News
29 September 2020
Spots of hope: Some good news for South Africa’s cheetahs
ATTA®South Africa is home to around 1,300 of the world’s roughly 7,100 remaining cheetahs. It’s also the only country in the world with significant cheetah population growth, thanks largely to a nongovernmental conservation project that depends on careful and intensive human management of small, fenced-in cheetah populations. Because most of the reserves are privately funded and properly fenced, the animals benefit from higher levels of security than in the increasingly thinly funded state reserves.
Read More29 September 2020
AWF Virtual Safaris commits to bridging gap in African tourism until international travel resumes
ATTA®AWF has been closely monitoring the difficult situation for safari operators in Africa since the outset of the pandemic when travel bans and government closures began impacting protected areas and local communities on the front lines of wildlife conservation. On World Tourism Day, celebrated on Sunday, African Wildlife Foundation detailed the ongoing challenges caused by the stoppage of wildlife tourism in conservation areas in African in an opinion piece in The Independent UK and another opinion piece on the fate of tourism after COVID in The Standard Newspaper
Read More28 September 2020
Airlink to launch new Africa services
ATTA®Independent airline, Airlink, will re-introduce its regional flight schedule from October 5. This includes a new twice-weekly early afternoon service between Johannesburg and Maputo.
Read More28 September 2020
Could insurance small print be the best thing you’ve ever read?
ATTA®Holidaysplease director Charles Duncombe says a recent High Court ruling means the company is covered for £100K The small print in business insurance policies often feels like a series of mini land mines designed to blow a hole in any insurance claim you may wish to make. However, thanks to a recent case in the High Court, this small print could work in your favour and help your business ride out the Covid-19 winter.
Read More25 September 2020
Emirates to resume flights to SA, Zimbabwe, Mauritius
ATTA®Emirates has announced that flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Harare and Mauritius will resume from the beginning of October.
Read More25 September 2020
Africa gets a new platform to tell its phenomenal story to the world
ATTA®A brilliant new partnership between Red Carpet Creative and international broadcast partner, Travel Africa Network, sets out to reshape the media landscape, leveraging a global audience to reboot the travel and tourism industry throughout South Africa and Africa.
Read More24 September 2020
First Sub-Saharan Africa Tourism Acceleration programme launches
ATTA®A new online acceleration programme has launched for the African tourism sector, aiming to digitize the industry. Developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in partnership with Google, the acceleration programme will be aimed at UNWTO Member States’ tourism minsiters, top travel assocations and tourism boards.
Read More24 September 2020
Africa Travel Week Secures Partnership With Invest Africa
ATTA®In a strategic move to drive business opportunities within the travel and tourism sector, Africa Travel Week (ATW) has partnered with Invest Africa, a leading pan-African business platform promoting trade and investment in Africa. The alliance provides a strategic platform for stakeholders to drive investment initiatives for economic recovery and development during the African Tourism Investment Summit (ATIS).
Read More23 September 2020
A new initiative to strengthen the protection of rhinos
ATTA®The South African government, conservation organizations and local communities have decided to pool their efforts under the "Wildlife Zones" initiative to strengthen the protection of rhinos from poachers.
Read More23 September 2020
Proflight Introduces Lusaka-Joburg Route
ATTA®Proflight Zambia will launch four-times-a-week passenger flights to Johannesburg from Zambia’s Lusaka capital from October 1. This comes barely days after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the country would reopen its international borders on October 1, 2020, under level 1 of lockdown.
Read More22 September 2020
Uganda: Museveni Reopens Airport, Schools for Finalists; Bars Remain Closed
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has this evening confirmed the reopening of Entebbe International Airport and land borders for tourists, coming in and going out, provided they tested negative 72 hours before arrival in Uganda.
Read More22 September 2020
Uganda Airlines publishes flight schedule effective 01st October
ATTA®Uganda Airlines will resume scheduled flight operations effective 01st of October, now that the airport reopening date has finally been confirmed. Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Juba and Mogadishu will be the first four destinations the airline will fly to, using their CRJ900 aircraft.
Read More21 September 2020
Incredible lion sighting at Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve
ATTA®Sipps Maswannganyi, the Head Guide at Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve photographed an incredible lion sighting on September 16. The lions, known as the Talamati Pride in the Northern Sabi Sabi within the Kruger National Park, consists of 15 big cats: 5 females, 9 sub adults and one Avoca Male.
Read More21 September 2020
Direct flight connection between Europe, Namibia resumes
ATTA®The first direct flight connection between Europe and Namibia since the official reopening of borders on Sept. 1 resumed on Sunday when a Eurowings flight landed at Namibia’s flagship airport.
