The popular Desert Express will be operational again as of end of June 2019. Prior to stopping operations in 2017, the Desert Express Train travelled from Windhoek to Swakopmund, making a number of stops enroute to enjoy activities and experience beautiful Namibia. Schedules and details will be published at a later stage. Read More.
Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has identified dark tourism – travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy – as a product it believes will not only help diversify Uganda’s tourism product offerings but also help the younger generation understand the journey of their country. Lily Ajarova, CEO of Uganda Tourism Board, says the country’s…
Great Lakes Safaris is hosting an 11 day “Best of Uganda & Rwanda” FAM trip this 19-29 November. The trip highlights include: Rhino tracking at Ziwa Chimp tracking in Kibale NP Game- viewing drives in Queen Elizabeth NP The ultimate Gorilla tracking in Bwindi NP Tracking of the exclusive Golden monkeys in Volcanoes NP Canopy…
To mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America, the government of Ghana launched the “Year of Return, Ghana 2019” in a quest to encourage African Americans and the black diaspora to return to the country where their ancestors were kidnapped and enslaved. As part of the yearlong celebrations,…
Majete Wildlife Reserve is situated in the south-western part of Malawi and is an incredible success story representing the rebirth of a dwindling wildlife reserve. Just 15 years ago the reserve was void of thriving wildlife and vegetation. Large mammals had been poached from the park and remnant populations of a few resilient species remained…
After five years, hunting will now be allowed in Botswana, home to about a third of Africa’s savanna elephants. After a five-year suspension, the government of Botswana has decided once again to allow sport hunters to kill elephants, according to a statement issued on May 22 by the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resource Conservation and Tourism. Botswana…
Hosted buyer registration for East Africa Tourism and Hospitality Expo (EATHE) 2019 is now open! The East Africa Tourism and Hospitality Expo 2019 that will be held at Ushirika Grounds Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania from 22nd to 24th November 2019. East Africa Tourism & Hospitality Expo (EATHE) 2019 is the largest travel expo in East Africa, offering the ideal…
Hilton announced the signing of a management agreement with Growthpoint Properties, South Africa’s largest REIT, to open a hotel under its lifestyle Canopy by Hilton brand. The 150 guestroom Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof is expected to begin welcoming guests in 2021 and will be the brand’s debut property in Africa. Canopy by Hilton…
Nile Safari Lodge, a new luxury lodge on the shores of the River Nile River in the north-west of Uganda, will open in August. The lodge is near Murchison Falls National Park and Budongo Forest, and will have eight self-contained en-suite rooms, referred to as bandas. The rooms are slightly raised from the ground and have…
The World Tourism Conference is set to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 22 – 26, 2019, and will highlight the opportunities tourism can bring to African economies. In less than 15 years Africa’s travel and hospitality sectors have quadrupled in size, and according to the World Tourism Organization, remains one of the…
Exactly a year ago, if a New Yorker wanted to get to Nairobi, they were looking at around 24 hours of flight time and at least one plane change under the best of circumstances. But last October, Kenya Airways’ new direct changed all that, shaving 10 hours off that flight time and eliminating the transfer. For those of…
South African Airways (SAA), announces amazing savings to Africa with new low fares starting from $699* roundtrip for travel this fall. Low fares are offered from New York- JFK International Airport to Johannesburg, starting from $699* roundtrip (restrictions apply) and to Cape Town from $765* roundtrip (restrictions apply). Travel on these sale fares is applicable…
Kenya is eyeing to become the second major destination for cruise ships in Africa after Egypt following its search for new deals during the recent cruising conference in Miami, USA. The authorities expect the cruise ship business to take off from November when the construction of the terminal to receive the ships is completed. In…
CNN has published a list of the world’s 25 least visited countries that are worth a visit. Of the 25 selected, six are located in Africa including Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, Djibouti, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Eritrea. You can read the full article here
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, a charity in Malawi responsible for running the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre and combating wildlife crime whilst boosting conservation nationwide with tremendous results, have some very exciting news! Volunteer places have just become available on their Samango monkey research project. Launched in May 2018, The Samango project is the first of its kind…
The main runway at Blantyre’s Chileka Airport is temporarily closed between 24 April 2019 and 23 July 2019 for maintenance and rehabilitation. The secondary runway remains in operation during that time but has restrictions on the class/size of aircraft that can use it. The aircraft usually used for international arrivals and departures are unable to…
Tanzania wants to boost tourist numbers by putting a cable car on Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, and is in talks about the project with a Chinese and a Western company. Around 50,000 tourists climb Kilimanjaro annually. A cable car could increase tourist numbers by 50 percent by providing access to the mountain for those…
After celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2018, Malawi’s Lake of Stars Festival returns this year in an exciting new format: Lake of Stars Discovery. The three-day celebration of music and arts will take place in the beautiful, remote setting of Nkhata Bay at the unique and imaginative Kachere Kastle. The Nkhata Bay district is located in northern Malawi by the…
New York University’s Africa House hosted a knowledge exchange on sustainable tourism event the morning of May 8th in honor of a visit by Hon. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs of Sierra Leone, Dr Memunatu B. Pratt. Dignitaries and thought leaders in the sustainable tourism space gathered to discuss the recent rise of Sierra…
Air Madagascar has announced the resumption of flights between Antananarivo and Johannesburg, effective June 17. The airline previously flew to South Africa’s main industrial and commercial center but halted flights in 2015 when continued operations stood on a knife’s edge at the time. The planned flight will be operated with a Boeing B737-800NG aircraft serving…
As of Saturday, 01 June 2019 Robben Island Museum (RIM) will implement two-tier pricing resulting in an unexpected price increase of over 50% for international visitors. The current standard rate is R 360 and is increasing to R 550 for non-South African adults, effective 01 June 2019. Based on annual financial analysis and consultation with its…
MPUMALANGA – Having become a leading destination for travellers the world over, South Africa is well positioned to tap into the global luxury tourist market. With this in mind, Thebe Tourism Group has embarked on an exciting initiative which will see the opening of a new upmarket offering completely unique in the world. Located in…
Towards the end of last year, the Indaba Hotel in Fourways partnered with Inverroche, one of South Africa’s most famous craft gins – now exported, to open the Gin School at Indaba Hotel. Under the expertise of the master Gin School host, guests can brew and distil their very own hand-crafted gin according to their own…
Airlines have changed their policy with regard to requiring children travelling to SA to have a birth certificate. Iata, the association that guides most airlines flying into SA, is advising their members’ check-in staff to no longer request birth certificates from minors who have visas, or who are exempted from visas, if travelling with their…
The third annual Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE) wrapped up this past Saturday and was largely considered a smashing success. The show featured 70+ participating suppliers and 41 buyers representing 10 countries traveling to Lilongwe for the expo. The fourth annual Malawi International Tourism Expo is expected to take place in April 2020 once again…
EGYPTAIR IS EXPANDING! New Washington DC (IAD) to CAIRO, NON-STOP starting JUNE 4, 2019. New service is 3x weekly NON-STOP flights from Washington DC, Dulles Airport to CAIRO International Airport EgyptAir also announces the introduction the Dreamliner 787 on NEW YORK to Cairo route starting NOVEMBER 1, 2019!
The third annual Takulandirani Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE) kicked off today in Lilongwe with 70+ exhibitors showcasing all that Malawi and its neighboring destinations have to offer. The Malawi Department of Tourism is hosting 41 buyers from 10 countries including 11 buyers from the United States and Canada during the two day expo. MITE has…
The US Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Office has released data that reveals a record 93 million outbound travellers in 2018, with Africa being the destination of choice of 423 000 of those. This marks a 7% increase from the previous period. The total growth of US outbound travel in 2018 was 6%, an…
Malawi has become the first nation to immunize children against malaria. Launched on Tuesday, the Malaria vaccine pilot programme will see at least 120,000 children in Malawi under the age of two injected with the RTS,S vaccine, for partial protection to malaria parasite. Malawi’s Ministry of Health, deputy director, Michael Kayange, said the new system of…
The newly appointed CEO for the African Tourism Board, Ms. Doris Woerfel from Pretoria, South Africa, issued her initial welcome message to ATB members today. She shared her vision for African Tourism and declared her commitment to contribute for Africa to become one tourist destination. She stated: I am thrilled to have been appointed as the CEO of…
If it was not for the standard gauge railway (SGR) train, Gilbert Wandera, a businessman in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, would not have taken his family for this Easter holiday to Mombasa, a tourist resort in the coastal region. Wandera booked the SGR train , dubbed Madaraka Express over a month in advance for his wife…
Rhino Fund Uganda is happy to announce the birth of baby number 22 on Ziwa rhino sanctuary. Malaika gave birth to a healthy boy the morning of 19 April 2019. Both mother and calf are doing well. Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch located in Nakasongola district is the proud home of the only wild rhinos…
United Airlines says it will return to Africa this winter, when it will become the only airline to fly non-stop between the United States and Cape Town, South Africa. Starting Dec. 15, United will fly a Boeing 787-9 between its Newark hub and Cape Town, the second largest city in South Africa with a metropolitan…
From June, Kenya Airways (KQ) will increase its flight frequency from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport NBO to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) from five to seven days a week. The airline’s CEO Sebastian Mikosz says KQ seeks to cash in on the US summer high season. “The New York route continues to be…
