South Africa: Nomad Tours December News & Updates | Номад Турс Южная Африка

Nomad Tours December News & Updates

The last month of 2021 has arrived and what the past 2 years have taught us is that we as a company and the agents & clients we work with are resilient and stronger than ever. With the recent news that broke, I am sure most of our first instincts are to panic, but history has taught us now to remain calm, assess & wait for clear guidelines.

The recent events has brought some hurdles for the industry, perhaps you have been directly impacted by the rulings and face your own set of challenges. As always Nomad would like to reassure you of our commitment to our agents & travellers.

We will not be indulging in the frenzy that has been created and will work with factual information that is current and accurate released by government. We encourage everyone not make pre mature decisions, to wait and see what unfolds in the coming days and avoid entertaining media opinions that cause panic & stress.

Nomad is open for business, borders are not closed where we travel and travellers are still arriving at our doorstep. The need for travel is more than ever and what a great destination this is to ride out whatever storms are around us.

Once again, we don’t have all the answers – what we do know is:

° South Africans have been banned from international travel to many territories and countries internationally

° South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia’s borders remain open (including other African countries)

° Some airlines continue to travel to Southern Africa, bringing EU citizens amongst others. South African nationals may not depart

° International travel can proceed (depending on nationality) quarantine rules may apply on return

° There is no restriction of movement between provinces and Southern African countries

Our stance on the current situation is that we are physically able to operate our tours, there is no justification for us to halt tour operations and to force mass cancellations.

Our tours will proceed as planned until such time that restrictions call for a) tour deviation or b) cancellation. We would like to remind you that any cancellations received will be subject to standard terms & conditions and cancellations fees may apply so we urge you to discuss all options with your guest prior to cancelling.

As new data emerges in the week coming, we will remain in contact with guests booked on tours set to depart in December and 2022, should any changes occur.

We anticipate in the coming weeks further changes in policies to occur with governments requiring clients to be vaccinated to cross borders. Yesterday Zambia announced they will require all persons to provide evidence of vaccination before entry into government buildings. [Immigration/border control are classified as government buildings]. Also High Risk countries will be required to quarantine. We have not been informed which countries are seen as High Risk. We will communicate to you as soon as we know more.

We are in the process of returning our trips to Victoria Falls due to the recent ruling from Zambia and will be informing our clients & agents once we know more.

The travel community is resilient, and we would like to extend our gratitude to clients and agents who have reached out to us in the past 48 hours voicing their intent to travel and not panicking and doing blanket cancellations. We appreciate your efforts.

December Specials

° Valid from 1 - 31 December 2021 on listed tours

° Can't be used in conjunction with another deal or special

° ​Only applicable to new bookings, not existing confirmed bookings

° Standard booking & cancellation terms apply.

° Discount is applicable on the advertised per person rate. Not on single supplements, gorilla permits or pre/post services

Mandatory Vaccine Requirement

The Government of Malawi has on 29th November 2021, introduced new entry requirements for all travellers of all nationalities who wish to gain entry into Malawi. Likewise Zambia has ruled the same as of 30 November 2021. Only fully vaccinated travellers may enter with immediate effect. Due to this change we will as operator be required to enforce this requirement for all passengers joining our tours travelling through this country.

Warm Regards

The Nomad Team.

38 Chilwan Crescent, Helderberg Industrial Park
Strand, South Africa, 7140

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Zimbabwe: 2020 Testing Travel Information | Вирус тесты Зимбабве

2020 Travel Information

ZIMBABWE

To enter the country, you require a negative test result issued within 48 hours of boarding

TESTING INFORMATION

VICTORIA FALLS

Victoria Falls Airport

Swabbed on arrival

2-hour turn-around

Cost – USD60.00

Victoria Falls Hospital

Swabbed at the hospital

24-hour turn-around

Cost – USD60.00

Private

Swabbed by Dr Mike Jeans who will visit the clients at their hotel/lodge.

24-hour turn-around

Cost – USD100.00

TESTING POSITIVE IN THE COUNTRY

You will be quarantined at an isolation center identified by the Department of Health for a period of 14 days.

