Kenya: Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) reduces entry fees to all game parks and reserves!

Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Najib Balala, has announced that entry fees to all Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) game parks and reserves have been reduced. This applies to all local (citzens and residents) and international tourists effective 01 July 2020, for one year. The discounted rates are aimed at bolstering Kenya's tourism sector and help it recover from the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Cabinet Secretary further announced a one-year moratorium on rent for all lodges and camps in game parks and reserves mangaged by the KWS. Filmmakers have also been given a 50% discount on filming fees in KWS parks to help market Kenya both at local and international stage.

Coronavirus pandemic: Mozambique has extended the State of Emergency until 29 July 2020!

The Government of Mozambique has extended the countrywide State of Emergency in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by another 30 days until 29 July 2020. According to the Mozambique's President, Filipe Nyusi, the country relaxes some measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus during the extended State of Emergency and allows certain sectors to resume activities. These sectors include education, business, culture and tourism. In terms of tourism, Mozambique plans to reopen for visitors and flights from selected countries. Restaurants are allowed to reopen, while bars remain close. As of 01 July 2020, Mozambique had 889 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 232 in which the patients have recovered, and 6 deaths.

Coronavirus pandemic: Rwanda is the first country in sub-Sahara Africa allowed to travel to the European Union again!

According to a press release by the Council of the European Union (EU), Rwanda is the only nation in sub-Saharan Africa that appears on a list of 14 countries that are allowed again to travel to the EU. As from today (01 July 2020), the member states of the EU start lifting the temprary travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of Rwanda. Rwandans have been banned from entering the EU since 17 March 2020 in line with an EU-wide travel restriction on all non-essential travel from third countries into the EU as a measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

As of 01 July 2020, citizens of the following third countries are allowed to travel to the European Union again:

• Algeria
• Australia
• Canada
• Georgia
• Japan
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Rwanda
• Serbia
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Uruguay
• China, subject to confirmation of reciprocity

This list is being reviewed and, as the case may be, updated every two weeks.

The countries were chosen based on certain criteria, such as the epidemiological situation and containment measures, including physical distancing, as well as economic and social considerations.
Regarding the epidemiological situation, third countries listed should meet the following criteria, in particular:

• number of new COVID-19 cases over the last 14 days and per 100 000 inhabitants close to or below the EU average (as it stood on 15 June 2020)
• stable or decreasing trend of new cases over this period in comparison to the previous 14 days
• overall response to COVID-19 taking into account available information, including on aspects such as testing, surveillance, contact tracing, containment, treatment and reporting, as well as the reliability of the information and, if needed, the total average score for International Health Regulations (IHR). Information provided by EU delegations on these aspects should also be taken into account.

Reciprocity should also be taken into account regularly and on a case-by-case basis.

Coronavirus pandemic: Zimbabwe to partially reopen the tourism & hospitality sectors!

According to Zimbabwe's state-owned newspaper "The Herald" (online edition, 01 July 2020), the tourism and hospitality sectors are allowed to carefully and safely resume limited operations. Zimbabwe's National Parks and safari operations have the permission to reopen again, while restaurants are allowed to welcome sit in guests at 50% capacity .
International tourism is still banned in Zimbabwe. The Government of the country is therefore putting a focus on the domestic tourism market to start the recovery of the country's tourism and hospitality industries. We'll keep you posted!

Photo by Jäger on Unsplash

Kruger National Park Calendar - August!

Weather:

• cool mornings and cold evenings
• temperatures & humidity rise during the day

Temperatures:

• between 12°C - 28°C (Fahrenheit: e.g. 28°C = [(28x9)]/5 + 32 = 82.4°F)
• visit our webcam page for live footage from Kruger National Park!

Landscape:

• bush extremely dry
• landscape a yellow hue through flowering knobthorn, cassias and other
• veld often overgrassed, especialy around watering holes etc.

Animal Activity:

• game congrates around watering holes, rivers etc.
• elephant numbers at their highest in northern Kruger
• earliest summer migrant birds arrive
• local raptors breeding
• weakest animals die of thirst or from predators

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South Africa: Airlink expands its domestic flight network for business and essential travel!

Following the announcement by South Africa's Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, that seven more airports in South Africa resume operations from 01 July 2020, South African regional carrier Airlink is set to introduce flights between OR Tambo Internaitonal Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Bram Fischer International Airport (BFN) in Bloemfontein, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) in Nelspruit, Upington Airport (UTN) in Upington and Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) in Pietermaritzburg as well as Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town to Bloemfontein and Cape Town to Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) in Port Elizabeth. All services will commence on 06 July 2020. In the next few weeks the airline is expecting additional airports to be approved and added to their operations, these include Kimberley, Mthatha, Polokwane, Richards Bay as well as Cape Town to George.
Domestic passenger air travel in South Africa is currently not permitted for recreational, leisure or tourism purposes. All international passenger flights are prohibited except for those flights authorised by the Minister of Transport for the repatriation of South African Nationals from foreign countries and evacuation of foreign nationals from South Africa.

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Zambia has reopened its international airports to trigger the recovery of the tourism sector!

Zambia's President, Edgar Lungu, announced on 26 June 2020 the reopening of all international airports in Zambia, namely Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) in Lusaka, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) in Livingstone, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA) in Ndola and Mfuwe International Airport (MFU) in Mfuwe/South Luangwa National Park. According to the President, the decision was to trigger the recovery of the tourism sector not only in Livingstone but the country at large. He further announced that the Minister of Communication and Transport, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Tourism will get directed to work together in ensuring stringent health guidelines such as:

• screening
• testing passengers with symptoms
• masking
• social distancing
• frequent washing of hands
• follow-up on passengers who test positive and sending them into quarantine until they test negative

As of 26 June 2020, Zambia has registered 1,497 coronavirus cases and 18 deaths. 52,195 total coronavirus tests have conducted so far.

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