President Cyril Ramaphosa has used the opening of Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 in Durban to position tourism as a key driver of economic growth, job creation and African integration, while calling for easier travel across the continent through visa reforms and regional partnerships. Addressing delegates at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said Africa’s tourism sector was entering a new era of growth after years of global disruption and recovery. The annual tourism showcase, hosted in…

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to officially open the 2026 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban on Tuesday, as government and tourism leaders look to strengthen the sector’s contribution to economic growth and job creation. The annual tourism trade exhibition, hosted by South African Tourism, will take place from 12 to 14 May at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre under the theme “Unlimited Africa: Growing Africa’s Tourism Economy”. Widely regarded as one of the continent’s largest tourism…

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) — China saw a surge in cross-border travel during the May Day holiday, with nearly 11.3 million trips recorded, as an uptick in international visitors, including those entering visa-free, added to the increase. Trips by foreign nationals to and from China rose to 1.26 million during the holiday, a 12.5 percent increase from a year earlier. Among those entering China, 436,000 came visa-free, up 14.7 percent. China has expanded visa-free policies in recent years, allowing longer…

BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) — The Chinese capital city of Beijing received 18.83 million tourist visits during the five-day May Day holiday, up 5.1 percent year on year, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism said on Tuesday. The total tourism revenue hit 22.36 billion yuan (about 3.26 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 6.6 percent, according to the bureau. The city also recorded 128,000 inbound tourist visits, rising 22.3 percent from the same period of last year,…

South Africa is mourning the loss of a true icon, as legendary actress and former beauty queen Cynthia Shange has passed away at the age of 76 — and the entertainment world will never be the same again. The star, who lit up screens and stages for decades, died in the early hours of today at a hospital in KwaZulu-Natal after a period of illness. While her family has asked for privacy, tributes have already begun pouring in, with fans…

The Giriyondo Border Post in the northern region of the Kruger National Park is set to reopen on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, following a temporary closure caused by flood damage earlier this year. The reopening has been confirmed by the Border Management Authority (BMA), restoring a key access point for travellers and tourists using the transfrontier route between South Africa and Mozambique. The border post was forced to shut down in January 2026 after heavy rains led to flooding that…

Airline giant Emirates has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Dubai, warning passengers not to travel to the airport as authorities assess a rapidly evolving security situation in the region. In a statement posted on the airline’s official X account under the heading “Operational Update”, the carrier confirmed that all flights have been halted until further notice. “All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended. Please do not go to the airport,” the airline said. “The safety…

A popular township lifestyle venue, Slotjhile Pub & Shisanyama, will close its doors next week after a court-ordered shutdown by the City of Ekurhuleni, placing more than 150 jobs at risk. The Ndebele-inspired establishment, which opened in 2017, has been ordered to cease operations by 3 March 2026 following a High Court ruling linked to zoning and land use compliance. Management confirmed the order stems from parts of the business being situated on municipal land without approved rezoning. “Some of…

Egypt plans to increase annual tourist arrivals to 30 million following a record 19 million visitors last year, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said at a government meeting focused on easing entry procedures and improving the quality of services for tourists. This is reported by Daily News Egypt, a partner of TV BRICS. According to Mostafa Madbouly, Egypt now has a solid foundation to reach its long-term tourism targets. “We currently have an increase in numbers; last year we reached an…

Indonesia and the Republic of South Africa agreed on the mutual abolition of visas. The new entry procedure was announced by Vice President of Indonesia Gibran Rakabuming Raka at a business forum in Johannesburg, ANTARA reported. The agreement was the outcome of the October talks between the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa in Jakarta. As the vice president noted, this step reflects the growing partnership between the states. “President Ramaphosa’s visit to Indonesia…