South African tourism is showing signs of recovery with the coastal city of Durban having 80 percent occupancy at establishments and over 200 000 visitors during the festive season. “We desperately needed this development because we were bruised by the pandemic and multitudes of our people lost jobs. I am happy that following these figures,…
Kenyan paleoanthropologist and conservationist Richard Leakey, who unearthed evidence that helped prove humankind evolved in Africa, died on Sunday at the age of 77, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed in a statement. “I have this afternoon, Sunday 2nd January 2022, received with deep sorrow the sad news of the passing away of Dr. Richard Erskine Frere Leakey,…
South African Airways (SAA) has informed travel advisors in the U.S. and Canada that the airline is continuing to process ticket refunds through the Refund Accounting Department in their North America Regional Office for customers whose flights were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To make the process more efficient, travel advisors have been asked…
President Biden will lift a travel ban he imposed last month on non-U.S. citizens traveling from South Africa and seven other southern African countries, according to a senior administration official. The administration will lift the restrictions effective Dec. 31 at 12:01 a.m., the official said. Mr. Biden put the restrictions in place as the Omicron variant began…
Concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have led Emirates airline to place restrictions on flights from a number of African countries. Bans initially covered southern African nations, following a decree from the UAE government in November preventing travellers from seven countries, including Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia, from entering the UAE. Restrictions have since…
Tanzania on Tuesday signed a major contract with Turkish construction firm Yapı Merkezi to build a 368-kilometer (228.67-mile) section of a standard gauge railway linking the largest port city in the East African nation with the hinterland. The deal, which is expected to cost $1.9 billion and will be funded by loans, is part of…
The Government of Zambia has announced that, with immediate effect, the entry regulations have been changed. This is contained in a government-issued notice ‘Guidance for travel to Zambia in view of the Covid-19 Pandemic’. Arrivals from all countries need only a negative PCR test certificate, from a test taken in the 72 hours before departure.…
The South African Tourism is mourning the passing of one of SA’s tourism sector’s pioneers, Lebo Malepa, the multiple-award-winning business owner and founder of Soweto Backpackers, who passed away on 25 December 2021, following a long period of ill-health. Malepa started off selling crafts to tourists in 1998, and as he got to learn more…
THE government’s efforts to expand tourism sector by marketing attractions other than wildlife has started reaping benefits, and registered some 120 tourists visiting heritage sites in Kilwa District, Tanzania’s southern part on Sunday. Located in Lindi Region, the place is rich in wonderful historical sites, since the era of slave trade and colonialism. Despite the…
Please be advised that the Government of Kenya has just announced new Covid safety requirements for travelers visiting Kenya. Effective 21st December 2021: All passengers arriving into Kenya through any point of entry must have a certificate of COVID-19 vaccination. Travelers below the age of eighteen (18) years are exempt from this requirement. All passengers coming to…
Four suspects have been arrested following the massacre of four rhino, including a pregnant female, on Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve in the Western Cape last week. This was confirmed by Inverdoorn owner, Searl Derman: “As previously mentioned, the South African Police Service, Cape Nature, forensic investigator Wayne Stoltz – who was instrumental in solving the 2011 Aquila poaching incident –…
RwandAir has announced the resumption of daily services to Southern Africa, to both Johannesburg and Lusaka, effective December 23. Entry requirements, destination by destination, can be seen here: https://bit.ly/2T73OVu Note: A certificate of a negative COVID-19 test is required for all travellers arriving or transiting in, or departing from Rwanda. The only accepted test is a…
Seychelles has won the World’s Most Romantic Destination title for the second consecutive year at the 28th World Travel Awards, the Tourism Department said Thursday. The island nation came in first in the romance category ahead of other nominees which included Antigua & Barbuda, the Atacama Desert, Chile, Bali, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Maldives, Mauritius, Saint Lucia, the Bahamas…
The Seychelles’ traditional Moutya dance has been added to UNESCO‘s list of intangible heritage — the first cultural tradition of the island nation to receive such recognition, an official said on Thursday. Moutya was added to the list on December 15th and the Secretary General of the Seychelles Institute of Culture, Heritage and the Arts, David Andre, said that…
ADRIAN PATRUT AND HIS TEAM flew in from three different continents to study the “Big Tree” at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and for good reason. The Big Tree is a colossal structure, soaring over 80 feet in the air, around 75 feet in circumference, with bulky branches, many stems that make up its trunk, and a wide,…
Emirates has announced it will operate double daily flights to Seychelles from 24th December 2021, until 9th January 2022 to serve market demand during the busy holiday season. The added service will offer customers more travel choices, flexibility and enhanced connectivity to the island-nation. Emirates currently operates a daily flight to Seychelles utilising its Boeing…
