Fastjet Announces Additional Frequencies From Bulawayo To Johannesburg

Aero Insights
-
0
Fastjet Announces Additional Frequencies From Bulawayo To Johannesburg

Fastjet is pleased to announce that effective from 30 October 2023 they will be introducing additional flight frequencies from Bulawayo’s JM Nkomo International Airport to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport in support of business and leisure travel.

Flights from Bulawayo to Johannesburg will increase from a daily service to 12 weekly flights with the re-introduction of a morning service adding a choice of frequencies and flexibility for travel between these cities.

The Fastjet additional flight frequency will provide a choice to the people from the city of Bulawayo with the convenience of a day’s return trip to Johannesburg.

The additional flight schedule will operate Monday to Friday, with an early departure from Johannesburg OR Tambo at 06:50, arriving in Bulawayo at 08:10am. Departures from Bulawayo will be at 08:50am, arriving in Johannesburg at 10:10am. These flights are in addition to the daily evening return rotation between Bulawayo and Johannesburg.

Schedule between Bulawayo (BUQ) and Johannesburg (JNB)

3bc9d520 9e1c 4a9f 863c 58087ef6e922

SAA Increases Connections To Europe Through Codeshare Agreement With Lufthansa Airlines

Aero Insights
-
0
SAA Increases Connections To Europe Through Codeshare Agreement With Lufthansa Airlines

Johannesburg (Wednesday, 16th August 2023) – South African Airways (SAA) customers can now fly to Frankfurt and connect to a host of European destinations thanks to a new codeshare agreement between Lufthansa Airlines and SAA. The SAA codeshare on Lufthansa is now open for sale. 

The agreement allows customers to book a long-haul trip with SAA to European destinations serviced by Lufthansa from Johannesburg.

Furthermore, SAA is excited to announce that once regulatory approval is granted, Swiss Airlines which also belongs to the Lufthansa Group will codeshare with SAA.  Customers will similarly be able to book on the SAA codeshare on Swiss to flights out of Johannesburg to Zurich and onward to other European destinations on a single ticket.

“We are thrilled to resume our codeshare agreement with the Lufthansa and soon with Swiss airlines, who are both members of STAR Alliance, the largest Alliance amongst airlines” said SAA Chief Commercial Officer, Tebogo Tsimane. “It is a key step in reconnecting our travelers from around the continent to a wider range of international destinations through their SAA ticket and earn Voyager miles.”

A codeshare agreement means that customers will only need to book a single ticket and have their checked-in luggage carried seamlessly to their destination. A single ticket is more cost-effective, and the codeshare agreement means that travellers do not have to worry about the logistics of travelling between continents on multiple airlines.

“We are very pleased to announce that we have re-established our codeshare agreement with South African Airways,” said Matthias Lefèvre, General Manager of Sales at Lufthansa Group Airlines for Southern Africa.

“Building on our long-term partnership with SAA allows us to offer greater flexibility and a larger variety to our customers in South Africa. Lufthansa and SWISS passengers can add a connecting flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town or Durban within the same booking.”

Airlines within the Lufthansa Group offers more than 35 weekly connections from South Africa to their hubs in Europe.

Terminal Change At Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport

Aero Insights
-
0
Terminal Change At Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport

Fastjet would like to inform you of an upcoming change that will affect the check-in process for fastjet flights at  Johannesburg, OR Tambo International Airport.

Effective from Tuesday, 15 August 2023, the fastjet check-in desk will be relocating to Terminal B, Counters B47 – 50.

Important information to note with this change.

  • The check-in for all flight departures from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport will be accessible from two (2) hours and 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time. The check-in process will conclude precisely 50 minutes before the stipulated departure time.
  • This change in terminal allocation is aimed at enhancing the overall customer experience and streamlining our operations. Terminal B offers closer proximity to our ticket desk , with modern facilities and improved amenities that will contribute to a smoother travel process for our customers.
  • We understand that any change to established routines can be an adjustment, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this transition on behalf of your customers. We kindly suggest that all customers anticipate potential adjustments to the the new check-in process.

Fastjet is committed to ensuring a seamless transition for all our customers. For any enquiries related to this change, kindly email us at [email protected].  The airline ask that you include all relevant details of the enquiry in your email for support to ensure a timeous response and process.

Zimbabwe’s air growth on the up post-COVID

Aero Insights
-
0
Zimbabwe’s air growth on the up post-COVID

Zimbabwe recorded an increase of 52.3% in passengers for both domestic and international flights in 2022 compared with the previous year.

This came as the tourism sector continued to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) said last week.