Read More18 September 2020
European airlines set to resume SA flights
ATTA®Air France and KLM are set to resume their commercial South African flight schedule from October 1, 2020. This follows the announcement from President Cyril Ramaphosa on September 16 that South Africa will be entering lockdown level one and restrictions on international travel will be eased.
Read More18 September 2020
Artists from across the world rally for African Painted Dog conservation
ATTA®Global Art Fundraiser ‘LYCAON – Artists for Painted Dogs’ features over 30 international artists and photographers, who have come together to raise awareness and funds globally, for the endangered African Painted Dog (also known as Painted Wolves or African Wild Dogs).
Read More17 September 2020
Uganda launches virtual Safari to kick-start tourism sector
ATTA®Uganda is ready to reopen its pandemic-bruised tourism sector with a live-streamed, virtual safari starting Tuesday. The virtual tour, featuring six videographers and photographers traversing across the country, has been promoted by the Ugandan government to incentivize tourists, when many parts of the world have barely emerged from travel restrictions.
Read More17 September 2020
South Africa will reopen its international borders on 1 October 2020, under alert level 1 of lockdown
ATTA®President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement during a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening. While the country will move to alert level 1 of lockdown from midnight on Sunday, 20 September 2020, international borders will only open up in October.
Read More17 September 2020
Application for Membership - Migada Adventures
ATTA®Migada Adventures 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 More16 September 2020
Air Zimbabwe to resume operations
ATTA®Air Zimbabwe announced the resumption of domestic and regional flight operations with effect from September 23 and October 3, 2020 respectively. The domestic flight schedule features Harare/Bulawayo/Victoria Falls/Harare every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Read More16 September 2020
Kenya and Morocco have been appointed by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation to represent the Africa Technical Committee on Tourism Online Education.
ATTA®The two countries were appointed during the organization’s executive council in Georgia ‘s capital city, Tbilisi which hosted 170 delegates from 24 countries. The 112th executive council is being chaired by Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala and is aimed at giving insights on the solutions that will shape the future of tourism towards innovation and sustainability.
Read More15 September 2020
Kenya Airways to resume flights to three African nations
ATTA®Kenya Airways said it will resume commercial passenger flights to Ghana and Sierra Leone on September 16 and to Liberia on September 17. The flag carrier said in an advertisement in the Daily Nation newspaper that it will fly four times a week to Accra and twice weekly to Freetown and Monrovia.
Read More15 September 2020
#TourismMonth: Free access to CapeNature reserves in September
ATTA®In celebration of Tourism Month, CapeNature will allow free access to selected reserves in the Western Cape for a full week between 16 and 22 September. Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell has encouraged locals and visitors to the province to make use of the opportunity to explore the unique heritage that belongs to all.
Read More14 September 2020
Injured rhino calf rescued in Pilanesberg
ATTA®An injured rhino calf was spotted limping along with its mother in the Pilanesberg National Park on Saturday, September 12. Perry Dell, Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust Marketing Manager said on Facebook that a guide at Mankwe Gametrackers called Nikki and showed him and the team the calf’s location and they went in search of it.
Read More14 September 2020
Germany to drop blanket travel warning from October
ATTA®Germany will drop its blanket travel warning to more than 160 countries and switch to country-specific advice with a ‘traffic light’ system of warnings from October 1. The German foreign ministry extended the current blanket warning against travel to most countries outside Europe to the end of this month on September 9.
Read More11 September 2020
South Africa: United Airlines is planning to return to South Africa!
ATTA®United Airlines, one of the major American airlines, is planning to launch daily nonstop flights between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in the New York metropolitan area and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg in spring 2021 (March – May 2021).
Read More11 September 2020
Rare photographs show African cheetahs in snowstorm
ATTA®For two days, Kirsten Frost had tracked the radio-collared female cheetah through the stony hills of Rogge Cloof Nature Reserve, the coldest place in South Africa, and now the snowstorm was intensifying.
Read More11 September 2020
Application for Membership - Charitable Travel
ATTA®Charitable Travel 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 More10 September 2020
CAPE VERDE: Record results in the conservation of sea turtles in Praia
ATTA®Sea turtle conservation efforts are producing encouraging results in Cape Verde. More than 140,000 nesting turtle nests have been recorded on the beach of Sao Francisco, in Praia, the capital of this archipelago, located in West Africa. Satisfied with these record-breaking nests, the government promises an increase in the financial aid allocated to Cape Verdean NGOs for the protection of marine turtles.
Read More10 September 2020
Western Cape tourist guide registration system goes online
ATTA®Western Cape government launched a new online system to make it easier for the 5,000 tourist guides in the Western Cape to register, renew and update their details.
