Category: Africa

Starting July 1, Madeira and Porto Santo will be fully open to international travellers. To ensure security for both tourists and residents, all people travelling to the islands will have to either present a health test done 72 hours prior to departure or be tested upon arrival, without any costs. COVID-19 tests on arrival will be paid for by the Madeira Government. Madeira is focused on positioning itself as a COVID-safe destination and are working with SGS, the world leader in certification, to ensure good practice across the destination to minimise risk in the wake of Covid-19. The certification process ... Read more

Seychelles, the small island holiday destination in the Indian Ocean with a population of less than a hundred thousand inhabitants, is now Covid-19 and ready to welcome guests. The country, which reported a number of 11 cases in total, has announced the last infected patient tested negative for a continuous number of days and is now considered to be healed from the Covid-19 virus. The pandemic had reached Seychelles in March 2020. The number of cases on the island increased slowly during the next three weeks and reached its peak on April 6, 2020 when the 11th case was confirmed ... Read more

Five international air transport and tourism bodies have launched an appeal to international financial institutions, country development partners and international donors to support Africa’s travel & tourism sector which employs some 24.6 million people on the African continent. Without urgent funding, the COVID-19 crisis could see a collapse of the sector in Africa, taking with it millions of jobs. The sector contributes $169 billion to Africa’s economy combined, representing 7.1% of the continent’s GDP. The request is being made by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of the United Nations, the World Travel & Tourism ... Read more

Renowned for its wildlife-driven holidays and adventure capabilities, South Africa received yet another vote of confidence as the Best Family Destination (International) from Indian readers of one of the most prominent travel magazines in the world. “Family dynamics in India are similar to those in South Africa; hence we recognize and understand the value of vacations that offer opportunities to rejuvenate while strengthening relationships. At South African Tourism, we have done away with cookie-cutter holidays, and one-size-fits-all itineraries as every family seeks unique and distinctive experiences. Utmost emphasis is placed on the quality and quantity of experiences we can offer ... Read more

Travel and tourism remained one of the key growth drivers of Africa’s economy, contributing 8.5 per cent of the GDP in 2018; equivalent to $194.2 billion. According to the 2019 Jumia Hospitality Report Africa, this growth record placed the continent as the second-fastest growing tourism region in the world, with a growth rate of 5.6 per cent after Asia Pacific and against a 3.9 per cent global average growth rate. “Our focus is to continue showcasing Africa as a continent full of beauty and opportunity. Through this report, we want to help draw attention to the vast potential of the ... Read more

APO Group (APO-opa.com), the leading media relations consultancy and press release distribution service in Africa and the Middle East, today announced that Isaac Khisa from Uganda has won APO Group’s invitation to attend the 2019 Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) (AHIF.com), the premier hotel investment conference in Africa, which will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 23rd-25th September. APO Group will offer one round trip ticket and accommodation in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) for Isaac Khisa to attend the 2019 Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF). The Africa Hotel investment Forum (AHIF) attracts many prominent international hotel owners, investors, financiers, management ... Read more

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, posted Africa’s highest average daily rate (ADR), according to the most recent 12-month data from STR. The market will play host to the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) on 23-25 September at the Sheraton Addis. From July 2018 through June 2019, Addis Ababa registered an absolute ADR of US$163.79 when measured in constant currency, which removes the effects of inflation. That figure was a 1.1% increase year over year. The next closest STR-defined markets in Africa were Accra Area, Ghana (US$160.34) and Lagos Area, Nigeria (US$132.51). “Addis Ababa continues to maintain high ADR levels when compared internationally,” ... Read more

Bench Events (www.BenchEvents.com), organisers of the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) (www.AHIF.com), and APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading media relations consultancy and press release distribution service, today announced a wide-ranging collaboration aimed at boosting investment in the hospitality industry in Africa. The deal, which is set to run until 2022, covers the next three editions of AHIF and its Francophone equivalent, the Forum de l’Investissement Hôtelier Africain (FIHA). Hotels are crucial in boosting the economies of developing nations. Not only do they drive tourism, encouraging foreign investment and bringing in foreign currencies, they also host important business meetings. All over ... Read more