Situated right by the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, a brand new eco safari lodge has recently opened. Known as the Rafiki Safari Camp, the luxury tented safari units include private bathrooms with showers, and even a private verandah offering guests panoramic views over the reserve and distant mountains. Each unit includes electric fans and cotton percale fabric…
WTM Africa 2019 opened yesterday on a high note with thousands of travel professionals visiting from across the globe to attend the leading event for the travel industry in Africa. BIG SHOW, BIG CONTENT Important discussions underscored the role of women in the tourism sector at the Women in travel Meetup, while Business Events Conference powered by IBTM Africa…
Marriott plans to open just under 20 hotels in the Middle East and Africa region in 2019, across brands including St Regis, W Hotels, JW Marriott and The Autograph Collection. The properties will add over 3,000 rooms to the group’s portfolio, and are part of plans to open 100 hotels and around 26,000 rooms across…
The Department of Tourism in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture is working on revolutionalising the tourism industry in Malawi. Director of Tourism, Isaac Katopola, discusses some of the highlights of 2018 and expectations for 2019 with DENIS MZEMBE. Excerpts: What have been some of the major highlights of the tourism industry in Malawi…
The Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) government is set to officially open its own Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Mbabane in May, Times of Swaziland reported. This announcement was made by the Minister of Public Service, Christian Ntshangase during a media press conference held at the Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF) conference room recently. The multi-million…
From tanzanites to cute travel trinkets, shopping in Cape Town has come along over the last few years. The international inflections and blend of Afro-Euro style is evident in the sophisticated and styled prints, decor items, art, jewels, accessories and clothing. While many designers have found themselves in boutiques around the globe, there is nothing…
The CEO of South African Tourism, Sisa Ntshona, has been suspended, the board said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon. The board is investigating allegations received against Ntshona via its anonymous tip-offs reporting mechanism, the statement said. It did not elaborate on what the allegations were. It said the investigations would be conducted in the…
Cycle Malawi currently have a collection of special offers on their tours and scheduled departures. With day trips such as the Zomba Plateau MTB Day Tour at only $90 per person, and 7-10 Day departures exploring the country from $1470 per person. There is limited availability, so enquire today for further information. Mount Mulanje is a dramatic towering…
Uganda’s newest lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Elephant Plains, is seeking to position itself as a destination for wedding and honeymoon business. Elephant Plains is a brand new luxury lodge located on the most spectacular view point in the whole of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Perched 941 metres above sea level, high upon the…
Zimbabwe’s biggest tourism expo, the annual Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo (SHWTE), is predicted to see even greater numbers than last year. The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has announced that the expo will take place from September 12 to 14 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo, and will showcase a wide variety of…
Tongole Wilderness Lodge is excited to finally be within the fenced sanctuary area of Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve (NKKWR). The fence was initially erected by African Parks to ensure a safe and controlled release of the 500 elephants and other wildlife that was translocated from Liwonde and Majete to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in 2016 and 2017. The fence line…
AirKenya will launch flights between the Maasai Mara and Entebbe, Uganda, starting June 1, via Kisumu for immigration purposes. AirKenya Reservations Manager, Catherine Kimwele, told Tourism Update that the flights would be daily, “initially starting with a Grand Caravan (11-seater), and will progress to an 18 or 50-seater, depending on the loads”. The flight will depart the Maasai…
Known as “the warm heart of Africa” for many reasons, Malawi is brimming with opportunity and generosity, just begging to be discovered by the outside world. Largely untouched by modern-day tourism, Malawi is an incredibly diverse, welcoming nation well worth exploring. After you’ve gone on a Big 5 Safari and explored Africa’s Greatest Lake, dive deeper into Malawi with our…
As Sierra Leone honours the work of Dr. Jane Goodall (DBE, anthropologist and UN Messenger of Peace), the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, during her three-day visit to the country last week, there are major changes being made by the government to seriously position the country as a ‘must visit’ tourist destination. The Order of…
Sierra Leone honored Dr. Jane Goodall (DBE, anthropologist and UN Messenger of Peace), the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, during her three-day visit to the country this past week, with three major announcements – first, bestowing the country’s highest honors on Dr Jane Goodall; second, the announcement of changes in the visa policy to allow…
In December, Seychelles North Island resort will join the Marriott International portfolio of properties through a franchise agreement, following which it will be operating as ‘North Island, a Luxury Collection Resort’. North Island will join over 100 hotels and resorts across 35 countries in The Luxury Collection portfolio – but will be the first hotel…