It is a few minutes past 11am local time. The sky above is bright. The sound of ocean waves calmly splash the shores, welcoming another busy day on the beaches of Nungwi in Zanzibar. Excitement is palpable among a group of people gathered around a coffee table nestled on the white sand in Kendwa Rocks…
Emirates will soon resume twice-daily flights to Seychelles, President Wavel Ramkalawan announced while heading a delegation at the Dubai Expo 2020. The Dubai-based airline, Emirates, which previously operated twice-daily flights to Seychelles prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed daily passenger services to Seychelles in August last year. Speaking at a press conference, Ramkalawan said the Seychellois…
ANEW Hotels & Resorts has announced two new additions to its portfolio with the grand opening of ANEW Hotel Parktonian (formerly Protea Hotel by Marriott Johannesburg Parktonian) in Braamfontein and ANEW Hotel Roodepoort (formerly Protea Hotel Roodepoort) on November 1. ANEW Hotel Parktonian will be the largest hotel in the group’s portfolio, offering 300 rooms…
In a great leap forward for aviation and health in the region, Airlink is to become the first carrier in Southern Africa to trial the Iata Travel Pass, a secure digital smartphone app that allows passengers to provide accurate information on their COVID-19 health status and also to access the entry requirements of any countries they…
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT), responsible for running Malawi’s only wildlife rehabilitation centre and a key campaigner in Malawi’s fight against wildlife crime, have released their latest newsletter covering a collection of latest projects and conservation successes. This month, the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust were excited to announce the launch of their apprenticeships programme which will offer Malawian…
Tanzania Tourism players have pumped multi-millions of shillings into an extensive anti-poaching program designed to protect the priceless wildlife heritage of Africa’s animals in the Serengeti National Park. Under the auspices of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO), tourism investors have dished out 150 million shillings (US$65,300) to boost a de-snaring program, redoubling their…
On Thursday, October 21, World Travel Awards, a global initiative that recognises and rewards excellence in travel and tourism unveiled its Africa 2021 winners. World Travel Awards also recognised Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro among Africa’s leading destinations, making the three Tanzanian national parks claim a spot on the 2021 conservation awards list. Tanzania won…
Another adventure tour operator is joining the South African market, with LEETO Nomads, a self-described outdoor lifestyle experience hosting and trade marketing services agency, announcing its official launch this past weekend. Tourism Update caught up with the founder, Lehlohonolo Pitso, who has 22 years’ experience in the tourism industry – including heading the South African Tourism Regional…
Announcements that the US has moved South Africa down to Level 3 and that it will open borders from November 8 to fully vaccinated travellers only bodes well for market recovery. This is according to Sense of Africa, South Africa Chief Operating Officer, Martin Botha. He told Tourism Update the North American market would likely pick up for travel…
British Airways and Kenya Airways have signed a codeshare, enabling passengers to fly to 20 destinations across east and central Africa. Destinations include Zanzibar, Tanzania; Mombasa, Kenya; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Entebbe, Uganda. Passengers flying with Kenya Airways to London can connect to 26 destinations including Glasgow, Madrid, Milan, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. BA currently offers four…
With summer on the doorsteps, Airlink is re-introducing flights between Johannesburg (JNB) and George (GRJ) starting November 01, 2021. Flights will operate early in the morning and late afternoon. A midday service will be added starting November 06. Airlink’s modern E-jet offers more comfort with wider reclining seats and generous legroom. Complimentary meals and drinks…
Travulous, a Destination Management Company located in Rwanda, known for its innovative, conservation-based itineraries and events, today announces a series of exclusive tours and events personally guided and hosted by former research staff and colleagues of the legendary gorilla primatologist, the late Dian Fossey. The owners and management team of Travulous have worked extensively across…
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is supporting the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) to revive the Tanzania tourism industry to spur other businesses, recover thousands of lost jobs, and generate revenue to the economy. Wildlife tourism in Tanzania continues to grow with nearly 1.5 million tourists visiting the country annually, earning the country $2.5 billion…
Ghana’s Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal has said the country expects to receive 150,000 tourists between now and the festive season in December. According to him, the feat will be realised under the ‘December in GH’ initiative as it presents an array of activities for travelers seeking to spend the…
It’s been over 20 months since the World Health Organization announced COVID-19 as a global health emergency and pandemic. It’s estimated that the resulting reductions in travel in 2020 alone wiped US$4.5 trillion from the global tourism economy and cost millions of jobs. In Africa, half of all the people working in tourism lost their jobs. A recent United Nations…
United Airlines, which operates flights between New York (Newark) and Johannesburg, will soon be announcing the restart of its Cape Town flights. A short media release from the airline noted that the flights would resume in the coming weeks. A detailed announcement is expected soon from the airline. A lack of flight capacity to Cape…
