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Last updated: September 2026
Travel News & Updates
What’s New in Travel
Travel rules, airline networks, entry procedures and destination requirements can change quickly.
Here you will find recent updates that may affect how, when or where you travel, from new entry forms and insurance requirements to airline route changes and visa developments.
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Check Back for the Latest Travel Updates
Travel requirements and airline schedules can change quickly.
Belamour Journeys will continue updating this page with important developments affecting:
- Visa requirements
- Entry procedures
- Travel declarations
- Mandatory insurance
- Airline routes
- Airport processes
- Other significant travel changes
For any update that affects your journey, always confirm the latest information through the official source linked in the article.
Planning to Travel Soon?
Not Sure Whether a New Requirement Applies to You?
If you have already booked or are planning an upcoming journey and are unsure whether a new requirement applies to you, chat with our travel team.
From Dreams to Destinations.
Tanzania Introduces Mandatory Inbound Travel Insurance
Foreign nationals entering Mainland Tanzania will be required to obtain mandatory inbound travel insurance through the National Insurance Corporation of Tanzania (NIC).
The cover applies to eligible foreign visitors arriving through airports, land borders and seaports.
The policy costs the Tanzanian Shilling equivalent of USD 44 per person and is valid for up to 92 days. It includes cover for certain emergency medical expenses, emergency evacuation or repatriation and loss of baggage.
Residents of East African Community and Southern African Development Community member states are excluded from the requirement.
Travellers should obtain the cover before arriving in Tanzania and keep proof of insurance available for verification at the point of entry.
Belamour Note: If you are arranging travel to Mainland Tanzania after 1 October 2026, include this requirement in your pre-travel checklist.
New: Five Tanzania Safari Packages Now Available to Book
Belamour Journeys has launched five Tanzania safari packages, from a two-day Mikumi escape to a ten-day bush-and-beach journey ending in Zanzibar.
The new packages are the Mikumi Safari Escape (from USD 450), the Nyerere River & Wildlife Safari (from USD 595), Tanzania Safari Highlights (from USD 1,650), the Great Migration Experience (from USD 3,200) and the Bush & Beach Escape (from USD 3,350), all per person sharing.
Each package lists its full inclusions and exclusions, and every itinerary can also be tailored around your dates, travel style and budget.
Belamour Note: Prices are starting rates and are confirmed at the time of booking, depending on season, accommodation and availability.
Travel Tip: What to Pack for a Tanzania Safari
We recommend travelling comfortably and practically.
Useful items may include lightweight clothing in neutral colours, comfortable shoes, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, binoculars, a camera, personal medication and a light jacket for cooler mornings and evenings.
Baggage restrictions may apply on light-aircraft safari flights, so we will advise you of any specific luggage requirements before departure.
Belamour Note: Travelling to Mainland Tanzania after 1 October 2026? Add the mandatory NIC inbound travel insurance to your checklist too.
Travel Tip: When Is the Best Time to Visit?
Beyond the weather, seasonality can influence availability, pricing, crowds and the experiences available at your destination.
- Tanzania safari: June to October is a popular time, with drier conditions and strong wildlife viewing. January and February can be especially rewarding in the southern Serengeti during the calving season.
- Zanzibar: June to October and December to February are popular for a beach escape. April and May generally bring the heavier long rains.
- Dubai: November to March is usually the most comfortable period for outdoor experiences and sightseeing.
- Egypt and the Holy Land: October to April generally offers more comfortable conditions for sightseeing and pilgrimage-style journeys.
- Cape Town: November to March is South Africa’s summer and especially popular for outdoor experiences.
British Airways Announces Flights to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar
British Airways has announced two new destinations in Tanzania: Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar.
Flights will operate three times a week from London Gatwick on a triangle routing, landing in Kilimanjaro before continuing to Zanzibar and returning to London.
The service is planned to start on 29 May 2027 and run through the summer season until 31 October 2027, using a Boeing 777 with Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins.
It is the first time the airline has served Tanzania since its Dar es Salaam service ended 13 years ago.
Belamour Note: This creates a new option for travellers from the UK combining a Kilimanjaro or northern safari with a Zanzibar beach stay from summer 2027.
Air Tanzania Plans Direct London Gatwick Flights from July 2027
Air Tanzania has announced plans to begin direct flights between London Gatwick, Kilimanjaro International Airport and Zanzibar from July 2027.
The airline’s chief executive said it will schedule a minimum of three flights per week, serving tourists as well as business and friends-and-family travellers.
The service would restore direct flights between Tanzania and the UK by a Tanzanian carrier. Schedules and fares have not yet been published.
Belamour Note: This is a planned route. We will update this page once schedules are confirmed and bookings open.
South Africa Introduces Required Online Traveller Declarations
South Africa has introduced a new online traveller declaration requirement for people entering or leaving the country.
