News from ATTA
News from ATTA consists of a combination of news from the African continent with relevance to African Tourism along with news about ATTA for the benefit of our members.
31 May 2021
New CemAir routes connect PE
ATTA®CemAir is to launch flights between Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth) and East London and Gqeberha and Bloemfontein. Both routes are to commence early in July.
Read More31 May 2021
South Africa’s wild dogs population is increasing
ATTA®The wild dog population in the Kruger National Park has seen an increase from 120 individuals in 2009 to between 300 and 350 today.
Read More27 May 2021
Increased air travel digitalisation needed for sector restart, IATA
ATTA®The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned of potential airport chaos unless governments move quickly to adopt digital processes to manage travel health credentials (Covid-19 testing and vaccine certificates) and other Covid-19 measures.
Read More27 May 2021
Rwanda’s top 8 strategies to revive tourism sector
ATTA®To drive recovery of the tourism sector which is probably the most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and measures to curb it, the Rwanda Development Board has set out an 8 strategy approach that could see the sector bounce back.
Read More26 May 2021
Composing a symphony as opposed to selling itineraries
ATTA®ATTA member Marc Harris, MD of Africa Odyssey in UK, has spent lockdown composing a symphony as opposed to selling itineraries. He reasoned that it couldn’t be that hard – Beethoven did rather well and he was deaf – but the reality is that it has taken over a thousand man hours to get it into a playable state. In no way does this make up for the decimation of the travel industry, but it might be a ray of hope; that we can all achieve what seems like an impossibility with the right amount of time and dedication
Read More26 May 2021
Nairobi to London still a no-go
ATTA®Despite Kenya Airways sending a notice to agents and customer last week, informing them of the resumption of the Nairobi-London route from May 22, and opening bookings from that date, it has emerged that the ban on flights between the two countries has actually been extended by another month and the flights have not resumed.
Read More26 May 2021
Foreign tourists remain eager to travel to South Africa, stats show
ATTA®The StatsSA Travel and Migration report revealed that despite COVID-19, foreign tourists have still been travelling into South Africa.
Read More25 May 2021
Kenya and Tanzania pave a way for regional tourism drive in Africa
ATTA®Kenya and Tanzania have paved a way for a regional and intra-African tourism drive, taking advantage of their shared wildlife and tourism resources across each one’s territorial borders.
Read More25 May 2021
Lufthansa reduces CPT flights
ATTA®Lufthansa is temporarily altering its Frankfurt-Cape Town schedule for operational reasons, according to a media release.
Read More24 May 2021
Fly Africa to resume flights next month
ATTA®Fly Africa Zimbabwe is expected to resume flights next month following the commissioning of a Boeing 737-500 at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport yesterday.
Read More24 May 2021
Hospitality and leisure industry: 6 steps to PoPIA compliance
ATTA®We all hope for more travel and tourism soon. Hospitality players waiting for the big travel surge should use this time to ensure that they understand the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) within their industry.
Read More24 May 2021
Application for Membership - Svai Luxe Escapes
ATTA®Svai Luxe Escapes has applied to join ATTA®. Their membership will be approved if there are not any objections lodged within the statutory 10-day period. (See objection procedure below).
Read More23 May 2021
Direct flights between Johannesburg and New York to kick off in June
ATTA®United Airlines will now offer direct flights between New York and Johannesburg, aiming to fill the gap created by the absence of flights previously offered by South African Airways (SAA).
Read More21 May 2021
An engaged society is key for the future of African conservation, says WWF Africa’s Alice Ruhweza
ATTA®Protecting Africa’s charismatic megafauna often come first to mind when Westerners think about conservation in Africa. But there’s a lot more to conservation efforts across the continent beyond elephants and lions.
Read More20 May 2021
Virgin’s SA flights still off the board
ATTA®Virgin Atlantic has again extended the suspension of its South African flights. The Johannesburg flights are currently scheduled to resume on June 2 and the Cape Town flights on June 5.
Read More20 May 2021
BA Comair set for daily flights to Vic Falls
ATTA®BA Comair has restarted its flights from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls on Thursdays and Sundays, and more good news is that from June 1, the airline’s flights will go daily.