On December 19, Delta Air Lines will increase its flights between Atlanta and Johannesburg from three flights a week, to five. So said Jimmy Eichelgruen, Delta’s Director of Sales for Africa, Middle East and India in an email to Tourism Update. From December 19, flights from South Africa will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and…
Join the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) for a webinar introduction of Tanzania’s FAM trip program which seeks to bring members of the travel trade to experience Tanzania’s world-class safari based experiences first-hand. During this webinar session you’ll hear from TATO leadership on the 2021 FAM program and what to expect in 2022. TATO…
The Okavango Spirit, a houseboat that will give visitors a new way to view the abundant game and wildlife of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, is due to be launched in April 2022 by Natural Selection. The houseboat will spend its nights moored along the banks of the Okavango River in an area that is recognised as being…
Madagascar government has just announced the opening of its borders to international travelers after 20 months of closure. It will be done in 2 steps: For the Indian Ocean islands, flights from Mauritius and Reunion will resume on October 23rd . For the rest of the world mainly European countries, the border will open by November…
The Limpopo Department of Economic Development and Tourism is revisiting earlier plans to plans to open a new gate and a tourism activity hub in the Kruger National Park. The new entrance, Shangoni, will be situated between the towns Giyani and Malamulele. Limpopo Minister of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Thabo Mokone, said the budget for…
Africa Showcase is next week – Oct 20-21st – and this year’s event will include an innovative live-networking format that doesn’t require you to spend time pre-scheduling meetings. OnShow has designed the event to span two days where one day’s timing is geared toward’s the East Coast and one towards the West Coast. Feel free…
Emirates and SAA have reactivated their long-standing codeshare aimed at increasing connectivity for both carriers. A media release from SAA says the two carriers have been working toward increasing alignment across products, services and reactivation of synergies between loyalty programmes. SAA-coded and Emirates-operated routes between South Africa and Dubai are now available on a single…
The government has outlined that the U.S.$576 million Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be used to implement development projects in the education, water, health and tourism sectors, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan warning that she will not tolerate misappropriation of the funds. Economists have expressed their high hopes on…
Virgin Atlantic (VS) plans to reinstate a direct flight between London and Cape Town as early as January. Frequencies are to be confirmed but meantime the airline has noted an immediate spike in bookings on its Johannesburg route for travel in December and January following the announcement that South Africa would be removed from the…
Southern African regional carrier, Airlink, is set to launch a new, direct, three-times weekly service between Johannesburg and Luanda from October 21. Tickets are already on sale. “The South Africa-Angola corridor has been under-served, given its crucial commercial and economic importance. By establishing this service, Airlink is providing customers with more affordable competitive choices on…
The Capital 15 on Orange in Cape Town has opened its doors to families, business travellers and long-stay guests after a R20 million (€1.2m) refurbishment and upgrade project. The latest property to join The Capital Hotels and Apartments portfolio, the hotel’s 129 newly converted one- and two-bedroom apartments, up to 120 sqm in size, offer…
The world has gained a new weapon in the war on malaria, among the oldest known and deadliest of infectious diseases: the first vaccine shown to help prevent the disease. By one estimate, it will save tens of thousands of children each year. Malaria kills about half a million people each year, nearly all of…
Tanzania has opened a new chapter in Sport Tourism after the official launch of Golf Tourism Tanzania over the weekend. Launching the new tourism product at the Kilimanjaro Golf course, Usa River, Arusha yesterday, Chief Guest, the Kenyan Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala commended Tanzania for entering this important step of using golf…
Emirates has signed a new multi-year, worldwide distribution agreement with Sabre Corporation. From October 05, 2021, all travel agencies using GDS Sabre (1S) and Abacus (1B) will have access to surcharge-free Emirates’ content. As we move towards next year, Sabre and Emirates will also offer agency partners a choice of different levels of participation, including…
Africa Showcase is coming Oct 20-21st and this year’s event will include an innovative live-networking format that doesn’t require you to spend time pre-scheduling meetings. We have also designed the event to span two days where one day’s timing is geared toward’s the East Coast and one towards the West Coast. Feel free to sign…
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that SA is moving to adjusted alert level 1 means cruise tourism to the country can resume. The first cruise ship is scheduled to dock at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal in the V&A Waterfront on 18 November and a further 36 ships are expected between November 2021 and May 2022,…
With South African Airways (SAA) resuming operations, Emirates has been working closely with SAA to reactivate its long-standing partnership which aims to improve the customer experience and provide more value to travellers when flying on both carriers. The move also helps cement SAA’s standing and position and will build growth momentum as the carrier initially…
