Author: Chukwu Godlove
Visiting an airport is not as exciting as it used to be, but perhaps the huge chunk of cash the Airports Company South Africa is about to pump into our terminals will rekindle that excitement. When I was growing up, travelling on a plane was literally the height of excitement. Even having someone in your family (gasp!) who had been on a plane was something worth telling your frenemies at school. In fact, going to the airport just to fetch someone was incredibly exciting. I mean, you wouldn’t always see a plane, but you might. And maybe even see it…
For South African Muslims planning to embark on the sacred journey of Hajj in 2026, the landscape of Hajj operations is shifting under fresh directives from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MOHU). The evolving role of the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) has sparked both concern and debate within the community. Al Haram Kaaba/khadim-un-nabi Rao/Wikimedia Commons New rules pilgrims need to know: According to reports by IOL, the MOHU has issued a new set of rules for the upcoming Hajj season. These rules include: Hajj Quota: SAHUC is set to announce this year’s quota (2500 pilgrims…
After years of frustration, delays, and corruption in Malawi’s passport services, the Chakwera administration has delivered a permanent, modernized system that Malawians can finally trust. The rollout of the new ICAO-compliant passport system ends a painful chapter for travelers. Following the 2024 cyber breach, temporary fixes only created more problems, including passports that failed to scan, causing delays and unnecessary suspicion of forgery. Today, these challenges are a thing of the past. The new system is secure, transparent, and efficient. Applicants can now submit documents online, pay electronically or via mobile money, and track their passports in real time through…
United Airlines is adjusting its South African flight schedule by shifting one of its Johannesburg-Newark flights to Cape Town. Newark Airport/Tim Gouw/Unsplash According to a report by Travel News in February, United Airlines submitted an application to the US Department of Transport to modify its South Africa route. This comes in response to the increase of US tourists travelling to Cape Town. With the request finally being approved, the new schedule will come into effect on the 29th of October, 2025. The updated Cape Town schedule will now have: Four weekly flights between Cape Town (CPT) and…
THE United States (U.S) Embassy in Harare has extended the validity of C1/D (transit or crew member) visas for Zimbabwean applicants to 24 months with multiple entry. Routine visa services, however, remain suspended at the Harare Embassy and applications will only be accepted at U.S. missions outside Zimbabwe. This comes after the U.S embassy in Harare earlier this month announced suspension of all routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa services, except for most diplomatic and official visas, citing national security and public safety concerns. In a statement Wednesday, the embassy said applications cannot be submitted at the U.S embassy in Harare…
The European Union is rolling out a new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) and here is what you need to know as a South African ahead of your upcoming travels. European Passport Control/Daniel Schludi/Unsplash The European Union is rolling out a new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), and here is what you need to know as a South African ahead of your upcoming travels. According to reports by Travel and Tour World, the EES comes into effect on 12 October 2025 as a digital replacement to the passport stamping process. Travellers will now have to do mandatory fingerprint and facial recognition scans…
In July, President Paul Kagame appointed Candy Basomingera as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports. Basomingera, 44, previously served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB). She joined the office now headed by Minister Nelly Mukazayire who succeeded Richard Nyirishema in December 2024 while Minister of State for Sports Rwego Ngarambe completes the trinity inherited to carry the sector to greater heights. Both Mukazayire and Basomingera have professional backgrounds in the tourism sector. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Figures associated with both sports and tourism were convinced that the…
As safari travel continues to evolve, wellness is emerging as the ultimate luxury — and nowhere is this more evident than in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Image: Supplied From the quiet serenity of the bush to the sights, sounds and smells of the wild, time spent in Kruger is increasingly recognised as a holistic wellness experience. “You can almost see people relax and recharge when they’re here enjoying the tranquillity of nature and the magnificence of the flora and fauna that surrounds the property,” says Miguel Farinha, Hotel Manager of Kruger Gate Hotel. A growing focus on wellness Image:…
MTN Uganda, one of the country’s leading telecom operators with a presence in all 134 districts and over 22.8 million subscribers, has partnered with Turkish Airlines to launch an exciting new campaign, “Fly Prestige with Turkish Airlines.” The initiative offers MTN Prestige customers the chance to win free round-trip tickets to destinations across the globe. The campaign, which will run for a year, aims to celebrate and reward high-value MTN Prestige subscribers by providing extraordinary travel experiences alongside the program’s existing lifestyle benefits. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn MTN Prestige, part of MTN Uganda’s broader…
Across the continent, vineyards are flourishing in surprising corners — from Morocco’s imperial heartland to Kenya’s wildlife-dotted Rift Valley — offering wine experiences that are as diverse as the continent itself. For travellers seeking an authentic African wine adventure beyond South Africa, these five destinations are a must-add to your bucket list. Morocco’s Meknès Wine Route Meknes/Anne Scott Turner/Wikimedia Commons Wine has flowed through Morocco since Roman times, and today the Meknès region stands as one of Africa’s most historic wine hubs. Surrounded by the Middle Atlas Mountains and kissed by Mediterranean breezes, Meknès produces some of the continent’s most…