The newly-created Kenya Convention Bureau announced that Mrs. Jacinta Nzioka has been appointed as its new director. Previously, Jacinta served for several years as Director of Marketing at the Kenya Tourism Board. At one stage she was also Acting CEO while a new CEO was being sourced. It is understood that parliamentary oversight may still have to confirm the…
Is it possible to run a marathon in under 2 hours? Olympic champion and world record holder for the marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, and his team proved Saturday morning the answer is yes. In front of a cheering crowd, the 34-year-old Kenyan native ran 26.2 miles in an unprecedented time of 1:59:40. His average mile time…
Some 67 million tourists visited Africa in 2018, representing a rise of 7% from a year earlier, making Africa the second-fastest growing region when it comes to tourism, after Asia Pacific. African countries are now reaping the benefits from positive policy changes coupled with increased investments in the sector, that have made it a more attractive destination for…
Air Kenya resumed its service into the Mara North Airstrip in the Masai Mara on October 5 after satisfactory completion of repair works. Services had been suspended into the Mara North Conservancy Airstrip due to the condition of the airstrip. Read more from Tourism Update
Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala was on Friday evening elected to chair the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council. In the election, which was held during the 111th Session of the 23rd UNWTO General Assembly in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Balala emerged top. He will be deputised an Italian during the one-year tenure,…
Bordering Tanzania and Mozambique, Malawi is a relatively small country in southeastern Africa. However, it is actually home the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world (by volume), Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is home to more species of fish than any other lake in the world, and Liwonde National Park in the southern part of the country is home to…
The much anticipated new addition to the Latitude Hotels portfolio has now opened in Kampala Uganda. With views stretching out over Lake Victoria, and over the city of Kampala, Latitude 0° sits among indigenous orchid-filled trees atop of Makindye Hill, approximately 6 kms from the CDB, and 45 minutes from Entebbe International Airport. The hotel…
It used to be a familiar sight: a halo of ragged plastic bags festooning the trees, around Kenya’s towns and villages. Sometimes the plastic scar stretched for miles. Since such bags take a thousand years to break down, the wound on the wilderness didn’t go away — it just proliferated. Kenya’s world famous national parks…
South African Airways (SAA), the national carrier of South Africa and Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, announced today a new code share agreement for customers traveling between New York and the Seychelles. Air Seychelles will add its “HM” code on SAA’s nonstop flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport…
Kenya is playing host to tourism business people from about 50 countries participating in this year’s Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE), the largest tourism fair in the region organized by Kenya Tourism Board (KTB). The tourism exposition which is set to run from 2 nd to 4 th October, 2019 will be preceded by tours…
Natural Selection’s Lekkerwater Beach Lodge at De Hoop, in South Africa’s De Hoop Nature Reserve, will be closed until November 1 due to flooding, confirmed Colin Bell, Co-founder of Natural Selection and Developer of the Lekkerwater Beach Lodge. Bell told Tourism Update that the lodge had experienced at least 100ml of rainfall over a 20- to 30-minute period,…
The Radisson Hotel Group has opened a new Radisson Blu and Residence in Nairobi, Kenya. The Radisson Blu Hotel and Residence, Nairobi Arboretum is close to the city centre and 45 minutes from the airport. The hotel features 122 rooms, each with a private balcony, 24-hour room service and free WiFi. Other features include a…
Air Kenya has issued a notice that they will be suspending their service into Mara North Conservancy Airstrip in the Maasai Mara, with immediate effect. The airline has closed the airstrip until further notice due to the current state of the runway. Agents with existing Air Kenya bookings to Mara North Conservancy Airstrip should amend their client’s itinerary to…
The Duke of Sussex has paid tribute to a British soldier killed during a counter-poaching operation in Malawi. Prince Harry laid a wreath for Mathew Talbot, 22, who was killed by an elephant in May. The duke was “honoured” to pay respects to Guardsman Talbot, who played a “huge part” in conservation efforts, a post on his…
Airlink confirms that it has added more flights between Cape Town and Hoedspruit in response to market demand during December 2019 and January 2020. Additional flights will operate on: 24 Dec, 26 Dec, 27 Dec, 28 Dec, 29 Dec, 30 Dec, 2 Jan, 3 Jan, 4 Jan and 5 Jan. Flights depart Cape Town at…
The Duke of Sussex is in Angola as part of a wider ten-day tour with his family, taking in South Africa, Botswana and Malawi. Unlike these other countries, Angola rarely features on travellers’ wish lists. So are we missing something? For clarity, Prince Harry is not visiting Angola for tourism. It was in Huambo in 1997…
Air France will launch a direct service between Paris and the Seychelles, on October 30. Air France confirmed with Tourism Update that flight AF 246 will depart Paris at 17h00 and arrive in the Seychelles at 06h20 the next day. The service will be operated by an Airbus A330, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Read more from…
