South African Airways (SAA) has received two major endorsements from respected industry experts. In the first, SAA topped the list of the most on-time airlines in the world in a report produced by an independent entity, FlightStats, Inc., the leading provider of global flight and airport information services. - According to the FlightStats report, South African Airways was one of the only two major international carriers that delivered over 90% of their flights on time in March. SAA took the number one spot with 92.26% whilst Gulf Air came in second at 92.11%. The FlightStats March 2013 On-Time Airline & Airport Performance Report further states that major international airlines had o…

FlightStats, the global leader in flight and airport information services, recently announced On Time Performance Service Awards (OTPS Awards) for airlines across the globe. SAA, with its 91.17% On Time Performance average, won in the category 'Middle East and Africa Major Airlines' - Zuks Ramasia, GM Operations for SAA said: “SAA is absolutely thrilled to win this prominent award as On Time Performance is a critical factor considered by customers when selecting which airline to fly. Winning this award also highlights our employee’s commitment to ensuring a seamless travel experience to our valued customers.” This category includes airlines based in the Middle …

It is breathtaking. It is fascinating. It is grandeur. It is appealing. It is hospitable. It can only be Sun City, North West Province of South Africa. The resort is definitely extraordinary in this part of the world catering everything that can appeal to the mind as well as propel it to function better. - After watching with delight the parade of African and international designs on the runaway at the Africa Fashion Week held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, it was time to travel to Sun City for pure adventure and fun. Sun City is less than three hours drive from the Sandton city centre in Johannesburg, the resort is a worldwide attraction for its exotic entertainment op…

- From 7-9 March, African Fashion International (AFI), in partnership with Mercedes-Benz, will host the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg (MBFWJ) at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown Cultural Precinct with two other shows on off-site venues to be confirmed. This will reinforce Johannesburg as a world-class African city that serves as the global market’s gateway into the continent. AFI seeks to further echo fashion as big business with a host of potential in South Africa by attrracting the city’s talented and successful designers. The line-up of designers this season, which includes the likes of David Tlale, Thula Sindi, Suzaan Heyns and Fabiani, is testament to AFI’s comm…

- AS MEETINGS AFRICA 2013 drew to a close at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg on Wednesday, 20 February 2013, organisers, hosts and delegates were unanimous: this was the Meetings Africa at which the continent came together to collaborate and to advance Africa together as the world’s premier business event host destination. By the end of the event, 2 884 delegates had come through the Meetings Africa 2013 turnstiles. There were 300 international, regional and local buyers in attendance at Meetings Africa 2013, 30 percent more than attended last year. “It was really exciting to welcome these buyers to Meetings Africa 2013,” says South African Tourism Chief Execu…

- WITH JUST DAYS to go to Meetings Africa 2013, interest from high-quality buyers is exceptional, with the number of buyers already confirmed to attend the show having eclipsed last year’s number of buyer delegates by 67 percent. There are almost 350 international, regional and local qualified hosted buyers who have booked their place at Meetings Africa 2013. This is a good indication that this year’s event will deliver outstanding business and networking opportunities to all delegates and will establish the African region as one of the world’s premier business events destinations. For the first time at Meetings Africa, an internationally renowned buyer qualification pr…

- South African Airways (SAA) has been awarded the 4-Star Airline ranking for 2013 by Skytrax, the independent, global airline rating organisation. The 4-Star Airline ranking recognises continued quality improvement in South African Airways onboard product and service, together with a number of changes to the home base airport customer experience in terms of product and service levels. Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax said: "South African Airways have managed to maintain quality levels throughout the past year, and are delivering a solid product and service standard to their customers, making their 4-Star ranking well-deserved. The Skytrax Star Ranking audit examines more than 800 ar…

- South African Tourism has reiterated that Nigeria will remain the hub of all its marketing activities in the West Africa sub-region. Phumi Dhlomo, SAT Regional Director for Africa & Domestic stated this at the annual SA Tourism West Africa Trade workshop held in Lagos last week. “Nigeria as a hub for South African Tourism marketing activities will cater for countries in the West African region including Ghana which has been identified as a tactical market for SA Tourism marketing initiatives”, he disclosed. Dhlomo explained that SA Tourism held the annual workshop in Nigeria because the country is a core source market for arrivals into South Africa from the West Africa s…

- Expanded partnership includes access to the carrier’s premium economy seats with more leg room LAGOS NIGERIA, Aug. 7, 2012 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and Amadeus announced today they have expanded their commercial relationship to enable the sale of Economy Comfort, Delta’s premium economy seats offering more leg room, through Amadeus’ global distribution system (GDS). The expanded long-term agreement provides more choices for Delta customers and travel agents to access the popular Economy Comfort seating when booking travel via Amadeus. “Delta is encouraged by the direction of the technology innovation at Amadeus, and this partnership demonstrates…

