Travel news for people on the move
The latest travel updates about visas, hot spots and specials
Jozi is Africa's hottest spot
Johannesburg is on its way to becoming Africa's most popular destination city, followed by Cape Town, according to MasterCard's 2014 Global Destination Cities Index. International arrivals to Joburg will top 4.3 million people, who will spend an estimated $3.2-billion in 2014.
Most of Joburg's visitors - some 458000 - will come from London followed by 305000 from Frankfurt, Harare (269 000), Maputo (204 000) and Paris (198 000). Cape Town expects to receive 1.6 million overnighting foreign visitors this year, earning $2.3-billion.
London is the world's most popular destination city with 18.7 million visitors in 2014, followed by Bangkok (16.4 million), Paris (15.6 million), Singapore (12.5 million) and Dubai (11.9 million).
The index ranks cities in terms of the number of their total international visitor arrivals and the cross-border spending by these visitors in the destination cities.
Trafalgar's treat for singles
Trafalgar has made a welcome move to waive or at least reduce single-room supplements in many of the packages it will offer next year. The single-friendly deals will be valid on selected departure dates for 17 of its popular itineraries and will offer reduced single supplements between 50% and 100%. Itineraries with 100% waivers include Italy, the UK and Turkey. The saving on the Italy trip alone will be R3 000. For more information see trafalgar.com.
Easier French visas
South Africans heading to France may now apply for their visas at any of the three Capargo premises, the company in charge of data collection, in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town. Visas will then be processed at the French consulates, Travel Buyer reports. Previously travellers had to apply at the centre within their residential region.
Change in UK transit rules
From December 1, South African passport holders will be able to fly via the UK to anywhere in the world without needing a direct airside transit visa - as long as they hold a valid visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US. According to Travel Buyer, travellers will be eligible as long as they arrive and depart by air from the same UK airport and on the same day. The UK has also reduced the fee for the direct airside transit visa to £30 (R540).
Sphinx courtyard to reopen
The Courtyard at the Great Sphinx of Giza will soon be open to tourists following a lengthy restoration, The Telegraph reports. The area surrounding the statue, thought to have been built during the reign of Pharaoh Khafra (2558-2532BC), has been closed for almost four years while damage caused by water and air pollution was repaired.
I see London, I see France
The new glass-floor walkway across Tower Bridge in London has raised a question of whether women would be advised to wear trousers instead of dresses while visiting the new attraction. Would it be possible, The Telegraph wondered, for pedestrians down below to look up and see more than they had bargained for? Staff at Tower Bridge say the glass from which the floor is made is "too thick" to see through from beneath.
The 3-minute Trans-Siberian
A mixed-bag of old established wine esates and new mavericks took the honours in this year's Klink Awards which recognise the industry's contribution to tourism - and SA's economy. Stretching from Walker Bay to the West Coast, 2014's winners - voted for by 13000 visitors - include the Franschhoek valley for Most Memorable Wine Route, Franschhoek for its Bastille Day festival and Van Loveren for its Fish Eagle hiking trail. See klinkawards.co.za.
The 3-minute Trans-Siberian
A filmmaker has condensed the 7622km train journey from Moscow to Beijing on the Trans-Siberian railway into a three-minute film, showing the highlights of a trip on board. Stanislas Giroux reduced three weeks of travel through three countries and three cultures ("and three T-shirts in my backpack!") into what The Telegraph calls "an epic travel film" about one of the world's longest, most iconic train rides.