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…
Effective October 27, 2021, all arriving passengers to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda must undergo PCR testing for COVID-19. The Ministry of Health recently set up government-run testing labs at the airport with a capacity of processing 7,200 samples within 24 hours. Turnaround time for the PCR test results is expected to be within 2-3…
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…
It’s green for go We’re off UK’s red list! We’re jumping for joy at the UK giving Tanzania the green light, just in time for green season. With Christmas just round the corner, now’s the time to take advantage of last-minute offers and get out to where it’s good. Our one-stop Covid doc All…
Our recent guest Hutton flew in from the US for a post-Covid holiday in South Africa. She shares her “recipe” for a perfect South Africa trip, her favourite boutique hotels, as well as what not to do when planning your day to day activities. Over to you Hutton! Read more…
Guests traveling with Elewana can give back to local communities simply by carrying an extra suitcase. The Land & Life Foundation has partnered with Pack For A Purpose to enable visitors to donate items in person when traveling to Kenya. The partnership works in collaboration with the committees at each supported school and clinic, so participants in Pack For…
One of South Africa’s newest wildlife reserves, Babanango Game Reserve is set on the White Umfolozi River and encompasses the beautiful Babanango Valley in Zululand. It’s a gorgeous region with a pristine coastline, rolling hills, waving grasslands, forests, rivers, mangrove swamps and cattle ranches. Babanango currently offers three upscale overnight options: Zulu Rock Lodge, Babanango Valley Lodge and Matatane Camp. Each…
Readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine in the U.K. have chosen Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago as the “best island” in Africa and the Indian Ocean in the magazine’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. Announced on October 5th, the annual awards are among the most prestigious in the travel industry. Bazaruto finished with an almost perfect score of 98.2, well…
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…
Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it will launch a new service to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt on 3 December with twice weekly flights, this new route will follow the resumption of operations to Luxor on 23 November with four weekly flights. In a further expansion of services to Egypt, Qatar Airways will also increase…
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…
Qatar Airways and RwandAir have signed a comprehensive codeshare agreement to offer travellers more choice, enhanced service and greater connectivity to more than 65 destinations across Africa and the rest of the world. As part of the deal, the Rwandan flag carrier will also launch new non-stop flights between their Kigali hub and Doha from…
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…
Jenman African Safaris is excited to announce the launch of our Zimbabwe Villa Collection, encouraging exclusive and safe family travel. Our carefully selected high-end, socially conscious and remote properties offer the perfect solution to provide peace of mind for a COVID friendly getaway. Zimbabwe is truly a destination unrivalled. Environmentally unique and varied in landscape as well as colourful and…
Emerging Destinations is pleased to welcome African Habitat Conservancy (AHC) to our family of cool companies in cool destinations around the globe. AHC is a cutting-edge South African conservation management company that focuses on game reserves as well as the rehabilitation of flora and fauna endemic to the areas in which the company operates, in addition to…
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,…
Ready to celebrate! We are excited to announce that Clifftop Exclusive Safari Hideaway has been recogonised as global leader in hospitality at the recent 2021 Haute Grandeur Excellence Awards and was honoured to win four awards at this prestigious event. Clifftop Exclusive Safari Hideaway won Excellence Awards in the following catagories: Best Bush Lodge…
Qatar Airways has been announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ by the international air transport rating organization, Skytrax, in addition to securing five additional awards including World’s Best Business Class, World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge, World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat, World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering and Best Airline in the Middle…
Why is now the best time to visit Southern and East Africa? Top luxury suppliers are offering amazing specials and discounts for your safari holiday. View all of our 2021 and 2022 specials here.
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…
Sure, the kids are keen on the animals. But how do you keep them busy between game drives and bush walks? Sopa Lodges in Kenya and Tanzania have got you covered with a wide range of family friendly services and activities. From Lake Naivasha and Samburu to Tarangire and the Serengeti, every one of the eight…
There’s always something good about Rhinos! The latest from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is that the two organizations have come to a mutual understanding and long-term partnership to keep the Rhinos at the sanctuary. Contrary to earlier plans of relocating the Rhinos, these giants will stay at the sanctuary for some…
Safaris can be idyllic, but they also present a unique set of challenges that will at times push you out of your comfort zone. Emma Summers, the EcoTraining camp manager at Selati Game Reserve, offers her tips for surviving and thriving in the Africa bush. First and foremost, Emma advises that everyone should embrace the unexpected and…
RwandAir has announced the resumption of the daily flights to and from Entebbe International Airport. The halt of this route since June 2021 was due to a surge in Covid cases in the region. Following consistent reduction in covid confirmed cases, the regional flights to and from Uganda will restart on 17th September 2021. The…