- Prestigious Tasting Says SAA has Best Business Class White LAGOS NIGERIA, 07 August 2012. South African Airways has won first place in the business class white wine section of Global Traveler’s prestigious “Wine on the Wing” competition and placed second in the red wine section, securing an overall second place for the best business class wine offering on international routes. The announcement was made yesterday by US-based Global Traveler, the only ABC-audited magazine for business and luxury travellers. Organised for the eighth time, the annual blind tasting competition was judged in New York by 28 wine experts from a range of vinicultural professions. In total, 2…

- LAGOS, 01 August 2012: Customers requiring greater flexibility when it comes to their travel plans are taking advantage of Delta’s subsidiary, Delta Private Jets. Offering an expansive fleet of aircraft, with a network spanning over 5,000 North American airports, Delta Private Jets offers individuals and companies flexible, cost-effective travel solutions, with a range of aircraft and pricing options available to suit their needs. Delta operates scheduled service to the United States from six African cities in five countries: Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; Johannesburg, South Africa; Monrovia, Liberia; and Dakar, Senegal. Delta Private Jets offers customers wishing to t…

- Johannesburg will be the second most visited destination city in Africa, with a projected 2.5 million international visitors expected to enter the city in 2012. This is according to the latest MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index. In addition, international visitors are projected to spend more while visiting Johannesburg than any other destination city on the continent, with US$3.3-billion (about R27.8-billion $/R8.43) estimated to be injected into the city during 2012, an increase of 8.1% on 2011’s figures. “This is the second installment of this MasterCard Index, which is used as a barometer for understanding the global economy and the dynamic flow of commerce acr…

- ATLANTA, May 15, 2012 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) flight 295 to Tokyo-Narita became the first flight to depart Concourse F at the new Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal as it opens yesterday at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Shortly after flight 295’s departure, Delta flight 177 from Dublin, Ireland will be the first arrival on the new concourse. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified international terminal complex is the new doorway for customers arriving in and departing from Atlanta for international destinations. The new Concourse F, which adjoins the existing concourse E, includes 12 gates. Delta from Atl…

- Lagos, 16 May, 2012 – Currently an industry leader in its prime market of South Africa, the popular travel website has launched in Nigeria to much acclaim. Bookings sales value in Nigeria surpassed other Travelstart markets in Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya just 6 weeks after launching. According to Worldbank (2010), Nigeria is the technology hub of West Africa with more than 45 million Internet users and 30% Internet penetration. “Travelstart has been an incredible hit with customers throughout Africa and the build-up to launching in Nigeria has been the most exciting in years”, CEO Stephan Ekbergh says. “It’s like having a new baby in the family and we ca…

- Online travel agency Travelstart has launched its operations in Nigeria, offering a website where clients can search for and book flights, hotels and car rental. Travelstart, Africa's leading online travel agency, recently announced the beta launch of its Nigerian website www.travelstart.com.ng Already popular in South and East Africa, the Travelstart website offers Nigerian travellers a great set of tools to help them search and buy the travel options that best meets their budget and requirements. "We’ve launched Travelstart in beta as we want to start testing market acceptance in Nigeria. Nigerians are known to be early adopters when it comes to technology and online…

- There is trepidation in the air! Such is the human nature when there is a preceding accident or disaster related to actions and or ambitions about to be undertaken. The disaster of Costa Concordia in mid January, 2012 kept reverberating in my head as am scheduled for a four night cruise experience on board Msc Sinfonia enroute the South African city of Durban to Cape Town. The magnitude of my trepidation is probably fuelled by the fact that it would be my first time on a cruise ship and of course Costa Concordia cruise disaster off the Italian coast killing 32 people and the averted disaster of Costa Allegra which was adrift in the Indian Ocean before it was towed to safety in the Seychell…

- Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, today announced that Michael Venus will take charge of the company’s Corporate Affairs department. Michael, who has been the airline’s Head of International Media Relations since June 2011, has been appointed Vice President Corporate Affairs, with immediate effect. He will be responsible for Etihad Airways’ public affairs and corporate communications, including global media relations, social media strategy, internal communications, corporate social responsibility, environmental affairs and corporate events. Michael, a multi award-winning journalist, brings more than 30 years of media experience to the position. His caree…

- African markets remains the engine growth of South African tourism sector with Nigeria and Tanzania the leading lights of the continent’s biggest growth markets in 2011, with tourist arrivals from these two countries growing by 37.5% and 45.8% respectively. As a result of this impressive performance, the South African Government has budgeted about $31.5 million to grow over the next three years to grow its tourism sector from the African markets. According to South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, “These are excellent numbers we are extremely pleased with. And I would like to take this opportunity to announce that the South African Government has…

- South African Tourism supports the global call for a review of the exorbitant Air Passenger Duty (APD) taxes imposed on international tourist flows by the United Kingdom. These unilateral taxes have a detrimental effect on international travel at a time when the world tourism industry is recovering from the global economic crisis. Initially introduced as a ‘green’ tax by the United Kingdom, this tax is now clearly aimed at revenue–generation. These taxes, when combined with the European Union (EU) Emissions Trading System (ETS), are leading to double taxation and are distorting markets. Its impact is particularly severe on long-haul destinations where there are no altern…

