Mauritius is expected to welcome 1.5 million tourists in 2024, surpassing the historic peak of 1.4m arrivals recorded in 2018, according to analytics firm BMI, a division of Fitch Solutions. Arrivals to the Indian Ocean island destination reached 1.3m in 2023, with this number expected to grow by 14% this year and to continue on…
Virgin Limited Edition has added Finch Hattons Luxury Safari Camp in Kenya to its collection of retreats worldwide, effective from July 1. Situated within Tsavo West National Park, the camp offers 17 luxurious tented suites. It is Virgin Limited Edition’s ninth property and its fifth presence in Africa. With Mahali Mzuri, it is Virgin’s second…
Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has officially launched visas on arrival at the Oshikango, Mohembo, Oranjemund, Ariamsvlei, and Noordoewer border posts. The country has also introduced a new visa-on-arrival programme at Walvis Bay Harbour in an effort to improve cruise tourism. Previously, visas on arrival were only possible at Hosea Kutako International Airport,…
Through the Kenya Metrological Department (KMD) warning on continuous heavy downpour experienced in various parts of Kenya, the Kenya Tourism Federation Safety and Communication Centre has been on alert monitoring the situations around the country and advising accordingly. The heavy rainfall has led to flooding, landslides and overflowing of rivers resulting in loss of lives,…
Today, the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA) announces the departure of Cheryle Velsor from her position as Executive Director. Cheryle has led APTA with distinction and dedication, extending her term beyond its expiration to support the association through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. As she transitions into semi-retirement to focus…
The government has ordered evacuations after heavy rains flooded lodges and camps in the Maasai Mara, a popular world tourist destination, after the Telek River burst its banks, stranding tourists. In a statement on Wednesday, May 1, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua ordered all hotels and camps adjacent to rivers within national parks and reserves…
Auric Air Services, a safari airline connecting destinations across East Africa, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with American electric aviation company Surf Air Mobility, to upgrade up to 12 of Auric Air’s Cessna Grand Caravans with Surf Air’s proprietary electrified powertrain technology once certified. Surf Air now has approximately 13% of the Cessna…
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest network operating carrier, will launch a new four-times-weekly passenger service to Warsaw via Athens, starting June 16, expanding the airline’s European destinations to 24. Flight ET 764 will depart from Addis Ababa on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Return flight ET 765 will depart from Warsaw on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and…
The Lake of Stars Malawi Arts Festival, a cultural celebration, is set to return this year, marking its 20th anniversary. The internationally renowned festival will take place along the beaches of Lake Malawi at Fish Eagle Bay Lodge from September 6-8. It will feature some of the best and most diverse artists from Malawi and around…
Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch has begun an extensive refurbishment of its hotel. With significant refurbishments planned from mid-March, and reopening in 2025, Spier’s hotel will offer curated experiences on this historic working wine farm and an even more purposeful approach to food, wine, and wellness. “Our farm and hotel will be an immersive place…
Thabo the Tourist, who wants to ensure that South Africa is well known for art tourism in real-time, is inviting travellers to join an exclusive art experience on Saturday, May 25. The experience is an art tour that starts at 10h00 in Rosebank. Guests will have an opportunity to ride on the iconic Red Bus to have a…
Ethiopian Airlines unveiled its new terminal and support facility buildings at Jinka Airport last week. The new state-of-the-art airport terminal is now open for service, following a grand celebration in Jinka, one of the emerging cities in the South Ethiopia Regional State. The two-and-a-half-year project covered the construction of a new terminal building having a…
Radisson Hotel Group brings its well-known brand to South Africa’s Mother City with the rebranding of Park Inn Cape Town Foreshore to Radisson Hotel Cape Town Foreshore. Strategically located just minutes away from the International Convention Centre (CTICC) and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Radisson Hotel Cape Town Foreshore marks the Group’s third Radisson property…
In anticipation of the upcoming peak tourism season, Proflight Zambia has announced its annual scheduled flights to the Kafue National Park beginning June 1, 2024. The flights offer ease of access and connectivity to one of Africa’s largest parks for both local and international travellers. Through Procharter, the airline will connect Lusaka, and Chunga in…
Wild Horizons is currently constructing Waterfalls Lodge, a new luxury retreat set to open its doors in June next year. Jessica White, Wild Horizons Sales and Marketing Manager, said: “We offer 60 rooms, with 16 interconnected to create 8 family suites. Each suite boasts a bath, while all rooms feature an ensuite shower, tea/coffee station,…
TUI Group’s hotel division, TUI Hotels & Resorts, said on Tuesday it planned to expand its presence in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with significant tourism potential. The move comes after years of concentrating on North Africa, where TUI boasts a portfolio of 76 hotels. The new push southwards includes eight new hotels planned for Cape Verde,…
Norse Atlantic Airways will begin three times weekly service between London and Cape Town beginning 28 October with special launch fares starting from just £499 return. Book now at flynorse.com
