Tanzania Upgrades Key Access Route to Mahale National Park

The Tanzanian government has committed to upgrading the 38km road linking Rukoma village and Mahale Mountains National Park in Uvinza District with officials emphasising the move as essential to improving access and increasing domestic tourism. Kigoma Regional Commissioner Simon Sirro said the road’s poor condition remains a major barrier to tourism growth with travellers taking five to…

&Beyond Introduces Two New Delta Camps

&Beyond has added two new camps, &Beyond Sandibe Under Canvas and &Beyond Nxabega Under Canvas, set to open on March 1, 2026, in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The expansion follows the recent refurbishment of &Beyond Chobe Under Canvas and completes a seven-night circuit through Botswana’s key safari regions. A render of &Beyond’s Sandibe and Nxabega Under…

Malawi Airlines Ups Joburg flights

Malawi Airlines will introduce three additional non-stop flights a week from Lilongwe to Johannesburg, effective December 6. On Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays, the flights will depart Lilongwe at 10h20 and arrive in Johannesburg at 12h35. The return flight, on the same days, will depart Johannesburg at 13h25 and arrive in Lilongwe at 15h40. These flights…

Kenya Plans to Privatize Beaches

Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism has announced plans to privatise five beaches and four islands in a bid to attract high-end investment and reposition the country as a premium coastal destination. According to the draft National Tourism Strategy 2025-2030, the targeted islands are Chale, Funzi, Kiwayu and Manda while the beaches identified for potential privatisation are…

New Accor Hotel Opens in Kigali

Mövenpick Hotel Kigali opened in the Rwandan capital city on November 1. The 124-key property is located in the city’s diplomatic zone and a 15-minute drive from Kigali International Airport. Room and suite options include standard rooms with one king bed, standard rooms with two single beds, superior rooms, deluxe rooms, executive suites and the…

Airlink Adds Destination to Moz Network

Airlink will begin flights from Johannesburg to Nacala in Mozambique from February 2, 2026, expanding the airline’s Mozambique network to seven destinations. Twice-weekly flights will operate on Mondays and Fridays. Flight 4Z263 will depart from Johannesburg at 10h30 and arrive in Nacala at 13h10. Return flight 4Z237 will depart from Nacala at 13h45 and arrive…

Anantara to Open Kafue Tented Camp

Minor Hotels’ Anantara Hotels & Resorts will launch its first safari tented camp, Anantara Kafue River Tented Camp, in April 2026. Located above the Kafue River in Zambia’s Kafue National Park, the camp will be built 3.5 metres above the ground on rosewood timber platforms with a design that minimises environmental impact by protecting seasonal…

Akagera Celebrates Rhino Birth

African Parks celebrated the birth of Akagera’s first white rhino calf following the translocation of 70 white rhinos to the Rwandan national park in June. “Although conceived before the journey, the calf’s birth in Akagera marks a hopeful sign for the herd’s adaptation and the park’s growing conservation efforts. With round-the-clock monitoring and dedicated care from the…

Delta Brings Wi-Fi to SA Flights

Delta Air Lines is offering in-flight Wi-Fi to SkyMiles Members on all flights to and from South Africa, with immediate effect. With the roll-out of Delta Sync Wi-Fi to South Africa, travellers flying across Delta’s transatlantic network to the UK, Europe, West Africa, Latin America and Israel can now stay connected. Additional connectivity to Africa…

Air Seychelles Goes Daily on Abu Dhabi Route

Air Seychelles has increased its Seychelles-Abu Dhabi route to a daily service following the successful introduction of the route in May. “The route is performing exceptionally well, validating its significance and demand within our network. With this increase, we are thrilled to offer greater flexibility and convenience to our passengers,” said Charles Johnson, Air Seychelles CCO.…

