By Marc Nkwame, Daily News Seronera — Two new special surveillance aircrafts, set to be deployed for aerial patrols over Serengeti National Park and Selous Game Reserve, have landed in Tanzania. Valued at nearly 1.2bn/- the two ‘Aviat Aircraft Husky A-IC’ planes have been donated by Germany in its ongoing support to the local war…
A TOTAL of 17 new wild dogs have just been released in the Serengeti plains. This brings the number of the endangered carnivorous species in the country’s second-largest National Park to nearly 325 and counting. The releases were the last of a series of six packs releases from the Serengeti Wild Dog Conservation Project, aimed…
With its stunning rock formations, a remnant of a wet period in the region, which ended 4,000 years ago, the Ennedi plateau is seen as a contender for a heritage listing with UNESCO. Stefan Kröpelin at the University of Cologne in Germany, travelled to the remote region last October, with a small team to take samples…
In the centre of La Réunion, the tiny French island that bobs in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mauritius, there is another sort of island. This one is even more isolated. Formed when the magna chamber of a major volcano collapsed some three million years ago, the verdant Cirque de Mafate is separated from…
Good Morning America‘s Amy Robach is going on safari — and she’s taking viewers with her on an immersive virtual reality tour of one of the most breathtaking natural wonders in Africa. Robach is taking the technology of tomorrow to an ancient paradise in Tanzania, where “GMA” will broadcast live video of wild animals in…
Elewana is pleased to announce the appointment of James Haigh to the position of Director of Sales & Marketing, effective from 1 March 2016. Joining the Elewana team based in Nairobi, James will lead the group’s sales and marketing activities and will play a pivotal role in delivering a number of key initiatives during 2016…
Timbuktu (Mali), February 4 – A consecration ceremony of the Timbuktu mausoleums was held today at the initiative of the local community. Such a ceremony was last held in the 11th century. This new consecration ceremony is the final phase of the cultural rebirth of the Timbuktu mausoleums, after their destruction by the armed groups who…
Walta Information Center reports that Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc has announced its intention to introduce its growing Four Points brand in Ethiopia, with a new-built property, developed by an Ethiopian company, Alemgenet Trade and Industries PLC. The Four Points of Sheraton Addis Ababa is scheduled to open at the beginning of the year…
By Judith Namutowe Proflight Zambia has signed a sales and purchase agreement with South African (SA) Express to enable customers across the country to make joint bookings. Proflight Director of Government and Industry Affairs, Phillip Lemba, explained that the agreement would enable Proflight customers to book flights to three destinations within the SA Express network. This…
A new luxury safari lodge, Mambeti Camp, is expected to open its doors in early 2017 in Liuwa Plain National Park in western Zambia. Mambeti Camp will comprise six luxury villas, including a two-bedroom family villa with the capacity to accommodate a total of 15 guests. It is being funded by African Parks, a non-profit…
Cape Town – Emirates has increased capacity on its Zambia and Zimbabwe flight with the deployment of a larger Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. First deployed on the route on 1 February 2016, the new aircraft replaced the smaller Airbus A340-300, offering an additional 97 Economy Class seats per flight. The aircraft has eight private suites in First…
Cape Town – The departments of home affairs and tourism have finally announced that the controversial visa laws – which required all minors travelling to or going out of SA to have an unabridged birth certificate – will be scrapped in favour of an updated passport for minors with printed details of both parents. Director-General…
It gives us great pleasure to introduce Little Machaba Camp to our group – Opening 20 April 2016. The camp is located on the same island as Machaba Camp, overlooking a large flood plain. Situated next to Machaba main Camp, it offers a similar experience however being a lot smaller and more exclusive. Only four…
Congratulations to the winners in our 2016 Individual Member Drive. They are: Dori Peterson (San Diego Chapter) CADENCE, 4686 59th Street, San Diego, CA 92115, who wins 1 Ticket on SAA from JFK / IAD to JNB / CPT 2 nights at Cape Town Hollow , Cape Town 2 nights at Devon Valley Hotel,…
Kenya’s travel and tourism industry receives a boost as travel technology leader launches new service at an official event welcomed by the County Executive for Finance, County Government of Nairobi and attended by the CEO and Vice Chair of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform providing distribution, technology,…
World Travel Awards has unveiled the nominees for its upcoming Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2016. This year, the ceremony, the first event on the annual Grand Tour, will be hosted by Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on April 9th. With more than 1,500 nominations now revealed, voting is expected to be…
An extremely rare white giraffe calf was recently spotted in Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park. Omo is leucistic, which means she still has pigment in her soft tissues, such as her eyes, but not her skin cells. Though uncommon, leucism occurs in many species, including penguins, eagles, and hippos. Read More For the next two weeks, readers can bid…
