The Board of Directors of Wesgro – the official tourism, trade investment and film promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape – has appointed Wrenelle Stander as CEO. After a “lengthy and rigorous” recruitment process, Stander takes over from Tim Harris as CEO of Wesgro. She will begin her tenure in October. Michael Spicer, Chairman of the Wesgro Board,…
A new airline, Fly Okavango, is set to launch flights and tour packages directly to Maun – the gateway to the Okavango Delta – from key source markets, the UK and the US. The flights are expected to start in November, using a Boeing 767-300ER and Airbus 340-500 on the routes. From the US, flights…
The inaugural Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit (ATTS) – held as a hybrid event in five cities in Africa, including Durban, Johannesburg and Lagos, from September 19 to 21 – will showcase not only Africa’s attraction as a sought-after destination but highlight its business potential to the global travel industry. “Africa has, like the rest…
Kenya is looking to attract international luxury travellers as part of a strategy to revive the tourism sector and as part of expanding the tourism market basket. The absence of international tourists coupled with travel restrictions occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in reduced travel globally and travellers with specific preferences which are value…
Following a meeting held on 27th August 2021, the Malawi Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, having reviewed the trend of the disease in the country and globally in the past few weeks, has informed the public that the country is still in level 3 of the pandemic, and the Task Force has requested everyone to…
By the 03rd September 2021, All staff at Savanna Private Game Reserve and The Dulini Collection, will have been vaccinated for COVID-19. We remain committed in ensuring that our staff and guests safety be our number one priority. We hope that as more people are vaccinated, we will soon see the return of International Travellers to…
The Department of Tourism and South African Tourism have announced, 20 August, they will host the first ever Africa’s Travel and Tourism Summit (ATTS). It is set to take place in a hybrid format, 19-21 September 2021, coinciding with Tourism Month in South Africa. ATTS aims to attract African community delegates, African tourism ministers, industry associations, Tourism…
In just under a month, the striking and familiar livery of South African Airways (SAA) will once again be visible in the skies as the airline resumes operations. The carrier has confirmed the first flights will commence on Thursday, September 23, 2021. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, 26 August 2021. Voyager bookings and…
The government has embarked on the largest free mass Covid-19 vaccination exercise for frontline workers in the tourism industry in an effort to roll out the red carpet for tourists during the peak season. Jointly spearheaded by the Arusha Regional Commissioner’s Office, the ministry of Health and the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (Tato), the…
A massive new resort in Zanzibar will have multiple hotels, luxury residences, and East Africa’s first Signature golf course. A new vacation playground is coming to Africa. Spanning some 1,016 acres across Zanzibar‘s Muyuni coastline, Blue Amber Zanzibar is a “luxury tropical community” that will host East Africa’s first Signature golf course and deep water marina, luxury villas for…
Emirates and Airlink have announced the expansion of their existing partnership into a unilateral codeshare agreement, giving travellers to and from South Africa convenient access to more than 40 domestic and regional destinations across 12 African countries. The extended codeshare provides connectivity to Emirates customers not offered by any other carrier in Africa, and augments…
The Uganda Wildlife Authority has launched an online payment platform option for guests visiting any of the country’s national parks. The UWA ePayments portal, which replaces the old ‘Wildlife Card’ system established in 2017, accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Guests can visit the website and create a personal profile. After a transaction, a receipt is sent…
Jabulani lodge in the private Kapama Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger area has launched its own JabuGin. Exclusively offered to Jabulani guests, this distinctive new gin is infused with the dung of the rescued Jabulani herd of elephants. The dung is collected, cleaned and dried and added to the creation of the gin, adding all…
Conservation-focused hotel group, Mantis, has opened its newest property in Tanzania, the Siringit Migration Camp by Mantis. The mobile camp moves every few months to follow the wildebeest herds, zebra, Thomson’s gazelles, and the predators that the Great Migration attracts within the Serengeti National Park. Paul Gardiner, CEO of the Mantis Group comments: “The Great…
Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) has opened its newly upgraded passenger terminal, Terminal 2, at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The terminal upgrades were implemented to accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic, cargo volumes and passenger numbers. The spacious Terminal 2 is being used for international arrivals and departures and has an annual capacity of four…
After the 42 days lockdown that ended on 31st July 2021, Uganda stays open to tourists according to the presidential directives issued. The Government of Uganda also recommends all travelers to have fully completed their vaccination process before coming to Uganda or avoid any non-essential travel.
