David DiGregorio – Page 6

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 to host maiden West Africa Music and Arts Festival this June

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…

CNN Features Lesser Known African Islands

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…

Cape Town Sees Record-Breaking International Arrivals

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…

Floods Close Camp in Garden Route National Park

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’ Launches NH Collection Brand in Johannesburg

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…

5th Malawi International Tourism Expo to be Held 25-27 April

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 Reveals ‘Dream’ of Building Eco City on Island off Sierra Leone

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 Opens Second Hotel in Namibia

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…

Seychelles Tourism Department Congratulates David Germain on Retirement

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 Hosted Buyer Show Heads to Zambia

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 Focuses on New International Routes

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’s Tourism Rebounds Strongly

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 Inaugurates New Terminal at Jinka Airport

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 Signs Codeshare with Virgin Atlantic

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 Named New CEO for Kenya Tourism Board

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…

Ambitious Cape Agulhas Lighthouse Project Nears Completion

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…

Hilton Opens New Indian Ocean Resort

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…

Dry Conditions Drive Early Reopening of Zambia’s Liuwa Plain

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 Adds NY Flights to Boost Inbound Numbers

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…

CemAir Will Launch Direct Flights Between Johannesburg and MalaMala

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 Reopens Following Wage Dispute

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 in New York March 28th

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 Registration Opens for Essence of Africa

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…

New Daunara Safari Camp to Open in Okavango in April

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…

Scheduled Flights Resumed at Richards Bay Airport

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…

More Elephants in Knysna

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…

New Anantara Zanzibar Resort Announced

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 to Fly to Sierra Leone

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…

Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Kenya Reopens to Visitors

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 to Launch Nairobi to Maputo Service

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…

New Primate Trekking Pricing in Uganda

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 to Launch Passenger Services to Sierra Leone

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…

Cape Town’s The Lenox to Transform into Artist Residency, Boutique Hotel

Well-known historic landmark in Cape Town, The Lenox, is to be transformed into an artist residency and boutique hotel. The transformation initiative marks a pivotal movement in South Africa’s cultural landscape as it becomes France’s first artist residency established in a public-private partnership model. It will also create a unique boutique hotel, operated and managed…

Botswana Tour Operator to Launch Four Adventure Camps

Roots and Journeys is expanding its accommodation offering with the addition of four new adventure camps: Chora, Ngonti, Guda, and Manju, complementing their existing portfolio. These camps, designed to have minimal environmental impact, will welcome guests from March 1. Chora and Ngonti are situated within the Mababe River Private Reserve, while Guda and Manju are…

Zambia’s Proflight Increases Cape Town-Lusaka Frequency

Zambian airline Proflight has expanded its Cape Town to Lusaka route, adding additional capacity, just seven months after the introduction of the route. The 3.5 hour flight is the only direct air connection between the two cities. First introduced as a twice-weekly flight in July 2023, Proflight launched its three-times weekly offering at an event…

Maasai Mara Tree Camp to Open 1 July

Great Plains Conservation will open its new Mara Toto Tree Camp on July 1. The camp is located in a forest canopy of ebony trees in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. “This was the original site of our Explorer-Collection Mara Toto Camp, setup at ground level and, as a result, prone to higher water levels at times.…

Le Méridien Invests in Zanzibar Property

Marriott International has signed an agreement with Morogoro Mishama Company to launch Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts to Zanzibar in 2025. Le Méridien Zanzibar Resort will feature 75 contemporary guest rooms and villas, all with views of the Indian Ocean. The resort will be in Bwejuu on the eastern coast of Zanzibar Island. Plans for…

Samara Karoo Reserve Reopens After Extensive Renovations

Samara Karoo Reserve, near Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape’s Great Karoo region, has opened the doors of its re-imagined Karoo Lodge. Closed for seven months for extensive renovations, Samara’s flagship lodge, a restored farmhouse, re-opened just ahead of the festive season. “The redesign pays homage to this special region we call home. A great deal of…

Malawi Lifts Entry Visa Requirements for Citizens of 79 Countries Including US & Canada

The Malawian government has lifted the visa requirement for travelers from China, the United States (US), and the United Kingdom (UK), among several other countries, to boost tourism, one of the country’s key foreign exchange-earners. The development follows the amendment of a section in the country’s Immigration Act to aid the entry of international visitors…

New Voaara Luxury Lodge to Open in Madagascar

Voaara, a new luxury barefoot resort, will open on the island of Sainte-Marie (also known as Nosy Boraha) off the northeast coast of Madagascar in March. Initially, the resort – which has been extensively renovated – will open with eight luxurious bungalows and a three-bedroom villa. The property will ultimately host 45 rooms, with construction…

Lemala Osonjoi Lodge to Open on Edge of Ngorongoro Crater

Lemala Camps and Lodges, a provider of safari accommodation in Tanzania and Uganda, has added Lemala Osonjoi Lodge to its portfolio. It will welcome its first guests from March 1, 2025. The lodge is situated on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater and will offer guests an immersive experience. It is designed to seamlessly integrate…

Radisson Partners to Support Rhino Conservation

Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit, the hotel group’s first safari hotel in Africa, has partnered with Nkombe Rhino and My Africa Adventures to support a conservation project aimed at preserving rhinos in the Greater Kruger region. Nkombe Rhino is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation of the endangered species, and My Africa Adventures is one of the leading…

Ethiopian to Establish Triangular Route Between Addis, Ndola, and Maun

Ethiopian Airlines will commence a triangular route connecting Addis Ababa, Ndola, and Maun from June 10. The flight will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays using a Boeing 738-MAX. Flight ET 0833 will depart Addis Ababa at 08h30, arriving in Maun at 12h40. The return flight departs from Maun at 13h30, arriving in Ndola at…

Kumbali Conference Centre Opens its Doors in Malawi

Kumbali Country Lodge has opened Kumbali Conference Centre, about a 10-minute drive from Malawi’s capital Lilongwe. The versatile venue has been designed for conferences, planning meetings, and team-building events. Its environmentally friendly interiors are crafted from locally sourced materials. The conference centre has two halls: Mibawa, which has a capacity of 80 participants; and Kachere, which can hold 120…

Emerging Destinations Welcomes Industry Veteran Paula Newton to Their Team

Emerging Destinations, a leader in the travel industry, is thrilled to announce the newest addition to their team, Paula Newton, an esteemed veteran in the field. Paula will be joining in January, bringing with her a wealth of experience in travel industry sales, promotions, sponsorships, and media relations. A Trailblazer in the Travel Industry Paula…

Direct Route Launched Between Kruger and Cape Town on FlySafair

FlySafair has announced a new route direct route between Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA), starting April 2. It’s an exciting piece of news for the travel industry, and will make travel between the Mother City and the Kruger National Park much easier – KMIA lies just outside the park.…

African Vision Launch Pedal Power Cycling Tour of Malawi

African Vision launch Pedal Power cycling tour of Malawi Thursday, 25 January 2024 African Vision Malawi, a UK charity that support Malawians to become self-sufficient by providing vocational and life skills training, are running a cycling tour of Central and Southern Malawi, exploring beautiful landscapes and discovering the charity’s programmes along the…

Uganda Wildlife Authority Increases Primate Permit Prices