More weekend and festive-season choice from Johannesburg

The airline is now operating a third daily return service between Johannesburg and Lusaka every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, supplementing its existing services throughout the week. It will also operate 54 additional flights on the route during the December 2026 and January 2027 holiday period.

The additional weekend services between Johannesburg and Lusaka began on Saturday, 19 September. The new evening flight departs Johannesburg at 18:25 and arrives in Lusaka at 20:25. The return service departs Lusaka at 15:30 and arrives in Johannesburg at 17:30. The expanded schedule gives South African business travellers, holidaymakers, and people visiting friends and relatives more flexibility when planning weekend and festive-season travel.

Cape Town gains a new Friday connection

Cape Town travellers will also gain a new Friday service from 11 December, joining Proflight Zambia’s existing Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday flights.

The Friday flight will depart Cape Town at 15:55 and arrive in Lusaka at 20:10. The return service will depart Lusaka at 10:40 and arrive in Cape Town at 15:05.

Operating via Livingstone with a brief stopover, the service gives Cape Town travellers a fourth weekly connection to Lusaka and a fourth weekly direct link to Livingstone. It also improves access to destinations across Zambia through Proflight Zambia’s domestic network.

The Friday schedule connects with morning services from Ndola, Solwezi, Kalumbila, and Mfuwe, making it easier for passengers travelling between Cape Town and Zambia’s key business and leisure destinations to complete their journeys through a single airline network.

Captain Josias Walubita, Director of Government and Industry Affairs at Proflight Zambia, said: “Air connectivity works best when a schedule reflects how people actually travel. The Johannesburg additions provide greater choice over the weekend, while the Friday Cape Town service has been timed to connect with flights from key destinations across Zambia. Rather than simply adding seats, this expansion is about building a more useful regional network that supports the business relationships, family ties, and tourism links between Zambia and South Africa.”

Full schedules are available at flyzambia.com. All flights are bookable through flyzambia.com, Proflight Zambia’s sales offices, and travel trade partners. No flights will operate on Christmas Day, 25 December.

Johannesburg’s tourism economy has shown resilience amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and a global economic downturn. According to S&P Global, visitor numbers to the city, drawn from domestic and international markets, grew from just over 4.5 million in 2024/25 to five million in 2025/26. That growth generated more than R106 billion in tourism spend last year, according to Joburg Tourism.

SATSA CEO David Frost describes Johannesburg as the true cultural heartbeat of South Africa, however, the city has been underrepresented in itineraries, despite offering a depth of culture, cuisine, art and history that rivals any city on the continent and even the world.

“Our tour operators want to book Johannesburg; they just need the itineraries and packages to do it,” said Frost, who notes that SATSA represents over 500 inbound tour operators through its membership, all of whom have already been through SATSA’s strict annual verification process, giving Joburg Tourism a ready-made, credible base of partners to build with. “Bringing our members together with Joburg Tourism to jointly build, package and market these experiences is genuinely pioneering, and it’s a model we should take to the rest of the country.”

Joburg Tourism echoed that ambition. Belu Mabandla, the organisation’s Executive Head for Destination Marketing and Events, said the partnership with SATSA marks a significant step in a long-standing effort to work directly with travel trade, shifting the needle from destination brand awareness to conversion.

“We’re grateful to have reached this stage, launching a partnership with the players who will help us bring the right deals to market and present the right persona of Johannesburg to the world,” said Mabandla.

From Campaign to Conversion

Welcome2Joburg Experience builds on Joburg Tourism’s established “Welcome to Joburg” campaign, which positions the city as an all-year-round, value-for-money destination for both business and leisure travellers, with a particular focus on encouraging visitors to fall in love with Joburg in the first 72 hours.

The partnership has four pillars:

· Market-ready offers: SATSA members packaging 72-hour, longer-stay and shorter-stay Johannesburg itineraries

· Consumer demand generation: activated through Joburg Tourism’s ongoing marketing campaigns

· Conversion via an Experience Hub: a consumer-facing, clickable booking platform connecting travellers directly to Johannesburg products

· Consumer insights: gathered to continually refine what’s on offer and how it’s marketed

Johannesburg attracted five million visitors last year, generating over R106 billion in tourism spend, according to Joburg Tourism figures. The bulk of those visits are currently driven by people visiting friends and relatives. This presents a significant opportunity to convert that segment into leisure tourism visitors.