DISCLAIMER

We provide the above information out of courtesy to all concerned but can unfortunately not take responsibility for the accuracy of this information. Although we endeavor to ensure that the information provided above is accurate at the date of this document, the various government authorities change their requirements often and therefore we can never guarantee this, along with the fact that a specific testing station can also run out of testing kits at any point. We therefore advise that you re-check the requirements upon booking with your consultant.

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Zambia 2020 Testing Travel Information | Вирус тесты Замбия

2020 Travel Information

ZAMBIA

To enter the country, you require a negative test result not older than 7 days

TESTING INFORMATION

LIVINGSTONE

Government Testing 

Done at Livingstone Central Hospital, Harry Mwanga International Airport, Victoria Falls Border Post &/or LDHO Mobile Surveillance.

24-hour turn-around (as long as there are test kits in stock)

Cost - ZKW 1,000.00 or USD50.00 (EFT pre-payments only)

They will arrange to come and take a swab at hotels and lodges if given notice.

Once the supply runs out tests will be done at Macha Laboratory in Choma which increases the turn-around time drastically, if Choma has stock.

Suggestion – Guests get swabbed at the airport on arrival, so that time to get results returned is maximized.

Private Testing

Done by SES (Specialist Emergency Services)

Couriered to Lusaka & tests run at CIDRZ

24-hour turn-around from time test results have been received by the testing station.

Cost – USD150.00 for 24-hour turn-around & USD100.00 for 48-hour turn-around. (EFT pre-payments only)

The test result date that shows on the certificate is that of the clients travel date.

LUSAKA

Done at CIDRZ Medical Centre

24-hour turn-around at USD150.00 (EFT pre-payments only)

48-hour turn-around at USD100.00 (EFT pre-payments only)

COVID CERTIFICATES

Must be issued & signed by the District Medical Officer (DMO)

Once testing has been done results are emailed to either the guest or directly to the DMO. Arrangements have been made to have a DMO available in Livingstone over weekends as well. Either guest or operator must go to the DMO at pre-arranged time to collect a signed certificate.

Cost – ZKW200.00 or USD10.00 (EFT payments only)

Signed certificates must be collected from DMO Office

TESTING POSITIVE IN THE COUNTRY

You will be quarantined at the secure COVID-19 facility at Livingstone Hospital, which is separated from the rest of the hospital, for 14 days or until a negative test is obtained.

DISCLAIMER

We provide the above information out of courtesy to all concerned but can unfortunately not take responsibility for the accuracy of this information.  Although we endeavor to ensure that the information provided above is accurate at the date of this document, the various government authorities change their requirements often and therefore we can never guarantee this, along with the fact that a specific testing station can also run out of testing kits at any point. We therefore advise that you re-check the requirements upon booking with your consultant.

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MSC Cruises update

Facebook:

SOUTH AFRICA:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/south.africa.rsa

CAPE TOWN:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cape.town.group

JOHANNESBURG:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/johannesburg.group

MSC CRUISES EXTENDS FLEET-WIDE HALTING OF OPERATIONS THROUGH TO 29 MAY

MSC Cruises has decided to further extend the halting of all its new cruise departures fleet-wide through to 29 May, in light of the continued extraordinary circumstances the world is facing in connection with the Covid-19 virus global health emergency.

The Company previously announced the temporary halting of all its ships globally through to 30 April. As governments across the globe have since further strengthened ashore public health and safety measures to protect local populations and contain the further spread of the virus, today’s decision by MSC Cruises to further extend this extraordinary measure aims to mirror and further support the effectiveness of such efforts.

MSC Cruises is working tirelessly with all guests and their travel agents to address the impact of this necessary decision to their bookings on our ships up to 29 May and it is genuinely sorry for the inconvenience that this will cause them. By announcing this now, the Company intends to provide travel agents and guests who are booked on affected sailings with as much time as possible to move their booking to a future cruise.

MSC Cruises is offering guests affected by this extraordinary measure the opportunity to transfer the full amount paid for their cancelled vacation plus an additional generous credit benefit to a future cruise of their choice at any point through the end of 2021.

The MSC Cruises South African team will be contacting all travel agents who have bookings on our ships up to 29 May 2020 to inform them of the exact offer.

