Kalahari Plains Camp, set in a remote part of Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve, recently lost one twin room to a fire, the cause of which is not yet known. There are no immediate plans to rebuild the 10th room, so Kalahari Plains now offers a total of 9 rooms only, namely 2 family rooms…
Richard Leakey, Kenyan politician, paleoanthropologist and conservationist, is the second of the three sons of the archaeologists Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey, will be speaking at the World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit in Madrid on April 15th, 2015. Read his interview with the WTTC here:
Egypt will install an electronic visa system within six to eight months and individual tourists will only have to take three steps to obtain a visa, the tourism minister said on Monday.During a meeting with members of the association of tourist writers, Minister Rami Khaled was cited by state news agency MENA as saying that the government’s decision to…
John Riley first travelled to Ethiopia in 2008 when his wife, Dr. Margaret Gadon, accepted a job in northern Tigray with The Clinton Foundation. The couple settled in Mekelle and learned the local language. Within several months, John was volunteering with The Mekelle Institute of Technology. As the school’s director of business development, he created…
The City of Cape Town will be undertaking major road works along Camps Bay Drive this winter, closing the roadway for general traffic from Monday 20 April 2015. Residents and visitors should expect major traffic delays along the alternative routes to and from Camps Bay. Camps Bay Drive has not been refurbished for the past…
ADAM IHUCHA reports in the Arusha Times newspaper that tourism has overtaken gold as Tanzania’s leading foreign exchange earner. The industry earned Tanzania $2.5 billion in the year ending January 2015, up from $1.89 billion in the year ending January 2014. Stakeholders estimate that the country received one million plus holidaymakers in the period under…
Cape Town Tourism has revamped its trade toolkit and updated the content on the site. The toolkit offers an array of video, images, maps, visitors’ guides, itineraries and exceptional activities for the trade to download. Users can download this content and share it with their clients, or incorporate it into their packages. The site also…
CEO of African Bush Camps, Beks Ndlovu, has penned a sobering open letter to the travelling public, which he shares here for the sake of anyone in the industry dealing with objections surrounding the intention of Zimbabwe’s Wildlife & Parks Service’s to export wildlife, particularly live elephants, to foreign countries. DBB Syndrome – DEATH BY…
In accordance with the update on 27th March 2015 by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to the UK’s travel advice for the Kenya coast, the Kenya Tourism Board would like to clarify that the revised advice advises against all but essential travel within 15km of the coast from Tiwi up to the border with Somalia.…
For NEW GROUP bookings made and deposited through 30th April 2015 Booking agents will receive $250 when booking groups with Kenya Airways from USA to Nairobi / Entebbe / Kisumu / Lusaka / Lilongwe / Kigali / Zanzibar/ Kilimanjaro / Dar Es Salaam / Gaborone / Mombasa / Harare / Johannesburg / Addis Ababa and…
The U.S. Department of State will discontinue the practice of adding pages to passports and, instead, require a filled passport to be replaced with a fresh book. Documentation will have to be submitted by December 18 in order to have the extra pages added before the new policy takes effect. New passport holders on the…
Jenman Safaris have launched a brand-new 7-day Madagascar Barefoot Luxury Kayak Adventure package to kick off the year. There is no better way to experience Madagascar than discovering the untouched and secret wilderness, river systems, forests, cultures and beaches in the south east. Now shorter and more affordable, the brand-new 7-day kayak adventure includes only…
Currently only reachable by ship, the quaint island of St Helena is undergoing what promises to be something of a tourism revolution, as the first airport is set to open in 2016. In a press statement released late last week, the St Helena Government and Department for International Development announced that air services would be…
SOUTH AFRICA SAFARI including Airfare FLEXIBLE DATES: Nov. 01-30, 2015; Jan. 15 – Mar. 31, 2016 RATES: $2,999 per person includes international and internal air. Bring your companion for the same price. This 10-day South African independent educational safari is designed for those of our Travel Partners who want to explore the life-changing destination at…
Classic Portfolio is pleased to introduce their newest member, The River Club in Livingstone, Zambia. As of Monday, 30th March 2015, The River Club will be managing all their own reservations. Please contact reservations@theriverclubzambia.com for enquiries A full rates-update will be communicated by The River Club early next week. All past and present bookings with Wilderness Safaris…
Safari Trails can now make flying in a Helicopter a reality for your clients! Whether they are in Nairobi for a short business trip, celebrating an anniversary, a birthday, or simply celebrating life, Safari Trails are excited to share the following information about Helicopter Scenic flights: Airkenya Helicopter Scenic Safaris adds a new dimension to flying safaris.…
African Luxury Hideaways and YogaSpirit, both family-owned businesses based in Cape Town, team up to create a unique African experience at the Elephant’s Eye, Hwange eco-lodge in Zimbabwe. African Luxury Hideaways, a portfolio of luxury eco-lodges across Southern Africa, and YogaSpirit, owned by Kate Ball, one of Cape Town’s most experienced yoga teachers who has…