Following a recent expedition supported by Born Free USA and Born Free Foundation, wildlife conservationists have confirmed for the first time that lions are living in a remote national park in Ethiopia. The discovery was made after an expedition into the heart of Alatash National Park in northwest Ethiopia.Read More
With a projected growth of 3.7% in 2015 and accounting for nearly 9% of the continent’s GDP, Africa’s travel and tourism industry has incredible potential to help generate growth, create jobs and enable development. Yet, this potential remains largely untapped. Read More
All individual members in good standing by January 31st, 2016 will stand a chance of winning one of two trips to South Africa. Two members will each win one ticket to Cape Town or Johannesburg on SAA Airways, and 8 nights’ accommodation generously donated by these valued corporate members; 1 Ticket on SAA from…
Uganda Tourism Board has recruited three Public Relations firms to represent the country in source markets. This is a UTB strategy developed to increase the country’s tourist arrivals. If the plan succeeds, it will generate not only more revenue for the country, but more employment opportunities as well. The firms chosen to represent Uganda are…
Everyone knows about the great national parks of eastern and southern Africa – Masai Mara, Kruger and Serengeti all conjure up images of majestic landscapes, packs of lions lazing in the shade and herds of elephant roaming the savannah. But have you heard of Mole, Pendjari and Waza? These wildlife reserves are among the finest…
Ethiopian Airlines is pleased to announce that preparations are being finalized to launch service to New York’s JFK airport by the end of June, to provide a vital link between New York and Africa once again with this new service. Flights from Addis Ababa to JFK will depart on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings, and…
The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has elected Ugandan native, Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya, to serve as its new President. Sebunya will focus on advancing a clear policy agenda for wildlife as part of Africa’s future. This is aimed at ensuring that the continent’s blueprint for development and growth provides space and protection for Africa’s natural heritage.…
Lodges within Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, have introduced a voluntary conservation levy, effective from January 2016. Concerned conservationists and stakeholders of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park region have created a collaborative group: The Conservation & Wildlife Fund (CWF). The objective of CWF is to work together with the wildlife authorities in Zimbabwe to raise awareness, resource…
Sun City’s iconic entertainment center closed its doors on Monday for a major refurbishment. According to a press statement, the entertainment center will be re-imagined and rebuilt at a cost of R300m as part of the R800m revitalization of Sun City. “The Entertainment Centre opened its doors in 1980, as Frank Sinatra crooned to roaring…
Early findings from the largest ever aerial survey of African wildlife – the Great Elephant Census (GEC) – are proving that big data can make a big difference when it comes to saving the world’s largest land mammal. The Africa-wide census, funded by Microsoft billionaire Paul G. Allen, took off in February 2014, with the…
Described as one of the last strongholds of Central African wildlife, Zakouma National Park in Chad is renowned for its free-roaming herds of elephants. Despite its history of terrible poaching, there has been only one incident inside the park since 2011 and elephant numbers are on the rise. This is largely due to the work…
Delegates attending events within the World Travel Market portfolio can take advantage of discounted air fares with oneworld airlines following a groundbreaking deal between the alliance and World Travel Market’s parent company Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE). Visitors and exhibitors are able to make reservations for themselves and a companion via a dedicated channel on the…
By MARTIN MWITA, The Star: KENYA’s fate on direct flights between Nairobi and the United States now lies with America, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority reports. The country’s aviation industry must undergo a final audit by America’s Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates and oversees the American civil aviation sector. According to KCAA, Kenya must achieve…
By Dean Karemera, NEW TIMES Isabukuru Family, one of the 20 groups of mountain gorillas gazetted for research and tourism in Volcanoes National Park, welcomed a rare gift of twins born to Isaro yesterday. According to Belise Kariza, the Chief Tourism Officer at Rwanda Development Board, the birth of the twins is great news to…
Djibouti is out of this world. It’s a claim no travel writer should ever make, but it really is as if a great chunk of Mars has been carved out and jigsawed on to the Horn of Africa. Seated on the Afar Triple Junction, –, the meeting-point for three of the Earth’s tectonic plates, which…
Choda is one of the few traditional dances still practised on the Mozambique shores of Lake Malawi. Each year, a number of villages invite their neighbours to a dance-off. Male drummers, positioned in the centre, are surrounded by a thick, two-tiered circle of women, who are colourfully-clad and resplendent with sunglasses and whistles. – As…
In a bid to save Africa’s elephant populations from extinction in the wild, Botswana has joined Kenya, Gabon and Uganda by signing a declaration which makes it the fourth country to join The Giants Club, an elephant-protection plan to fight the illegal ivory trade. With The Giants Club implementation charity, Space for Giants, work is…