A Call to Action for Tourism Businesses

SATSA is now inviting its members, and in time, Johannesburg-based tourism experience providers, to put their offerings forward for inclusion in the programme.

Phase 1 is open to SATSA members first, whose businesses have already passed SATSA’s strict annual verification process, giving Joburg Tourism a vetted, credible pool of operators to build the pipeline with from day one. Phase 2 will look at how to open the programme beyond SATSA’s membership.

· Destination management companies (DMCs) and tour operators: with a ready, bookable Johannesburg package can submit an Expression of Interest here.

· Experience providers: with a ready, bookable Johannesburg package across heritage, art, culture, gastronomy, accommodation, attractions, activities, food, guiding, transport or venues can submit an Expression of Interest here. (SATSA membership is not required for this track)

There is no cost to participate. Submitting an Expression of Interest is simply how SATSA and Joburg Tourism identify and match Johannesburg’s tourism offerings with the demand this campaign will drive.

“This is how we spread the love and start addressing the real problem of geographical spread in our tourism economy,” concludes Frost.

For more information, contact support@welcome2joburg.co.za.

 As South Africa marks Tourism Month, Cape Town Tourism (CTT) and Visit Stellenbosch are joining forces to encourage visitors to stay longer and experience both destinations as part of a connected Cape journey.

The two organisations have signed a Joint Marketing Agreement (JMA), bringing together two distinctive destinations that complement one another within the same journey, from Cape Town’s coastline, city energy and cultural attractions to Stellenbosch’s wine, food, heritage, art, nature, shopping and unique local experiences.

The partnership will see the two organisations develop joint itineraries, share content and run collaborative campaigns across their digital channels, supported by joint media and trade activity. The focus will include domestic visitors during key periods such as school holidays, long weekends and the festive season, while also creating reasons to visit year-round and supporting efforts to address seasonality.

The collaboration will encourage visitors to extend their stay in either destination by adding the other to their itinerary, showing how two distinct destinations can work together to create a richer, longer Cape experience.

Joint content will showcase the breadth of experiences available across both destinations, with campaigns, competitions and giveaways creating further opportunities for tourism businesses on both sides to participate in shared storytelling. Joint media and trade engagement will also highlight the combined offering to travel journalists, travel sellers and other industry audiences.

Where relevant, international media and trade activity will position Cape Town and Stellenbosch together as complementary destinations within a longer South African itinerary. Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, says: “Cape Town is a destination that can easily fill a holiday, but it is also the gateway to so much more of the Cape. Stellenbosch adds another dimension to the Cape Town experience, and vice versa. There is a real opportunity to encourage visitors to stay longer, explore more and experience the diversity of our region. This partnership gives us a platform to make that connection more visible, particularly during key travel periods and throughout the year.”

The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, adds: “Cape Town’s visitor economy is showing strong momentum, with 1.44 million international overnight visitors and 1.42 million domestic overnight trips recorded in 2025. The opportunity now is to turn that demand into longer stays, greater visitor spend and wider economic benefits. One of my fundamentals for tourism has always been that we must be soft on borders and strong on vision. Visitors don’t experience destinations by municipal boundaries, and neither should our tourism thinking. Our Tourism Framework recognises working with neighbouring destinations as an important way to improve geographic spread and grow the visitor economy. This partnership puts that into practice. By connecting Cape Town and Stellenbosch more deliberately, we can encourage visitors to stay another night, explore more and spend more. Every additional night creates opportunities across the tourism value chain, from accommodation and restaurants to attractions, guides, retailers and the many businesses and people who depend on tourism.” 

Annemie Liebenberg, CEO of Visit Stellenbosch, says: “Working with Cape Town Tourism allows us to connect two complementary destinations and create a stronger proposition for the region. It also has a very practical benefit for our tourism economy. Longer stays mean more visitor spend, more nights in accommodation and more opportunities for businesses across the tourism value chain to benefit. “Importantly, this partnership is also about addressing seasonality and creating reasons to visit across the year. When we work together to grow the overall tourism pie, there is greater opportunity for both destinations and for the businesses and communities that depend on tourism.” 

Stellenbosch recorded more than 1.35 million overnight visitors in 2025, contributing an estimated R13 billion in total economic impact. The partnership with Cape Town Tourism builds on the strength of both destinations while creating new opportunities to distribute visitor demand, increase length of stay and broaden participation in the tourism economy. For visitors, the message is simple: Cape Town and Stellenbosch. One more night. So much more to experience.

