Small Luxury Hotels of the World will make a return to South Africa, introducing three new additions to the portfolio. Launching imminently, SLH will welcome two beautiful hotels from The Liz McGrath Collection – The Plettenberg on the coastline of the famous Garden Route, and The Marine – a clifftop retreat on the Hermanus Coast. The third property joining the portfolio will be in Cape Town.

An unused historic railway bridge that crosses the Sabie River and a nearby former train station in South Africa are being converted into a unique luxury accommodation. Located near the Skukuza Rest Camp, the bridge itself will be used as the permanent base for a newly refurbished train that is “reminiscent of African excellence”.

The South African Government will develop a revamped international airline with a fresh business model and direction as the demise of the country’s flag carrier, South African Airways, is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With South Africa currently in lockdown, Sabi Sabi’s lodges are closed to guests. However, life in the bush goes on, with a small management team working hard to maintain the lodges, manage habitats and anti-poaching patrols while at the same time conduct morning and afternoon safaris for Sabi Sabi’s online marketing platforms.

Virgin Atlantic has announced it will recommence flights between London Heathrow and Cape Town, effective 25 October 2020. The English airline withdrew from the South African city six years ago as part of a network shuffle focused on transAtlantic routes.

andBeyond has added a brand new way to experience the romance, adventure and magic of Africa at &Beyond Ngala Private Game Reserve in South Africa. The Ngala Treehouse is a remote overnight retreat that offers guests the ultimate in sleepout experiences beneath the stars.

Singita Castleton in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Reserve has emerged this month with a design refresh, aiming to ensure that future guests benefit from the utmost exclusivity and comfort in the African bush. Surrounded by 18,000 hectares of untouched wilderness, the former home of the grandfather of Singita’s founder, Luke Bailes, is steeped in history.

To meet the growing demands for tailor-made programs, guided group tours and increasingly, combined tours, Jenman Safaris has added six new customisable itineraries and two new group tours to its 2020 offering.

Azamara is launching a new collection of People to Planet Voyages and Excursions as part of an expanded partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), beginning in South Africa.

MSC Cruises has broken ground on the construction of a new world-class cruise terminal in Durban, South Africa. The Durban Cruise Terminal is slated to be operational by January 2021.

Cape Town’s iconic boutique hotel, Tintswalo Atlantic, will reopen for business on 1 October 2019 after rebuilding a large proportion of the property. The hotel has been closed since February, when a kitchen fire destroyed the main section of the lodge.

In-house research has revealed Hawaii as the number one destination Australian customers are booking through travel e-commerce specialist, Luxury Escapes. More than 40% of Luxury Escapes’ customers say they want to travel to the Aloha State, says CEO Cameron Holland.