Samara Karoo Reserve Adds Spa and Refurbs Villa

Samara Karoo Reserve, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, has announced updates to two of its offerings: the refurbishment of its exclusive-use villa, The Manor, and the opening of a new Bush Spa within the reserve’s Karoo Lodge. The Manor refurbishment Samara’s four-bedroom villa, The Manor, is undergoing a full refurbishment due for completion by…

SANParks Increases Fees from November

SANParks has confirmed an increase in daily conservation fees for visitors, effective November 1 to October 31 next year, across all 21 national parks. The revised rates show incremental adjustments of between R30 (US$1.73) and R70 (US$4.04) per person per day, depending on the park. The Kruger National Park, for instance, will see the international…

Marriott to Open Airport Hotel in Kenya

Marriott International and Aksaya Estates Limited have signed an agreement to bring a Courtyard by Marriott to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Scheduled to open in 2027, the hotel will feature around 180 rooms and suites designed for leisure and business travellers. Facilities will include two restaurants and bars, an expansive landscaped courtyard with…

Steenberg Restores Historic Manor House

Steenberg Farm in the Constantia Valley, Western Cape, has completed the restoration of its historic Manor House. Located at the foot of the Constantiaberg mountains, the Manor House dates back to 1682 and is South Africa’s oldest registered farm building, originally home to founder Catharina Ras. The renovation, led by MD Catherine Schulze, focused on preserving the…

Livingstone Plans Major Tourism Facelift

A new project that aims to position Livingstone as a “resilient, competitive and inclusive tourist destination” has been announced by the Zambian Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba. It will focus on improving the city’s streetscape and urban infrastructure to enhance visitor experience and overall destination appeal. The Livingstone Town Centre Development Programme (LTCDP) is part of…

The Palace of the Lost City Announces Partnership with Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen

The Palace of the Lost City and Michelin-starred chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen are excited to announce their new partnership. Internationally regarded for curating hyper-personalised experiences, including travel, events, and fine dining, van der Westhuizen revitalises The Palace’s legendary hospitality touchpoints through the lens of the JAN brand. This collaboration delves into the rich…

Sun City Aims to Become ‘Vegas of SA’

Sun International’s Sun City Hotel is finalising its renovations and preparing to show off its ‘Vegas-esque’ facelift in time for the 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge in November and the busy December holiday season. On September 25, in a Miami Heat-themed celebration in its revamped pool area, the hotel marked the occasion alongside its guests, suppliers, local…

Etihad Airways Resumes Zanzibar Route

Etihad Airways will relaunch seasonal flights between Abu Dhabi and Zanzibar from June 14 to September 6 next year. The airline will operate four weekly services on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays using an Airbus A320 with Business and Economy Class cabins. The route will benefit from Etihad’s expanded European network, creating improved connections from Europe and…

Essence of Africa Trade Show Brings Buyers to Malindi

Essence of Africa’s second edition begins today (October 7) at Diamonds Malindi in Malindi, Kenya. The show will run until October 9. The private sector-led initiative is designed to connect international buyers with African tourism suppliers through targeted, pre-scheduled meetings to initiate partnerships and drive measurable business results. “Our goal is simple. By the time buyers board their flights…

Visit Rwanda Announces Partnership with LA Clippers and Los Angeles Rams

Visit Rwanda, the official tourism brand of the Rwanda Development Board, has announced multi-year sponsorship agreements with the LA Clippers, Los Angeles Rams, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. The deals mark the first time an African tourism brand has partnered with an NBA and NFL team. Existing partnerships include Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético de Madrid and an academy programme with…

Madagascar Tourism Sector Update: Operations Continue Amid Unrest

Issued 30 September 2025, the SADC Tourism Alliance, Africa’s Eden, and SATSA have released a joint update on the situation in Madagascar following recent civil unrest. While demonstrations have taken place in some urban areas, the country’s key tourism destinations remain open, operational, and unaffected. Tourism operationsThe Confédération du Tourisme de Madagascar (CTM) confirms that…