As champagne corks popped throughout Southern Africa this afternoon when the UK Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, announced that all 11 countries would be removed from Britain’s red list, there were renewed calls for other major source markets to follow suit. The removal from the red list will be effective from 04h00 GMT tomorrow (Wednesday, December 15)…
Swift action by the government to launch a vaccination campaign against Covid-19 has had a positive effect on tourism, it was revealed here yesterday. Despite being severely battered by the pandemic, the sector recorded a 52 percent increase in the number of visitors from last January to November . Likewise, this led to a 69…
Ghana will charge airlines $3,500 for every passenger flown in the country who isn’t fully vaccinated against Covid-19, part of a push by the West African country to avoid a fresh wave of infections. Carriers that take vaccinated passengers without negative PCR test results into Kotoka International Airport will also be fined starting Tuesday, the…
Brussels Airlines is resuming some of its previously canceled routes to Africa due to the COVID-19 crisis. For its 2022 summer schedule, the Belgian flag carrier will add West-African destinations Conakry (Guinea) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) from June 11th. The airline credits its expansion to an additional Airbus A330 that will join its fleet some…
Years before the obsession with wild-borne pathogens latching onto humans gripped the world, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka was already dealing with disease spillovers. Except, she worried about humans infecting gorillas in her native Uganda. “Disease transmission goes in both directions,” says Kalema-Zikusoka, a trained wildlife veterinarian. It demonstrates, albeit narrowly, an idea gaining currency in the COVID-19…
The new version of Zambia Airways has taken to the skies and the airline has ambitions to fly to Johannesburg and to service at least two routes in Zimbabwe. The new airline forms a building block in Ethiopian’s hub strategy across Africa. The publication New Business Ethiopia says Ethiopian Airlines has a 45% stake in the joint…
BON Hotels has announced the addition of its latest property in its portfolio – The Royal Palm Hotel and Apartments by BON Hotels, located in upscale Umhlanga Ridge, KZN. All 94 luxury apartments overlook the stylish Palm Boulevard in the heart of the vibrant shopping, restaurant and lifestyle hub of Umhlanga Ridge. There are14 penthouses,…
Four suspects have been arrested following the massacre of four rhino, including a pregnant female, on Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve in the Western Cape last week. This was confirmed by Inverdoorn owner, Searl Derman: “As previously mentioned, the South African Police Service, Cape Nature, forensic investigator Wayne Stoltz – who was instrumental in solving the 2011 Aquila poaching incident –…
Seychelles will receive about $10 million from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the coming 18 months to improve its Blue Economy sector, the UNDP resident representative to the island nation said on Tuesday. Amanda Serumaga paid a visit to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House in Victoria, the culmination of a two-week mission in Seychelles.…
Tanzania is banking on a cable car facility on Mount Kilimanjaro to unlock its potential to attract tourists who cannot climb Africa’s highest mountain. The Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mary Masanja, said the project is on track and would begin soon. On Tuesday, Ms Masanja told a press conference in the capital…
United Airlines has resumed its thrice-weekly non-stop service between its New York/Newark hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Cape Town, with a special (grey) water salute marking the arrival of the first flight UA1122 into Cape Town International Airport last night (Thursday, December 2). The seasonal service was operated for the first time from December 2019…
The government of Mozambique has opened a new international airport, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi Airport, at Chongoene, near Xai-Xai in the Gaza province, making the region accessible by air for the first time. The airport was officially opened by President Filipe Nyusi, who said it would promote the development of the local and regional economy, especially with…
South African Airways (SAA) has signed a co-operation agreement with local and regional carrier CemAir that extends the route network reach of both operators and offers customers using both airlines on a multi-destination voyage a seamless check-in experience. SAA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer Thomas Kgokolo says, “Airlines the world over constantly strive for efficiency and…
A Zimbabwean safari guide who ventured to the US in the 1990s, living on Cup-a-Soup while working at making children’s dreams come true, returned home to continue his profession with a bag full of ideas. He’s now making waves in the schools, communities and tourism boardrooms of his country. Blessing Munyenyiwa pours his own labelled…
Africa’s largest aviation group, Ethiopian Airlines, has been crowned as the ‘Best African Airline’ at the 2021 Business Traveller Awards. The votes made by the business travellers for this year took into account the COVID period with key questions covering airlines’ effectiveness in communication, effective implementation of COVID precautionary measures, handling of loyalty program member…
The new advanced partnership is a key milestone towards both airlines’ ambitions of co-starting a Pan-African Airline Group by 2023. The partnership framework follows the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) that the two airlines signed two months ago to foster the exchange of knowledge, expertise, innovation, digital technologies, and best practice between the two airlines. The…
African leaders are pushing back on travel bans imposed by wealthy or Western nations in an effort to stop the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant — and expressing their anger that the result of South Africa’s openness in sharing news of the variant has led to what they see as punitive measures. The…