Europe’s border rules have shifted again. On 14 September, nine European countries were told they could keep easing the EU’s new biometric border checks, a week after the grace period was meant to end. It follows months of long queues at some of Europe’s busiest airports.

For South African passport holders, the border has never been simple: visa applications, supporting documents and paperwork are part of almost every long-haul trip. What’s new is how quickly the rules are moving, and how easily a traveller can arrive at the airport with last month’s information.

Europe: new checks, patchy enforcement

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) went live on 12 October 2025, replacing the passport stamp with a digital record of every non-EU short-stay traveller’s entries and exits. On their first visit, travellers register their fingerprints, a facial image and passport details at the border. South Africans are included, even if they already hold a valid Schengen visa.

The rollout has been rocky. According to Airports Council International, waits at some European airports reached up to five hours in July, with Lisbon, Milan, Rome and Krakow amongst the worst affected. Faulty kiosks, staff shortages and issues with biometric registration were blamed.

The emergency rules that let countries pause the checks at busy times were due to end on 6 September. Instead, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland have been given informal approval to keep using them, with no new deadline set. France says it will do so until the end of the year. The result is a patchwork: the experience at one airport, or in one month, may be quite different from the next.

Sinenhlanhla Mthembu, Senior Account Manager at FCM, says that fortunately none of her clients have yet missed a connection or had a trip seriously disrupted by the new checks, partly because corporate itineraries already tend to allow extra time. “There is often a preference for more conservative connection times, particularly when the journey involves immigration or a transfer through a major European hub,” she explains.

Closing the awareness gap

 Travel readiness depends heavily on the traveller. Some clients are behind, while others are well ahead: one company whose staff travel regularly to Geneva asked Mthembu to brief  them extensively on what EES means in practice. “There is still a strong preference amongst corporate travel programmes to use their TMC as a trusted source to interpret these changes and translate them into practical travel advice,” she says.

Outside dedicated travel teams, awareness is lower. “Realistically, most corporate clients are not asking proactively before booking,” says Za Nkosi, FCM Operations Manager. Questions tend to come just before departure, when a traveller sees a news report and asks their booker, “Do I need to do anything different at the airport?”, or after something has gone wrong, “when someone’s had a long queue or missed a connection and wants to know why nobody warned them.”

This is where a travel management company earns its place: flagging changes before travellers think to ask, and listing the current entry requirements with each booking. The aim is not to steer travellers away from particular airports, but to build flexibility into the itinerary. “A missed connection can have a knock-on effect on meetings, accommodation and the wider trip schedule,” says Mthembu.

Closer to home

The rules are changing in South Africa too. Since 1 July 2026, everyone entering or leaving the country, residents included, has been required to complete an online traveller declaration through the South African Traveller Management System (SATMS), via the SARS portal, the mobile app or a QR code. SARS encourages travellers to submit it before they reach the airport, although no one will be turned away for not having done so. South Africa has also launched an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for inbound visitors, which matters for companies hosting international colleagues or clients.

In Kenya, a mandatory health insurance requirement for foreign visitors was introduced, then suspended by the High Court while the case is heard. “For a corporate traveller, the practical lesson is that even when a requirement appears settled, its status can change,” says Mthembu.

Make the check routine

“We need to communicate proactively with travellers before departure rather than waiting for them to ask, and treat border processing time as a variable to plan around,” says Nkosi.

Mthembu recommends a simple “before I travel” check for every trip, whether a traveller flies four times a month or once a year. Before confirming, check three things: what documents or authorisations are needed, whether there are health or entry requirements, and whether the itinerary allows enough time for connections and border processing. Length of stay matters too, as some destinations apply different rules depending on the duration or purpose of the visit.

“The key is not to make travel preparation complicated,” she says. “A few minutes spent checking the current requirements before departure can prevent a much bigger problem at check-in, at the border or during the journey.”

That familiarity, however, has been complicated by a regulatory shake-up that caught many businesses off guard. Under South Africa’s National Land Transport Act, which came into effect in September 2025, e-hailing platforms were required to register with the National Public Transport Regulator within 180 days. While some platforms met that deadline, others did not, and in the North West, police have already begun impounding vehicles belonging to unregistered operators.

South Africa’s evolving e-hailing regulatory landscape has raised a question that most businesses haven’t had to ask before: do we actually know what’s happening once an employee gets into that car?

The honest answer, for many SMEs, is no.