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Namibia: Coronavirus COVID-19 chronicles: Ongava Camps closure

19 March 2020
  
Ongava camps closure April - June 2020

To our guests and valued partners,

For many years our business is built on warm hospitality and memorable wildlife experiences which is at odds with social distancing, a key defense in the global efforts to counter the Coronavirus pandemic:
  
° Public health measures can slow the transmission and spread of infectious diseases. These measures can take the form of personal protective, environmental, social distancing, and travel related interventions.”
  
° Social Distancing saved thousands of lives both during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 and, more recently, in Mexico City during the 2009 flu pandemic.”

By being part of the solution, we hope to accelerate the passage of the contagion in order to rapidly recover post-pandemic. In line with the science, Ongava will discontinue hospitality operations up to June 30th, 2020. Remaining bookings will be accommodated up to 31 March. Our Reservations office will be in contact with bookings affected by camp closure commencing April 1st, guests:
  
° are encouraged to select new dates with our no-fee change / no annual rate increase offer through to 31st of December 2021. As per Ongava communication March 16th, 2020 this offer extends universally to all our partner Naturally Namibia properties, including Namib Sky Balloon Safaris, or,
  
° cancel, and be fully refunded.

The sooner we can work together to get this contagion behind us the sooner we can resume normal service. Our focus is on the well-being of our families, our colleagues and our fellow citizens. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience our decision may create for our guests and partners.

Take Care,
Rob, Abigail, Stuart and Karin for The Ongava Team

South Africa: Coronavirus COVID-19 chronicles: MalaMala closure

18 March 2020

Dear Valued Partners and Friends of MalaMala

We regret to advise you that MalaMala Game Reserve has decided to close its camps in an effort to join the global fight against the spread of COVID-19. This is not a decision we have taken lightly but we believe it is the socially responsible and ethically prudent approach to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our guests and staff. The global trend is towards social distancing, self-isolation and the cancellation of non-essential travel and we don’t believe MalaMala should be any different.

MalaMala Camp and Sable Camp will close with immediate effect while Rattray’s Camp will close from 26 March 2020. The delayed closure of Rattray's Camp is to accommodate guests already travelling in South Africa that may not have alternative accommodation. Should those guests decide to change their travel plans, Rattray's Camp will close sooner. All three camps will re-open on 1 May 2020 but we appreciate this is a fluid and uncertain environment and this date may change.

To date, the vast majority of our guests have decided to postpone their travels, rather than cancel, and we would encourage others to follow suit. Our reservations team is handling each booking on an individual basis and we will do everything humanly possible to accommodate amended bookings.

Finally, these are unprecedented and challenging times for everyone concerned and our thoughts are with all of you who have been affected by this crisis.  

Thank you for your patience, understanding and support.

Best wishes,
The MalaMala Team

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South Africa: Coronavirus COVID-19 chronicles: Sun Destinations Camp Closures

Sun Destinations South Africa Camp Closures

Coronavirus COVID-19 chronicles

Hi,

Following the announcement of a lock down in South Africa starting this Thursday and in line with public health advice, our South African camps have taken the decision to temporarily close with immediate effect. All the camps intend to reopen on 1 May 2020 provided that it is safe to do so. Our reservations team will be in touch with bookings travelling in March and April 2020.

We would really encourage you to push for postponements. You can postpone without having new dates and please note our updated terms further below. Postponing will assist in alleviating pressures on all of us as we try to preserve every reservation we have. The camps, yours and ours, number one priority is to protect staff and livelihoods and postponing as opposed to cancelling helps us all.

UPDATED TERMS and CONDITIONS

With the rapidly escalating travel bans we have revised our policies as follows:

Bookings travelling within the next 60 days.

We would encourage all guests booked to travel within 60 days and unable to travel due to travel bans to consider postponing their booking to a later date.
  
° We would encourage guests to postpone their booking to travel on or before 01 May 2021 at no extra cost.
° Should guests rebook to travel on or before 01 May 2021 and wish to make further changes to travel dates, this would be accommodated subject to availability.
° Should guests not wish to travel on or before 01 May 2021, we will extend postponement to 31 December 2021, subject to a 2021 rates.
° Should clients wish to cancel for travel within the next 60 days then standard cancellation policies will apply.

