Zimbabwe Lockdown Extended to May 3rd
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown. The lockdown, which started on March 30, was meant to end on Sunday (April 19) but has been extended to May 3.
The Elewana Collection Temporarily Suspends Operations
As many of you will already be aware we have taken the difficult decision to suspend operations at all our camps until June 30, 2020. That said, we are constantly monitoring the situation and look forward to updating you as soon as we have some positive news on welcoming guests back to enjoy our extraordinary…
Ghana President Lifts Lockdown on Improved Virus Readiness
Ghana became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to ease movement restrictions after a 21-day lockdown of its biggest cities bought the government enough time to improve its preparedness for the coronavirus pandemic, said President Nana Akufo-Addo. Residents of the capital, Accra, and major centers are allowed to return to work from Monday even though…
Experience Morocco From Home
The current global situation puts face-to-face interaction on hold for many of us around the world. But even in these times of distance, Experience Morrocco hopes to shed light on the ways we can stay connected and engaged with one another. Given this, we’re sharing one of our favorite Moroccan words, Ijtimaa, meaning a gathering…
Index Select Launches “Live with Index” Educational Series
Join Index Select and our Africa partners next week for our upcoming LIVE WITH INDEX series. Meet our Africa partners and allow us to give you a refresher for when the ‘pent up demand for travel’ begins, so you are ready to with all the knowledge and confidence you need to work with our Collection!…
African Bush Camps to Host a Series of Upcoming Safari Talks
Safari Talks Part 1: Watch African Bush Camp’s CEO, Beks Ndlovu, on African Bush Camps’ first live online discussion about hard-hitting matters affected by today’s COVID-19 ripple effect, African Bush Camps. Facilitated by longstanding freelance travel writer, Lesley Stones, the talk will also feature: Beks Ndlovu – African Bush Camps founder and safari guide Obert…
Hideaways CEO Shares Words of Solidarity
From her home and her heart to yours, Hideaways CEO Katja Quasdorf shares words of solidarity and inspiration as we go forward, together. In the shared passion for Africa and the love of travel, Katja empathises with all member of the travel tribe, as we accompany each other through this journey. In reflection and gratitude…
Emirates Deploys Rapid Tests for COVID-19 to Passengers Before Boarding
Emirates has become the first airline in the world to screen passengers for coronavirus using a pre-boarding blood test. The Dubai-based carrier started administering rapid result tests to passengers on-site in a check-in area of Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday. The blood test for coronavirus, conducted by the Dubai Health Authority, were given…
Uganda Uses Lessons from Ebola to Fight COVID-19
African countries previously hit by deadly Ebola outbreaks are using the lessons they learned to fight the coronavirus pandemic, experts say, because they know how to rapidly track down, screen and quarantine potential patients. “When a certain outbreak is over, you have a capacity left behind that you can build on or adapt. It could be…
Poaching Increases as Coronavirus Halts Tourism to Africa
The past few weeks have not been easy for Nico Jacobs, founder of Rhino 911, a nonprofit that provides emergency helicopter transport for rhinoceroses in need of rescue in South Africa. That’s because times are much worse for the rhinos. Since South Africa announced a national lockdown on March 23 to limit the spread of…
TAP Announces New Direct Flight Lisbon to Cape Town
A new direct flight operated by TAP is scheduled to start operating between Cape Town and Lisbon in November. The seasonal flights will operate three times a week until the end of March 2021. The first flight is scheduled for November 11, according to Wesgro Air Access Project Manager, Paul van den Brink. He told Tourism Update that…
Hwange National Park Conservation Efforts Remain Top Priority
Recreational exposure and environmental awareness are now irreversibly connected in the world of travel. The conservation and sustainability arena, extensively supported by community conservation tourism, confronts trying times in the ongoing Covid-19 Situation. Without the flow of clients, funds decrease substantially. To support the incredible work accomplished in our National Parks, honouring past efforts and…
SAA Repatriates Stranded South Africans From Miami
SouthAfricanAirways(SAA), repatriatedover300South African citizens on April 14, 2020 aboard a specially planned charter flight from the Miami International Airport (MIA) to South Africa. This flight, chartered by Workaway International, operated with SAA’s new state-of-the art flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft, departed Miami on Tuesday evening en route to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Workaway International is…
How Africa’s Mountain Gorillas Staged a Comeback