“That gap has nothing to do with e-hailing being the wrong choice and everything to do with the fact that the governance hasn’t kept pace with the convenience,” says Herman Heunes, General Manager at Corporate Traveller South Africa.

The good news? Closing the gap is simpler than most businesses think.

The managed travel illusion

E-hailing arrived in South Africa’s corporate travel landscape and immediately made itself indispensable with real-time tracking, digital receipts, cashless payments, and a rating system that creates at least some accountability between driver and passenger. As part of a broader managed travel programme – sitting alongside chauffeur transfers, hotel bookings, and flight management – it’s a powerful tool. Used in isolation, without policy or oversight, it looks and largely feels like a managed solution.

The problem is that looking like managed travel and being managed travel are two different things.

South Africa’s new e-hailing regulations have made a previously invisible assumption very visible, very quickly.

“Visibility is the biggest challenge we see with SMEs and e-hailing,” says Carmen Hidalgo, Customer Success Team Leader at Corporate Traveller South Africa. “If companies don’t know how employees are moving around, they can’t effectively support them when things go wrong. That’s a policy problem. The tools to create that visibility already exist. Most businesses just haven’t connected them to a formal framework yet.”

The myth around SMEs and duty of care

There’s a persistent assumption in the SME market that duty of care is something multinationals worry about. For smaller businesses, the thinking often goes, the informal approach has worked fine so far.

But, ultimately, rather than the size of your travel programme, duty of care is about the fact that when an employee travels for work, whether they’re flying to Johannesburg or getting into an e-hailing vehicle to reach a client meeting across town, their employer has a responsibility to take reasonable steps to keep them safe and to support them if something goes wrong.

“Liability may sit with multiple parties in a ground transport incident, but responsibility cannot be outsourced,” says Heunes. “What we want SMEs to understand is this: building a duty of care framework that properly supports your travellers doesn’t require complexity – it requires clarity. Clear guidelines, approved providers, and a defined process for escalation. That’s achievable for any business, regardless of size, and it changes the experience for your travellers and your risk profile significantly.”

The shift Heunes describes is already visible in how Corporate Traveller’s SME clients are approaching ground transport. “We’re seeing companies move from convenience-led bookings to visibility-led bookings,” he says. “The question used to be ‘how do we get a ride?’ Now it’s ‘how do we manage the journey?’”

That change reflects a growing understanding that e-hailing is no longer simply a transport choice.

“It’s a traveller experience, a business risk, and a duty of care decision, all at once,” Heunes adds.

So, what does that actually look like in practice?

What good looks like

Sensible e-hailing governance for an SME requires a few deliberate decisions, consistently applied.

Start with an approved provider list. Knowing which platforms are operating within the legal framework is a reasonable baseline. That list may evolve, and a good TMC will help you stay current, but having one at all puts you ahead of most SMEs.

Build basic safety guidelines into your travel culture. When using e-hailing, encourage employees to conduct the following safety checks:

• Verify the vehicle registration, make, and model against the app before getting in.
• Confirm the driver matches the photograph.
• Never accept a different vehicle on the driver’s say-so.
• Keep the trip inside the app – if a driver asks you to cancel and pay directly, decline.

Define what visibility means for your business. This doesn’t have to mean real-time GPS monitoring of every employee, but it might mean ensuring that travelling employees share their trip details with a colleague, or that bookings are made through a platform that generates reportable data. The goal is that if something goes wrong, you know where your people are and you have a process for responding.

Create a simple escalation path. Who does an employee call if their driver doesn’t match the app or if they feel unsafe? If the answer is “I suppose they’d call their manager,” that’s a starting point, but it should be written down, communicated, and tested.

Treat e-hailing as part of your travel policy, not an exception to it. “If employees are already using it, it belongs in the policy,” says Hidalgo. “Ignoring it doesn’t reduce the risk – it just means you’re managing it without a framework. The businesses that have taken the time to include ground transport in their travel governance tell us the same thing: it’s one of the easiest wins in the whole travel programme. A few clear decisions, and suddenly you have visibility and accountability where you previously had none.”

The regulatory framework will settle, and the industry will find its footing under the new rules.

But the underlying question – do we actually know what’s happening once an employee gets into that car? – remains.

E-hailing is the right choice for most SMEs. It’s cost-effective and accessible, and when it’s working well, it supports the kind of lean, efficient travel programme that smaller businesses need.

“We know SMEs aren’t interested in replacing it with something more expensive and more complicated. The goal is to make sure the governance is as good as the convenience,” comments Heunes.