Read More19 May 2021
Namibia set to host UNWTO Brand Africa Conference in June
ATTA®Namibia is set to hold the World Tourism Organization’s Regional Conference on Brand Africa. The conference themed ”Strengthening Brand Africa for the swift Recovery of the Tourism Sector” will host Tourism Ministers, experts, and stakeholders from 14-16 June 2021.
Read More19 May 2021
RwandAir to focus on African routes in new recovery strategy
ATTA®RwandAir plans to focus on regional routes in order to optimize its operational cost and boost its financial performance. This was disclosed by Yvonne Manzi Makolo, the airline’s Chief Executive, during an interview with The New Times on Monday.
Read More18 May 2021
101-year-old takes the plunge at Victoria Falls’ Batoka Gorge
ATTA®Mollie Lock is proof that adventure knows no age. This Zimbabwean celebrated her 101st birthday on a gorge swing at Victoria Falls!
Read More18 May 2021
Ethiopian Airlines Medical Center starts vaccinating employees against COVID-19
ATTA®Ethiopian Airlines Group has started vaccinating its employees against COVID-19 as of 14 May 2021 in its temporarily opened vaccination center.
Read More17 May 2021
Visit Rwanda and RwandAir Join Basketball Africa League as Official Partners
ATTA®Visit Rwanda Designated a Founding and Host Partner; RwandAir Becomes the League’s Inaugural Season Official Airline; Inaugural BAL Season Will Take Place May 16-30 at the Kigali Arena in Rwanda.
Read More17 May 2021
Wildlife lovers around the world have chosen a New Big 5
ATTA®The 5 animals in the New Big 5 are the tip of the iceberg in the crisis facing the world’s wildlife. The goal of the New Big 5 project is to raise awareness about the many different species facing problems, from pangolins, orangutans, and rhinos to little-known, under-appreciated species.
Read More15 May 2021
South African Airways aims to resume flights in July or August
ATTA®South African Airways (SAA) aims to resume flights in July or August, but the restart date will depend on how the Covid-19 pandemic progresses and whether the airline can resolve a pilot dispute, its chief executive said on Friday.
Read More15 May 2021
AF gives clarity on CDG transit
ATTA®According to a notice sent out to travel agents by Air France, there has been a clarification from the French authorities, on transit for South Africans at CDG airport.
Read More14 May 2021
What's On At The Waterhole?
ATTA®In the current environment "Peer to Peer" discussion has never been more important. Whilst this still cannot happen face-to-face, The Waterhole hole is a private, members only platform where you can openly discuss topics surrounding issues our industry and hear back from fellow Africa Travel professionals.
Read More13 May 2021
UKs FCDO Travel Aware Campaign
ATTA®The UKs FCDO is running a public Travel Aware Campaign highlighting the importance of travel advice when considering international travel. The key actions the FCDO are recommending for all travellers are:
Read More13 May 2021
Nigel Vere Nicoll's feature in todays Travel Weekly - Africa deserves better than the red list
ATTA®Region has learned lessons of previous pandemics, says African Travel and Tourism (ATTA) president Nigel Vere Nicoll Ironically, it appears that the elephant in the room in global tourism will once again be Africa.
Read More13 May 2021
Zimbabwe re-introduces rhinos in Gonarezhou park after three decades
ATTA®HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe is re-introducing rhinos to its second biggest wildlife park Gonarezhou in the south of the country, the first time that the sanctuary will be home to the species in 30 years, the parks authority said on Thursday, 13 May.
Read More12 May 2021
Kenyan, South African airlines sign interline agreement which links their networks
ATTA®Kenya Airways – that country’s national flag carrier – and South African private-sector regional airline Airlink have concluded an interline agreement.
Read More11 May 2021
Cape Town-Singapore direct
ATTA®Singapore Airlines’ direct non-stop flights from Cape Town to Singapore will resume on July 1. SQ482 will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, departing from Cape Town at 12h45 and arriving in Singapore at 06h10 the next morning.