South African Airways (SAA) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of airline industry veteran, Mr. Simon Newton-Smith, in the position of SAA Interim Executive: Commercial. Simon joins the South African Airways’ executive leadership team in Johannesburg, South Africa with an extensive international airline background having previously joined SAA in 2000 and served as Vice…
Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls usually teems with tourists who come to marvel at the roaring Zambezi River as it tumbles down more than 350 feet (108 meters) to the gorge below, sending up a mist that is visible from miles away. “The Smoke That Thunders” – the English translation of what the waterfall is called in…
Hurtigruten Expeditions is responding to guest demand for more warm water destinations by adding the West Coast of Africa and its archipelagos—the Bissagos Islands and Cape Verde—to its ever-growing list of new destinations. The 13-day itinerary includes four countries—Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal—on MS Spitsbergen based out of Dakar. This latest expansion follows…
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has presented ‘Air Operator Certificate’ to Green Africa Airline, following completion of the airline’s application processes. NCAA Director-General, Capt. Musa Nuhu said on Tuesday in Lagos that the airline will begin its first commercial flight operations on Thursday. Nuhu said with the certificate, Green Africa would begin operations in…
Seychelles will welcome vessels with a maximum of 300 passengers for the 2021-2022 cruise ship season from mid-November, said a top official, the first port calls to the island nation after an 18-month stoppage due to COVID-19 restrictions. Pent-up demand in the industry means the archipelago in the western Indian Ocean has interest from cruise operators through…
Seychelles will receive a storage facility needed for Pfizer’s version of the Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday in time for a consignment soon to arrive in the country, President Wavel Ramkalawan said in his third live news conference. Ramkalawan told media representatives on Thursday that the country is recording some success with the continued downward trend…
South African researchers are calling on the Malawian government to stop deforestation in Mikundi, in the south of the country. According to researchers from the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the loss of vegetation cover in the Mikundi area could lead to the extermination of the Chapman’s pygmy chameleon. One of the world’s rarest animals,…
Next Pathology will open its rapid PCR testing facility at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday, August 5. The testing centre promises a swift turnaround time of only two hours for delivery of results. It is situated in the Kafue Room on the ground floor of the InterContinental Hotel, OR Tambo, which is outside…
The Zimbabwean Cabinet has approved measures to reopen the country to tourists arriving by road. It announced last week that its Victoria Falls and Kazungula land border posts would be reopened to tourists who were fully vaccinated. Operators are welcoming the move and clarify that no quarantine requirements are currently in place for international tourists,…
Delta Air Lines has resumed its Atlanta-Johannesburg service, with the arrival of the first inbound flight in the late afternoon of Monday, August 2. The service, which was first launched by Delta in December 2006, will initially operate three times weekly. Inbound flights will depart Atlanta on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 19h00 and arrive…
The SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has confirmed that it has concluded SAA’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC) renewal. This was the final hurdle that, according to the airline, needed to be completed before it could restart its operations. This should pave the way for SAA to end the speculation and announce its routes and the…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its coronavirus travel risk map on its website, with Egypt being ranked as level two or “medium risk.” The assessment includes four levels, with four being the highest risk and one being the lowest. In the update, the CDC added 16 destinations to its “extremely…
Bob Duglin, ASTA’s vice president of international membership and host agencies and managing director of the ASTA Small Business Network, died Sunday at home in Fort Lauderdale. Duglin joined the Society more than 10 years ago, according to CEO Zane Kerby, when he was hired by Scott Koepf (at the time, the president of the…
Air Seychelles is making a comeback to the island nation of Mauritius in October, following an 18-month absence. The airline will begin flights on October 3rd, thanks to the announcement of the full reopening of the borders from October 1st. Air Seychelles will fly its A320neo on the route with twice-weekly services going forward. Mauritius…
Located in South Africa’s cosmopolitan financial hub, Radisson RED Johannesburg Rosebank is nestled in one of its trendiest business nodes, the leafy Rosebank, and is just a few minutes’ walk from the Gautrain station and the high-end retail and shopping precinct, which includes Rosebank Mall. With a recent surge in developments, Rosebank is now home to various…
On 27 July 2021, 14 African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) were translocated successfully from South Africa and Mozambique to Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve, in an historic project to reintroduce this endangered and iconic species to Malawi. The translocation was undertaken through a collaboration between the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and African Parks, which manages Liwonde…
After months of anticipation, APTA’s brand new “Explore Africa” webinar series has finally kicked off and has been heralded an international success story with praise pouring in from sea to shining sea and from across the far reaches of the Serengeti, Maasai Mara and impenetrable forests of Uganda. Has there ever been a more celebrated,…