Bookings travelling more than 60 days out

Considering how quickly things are changing on a daily basis as regards COVID-19, we would encourage guests to delay any decisions to cancel or postpone these bookings at this stage. 

For bookings travelling more than 60 day out, our standard terms and conditions still apply. HOWEVER we are always willing to be flexible should you have any issues in applying the standard terms and conditions to guests bookings. We are happy to work on a case by case basis. Just as the pandemic is not the guests fault, neither it is the camps, or Sun Destinations or our valued agents and some reasonability needs to applied to all cancelled bookings.

REFUNDS

Please may I ask that there is some patience shown as regards refunds. Just as I am sure you all inundated with cancellations and refunds, there are only so many emails one can get through in a day. Ensuring that all refunds are processed correctly will take some time.

Here is hoping that by the 16th April 2020 we will all have a clearer idea of where this nightmare is going, and I just want to wish everyone the best. Our industry is the not only one affected and I hope that we can all somehow emerge on the other side safe and sound and livelihoods intact.

Thank you for supporting the camps, it is very much appreciated, and the camps look forward to welcoming guests again in the future.

Regards
Brett Thomson

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Naturally Namibia response to the novel Coronavirus COVID-19

Level Two response to the novel Coronavirus COVID-19

The Naturally Namibia Level Two response is implemented where the key source market countries and / or Namibia is subject to Government travel restriction. For Level Two, the Naturally Namibia Partners have resolved as follows:

1. Hygiene standards 
That each of our lodges, properties, offices and related services operate to the highest hygiene standards as communicated by The World Health Organisation (WHO) Technical Guidelines.

a. The health and safety of our guests, colleagues, families and members of staff are our priority. Adjustments to staff and guest interaction are in place including no direct contact and maintaining between 1 and 2 meters social distance.

a. That our Operations are flexible and prepared for all eventualities including isolation.

a. We will endeavour to maintain the extremely high standards that our businesses offer to our guests but under these very difficult circumstances we ask that our tourism partners and guests be understanding that our operations may be compromised marginally.

1. Boosted Flexibility: Group Substitution
As previously communicated, per Level One, cancellation fee would be waived if a reservation was moved to a new date within 12 months. This flexibility is available up to 14 days prior to arrival. Any rate variation for bookings moved to 2021 would be for the Guest account.

This ‘no cancellation fee option to change date’ policy is now expanded in the following manner: 

a. The increased flexibility allows change of travel dates be selected up to 31 December 2021. The Group has resolved to honour 2020 rates for confirmed bookings that are moved up to the travel date of 31 December 2021.

a. The boosted Naturally Namibia flexibility for a ‘no cancellation fee option to change date’ can now be placed with any Naturally Namibia property including Namib Sky Hot Air Balloon Safaris. Where the preferred new dates are not available at the original property, the new booking dates can be substituted at any other Naturally Namibia property and qualify for cancellation penalty waiver. This provides Agents and guests greatly increased options to arrange their new itineraries with the Group’s 216 Guest Rooms and Namib Sky Balloon Safaris.

a. Notes: For bookings that are moved to another property, the substitute property’s rates, and terms & conditions apply. Once the Guest has checked in to the substitute property then the original property will waive the cancellation fee.

i.   Accounts Holders:  Applicable Cancellation Fees will be billed in line with existing cancellation policies to the rebooked booking as per above in point 2) a. and b.

ii.   Pre-Paid Bookings:  We offer the option to travel the rebooked booking until 31 December 2021.  If the new booking date has not been received within 2 months of the cancellation date, the difference between the fully paid booking and cancellation fee in line with existing cancellation policies will be refunded the operator or client.

As the owners of properties and safari service providers we share your concerns in this difficult time and will endeavour to work with you and your guests in managing the situation as it unfolds. Please feel free to contact myself or any of the Partners for all your questions.

This interim Coronavirus cancellation policy and Level Two rate negotiation will be reviewed at any time to our discretion.  This interim cancellation policy and Level Two rate negotiation will fall away once the situation returned to normal business practices, therefore standard terms & conditions, and rates will apply.

This Level 2 Coronavirus cancellation policy will remain in place for as long as Government travel bans are in place.

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