The number of flights had increased to 50 640 in 2022, up from 33 254 recorded in 2021, ZIMSTAT said in its transport statistics report for the period 2018-2022.

2020 recorded the lowest number of both domestic (8 013) and international (9 005) flights, according to ZIMSTAT.

After consistently declining from 2018 to 2020, the number of air transport passengers rebounded in 2021, with the country’s main airport, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, recording a 97.3% increase in air passengers in 2022 compared with 2021, ZIMSTAT said.

Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in the second largest city of Bulawayo registered an 82.6% increase.

ZIMSTAT said international air passengers had accounted for more than 80% of the total air passengers during the 2018-2022 period.

Meetings Africa 2023 – registration opens for exhibitors

The Delegate Report
-
0
Meetings Africa 2023 – registration opens for exhibitors

Exhibitor registrations opened today (Monday, September 19) for Meetings Africa 2023 – held from February 27 to March 1 – on the official website for the business events trade show held annually in Johannesburg in the first quarter of the new year. 

This was announced last week by Acting CEO of South African Tourism, Themba Khumalo, at the inaugural Tourism Business Council of South Africa Tourism Leadership Conference 2022.

Next year will see the 17th show – owned and organised by South African Tourism – which was launched with the specific objective of creating a market access platform for African business events suppliers highlighting their products to local, regional and global business travel buyers.

The show serves as the primary platform to enable the growth of the business events industry on the continent and ultimately contributes towards its economic growth.

Meetings Africa is a two-day trade show with a dedicated educational day (BONDay) which is executed in conjunction with the key global, continental and national industry associations.

Meetings Africa 2023 will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre with Johannesburg as the Host City, and Gauteng as the Host Province.

2022 event hailed a success

Following a two-year hiatus, a total of 161 global buyers and 216 exhibitors from 13 African countries attended the flagship event of the South African National Conventions Bureau, which concluded at the Sandton Convention Centre on March 2 this year. 

Exhibitors told Tourism Update that the quality of buyers had been high at this year’s event and that they had secured several business deals over the two-day event.

The positive outlook for international conferences has been entrenched with our presence at Meetings Africa, with many buyers expressing further interest in hosting conferences in KwaZulu Natal,” said Sonto Mayise, GM: Durban KZN Convention Bureau.

CEO of Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, Vuyani Dayiwane, said he welcomed the Department of Tourism and South African Tourism leading from the front to highlight how an event like this could safely be held.

“Meetings Africa 2022 has been the perfect showcase to highlight to buyers what can be achieved in the corporate and meetings space,” he said.

Click here to register as an exhibitor for 2023.

African Parks to manage South Sudan parks

Destination Insider
-
0
African Parks to manage South Sudan parks

The Government of South Sudan and African Parks have signed a ten-year renewable Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Boma and Badingilo National Parks, including the wildlife corridors and proposed extension zones – an area that is well over three million hectares.

The signing of the MoU is expected to strengthen the long-term protection of ecosystems and secure lasting benefits for people and wildlife in the area under management.

Under this agreement, the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, in partnership with African Parks, will secure the sustainability of both parks and the migration corridors by upholding the rule of law, stimulating local enterprise, and optimising the potential for conservation-based tourism.

South Sudan’s Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, Rizik Zakaria Hassan, said: “In signing this Memorandum of Understanding with African Parks, South Sudan has found an experienced partner for South Sudan Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and we look forward to realising the full potential of Boma and Badingilo National Parks and our treasured wildlife migrations and heritage.”

The two parks and the surrounding migration corridors are home to an estimated one million antelope, including the White-eared kob. There are also large migrating populations of tiang (topi), numbering more than 100 000 animals, reedbuck, and the Mongalla gazelle, which number in the tens of thousands. A rich variety of other species include elephant, Nubian giraffe, lion, eland, oryx and ostrich.

CEO of African Parks, Peter Fearnhead, said: “We are exceptionally proud to be working in partnership with the Government of South Sudan to manage these valuable national assets. We congratulate government’s leadership in acting to protect these national resources, which are the lifeblood of the White Nile system and provide sustenance and livelihoods for millions of people. Boma and Badingilo National Parks are critical landscapes that can lead to transformational outcomes for the people of South Sudan and the broader region.”

The parks are located in the vast floodplains of South Sudan, east of the River Nile.

CDC downgrades Namibia to COVID ‘low’ risk

Business News
-
0
CDC downgrades Namibia to COVID ‘low’ risk

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) downgraded Namibia from Level 2: Moderate Risk to Level 1: Low Risk on September 19.

