All staff working at the Elewana Collection properties in Tanzania will be undergoing Responsible Tourism Training over the next few weeks. The first to undergo the training sessions, were the staff at Elewana Serengeti Migration Camp, who were taken through two days of interactive teaching. Conducting the training is Johannes Solar Obeto (Solar for short),…
A Hideaways holiday is all about providing a bespoke experience for our guests. Sometimes this means making some necessary adjustments to our lodges so that some of our differently-abled guests are still able to have the holiday of a lifetime. One of our recent guests to Rio Azul had a dream come true when he snorkelled for the first…
Malawi made aviation history this week as it became the first African country to host an extraordinary profile world conference for female pilots, tagged the Ninety-Nines (The 99s). In an interview, Ivana Alvares-Marshall, a pilot who operates from Malawi and who also governs the African Chapter of the Ninety Nines, said the grouping decided to…
The Malawi Department of Immigration and Citizenship Service wishes to announce the launch of an online visa service for visitors to Malawi effective 1st November 2019. Through the Malawi online visa service, applicants will be able to register and login on the e-visa platform, fill and submit and application, upload supporting documents including applicants photo…
A new study released at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) by food and beverage (F&B) strategy & design firm KEANE (www.KeaneBrands.com), forecasts that 700 new hotel restaurants and bars will be opened in Africa by 2025, in internationally branded hotels. The prediction is based on KEANE’s research into 410 F&B venues across the 100 internationally branded hotels…
Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) linking Nairobi with the resort town of Naivasha, welcomed its first passengers on October 18, a day after its launch by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. “The completion of the Nairobi to Suswa section of SGR is expected to revolutionise development of this region through affordable transport. It will also stimulate tourism…
South African National Parks reports that Numbi Gate at Kruger National Park will remain closed owing to protests on the access road to the park. Visitors are requested to use alternative gates to enter or exit the park. Read more from Tourism Update
It is usually the largest most well-known parks of Africa that top most people’s bucket lists, including Kruger, Maasai Mara, Okavango and the Serengeti, all destinations renowned for offering thrilling wildlife experiences. But there is another undiscovered gem to be added to the list: Hwange National Park in the northwest corner of Zimbabwe. Some critics…
Situated on the Eastern Rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, only 10 minutes from the Crater Floor. Be the first one down on the floor and the last one up. This exciting new camp offers spectacular views from the main areas and from each and every room. Lions Paw offers an authentic experience without sacrificing the…
Getting to know the ins and outs of Zimbabwe’s multitude of offerings is too often watered down with concerns and “what if’s” – making it so much easier to just pick another destination. But Zimbabwe truly has so much to offer, you just need to be tuned in to the right sources of information and…
Ethiopian Airlines Group, the Largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX Certified Four Star Global Airline, has launched an innovative capacity development initiative aimed at creating local value in agricultural products. The forward-looking development initiative is tailored to support cooperative unions comprising millions of farmers with innovations and technology, thereby ensure their international market penetration.…
It is time to give boring teambuilding the boot! Mabula Game Lodge’s Wild Playzone will encourage collaboration and teamwork with fun activities that will help your team members see each other in a different light allowing them to connect in a different setting. The iconic Mabula Game Lodge has created a fabulous Active Space right…
• PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE • Mount Camdeboo orchestrates specialist translocation operation to save escaped elephant from being killed Cape Town, 12 October 2019 – An African elephant bull that escaped an Eastern Cape game reserve for a second time in recent weeks was on Thursday set to be shot. However, due to an…
‘Sustainable Tourism and National Parks – Plastic-free National Parks,’ was the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) theme at this year’s Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) in Nairobi. KWS was one of the participants (and the only wildlife conservation organisation) at MKTE exhibition – an annual, influential platform for tourism networking and business transactions whose focus is…
Cox & Kings, The Americas has suspended operations and is unable to pay its suppliers for trips that have already been booked, according to a confidential email obtained by Travel Weekly. Although the tour operator said it is in talks with an investor interested in taking over the company, travelers who have already booked trips…
With the introduction of e-visa service back in June 2017, Ethiopia has opened its doors for foreign visitors wider than ever before. Ever since, the e-visa service has redefined visitors’ travel experience, easing entry into the country with digitized service accessible from any part of the world. Using the e-visa service, more 200,000 people from…