That’s a realistic ambition, and for SMEs that haven’t started yet, the distance between where they are and where they need to be is shorter than they think.

“Good travel governance doesn’t need to be complicated,” says Hidalgo. “It just needs to exist.”

Airlink’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) content is now live on Aeronology, the single-screen travel platform that lets advisors search, book and service flights from multiple airlines without switching portals. Branded Airlink Direct Connect, the integration gives travel advisors full booking and servicing control for the regional carrier’s flights in one place for the first time.

For travel advisors, this means a direct solution to the fragmentation in regional African travel, where processing a flight change or refund has often depended entirely on the original booking portal. As the airline sitting at the centre of this network, Airlink’s integration into Aeronology solves a critical bottleneck for the trade.

Joao Regal, Senior Distribution Manager at Airlink, says: “NDC lets us present our full fare and ancillary offering properly, but that content is only as valuable as the ease with which the trade can actually sell and service it. For a network like ours, where itineraries change and need servicing, that matters just as much as the initial booking.”

“Airlink is fundamental to how this region moves,” adds Rian Bornman, Managing Director Africa at Aeronology. “Having it live in the same environment as GDS and LCC content removes one of the biggest remaining sources of friction. Advisors get their time back, and they spend it on clients instead of fighting technology.”

With Airlink Direct Connect live, Aeronology advisors can now:

• Shop, compare, and book Airlink flights seamlessly alongside Global Distribution System (GDS) and Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) content.
• Maintain full post-booking control, including the ability to void, cancel, and manage schedule changes without switching portals.
• Sell and manage ancillary services directly within the same workflow.

Solving the trade’s biggest operational headache

The integration lands against a backdrop the trade has already named as its core operational problem. A recent survey by ASATA, the Association of Southern African Travel Agents and Advisors, found that 82% of South African travel advisors identify managing multiple platforms as one of their biggest daily challenges.

Pete Egglestone, CEO of Aeronology, notes that this milestone proves the platform’s servicing-first model. “We built this platform because the industry outsourced its engine room and then wondered why servicing became so painful. Airlink is exactly the kind of content that proves our model, a carrier African advisors sell every day, now fully serviceable from tip to tail on the same screen as everything else.” Airlink Direct Connect is available immediately to all Aeronology advisors, including those without prior GDS experience, featuring real-time commission visibility and 24-hour telephone support.

A growing number of applicants are receiving visas valid only for their exact travel dates, without any buffer for a delayed flight or flexibility if an itinerary changes.  

“We’re hearing this more and more from clients,” says Zay Ferguson-Nair, Customer Experience Leader at Flight Centre South Africa. “The assumption has always been that a well-documented application would come back with a visa valid for at least a few weeks beyond your travel dates, but that’s no longer a given.” 

A combination of factors, including higher application volumes and a sharper emphasis on preventing overstays, has pushed consulates toward issuing visas that match travel dates exactly, rather than granting the longer multi-entry visas that many South Africans have come to expect. 

“Your visa validity is also directly tied to your travel insurance coverage dates. Consulates usually won’t issue a visa that extends beyond your coverage period,” Ferguson-Nair explains.  

This gradual tightening has become the new normal, and the travellers who are adjusting their approach accordingly are the ones arriving in Europe without unnecessary stress. 

First-time applicants and repeat travellers need different strategies 

Not all Schengen applicants are in the same position, and the approach that makes sense for a first-time applicant is different from the one that works for someone with a solid European travel history. 

If this is your first Schengen visa, according to Ferguson-Nair, the most useful advice is to apply expecting an exact-date visa, document everything thoroughly, travel compliantly, and treat this trip as the foundation of a travel history that will work in your favour for every application that follows. The consulate is assessing risk. Your job is to make the case that you are a low-risk applicant – i.e. someone with strong ties to South Africa and no incentive to overstay. 

“The documents that carry the most weight at this stage are a solid employment letter (on official letterhead, signed by HR, explicitly stating your job title, salary, approved leave dates, and that you are expected back at work on a specific date), six months of clean, stable bank statements, and proof of property ownership or other long-term commitments in South Africa. The consulate needs to see that this country has a claim on you,” advises Ferguson-Nair.  

If you’re a repeat traveller, the formal framework known as the Visa Cascade system comes into play. Operated by the European Commission, it’s a structured approach that rewards compliant travel history with progressively longer visa validity. If you’ve used three Schengen visas lawfully within the past two years, you may already qualify for a one-year multi-entry visa. 

