South Africa: South African Tourism released six new promotional videos

South Africa's tourism body, South African Tourism, has released six new promotional videos about South Africa. Each of the one-minute videos is covering a different aspect of the country's rich touristic diversity: wildlife, lap of luxury, scenic beauty, roots & culture, culture & lifestyle as well as deep blue. Enjoy!

Air Namibia to axe Windhoek <> Gaborone service

Namibia's flag carrier, Air Namibia, will cancel its four-weekly service between Windhoek and Gaborone in Botswana from 01 June 2013. The last flight will be on 31 May 2013.
Air Namibia operates scheduled domestic, regional, and international passenger services out of its international hub at Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport and its domestic hub at the smaller Windhoek Eros Airport. The airline is wholly owned by the government of Namibia.

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South Africa: 203 rhinos killed by poachers so far in 2013

According to the latest statistics released by the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa has lost 203 rhinos to illegal poaching since the beginning of 2013. Of the rhinos poached, 146 rhinos were killed in the Kruger National Park, 18 in North West, 17 in KwaZulu-Natal, 13 in Limpopo and 10 in Mpumalanga.
A total of 60 people have been arrested, 36 of them in the Kruger National Park. The reduction in the number of arrests can be attributed to the fact that the case against nine alleged poachers arrested near Lephalale in March 2013 has been withdrawn in the local Magistrate’s Court. This means that cases are being pursued against 11 alleged poachers in the province at present, and not 20 as previously reported. Three alleged couriers were arrested in February 2013.

Latest rhino poaching figures (as of 03 April 2013):  

• Kruger National Park (SANParks) - 146 rhinos poached
• Mapungubwe National Park (SANParks) - 0 rhino poached
• Gauteng - 0 rhino poached
• Limpopo - 13 rhinos poached
• Mpumalanga - 10 rhino poached
• North-West Province - 18 rhinos poached
• Eastern Cape - 0 rhino poached
• Free State - 0 rhino poached
• KwaZulu Natal - 17 rhinos poached
• Western Cape - 0 rhino poached
• Northern Cape - 0 rhino poached

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is urging members of the public to report incidents of rhino poaching or any tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.

Air Botswana canceled planned operations to Nairobi, Victoria Falls & Lanseria

According to aviation specialists airlineroute.net, Air Botswana has canceled its planned operations between Gaborone - Harare (Zimbabwe) - Nairobi (Kenya), Gaborone <> Lanseria/Johannesburg (South Africa) as well as betwen Maun <>  Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe). After beeing postponed from the (Northern) Winter Season 2012/13, the three routes were supposed to be serviced from 31 March 2013 (Lanseria from 03 April 2013).
In late March 2013, Air Botswana announced the cancellation of its Maun <>  Cape Town service from 31 March 2013. Just a few days later (01 April 2013), the airline reinstated the service between the two destinations with immediate effect. Well...

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Tanzania/Kenya: Holili/Taveta will soon be One-Stop Border Posts (OSBP)

update (09 April 2013): According to a TradeMark of East Africa (TMEA) official, One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) are being introduced at approximately 13 border crossings in East Africa. The introduction of the OSBP at the Holili/Taveta border post will be finally completed on the Tanzanian side in June 2013 and on the Kenyan side in October 2013.

Great news for travellers on their way from Arusha or Moshi to Kenya or from the Tsavo West National Park area to Tanzania: the border post of Holili/Taveta between the two East African countries will soon be One-Stop Border Posts (OSBP). The Tanzanian side of border post (Holili) is about to start implementing the more cost and time effective cross-border movement handling in May 2013, while the construction work on the Kenyan side (Taveta) experiecend certain delays, so that it will get implemented a bit later in 2013.


View One-Stop Border PostUntitled in a larger map

By introducing the One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) vehicles, goods and persons only need to make a single stop only to exit one country and enter another.
The project, which is expected to cost $4.5 million on the Tanzanian side and $5.5 million on the Kenyan side, is financed by different donors who channel funds through the organisation TradeMark of East Africa (TMEA).

South African Tourism released a new TV commercial (video)

South Africa's tourism body South African Tourism has released a new TV commercial titled "Meet South Africa", which is inviting the viewer to find out why "South Africa is different"! IMO a true wanderlust enhancer! How do you like it?

Air Botswana to reinstate Maun <> Cape Town & Maun <> Kasane routes

Botswana's flag carrier, Air Botswana, announced in a trade release (28 March 2013) the immediate reinstatement of the Maun <>  Cape Town and the Maun <> Kasane routes. According to the airline's General Manager Sakhile Reiling, Air Botswana is reinstating both routes after a favourable evaluation of the seasonal and economic variations which airlines experience.
Air Botswana previously planed to drop its four weekly direct service between Maun and Cape Town from 31 March 2013.

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