Goway have launched their ultimate ‘Journey of a Lifetime’, from Cape to Cairo. The first journey is planned for 15 January 2016. Billed as the ‘President’s Journey’, it will be led by Goway’s President Bruce Hodge and his wife Claire. This 32-day journey incorporates Rovos Rail epic Cape to Dar-es-Salaam journey. Highlights include stays at…
Sulphurous hot springs, salt-encrusted wastelands, temperatures that soar as high as 50C – Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression is home to a kaleidoscopic world unlike any other A harsher spot to call home than Africa’s Danakil Depression is hard to imagine. Not only is it one of the planet’s hottest places, it is also one of the…
South Africa’s biggest hotel and casino operator, Sun International, plans to buy rival Peermont Global for R9.4-billion. Peermont owns Emperors Palace near OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, as well as 12 other leisure and gaming complexes. Sun International, which owns Sun City and was founded by Sol Kerzner in 1975, said it would issue 10.4…
ANDY Conn has been appointed Africa Albida Tourism’s new group operations manager to oversee the running of the company’s portfolio of properties that include the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. He is a former general manager at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (1998 to 2006). Andy took up his new position this month, following his return to…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (03/2015): This year for the first time, Stelae Axum, the legendary field of ancient obelisks in Ethiopia, joined the list of famous landmarks world-wide that ‘go green’ on Saint Patrick’s Day. The ruins of the ancient city of Axum is one of nine sites in Ethiopia which are listed as UNESCO World…
The Directors and Management of Lion Encounter have agreed to suspend lion walks in Livingstone as of November 2015, acting on recommendations by, and in consultation with, ALERT’s Executive Committee. The main objective of this decision is to reduce the number of lions entering into the African Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Programme,…
Private Safaris, a premier Destination Management Company within Africa, has been fortunate enough to work within the North American market for several years. Over time, the company has come to understand the needs and, more importantly, the unique „wants‟ of this market. In order to retain the high level of service whilst injecting a fresh…
Kenya and Tanzania have agreed to end a stalemate that was affecting their long-standing bilateral relationship. Following talks between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Tanzanian counterpart, Jakaya Kikwete, Kenya Airways’ flight frequency to Tanzania will resume to 42, up from 14 times a week. Tour vans from Tanzania will also be allowed to pick up…
Proflight Zambia and RwandAir have signed a codeshare agreement on the Lusaka-Johannesburg route, with RwandAir as the operating carrier and Proflight Zambia as the marketing carrier. As from March 27, the flights will be operated three times a week: on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, leaving Lusaka at 21:50 and arriving in Johannesburg at 23:50. Flights…
Kasbah Tamadot’s 10th birthday was celebrated in true Virgin Limited-Edition-style with special guests, including Sir Richard Branson, his mum Eve, General Manager Vincent Padioleau and many more of the Kasbah Tamadot team. The year-long celebration kicked off at The Roof Gardens in London, with a star-studded guest list and plenty of Moroccan entertainment Click here…
Saruni Wild tented camp in the Greater Mara, Kenya, will move to the Lemek Conservancy, on the border with Mara North Conservancy, and reopen on July 1. The camp will move from its current spot in the Mara North Conservancy, a wildlife concession bordering the Masai Mara, to the border between Mara North Conservancy and…
MAUN: The minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Tshekedi Khama, has confirmed that no new applicants for the mobile Safaris will be allowed to operate in Chobe and the Okavango Delta, as these prime areas are already congested. The minister broke this disappointing news at a media briefing in Maun recently. Khama announced that the…
Within the lush rainforests of Rwanda, amidst the ancient mountains of Volcanoes National Park, lives the endangered mountain gorilla. Jenman Safaris have decided to branch out their scheduled tours into this beautiful country, by providing a 3-day luxury adventure in search of these rare creatures as of 2016 (bookings available now). This is an opportunity…
APTA members Seasons in Africa are excited to announce that an additional flight has been added to their existing offering… This flight, from Lanseria, Johannesburg, brings guests to The Outpost in 1 hour 40 minutes, allowing them more time to enjoy the remote, untouched northern corner of the world-famous Kruger National Park. The Outpost rests…
Mozambique has been one of the world’s fastest-growing economies for more than a decade, but this is only now starting to show. The main roads are paved and new pipes and cables are being run under sidewalks. Parks and museums have been scrubbed up. Hotels have undergone multi-million-dollar make-overs and new ones are being built.…
Effective this week, members of Marriott Rewards will be able to earn and redeem points at 26 of Protea Hotels’ properties in South Africa. Under the programme, members will be able to enjoy full Elite benefits at participating Protea Hotels, Protea Hotels Fire & Ice! and African Pride Hotels in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban…