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded the 100th Nobel Peace Prize in an announcement Friday morning. The prime minister last year helped broker a historic peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea, where leaders of the neighboring countries signed a “Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship” and declared an end to nearly two decades of…
The newly-created Kenya Convention Bureau announced that Mrs. Jacinta Nzioka has been appointed as its new director. Previously, Jacinta served for several years as Director of Marketing at the Kenya Tourism Board. At one stage she was also Acting CEO while a new CEO was being sourced. It is understood that parliamentary oversight may still have to confirm the…
The Cape Milner, a well-known oasis in the heart of trendy Tamboerskloof, continues its ongoing metamorphic journey with the most recent upgrade of the luxury rooms and suites. A brand new bathroom has been fashioned to offer a modern stylish finish and more luxurious amenities. “Choosing light coloured non slip imported tiles with the glass…
Is it possible to run a marathon in under 2 hours? Olympic champion and world record holder for the marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, and his team proved Saturday morning the answer is yes. In front of a cheering crowd, the 34-year-old Kenyan native ran 26.2 miles in an unprecedented time of 1:59:40. His average mile time…
African Bush Camps are proud to have hosted award-winning journalist Sue Watt at Zambezi Expeditions and Nyamatusi Camp. On both her journeys with African Bush Camps, Sue was in pursuit of the endangered painted wolves. Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious. She and African Bush Camps partnered with photographer and painted wolf specialist Nick Dyer…
10 October 2019: For immediate release At the forefront of luxury travel in East Africa, Destination Management Company, Grand Africa Safaris now offers agents access to their fleet of luxury safari vehicles. Based in Arusha, Tanzania, Grand Africa Safaris services the luxury travel industry with two bespoke vehicle offerings that cater to both mid and…
Some 67 million tourists visited Africa in 2018, representing a rise of 7% from a year earlier, making Africa the second-fastest growing region when it comes to tourism, after Asia Pacific. African countries are now reaping the benefits from positive policy changes coupled with increased investments in the sector, that have made it a more attractive destination for…
To celebrate the opening of the new Migrations Expeditions Camp in Nxai Pan National Park, African Bush Camps are offering all guests staying at sister property Khwai Bush Camp a helicopter transfer to get the best view of Botswana’s green season. As we near the year end we ready ourselves for the first rains over…
Air Kenya resumed its service into the Mara North Airstrip in the Masai Mara on October 5 after satisfactory completion of repair works. Services had been suspended into the Mara North Conservancy Airstrip due to the condition of the airstrip. Read more from Tourism Update
130 Blue and Silver status members upgraded to Gold status Gold and Platinum members to get their status extended till end of 2020 If you are Blue or Silver status ShebaMiles member who joined Ethiopian loyalty program during its commencement in 1999 and have been accumulating miles to enjoy our premium service, your time has…
The world is looking to the potential impact our travel has on the sustainability of the planet. Powered by our not-for-profit, the TreadRight Foundation, we at Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris, are making public our commitment to Make Travel Matter for the better. Inspired by leading destinations across the globe, every one of our team members…
Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala was on Friday evening elected to chair the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council. In the election, which was held during the 111th Session of the 23rd UNWTO General Assembly in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Balala emerged top. He will be deputised an Italian during the one-year tenure,…
Bordering Tanzania and Mozambique, Malawi is a relatively small country in southeastern Africa. However, it is actually home the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world (by volume), Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is home to more species of fish than any other lake in the world, and Liwonde National Park in the southern part of the country is home to…
The much anticipated new addition to the Latitude Hotels portfolio has now opened in Kampala Uganda. With views stretching out over Lake Victoria, and over the city of Kampala, Latitude 0° sits among indigenous orchid-filled trees atop of Makindye Hill, approximately 6 kms from the CDB, and 45 minutes from Entebbe International Airport. The hotel…
Last year Elephant’s Eye, Hwange introduced our Sponsorship Pledge, a pledge to sponsor a full year’s school fees for a child at Dingani Primary for every guest who stays 3 nights or more at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange. We are excited to announce that we will be extending this pledge for another year! In rural Zimbabwe,…
It used to be a familiar sight: a halo of ragged plastic bags festooning the trees, around Kenya’s towns and villages. Sometimes the plastic scar stretched for miles. Since such bags take a thousand years to break down, the wound on the wilderness didn’t go away — it just proliferated. Kenya’s world famous national parks…
South African Airways (SAA), the national carrier of South Africa and Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, announced today a new code share agreement for customers traveling between New York and the Seychelles. Air Seychelles will add its “HM” code on SAA’s nonstop flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport…