Mountain gorillas, today one of the most beloved wild animals on the planet, were little known four decades ago when the American primatologist Dian Fossey, commenting on a spate of brutal killings by poachers, warned that only around 220 of the animals were left. “The mountain gorilla faces a grave danger of extinction—primarily because of…
US Secretary of State Thanks Ethiopian Airlines
Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke Monday with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Secretary Pompeo thanked the Prime Minister and Ethiopian Airlines for their continued support to provide flights to American citizens stranded overseas by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Secretary underscored the United States’ commitment to supporting Ethiopia and working with international partners to…
Egypt’s Oldest Pyramid Reopens to the Public After 14 Years
An ancient Egyptian pyramid that came very close to total collapse is finally open to the public again after a 14-year restoration, CNN reported. The Step Pyramid of Djoser, built around 4,700 years ago, is Egypt’s oldest stone monument — even older than the Great Pyramid of Giza (built around 2560 BCE), according to CNN. Believed to be designed by the ancient Egyptian…
Kenya to Construct First Underwater Museum in Sub Saharan Africa
The government of Kenya is set to construct the first underwater museum in Sub Saharan Africa in the Coast region. The project which is in line with the country’s blue economy vision is set to boost tourism numbers in the Coast region according to Head of archeology at the National Museum of Kenya Dr. Caesar Bita. The…
Secretive Forest Species Such as Giant Pangolins and Congo Peafowl Revealed by Camera Traps in DR Congo
Camera traps set up by researchers in DR Congo have revealed 43 secretive forest species such as giant ground pangolins, African golden cats, leopards, cusimanses (a species of mongoose), bonobos, forest elephants and the endemic Congo peafowls. Researchers in the 3,6 million hectare Salonga National Park (Africa’s largest tropical rainforest reserve) in the Democratic Republic…
Great Plains Freezes Rates & Includes Flights for 2021
Two exciting announcements from Great Plains Conservation to smooth the isolation blues and keep the African Safari Dream alive. For a start, we are holding our 2020 rates for all safaris travelling with us in 2021 – there is no price increase for guests traveling in 2021! We have always tried to make travelling with…
Kenya Extends Ban on International Flights
The Kenyan government announced on Sunday (April 5) that it would extend the ban on all international flights by 30 days as the country intensified the fight against spread the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous two-week ban, implemented on March 25, expired at midnight on April 5. Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, James Macharia, said…
Postponing Your Travel Will Help Conservation Efforts In Africa
The fallout of the Coronavirus pandemic is being felt everywhere across the globe. Here, I speak to Alice Gully, co-owner of Aardvark Safaris, a UK-based specialist tour operator working with a range of camps and lodges across Africa. She says that the repercussions in the decline of tourism will have an enormous impact on conservation efforts in Africa.…
Seychelles to Enter Lockdown
The Seychelles will enter a 21-day period of restricted movement of people and shutdown of essential services from midnight April 8 as part of the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. At a press conference April 7, the Seychellois Department of Health announced these new measures, after a Seychellois man – who works as…
Malawi’s Kiboko Safaris Opens Mitengo House
Even during these difficult times, there is good news coming out of Malawi’s tourism sector. The newly built Mitengo House opened its doors recently and is a beautiful addition to the range of services offered by Kiboko Safaris. The lodge is located in Area 10 of the capital city Lilongwe, which is considered one of…
Ethiopian Cargo Recalibrates Its Operations in the Wake of COVID-19
Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services, the multiple award-winning and largest cargo network operator in Africa, is adapting its operations to the evolving global demand for air cargo services following the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the current situation, Ethiopian Cargo has extended its reach to 74 destinations globally, and caters to charter flight needs anywhere in the world boundlessly, carrying much needed medical supplies in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. In the month of March alone,…
New Hiking Tours in Eswatini
Vaya Trails is a new tour company offering hiking experiences through the escarpment of Eswatini. The company is the brainchild of five Swazi locals who are keen to share their love and knowledge of this unique environment, says a statement from Eswatini Tourism. “Vaya Trails offers guided, tailormade hiking experiences,” said one of the founders, Anna McGinn.…
Kenya Plans $4.7MM COVID-19 Recovery Strategy
