Welcome to Travel Industry Exchange, the number-one travel specialization event! Agents who specialize in niche travel not only become more relevant to their clients’ needs— they are more likely to increase their revenue! With over 60 educational sessions focused on niche travel including certification programs in Luxury, Romance, and Cruise; concentrated programs in technology, trends…
The Seychelles islands are becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination. A 15 percent increase in arrivals has been recorded for January to April 2015, compared to the same period last year. During 2014, the number of visitors who came to the Indian Ocean archipelago of 115 islands was almost equal to that of 2013, when…
We invite you to join one of Virgin Limited Edition’s webinars taking place this June! Why not take some time out of your hectic day, unwind with a cup of tea and learn about one of Sir Richard Branson’s luxury retreats? Join us for an interactive presentation and allow us to share with you all…
Kempinski Seychelles Resort Baie Lazare has been selected to host the World Travel Awards (WTA) Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2015. Set to take place on Saturday, June 20th, the dazzling red-carpet ceremony will welcome hospitality leaders and luminaries from across the regions. Located on the south end of Mahé in Baie Lazare, Kempinski Seychelles Resort is the perfect…
Victoria Falls Safari Club Upgrading of the Victoria Falls Safari Club in Zimbabwe will commence in November 2015, adding, among other improvements, an infinity swimming pool and deck, as well as a boutique restaurant. Breakfast, light modern lunches and a tasting-menu style dinner will be on offer there. The existing lounge is to be expanded…
The much-anticipated unveiling of &Beyond Benguerra Island has finally arrived. On June 1st, we welcomed our first guests into a world of luxury island living. Guests can now enjoy sensational accommodation in the form of light and airy casinhas and cabanas and spend languid hours on silky-white pristine beaches. With a distinct nod to both…
South African Airways will launch a new non-stop service between Washington, D.C.-Dulles International Airport and Accra’s Kotoka International Airport on August 3, 2015. With the introduction of this new flight, SAA will be providing the only non-stop flight between Washington D.C. and Ghana, as well as the only Skytrax 4-Star-rated airline service and world-class quality…
As of May 18th, Henok Teferra, previously Vice President for corporate strategy communications and alliances at Ethiopian Airlines, is the new CEO of ASKY Airlines. ASKY is a Pan African airline, based in Lomé. Ethiopian Airlines holds a 40 percent stake in ASKY and has a five-year management and technical service agreement with ASKY. A…
Cape Town: Ethiopian Airlines, the largest airline in Africa, has announced that it has finalized preparations to start flights from Addis Ababa to Cape Town, as of 30 June, 2015. Ethiopian Airlines announced in a statement. that, together with this new route, the airline will also launch a direct flight to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.…
Franschhoek, South Africa – May 2015 – The 14th edition of The World’s Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, has been announced. The Tasting Room was honoured with position 88, and is the only South African restaurant to have made it into the 51-100 list. According to the organisers, the awards provide ‘an annual…
Cape Town – Mantis has confirmed that its renowned Zambezi Queen luxury river boat will now form part of the Zambezi Queen Collection, teaming up with three smaller existing luxury river boats, previously known as Ichobezi Safariboats and The Pride of the Zambezi. The three safari boats have been renamed the Chobe Princesses and join the…
The inconsiderate behaviour of tourists has led Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park to lose its unique selling point – unescorted walking. Until now, the game sanctuary has been one of a very few in Africa that has allowed visitors to wander about unguided in big game territory. The practice has been marketed as one of…
South African Airways (SAA), the leading carrier on the African continent, and its feeder partner airline, Airlink, have entered into a joint commercial venture which, as a first ever, will offer scheduled air services at Tshwane City’s Wonderboom Airport. Effective 16 August, the service will operate between Wonderboom and Cape Town, a key domestic route…
It is with great excitement that we launch the newly-refurbished and totally-redecorated rooms at Chobe Game Lodge. The rooms have been completely refurbished with a lively, contemporary finish, in keeping with the beautifully-designed public areas. The bathrooms have tripled in size, with his-and-hers twin basins, walk-in, frameless glass showers and large, free-standing baths. “A new range…
President Obama will travel to Kenya in July for bilateral meetings and the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an annual conference that connects entrepreneurs with business leaders, international organizations, and governments. “His trip will build on the success of the August 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and continue our efforts to work with countries in sub-Saharan Africa,…
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,…
South Africa’s hospitality industry is prepared to grow further in the next five years, with most growth in the sector expected to be generated in Cape Town, according to a report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) today. Nikki Forster, the hospitality industry leader for PwC Southern Africa, says: “Although South Africa’s economy has weakened, the hotel…