Lake of Stars sold out: 2019 Malawi ‘camping’ festival set for new discoveries in Nkhata Bay. Organisers of this year’s Lake of Stars scheduled for this weekend at Kachere Kastle in Nkhata Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi say all the tickets to the festival have been sold. Read more here
Due to recent announcement by government of Tanzania, local government election will be on 24th November therefore it is not advisable to have an event on the election day for security reasons. The board of directors and management have discussed with our major sponsors and exhibitors and have all agreed to reschedule this year’s event…
Joined to fight the threat of malaria, the governments of Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi have launched a landmark vaccine pilot program known as RTS,S. Malaria is estimated to kill a child every two minutes and is a leading killer of children in Kenya. As such, a major goal of the new vaccine is its availability…
The annual APTA Forum concluded in Chicago on Saturday night following two days of successful seminars, presentations and networking opportunities at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel. This year’s edition of the Forum brought over 90 travel professionals with a focus on Africa together over two days of unforgettable inspiration. APTA would like to thank the Forum…
Kirsty Perring, owner of Traversing Africa and APTA Executive Board member, hosted a fundraiser in Toronto recently to create awareness for rhino conservation. The event was held at Parcheggio at Bayview Village and Grant Fowlds, a passionate wildlife conservationist and ambassador for Project Rhino flew in from South Africa to speak about the vast increase…
Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) will take place between the 2nd and 4th of October, 2019. Calling on registration as a trade visitor. Please get in touch with: exhibit@mkte.co.ke or hosting@mkte.co.ke for registration and other detailed information you may require. For more information, please log on to www.mkte.co.ke
The US market continues to top as Kenya’s tourist source market recording a 9.391 % growth in the 2019 half year (Jan.-June) compared to the same period last year. The market reported 110,668 arrivals up from 101,167 posted in the same period in 2018 There was however a slight drop of -0.723&% in the international arrivals within the period with a total…
This past week, APTA has learned of the passing of one of our own, Valerie Sewell. A member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter and also the APTA Executive Board, Val played a key role in APTA’s success over the past 7+ years and was personally responsible for organizing the annual APTA Forum as well as…
Sierra Leone late last week became the latest African country to announce a new visa policy that gives visa on arrival for all African nationals and other selected citizens from across the world. A statement from the Internal Affairs Ministry through the Immigration Service said the new regime will with immediate effect grant visa-free entry…
In May this year, following multiple joint operations by the Malawi Police Service and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, three Malawian and nine Chinese nationals were arrested in connection with a variety of wildlife crimes. The suspects were charged with offenses including the illegal possession of protected species and their parts, such as live pangolins,…
Registration is now open for APTA Forum 2019: Chicago. Africa Inspires is the theme for the 2019 APTA Forum taking place in Chicago, Illinois at the Downtown Millennium Knickerbocker Chicago. This is your chance to meet some of the influencers, change makers and pioneers in the world of Africa, conservation & travel. Plus, reconnect with your…
Africa has become “a second home” to Prince Harry, he revealed this weekend. The Duke of Sussex said he was looking forward to introducing Meghan and baby Archie to South Africa during his trip to the continent this autumn. Harry will also carry out solo visits to Angola, Malawi and Botswana. In a post on…
Uganda Airlines has finally resumed operations after an 18-year hiatus. The inaugural flight to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport took off from Entebbe International Airport on August 27, with technical officers, government officials and media on board. The flight came a day ahead of the airline’s first scheduled commercial flight on August 28. The first…
A large sign on the way to the Ghanaian city of Assin Manso shows an image of two African slaves. Each person is wearing a single piece of cloth. Their arms and legs are secured in chains. Next to them are the words, “Never Again!” The sign marks what is known as “slave river.” Centuries ago,…
The Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has confirmed its commitment to the closure of domestic ivory markets, agreeing by consensus to focus scrutiny on remaining legal markets such as Japan and the European Union. A number of parties, including several African elephant range States such…
Conservation-led travel company &Beyond has reintroduced the highly endangered Temminck’s ground pangolin at Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa, to reverse the local extinction of the species KwaZulu Natal. Working in conjunction with the African Pangolin Working Group (APWG), the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital and the Humane Society International (HSI) Africa, &Beyond has released…
Around 80 per cent of Malawi’s and indeed the world’s agriculture depends on rain, however rainfall is becoming more erratic forcing farmers to change traditional practices. A UN Development Programme-supported (UNDP) project in the southern African country is helping to mitigate variable rainfall patterns through the introduction of new crops and practices, such as tomatoes and beekeeping, and the installation of a solar-powered irrigation system. Read more here about how farmers in Malawi are fighting climate…