APTA has joined forces with Africa Showcase to present this year’s Africa Showcase Online North America 2021! This year’s show will take place virtually on 20-21 October. This year’s event will include an innovative live-networking format that doesn’t require you to spend time pre-scheduling meetings. Africa Showcase has also designed the event to span two days where one day’s timing is…
United Airlines and regional airline, Airlink, have forged a new codeshare agreement that will offer customers more connections between the US and Southern Africa than any other airline alliance, according to a press release from the two carriers. The new agreement (subject to government approvals) will give United’s travellers from the US one-stop connections to…
The world’s longest zipline, more than 3km long and up to 500m high, is coming to Caledon, next to the N2 and just an hour’s drive from Cape Town. Installation of the zipline, named the K3, commences this month and it should be operational later in the 2021/22 summer season. The project is a joint…
TAAG Angola Airlines has announced the gradual resumption of its international flight operations. From early October, the carrier will resume flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Windhoek and Maputo. Below is a summary of the new schedule from Luanda, with the start date: Johannesburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – October 5 Cape Town on Thursdays…
To update the trade on developments in Seychelles, Tourism Seychelles is organising a Virtual Travel Expo on October 12 and 13. During the Expo, the trade can meet and chat to 15 exhibitors from Seychelles, including resorts, hotels, DMCs, Air Seychelles and South African tour operators offering packages to the islands. Who is invited to…
The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) observed World Tourism Day by calling on players in the entire tourism value chain to be proactive in its painstaking efforts to see that nobody is left behind as the industry begins to rebound. TATO has been working around the clock to devise urgent measures to help revive…
The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) has launched a new grading system to ensure quality-assured accommodation and facilities that are accredited and graded by TGCSA to comply with international standards. “South Africa takes service excellence very seriously. The gradual recovery of travel since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has instilled some renewed…
Following months of preparation after exiting business rescue, South African Airways (SAA) resumes both domestic and regional Africa service. The carrier’s first scheduled flight is an early morning take-off from OR Tambo International in Johannesburg to Cape Town International on September 23rd and is one of three return flights per day between the two cities.…
VIRTUAL EXPO 05 – 06 OCT 2021 #MKTE2021 https://mkte.co.ke/ 2 Day Virtual Experience Pre-scheduled appointments 4 Market Presentations to reignite source markets 4 Power Panels with industry thought leaders 4 Speed Networking events 2 Business Buzz sessions to meet trade 100 African Exhibitors from across East Africa Media interviews with global media Over 200 pre-qualified…
From October 4, Uganda Airlines will launch flights between Entebbe and Dubai using its recently acquired Airbus A330neo. The flights will operate initially on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. On Mondays, flight UR444 will depart Entebbe at 11h25 arrive in Dubai at 17h25. The return flight UR445 will depart from Dubai at 20h00 and arrive in…
The rehabilitation and expansion of Namibia’s flagship airport, Hosea Kutako International in Windhoek, is set for completion by the end of the month. Namibia Airports Company spokesperson, Dan Kamati, said the work on the airport, amounting to N$95m (€5.5m), would elevate it to meet global standards set by other airport terminals around the world. According to The Namibian, the…
The Malawi Ministry of Health released a statement recently confirming that the country’s borders have now reopened to all international travellers, with remaining travel restrictions and quarantine requirements lifted. Malawi originally closed its borders in June to everyone except Malawi residents and citizens in an effort to limit the impact of a third wave of…
Emirates is increasing flight frequencies to a number of US destinations from October. The airline has been building up connectivity in response to growing customer demand on the back of rising travel confidence and the easing of international travel protocols. There has also been a growing interest from US travellers to visit Dubai, a city…
South Africa is already home to a host of unique travel experiences, but soon you can walk the sky at God’s Window Skywalk in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. Dubbed as the first skywalk of its kind in South Africa, and one of a very few to have been built around the world, the…
Visitor arrivals to Seychelles in 2021 surpassed the 100,000 mark on Sunday, an important milestone showing that efforts made by the government and tourism partners are bearing fruit, a high tourism official said. To celebrate the moment, passengers arriving in the island nation from Tel Aviv, Israel on board El Al’s flight LY055 were treated…
The Seychelles’ national carrier, Air Seychelles, plans to resume flights to Johannesburg, South Africa as of September 24, the airline announced on Tuesday. The return of Air Seychelles to South Africa comes after the local Ministry of Health lifted travel restrictions between the two countries. Commercial flights had been suspended for several months due to…
Visitors from South Africa are again allowed to enter Seychelles, as of September 13, after the Ministry of Health removed the country from its restricted list. Following a Sunday update made to the Health Entry and Stay Conditions for Travellers, entry and stay conditions will not be affected by the COVID-19 vaccination status of visitors. Visitors however…