Tanzania’s economy is projected to grow as expected despite the resurgence of Covid-19 in some countries plus raising energy prices. The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) said on Tuesday that the global growth has been slightly lower than projected but will still support the country’s growth prospects. The country’s GDP is forecasted at 4.8 per cent…
30 white rhinos have been successfully translocated to Akagera National Park in Rwanda, from &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa. 30 years ago there was not a single white rhino on &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve. Now, 30 years later, &Beyond was able to take part in the largest ever rhino translocation in…
Better days for tourists and diplomats are in the offing, thanks to the rollout of the police training programme, as part of key players’ ambitious strategy to enhance tourist’s safety and security. Dubbed, a tourism management, safety and security tailor-made course, is brainchild of Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato) in partnership with Saint Augustine…
Appeal for taking a “risk-based and scientific approach” to travel bans to Southern Africa with consideration of the devastating human implications following the announcement of the B.1.1.529 variant of COVID-19. Africa’s Eden Tourism Association is a private sector, membership based organisation representing the tourism ecosystem in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We are appealing to…
Visitors from seven southern African countries will not be permitted to enter Seychelles from Saturday November 27 until further notice under new travel measures announced by the local health authorities on Friday due to a new variant of COVID-19. The Ministry of Health said that the new restrictions apply to South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia…
The government of Tanzania has ordered additional jets for its national flag carrier, Air Tanzania, supporting its network expansion plans. The airline will receive three jets; one Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and two Boeing 737 MAX jets. Air Tanzania plans to expand services from the country to new markets across Africa, Asia and Europe. “Our flagship…
The development of two of Malawi’s ecologically-crucial wilderness areas, Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve – which form part of the Nyika-North Luangwa section of the Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area – is “progressing in leaps and bounds”. This according to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife, Dr Michael Usi, who visited the parks…
A remarkably well-preserved fossil elephant cranium from Kenya is helping scientists understand how its species became the dominant elephant in eastern Africa several million years ago. Dated around 4.5 million years old and recovered from a site on the northeast side of Lake Turkana, it is the only well-preserved elephant cranium — the portion of…
Eastgate Airport near Hoedspruit, which serves as a gateway to Limpopo’s safari destinations, completed a R20 million (€1.13m) upgrade this month. A spokesperson for the airport told Tourism Update that, with an average of 150 monthly flights and over 7 000 passengers passing through its gates in any given month, Eastgate needed an upgrade to better service…
After the cancellation of two signature global trade shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, South African Tourism is excited to once again host both Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba. The destination marketing organization confirmed that the flagship business events and leisure trade shows will return next year, with both platforms being hosted…
The Zanzibella Hotel & Spa is set to open in Zanzibar, Tanzania in January 2022. Located in Kiwenga – the north eastern part of Zanzibar – the hotel will initially open with 28 rooms, with additional rooms to be added later. The rooms will have either garden or ocean views. There is also a family…
SAA has announced that with effect from December 12, it will commence operating three flights a week to Lagos in Nigeria. SAA has been flying to Nigeria for the past 23 years and the resumption of its service to Nigeria’s largest city and commercial hub will be a welcome addition to its growing continental offering.…
The island nation is open to visitors from all countries again after travel restrictions were removed for India, Brazil, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The five were removed from the restricted list in a revised travel advisory released Friday by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health said that for entry into Seychelles visitors have to…
If you’re planning your next adventure to or from the Americas, enjoy a seamless travel experience with Emirates JetBlue partnership. Book your entire journey with Emirates and connect to the US, the Caribbean, or South America, all on one ticket. Codeshare flights are available to 50 domestic cities via New York (JFK), 41 cities via…
The Ceres Rail Company’s vintage steam train is set to resume services between Cape Town and Elgin on November 28 – after 20 months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trips will resume every Saturday and Sunday, where the train departs Harbour Bridge Hotel & Suites on Dockrail Road in Foreshore, Cape Town at…
The cruise ship season in Seychelles will reopen after an 18-month hiatus with the arrival of Le Bellot from le Ponant group on 18 November, a top official said on Thursday. The last cruise ship to visit Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, was in March last year before a temporary closure was announced by…
The United States reopened its borders Monday to foreign visitors fully vaccinated against Covid-19 after 20 months of travel restrictions, paving the way for eagerly anticipated reunions among family members and friends. The ban, imposed by then president Donald Trump in early 2020 and upheld by his successor Joe Biden, has been widely criticized and…