Cape Town – The advance of South Africa’s budget airlines, recently joined by FlySafair and Skywise, looks set to benefit air travel consumers, as competition between the private and state-owned sector strengthens. A study undertaken in February indicated that FlySafair had already helped bring prices down on some domestic routes. Now hopes are pinned on Skywise…
In the face of a long chain of crises across Africa, specialists and suppliers have had to remain vigilant and get creative with their marketing and selling initiatives to prevent their businesses from becoming yet another casualty of the continent’s catastrophes. “Specialist tour operators focusing on Africa have to be prepared for the peaks and…
Windhoek In an effort to curb an upsurge in wildlife crimes, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, says no private guns will be allowed into national parks, following a spate of illegal poaching of rhinos and elephants. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has been working with other law enforcement and conservation agencies to…
The 2015 Travel & Adventure Show Season broke records regarding attendance and exhibitor participation attracting over 135,000 qualified travel enthusiasts and over 2,000 exhibitors. With misconceptions regarding travel to Africa at an all-time high, this is your best opportunity to get in front of tens of thousands of interested consumers who are looking to book…
From 1 June 2015, a person traveling with a child will be required to possess an unabridged birth certificate of the child, and written consent from the parent or parents authorizing such travel, that is, if the child is traveling with somebody else or with only one parent.For countries abroad, any legal document issued by…
‘Given the continued insistence of governments to place travel advisories to specific areas of Kenya where the Congress was to be held, the Executive Committee and Chair of the LOC have agreed to postpone the congress and that Kenya will reconsider holding a congress in 2018.’ READ MORE:
Recently, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) announced a new regulation which, experts say, will confine tourists within the national parks. If enforced, the regulation will compel tourists who wish to visit communities or stay outside the parks after game driving, to pay multiple entry fees. This means that, having previously paid a single fee for a…
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) has announced the opening of Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay, the first Hyatt Place hotel to open in Africa. Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay, an upscale select service Hotel, is located at the new Taghazout Bay Resort, just 17 kilometers from Agadir. Offering a prime situation, Hyatt Place Taghazout overlooks the Atlantic…
The government of Malawi has announced its development of a strategic five-year 2020 Tourism Development plan to guide the country’s developments in the tourism sector. Minister of Information, Tourism and Wildlife, Kondwani, said in the capital, Lilongwe, that the plan will be due for implementation in the next financial year. “The plan will see tourism…
Elephant’s Eye, Hwange, recently introduced game walks experience. The new activity will see you step out of the safari vehicle to walk amidst the African wildlife. Our ZimPro guide/ranger will take a small group of 6 guests on these intimate walks in the morning or afternoon. This nature encounter brings guests closer to where lion,…
Hoopoe Safaris is very proud to host the Clinton Foundation here in Tanzania once again. In the recent past, we have had the privilege of organising a major conference for Clinton Healthcare Access Initiative (CHAI), as well as safaris for the delegates. This time around, we hosted visits by President Bill Clinton and the top…
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When we set out to invent Wild Luxury, we knew we had to strive for perfection. So our plan for the spa at Mara Bushtops was simple: Create the best luxury safari spa in the world. The great news is we’ve achieved our aim: On 30 April 2015, the World Luxury Spa Awards announced that…
Cape Town – South African Airways Cargo has taken a decision to place a total embargo on its worldwide services for the transportation of hunting trophies, effective 21 April 2015. The embargo was issued after SAA Cargo was fined by the Civil Aviation Authority following an incident in which hunting trophies were allegedly shipped to Perth, Australia…
As of 01 June 2015, Airkenya will offer a scheduled flight into Migori and ground transfers to Tarime. Sister airline, Regional Air Services (RAS), will fly passengers onwards from Tarime to Seronera, Serengeti and the Selous. The new service is set to reduce the time taken to move between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti…
After 25 years based in offices in Woodstock, Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris, advises that the company has moved to grand new offices in central Cape Town. “We are very excited to be housed in brand- new modern offices in the city area now, close to all amenities and the most-visited tourist attraction, the V&A…
DELRAY BEACH, Florida – Today, African Travel, Inc. announced the appointment of Sherwin Banda as President, effective August 2015. African Travel, Inc.’s current President, Jim Holden, who had previously announced his plans to resign, effective in July, said “I’ve truly enjoyed my time at African Travel, Inc. and I wish the team my very best..…
