The South African government says it has noted the announcement by the United Kingdom (UK) to temporarily ban all flights from the Southern parts of Africa, including South Africa, from entering the UK due to the detection of a new Coronavirus variant, B.1.1.529. South Africa confirmed on Thursday that it has detected the new Coronavirus […]

The South African travel and hospitality industry has reacted with outrage at the UK’s decision to temporarily ban travel to and from South Africa, placing SA on its Red List from midday UK time today. SATSA slammed the decision, with its CEO David Frost saying: “It is far too early to tell what the impact […]

It was inevitable. Within hours of the South African Health Department and NICD confirming that a worrying new variant – B.1.1.529 – has been identified in South Africa, the UK (which only recently removed SA from its Red List) has announced that it is temporarily banning flights from South Africa. Israel has also put a […]

The newly launched African Nature-Based Tourism Platform is seven months into its first year of a three-year project phase connecting funders to beneficiaries in 11 countries. The platform is an innovative collaboration to channel vital COVID-19 relief and recovery funding to communities and small and medium enterprises involved in nature-based tourism in Africa. Africa witnessed […]

With the extension of the State of Disaster to 15 December 2021, FEDHASA has called on the South African government to use all other mechanisms at its disposal to control the spread of COVID and avoid instituting regulations which hamper the hospitality sector’s operations and ability to secure jobs. “As an industry, we are not […]

A 47-year-old Dutch tourist narrowly missed losing his testicles in South Africa, after a cobra bit him whilst he was sitting on the toilet. The snouted cobra (Naja annulifera) bit the man while he was holidaying on a nature reserve in SA. Apparently he spotted the snake at the bottom of the toilet bowl just […]

With the relaunch of a double-daily service between Cape Town and Durban, kulula.com says it has fully restored its pre-COVID route network. In the case of the Cape Town and Durban service, capacity has actually increased, says Desmond O’Connor, kulula.com Chief Commercial Officer. Pre-COVID, the airline operated one flight per day on the route. Daily […]

Journalist Ted Botha has just travelled almost 1,500 km from Cape Town to Pretoria… so that he can vote in Johannesburg, where he’s registered to vote. It’s a journey that not only reveals Ted’s appreciation for how important every single vote is, but also shows the hidden secrets and beauty that exist across this land, […]

South African National Parks (SANParks), together with Total Energies and FNB will be hosting the 16th annual SA National Parks Week from 22 to 28 November 2021. The free access will only be valid until Friday 26 November at the following national parks: Addo, Kgalagadi, Kruger, and the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National […]

South African National Parks (SANParks) says the award recently bestowed on Table Mountain as a Leading Tourist Attraction in Africa for 2021, together with a nomination of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) as the World’s Leading Cable Car… “brings much-needed hope to the ailing tourism sector hugely affected by the novel coronavirus”. Dr […]

After many long months, South Africa is officially off the UK’s red list as of 11 October 2021. Fully-vaccinated South Africans are now cleared to enter the country for both business and leisure purposes without having to worry about quarantine. The news led to a frenzy of bookings from South African travellers keen to travel […]

Cape Town has done it again! South Africa’s beautiful Mother City has been voted as Africa’s Leading City Destination in the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2021. And Table Mountain has been voted the continent’s leading tourist destination. The City of Cape Town said in a statement on Friday: “This award is recognition of the sterling […]

In a heartfelt post on Facebook, two brothers have paid tribute to their father, German tourist Michael Mirschel, who died yesterday – Sunday 9 October – after jumping from a luxury houseboat that had caught fire in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. The brothers – Alex and Mario – wrote in German about the last 48 […]

South Africans can now download their digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate following the official launch by the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla. Addressing a media briefing on government’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and the national vaccination rollout programme on Friday, the Minister said the certificate could be used for travel and tourism, sport […]

South Africa is finally being removed from the UK’s dreaded Red List! From Monday!!! This means anyone entering the UK from South Africa, who is double-vaccinated, will no longer need to spend £2,000 on mandatory 10-day quarantine in the UK! The news comes as a huge relief for South African expats who haven’t seen their […]

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has lifted its advice ‘against all but essential travel’ for over 30 countries and territories. The change, announced today, means UK travellers will be able to visit these destinations with greater ease… although still not South Africa. SA is not on the list of 32 countries and, […]

South Africa’s fabulous Babylonstoren Farm Hotel has been placed at number one in Southern Africa, and number 34 overall in a prestigious list of The Best Hotels in the World. Over 800,000 readers of Conde Naste Traveler (CNT) took part in the survey to find the world’s best hotels. “Congrats to our team!” said Babylonstoren. […]

LONDON (Reuters) – Travellers from South Africa will soon be able to enter the UK without having to pay the exorbitant £2,000 for 10 days in hotel quarantine! British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will open up South Africa and some other countries for hotel quarantine-free travel later this week, The Sunday Telegraph reported, saying that […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday night announced that the Department of Health will soon roll out the vaccine certificate as proof that residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19. He also revealed that he has discussed South Africa’s ongoing inclusion on the dreaded Red List with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In a televised address to […]

The United Kingdom says it will consider Covid-related data provided by the South African government’s scientists in its next review of the dreaded Red List of countries, which will be updated within 14 days. According to the Health Department, SA government experts had a meeting with their UK counterparts over the red list of what […]

Spring has arrived and South Africans are enjoying another long weekend with this year’s Heritage Day falling on Friday, 24 September. Here are some brilliant ideas on how to enjoy South Africa and get rejuvenated to help you make it through to the end of the year. The question is, where is a great place […]

The Cape Town International Airport domestic terminal has continued its post-third wave recovery for the first two weeks of September, with the domestic passenger numbers reaching 49% of 2019 levels. The periods compared are 1-12 September 2021, and 1-12 September 2019. While the figures are still much lower than 2019’s, with international passenger terminal recovery […]

If you’d like to help South Africa get moved off the UK’s Red List – whether you’re an expat desperate to get home to visit your family, or you’re a British citizen dying to visit SA’s beautiful beaches, mountains, wildlife, culture – here are a couple of suggestions. Background: The UK announced this evening that […]

The UK announced Friday evening that South Africa is to stay on its Red alert list. The news has been met with shock, disappointment and fury. It means that anyone who visits SA from the UK has to quarantine in a government-appointed hotel for 10 days, at their own cost (at least £2,000), on their […]

JOHANNESBURG, 16 SEPTEMBER 2021 – South Africa is free of the Beta Covid variant according to official data issued by the South African government. The data indicates that there has been no measurable level of Beta genomes sequenced for at least two weeks in the country. This is hopefully good news for travellers! Following the […]