelled flights tomorrow between Johannesburg and Sikhuphe’s King Mswati III International Airport, due to civil unrest in Eswatini. “In the interest of the safety and security of our customers and staff, and in consultation with our partner Airlink, we have decided to…
While much has been said about how the opening of the new Kazungula bridge, which connects Zambia and Botswana, will facilitate flow of trade in Southern Africa, the bridge is also strategically poised to grow tourism in the surrounding Kaza area through easier connectivity for travellers. The 923m Kazungula bridge, which cost US$260m and crosses…
Seychelles Tourism is in for big changes starting September 1. STB CEO Sherin Francis promoted to Principal Secretary for a new Department of Tourism Republic Seychelles. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism combines resources to promote, lead, and regulate tourism in Seychelles more effectively. The Seychelles Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, the Hon. Sylvestre…
Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) announced last Friday, June 25, that its ‘Resort Holidays’ scheme was going full steam ahead, on schedule, with effect from July 15. The scheme is Phase 1 of Mauritius’s reopening for tourism. It allows fully vaccinated travellers to enjoy a ‘Resort Holiday’ without leaving the resort for 14 days. It…
Qatar Airways will launch flights from Doha to Lusaka, Zambia, and onwards to Harare, Zimbabwe, on August 6. The route will operate three times per week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. “Africa continues to be an area of strong growth for Qatar Airways and launching this service will support the development of the economy and…
Seychelles along with other African countries is set to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine through a donation from the United States (US) under the COVAX programme. The American President, Joe Biden, announced last week that the United States will purchase and donate 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine produced in his country to 92 low and…
Namibia has introduced stricter COVID-19 regulations in the wake of increasing new infections, hospitalisations and deaths recorded over the past few weeks. Namibian President, Hage Geingob, noted earlier this week that the country, with a population of 2.5 million people, had surpassed the 1 000 mark of deaths attributable to COVID-19 infections. The country has the…
Delta Air Lines is set to make a return to South Africa on August 1, saying there is rapidly growing demand States-side for holidays in South Africa, which it sees as a highly sought-after destination. On June 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) moved South Africa from risk alert Level 4 to…
The coronavirus pandemic has brought with it great changes to the travel industry and Tanzania is no exception. Join the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) for an interactive webinar highlighting the current situation in Tanzania and the steps the country is taking to get its tourism business back-on-track. This session will also feature an…
Departing travelers: Outgoing travelers must obtain a negative COVID-19 certificate in accordance with the trusted Traveler (TT) Initiative (www.africacdc.org/trusted-travel) and the PanaBios system (www.panabios.org). Travelers who intend to depart Kenya must first visit an authorized laboratory (according to the government of Kenya, all PCR COVID-19 testing laboratories are now part of the TT system), obtain a…
Ethiopian Airlines Group, Africa’s largest carrier, has started operating flights with fully vaccinated crew against COVID-19 to keep travelers safe in light of the pandemic. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam said “We are pleased to operate flights with fully vaccinated crew – a significant step in protecting our employees’ and customers’ health safety. We…
Tanzania has reduced the price of the Tourism Business Licence (TALA) for tour operators, as announced by Finance and Planning Minister Mwigulu Nchemba. The fee for local travel agents and tour operators will be reduced from TZS4.6m (€1 680) per year to TZS1.1m (€420) per year. The licence fee has been disputed by many local tour…
The pioneer Covid-19 specimen collection center at Serengeti National Park has started stimulating new bookings, key tourism players have reported. “For a month now, we have seen a surge of new bookings with our prospective tourists citing the pioneer Covid-19 specimen collection center at Serengeti as the factor that encourages them to book safari” says…
Mauritius will reopen to vaccinated tourists from mid-July, but South Africans, even if they have received their jabs, will still not be allowed to enter the island nation. As the global vaccination rollout continues to gather momentum, South African holidaymakers have hoped to see the easing of travel restrictions and a reopening of borders. But a recent…
World Oceans Day, commemorated on June 8, is used to raise awareness about the ocean, which covers over 70 percent of the planet, and its utmost importance to life on earth. It is our life source, supporting humanity’s sustenance and that of every other organism on earth. The ocean produces at least 50 percent of…
On June 7th the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) downgraded Malawi’s COVID-19 risk to level 1, which is the lowest possible level. This new positions Malawi to begin welcoming back American tourists and demonstrates the country’s success in combatting the COVID-19 virus.
