Patricia de Lille under fire for dissolving SA Tourism board
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille has dissolved the SA Tourism board with immediate effect after finding its recent meeting unlawful, sparking backlash from civil groups.
News
Travel
Cape Town voted ‘Best City on Earth’ at 2025 Telegraph Travel Awards
Cape Town has once again been voted the best city in the world by readers of Telegraph in the 2025 edition of its Travel Awards, maintaining its reign for the seventh time in 11 years. Cape Town beats the world’s meccas to top ‘Best City’ at 2025 Telegraph Travel Awards Each year, readers of the UK-based publication are asked to rate their favourite cities across the globe. In 2025, more than 20,000 readers cast their votes across 20 travel-related categories. Cape Town, known for its scenic blend of ocean, mountains, and cosmopolitan flair, retained its top position as the most loved city worldwide. The accolade is based on the city’s appeal as a travel destination. Voters
Travel
Vietnam dominates Top 25 summer getaways in 2025
Vietnam tops Emirates’ list of summer getaways for 2025.
Travel
Africa Travel Indaba 2025: Here’s what happened on Day 2
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2025 entered Day 2 with bold speeches, major announcements, and high-level engagements showcasing Africa’s united tourism vision.
Travel
Minister provides update on Tourism Equity Fund
Applications for the TEF opened in November 2023.
Travel
Mozambique protests lead to over 13,000 tourist booking cancellations
Protests in Mozambique have led to the cancellation of over 13,000 tourist bookings, disrupted cross-border trade at the Lebombo border, and left truck drivers vulnerable to rising criminal activity.
News
Home Affairs implements new visa directive: Here’s what you must know
South Africa’s Home Affairs has made changes to the visa process, no longer asking for extra documents like death or marriage certificates.
Travel
Baby pygmy hippos drive tourism boost in Thailand
Thailand’s baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng has gone viral, boosting tourism at Khao Kheow Zoo. Here’s everything you need to know about the new sensation and pygmy hippos.
Cape Town Buzz
Cape Town traffic expected to be affected by arrival of two major cruise liners
Cape Town anticipates increased traffic with the arrival of the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria cruise liners.
Travel
Here’s a comprehensive guide to booking a Mediterranean cruise
Get all the details you need for booking your Mediterranean cruise, from the best seasons to cruise options and what to expect onboard.
Travel
Places to visit in South Africa – The Addo Elephant Park
Known for its elephants and Big 5, the Addo Elephant National Park is one of the best places to visit in South Africa.
Crime
American guest killed in stabbing incident at Green Point backpackers
An American tourist was fatally stabbed at a Green Point backpackers’ lodge. A 27-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with murder.
Travel
South Africa’s new short-term visa extension rule could force tourists out of the country on this date
Tourists who arrived in October and November 2023 could be forced to leave the country by the end of the month if they don’t get their visa extensions approved by Friday, 23 February 2024.
Technology
US couple blames Google for Cape Town robbery in explosive lawsuit
Jason and Katharine Zoladz, a US couple that was robbed in Cape Town, blames Google for routing them to Nyanga, in an explosive lawsuit.
Cape Town Buzz
Here’s where Cape Town ranked in the ‘50 Best Cities in the World to Visit in 2024’
Cape Town secured a spot ahead of Berlin, London, and Madrid, in Time Out’s ’50 Best Cities in the World to Visit in 2024′,
Travel
International tourist arrivals continue to increase in SA
During the first 11 months of 2023, South Africa welcomed 5.8 million visitors from the rest of Africa, marking a significant 75.5% of all arrivals, compared to the same period in 2022.
Travel
SA tourism boosted by year-on-year increase in foreign travellers in November 2023
SA experienced a significant boost in tourism with a notable increase in foreign travellers in November 2023.
Cape Town Buzz
SANParks rolls out safety plan to secure Table Mountain trails
SANParks has enhanced safety at Table Mountain National Park with these new measures to secure trails during the festive season.
Crime
R556 tour bus attack: How 11 travellers survived a harrowing robbery
A tour bus carrying foreign tourists on the R556 in North West was targeted in a brazen robbery this past weekend.
Travel
Hotels carry tourist accommodation industry into robust recovery
Hotels played a crucial role in the resurgence of South Africa’s tourist accommodation sector in 2023.
Technology
Google Maps removes ‘Nyanga’ from fast route suggestions in tourist safety push
De Lille revealed that SAPS is also developing a coding system to better capture and analyse real-time data on tourist-related crimes
Travel
Tourism Department strikes ‘cashless’ deal with Google to promote South Africa
The Tourism Department and Google inked a ‘cashless’ deal to promote South Africa as a prime destination and boost the industry with digital training.
Travel
Safety in South Africa: UK updates travel advice amid crime concerns
The UK government, in its latest travel advice update for South Africa, warns of increased safety and security risks.
Travel
Watch: Trevor Noah champions South African tourism in new campaign amid cost controversy [video]
Trevor Noah headlined a new tourism campaign for South Africa, sparking discussions about the initiative’s funding.
Travel
South Africa’s tourism ministry publishes ‘Masterplan’ to safeguard travel industry
The South African tourism ministry unveiled a strategic ‘Masterplan’ to revitalise and secure the travel industry’s future.
Travel
SA tourism earmarked for ‘better than normal’ recovery levels in 2023
During the first half of 2023, the industry faced challenges, registering a ‘below-normal’ score of 76 on the TBI.
Cape Town Buzz
Cape of Good Hope Castle suffers 90% drop in traffic due to squatters
This alarming drop in tourism has raised concerns about the future of the castle as a top tourist destination and a national heritage site.
Travel
Every FAQ about visiting Johannesburg in 2023
As the economic and cultural hub of South Africa, visiting Johannesburg promises an exciting and unforgettable experience.
Travel
Every FAQ about visiting Cape Town in 2023
Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a nature enthusiast, or a history buff, Cape Town has it all.
Travel
Places in Colombia where Disney’s ‘Encanto’ was inspired
Here’s a list of must-see places in Colombia which provided the magical backdrop for Disney’s animated film, ‘Encanto’.