FlySafair adds Cape Town-Hoedspruit flights

FlySafair launches a new Cape Town-Hoedspruit service from October 2, operating three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The flight will depart Cape Town at 12h15 and arrive at 14h45 with the return leg leaving Hoedspruit at 15h20 and arriving at 18h05. Speaking to Tourism Update, FlySafair Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon said the decision followed strong demand…

Kenya: Increased Entry Fees Come into Effect

Increased conservation fees for entry into Kenya’s national parks, reserves and sanctuaries officially come into effect on October 1, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has confirmed. The across-the-board increases were approved by Parliament on September 25 under the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations Act 2025. Fees for non-resident, non-East African citizen entry into…

APTA Global Forum 2025 Wraps Up in Arusha: One of the Most Successful Ever

The Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA) proudly wrapped up its 2025 Global Forum this week at the Gran Meliá Arusha, bringing together 100 industry leaders, buyers, suppliers, and conservation advocates from across Africa and North America. Over three days of programming, participants engaged in thought-provoking sessions, more than 900 one-on-one B2B…

Uganda Gazettes Six New National Parks

Uganda has officially approved six new national parks, increasing the total to 16. The move is aimed at strengthening conservation, protecting wildlife habitats and diversifying its tourism offering. The newly gazetted parks (Bukaleba, Echuya, Kyambura, Kigezi, Toro and Katonga) were previously forest and wildlife reserves. Cabinet ratified the decision as part of national efforts to…

Four Seasons to Reopen Mauritius Resort

The Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita will welcome guests again on November 1 following an extensive seven-month renovation project. Among the updates are redesigned pool villas and private residential rentals, a new overwater wellness facility, Oseyan Spa, and reconceptualised dining experiences. Source: Four Seasons Redesigned by 1508 London, the resort’s villas and residential rentals feature…

New Daily Harare-Mutare Flights

Air Zimbabwe’s Harare-Mutare-Victoria Falls service will now be a permanent route, following its success earlier this month. The airline launched the temporary route to facilitate travel for the Sanganai/Hlanganani/ Kumbanai World Tourism Expo, which took place in Mutare from September 10-12 “This route has received an overwhelmingly positive response across the board. It has evolved from…

New chapter for Madikwe lodge

The Balete Ba Lekgophung Development Trust has announced that Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge, in Madikwe Game Reserve, will be under new management from October 1. The trust has appointed TMFL to operate the lodge through its management company, Nightjar Collection, a specialist in safari lodge management. Nightjar Collection oversees properties in the Greater Kruger and Pilanesberg,…

New Safari Circuit Launches in Zim

A new tour operator, the Zimbabwe Safari Collective, has been launched to stimulate tourism to a selection of five camps and lodges owned and operated by Zimbabwean citizens. The properties promoted by the group are in Mana Pools and Hwange National Park, and at Lake Kariba. Camps include Chitembe Main Camp and Chitembe Tented Camp…

O&L Leisure Acquires Namibia Lodges

O&L Leisure has successfully completed the acquisition of two Namibian lodges, Le Mirage Resort & Spa in Sossusvlei and Divava Okavango Lodge & Spa in the Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip). The acquisitions form part of the O&L Group Vision 2029 and expand the company’s portfolio to six Namibian destinations. Situated around 20km from…

Zanzibar Increases Marine Conservation Fees

Zanzibar’s Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries has increased entry fees for marine conservation areas and marine protected areas from September 1. According to a public notice, the fee adjustments apply to Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area, Menai Bay Conservation Area, Chumbe Island Coral Park, Changuu-Bawe Marine Conservation Area and the Pemba Channel Conservation Area. Non-East…

New Slackpacking Trail in Northern Drakensberg

A new 55km slackpacking trail has been launched by The Carte Collection. It links four accommodation partners within the Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve. Called the Northern Drakensberg Nature Way, it is a four-day, multi-stage hiking route with luggage transfers between lodges. The trail connects The Cavern, Greenfire Drakensberg Lodge, The Berghouse & Cottages and Montusi…