South African airline Mango has suspended all flights until further notice. This follows Tuesday’s flight interruptions and delays. Reuters reported on Monday that Mango will enter into a local form of bankruptcy protection known as business rescue. The airline’s acting CEO, William Ndlovu, said in a statement that the reason for the suspension was due…
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, is expanding its presence in Egypt with four new Hotel Indigo branded properties. As part of a Management Agreement signed with real-estate specialists Mountain View, IHG will introduce the world’s first globally branded boutique hotel brand, Hotel Indigo, to Egypt with Hotel Indigo Mountain View…
Lufthansa Group’s newest airline, Eurowings Discover (Flight 4Y143), departed Frankfurt on Saturday evening (July 24) for its inaugural flight to Mombasa, Kenya, and after an hour stopover, continued on to Zanzibar, Tanzania on Sunday (July 25). The inaugural flight – on an Airbus 330-200 – was captained by Wolfgang Raebiger, who is also CEO of Eurowings…
South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that Ndabenhle David Simelane has become the first black Chief Pilot for SANParks Air Services. SANParks Chief Operating Officer Lize McCourt, said: “Simelane’s most recent promotion sees him moving from the rank of pilot to SANParks Chief Pilot and Person Responsible for Operations as per the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s…
With travel somewhat picking up and President Cyril Ramaphosa moving the country into adjusted alert level 3, South African airlines are capitalising on air travel demand by offering new routes. Low-cost carrier FlySafair is one of the latest airlines to launch a new route. The airline will offer flights between Bloemfontein and Cape Town from…
The APTA Executive Board is excited to announce the launch of our 3 part webinar series starting next week. This diverse, virtual series will feature some of our incredible Corporate Members and will include everything from Africa’s tropical Seychelles and Maldives to Egypt, Kenya and beyond. This is not your typical webinar series. We know…
As Tanzania gets prepared for the influx of tourists after Covid-19 pandemic, spectacular black rhino tourism has been launched. The Rhino Sanctuary is at Mkomazi National Park ‘The Home of Black Rhinos’ that extends in Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions, overlooking Mount Kilimanjaro in the north and Tsavo West National Park. The first Africa’s wildlife park…
Qatar Airways has joined Tourism Seychelles in a strategic marketing partnership to support tourism recovery in the country. In anticipation of the increased demand for travel to the Seychelles, Qatar Airways has increased its flights to the island destination from three a week to daily, using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 22 seats in business…
Recent changes in Botswana’s lockdown regulations have caused some confusion for tourists visiting the country. But the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (Hatab) has now released a statement confirming that travellers only have to present a PCR negative test result not older than 72 hours on boarding, and do a rapid test at the…
Air France will start flights to Zanzibar, via Nairobi, from October 18. The flights will operate twice weekly using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. On Mondays and Fridays, flight AF0836 will depart Paris-Charles De Gaulle at 23h45 and arrive in Nairobi at 08h55 the next day. It will depart at 10h35 and arrive in Zanzibar at…
RwandAir has become the first sub-Saharan airline to launch a loyalty partnership with Qatar Airways. The two carriers have joined to offer RwandAir Dream Miles and Qatar Airways Privilege Club loyalty members access to each other’s destinations with the opportunity to earn points across their reciprocal route networks. Under the new deal, RwandAir Dream Miles…
Tanzania will host the East African Community (EAC) regional tourism expo in October, the country’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Damas Ndumbaro announced Friday. The tourism expo will be held in the northern tourist city of Arusha, Ndumbaro told a virtual meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers for Tourism. Ndumbaro said Tanzania offered…
Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest Pan-African airline, has become Africa’s top airline in passenger and freight traffic retaining its leadership position in the continent. According to the African Airlines Association’s (AFRAA) report, Ethiopian has been ranked first by passenger and cargo traffic in 2020. Ethiopian carried 500 thousand tons of freight and 5.5 million passengers…
The South African tourism industry is mourning the loss of a ballooning legend. Bill Harrop, the founder of Bill Harrop’s Original Balloon Safaris, has died of Covid-19 complications only five days after his wife, Mary’s death. Tributes have been streaming in from all over the country with people remembering Bill Harrop’s sense of humour, his wit…
The lifting of travel restrictions across the world is giving a bullish outlook for Tanzania’s tourism industry which has seen its earnings from tourism at an 11-year low, official data shows. Tanzania’s tourism earnings took a hit in the past two years as the world imposed travel restrictions to avoid spread of the viral Covid-19…
Comair is suspending all kulula.com and BA Comair flights for three weeks in light of the new adjusted level four lockdown regulations, which prohibit non-essential domestic travel in and out of Gauteng. The move is hot on the heels of a similar announcement of suspended July flights made by domestic airline, LIFT, also announced this…
Following an aggressive vaccination program that enabled it to become the world’s first nation to achieve COVID-19 herd immunity, Seychelles is re-open to the world and ready to welcome travelers for their post-COVID vacations. Join the Seychelles Tourism Board for a one hour session reintroducing the Seychelles and all its 115 islands have to offer…