Four Points by Sheraton – part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotel brands – has announced the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Kigali, marking the brand’s debut in Rwanda. “We are very proud to work with Marriott International to bring the Four Points by Sheraton brand into Rwanda and we are confident this hotel will…
Rhinos have returned to Mozambique, just over 40 years after they became extinct in the region, thanks to a Peace Parks Foundation project that transported the precious cargo 1 610km from South Africa. The Black and White rhinos have made their new home in Zinave National Park, which spans more than 400 000ha and already has 2 300…
CornerSun Destination Marketing, a full-service consulting firm specializing in promoting African tourism destinations to the North American market, has been selected by the Zambia Tourism Agency to lead its tourism promotional efforts in North America. The partnership is part of a larger program to re-introduce Zambia to the world following the COVID-19 pandemic that largely…
The APTA Executive Board is excited to host Session 3 of 3 in our Explore Africa Webinar Series. We are thrilled to have Springbok Atlas and South African Tourism join us for this third installment featuring South Africa. This is not your typical webinar series. We know that you know and love Africa. This is…
Qatar Airways and Airlink have signed a comprehensive new codeshare agreement to offer travellers greater connectivity between 45 destinations in 13 countries across southern Africa and the rest of the world. Now, connecting flights can be purchased on both airlines using a single reservation with seamless ticketing, check-in, boarding and baggage-check for the entire journey.…
As previously communicated, South African Airways will close its North America Regional Office in Fort Lauderdale, effective June 30,2022. For over 50 years, South African Airways has maintained a strong presence in North America in building and supporting partnerships with customers, the travel trade, tourism organizations, and community affiliations. As our general sales agent in…
South African Tourism is welcoming the end of all COVID-19 restrictions after South Africa’s cabinet last week concluded that they had served their purpose. And these days it seems it’s only news when a country keeps its COVID restrictions. The revision of the COVID-19 management regulations heralds a new chapter for the country and is…
Air Senegal, the flag carrier of the Republic of Senegal has added connecting service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Baltimore-Washington (BWI) to Accra, Ghana (ACC) via Dakar, Senegal (DSS). Service is scheduled to commence on Air Senegal flights departing from the USA on Thursdays and Sundays starting September 1st, 2022.…
Located in the diplomatic area of Lusaka: where Kabulonga, Ibex Hill, and Woodlands intersect, the 75-key hotel is conveniently positioned around some of Lusaka’s finest commercial centers; and 30mins away from the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The hotel has 4 room categories. The categories being Standard rooms, Business class rooms, lofts and Executive rooms. It’s a full-service hotel…
Kenya Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is urging caution in the wake of new COVID-19 infections in the East African nation, and has reinstated the country’s indoor mask mandate. This applies to all closed or confined spaces, such as in public-service vehicles, aircraft, offices, supermarkets, and places of worship. “This sharp rise in numbers of new infections…
European luxury hotel group, Kempinski Hotels, has signed management contracts for three luxury safari properties – two lodges and a tented camp – which will open in Tanzania next year. The new luxury tented camp, Kempinski Msasa Lodge Lake Manyara, will have 19 tents with terrace and outdoor showers, two junior suite tents with an…
With the introduction of the Museum Of African Liberation that is being built in the Warren Park area of Harare, there are calls for western Harare to be marketed and recognised as its own unique tourism corridor in the southern African nation. The 101ha museum site will be known as the Liberation City, accompanied by…
Tanzania’s Royal Tour film content, its strategic premiere USA market and timing have started paying dividends in terms of commanding significant traffic of tourists. Produced by Peter Greenberg, the maiden film featuring President Samia Suluhu Hassan, as his key guide—showcasing Tanzania’s rich cultural, wildlife heritage and array of investment opportunities through her leadership eye, was launched…
UNITED Airlines is investing more and more precious seat capacity into South Africa, specifically Cape Town, which Regional Director Sales, Bob Schumacher, agrees is a reflection of both North Americans’ insatiable appetite for the destination and pent-up demand for travel to the US. United expanded its Cape Town-New York/Newark service to year-round this week. In SA…
The Rwandan Cabinet has appointed Michaella Rugwizangoga as the new Chief Tourism Officer for the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). She brings a wide range of expertise related to strategic planning, project management and product development to the tourism development team. The Council member of the World Economic Forum has previously served as the CEO of Volkswagen Mobility…
Trade partners in the Victoria Falls region have welcomed the start of a second daily fastjet flight between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls, adding much-needed airline seat capacity over peak dates. Fastjet’s extra frequency also replaces some of the capacity lost from South Africa owing to the cancellation of flights by British Airways (operated by Comair),…
