(Posted 26th December 2025)     As Carnival Calabar marks its 20th edition, the Cross River State Carnival Commission says the focus this year is not on expansion, but on refinement. In this interview, the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Austin Cobham, explains how early planning, tighter choreography and route re-calibration are shaping what he describes […]

(Posted 25th December 2025)   An Airbus H125 helicopter, flying an air rescue evacuation mission from high altitude on Mt. Kilimanjaro, late yesterday crashed, leaving two Czech nationals (evacuees), the pilot, a local doctor and a mountain guide dead. The locally registered helicopter, 5H-KMA, MSN  7946, owned and operated by KiliMedAir Aviation, came down […]

(Posted 24th December 2025)     The Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has issued an important advisory for travellers planning to visit Etosha National Park, following above-normal rainfall recorded over recent days. The persistent rain has led to localized flooding and deteriorated road conditions in parts of the park, prompting the temporary closure of […]

(Posted 24th December 2025)     Sustainable Skies, Connected Africa: A New Era for African Aviation We are pleased to share the Special Edition Newsletter covering the highlights of the 57th AFRAA Annual General Assembly (AGA) held recently in Luanda, Angola. Hosted by TAAG Angola Airlines under the theme “Sustainable Skies, Connected Africa,” this year’s assembly gathered 516 delegates from 49 countries to shift the industry’s […]

(Posted 24th December 2025)     The Cross River State Tourism Bureau (CRSTB) has commenced preparatory training ahead of a comprehensive data collection exercise for the upcoming Detty December season in Calabar, building on the strong performance recorded during last year’s Calabar Festival and Carnival. The training, organised by the bureau, is aimed at […]

(Posted 24th December 2025)   Just a short Christmas hello – and a thank you  for reading Diary of a Muzungu and listening to the (award-winning) East Africa Travel Podcast.     In the New Year, look out for a longer newsletter from Diary of a Muzungu with a round-up of the most useful stories and popular podcast conversations […]

(Posted 23rd December 2025)   The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport has announced the temporary closure of the R533 road between Graskop and Bushbuckridge, effective immediately. The closure follows a comprehensive on-site safety assessment conducted on Monday, 22 December 2025…. READ MORE

(Posted 23td December 2025)     The eThekwini Municipality has confirmed today (22 December 2025) that 22 of Durban’s 23 beaches are currently safe for swimming, following the latest round of coastal water quality testing. The announcement comes at a crucial time, just as festive season travel peaks and visitor numbers to KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline surge…. READ MORE

(Posted 23rd December 2025)     The Botswana Ministry of Environment and Tourism, through the Department of Meteorological Services (DMS), has released its official seasonal rainfall and temperature outlook for January to April 2026. The forecast indicates that most of Botswana is likely to experience normal to above-average rainfall, while temperatures are expected to remain close to seasonal norms […]

(Posted 23rd December 2025)     Philippine Airlines has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 , becoming the 10th airline worldwide to operate the largest version of the long range market leader. The aircraft, configured in a premium three-class layout with 382 seats, will open a new chapter in Philippine Airlines’ long haul operations […]

(Posted 23rd December 2025)   Airlink’s new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft entered service this morning, in time for the Christmas and New Year rush, with its inaugural flight, number 4Z 553, from the airline’s main base at O.R. Tambo International Airport to Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. Airlink is the first carrier in Southern Africa […]

(Posted 23rd December 2025)   (Posted 23rd December 2025)   Courtesy of Aero Trail Ltd and Mr. Alex Koech you can read every week the arguably most comprehensive aviation updates available from all over Africa.     Introduction..   Eswatini has positioned itself at the forefront of efforts to advance the Single African Air […]

(Posted 22nd December 2025)     South African National Parks (SANParks) has confirmed that exceptional rainfall across Kruger National Park has caused extensive damage to several roads, prompting temporary closures for visitor safety…. READ MORE

(Posted 22nd December 2025)     South African National Parks (SANParks) has issued an urgent advisory to all visitors to Kruger National Park as persistent heavy rainfall continues to impact large parts of the national park. The ongoing wet weather has significantly deteriorated driving conditions, prompting the closure of most roads within the park until further notice…. READ MORE

(Posted 21st December 2025)

(Posted 20th December 2025)   The entire ATCNews team of Intern, Volunteers, Regular Contributors, Managing Editor and Publisher wish all our readers, our partners, our advertisers and our friends Happy Holidays – A Merry Christmas and a Happy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year 2026. As has become a tradition, ATCNews will wind down for […]

(Posted 20th December 2025)     New Routes for 2026 Tropic Air 10to4 Mountain Bike Challenge   What’s your choice for 2026?   We have introduced TWO new elements to the Tropic Air 10to4 event for 2026 – the CLAMBER and the SWIFT – and changed the format of the SLIDE.  Please read on carefully to make sure you […]

(Posted 20th December 2025)     Qanot Sharq, one of Uzbekistan’s leading private passenger airlines, has taken delivery of its first of four  A321XLR  aircraft via a long-term lease agreement with Air Lease (NYSE: AL) . With this delivery, Qanot Sharq becomes the first A321XLR operator in Central Asia and the CIS, reinforcing the airline’s […]

(Posted 20th December 2025)     Travellers planning a visit to Mozambique should be aware of the country’s pre-travel registration and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) framework, which was formally introduced under Decree No. 10/2023. While the regulation provides for mandatory online pre-travel registration for visa-exempt nationals, the requirement is currently not… READ MORE

(Posted 20th December 2025)     As of 19 December 2025, the eThekwini Municipality has confirmed that 19 of Durban’s 23 beaches are safe for swimming following the latest coastal water quality tests. This update arrives just in time for the festive season, with visitor numbers across KwaZulu-Natal expected to surge…. READ MORE

(Posted 20th December 2025)   Courtesy of African Elephant News   Brian Oruta, The Star (Kenya), December 17, 2025 The Mara Veterinary Team has successfully treated a female sub-adult elephant injured by a wire snare at the Naboisho Wildlife Conservancy, highlighting ongoing efforts to protect wildlife through rapid response interventions. According to a statement […]

(Posted 19th Decembe4 2025)     After months of regulatory uncertainty, Solenta Aviation Mozambique has secured approval to launch scheduled domestic flights in Mozambique under the Fastjet Mozambique brand, marking a significant development for the country’s aviation and tourism sectors…. READ MORE

(Posted 19th December 2025)     ATPSA Member to Host Cameroon’s  International Tourism Fair In addition, one of ATPSA’s valued members will host the Cameroon International Tourism Fair from 19–21 March 2026 at the Limbe Botanic Gardens. Now in its 5th Edition, the fair embraces the theme “Tourism, Culture and Trade Synergies”, celebrating how culture, tourism, and gastronomy contribute […]

(Posted 19th December 2025)     We are excited to announce the 9th Africa Business Tourism and MICE Masterclass (ABTMM), scheduled for 19-20 February 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Watch the space for details regarding the venue for the ABTMM 2026. The Masterclass is the only pan-African focused MICE and business events program in Africa, designed […]