Tanzania will host the first International Tourism Summit Africa Conference and B2B Networking event from May 20 to 23 to strengthen relationships between international travel agents and local tour operators. Alice Manupa, CEO of African Queen Adventures, a co-host of the summit, believes that this groundbreaking conference will not only be a first for the…
Ghana will host the first-ever West Africa Music and Arts Festival in the capital Accra. The festival will span four days starting 19 June at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The event, endorsed by the Ghana Tourism Authority and supported by Warner Music Africa, coincides with Ghana’s official Juneteenth celebration. It will feature a music…
A couple of African paradise islands have been on the radar of avid world travelers for some time. Mauritius and the Seychelles are bucket list honeymoon locations, while the Canary Islands and Tunisia’s Djerba island rank as two of the most popular holiday destinations in all of Africa. For those who want to avoid the…
Total international air arrivals to Cape Town International Airport between January and February surpassed the 200 000 mark and exceeded the 2019 figure of 194 058 for the same period, breaking all previous records in the last five years. At key attractions in regions across the province, visitor numbers are up 20% year-on-year. “This is…
Heavy rains have caused flooding at the Wilderness Section of the Garden Route National Park, affecting Ebb & Flow Camp. Yesterday, Tuesday, April 9, SANParks sent out a release warning that initial reports indicated there had been over 200mm of rain over a six-hour period and a spring high tide. SANParks standby personnel were physically…
Minor Hotels has signed a strategic partnership with The Cavaleros Group to manage a hotel in Johannesburg. This marks the debut of Minor Hotels’ NH Collection brand on the African continent. From July 1, the group will manage the hotel in Sandton, the financial district of South Africa’s largest city. The 329-key property will first…
The Warm Heart of Africa welcomes you to the 5th edition of “Takulandirani” Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE) to be held from 25th to 27th April, 2024 at the Bingu Wa Mutharika International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe. Registration is ongoing for this year’s Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE2023). Also known as ‘Takulandirani,’ the event…
Idris Elba has shared details of his “dream” to turn an island off the coast of Sierra Leone, the country where his father was born, into an environmentally friendly smart city. The actor is working with his childhood friend to develop Sherbro, which is roughly the size of the Isle of Man, after the island was…
Hilton has opened its second hotel in Namibia, with its Hilton Garden Inn brand debuting in the country. Hilton’s newest Windhoek hotel opened its doors on Monday, March 18. It is close to the Warehouse Theatre and the National Museum of Namibia. The hotel is also near major businesses and is a 45-minute drive from…
After years of dedicated service, the Seychelles Tourism Department bade farewell to David Germain, its Director of Marketing for Africa and the Americas. With a 40-year career in the industry, Germain played a pivotal role by significantly contributing to Seychelles’ tourism marketing endeavours and overall success. He started his journey at Travel Services Seychelles (TSS) before…
Africa’s Eden, the gateway to the tourism network of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, will host its 2024 Hosted Buyer Show at Ciêla Resort & Spa in Lusaka from April 22-25. The event places a particular focus on African buyers from southern Africa, East Africa, Indian Ocean Islands as well as some from West Africa.…
Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has launched the ‘Air Connect Namibia’ project in a bid to create new international routes at the country’s airports, ultimately increasing direct air access to the nation. The project was initiated following the Namibia Aviation and Connectivity Forum held in 2022, which brought together international and domestic aviation stakeholders from the…
Uganda tourism authorities have indicated that the country’s tourism sector is on a path to full recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tourism industry performance report 2023, released by Ugandan Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Tom Butime, revealed that Uganda’s tourism sector had demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2023. The Minister said tourism…
Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest airline group in Africa, inaugurates its Jinka airport project, unveiling a new terminal and support facility buildings. The new state-of-the-art airport terminal is now open for service, following a grand celebration held today in Jinka, one of the emerging cities in the South Ethiopia Regional State. The two-and-a-half-year project covered…
Kenya Airways and Virgin Atlantic, both members of the SkyTeam alliance, have unveiled a strategic codeshare partnership. Virgin Atlantic will place its code on Kenya Airways’ London flights, providing passengers with seamless access to Kenya Airways’ extensive network of destinations in Africa and beyond. Kenya Airways will place its code on Virgin Atlantic flights to…
June Chepkemei, former Acting MD of the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), has been named the new CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board. Chepkemei will hold the position for the next three years, succeeding John Chirchir who has been at the helm of the tourism board in acting capacity since November 2022. Her appointment was confirmed via a…
The Lighthouse Precinct project in the Cape Agulhas National Park – a R54.9 million (€2.6m) investment by the Department of Tourism – is about 73% complete and is on track to open in June. This was announced by Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, following her progress visit to the project yesterday (Tuesday, March 26). She…