Kenya’s government has created a National Tourism Crisis Steering Committee to not only plan the country’s tourism recovery post COVID-19 but include mitigating measures for emergencies during the pandemic. This was announced by Kenyan Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala, who said the COVID-19 pandemic had caused a major impact on tourism sectors across the…
Botswana to Implement Lockdown
The President of Botswana, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, today (March 31) declared a State of Public Emergency that includes Botswana going into a nationwide lockdown from midnight on April 2. “Where the President declares a state of emergency when Parliament is not sitting, such state of emergency ceases after 21 days,” explained Masisi in a live broadcast.…
Zimbabwe & Namibia Go Into Lockdown
Zimbabwe has implemented a 21-day total lockdown, effective March 30, in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that all non-essentials services would come to a halt during the lockdown. “Everyone must stay at home, except those seeking health services or buying food, medicine and vital supplies, as well as those manning…
Zimbabwe Reinstates US Dollar as Currency
After banning the use of all foreign currencies in 2019, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has reinstated the use of the US dollar as a currency in order to mitigate the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the economy. The Reserve Bank says this is an effort to simplify transactions for the public and to promote…
Air Botswana Suspends Operations Until June
The national Airline, Air Botswana, has suspended scheduled services on its domestic and regional route network from the 27th March to 31st May 2020. This is in support of the national call to restrict non-essential travel in efforts to slow-down and arrest the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension period is, however, subject to…
Industry Warns Suppliers Will Lose Business Due to Inflexible Policies
If local tourism suppliers are not flexible with cancellation policies and fees amid the COVID-19 pandemic they could potentially destroy long-term relationships with global tour operators and DMCs and lose future business. This is the opinion of Juliane Loubser, MD of Cape Town-based DMC, Fairfield Tours, who told Tourism Update that many South African tourism suppliers were sticking…
Destinations Support the ‘Travel Tomorrow’ Campaign
Countries around the world are adopting and integrating the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s new ‘Stay home today so you can travel tomorrow’ campaign to curb the spread of COVID-19 while still stimulating travel appetites for the future. UNWTO is promoting the tagline on digital media through the hashtag #TravelTomorrow. It encourages travellers to adhere to…
Ethiopian Extends Solidarity to Africans Amid Global Crisis, Delivers Emergency Medical Supplies
Ethiopian Airlines, the Pan-African carrier, has delivered medical supplies donated by Jack Ma, the founder of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba, to 39 African Countries within 5 days. Ethiopian has transported Jack Ma’s support including testing kits, masks and protective suits. Following its historical track record of serving Africa in both good and bad times, Ethiopian…
Airlink to Suspend All Operations
Airlink, the South African-based domestic and regional airline, is suspending all operations after midnight this Thursday, 26 March 2020 in support of South Africa’s lock-down to slow and contain the spread of the COVID-19 “Coronavirus”. “In the face of this global public health emergency, the safety and well-being of our customers, crew, employees their families…
African Nations Fight Back Against Coronavirus
Earlier this year, when the first reports of the coronavirus started to come out of China, global health officials said they were very worried about what would happen if the virus started spreading in Africa, where many health systems are already struggling. Well, now the coronavirus is spreading in Africa. So far the number of…
Malawi Bans Travel from Countries Impacted by COVID-19
Malawi has imposed a travel ban on foreign nationals from countries affected by the Covid-19 disease. President Peter Mutharika announced the ban on Friday when he also announced other measures put in place to manage the threat of coronavirus in the country. “My Government has banned travel of foreign nationals from countries highly affected by…
Uganda, Eritrea & Zimbabwe Confirm First COVID-19 Cases
Several African countries have confirmed their first cases of the coronavirus, while Rwanda has become the first nation in Africa to be placed on lockdown. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1,000 cases had been reported across Africa as of Sunday. In Uganda, Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng announced the first case, saying that a man flew…
Africa’s Mountain Gorillas Also at Risk from Coronavirus