Ferguson-Nair explains that it’s a good idea to reference the Cascade framework in your cover letter, list your previous visa numbers, and make your case clearly.  

The documents and details that make a real difference 

Aside from the basics, there are a few specific steps that can meaningfully strengthen any Schengen application right now. 

• Rethink your travel insurance. Your policy must be valid from your exact departure date to your return date. Corporate travellers on annual or multi-trip policies should also note that a separate policy document still needs to be issued per trip – the existence of an annual policy alone is not sufficient for a visa application. Whichever policy type you hold, make sure it explicitly states €30,000 minimum medical coverage, is valid across all 29 Schengen states, and includes repatriation cover. Without these three elements, your application won’t clear the document-check stage, regardless of how strong everything else in your file is. 

• Be meticulous about your bank statements. Six months of statements carry significantly more weight than the minimum three. More importantly, be aware that any unexplained large deposits in the lead-up to your application will raise flags (regardless of how legitimate they are) because they suggest a financial profile that has been artificially bolstered for the purpose of the application. A consistent, stable income over time is far more persuasive. 

• Submit your expired passports alongside new applications. Old passports provide official proof of your past travel history, including previous visas and entry-exit stamps, which helps visa officers see that you respect travel rules and return home on time.  

“The visa landscape is more complex than it was even two or three years ago,” says Ferguson-Nair. “Requirements and processing times change, and the documentation that was sufficient for one application isn’t always sufficient for the next. While a good travel advisor cannot guarantee a visa outcome, they can ensure that everything within your control is as strong as it can possibly be, and that you’re not caught out by a detail you didn’t know to look for.” 

For South Africans with Europe on the horizon, that kind of informed preparation isn’t a luxury. Right now, it’s the difference between a straightforward application and an avoidable setback. 

– Norwegian Aura™ Will Also Feature a Bold Mix of Immersive Theater, Live Music and Late-Night Entertainment with the Debut of “ILLUMINOX: Infinite Wonder Unboxed™,” The Vinyl Republic™, and the Return of LunaTique: Pop Circus™–

Norwegian Cruise Line® (NCL), the industry leader in delivering freedom and choice in experiences with uncompromising hospitality, today unveiled the entertainment lineup for the highly anticipated debut of Norwegian Aura™ in May 2027, including the headlining production “Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston.”

Developed in partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and Primary Wave Music, the new original production celebrates one of the most acclaimed and bestselling artists of all time. With more than 220 million records sold worldwide, seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, six Grammy Awards and a legacy that continues to inspire generations, Houston’s music will come to life through a contemporary concert experience created exclusively for NCL.

Norwegian Aura’s lineup will also feature “ILLUMINOX: Infinite Wonder Unboxed™,” a new original illusion spectacular blending acrobatics and visual effects; “The Vinyl Republic™,” NCL’s newest live music collective that expands beyond the theater; and the return of the adults-only nightlife favourite “LunaTique: Pop Circus™,” creating entertainment experiences for every guest from day to night.

“Every new ship is an opportunity for Norwegian Cruise Line to push the boundaries of what entertainment at sea can be, and with ‘Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston,’ we’re building on the incredible momentum we’ve seen from our Vegas residency-inspired productions celebrating some of music’s most iconic artists,” said Bryan White, vice president of entertainment production at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “Following the success of our Prince and Elton John productions on Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna, respectively, this new show reimagines Whitney’s legendary catalog through contemporary arrangements, dynamic storytelling, stunning visuals and powerful live performances. Together with original experiences like ‘ILLUMINOX’ and ‘The Vinyl Republic,’ we’ve created a collection of entertainment that transforms every venue into a destination and every evening into something unforgettable.”

Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston – A New Original Production Honouring One of Music’s Most Iconic Voices

Developed in partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and music publishing company Primary Wave Music, the production reimagines Houston’s artistry through contemporary arrangements, dynamic storytelling and immersive stagecraft. Inspired by the glamour, confidence and star power that made Houston a global phenomenon, the show pays tribute to one of the most iconic voices ever recorded, transforming beloved songs into a vibrant concert experience that feels both timeless and entirely new. Guests will enjoy iconic hits including “It’s Not Right, But It’s OK,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” the nine-times RIAA certified platinum dance-pop anthem, also named Best Pop Song of All Time by Billboard magazine in 2023.