Hyatt Hotels has opened Park Hyatt Zanzibar, marking the first ever Hyatt hotel on the idyllic East African island and the 36th Park Hyatt hotel worldwide. Four more are currently under development in Africa, viz Hyatt Regency Arusha; Park Hyatt Marrakech; Hyatt Place Taghazout in Morocco; and Hyatt Dakar in Senegal. Park Hyatt Zanzibar is…
Registration is now open for the first international conference on design and trends for tropical beach hotels of the Indian Ocean. This will be held on 26 – 28 August 2015, at the Sugar Beach Resort in Mauritius, and is being organized by Tomorrows Hotel Ltd, managed by Didier de Senneville and Melissa Dalais, professional…
Morocco is known as “The country that travels within you”, this is because vacations here captivate visitors with extraordinary experiences that are never forgotten. A country of contrasts and wide appeal, vacations here can range from tours back in time through historic towns and villages, to a desert adventure with a camel trek and camping…
SAA, the national flag carrier of South Africa and Africa’s most awarded airline, has resumed non-stop service on its daily flight from Johannesburg to New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, effective March 7, 2015. While SAA’s daily flight from New York-JFK to Johannesburg has operated on a non-stop basis for several years, the return flight…
The Mantis company, which continually strives to offer in-the-know travellers the most exceptional properties and authentic experiences imaginable, is announcing a very exciting partnership with Bush Lodge and HillsNek, both located on Amakhala Game Reserve. The resort is located in the malaria-free Eastern Cape of South Africa. Bush Lodge is a five- star Game Lodge,…
Great Safaris, an award-winning luxury safari outfitter, has just debuted its first ever “green” tour for 2015 travel. If you are an eco-conscious traveler or want to start doing your part to protect the natural world, you will love the new Good Earth South Africa Safari itinerary. This 12-day tour takes guests on a socially responsible…
Karim S. Wissanji – Chairman & CEO, Elewana Collection, and Stefano and Liz Cheli – CEO, Cheli & Peacock Safaris, are extremely pleased to announce the completion of the acquisition of Cheli & Peacock Group of Companies by the Elewana Collection, which received final Government approval at the end of January 2015. The acquisition will…
Rwanda has been awarded the Best of the Best exhibitor award and also emerged as the best Continental Exhibitor at the just concluded ITB (Internationale Tourismus Börse) in Berlin, Germany. Kenya came 2nd and Tunisia 3rd on the African category. Other top ten African countries include; Egypt, Namibia, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Gambia, Seychelles, La Reunion. This year’s…
Zambian Ground Handlers are proud to introduce their newly-renovated website: www.zambiangroundhandlers.com. The concept remains the same as before. Quite simply “… we aim to give you candid and useful information as well as a selection of useable images for each of the safari camps around Zambia,” maintains Nick Aslin. “We specialize in providing a safe, reliable…
Southern Africa Tourism Update recently asked their readers to submit products they deemed suitable for the US markets, and received over 40 different suggestions. These were put to a judging-panel of APTA members in the USA, who narrowed them down to the following top seven products… in no particular order: • Victoria Falls Safari Lodge…
Margie Whitehouse has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer at South African Tourism, with effect from Monday, March 2. She replaces former CMO, Jan Hutton, who resigned last year. Whitehouse has over 25 years’ marketing experience within both the public and private sectors. Margie’s career began when she joined the Unilever management graduate programme in 1988. She…
The Thornybush Collection has just acquired the management and marketing contract for The River Lodge, located within the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, adjacent to the Kruger National Park, effective April 1. The property is situated in the heart of the Timbavati/greater Kruger bushveld and accommodates a maximum of eight guests. It offers three luxury suites…
Join us for an interactive presentation and allow us to share all the latest news about the newest property in our portfolio. Mont Rochelle in South Africa Wednesday, 11th March 2015 at 2:00 pm (New York time) Register Here The training session will take no more than 30-40 minutes with extra time for Q&A. We…
The Tintswalo Atlantic Lodge has been destroyed by the wildfire which spread across the Cape Peninsula on Monday morning. “We can confirm that between 60 and 80 percent of the property has burned to the ground,” said Michelle du Plessis, MD of Tintswalo Atlantic Lodge. Guests were forced to evacuate the premises early Monday morning and…
The New York Times has announced the dates for their 13th annual Travel Show: January 8–10, 2016, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, the No. 1 marketplace in the world. The New York Times Travel Show continues to be the premier hybrid travel show in North America, featuring the exclusive…
From 18 – 23 October, the 2015 Skal International Congress will be held “On The Beach,” north of the port city of Mombasa, Kenya. The organizing committee, led by Past International President Tony Clegg-Butt, has launched a website (www.skalkenyacongress2015.travel) with more details, including a range of pre- and post-congress tours into Kenya’s famous game parks.…
PrecisionAir, Tanzania’s Largest Airline, offers 5% Agent Commission when booking via GDS or through the US ticketing office, and now accepts payment by Visa or MasterCard. PrecisionAir is a private Tanzanian airline established in 1993 and based at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar Es Salaam. The airline operates scheduled service throughout Tanzania, including the…