Read More11 May 2021
WWF SA launches ‘Build Back Better’ drive
ATTA®Raging wildfires, severe flooding as well as droughts, and increasing levels of biodiversity loss are just some of the crises that have become more frequent due to a warming climate.
Read More10 May 2021
South Africa to introduce new e-visas this year
ATTA®The Department of Home Affairs plans to extend its e-visa programme to a number of countries in 2021 in a potential boost for the tourism industry.
Read More10 May 2021
Kenya starts its first national wildlife census
ATTA®Kenya began its first national wildlife census on Friday, 7 May, aiming to aid conservation and identify threats to its vast but threatened wildlife populations.
Read More07 May 2021
LH’s new long-haul carrier heads to Namibia
ATTA®Lufthansa has announced some changes on its Frankfurt-Windhoek route. From the beginning of August, its Namibia service will be operated by Eurowings Discover, its new long-haul leisure-oriented carier.
Read More07 May 2021
Meet the newest member of the K9 pangolin counter-poaching unit
ATTA®It’s early to rise and early to bed, with lots of jam-packed activity in between, for the 9-month-old pup, Raven, the newest in-training member of the K9 pangolin counter-poaching unit, part of the African Pangolin Working Group (APWG).
Read More06 May 2021
Uganda Airlines heads for Jo’burg
ATTA®Uganda Airlines is planning to start its services between Entebbe and Johannesburg OR Tambo on Monday, May 31.
Read More06 May 2021
Fully-vaccinated St Helena reopens to tourism
ATTA®On completion of the island-wide vaccination programme, St Helena has opened its doors once more to overseas visitors. The second most remote inhabited island in the world, guests will be able to enjoy beautiful landscapes, outstanding marine life, historic heritage and the warm and friendly local community spirit typical of the British Overseas Territory.
Read More05 May 2021
NAMIBIA: Wildlife Angel deploys anti-poaching mission to Etosha Park
ATTA®Rangers in the Etosha National Park in northern Namibia will receive capacity building in the fight against wildlife crime. The 15-day training will be delivered from mid-May 2021 by members of Wildlife Angel, a French non-governmental organisation (NGO). The organisation has launched a fundraising campaign for its mission to Namibia.
Read More05 May 2021
Vic Falls revs up for revival
ATTA®Despite the impact of the pandemic on the Victoria Falls area – where around 80% of the community is reliant on tourism – the local community has banded together and put a number of unique initiatives in place to prepare the region for revival.
Read More05 May 2021
Vic Falls, Bots flights launched
ATTA®TRAVELLERS can now enjoy day trips between Chobe in Botswana and Victoria Falls after Mack Air successfully landed in Victoria Falls on Saturday, marking the start of scheduled flights between the two destinations.
Read More04 May 2021
South Africa to clamp down on captive lion breeding, minister says
ATTA®South Africa will clamp down on captive lion breeding after a review panel concluded the industry risked the conservation of wild lions and harmed tourism, the environment minister said on Sunday, 2 May.
Read More04 May 2021
Airlink to resume Lodge Link flights
ATTA®Airlink will resume its air transfer services in a 12-seater turboprop aircraft to lodges, providing direct connectivity beyond Skukuza and Nelspruit KMIA airport to three well-known safari lodge strips – Arathusa, Londolozi, and Phinda Private Game Reserve on July 1.
Read More04 May 2021
Application for Membership - Dion Wines and Spirits East Africa
ATTA®Dion Wines and Spirits East Africa has applied to join ATTA®. Their membership will be approved if there are not any objections lodged within the statutory 10-day period. (See objection procedure below).
Read More03 May 2021
UNWTO and Google Partner to Guide Restart of African Tourism
ATTA®The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) continues to advance its commitment to the African tourism sector by partnering with Google to help destinations gain expert insights into data management and digital marketing.
Read More03 May 2021
Artificial intelligence to help combat elephant poaching
ATTA®Every 15 minutes, an African elephant is killed by a poacher. New artificial intelligence (AI) technology may well change this disturbing statistic.
Read More