New York Stock Exchange-listed hospitality company, Hilton, has opened its newest property, Canopy by Hilton Seychelles – marking the boutique lifestyle brand’s debut in the Indian Ocean. Situated in the south of Mahé, Canopy by Hilton Seychelles is the brand’s first resort property in the world. Located just a short drive from the Jardin du Roi (Spice…
Drier than usual conditions owing to less summer rain have allowed Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia to open early rather than closer to autumn as is more usual. The park opened on March 1. Situated to the far west of the country (almost on the border with Angola), Liuwa Plain is a small conservation area…
Kenya Airways (KQ) has partnered with the Kenya Tourism Board to strategically position the country as a tourist destination in North America through a trade roadshow. The roadshow, scheduled to take place from today (March 19) until Thursday (March 21) in New York, Boston, and Toronto, aims to showcase Kenya and stimulate travel demand for…
South African domestic and regional airline, CemAir, will launch direct flights between Johannesburg and MalaMala Game Reserve, starting June 1. MalaMala is one of the largest private Big Five game reserves in South Africa. It shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park and is situated between the park and Sabi Sand Nature Reserve. The…
uShaka Marine World has welcomed the settlement of its wage dispute with the South African Municipal Workers Union – the union representing the bargaining unit employees. The strike officially ended on Friday (March 15). Following the end of strike, the employees returned to work and the venue reopened to guests on Saturday (March 16). Village Walk Mall,…
Join Painteddog.tv’s Brent Leo-Smith for an evening of drinks and lively conversation about the African safari experience and conservation initiatives. Painteddog.tv is a technology-driven wildlife film production company, and provider of life-changing safaris. Brent Leo-Smith has over 20 years of combined safari, conservation, and film-making experience has helped guide Painteddog.tv to achieving some remarkable feats…
Exhibitor registrations are now open for Essence of Africa, Africa’s International Buyer Forum, an innovative meetings-driven tourism event designed to facilitate meaningful interactions between buyers and sellers within Africa’s tourism industry. The event is scheduled to take place from October 2-4, at the Sarit Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Launched by On Show Solutions and Experience Africa…
A new luxury sole-use tented camp, Daunara Safari Camp, is scheduled to open in the Okavango Delta in April. The five spacious tented suites offer panoramic views of the Delta. Connected by raised wooden walkways, three standalone suites provide privacy, while two interconnected suites with a shared sitting room cater for families. Owners Lisa and Dave Lubbock, inspired by…
Airlink will resume its Richards Bay flights on Tuesday, March 12. The resumption of flights follows the reinstatement of the approval by the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) of Richards Bay Airport’s fire and rescue services to Category 5 level, allowing the facility to accommodate scheduled airline operations. Half day Gauteng easy e-Bike with wild…
South African National Parks (SANParks) has confirmed the presence of a female elephant in the Knysna forest and fynbos area under its management. As a result, the entity has conducted two types of assessments (sociological and ecological) to make evidence-based decisions for managing the elephant/s in the future. A targeted survey was conducted as part…
Minor Hotels is set to launch a luxury holiday development in the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar alongside resort chain Anantara. The Bangkok-headquartered hotel owner and operator announced its intention to build the 181-key Anantara Zanzibar Resort on 5 March, with a scheduled launch date in 2027. Africa has established itself as the second-fastest-growing tourism market in recent…
Ethiopian Airlines has announced the launch of a thrice-weekly passenger service to Freetown, Sierra Leone, via Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, starting from May 31. The new service will be operated by a Boeing 787-800. The flight schedule is as follows: Flight ET 943 from Addis Ababa (ADD) to Freetown (FNA) via Ouagadougou (OUA) will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Flight ET…
Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s ‘Behind the Scenes’ experience at Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary has now reopened to visitors. The experience offers an exclusive look at the fascinating world of its chimp residents. Established in 1993, Ol Pejeta’s Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary provides safety and solace to rescued and orphaned chimpanzees that cannot be reintroduced back into the wild.…
Kenya Airways will launch direct flights from Nairobi to the Mozambican capital, Maputo, from June 14. The flights will operate on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Flight KQ740 will depart Nairobi at 09h50 and arrive in Maputo at 13h00. Return flight KQ741 departs from Maputo at 13h50 and arrives in Nairobi at 18h45.The new route is…
Effective from July 1st, 2024, there will be an increase in permit fees for primate trekking experiences in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park. The new tariffs are as follows; Gorilla trekking permit fee for non-resident visitors: $800 (previously $700) Chimpanzee permits in Kibale Forest…
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest network operator in Africa, is pleased to announce a launch of a thrice weekly passenger services to Freetown, Sierra Leone via Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso starting from 31st of May 2024. This new route marks yet another milestone in the airline’s extensive network expansion endeavor, connecting more African countries and providing travelers with convenient and efficient…