Read More10 September 2020
Application for Membership - Marataba Conservation Camps
ATTA®Marataba Conservation Camps 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 More09 September 2020
Uganda to resume international flights on Oct. 1
ATTA®Uganda will resume international flights on Oct. 1, about six months after the government closed airports in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, an aviation spokesperson said here Wednesday.
Read More09 September 2020
Zimbabwe to resume flights from Thursday in boost to tourism
ATTA®Zimbabwe will resume domestic flights from Thursday and international flights next month in a boost to tourism, but travellers will be required to have COVID-19 clearance certificates, the government said.
Read More08 September 2020
Regional borders may open soon to help boost tourism
ATTA®South Africa’s regional borders may open soon if the COVID-19 infection rate continues to decrease, Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said at a press briefing on September 4. Government is considering creating a regional travel bubble with African countries of similar infection risks, Kubayi-Ngubane said.
Read More08 September 2020
Namibia’s International Tourism Revival Initiative: Namibia stops enforcing mandatory quarantine for tourists!
ATTA®Namibia’s Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has announced ammendments to the country’s International Tourism Revival Initiative (TRI) protocols. Since the TRI protocols got implemented, Namibia’s tourism industry has not seen any bookings.
Read More07 September 2020
Uganda Wildlife Authority opens all parks for tourism
ATTA®Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) announced the opening of all National Parks and Protected areas including Apes and Primate National Parks Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mt.Mgahinga Gorilla, and Kibale National Parks which had remained closed to tourism when the rest of the savannah parks were reopened in July.
Read More07 September 2020
Ethiopia: Restoring a Historic City for Tourism
ATTA®DEBRE TABOR - In a bid to attract tourists and augment income, Debre Tabor City is striving to restore its once glorious name through promoting tourism and investment, City's Mayor Abebe Embiale so disclosed. He noted that the Debre Tabor is the first capital city in the modern history of Ethiopia as King Tewodros II chose it as a seat of his reign.
Read More04 September 2020
Uganda’s mountain gorillas experience rare ‘baby boom’
ATTA®The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda has welcomed seven infants so far this year, a rare victory compared to only two born in the whole of 2019.
Read More04 September 2020
Zimbabwe: Tourism Reopens
ATTA®THE entire tourism sector has been reopened, with immediate effect, as the Government's gradual easing of lockdown measures continues following notable success in containing the spread of Covid-19. This was announced by Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu yesterday.
Read More03 September 2020
KwaZulu-Natal game reserves, campsites open to visitors
ATTA®After months of being locked indoors, it is time to get out and enjoy nature again. Game reserves, accommodations and campsites are officially open for visitors in KwaZulu-Natal. This is contrary to posts suggesting reserves, campsites and certain lodges are still closed.
Read More03 September 2020
Namibia reopens to tourists who can show negative Covid-19 test results
ATTA®Namibia has reopened to tourists with international flights now operating to and from the country. From this week, airlines can land at Hosea Kutako International Airport and tourists with negative Covid-19 certificates can visit for a holiday.
Read More03 September 2020
Application for Membership - Skypalm Travel and Tours
ATTA®Skypalm Travel and Tours 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 More02 September 2020
White rhino orphan saved at Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
ATTA®Timbavati Private Nature Reserve’s field rangers found and captured a 3-month-old calf which had been left alone after its mother died. In a Facebook post, the reserve said the young rhino was captured despite the team having to work in bad weather. The cause of the mother’s death is still unknown.
Read More02 September 2020
Beyond Tourism in Africa innovation challenge
ATTA®The Luc Hoffmann Institute, the African Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation and the WWF Regional Office for Africa are launching a global innovation challenge. We aim to discover and incubate new revenue models that do not depend on tourism, but still enable local communities within African countries to derive income from wildlife, manage their natural resources sustainably, and improve their collective wellbeing. Participants have the chance to win a place in the African Leadership University’s incubation programme and access to seed money.
Read More01 September 2020
SANParks announces free access week dates for 2020
ATTA®South African National Parks (SANParks), together with Total South Africa and FNB has announced that it 15th annual SA National Parks Week will take place from 16 to 20 November 2020. SANParks chief executive officer, Fundisile Mketeni says: "SANParks has postponed the free access week which is traditionally held in September, to November due to the Covid-19 alert level 2 regulations which restrict the number of persons allowed within public spaces.
Read More01 September 2020
Leopard strolls through Sabi Sands lodge
ATTA®Leopards are known to be quite secluded and solitary animals, with most encounters being nothing more than a quick glimpse. One leopard however decided to pay a surprise visit to Singita Ebony Lodge in Sabi Sands Game Reserve in broad daylight.
Read More