Richard Holmes, Skift
Will 2019 be the year that the African Union passport is made freely available to the continent’s 1.2 billion citizens? Probably not, but technocrats at the 55-nation union say progress is being made.
2 months ago
Richard Holmes, Skift
South Africa's onerous visa regime for minor travelers continues to hobble its all-important tourism industry. Amendments published last month may look like good news, but read them closely and – industry insiders say – not nearly enough has changed.
3 months ago
Richard Holmes, Skift
To the delight of local tourism authorities, British Airways has been only too happy to fill the gap left by an ever-shrinking South African Airways. This week, Durban was the latest African city to welcome a direct route to the United Kingdom.
5 months ago
Richard Holmes, Skift
A savvy social media campaign is a good start, but Cape Town’s tourism industry has a long road ahead to undo the damage from the worst drought in a century.
5 months ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
It’s been one of the dirty secrets of the airline business for decades, but the #MeToo movement is now exposing sexual harassment among cabin crew in Australia. Accusations from a leading union have forced the airlines to issue strong denials about systemic problems.
5 months ago
Richard Holmes, Skift
The proposed Grand Prix in Zimbabwe near Victoria Falls is either a bold and ambitious vision for the future, or hubristic folly that will ruin the local tourism industry. Are investors and developers for real with their plans for a Grand Prix circuit on the outskirts of Victoria Falls? We'll see.
6 months ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
Most of Flight Centre’s acquisitions to date have been about adding market share and a broader international footprint, but the Australian company is now looking for tech advantages. It's hoping Canadian itinerary management platform Umapped will raise its game.
6 months ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
Australia’s airlines are urging the government to rein in the airports, claiming they are abusing their monopoly power to extract unreasonable charges. It’s a tough call for Canberra, which wants to see more investment in airport infrastructure, but doesn’t want to be seen allowing price gouging from some of the most profitable airport operators in the world.
6 months ago
Richard Holmes, Skift
The Travel Corp. is taking three of its core brands to Africa for the first time. It’s a savvy move, leveraging the local knowledge and infrastructure of its sister companies on the continent, with the feel-good upside of boosting inbound tourism to Africa.
7 months ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
Negative press about working conditions and markups has dented Flight Centre’s stock price, despite record financial results. The claims have been denied, but the share price is still suffering. The mural incident doesn't do anything to bolster confidence in corporate culture.
7 months ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
As the Air New Zealand-Virgin Australia alliance on services across the Tasman Sea comes to an end, Virgin will not take the snub from its Kiwi counterpart lying down. It is already flagging improved services and better frequent flyer rewards and trying to block rival Qantas from working with its former ally.
7 months ago
Richard Holmes, Skift
Accountants at Emirates, British Airways, and South African Airways must be breathing a sigh of relief. A combination of economic carrots and airline sticks — smoothed over by IATA diplomacy — has helped international carriers recoup more than $500 million in blocked funds from African governments since the start of 2018.
7 months ago