To be listed Level 1: Low Risk, a destination must have had 49 or fewer new cases per 100 000 residents over the past 28 days.Custom Websites for the Travel Industry

The CDC also downgraded three other African nations to Level 1 – Morocco, Cape Verde and Mauritania.

Regardless of the risk classification levels, the CDC still recommends that travellers are up to date with their vaccines before travelling internationally.

10 Interventions to Grow Tourism

Business News
-
0
10 Interventions to Grow Tourism

To achieve its potential to contribute to economic stimulation and employment creation, tourism must be given the highest priority as a serious economic sector – not as the tertiary sector where it is positioned now in South Africa.

“South Africa’s travel and tourism sector is underperforming,” said CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, speaking at the council’s inaugural Tourism Leadership conference in Sun City, North West province last week (September 14 to 16). 

He pointed out that the tourism sector worldwide had averaged a contribution to GDP in 2019 of 10.3%. “While the South African tourism sector has the basic resources to achieve more than the average, the current GDP contribution is 3.7%.”

To meet the target of growing tourism numbers from around 10.2 million (2019 figures) to 15.6 million by 2030 – as part of TBCSA’s Tourism Growth Strategy 2030 – key constraints in the business and enabling environment must be addressed to allow the industry to flourish, said Tshivhengwa. 

“If we achieve the 2030 target, the sector’s GDP contribution will increase from R209bn (€12.2bn) to R394bn (€20.5bn) and tourism consumption (of products and services) will double from R451bn (€26.5bn) to R850bn (€50bn),” he explained. 

Furthermore, noted Tshivhengwa, 1.3 million more employment opportunities would be created and there would be 25% to 39% higher spending from foreign tourists. 

He outlined 10 interventions that were needed to stimulate tourism growth and achieve these targets: 

  • A ‘real’ fully automated world-class e-Visa with improved airport e-infrastructure
  • Waive visas for more source markets
  • Introduce critical skills visas, temporary work visas
  • Vehicle licensing backlogs must be addressed
  • Reduce  or fix other red tape issues holding back growth 
  • Destination readiness – faster reaction to new opportunities
  • Additional funds for tourism marketing
  • Private-Public Partnerships to radically improve and implement marketing – especially in key growth markets 
  • Air liberalisation and a national air access initiative (not just provincially focused)
  • Investment incentives 

Key growth markets

Tshivhengwa pointed out that the African air markets, India and China had been identified as key growth markets.

He said there were over 154 million outbound Chinese tourists recorded in 2019 and the country’s outbound market was set to become the second biggest outbound market for long-haul travel by 2030. 

India, which saw 26.9 million outbound travellers in 2019, has a growing middle and professional class of traveller that was increasingly seeing South Africa as a ‘highly attractive’ destination.

Africa’s inbound air markets could potentially swell to more than 70 million tourists as its middle- and upper-income groups were growing and the continent was experiencing stronger economic growth than traditional markets. 

“Furthermore, COVID catalysed middle-income and upper-income domestic tourism and we believe that trend is here to stay,” said Tshivhengwa. He added that should barriers such as pricing be a challenge, this must be discussed. – Tourism Update

Press Release: ILTM Africa 2023 returns to award-winning South African nature location

Business News
-
0
Press Release: ILTM Africa 2023 returns to award-winning South African nature location
Megan De Jager RX Africa Portfolio Director Travel Tourism and Creative Industries
Megan De Jager RX Africa Portfolio Director

Cape Town, 21 September 2022 – Luxury Travel Market Africa (ILTMA) will return to the spectacular Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in 2023, offering exhibitors, travel buyers and visitors a unique taste of the beauty and luxury the host City of Cape Town has to offer. The luxury show, which will take place from 31 March to 2 April and promises to be more exclusive than ever before, will focus on what luxury means to travellers in a new world.

“We are excited to hold ILTM Africa at such a spectacular and award-winning location once again,” said Megan De Jager (née Oberholzer), RX Africa Portfolio Director: Travel, Tourism & Marketing. “Not only is Kirstenbosch recognised as one of Cape Town’s Big 6 iconic tourist attractions, but it also received the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award for 2022, positioning it in the top 1% of ‘things to do’ worldwide.”

Next year’s programme for ILTM Africa will consist of several immersive luxury experiences as well as some spectacular luxury FAM trips for media and travel buyers. Delegates can expect offsite lunches, decadent networking events and a luxury welcome morning at the Vineyard Hotel. They will also be treated to gin and wine excursions, experience high-end African products and get a glimpse behind the scenes at Shimansky.