FlySafair has revealed plans for expansion, including the addition of eight new aircraft to its fleet (five in the short term). The carrier voiced its hopes too, of more regional routes. Comair’s departure from the market has created a supply vacuum, with about 40% of seat capacity lost overnight. FlySafair says this opens opportunities for…
Comair, which grounded its British Airways (domestic) and Kulula flights a week ago due to a funding crunch, has failed to raise the cash it needs to return to the air. Its business rescue practitioners said in a statement on Thursday the “requisite funding could not be raised for the company to continue with its…
Newmark Hotels’ Serengeti Sojourn Mobile Camp has announced a new location for its second home. After years of opening in Tanzania’s Lobo region every June, the luxury mobile camp is now making Togoro 1 (there are three camps in the area) its second home base for the month. The Serengeti Sojourn Mobile Camp has a…
By the end of June, the iconic Cape Wheel will move from its current location in front of the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre to a new location offering views of Robben Island and beyond, passing ships moving to and from the Waterfront and the commercial port, while still retaining views of the city bowl and Table…
Fastjet Zimbabwe has introduced a second daily flight between Victoria Falls International Airport and OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg. The flights commenced on June 8 and are operated by a 50-seat Embraer Regional Jet. Flights now depart from Johannesburg at 09h55 and 11h10. The return flights depart from Victoria Falls at 13h00 and 13h20. Fastjet…
After a journey of more than 17 hours and 700 kilometres across Zimbabwe, the first two White rhino to roam Hwange in nearly 20 years are now settling into their new home in the Imvelo Ngamo Wildlife Sanctuary bordering the park. Guests staying at Bomani or Camelthorn lodges inside Hwange National Park and on Imvelo’s…
Click Here to Register – https://t.e2ma.net/click/gqlvzo/wq078n/01bfovb Session 3: Spring Back to South Africa! Regions covered: Southern Africa Corporate Member Presenters: South Africa Tourism & Springbok Atlas Date: Thursday, June 9th Time: 2PM New York time The APTA Executive Board is excited to host Session 3 of 3 in our Explore Africa Webinar Series. We are thrilled to have Springbok Atlas and South African Tourism join us for this…
Tanzanian authorities have renovated 2 000km of roads in 22 national parks as the country braces for an influx of tourists following the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic, says an official. According to reports, Francis Michael, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, said the roads were renovated using funds given by…
A new eco-lodge is under construction in Maputo National Park and is on track to open in December. Tourism Manager of the park, Hélsio Azevedo, said the lodge was yet to be officially named and would offer 72 beds, including 24 chalets and self-catering units as well as a beach-front restaurant. There will also be a…
The new, year-round flight from United Airlines to Cape Town supports economic recovery in the Western Cape and will provide much-needed relief to the tourism and hospitality sector in the province, with the New York/Newark-Cape Town route expected to generate R523 million (€31.8m) worth of direct tourism spend within its first year of operation (June…
The Kenya Wildlife Service, which conserves and manages the diverse wildlife of the East African nation, tweeted that yesterday morning (June 7) an extremely rare and special birth happened in Aberdare National Park. Twin baby elephants were safely introduced to the world, bringing the total number of known living sets of elephant twins in the…
The Radisson Hotel Group has debuted the Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga. The hotel is just five minutes from King Shaka International Airport, and has easy access to several popular beaches. It is within walking distance of the Umhlanga Beach Promenade, and is also close to the Durban ICC, with direct access to the luxury…
The Urban Lusaka is a 75-key boutique hotel set in the diplomatic area where Kabulonga, Leopards Hill and Woodlands meet. Only 30 minutes from Kenneth Kaunda International airport and convenient to Lusaka’s commercial centers, this architecturally exciting property has become an instant Lusaka landmark. Known as an ‘art hotel’, The Urban Hotel features ArtSpace, an…
Comair has announced the abrupt suspension of all its flights, both kulula and British Airways operated by Comair. The suspension took effect yesterday evening (Tuesday, May 31). Sales of tickets on both carriers have also been suspended. The airline says the suspension is in force while it secures additional funding. In a media release issued…
Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife plans to implement several interventions – including reducing the number of visitors and increasing park fees – to curb high season overcrowding in some of its national parks and to encourage travel throughout the year. This is in response to growing concerns regarding the impact that overcrowding of safari vehicles and…
A new airline, KuvaAir – operated by Zimbabwe-based Executive Air – is set to connect tourism destinations in Zimbabwe, and will launch its inaugural Harare-Hwange-Victoria Falls flight on June 1. This is according to reports from Zimbabwe’s state-owned newspaper, The Herald. The Herald reports that KuvaAir will operate flights linking Harare, Kariba, Victoria Falls and Hwange on…
The Kenyan government recently confirmed that by the year 2030, all of its national parks and game reserves will allow non-fossil fuels. All facilities relating to hospitality and tourism will also be required to prioritise renewable energy in a bid for a more sustainable environment. Kenya’s CO2 emissions amounted to roughly 16m tons in 2020,…
