Giant squids are fantastical creatures that live in the crushing depths of the ocean and are rarely seen except in adventure books. But this winter in South Africa (which was summer in the United States), a baby giant squid washed up on a beach northwest of Cape Town. It lay there, its grey-pink tentacles spread…
Kenya has been ranked as Africa’s leading tourist destination in 2020 by the World Travel Awards (WTA). The country scooped the award for its “tantalising cocktail of epic savannah landscapes, immense herds of wildlife and palm-fringed beaches”. The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) won the Africa’s Leading Tourist Board award. Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Samburu National…
Delta has told Tourism Update it has once again had to delay the launch of its flights to South Africa due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jimmy Eichelgruen, Delta’s Director of Sales for Africa, Middle East and India, said the delay was a result of the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions…
Zulu Rock Lodge, set to open this month, is the second accommodation offering in the new Babanango Game Reserve in the north of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The lodge offers views across the rolling hills of the reserve, which is home to a stretch of the White Umfolozi River and a wealth of wildlife species. With seven…
RwandAir will start flying to Cape Town via Harare from December 2. The Kigali-based airline suspended flights on March 20 when the Rwandan government closed airspace to combat the spread of COVID-19. A RwandAir spokesperson told Tourism Update: “Following the easing of travel restrictions, our three times a week service will resume, with flights operating on…
Extended stays, fewer stops, “travel bubbles” and upselling opportunities for travel consultants. These are just a few of the trends that experts predict for African safaris in the Covid-19 era. Craig Beal, owner Travel Beyond, said he received a lot of bookings for last-minute safaris. “All travelers so far have been blown away by how private the…
Kenya has been named Africa’s leading golfing destination at the seventh Annual World Golf Awards Gala Ceremony held in the United Arab Emirates. Kenya scooped the award ahead of South Africa, Egypt and Morocco with the trophy rewarding excellence in golf tourism, courses and golf destinations. At the same time, Karen Country Club was celebrated…
The Sogecoa Golden Peacock hotel officially opened on 23rd October, 2020 in Blantyre at a colorful event presided over by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera. Speaking at the event, the President emphasized that tourism is the critical driver of the economy in the New Malawi. In that regard,…
The Kenya Tourism Board has unveiled a new ‘Magical Kenya’ sub-brand targeting the Coast region. The new brand has seven unique sub-brands of its own themed around different areas at the Coast; including Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu, Tana River, Diani, Watamu and Tsavo. The introduction of the new brands was seen as a boost to the…
Botswana’s government has confirmed that private charter flights will be allowed into the country from November 1, but operators say more progress is needed. In an official announcement earlier this week, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism announced that private charter flights would be allowed to land at Maun and Kasane International…
Zimbabwe will reopen six land borders on December 1. Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, said the opening of border posts would be phased in, beginning with Beitbridge, Plumtree, Victoria Falls, Chirundu, Nyamapanda and Forbes. “The borders will open first to private passenger vehicles and pedestrian traffic as from December 1, while further…
Air Namibia plans to resume flights to both Johannesburg and Cape Town from Wednesday, October 28. The Windhoek-Johannesburg direct route will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Currently, four flights a week are envisaged for the Windhoek-Cape Town route, two direct and two via Walvis Bay. The Namibian President called this year for the cash-strapped…
Zimbabwe and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, yesterday launched an initiative to boost tourism in and around Victoria Falls to help strengthen the country’s tourism industry that has suffered a sharp decline in visitors due to the devastating Covid-19 pandemic. The initiative, dubbed the “Victoria Falls Area Tourism…
Hyatt Hotels Corporation will open the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Cape Town in December 2020. The former Hilton Cape Town City Centre will be rebranded Hyatt Regency Cape Town, bringing the total number of Hyatt hotels across Africa to eight. “We’re delighted to work with Millat Properties to bring the Hyatt Regency brand to Cape…
Emirates and Airlink have announced an interline agreement, widening Emirates’ reach into Southern Africa as countries begin opening their borders for travellers. Emirates’ agreement with Airlink will provide its customers enhanced connectivity via its gateways Johannesburg and Cape Town to more than 25 domestic destinations in South Africa and more than 20 regional destinations in…
Uganda Airlines is on track to launch its new A330-800neo fleet by December – to be deployed on three long-haul routes to Asia, the UK and the Middle East. This follows the roll-out of the first of two A330s on Friday last week, with freshly painted livery. The airline – both a start-up and a…
Seychelles has opened its borders for tourism with two categories of permitted countries. Category 1 is for residents of countries that are deemed low or medium risk. These travellers will be required to produce a negative COVID PCR test no older than 72 hours before departure and will not be subject to quarantine or further conditions. South…
Qatar Airways has signed an interline agreement with Airlink that will provide its passengers with connectivity via Cape Town and Johannesburg to more than 20 regional destinations in Southern Africa and more than 25 domestic destinations within South Africa. “We are confident that the relationship will deliver enhanced travel options to customers, given the designed…
Migori Airstrip that connects the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is closed due to major renovations. The renovations are estimated to take 18 months with officials stating that the airstrip will be closed until the end of 2021. However, there is lobbying to fast track the process in order for…