Tourism continues to be one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors in Africa. and the continent has witnessed a significant improvement in tourism activities since 2013. The 2015 edition of the Africa Tourism Monitor, released by the African Development Bank, in partnership with the New York University, Africa House and the Africa Travel Association,…
Mombasa, 12 January 2016, Speaking at the opening of Kenya’s first luxury yachting marina (English Point Marina) in Mombasa, H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced an unprecedented tourism incentive package to attract world travellers back to Kenya. Visa fees for children under 16 will be scrapped indefinitely from 1st Feb 2016. VAT charges on National Park…
&Beyond is set to expand its island footprint by adding &Beyond Vamizi Island to its portfolio. We will take over the management of the island, situated in the Quirimbas Archipelago off the coast of northern Mozambique, from 01 March 2016. The island’s six luxury private villas will continue to operate under our signature brand of…
Senegal’s Blues du Fleuve is an annual music festival founded and headlined by Baaba Maal – a singer so popular and influential in this part of the world that in the course of the weekend a shipment of mosquito nets is dropped off at his house, courtesy of the minister of health, to protect his…
Condé Nast Traveler, Written by Sarah Khan: Botswana’s appeal as a classic safari destination is timeless: It boasts a great mix of topographical diversity, as well as a staggering range of activities—from elephant-back rides to river cruising—all in a fairly compact region. The Okavango Delta, with its iconic lodges, should be the first place you…
AFK Insider by Roxanne Reid There are more than 40 water holes in Etosha, each with its own strengths – unless they’re dry or there’s water everywhere in the veld after good rains, which usually fall between November and April. For the most consistently good wildlife sightings over the years, here are 10 of my…
On the 7th of January, the beloved Chapman’s Baobab, a national monument of Botswana and one of the 3 largest trees in Africa, fell. It is not yet clear what caused Chapman’s to fall, or whether the tree is still alive. The National Parks and Museums authority of Botswana is sending a team of botanists…
Traveller24: 2016-01-11 09:36 – Selene Brophy The Kaza uni-visa, which allows visitors from 40 countries to travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia using the same document, has been reinstated, after initially being put on hold towards the end of December. This was due to Zambia’s running out of the required stamps, Zimbabwean Minister of Tourism, Dr…
Without a doubt, the most popular tourist attraction in Zambia is the Victoria Falls, an experience that is on most travellers’ bucket lists The falls are unforgettable. However, it is Zambia’s off-the-beaten-track treasures that keep intrepid travellers coming back for more. Zambia is home to a vibrant mix of cultures, traditions and people from more…
The Africa Travel Association will become an operating element under the Corporate Council on Africa, effective immediately. The formal announcement was made at the New York Times Travel Show on January 8, 2016. Stephen Hayes, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) said, “The addition of the Africa Travel Association (ATA) to…
BioCarbon Partners (BCP), supported through the USAID Community Forests Program (CFP), in partnership with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), and Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ), are proud to announce achieving the world’s first carbon neutral national park from operations in Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia. Every single tourism concessionaire based in Lower Zambezi National Park (NP),…
PROSPECTS of career opportunities in the hotel and hospitality industry in Nigeria and other African countries have received a tremendous boost with the debut of the African Hospitality Academy in Lagos. The Academy, operated with the support of The Hague Hotel Schools of the Netherlands, intends to revolutionise and enhance the nation’s hotel and hospitality…
On Thursday, 10 December, Game Rangers International (GRI) hosted a celebration to honour the achievements of Cosmas Mumba, the Project Manager of GRI – Zambia Primate Project. As the first ever Zambian, Cosmas was recently nominated to the prestigious Tusk Conservation Award, supported by HRH Prince William. Cosmas attended the glittering award ceremony in London…
Off the tourism map for decades, Ethiopia has become an accessible tourism destination in recent years. The government’s tourism promotion entity, the Ethiopian Tourism Organization, has mounted a campaign to publicize the country’s rich menu of historical, cultural and natural attractions. But the going has been tough. Soon after the Ethiopian Tourism Organization got its…
Turkish Airlines has launched flights to Port Louis and Antananarivo, the capitals cities of Mauritius and Madagascar. The Istanbul-Port Louis-Antananarivo flights are being operated every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in both directions with the airline planning the addition of Monday flights from February 8, 2016 with . Read More
Marriott Rewards, Marriott International’s award-winning loyalty program, announced that members can now earn South African Airways (SAA) Voyager miles for stays at more than 4,000 Marriott hotels across 16 distinctive global brands. As part of this new partnership, Marriott Rewards members can now also redeem points for SAA Voyager miles. “Providing our members with even…