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4 days ago | 
travelnews.co.za | Bianca Capazorio
With an average age of 19, Africa’s aircraft fleets are the oldest in the world – and account for just 2% of new aircraft currently on order. By comparison, Asia has the youngest fleet at an average of 12 years, and accounts for 49% of all new aircraft on order. Speaking during an OAG webinar on aircraft fleet and finances, Deidre Fulton, Partner at Midas Aviation, said, globally, the average age of aircraft is 14 years.
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1 week ago | 
tourismupdate.com | Bianca Capazorio
Five years after construction began on 71 community tourism infrastructure projects, only 46 have been completed – prompting concern in Parliament about ongoing delays and delivery issues. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has announced a final extension of the department’s implementation agreement with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), now set to run until 2027.
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2 weeks ago | 
tourismupdate.com | Bianca Capazorio
Cape Town’s increasing tourist numbers are fuelling a wave of new hotel developments and refurbishments, reflecting more bullish attitudes last seen almost a decade ago. In 2025, several new hotels have opened or are set to open their doors in Cape Town.
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1 month ago | 
travelnews.co.za | Bianca Capazorio
Club Med’s first property in Southern Africa – set to open near Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in 2026 – is aiming to bring locals and international visitors to the province with a concept that combines beach and bush. Speaking during last week’s WTM Africa event, Club Med representatives outlined how the R2 billion property, financed entirely by South African investors, is poised to grow tourism and economic activity in KZN.
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2 months ago | 
tourismupdate.co.za | Cape Town |Bianca Capazorio |David Frost
With an unbroken 24-month streak of increasing arrivals at Cape Town International Airport up to December, reports of a bumper February and major events well into April, Cape Town appears to be achieving its goal of extending its peak season. Events and conferences are driving the shift but increased connectivity, new markets and emerging leisure trends are cementing Cape Town’s reputation as a year-round destination.
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Jan 31, 2025 | 
tourismupdate.co.za | Bianca Capazorio |Gheeta Payle |Neethling du Toit |Sandra Kneubuhler
Formally gazetted in October 2024, South Africa’s digital nomad visa has been celebrated across the tourism industry for its impact on the local economy. But Cape Town locals are becoming increasingly vocal about visitors driving up prices and competition for housing in the city. It’s unclear how many, if any, official remote working visas have been granted in South Africa since their introduction.
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Jan 22, 2025 | 
tourismupdate.co.za | Bianca Capazorio |Gheeta Payle |Neethling du Toit |Sandra Kneubuhler
New data in the UN World Tourism Barometer indicates, in 2024, Africa recovered to pre-pandemic levels with 7% more arrivals compared to 2019 and 12% (74 million tourists) more than in 2023. According to this report, the global outlook for tourism is positive with international tourist arrivals expected to grow between 3% and 5% in 2025 if conditions remain favourable, inflation recedes and geopolitical conflicts do not escalate.
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Nov 12, 2024 | 
travelnews.co.za | Bianca Capazorio
Cape Town is preparing for a record-breaking cruise season, with an estimated 23% growth in the number of cruise passengers over last year. That’s good news for the economy of the Mother City, and indeed, that of South Africa as, according to Wesgro, every 36 passengers calling in Cape Town support one full-time job. The season opened with the arrival of the World Odyssey, which hosts the Semester at Sea Programme.
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Nov 6, 2024 | 
travelnews.co.za | Bianca Capazorio
Cape Town International Airport’s long-awaited upgrades are set to get under way in 2026, with an expected completion date of 2029. Speaking at the recent arrival of the first Norse Atlantic Airways flight in Cape Town, Acsa Regional GM, Mark Maclean, said Cape Town International Airport was growing well, recording a 15%-plus increase in international passengers over 2019. He said the airline was arriving at an exciting time when growth and investment were earmarked for the airport.
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Oct 24, 2024 | 
travelnews.co.za | Bianca Capazorio
Challenges in aviation including fuel supply, red tape, visa regimes and supply chain issues are strangling the growth of African airlines. At the Airlines Association of Southern Africa annual general assembly in Paarl, Western Cape, last week, industry representatives gathered to discuss opportunities and challenges facing the industry. Opening the assembly, Blacky Komani, Chairman of Safair Operations, said: “We have to be brutally frank with our issues and we do have issues.