“We are pleased to once again host this showcase of the beauty and opportunity in Cape Town, and on the rest of the continent. Africa Travel Week gives Cape Town the chance to cement its brand as an attractive place to visit, to work, to live and invest in, by providing a platform to connect industry roleplayers. This focus can offer greater opportunity for those working in the tourism sector. We are working hard to support this growth by creating a City of excellence and hope,” – said Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

The 2023 show will feature top-end buyers, elite media and the most upmarket exhibitors. The 2023 show will also see an increased number of international media attending as well as hosted buyers from across the globe with a special focus on buyers from Europe and North America. To make sure everyone gets the most out of the networking opportunities, meeting times have also been extended to 20 minutes.

As a strategic value-add, the bespoke travel trade show will take place slightly earlier than WTM Africa, which is scheduled to run from 3 to 5 April.

“By staggering our dates slightly between the two shows, ILTM Africa attendees will have the option to stay on for WTM Africa should they want to attend the content sessions or engage in further networking,” De Jager explains.

“With increased accessibility for ILTM Africa 2023, we are predicting a high demand which is why interested parties must plan ahead and secure their attendance as soon as possible. Space is limited!” she concludes.  Don’t miss your chance! Reserve your exhibitor space at iltm.com now from 31 March to 2 April 2023.

Inspiring Nominations for the 5th and 2022 Africa Tourism Leadership Awards

The Delegate Report
-
0
Inspiring Nominations for the 5th and 2022 Africa Tourism Leadership Awards

The call for nominations for the 5th Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards have now been closed. The Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards which strive to recognize and honor change-makers and innovation pioneered by Africans, in Africa, for African travel tourism, hospitality, aviation and related industries, is scheduled for 24 to 26 October 2022 in Gaborone, Botswana.

With more than 160 nominations received from across Africa, this year marks the highest number of entries received since inception of the awards in 2018. All nominations will be sent for consideration to a panel of judges who will be looking for the most outstanding and innovative projects with measurable results, projects and initiatives that demonstrate consistent achievements over a minimum period of 2 years as well as demonstrating sustainability of their operations in terms of the economic, environmental and social impact in line with the selection criteria.

As part of the adjudication process, the shortlisted nominees will be announced and contacted to attend the awarding ceremony where the winners and runners-up will be announced at the Awards taking place in Gaborone, Botswana.

Additionally, the winners of the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge will also be announced alongside the Africa Tourism Leadership Awards on the same night of the awarding ceremony on 26 October 2022.

The Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge is an exclusive platform created for innovative African youth in travel and tourism who seek funding, partnerships, and mentorship opportunities to present their projects to the global marketplace with the aim of facilitating an opportunity for them in finding the necessary support for their programmes and for employment creation Despite the vast potential on the African continent, tourism only accounts for at least 3% of sub-Saharan Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), except for a few countries, the sector is still in its infancy in Africa.

Africa and the developing world in general are challenged with finding sustainable solutions to the current challenges facing young entrepreneurs and the tourism stakeholders of the future. The possibility of a digital economy, while real, presents a host of opportunities which must be leveraged across the continent and the globe.

Considering these potentials, the sector contributes immensely to the continent’s developmental agenda – including job creation, community development and the involvement of young people. It is against this background that Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO), Africa Tourism Partners in collaboration with United Nations tourism agency, UNWTO, and group accounting firm, BDO, will bring together African tourism stakeholders from the 24th to 26th October at the Gaborone International Convention Centre, Grand Palm, Gaborone, Botswana for the 5th Annual Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards.

The goal is to infuse thought leadership and innovation that will bring the dynamism to the tourism sector. At least 70 world-renowned global industry experts and speakers will interact with business leaders, ministers, policy makers, and with over 350 delegates from over 30 countries attending this event over the three days.

The 2022 and 5th Africa Tourism Leadership Forum will also include the following in their programming:

  • Africa Private Sector Associations Inaugural Closed Session Gathering on Monday 24 October 2022
  • Africa MICE and Digitalisation Masterclasses on Monday 24 October 2022
  • The Africa Travel and Tourism CEOs and Executives Forum on Tuesday 25 October 2022
  • The Africa Tourism Leadership Forum on Wednesday, 26 October 2022
  • The Africa Tourism Leadership Awards on Wednesday, 26 October 2022

Space is available to register for physical attendance, one-on-one B2B session, desk-top exhibition and virtual participation.

Register now at https://www.tourismleadershipforum.africa/ or contact the Registration Hotline on +27 (0)81 303 7030 or you can email [email protected]

1...242526...50Page 25 of 50