The inbound travel trade celebrated today (June 9) following news that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has moved South Africa from risk alert Level 4 to Level 3. This follows the landing of the first daily United Airlines flight from New York Newark to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo on Friday (June 4).…
Seychelles has partnered with the Global Impact Network to encourage visitors to the islands to offset their carbon footprints with sustainable actions like tree-planting and buying locally made goods. In a short ceremony on Friday to coincide with World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5, Seychelles’ Tourism Minister, Sylvestre Radegonde, launched the initiative through a…
The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) is struggling to convince the government to ease new COVID-19 restrictions to save its ambitious deal with Israel travel agents to bring thousands of high-end inbound tourists. Tanzania has elevated and enhanced prevailing preventive measures especially those with regard to international travel. Israel travel agents expect to bring…
Book your clients on Air Senegal’s new service between New York (JFK) or Washington DC (IAD) and Dakar (DSS) and take advantage of a limited time promotional fare, including two free checked bags. Flights start September 02, 2021 with a twice weekly service. From Dakar convenient connections are available to Ziguinchor (ZIG) in Senegal, Ivory…
Airlink is adding another new route to its expanding intra-Africa network with the launch of its Johannesburg-Entebbe service. Four flights a week will operate on the route from July 19, offering connections with Airlink’s domestic and regional network, which reaches across many Southern African destinations. The schedule will be made available at a later stage.…
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday re-imposed a strict lockdown that included the closure of schools and the suspension of inter-district travel to help beat back a surge in COVID-19 cases in the East African country. The new measures, which will be effective from Monday morning, include the closure of all educational institutions, some bans…
Cheryle Velsor, previously with South African Airways Vacations, joins Alluring Africa and brings with her more than 42 years of travel industry experience to become their Travel Trade Relations Manager, a dedicated resource to the travel advisor community. Starting out as a “front line” travel agent, Cheryle owned a successful travel agency, before moving on to the tour operator side…
A day after announcing that Seychelles would reopen to all South African travellers, the destination has overturned its own decision and is once again prohibiting travellers from South Africa from visiting the islands. “The advisory was updated yesterday on June 1 and visitors from South Africa are not allowed to enter the Seychelles,” confirmed Seychelles…
South African Tourism (SAT) and United Airlines held a joint webinar on Thursday to announce the inauguration of daily nonstop flights from Newark to Johannesburg beginning June 3, and to talk about South Africa’s positioning as a destination while the world recovers mobility, and travelers who have been pent up for a year are released. The…
Malawi Airlines has plans to resume full operations by mid-June and already has a schedule for June of six flights a week between both Lilongwe and Blantyre and Johannesburg’s OR Tambo. The airline’s two shareholders, the Malawian government, which holds a 51% shareholding and Ethiopian Airlines, which holds 49%, have agreed to recapitalise the central African carrier after…
The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda Chamber of Tourism (RCT) and the East African Tourism Platform have signed a partnership that will see the development of business and leisure travel in the East African community. The framework of the agreement is expected to enhance co-operation between the parties and…
Namibia has introduced new travel restrictions, with effect from tomorrow (June 1), advises independent regional airline, Airlink. All travellers entering Namibia will need to produce a negative SARS COVID-19 PCR test result (valid for seven days from the date of collection). Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test results will no longer be accepted for entry into Namibia…
A total of R537 million (€32.4m) has been earmarked for investment in tourism infrastructure projects by the Department of Tourism. This was highlighted by the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi–Ngubane, during her Budget Vote address to the National Council of Provinces yesterday (June 1). “To effect the implementation of these projects, the Department entered into a partnership…
The World Bank says it has approved $150 million for a project to help increase access to high-quality broadband internet services in Tanzania. It’s one of a number of Tanzanian projects receiving World Bank financing that are aimed at improving not just connectivity but rural roads and the learning environment. The Digital Tanzania Project (DTP),…
Travellers from South Africa will be able to visit the Seychelles from Tuesday 1 June onwards, after being barred from accessing the island nation since the start of 2021. In a bid to reinvigorate the island’s embattled tourism industry, which is responsible for 65% of its GDP, the Seychelles announced the full reopening of its…
Portman Square Limited has signed an agreement with Marriott International to debut the Four Points by Sheraton brand in Uganda. The development is expected boost the continued gradual resurgence of the local hospitality industry and bookings currently at 28% from a near zero at the height of the lockdown last year. Scheduled to open in…