Kenya is playing host to tourism business people from about 50 countries participating in this year’s Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE), the largest tourism fair in the region organized by Kenya Tourism Board (KTB). The tourism exposition which is set to run from 2 nd to 4 th October, 2019 will be preceded by tours…
Natural Selection’s Lekkerwater Beach Lodge at De Hoop, in South Africa’s De Hoop Nature Reserve, will be closed until November 1 due to flooding, confirmed Colin Bell, Co-founder of Natural Selection and Developer of the Lekkerwater Beach Lodge. Bell told Tourism Update that the lodge had experienced at least 100ml of rainfall over a 20- to 30-minute period,…
The Radisson Hotel Group has opened a new Radisson Blu and Residence in Nairobi, Kenya. The Radisson Blu Hotel and Residence, Nairobi Arboretum is close to the city centre and 45 minutes from the airport. The hotel features 122 rooms, each with a private balcony, 24-hour room service and free WiFi. Other features include a…
Air Kenya has issued a notice that they will be suspending their service into Mara North Conservancy Airstrip in the Maasai Mara, with immediate effect. The airline has closed the airstrip until further notice due to the current state of the runway. Agents with existing Air Kenya bookings to Mara North Conservancy Airstrip should amend their client’s itinerary to…
The Duke of Sussex has paid tribute to a British soldier killed during a counter-poaching operation in Malawi. Prince Harry laid a wreath for Mathew Talbot, 22, who was killed by an elephant in May. The duke was “honoured” to pay respects to Guardsman Talbot, who played a “huge part” in conservation efforts, a post on his…
Airlink confirms that it has added more flights between Cape Town and Hoedspruit in response to market demand during December 2019 and January 2020. Additional flights will operate on: 24 Dec, 26 Dec, 27 Dec, 28 Dec, 29 Dec, 30 Dec, 2 Jan, 3 Jan, 4 Jan and 5 Jan. Flights depart Cape Town at…
The Duke of Sussex is in Angola as part of a wider ten-day tour with his family, taking in South Africa, Botswana and Malawi. Unlike these other countries, Angola rarely features on travellers’ wish lists. So are we missing something? For clarity, Prince Harry is not visiting Angola for tourism. It was in Huambo in 1997…
Did you know that since the 1994 release of the first The Lion King film we have lost 50 % of the wild lion population? This is a statistic that shocked most attendees of Hideaways’ conservation talk at a Belgium premiere of Disney’s new Lion King film, where CEO Katja was invited to speak on…
Take an exclusive journey, with Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris, into the heart of famed regions of Botswana with unparalleled wildlife spectacles. Be among the first to experience the Red Carnation’s brand new Xigera Lodge, which will be opening in June 2020. Botswana is acclaimed as one of the greatest safari destinations in Africa, with locations such…
Hideaways’ goal is to positively and sustainably impact and support communities and people in the areas we operate in. In Zimbabwe, our lodge Elephant’s Eye, Hwange is part of the Dete community. In Dete, Dingani Primary School is severely under-resourced. More than 50 % of Dingani’s children cannot afford the yearly school fees. Unfortunately, a…
Air France will launch a direct service between Paris and the Seychelles, on October 30. Air France confirmed with Tourism Update that flight AF 246 will depart Paris at 17h00 and arrive in the Seychelles at 06h20 the next day. The service will be operated by an Airbus A330, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Read more from…
Imagine cycling through the bush following a path naturally cleared by the footfall of elephant herds and experiencing the wonders of a safari on a different type of open-air vehicle. This is all possible with Jenman African Safaris’ new Cycling Tour in Botswana. This new 2-wheel experience combines wonderfully with the more traditional game drives,…
Season one saw an impressive 830 turtles hatch from seven nests and season two will surpass that easily with nine nests holding 1084 eggs, of which 981 have hatched from eight of the nests that makes 1811 tiny turtles hatched to date. There is still one nest remaining due to hatch early next month, if…
Lake of Stars sold out: 2019 Malawi ‘camping’ festival set for new discoveries in Nkhata Bay. Organisers of this year’s Lake of Stars scheduled for this weekend at Kachere Kastle in Nkhata Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi say all the tickets to the festival have been sold. Read more here
As a follow up to our communication with everyone over the past few days, we regretfully confirm that an Auric Air Services Limited airplane type Cessna Grand Caravan EX carrying registration marks 5H-AAM crashed on take-off in Seronera on Monday, September 23rd, 2019. The pilot in command with an additional non-fare paying occupant (2 souls)…
Due to recent announcement by government of Tanzania, local government election will be on 24th November therefore it is not advisable to have an event on the election day for security reasons. The board of directors and management have discussed with our major sponsors and exhibitors and have all agreed to reschedule this year’s event…
The Community Upliftment Experience at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange sees guests engaging with the local community in reality. We introduce guests to the entrepreneurial women behind the Thandanani Sewing Project and help engage with the headmaster at Dingani Primary School. This way, interested and open-minded safari travellers learn about the incredible resilience and generous spirit of…