Africa

Boeing and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) today announced orders for (4) 787-9 Dreamliners – valued at $1.1 billion at list prices – that will enable Morocco's flag carrier to expand international…

The Gambia Experience has announced that holidays to The Gambia are back with a boom after winter 2017/18 sales being up 22% in comparison to the previous year. Several properties within…

The Egyptian State Tourist Authority is to launch a new UK campaign to capitalise on renewed and growing interest in the destination. UK visitation to Egypt rose by more than 25% in the…

Air Arabia Maroc has launched its winter schedule announcing a direct new route connecting London Gatwick to Marrakech. The inaugural flight of the new route was operated on November 1…

Cyplon Holidays recently hosted a group of nine travel agents on a three-night fam trip to discover the contrasting landscapes of Morocco, with visits to Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, and…

The first ever commercial flight to St Helena from South Africa touched down on the island at the weekend.  Airlink brought in this inaugural flight from Johannesburg, following a six…

India launched a campaign to woo Egyptian travellers and make them aware of the magnificent holiday options in the country. The month-long “Incredible India!” campaign has been organised by…

Premier Holidays has introduced Madagascar as a new destination for 2018.  The island of Nosy Be and the small islands around it make their debut in Premier’s 2018 South Africa…

The Aegean Experience & Cairo cruise from Voyages to Antiquity reveals Greek and Egyptian civilisations.  The 13-day tour combines new shore excursion programme from Cairo with an…

Acacia Africa is discounting selected dates on 45 of its camping overland tours by 15%, if booked before 31 August. A Big 7 safari has a saving of £132pp with the 15% reduction. The…

Ethiopian Airlines Group has fully refurbished its Boeing 767-300 ER fleet utilised on routes to India, Middle East and Africa destinations.  It is fitted with new full flat-bed seats in…

Saga Holidays has added seven holidays to its Africa product in the recently launched Worldwide, River Cruises, Europe & The Mediterranean and The British Isles brochures.  New…

Intrepid Travel is advising agents that it is still offering permits to see the gorillas in Rwanda for US$750 despite local authorities announcing that prices would double from May. …

Voyages to Antiquity is offering a 12-day Seville, Morocco and Canary Islands cruise departing November this year. The cruise includes eight tours in two countries with time to…

From January next year, Beachcomber Hotels & Resorts, which has eight properties in Mauritius, is set to open a new accommodation concept, Victoria for Two, at the Victoria Beachcomber…

ABTA has released a statement on the change to the FCO travel advice for Tunisia.  “The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has changed its level of advice to Tunisia and no longer…

South Africa Airlink will offer scheduled commercial air services to St Helena when it starts flights between South Africa and St Helena later this year.  This follows a period of…

Saga has introduced two new hotels to its portfolio, offering holidays in The Gambia, staying at The Kombo Beach Hotel Kotu or The Kairaba Beach Hotel Kololi.  Included on both holidays…

Wilderness Safaris has announced the opening of Bisate Lodge, situated next to the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.  Consisting of six forest villas, Bisate offers a luxurious base from…

Travel 2 ended its financial year with a 38% year-on-year increase in sales to the Indian Ocean and a 46% year-on-year increase in sales to the Middle East.  The emirates of Fujairah…

Travel 2 is offering agents the chance to win one of five places on a Seychelles fam trip.  The trip will offer agents who have never visited the Seychelles before a chance to see the…

Eurowings expands its offering from Vienna with new connection to Agadir in the south of Morocco will be added to the portfolio in winter. The airline will open the route on 4 November…

andBeyond Phinda Rock Lodge in South Africa is celebrating 20 years since its original opening date with a comprehensive refurbishment.  Renovation at the brand’s first lodge includes…

CroisiEurope has announced that the RV African Dream, which is set to launch in Southern Africa in December 2017, is currently being completed in the Harare shipyard in Zimbabwe. It will…

Valero Grand Suites by Swiss-Belhotel Location: In a residential area of Makati City, 30 minutes from Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport Grade: Upscale Keys: 271, including…

Dubai-based flydubai has announced the start of flights to Kilimanjaro from 29 October. The relaunched service to the carrier’s third point in Tanzania, along with Dar es Salaam and…

To celebrate the launch of the first direct flight between the UK and Rwanda, RwandAir has announced a trade competition running until 14 July this year. Any bookings made on the RwandAir…

Gatwick recently welcomed the touchdown of the first direct flight between Rwanda and the UK. The route is served by a new Airbus A330-200 and flights depart Gatwick on Tuesdays,…

India's Sarovar Hotels has opened a new high-end hotel at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The Lazizi Premiere Nairobi was inaugurated recently by HE Uhuru…

HNA, the Chinese travel and tourism conglomerate, has launched a campaign in New York's Times Square in support of efforts to combat world hunger. The #ShareMoreDreamMore campaign,…

The Gambia Experience has announced the launch of its 2017/18 season brochure which marks its 30th year as the destination specialist to The Gambia.  Featuring a choice of package and…

RwandAir will launch the first non-stop flight from the UK to Rwanda. The route will operate from May 26, three times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from London Gatwick to…

Hilton has signalled its intention to ramp up expansion in North Africa with the establishment of a dedicated development office in Casablanca. Building on an active pipeline in the…

Swiss-Belhotel International has named Laurent A. Voivenel as Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India. This strategic announcement has been…

Intrepid Travel is giving nine agents the chance to win a space on its upcoming fam trip to Morocco.  The four-day trip explores the vibrant city of Marrakech and the nearby Atlas…