After a journey of 17+ hours and 700+ kilometers across Zimbabwe, the first two white rhino to roam Hwange in nearly 20 years are now settling into their new home in the Imvelo Ngamo Wildlife Sanctuary bordering the park. The two rhinos, Thuza and Kusasa, were named by two generous donors from a list of…
South African Airways welcomes AVIAWORLD (AVIAREPS JV), a global leader in tourism and airline representation, as their general sales agent in North America. Effective immediately, AVIAREPS will be assuming responsibilities for all sales and marketing representation for South African Airways in the U.S. and Canada. South African Airways, together with AVIAREPS, look forward to continuing…
The Malawian Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, has announced that all incoming travellers that are fully vaccinated and have a digital vaccination certificate will no longer be required to produce a COVID-19 PCR certificate to enter the country from June 1. Unvaccinated travellers, or travellers who do not have a valid electronically verifiable COVID-19 full…
The launch of the Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, took place on Sunday (May 22), the International Day for Biodiversity. The South African National Botanical Institute (SANBI) said the official declaration of the Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden was important, as it was the first national botanical…
Ethiopian Airlines is to add a Friday flight from Addis Ababa to São Paulo and Buenos Aires from July 1, reports Simple Flying. The flight currently operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The flights stop at São Paulo before continuing to Buenos Aires. The full schedule is as follows: ET 506 departs Addis Ababa at 10:05…
Discover the iconic safari destinations of Tanzania’s Northern safari circuit, including the baobab dotted Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ngorongoro Crater and an overview of the world-renowned Serenget with this APTA Featured Webinar! https://apta-africa.org/webinars/tanzanias-northern-circuit/
Uganda Tourism Board and Jinja City Authority have concluded plans to develop Jinja as a gateway tourism city in the Eastern part of Uganda, executives said on May 19. The plans are a result of a meeting held between the UTB, Jinja City Council officials and the Private Sector at the Jinja City Hall under…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added five countries to its list of Level 3 ‘high risk’ travel destinations for COVID this week. The five new countries are South Africa, Lesotho, Antigua and Barbuda, and Taiwan. South Africa was previously on Level 2 and Lesotho on Level 1. New omicron sub…
Tanzania National Parks’ (TANAPA) recently introduced bicycle tourism saw 27 cyclists reach the top of the 4 566m-high Mount Meru in the north of the country. The cyclists, including both tour operators and tourists, completed their attempt to conquer Africa’s fifth highest mountain in three days. Speaking at the foot of Mount Meru, Albert Mziray, Assistant Commissioner…
Passengers no longer need to take a PCR test prior to their departure for Kigali, according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Health over the weekend. A rapid antigen test taken 72 hours before departure is now accepted. Travellers still have to take a second antigen test at their own expense (US$5/R80) on…
Delta Air Lines has announced that it will take its Johannesburg frequency from three to six flights a week, with effect from May 25. A Delta spokesperson told Tourism Update the additional flights had been for sale for some time. “We are seeing significant demand for travel between South Africa and the US from both points of…
Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South African Tourism Board to promote tourism and boost visitor arrivals and inbound traffic to South Africa from key markets across the Emirates network. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022 by Badr Abbas, Emirates’…
The luxury travel brand show, We Are Africa – organised by This is Beyond, hosted by the City of Cape Town and headlined by South African Tourism – has drawn approximately 700 people to the DHL Stadium in Cape Town this week. The four day show, which kicked off yesterday, includes participation by 320 exhibitors…
SATSA has received several reports of international travellers, especially travellers arriving from the United States, arriving at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) only to find they have to undergo a rapid antigen test despite showing proof of vaccination. The reason for the test requirement appears to be that most travellers from the US do not have a…
The Kingdom of Eswatini Government and Airlink have agreed to dissolve their joint-venture airline business, Eswatini Airlink, which will cease operations from June 1. Airlink and the Kingdom’s new national carrier, Eswatini Air, will then provide scheduled air services between Johannesburg and King Mswati III International Airport. Eswatini Airlink currently operates multiple daily services between…
Machaba Safaris will open a brand-new classic safari camp, Mana River Camp, in Mana Pools National Park on May 15. The camp is a temporary camp, functioning for seven months of the year, from May to November Mana River Camp occupies the site formerly known as Mwinilunga. It has six classic three-module Sahara Lodge tents…
SANParks has begun its three-year R370m upgrade and refurbishment programme in the Kruger National Park. Funds for the infrastructure upgrade were obtained predominantly from an Infrastructure Development Programme and allocated to SANParks from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. “The decline in tourist revenues under COVID-19 has impacted our revenue but the need to…