As the coronavirus infects more people around the world, conservationists are warning of the risk to another vulnerable species: Africa’s endangered mountain gorilla. Congo’s Virunga National Park, home to about a third of the world’s mountain gorillas, is barring visitors until June 1, citing “advice from scientific experts indicating that primates, including mountain gorillas, are…
South Africa Deploys Police and Army to Enforce 3-week Coronavirus Lockdown
South Africa has announced a nationwide lockdown of its 56 million inhabitants for 21 days, enforced by police and the army, in a bid to curtail the spread of coronavirus. Confirmed cases in the country currently sit at 552, the highest in Africa but much lower than other major economies across Europe and the Americas,…
Uganda’s Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Closes Until May
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda, which cares for orphaned chimpanzees, is closing until the end of April. “COVID-19 affects humans but can potentially also affect chimpanzees and other apes. The risk to our closest cousins is enormous,” says Executive Director Dr Joshua Rukundo. To protect both visitors and the chimps, the sanctuary is closed to all…
South Africa Tourist Attractions to Be Closed
Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane says she has instructed that tourist attractions across the country be closed following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a national lockdown from midnight on Thursday to curb the spread of COVID-19. “We are saying to tour operators and tour guides, you have an obligation to be responsible and protect South Africans…
Kenya Airways Suspends International Flights
Please see the following message from Kenya Airways Group Managing Director and CEO, Allan Kilavuka Greetings, We in Kenya Airways have been working hard to help our passengers return to their homes given the increased travel restrictions across the world. As we mentioned in our previous communication, we have been forced to reduce our network…
A Message from Auric Air in response to COVID-19
Dear Partners, As you are all aware, so much has happened in the last few weeks. COVID-19 has made the world a different place from how we know it. First and foremost, our thoughts go out to all those that have been affected by this situation. We would like to extend, wholeheartedly, our sincere gratitude…
Visionary South African Hotelier Sol Kerzner Dies at Home, of Cancer
Solomon (Sol) Kerzner, one of the world’s most innovative hoteliers, founder of the Southern Sun hotel group, Sun International and Kerzner International, has died of cancer surrounded by his family at the Kerzner family home, Leeukoppie Estate, in Cape Town, South Africa. Always a maverick, Kerzner was a titan of the hotel and resort industry who redefined the scale and…
South African Airways Suspends International Flights Until May 31st
South African Airways (SAA) is suspending all international and some regional Africa flights, effective March 20 through May 31, 2020. This immediate action has become necessary due to additional restrictions that have recently been implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus throughout South Africa. Please see the attached press release that was issued by…
South Africa Imposes Travel Restrictions Affecting USA
In a sweeping set of measures Sunday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said visas of citizens from high-risk countries, including the United States, have been revoked to contain the coronavirus epidemic. Although South Africa has seen only 61 cases of the coronavirus, and no deaths so far, according to officials, this visa shutdown appeared to be aimed at work visas.…
Ghana Bans US Travelers
The Republic of Ghana has instituted a stringent travel restriction in its bid to control the Coronavirus in the country. Ghana has confirmed at least six cases. According to a new travel advisory released by the country’s Information Ministry, any traveller, except for Ghanaian citizens and persons with Ghana residence permits, who within 14 days…
African Nations Impose Travel Restrictions on USA
As the novel coronavirus rages through the world and spreads rapidly in the U.S., Africa is the least-affected continent at the moment, with less than 300 reported cases in roughly half of its 54 countries so far. A number of media outlets have reacted with a confounded tone, surprised that Africa does not have more…
Seychelles Closes Cruise Ship Season Amidst Fears of COVID–19
Seychelles on Monday announced it is temporarily closing down the island nation to cruise ships, a decision taken to protect the population from the threat of the COVID-19 virus but one that will also carry economic reverberations. Top government officials met on Monday to discuss the imminent arrival of a new cruise ship — the Norwegian Spirit — and…
Kenya Closes Border to Foreigners
Kenya halted the entry of foreigners from countries that have confirmed coronavirus cases and suspended schools in a bid to reduce the risk of contagion within the East African country. “Only Kenyan citizens and any foreigners with valid residence permits will be allowed to come in provided they proceed on self-quarantine or to a government…