Earlier at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, the first Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Gaborone, Botswana, touched down. On arrival, Botswana vice president Slumber Tsogwane and transport and communications minister Thulagano Segokgo welcomed the flight.

The airline operates a three-time weekly service to Botswana’s capital city and is the only non-African airline to fly to the region. Chief Executive of the Qatar Airways Group, Akbar Al Baker, said: “I am delighted to add Gaborone to our global network of more than 160 destinations.” Qatar Airways is committed to expanding its network in Africa, and this new route–our 23rd continent destination –is another step towards achieving this goal. read more

The South African Home Affairs Department (DHA) is testing an e-visa application programme that is being checked with Kenya at the moment. Visitors can apply for entry to South Africa online and the first visitor’s visa was issued to a tourist from Kenya who arrived on Sunday (1/12/19).

Siya Qoza, Department of Home Affairs spokesperson, says the trial will enable the government to test the system’s resilience. “We’ll be evaluating the project at the end of the month and looking at which other countries to expand the e-visa system to,” Qoza says. Due to the high number of visa applications from these countries, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, South African Home Affairs Minister, says the e-visa system is expected to include China, India and Nigeria in the pilot from the beginning of next year until March. read more

British Airways Holidays officially opened a new rescue enclosure at big cat sanctuary in South Africa as part of its shared dream with Born Free, a global animal welfare organisation, that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or wildlife, be handled with compassion and respect. British Airways Holidays and Born Free have been working together over the last year to develop the travel company’s industry-leading Animal Welfare Policy.

Two lionesses, nicknamed Alpha and Cora, are now residing in the enclosure. Originally, the two abandoned lionesses were rescued from a failed zoo in Spain and briefly housed at Natuurhulpcentrum, a Belgian wildlife rescue centre before being moved to their new home. read more

Since captive wildlife interactions and activities remain a complex issue, a guide to evaluating captive wildlife attractions and activities has been launched by the tourism association SATSA(Africa). The guide includes an interactive method for quick decision-making on experiences through a “decision tree” with eight simple questions.The guide and resource is targeted at four main groups: foreign and local tourists engaging with wildlife, customers such as destination management companies, international and local tour operators as well as members of industry such as associations, read more

After an absence of two decades, a small founder population of wild cheetahs has been introduced to Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi, South Africa. Cheetahs were in actuality present here at the Majete Wildlife Reserve numerous years back, yet with time they disappeared because of territory misfortune, poaching, and different reasons. Presently, the magnificent creatures are hoping to come back to Malawi’s Majete.

This changed in 2017 when cheetahs were effectively reintroduced to Liwonde National Park, and the new arrivals will further strengthen the chances of repopulating Malawi’s cheetah population. Four cheetahs were given by Welgevonden, Samara and Dinokeng Game Reserves and Rietvlei Nature Reserve in South Africa, and they were effectively translocated to Majete Wildlife Reserve, where cheetahs have not been available for a long time. read more

Seychelles has been named the top island destination in Africa & the Middle East.  It is the third time that Seychelles is rated in the top spot in this category by Travel and Leisure. The colorful goal’s selection results from the yearly study directed by Travel plus Leisure, which permits perusers of the New York-based touring publication to rate their movement encounters the world over. Perusers get the chance to impart their insights on top inns, islands, urban areas, aircrafts, journey lines, spas, among others. read more

The Zambezi River, the fourth-longest in Africa, offers some significant unique encounters.Natasha Parker, Marketing and Communications Manager of Tongabezi Lodge,says this is an experience unlike any other. It is, after all, the world’s most insane infinity pool. “You are literally swimming on the very edge of the Victoria Falls. The immensity of the waterfall is awe-inspiring when you are taking a dip. Clients can look over the edge, to the boiling pools below, and take a selfie that nobody would ever believe.” read more

The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) received its first Unesco Biosphere Reserve on June 21. The Lubombo Biosphere Reserve is one of the 18 new destinations in 12 nations that were added to World Network of Biosphere Reserves by Unesco’s Man and the Biosphere program. Situated in the Lubombo Mountain Range, the save shapes Eswatini’s eastern fringe with Mozambique and South Africa. The 294 020 hectare-save is a piece of the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Biodiversity Hotspot.
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Emirates has introduced its First-Class lodge in Durban o 14 June, related to the carrier’s occasional recurrence increment of four extra flights seven days, bringing the aircraft’s honor winning, extravagance travel involvement to the beach front South African city. During the seasonal increment from 14 June to 04 August 2019, explorers to and from Durban can appreciate the Emirates‘ First Class lodges on the carrier’s Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft will work the extra flights in a three-class lodge design, offering eight seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 310 roomy seats in Economy Class. read more