Though Africa remains a market where hotel real estate investment is typically dominated by development, increasing transactional activity is providing much needed liquidity. However, when it comes to hotel investment in Africa, as with anywhere in the world, various factors and influences are impacting acquisition trends and cycles. “Of these factors, currency fluctuations are but one,” said Daniel Trappler, Vice President Transactions & Capital Markets for specialist hospitality and tourism consultancy firm, HTI Consulting. “Political and economic stability, the threat of terrorism, oil and commodity prices, accessibility and visas; all these remain central issues for tourists, commercial travelers and investors ... Read more

Marriott International, Inc. has announced the opening of its second Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Tanzania, Four Points by Sheraton Dar es Salaam, New Africa Hotel. The original New Africa Hotel was built as the official residence of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1896. It was used as a hospital during World War I before being converted into a hotel during the British Empire. Sitting at the heart of the central business district of the city, overlooking the Harbor the hotel has since emerged as a landmark and an integral part of the burgeoning city. With the renovation and the ... Read more

Online travel agency Travelcheck has launched in South Africa. The new company is a privately funded venture and offers flight and hotel bundles, online booking for all major airlines, and more than 300 000 hotels around the world. Travelcheck.co.za differentiates from other online booking websites with a dynamic packages feature which enables travellers to custom create holidays. Pre-defined packages are available to book should travellers desire recommendations. “We are excited to launch Travelcheck in South Africa,” said CEO, Odette Faling. “Travellers can save up to 25 per cent by booking flights and hotels in a bundle rather than reserving these ... Read more

South Africa, a nation synonymous with magnificent wildlife offerings, bagged yet another accolade for being the ‘Best International Destination for Wildlife’ at the Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel Awards 2019 held on Tuesday, 7th May 2019. “By winning the prestigious ‘Best International Destination for Wildlife’ award for the 8th consecutive year, South Africa has truly staked its claim as one of the world’s most thrilling wildlife tourism capitals,” said Neliswa Nkani, South African Tourism’s Hub Head for the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia (MEISEA) region. Deemed as one of the most prominent travel magazines in the country, Lonely Planet ... Read more

Enchanting tourist attractions, unique diplomatic stature and a thriving airliner have placed Ethiopia, Land of Origins, on top of the world when it comes to tourism growth. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) annual review, the country saw the highest tourism growth in the world (48.6), surpassing the global average growth rate of 3.9 per cent and the African average of 5.6 per cent. During the period, the sector supported 2.2 million jobs and contributed US$7.4 billion to Ethiopia’s economy, an increase of US$2.2bn on 2017. The timeless charm of Ethiopia’s natural, cultural and historical tourist attractions ... Read more

#VisaFreeAfrica (VFA) has recently introduced the 55 Voices for a Visa Free Africa (55Voices4Africa) writing competition, inviting all African youth to share stories about the challenges they faced with intra-continent travel. VFA is a global campaign to facilitate mobility in Africa driven by the Kigali Global Shapers in partnership with National Aviation Services (NAS), the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets. Kigali Global Shapers, a community whose vision is to create a platform that engages with the youth to inspire innovation and change launched the writing competition to build further awareness on the important of achieving a ... Read more

Cabinet Secretary for Tourism Najib Balala addressing the gathering Kenya expects to attract visitors to the country by showcasing its pristine beaches and wildlife products in the ITB Berlin 2019, which kick started a couple of days ago. Over 40 Kenyan travel trade led by Najib Balala, the cabinet secretary for Tourism, are attending a three-day long International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Germany to pitch for tourism business in the midst of over 180, 000 exhibitors, who are meeting to discover and negotiate the latest travel industry trends and opinions. Artists from Kenya performs the Maasai Jumping Dance ‘adumu’ The ... Read more