Author: overtheborders

In the evolving landscape of travel booking, online travel agents (OTAs) such as Expedia, Booking.com and Kayak have become dominant players. While hoteliers and travel providers often accustomed committee fees charged by OTAS, in-depth research has revealed that OTA bookings are often more cost-effective than other booking channels, such as those promoted through direct bookings and traditional sales teams. This article explores hidden and labor costs associated with non-OTA channels and discusses the decline in sales team relevance in the modern travel industry. True Costs for Non-OTA Reservation Channels At first glance, direct bookings or bookings through traditional channels (such…

Mashatile has confirmed that it has conducted four official international trips since July 2024, spending around R7.9 million. Vice President Paul Mashatile revealed that he spent R2.3 million on a single work visit in March 2025, with costs including flights, accommodation, ground transportation, restaurant services and laundry costs. This latest revelation adds to previous travel spending, which totaled over R5.5 million since taking office in July 2024. The revelation came in response to a council question from Actions MP Lerato Mikateko Ngobeni, who has requested a full breakdown of all official trips that Mashathir has made since assuming the office…

Eve Air Mobility has secured $15.8 million. Granted by FINP to promote Brazil's sustainable urban air mobility technology and EVTOL operational infrastructure. Sao Paulo, Brazil – Eve Air Mobility has announced that it has been selected by Finep, the Brazilian research and project funding authority, to receive grants of up to $15.8 million. The project's total investment amounts to up to $33.8 million, combining FINEP grants with Eve's necessary company contributions. This is the first grant awarded to Eve (unreplyable funds), which strengthens the company's leadership in developing innovative solutions for sustainable urban air mobility. The grant awarded based on…

Social media has a lot of seemingly genius travel hacks. Swipe a few #Traveltok and you'll find business class seats for economic price scoring, despicable ways to bypass baggage charges, and some “less-known” booking tricks that promise to save hundreds. But while some of these tips may be useful for casual travelers and gap year backpackers, experts say that using Tiktok's travel advice can be dangerous. “Social media has dramatically changed the way people approach travel, but not all content is created with business needs in mind,” explains Herman Heunes, GM, corporate traveler. We reviewed some of Tiktok's most viral…

Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 04:00 AM| By Dennis Mogare West African states present formidable lessons to their East African counterparts, consistent with AU Agenda 2063 and concrete action. Photo/saatm In a bold and iconic move, seven West African countries – Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Conacree, Cape Verde and Gambia, have moved on to implement a single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). The announcement came on May 22, 2025, at the end of the 18th Plenary Meeting of the Banjuru Accord Group in Abuja. This demonstrates not only their commitment to continental integration, but also…

…A $300 million facility opens on Thursday to create more than 5,000 jobs Afreximbank's Abuja's $300 million African Medical Centre (AMCE) is scheduled to be officially launched on Thursday, with the goal of plugging Nigeria's annual foreign exchange losses of over $2 billion into medical tourism and related foreign exchange outflows. The Ministry of Health and Human Services has invested Nigeria's losses in health tourism for over $2 billion a year. The facility is Africa's first outstanding medical centre and works with King's College in London. Nigeria was selected in 2016 to host pilot AMCE following a competitive bidding process…

Home » AFRICA » South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Ethiopia Drive Africa Tourism Revival with New Flight Routes, Airport Expansions, Hotel Booms and Record Arrivals Tuesday, June 3, 2025Africa’s tourism revival in 2025 is being driven by a powerful combination of strategic airline expansions, upgraded airport infrastructure, rising hotel occupancy, and bold visa reforms across Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cabo Verde, and Ethiopia—each of which is helping to reshape the continent’s travel landscape. These countries are not only welcoming record numbers of tourists through easier visa access and new flight routes, but…

The Radisson Hotel Group continues to solidify its leadership in the hospitality environment in Africa, with W Hospitality Group's 2024 “From Pipeline to Reality” top rankings documenting the report to achieve the most hotel openings across the continent within a year. Based on this momentum in the first quarter of 2025, the Radisson Hotel Group announced its market entry into the Democratic Republic of Congo with the signatures of two landmarks, further strengthening its presence in Central Africa with the signatures of the Radisson Blu Hotel and apartments in Cameroon. Over the past 15 months, 11 hotel signatures and seven…

The first flight was welcomed at a reception attended by senior officials and representatives from both sides. Ethiopian Airlines currently operates four flights per week between Addis Abababore International Airport and Sharjah Airport on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, leaving Sharjah on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and is tied to Addis Ababa. Strategic routes to strengthen trade and investment ties with Africa His Ali Salim Al Midfa (SAA) chairman emphasized that this strategic partnership with the Ethiopian National Airlines will collapse in line with the airport's ongoing efforts to expand its network of destinations and connect Sharjah with major…

Ink Innovation, a leading provider of Aviation Technology Solutions, is proud to announce its ongoing partnership with Nauru Airlines, the national airline of the Republic of Nauru. By leveraging Ink's cloud-based departure and load control system, Nauru Airlines offers the essential connectivity to remote island communities with unparalleled efficiency and reliability. For over 15 years, Ink Innovation has been a trusted partner of Nauru Airlines, allowing airlines to manage complex businesses in some of the world's most challenging environments. Serving destinations with infrastructure and weekly flight schedules, Nauru Airlines relies on Ink's intuitive, real-time solutions to seamlessly handle passengers, freight…