Classic Portfolio is thrilled to welcome LEGENDARY SERENGETI CAMP to their portfolio. Part of Legendary Expeditions’ offering, together with Legendary Lodge and Mwiba Lodge, this mobile camp moves between 3 incredible locations in the Serengeti, according to migration and weather patterns: 1. PRIVATE CONCESSION – the camp is in the private concession of Maswa (Southern…
Travel to Africa: Separating Fact From Fiction in Today’s Media ReportsCountries across Africa have experienced unfortunate tragedies and major setbacks since late 2014, creating continuous media frenzy and a flood of sensational reports to gain viewers/readers. Topics such as Ebola, acts of terror and pirates are not only displayed in excess but these stories also…
San Diego APTA invites all members to an Informative and Inspiring Evening at Phil’s BBQ, Point Loma, on Tuesday, May 12th. Featured Speakers will be: Chris Liebenberg, Piper & Heath Safaris and Todd Grigsby, Emirates Airlines. To reserve your seat, email Linda Serrano muttznut@sbcglobal.net Save the Date: Orange County APTA will be hosting their annual…
There are countless reasons why some 40,000 trekkers are drawn to Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro each year – the glory of climbing the world’s highest free-standing mountain, the wonder of standing atop Africa’s pinnacle, with the great continent at one’s feet and the reward of seeing Kili’s majestic summit glaciers, some of the very few equatorial…
He is a professional tour guide specializing in bird guiding and identification, and boasts a 15-year track record. That is not all; Kirenga Kamugisha is also president of the Rwanda Safari Guides Association, the umbrella body that brings together tour guides in the country. Kirenga’s foray into tourism was born of sheer passion and dates…
With its vast and diverse geography, ancient civilization, Red Sea coastline, and safari potential, Sudan can be considered one of the untapped frontiers of Africa’s tourism industry. Though the industry has been held back by a lack of infrastructure, outside investment, and travel alerts in some Western countries, increasing inflows of tourists from the Middle…
PRECISION Air will spend more than 400m/- on recruiting local pilots through a special programme that will see more than 30 employed as part of the airline’s turnaround plans and restructuring of its operations. The airline issued a statement announcing that 15 local pilots had already been recruited. 10 of them were undergoing training at…
For seven years, this Kenyan national has been guiding tourists up some of East Africa’s most treacherous peaks, including Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya, and through some of the region’s most scenic safari parks. As one of the few female guides operating in East Africa, she has faced skepticism and downright discrimination. In many lodges,…
WINDHOEK – Christo Viljoen, Head of Tourism at FNB Namibia, handed over the 2014 FNB tourist guide of the year award to winners Kurt Schlenter (Tourist Guide of the Year 2014) and Emiliano Benolich (Runner up). The bank supported the awards, which were handed out during the Tourist Guides Association of Namibia’s (TAN) 21st Anniversary,…
Following its 25th Anniversary Celebration in NYC on March 31st, Tusk’s Royal Patron, HRH The Duke of Cambridge, has written a personal article, published in the organization’s annual report. The Prince highlights today’s greatest conservation challenges and the reason he believes that Tusk is having an impact in Africa. “I was initially drawn to…
Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company based on number of hotels and one of three hospitality business units of Wyndham Worldwide, announced the opening of the 139-room RamadaR Resort Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Complementing Wyndham Hotel Group’s existing portfolio of franchised properties in Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria and Tunisia, the hotel marks not…
In a special ceremony at World Travel Market Africa in the City on 17 April, Gansbaai took the coveted position of Overall Winner in the African Responsible Tourism Awards out of 22 finalists gathered from around Africa. “It is exciting to bring the World Responsible Tourism Awards to Cape Town & Africa,” said Harold Goodwin,…
In 2016 The Blue Train will be heading up to “Big 5” country with the launch of its brand-new Hoedspruit departures. The Blue Train will make two round trips up to the Limpopo Province – one in July and the other in August, offering guests the choice of four spectacular 19-hour one-way journeys. These new…
The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls main-line runs almost dead straight along the northern boundary of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. At Impofu Siding, in the shade of ancient Zambezi teak trees 8km from the Hwange main camp, tourists board the newly-tested Elephant Express rail-car for a two-hour, 70km rail safari to Ngamo Siding, for transfer to the Bomani…
Cape Town – The Robben Island Museum will reduce the frequency of its daily tours, from the usual four per day during peak season to only three per day for the off-peak season, which starts from the middle of April. From this week, until the end of August, ferries will depart from the V&A Waterfront…
Lupita Nyong’o is currently in Uganda to begin work on her next project, Disney’s Queen of Katwe. The film will tell the story of Ugandan chess wunderkind Phiona Mutesi, whose rise to prominence in the international chess circuit was documented in a 2011 ESPN The Magazine article by Tim Crothers. Crothers subsequently expanded the article…