- The 13th Cape Town International Jazz Festival line-up has been bolstered by the addition of three exciting internationally acclaimed artists. Master vocalist, poet and actress Jill Scott’s (USA) exciting repertoire is expected to bring the house down as she joins the other greats on the festival’s Kippies stage. In 2000 Scott released her much anticipated debut record Who is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds, Vol.1. This double platinum selling album earned Scott several Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. Two more critically acclaimed albums followed; Beautifully Human: Words & Sounds, Vol. 2 and The Real Thing: Words & Sounds, Vol. 3. Both garnered two m…

- Jazz enthusiasts no longer have to hold their breath with the final announcement of artists for the 2012 Cape Town International Jazz Festival announced today at Katzy’s in Rosebank, Johannesburg. This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival will take on March 30 and 31. In its 13th year, the festival continues to titillate South African audiences with the finest in local and international performers at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The headliners reflect the festival's philosophy of broadening audience's perspectives of what is understood as 'jazz'. "If it's music, sweet music, lets it play," is the philosoph…

- South African moviegoers are familiar with American cities like New York after having seen them depicted on screen countless times, but now American audiences are getting to see what Cape Town looks like. Two blockbuster box office hits released on screens in the US this month feature Cape Town as their prime location. According to Hollywood specialist blog www.deadline.com, Chronicle, starring Alex Russel, Dane DeHaan and Michael B Jordan, is about three teenagers who gain superpowers. It raked in $12m (R92.5m) on its opening weekend from February 3-5. Safe House, the shooting of which had many Capetonians celebrity-spotting as it stars hunk Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington, p…

- SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM was delighted to learn recently that chief marketing officer, Roshene Singh, has been named an Internationalist for her leadership in global destination marketing work that shows ‘outstanding thinking in brand communications’. The honour was bestowed by The Internationalist, a global publication based in New York that explores the best of global branding and marketing, creating a resource for marketing and communication professionals; celebrating pockets of excellence; and stimulating fresh thinking and application in a world that is truly a global village. Singh finds herself in the company of a small number of global marketers of excellence who hav…

- Etihad Airways has announced the launch of flights to Lagos, the airline’s first destination in West Africa, from July 1, subject to regulatory approvals. The direct flights will link Abu Dhabi and Lagos six times a week and will be operated by a two class A330-200 aircraft with 22 Pearl Business class and 240 Coral Economy seats. Lagos becomes the 83rd destination in Etihad Airways’ global network and the return flights will create a new link between Nigeria, Africa’s third largest economy, and the United Arab Emirates. Following the launch of services to the Seychelles in November 2011, Tripoli last month and Nairobi in April, the addition of Nigeria marks ano…

- Johannesburg, 30 January 2012. In line with its strategy of expanding its presence in Central Africa South African Airways (SAA) started flying to Pointe Noire in the Congo, from 26 January. This welcome addition to the airline’s ever expanding route network on the continent offers its customers further access into Central Africa. SAA will be operating to 21 cities on the continent with the commencement of this service. Pointe Noire, the economic capital of the Congo is SAA’s fourth new destination on the continent for the 2011/12 financial year, joining Ndola (Zambia), Kigali (Rwanda) and Bujumbura (Burundi) as the airline’s most recent additions to its expansive…

- From a unique Golf and Lifestyle Safari Weekend, the introduction of the National Convention Bureau and cutting-edge new research, Meetings Africa 2012 offers exhibitors, delegates and visitors an unparalleled opportunity to conduct business, network and learn. A record 130 influential buyers from around the world are expected at Meetings Africa 2012, Africa’s biggest business tourism trade show, which takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 28 February to 1 March 2012. The event, which recently won the ‘Best Trade Exhibition’ award at the Exhibition and Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA) Awards, seeks to position South Africa amongst…

- Kigali: RwandAir has formally announced its plans to replace the two 50 Seater CRJ200s with brand new regional jets. This announcement comes after the airline reached an agreement with a buyer for the two aircraft it purchased in 2009 at the start of its fleet acquisition process. In a statement to the press RwandAir CEO John Mirenge confirmed that the airline has had plans to sell the CRJs and replace them with brand new larger capacity regional jets. “The two 50 seater CRJs were our first purchased aircraft from Lufthansa Cityline and they have served us very well especially in the three hour radius of Kigali flights. We have however seen the regional market grow and we feel this…

- More than 30 million video views online is a ‘gift that’s literally fallen into South Africa’s lap’ PARADISE, THE MUSIC VIDEO of global rock supergroup Coldplay that was shot on location in Cape Town, Johannesburg and the South African Karoo has attracted more than 30 millionviews on social media channel, YouTube. It’s a level of global popularity that South African Tourism wants to capitalise on to drive awareness of the paradise-like beauty of this destination and to encourage more people to take Coldplay’s South African inspiration and turn it into a holiday in the most beautiful destination in the world. From now on, anyone who surfs the Para…