APTA National Forum is Coming!

The APTA National Forum will be taking place in Denver, Colorado at the historic Oxford Hotel situated in the popular Lower Downtown (LoDo) area. This is your chance to meet some of the influencers, changemakers and pioneers in the world of Africa, conservation and travel plus reconnect with your fellow APTA members. When: Friday, September…

Addis Ababa, Cairo and Brazzaville all top Forbes List of Coolest Cities for 2018

Forbes has published their list of top 10 coolest cities to visit in 2018 and three of the 10 are in Africa. You can check out the whole list here – http://www3.forbes.com/business/the-10-coolest-cities-around-the-world-to-visit-in-2018/ #10 – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia “Many travelers fly into Addis Ababa and then head straight out,” says Tom Marchant, the cofounder and owner of…

New elephant safari experience launches in KZN

A new in-depth elephant safari experience is set to launch at iMfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, affording participants the opportunity to study and explore one of the Big Five. The Elephant Experience will delve into the complex social structures of elephant cows and bulls, as well as their behavioural patterns, anatomy, and their importance…

Two airstrips unserviceable after Kenya floods

AirKenya has suspended services into the Olare Orok Airstrip in Masai Mara, as well as the Nanyuki Civil Airstrip, owing to the heavy rainfall and resulting floods across the country. The runways have become slippery, making the airstrips unserviceable. Alternative airstrips have been recommended: Alternative to Olare Orok: Mara North and Olkiombo airstrips Alternative to…

World’s Last Male Northern White Rhino Dies

(CNN)The world’s last male northern white rhino has died leaving only two females left to save the subspecies from extinction. The 45-year-old rhino named Sudan had been in poor health in recent days and was being treated for age-related issues and multiple infections. A veterinary team made the decision to euthanize Sudan after his condition deteriorated significantly,…

Zim’s first private overnight sleeper train launches

Imvelo Safari Lodges recently launched The Stimela Star, Zimbabwe’s only private overnight sleeper train. The Stimela Star operates from Victoria Falls to Hwange National Park, linking up to the regular Victoria Falls-Bulawayo passenger train, transporting guests on an overnight journey to Hwange. Imvelo is offering ten scheduled departures for 2018 but additional departures can be…

Dinaka Tented Camp Opens in Botswana

Ker & Downey’s luxury tented safari camp, Dinaka, opened its doors this month, after undergoing a total rebuild in December. The exclusive camp is alongside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, which has one of the most unique bio-diversities in Southern Africa, and offers a plethora of wildlife and safari experiences. The 16-bed tented camp is…

Malawi International Tourism Expo Registration Now Open

Malawi,the “Warm Heart of Africa” links the Southern and Eastern Africa region and offers unique flora and fauna which include the magnificent Lake Malawi, diverse nature which includes rivers, mountains and valleys; wide variety of wildlife in spectacular surroundings; vibrant culture and people legendarily renowned for friendliness and hospitality and international standard MICE facilities. Malawi…

Ethiopian to Start Flights to Chicago

Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest Aviation Holding Company in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, is pleased to announce that it will commence direct flight from Addis Ababa to Chicago effective as of June 09, 2018. West Bound, Passengers from the entire continent of Africa will connect to Chicago and beyond through our…

Top Country for 2018? Malawi!

Malawi is now officially the hottest African destination for 2018! And it’s not just us saying that – newspapers, magazines and websites around the world have been tripping over themselves to include Malawi in a quite amazing number of ’Top Destinations’ lists in 2017 and for 2018. For a long time Malawi’s stunning beaches, beautiful…

APTA Shines at 15th NY Times Travel Show

From 26-28 January, APTA shined at the New York Times Travel Show showcasing our members including Seychelles Tourism Board, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Infinite Safari Adventures, South Africa Travel & Tours, South African Airways Vacations and African Angel Tours. This was the 15th annual New York Times Travel Show and it had the largest attendance since…

Zimbabwe introduces airport levy

The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) has reinstated a passenger service charged (PSC) and the aviation infrastructure development fund (AIDEF) on Air Zimbabwe-issued tickets. “With effect from February 1, 2018, all Air Zimbabwe-issued tickets will include the PSC and AIDEF and the codes CB and XI will appear on the ticket,” read a statement…

Cyclone Berguitta Cancels Flights To/From Mauritius

Air Mauritius has cancelled further flights to and from Mauritius today (January 18). On the Johannesburg and Cape Town routes, flights MK851 and MK852, and flights MK843 and MK844 have been cancelled respectively. Further flight cancellations are as follows: -Rodrigues: MK120/121, MK130/121, MK140/141. -Réunion, St Denis: MK218/219, MK238/239, MK248/249. -Réunion, St Pierre: MK226/227, MK256/257. -Antananarivo:…

Mango increases frequencies to Zanzibar

Effective March 8, Mango will increase frequencies on the Johannesburg-Zanzibar route. A Thursday flight departing from OR Tambo International at 10h00 will be added to the existing Tuesday and Saturday schedule. Last month, Mango also introduced the first self-bag-drop-off technology for a low-cost airline in Africa. It is currently only available at Lanseria airport.

Rovos Rail to launch new route

In July 2019 Rovos Rail will set off on a new 15-day trip across Tanzania, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. “To be able to introduce a new adventure after 29 years in operation is exciting and presents me with a refreshing operational challenge,” says Rohan Vos, owner and CEO. “It’s taken…

FlyDubai adds Kilimanjaro to its network

FlyDubai began flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport on December 15, its third destination in Tanzania after Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of FlyDubai, said: “With our service to Kilimanjaro, we are responding to a growing demand for travel between the UAE and Tanzania. FlyDubai is the first UAE airline to offer…

Constance Aiyana Opens in Zanzibar

On January 1, Constance Hotels & Resorts opened the Constance Aiyana on the island of Pemba, in Tanzania’s Zanzibar archipelago. Located on the northern tip of the island, on the Ras Kigomasha Peninsula, the hotel offers 30 villas made up of eight Beachfront Prestige Villas, 18 Beachfront Senior Villas, two Beachfront Ambassador Villas, a Beachfront…

Rwanda Implements Visa on Arrival

All visitors to Rwanda started to get a 30-day visa upon arrival without prior application,Effective Monday January 1, 2018. In view of bilateral agreements, nationals of the following countries may visit Rwanda without a visa for a period up to 90 days: Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, DRC, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Haiti, Mauritius, Philippines, Senegal,…

Kenya Airways to fly to New York in October

Kenya Airways is eyeing New York in its debut direct flight to United States. New York’s JFK Airport was the United State’s fourth-busiest airport in 2016, according to Airports Council International. The national carrier is expected to start flying directly in the next three months. The airline, which last week received regulatory approval to operate…