South African Airways (SAA) has announced that it will resume flights to Durban. The airline, which took to the skies again in September 2021, is planning to operate a three times daily return service between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban from 04 March 2022. According to SAA's interim chief executive officer Thomas Kgokolo, the airline's customers and partners had been asking for the resumption since operations resumed last year. He said that they had been waiting for the data to guide them before they could decide on adding this important route back to the SAA network.
19 January 2022
South Africa: South African Airways to restart flights to Durban!
18 January 2022
Namibia: FlyNamibia to increase flights between Windhoek <> Cape Town!
Namibian privately-owned airline FlyNamibia, previously known as FlyWestair, is set to increase flights to Cape Town in South Africa. The airline, which is currently operating three weekly flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays between Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town, is planning to add another three weekly frequencies on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays to its Cape Town schedule. The additional flights will be introduced from 01 March 2022.
Mack Air to launch "The Hwange Circuit" air service in Zimbabwe in April 2022!
Mack Air, the first private commercial operator in Botswana to be granted an International Scheduled Service License, and Zimbabwean private charter company Central Air Transport Services (CATS) are set to launch a new air service between Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA) in Victoria Falls and airstrips in the Hwange and surrounding areas. "The Hwange Circuit" will be launched in April 2022 and will be connecting the following destinations: Victoria Falls International Airport (VAF), Robin's Camp, Sinamatella, Hwange National Park Airport (HWN), Giraffe Springs, Hwange National Park, Umtshibi, Manga, Linkwasha, Jozibanini and Bomani.
14 January 2022
Namibia: Inbound travellers are required to use the "Trusted Travel System" from 15 January 2022!
As of 15 January 2022, all travellers entering Namibia through its thirteen main Ports of Entry are required to have their Covid-19 test results uploaded on the Trusted Travel System (TT). Once the test results are uploaded on the system, a code will be generated which will then be used at the Port of Entry to verify the Covid-19 test results (see below). The "Trusted Travel System" plattform will used at the following Ports of Entry:
- Oshikango Border Post
- Walvis Bay International Airport, Walvis Bay
- Walvis Bay Harbor
- Omahenene Border Post
- Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek
- Muhembo Border Post
- Katima Mulilo Border Post
- Ngoma Border Post
- Lüderitz Harbour, Lüderitz
- Ariamsvlei Border Post
- Noordoewer Border Post
- Trans-Kalahari Border Post
- Impalila Island Border Post
Please note that the use of the Trusted Travel System (TT) for those leaving Namibia will depend on the requirements of the destination being travelled to.
The Trusted Travel System (TT) was introduced by the African Union Council (AUC) and the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa-CDC) to support the African Union (AU) member states to harmonize and enhance their current health screening and verification systems. It offers an online digital platform for the verification and authentication of Covid-19 test results based on a collaborative effort across a network of participating Covid-19 testing laboratories and Port Health authorities. The TT platform allows for the detection of counterfeit test results and also enhances cross-border collaboration and confidence in Covid-19 results origination from other countries. Furthermore it provides updated information on entry requirements and travel restrictions for participating member states.
South Africa: Flysafair to launch flights to Mauritius in March 2022!
South African low-cost airline FlySafair had to temporarily cancel its plans to launch scheduled flights to Mauritius on 11 December 2021 due to the emergence of the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus in South Africa. According to the flight schedule on the airline's website, the new launch date for flights between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) on Mauritius is now the 08 March 2022. Flysafair is planning to operate two weekly return flights to the island on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
- Johannesburg 09:00 > 15:15 Mauritius
- Mauritius 16:15 > 18:30 Johannesburg
South Africa: Kruger National Park is one of the most popular National Parks on TikTok!
South Africa's Kruger National Park is one of the most popular National Park on TikTok, a video-focused international social networking service. This is according to a study by US-based travel specialist ParkSleepFly, which gathered a list of all of the National Parks around the world and then ranked these according to the number of views posts tagged with the name of the National Parks had garnered on TikTok (as of 19 November 2021). Kruger National Park is ranked 9th on the list with 98,700,000 views. The most popular National Park on TikTok is Yellowstone National Park, followed by Denali National Park and Yosemite National Park. All three National Parks are located in the US. Serengeti National Park is the only other African National Park that made it to the list of the 51 most popular National Parks on TikTok. The National Park in Tanzania is ranked 16th with 73,900,000 views.
Top 10 most popular National Parks on TikTok:
- Yellowstone National Park, USA: 630,300,000 views
- Denali National Park, USA: 291,500,000 views
- Yosemite National Park, USA: 279,800,000 views
- Grand Canyon National Park, USA: 249,200,000 views
- Göreme National Park, Turkey: 122,900,000 views
- Joshua Tree National Park, USA: 120,800,000 views
- Glacier National Park, USA: 115,000,000 views
- Lake District National Park, UK: 105,900,000 views
- Kruger National Park, South Africa: 98,700,000 views
- Redwood National Park, USA: 95,200,000 views
13 January 2022
Covid-19: Namibia amends the current Public Health Regulations!
Namibia's Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, announced on the occasion of the 39th Covid-19 briefing on the national response measures on 13 January 2022 that the current Covid-19 public health measures have been reviewed and amended in light of the current Covid-19 situation in Namibia. The following regulations related to travel and tourism will come into force from 16 January 2022 to 15 February 2022*:
- Gatherings:
- The number of attendees at public gatherings will remain unchanged at not more than 200 persons per event.
- Curfew:
- The current epidemiological environment does not warrant the re-introduction of a curfew.
- Restrictions related to liquor:
- The measures related to the sale of liqour are retained without change.
- Business operations:
- Business owners shall continue to operate in line with the provisions of their business licenses. Business owners of restaurants, bars, kapanas, hair saloons and others mus enforce the compliance with Covid-19 protocols by employees such as the strict wearing of masks. It is also the duty of the clients to demand the wearing of masks by waitresses, hairdressers and other service providers. The wearing of masks by all in public space remains a mandatory requirement in Namibia.
- Public transport:
- Measures related to public transport remain unchanged.
- Requirements for entry in the country:
- Fully vaccinated Namibians, permanent residents and truck drivers will no longer be required to present a negative PCR test result upon entry into Namibia. The above mentioned categories of people can enter the country at any time with a valid and authentic vaccination card.
- For all other categories of travellers, including truck drivers who are not fully vaccinated, the validity of a negative PCR Covid-19 test result remains 72 hours from the time of the collection of the specimen to the time the individual presents her/hinself at the Point of Entry into Namibia.
- Non-Namibians who arrive with PCR test results older than 72 hours and are not in possession of a de-isolation certificate, will be denied entry in the country. Namibians who arrive without a valid PCR test result or a de-isolation certificate will be subjected to a PCR test at own cost at the Point of Entry and will be quarantined at own cost. Such traveller will be released from quarantine of the PCR test results are negative.
- Namibians and permanent residence permit holders who present positive PCR test results at Points of Entry may be allowed to proceed to the final destination and be subjected to isolation at own cost or to supervised home isolation provided that they have obtained approval for such supervised home isolation from the responsible officals at the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS).
- As of now, random testing of travellers arriving Namibia will not be implemented. The situation will however be closely monitored and this may be revisited if the need arises.
*Should the epidemiological profile worsen, the measures may be reviewed at an earlier date.
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