South Africa is now putting the electrical plugs and sockets the nation has relied on for generations on the road to retirement. The plugs, which feature three large pins configured in a triangle, are giving way to a compact hexagonal three-pin design, with sockets following suit. The new plug and socket, which is based on the latest…
Slotted into the underbelly of Africa’s northwestern huddle, Ghana is a country that’s steadily reinventing itself. Known for its colorful culture, wildlife and natural beauty, the West African nation had one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s fastest-growing economies in the past few years, thanks to cocoa and a relatively recent discovery of oil. The economic upturn helped…
Communities and conservancy groups in the Mara, northern and coastal regions will get Sh759.5 million from the US government to support recovery from a slump in tourism due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The funds will be granted by US Agency for International Development (USAID) through a three-year locally-led development programme, coordinated under its flagship Local…
The Department of Health has, with immediate effect, rolled out antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 at all ports of entry in South Africa with immediate effect. Media liaison for the Department, Dr Lwazi Manzi, pointed out that while this did not replace the required certified negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result (not older than 72 hours), this test…
The Uganda Minister Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) Col. Tom Butime, unveiled eleven Uganda wildlife sculptures along the Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters on Kira Road stretching for approximately 2 kilometers between Mulago Hospital roundabout and Kira Road Police Station in Kampala. Hosted by the Executive Director, Sam Mawanda, on behalf of sponsor Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the unveiling of…
With many source markets requiring a negative PCR test to enter the country, some lodges in Southern Africa have started offering on-site testing to spare travellers the hassle of having to travel away from their destination to get tested. While a number of private laboratories have testing facilities in the region, these are primarily located…
A 20-year-old elephant has been successfully translocated in KwaZulu Natal from Tembe Elephant Park to the Somkhanda Community Game Reserve in an effort to strengthen the elephant gene pool. The move was a collaboration between WILDLANDS – a programme of the WILDTRUST – the Aspinall Foundation in partnership with Albus Environmental, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and…
MINT Hotels has opened the first of two properties planned for Johannesburg. The first two phases of the MINT Hotel, located on Katherine Street in Sandton, have already opened and the third and final phase will open in November. On the opening of the third phase, the property will offer 148 apartment-style rooms, each equipped…
Ethiopian Airlines several weeks ago officially completed a 86,000-square-meter terminal expansion at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport. With the capacity to serve 22 million passengers a year, Africa’s main transit hub is now home to the continent’s second largest capacity airport after South Africa’s O.R. Tambo International. But this is no ordinary terminal project: the $300…
The Seychelles Department of Tourism has reviewed its Visitor Travel Advisory following a proposal from the Tourism Taskforce to provide potential visitors with clear information. The new advisory offers clarity on the countries from which visitors may visit the Seychelles. The countries have been divided into two categories. Category one includes low- and medium-risk countries and category…
Brussels Airlines has outlined plans to increase flights to African destinations over the coming months, as it looks to rebuild its network in the Covid-19 era. The carrier has long focused on its African network, and this winter 15 of its 16 planned long-haul routes will be to the continent, with the sole exception being…
Around the world, countries are steadily shifting from responding to the Covid-19 pandemic to the recovery phase. And for many, tourism will play a key role here, not least due to its importance in job creation, supporting livelihoods and driving inclusive development. But tourism itself has been hit hard by this unprecedented crisis. During the…
As of Oct.1, Uganda’s borders have reopened, and Entebbe International Airport (EBB) has resumed operations for international airlines following a six-month closure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of Uganda’s national parks are open to international visitors as well. The reopening signals a return to business for Uganda’s tourism industry as international travelers…
On World Rhino Day last week, African Parks were pleased to announce encouraging signs of a growing black rhino population as the nation re-emerges as a regionally significant conservation stronghold for this critically endangered species. Malawi is overseeing a resurgence of wildlife and its parks under progressive new conservation policies helping to restore its natural…
Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa yesterday urged SADC countries to harness natural resources abundant in the region so as to improve the lives of their citizens through production and productivity. Speaking at a State banquet for the visiting Malawian President Lazarus Chikwera at the State House last night, the President traced the historical ties between Zimbabwe and Malawi…
South Africa’s borders will reopen on October 1 for international travel, except for leisure travellers from a group of countries classed ‘high risk’. In a media briefing today, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, explained that South Africa had used WHO guidelines to determine three categories of countries – high-, medium- and low-risk. Pandor…
The South African Department of Public Enterprises confirms that government will reprioritize funds to finalise the restructuring of South African Airways (SAA) and the implementation of the airline’s business rescue plan. An announcement to this effect will be announced in the Adjustments Appropriation Bill, which will be introduced in Parliament soon. The national carrier will…
Need a pick-me-up? Lemala Camps is Dancing across East Africa!
Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s leading airlines and a popular choice for visitors to Malawi, are now expanding their services since the reopening of Malawi’s airports during the coronavirus pandemic. We announced last week that Ethiopian Airlines were offering one flight a week to Lilongwe, but can now confirm that this to be extended to a twice…
Seven integrated ‘wildlife zones’ will be introduced across South Africa to protect the endangered rhinoceros population. By demarcating areas primarily around rhino populations, both wildlife and people living in and around the conservation areas will be protected, said Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy. “By introducing a zoning approach, the necessary resources can be…
Seychelles has gone live with Travizory technology to facilitate the collection and analysis of traveller documentation to ensure the reopening of borders takes place safely. The new technology allows authorities to collect and identify health information directly from the traveller via easy-to-use web and mobile apps. The information is fed securely into a single system,…
Comair has taken the most significant step along the path towards getting ‘back to business’ and emerging from business rescue. On Friday September 18, a “vast majority” of creditors and shareholders voted to adopt the business rescue plan. In terms of the business rescue plan, the preferred investment consortium, comprising a number of former Comair board members…
WTM London will be entirely virtual this November. WTM Virtual will take place from November 9-11, offering delegates the chance to arrange one-on-one virtual meetings to do business, attend conference sessions and roundtables, take part in speed networking and more. There will be four virtual theatres to host webinars and debates. “Sadly, this year will…
International tourists are no longer required to spend seven days at one facility in Namibia as per the amended health and safety protocols. This was announced by Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, who pointed out that the amended protocols now allowed tourists – intending to spend less than five days at a pre-booked…
Mason’s Travel has announced a new bookable “PCR Testing Package” in Seychelles. The package is designed to ensure a smooth process for all guests once in-destination in need of PCR testing for COVID-19. The package allocates guests with an in-destination representative on arrival and includes facilitation of PCR testing on Mahe, Praslin or La Digue…
Seychelles’ Vallée de Mai has won a 2020 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award as the island nation prepares to open borders on October 1. Based on traveller reviews throughout 2019, the Unesco World Heritage Site was placed in the top 10% of global attractions listed on TripAdvisor. Vallée de Mai is on Praslin and is home…
Zimbabwe has banned mining in its national parks in response to protests after permits to explore for coal in one of the world’s premier elephant reserves were awarded to Chinese companies. The permits in the Hwange National Park were allegedly awarded without the requisite environmental permissions, according to a court case filed by the Zimbabwe…
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has permitted the resumption of economic activities in tourism parks which had been closed to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. The closure seriously impacted on the sector as players lost revenues in maintaining facilities that had no visitors and canceling scheduled trips, which forced them to lay off…
Zimbabwean cabinet has announced that domestic and international flights will resume on 10 September and 1 October respectively. All travellers will be required to have a PCR COVID-19 Clearance Certificate issued by a recognized facility within 48 hours from the date of departure. Zimbabwe’s borders are currently closed to all human traffic except for returning…
Kenya will host the first annual Magical Kenya Elephant Naming Festival in August 2021. Kenya Tourism Board CEO, Dr Betty Radier, said the annual event would go a long way to support tourism and wildlife conservation efforts. She added that the festival had the potential to encourage more people to engage in conservation efforts. It also…
Germany has donated €1.2 million to Botswana’s Ministry of Environment Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism. Minister Philda Kereng said the financial assistance would help to cushion the tourism industry, which has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Through the donation, Botswana will be able to subsidise wages for community-based organisations within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area,”…