Staged in the three-story Aura Theatre & Club, the 45-minute production combines live vocals, a live band, stunning visuals and performances extending beyond the main stage to create an immersive experience.

“We are thrilled to partner with Norwegian Cruise Line to present ‘Whitney: A Celebration of Whitney Houston’ for the debut of the Norwegian Aura in May 2027,” says Pat Houston, executor of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and president of the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation. “Whitney enjoyed cruises. Her fans and supporters will have a nostalgic experience enjoying the extraordinary artistry and live music of Whitney Houston, performed by worldclass musicians while sailing on the high seas.”

Breathtaking Acrobatics, Live Music That Spans Generations and Endless Nightlife

Beyond the headline production, Norwegian Aura will feature a collection of original entertainment designed exclusively for the ship to deliver multigenerational experiences.

“ILLUMINOX: Infinite Wonder Unboxed™” combines grand-scale illusions, acrobatics, original music and visual effects in a fast-paced theatrical production that invites audiences into a world where the impossible becomes reality. Inspired by the joy of curiosity and the thrill of the unexpected, the 45-minute production will take guests through a fast-moving journey full of surprise and wonder in the Aura Theater & Club.

Music comes alive aboard Norwegian Aura with “The Vinyl Republic™,” NCL’s newest live music collective inspired by the legacy of vinyl records. Spanning genres from country and rock to funk, blues and pop, the band delivers high-energy performances where no two shows are ever the same.

The collective headlines two signature experiences in the Aura Theatre & Club: “The Vinyl Republic’s Journey Through Rock,” celebrating Journey’s greatest hits and the arena rock era, and “The Vinyl Republic’s Kickin’ It Country™,” a lively, late-night country party featuring today’s biggest hits and interactive line dancing.

Beyond the theater, The Vinyl Republic brings live music throughout the ship, from the Penrose Atrium to Improv at Sea, creating fresh, engaging performances that transform every venue into a unique concert experience.

Returning favourite “LunaTique: Pop Circus™” expands its adults-only blend of cabaret, circus artistry and immersive nightlife to the Aura Theatre & Club following its successful debut aboard Norwegian Luna™. This immersive theatrical experience, featuring new acts and new music, is available for an additional cost and includes tantalising cocktails paired with each performance, offering a late-night alternative that is equal parts live entertainment and cocktail party.

Guests will also enjoy signature experiences including “Aura FIRST NIGHT™,” a welcome showcase introducing the ship’s entertainment lineup, and “Latin LIVE!™,” an energetic poolside celebration featuring live percussionists, dynamic vocalists, vibrant dance performances and the biggest Latin dance hits to keep guests moving all night long.

Together, these experiences reflect NCL’s continued commitment to delivering world-class entertainment at sea through innovative productions and unforgettable live performances.

Norwegian Aura Inaugural Season from Miami

Prior to homeporting in Miami for her inaugural season in June 2027, Norwegian Aura will sail a seven-day Mediterranean voyage from Trieste, Italy to Barcelona, Spain on May 21, 2027 with calls to Valletta, Malta; as well as Salerno and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. This will be followed by a 13-day transatlantic voyage from Barcelona to Miami, from which she will commence her season of Caribbean cruises from Miami. From June 2027 through October 2027, Norwegian Aura will sail seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyages with calls to quintessential island destinations, including Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and the Brand’s newly enhanced private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, featuring the all-new Great Tides Waterpark. In winter 2027/28, Norwegian Aura will offer seven-day Western Caribbean voyages taking guests to lush, tropical destinations like Roatan (Islas de la Bahia), Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; as well as Harvest Caye, NCL’s resort-style private destination off the Belizean coast.

For more information about Norwegian Aura and NCL’s award-winning fleet, visit www.ncl.com.

The acquisition increases the airline’s Jetstream 41 fleet from four to seven aircraft. For South African business and leisure travellers, the expanded fleet will support more dependable regional travel and smoother onward connections from Lusaka and Livingstone to key destinations across Zambia.

Proflight Zambia currently connects South Africa and Zambia through services between Johannesburg/Cape Town and Lusaka, and Cape Town and Livingstone. Once in Zambia, passengers can connect onwards to destinations including Mfuwe, home to South Luangwa National Park; Livingstone, gateway to Victoria Falls; Ndola in the Copperbelt; and other important commercial and leisure centres.