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has flown 38 leaders from 11 of its properties across North Africa and the Middle East to Morocco where they are attending the firm’s prestigious Business…

Singapore Airlines will add multiple new African destinations to its route map this summer, following the expansion of its codeshare partnership with Ethiopian Airlines. Effective 1…

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) and British Airways have today announced an increase in direct flights from the UK to the popular Indian Ocean destination.   British…

On the shores of Morocco's Atlantic coast, one luxury resort is providing golfers and families with a great alternative holiday destination. Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa is a…

TAP, the Portuguese national carrier, will expand its operations in Africa this summer, with the launch of a brand new service to Togo. Effective 17 July 2017, the airline will…

Marrakech, that captivating, romantic and enchantingly ancient Moroccan city, is well known for its narrow alleyways, souks and bustling old-world charm. But for travellers seeking a…

In the world of high-end hotels, there are some that exceed the boundaries of refinement, redefining the term "luxury". The Royal Mansour in Marrakech goes a step further – it redefines the…

Having waved goodbye to the enchanting Red City of Marrakech, the Travel Counsellors took a two-and-a-half-hour drive towards the breezy, ancient coastal town of Essaouira. The journey to…

Overlooking the golden sands of the Tagharte Beach and the rolling waves of the Atlantic Ocean, Atlas Essaouira & Spa is an ideal escape for visitors to the Moroccan coast. Perfectly…

On the second day of the Visit Morocco fam trip, Travel Counsellors enjoyed some of the activities and attractions on offer in and around the Red City of Marrakech. While the ancient…

Fifteen years ago, two English brothers, Anwar and Riaz Harland Khan, travelled out of Marrakech and up into the Atlas Mountains. There, in the scenic Ouirgane Valley, they discovered a…

Travel Counsellors descended on Morocco last week for an extensive, activity-packed fam trip that provided deep insights into the country’s tourism products and potential. The five-day…

Along the wide, palm-lined avenues of Marrakech’s new city lies a luxury hotel that celebrates the city’s past whilst embracing its future. Mövenpick Hotel Mansour Eddahbi Marrakech is an…

Africa’s fastest growing OTA, Wakanow, will provide a one-stop-shop for travel to Africa, offering a diverse range of competitively-priced flights and hotels for key destinations including…

STR’s February 2017 Pipeline Report reveals 153,460 rooms in 540 hotel projects Under Contract in the Middle East and 58,374 rooms in 309 projects Under Contract in Africa. …

Kenya’s tourism industry has welcomed the removal of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advisory for Lamu Island and Manda Island by the UK Government.  Both areas are now…

The first-ever organised road cycling holidays to Ethiopia departing from the UK have officially launched. The holidays, by Brighton-based, Ethiopia specialist Tadele Travel, will take…

Etihad Airways and Egyptair have announced a codeshare partnership that will be introduced in phases from March 1, 2017. Under the initial phase of the agreement, Etihad Airways will…

Rotana has made its debut in Africa with the official opening of Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The five-star hotel was…

AirAsia X will suspend its flights to Mauritius next month, less than six months after they commenced. An update on the Routes Online schedules database shows that the low-cost…

Royal Air Maroc will launch flights between Manchester and Casablanca on Tuesday 28 March.  The Moroccan flag-carrier will begin operating direct non-stop flights three times per week…

Best Western Thousand Island Hotel Location: On the waterfront in Nyaung Shwe, the gateway city to Myanmar's Lake Inle Grade: Midscale Keys: 48 Facilities: Riverfront cafe, rooftop…

Jetwing Colombo Seven Location: Ward Place, in the centre of Sri Lanka's capital city Grade: Upscale Keys: 70 plus 28 serviced apartments Facilities: Rooftop restaurant, bar, pool…

Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square (pictured above) Location: In the former headquarters of the Port of London Authority, in the city's business district near Tower Bridge…

Oberoi, the Indian luxury hotel group, will continue to expand its international portfolio this year with the opening of two new resorts in the UAE and Morocco. Following the opening of a…

Ethiopian Airlines will add three more Asian destinations to its route map in the first half of 2017. The national carrier will start flying to Singapore, Jakarta and Chengdu as part…

Silka Tsuen Wan Location: Tsuen Wan district of Hong Kong, on the way to Disneyland and airport Grade: Midscale Keys: 419 Facilities: Gym, restaurant, coffee shop, smartphones in…

Kenya Airways has signed a new agreement that will expand connectivity between Asia and Africa. The codeshare partnership with Hong Kong Airlines enables passengers to book…

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) recently conducted a five-city roadshow in India. In late August, the tourism board and representatives from 30 Mauritian travel…

Zambia Tourism Board in association with Ethiopian Airlines recently hosted prominent tour operators from India on a FAM trip.  The 11-day tour to Zambia showcased the wonderful…

Hotels in the Middle East reported negative year-end 2015 results, while hotels in Africa recorded mostly positive results in the three key performance metrics, according to data from STR…

The piece of aircraft wing that washed up on the island of Reunion last week is from flight MH370, it has been confirmed. Malaysia's Prime Minister, Najib Razak, addressed his citizens in…

A large piece of debris has washed up on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, leading to hopes that it could be part of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The white object,…

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) has launched a new campaign that aims to ramp up the island’s appeal as a family-friendly destination.  The initiative aims…

Emirates and Mauritius tourism authorities recently concluded their series of road shows in Dubai. The road show held to promote the Indian Ocean across the Middle East covered the…