South African Tourism has officially opened registrations to exhibitors for Africa’s Travel Indaba 2020. The event will take place from May 11-14 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban. Over 6,500 delegates – which included 1,033 exhibitors and 1,502 buyers – attended this year’s Indaba, which was filled with a series of…
Just 16 years ago, Majete was an empty forest with nothing but a few remaining antelope, only 12 employees and zero tourists. Today, after we reintroduced more than 2,900 animals of 15 species, employment is up 10-fold with more than 160 full-time employees, and over 11,000 tourists (50% of whom are nationals) who contributed $500,000…
South Africa has won permission to almost double the number of black rhinos that can be killed as trophies after arguing the money raised will support conservation of the critically endangered species. The decision was made at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) after receiving support from some African nations and opposition from…
Kenya Airways has announced that it’s adding two direct flights to the weekly Cape Town – Nairobi service commencing from 27 October 2019 on a Boeing 737-800. Kenya Airways started flying the Cape Town route network in June 2016 with three flights between Cape Town and Nairobi. The addition of two direct flights on the…
A couple captured stunning images of a rare “strawberry” leopard feasting on a dead giraffe at a South African game reserve. Images of the leopard, named for its red-colored coat, were caught on a motion-sensitive camera set up by Alan Watson, 45, and his wife Lynsey, 41, at the Thaba Tholo Wilderness Reserve in late July. The pair pinned…
With immediate effect, the government of Tanzania has changed the process of issuing visas on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Visa’s are still available on arrival following the new process is as below: Queue for a Government Control number which is required for any government payment Queue to pay the visa fee against the control number at…
Uganda Wildlife Authority have revised their tariff to introduce new products, new rates for some products, new fines as well as clarification on some UWA products and services. From 1st July 2020: Gorilla Permit fee will be $600 for Foreign Residents (FR) and $700 Foreign Non-Residents (FNR) — this is an increase of $100 Gorilla habituation permit will be $1500 (remains the same) both Foreign Residents (FR) and…
Something new is coming to the lake, Lake of Stars Discovery. A boutique festival like no other, taking place in a beautiful, remote part of Malawi where a castle stands on the curve of a tropical lake. Offering a unique, immersive adventure, Lake of Stars Discovery will bring your clients a curated line up of music, talks, poetry,…
African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube today officially declared the African Tourism Board open and operational after less than 2 years in the making and more than 400 members included in 36 African and 25 non-African countries. It is a New Dawn for the Continent as we usher in the voice of Africa by Africa…
Terminal III at Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) has been officially opened by Tanzania’s President John Magufuli. The new terminal, which cost TZS705bn (€275m), will handle international flights and enable the airport to increase capacity. The opening of the new terminal comes at a time when Tanzania has embarked on a drive to…
The Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House in Rwanda officially opened on August 1, spread over 72 hectares on the edge of the Volcanoes National Park. Singita Kwitonda Lodge consists of eight individual suites. Most of the building materials were sourced from the local community in the Musanze district. The lodge also has an on-site…
Malawi’s High Court has reinstated a ban on plastic bags. The government imposed the ban on thin plastic bags in 2015 but the move was overturned by the High Court after a number of plastic manufacturers who operate in the country obtained an injunction, citing an infringement of business rights. Delivering the verdict on Thursday,…
Bushlife Safaris now offers river cruises on the Zambezi at Vundu Camp in Mana Pools. The motorised pontoon seats eight guests and has a removable canopy. The afternoon river cruises are favoured by wildlife enthusiasts and photographers as this is when the elephants and buffaloes move on to the islands, providing up-close wildlife encounters. Snacks…
Figures recorded by the Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed a growth in tourism arrivals for June. A total of 25 761 holiday visitors were recorded at Seychelles International Airport. NBS figures showed that visitor arrivals from the beginning of the year to end of June were 187 108. This represents an increase of 9%…
Tanzania has started a process to establish the Nyerere National Park in the Selous Game Reserve, a Unesco Heritage Site. Recently, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli issued a directive to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to begin the process of splitting the Selous Game Reserve into two wildlife sanctuaries. Adolf Mkenda, the Permanent Secretary in the…
Two years after cheetahs were reintroduced to Malawi, in Liwonde National Park, four individuals were safely translocated from South Africa to Majete Wildlife Reserve to form a crucial founder population and help grow the range of the vulnerable big cat. A small founder population of wild cheetahs has been successfully translocated from South Africa to…