The additional aircraft will allow Proflight Zambia to increase frequency and capacity across its domestic network while supporting improved schedule reliability and passenger convenience. They also create the potential for new domestic and international routes next year.

Crucially, the larger fleet provides greater operational redundancy. This gives the airline more flexibility when aircraft undergo scheduled or unplanned maintenance, helping to protect flight schedules and reduce disruption for passengers travelling between South Africa and Zambia or connecting onwards within the country.

“Proflight Zambia welcomes the additional three BAE Jetstream 41 29-seat turboprop aircraft, which have now been flown home to Lusaka by our very own crew,” said Captain Josias Walubita, Proflight Zambia’s Director Government and Industry Affairs.

“The purchase of these aircraft will enable the airline to meet growing local demand and support our commitment to providing safe and reliable connectivity across Zambia, even as the country targets 20 per cent growth in domestic tourism in 2026. We are extremely proud of our flight and maintenance crew, who successfully ferried the three aircraft from North Lincolnshire in the UK to Lusaka, Zambia.”

As the Jetstream 41 is already an established part of Proflight Zambia’s fleet, the airline has the operational, maintenance and crew capability to integrate the additional aircraft smoothly into its existing operations. Before departing the UK, all three aircraft received the necessary regulatory approvals and were successfully placed on the Zambian register and issued their 9J registrations.

The investment comes as Zambia continues to attract South African visitors travelling for business, holidays, safari experiences and visits to friends and relatives. By strengthening its domestic operation, Proflight Zambia is making it easier for travellers to connect from South Africa and explore more of Zambia through a single airline network.

AURUM Africa marked a defining moment in its journey on 22 August when it formally welcomed 24 employee shareholders at a ceremony held at One&Only Cape Town.

Held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Inclusive Tourism”, the AURUM Africa Shareholder Officiating Ceremony brought to life a powerful belief: the people who create exceptional travel experiences deserve to share in the value they help build.

The 24 shareholders each own an equal, direct stake in Zamara Investments, a private company that holds 20% of AURUM Africa. Zamara Investments serves on the AURUM Africa board and exercises voting rights, making the arrangement one of genuine ownership and participation rather than profit sharing.

“This represents far more than a corporate milestone,” said Mohamed “Mo” Baba, founder and Group Managing Director. “Genuine transformation requires us to move beyond rhetoric and establish structures through which people can participate, contribute and own a share of what they build.”

With more than 30 years of experience in African tourism, Baba has worked extensively across ground operations, luxury travel arrangements and complex transport logistics. His track record includes building Ilios Travel, which before Covid-19 employed 255 permanent staff nationally, including 154 drivers and guides.

Baba also founded Travel Black and Africa Calling and speaks on tourism transformation and employee ownership. In 2026, he authored The Extraction Playbook, a free resource sharing lessons from his entrepreneurial journey and how to protect what you’ve built.

Under Baba’s leadership, AURUM Africa has positioned itself as a brand with heart and conscience, combining quality and value to offer discerning travellers authentic, seamless experiences without unnecessary extravagance. The company launched in April 2025 and began trading in June. By March 2026, ten months after commencing operations, it had achieved a profitable trading result – a significant milestone for a new business in an industry where sustainable profitability can take several years.

AURUM Africa currently employs 52 people and expects to reach its full complement of 70 by 2028. The business is also expanding its national logistics footprint through operations in Hoedspruit, Hazyview, Durban, and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).

AURUM Africa also forms part of the expanding AURUM Group, alongside Travel Black and Africa Calling, which currently employ 20 people each. By 2028, these businesses are expected to employ 40 and 50 people respectively. A fourth business is planned for September 2027, launching with 50 employees and growing to 100 in 2028. The AURUM Group projects a workforce of 300 permanent employees across four brands by 2029.

The Group’s growth is underpinned by a commitment to inclusive enterprise development and empowering Black women in tourism. In August, it launched its enterprise and supplier development (ESD) programme through its first partnership with Grace Destinations, led by Chantal Groenewald in the Cape Winelands.

“A more inclusive tourism industry will not emerge by chance; it must be designed intentionally,” Baba said. “Through shared ownership, responsible growth and genuine local partnerships, we want to demonstrate that commercial excellence and transformation can strengthen one another.”

The ceremony signalled the beginning of a new chapter for AURUM Africa and its shareholders. As the company looks ahead, it aims to help shape a tourism industry in which those who create value share in it – and in which travel enriches visitors while delivering lasting benefits to the people and places that make each journey possible.