From 1 July 2026, travellers using air, land, sea or rail ports of entry are required to submit a traveller declaration through the South African Traveller Management System.
The declaration is used for Customs purposes and covers information about the traveller, journey and goods or currency that may need to be declared.
SARS advises travellers to submit the online declaration no more than 24 hours before departure on the final leg of the journey to South Africa.
South African citizens, residents and foreign visitors are generally included in the requirement. Passengers who remain entirely within the international transit area may be exempt.
Travellers who arrive without having completed the declaration will not be refused entry solely for that reason; assistance and self-service facilities may be available at the border.
Belamour Note: Travellers to or from South Africa should add the online traveller declaration to their departure checklist.
U.S. Visa Services in Several African Countries Move to Regional Hubs
The U.S. Department of State has changed the way routine visa services are handled in a number of African locations.
From 1 August 2026, routine visa services in several cities, including Bujumbura, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Windhoek and others, have been realigned to designated regional visa hubs.
Applicants affected by the change may now need to schedule their appointment and pay the visa fee through the designated regional processing location rather than the U.S. mission they previously used.
The exact processing location depends on the applicant's country of residence and visa category.
Belamour Note: If you are applying for a U.S. visa from an affected African country, confirm the correct embassy or consulate before paying fees or booking an appointment.
U.S. Introduces Expedited B-Visa Appointment Pilot at Selected Embassies
The U.S. Department of State is testing an optional expedited appointment programme for certain applicants seeking tourist or business visas.
At participating U.S. embassies and consulates, eligible B-visa applicants may pay an additional USD 750 to request an interview appointment within approximately 10 business days, subject to availability.
Applicants must still first complete the normal visa process, including payment of the standard visa application fee and scheduling a regular appointment.
The expedited service does not guarantee visa approval.
As of August 2026, the pilot is available only at selected missions and is scheduled to operate through 31 December 2026.
UK Electronic Travel Authorisation Fee Rises to £20
The fee for the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) has increased from £16 to £20.
An ETA is required by visitors who do not need a visa for stays of up to six months. It allows multiple journeys and is valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner.
British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA. Travellers from countries that require a UK visa, including Tanzania, continue to apply for a visa instead.
Belamour Note: If you are travelling to the UK on a passport that needs an ETA rather than a visa, include the new fee in your travel budget.
Europe’s Entry/Exit System Is Now Fully Operational
Travellers entering the Schengen Area should now expect a different border process.
The European Union's Entry/Exit System, known as EES, is fully operational at external border crossing points of the participating European countries.
The system applies to non-EU nationals travelling for short stays and electronically records:
- Passport or travel document information
- Entry and exit dates
- Facial images
- Fingerprints
- Refusals of entry where applicable
The system replaces the traditional manual stamping of passports for travellers covered by EES.
Belamour Note: Travellers visiting Schengen countries should allow for the updated biometric border process, particularly when entering the system for the first time.
ETIAS Expected to Follow Later in 2026
Europe's ETIAS travel authorisation is separate from the Entry/Exit System.
The European Commission has stated that ETIAS is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2026, although the exact launch date is to be formally confirmed.
ETIAS will apply mainly to visa-exempt non-EU nationals who travel to participating European countries for short stays.
- EES
- Records travellers when they cross the external border.
- ETIAS
- Will be a travel authorisation that eligible visa-exempt travellers obtain before travelling.
Travellers should not confuse:
Qatar Airways to Resume Daily Zanzibar Flights
Qatar Airways has announced that daily flights to Zanzibar will resume from 25 October 2026 as part of its 2026–2027 winter schedule.
The airline is expanding its network to more than 170 destinations and increasing connectivity across Africa and other regions.
For travellers to Tanzania, the resumed Zanzibar service provides another international connection through Doha.
Belamour Note: This may provide additional routing options for Zanzibar holidays and safari-and-beach itineraries from late October 2026.
Emirates Introduces the A350 on Nairobi Route
Emirates has announced that its Airbus A350 will begin operating between Dubai and Nairobi from 25 October 2026.
Nairobi will become the airline's 32nd A350 destination.
The aircraft introduces Emirates Premium Economy to Kenya for the first time, alongside updated Business and Economy Class cabins.
Belamour Note: Travellers connecting through Nairobi or Dubai may see new cabin and routing options from the end of October.
Ethiopian Airlines Adds Nacala, Mozambique
Ethiopian Airlines has announced a new passenger service to Nacala, Mozambique, beginning 27 October 2026.
The route will operate three times per week and will make Nacala the airline's third destination in Mozambique, joining Maputo and Beira.
The service connects Nacala with Ethiopian Airlines' wider international network through Addis Ababa.
Ethiopian Airlines Announces New Port Harcourt Service
Ethiopian Airlines will begin scheduled passenger flights to Port Harcourt, Nigeria, from 1 December 2026.
The service is planned to operate four times weekly, giving travellers another connection between West Africa and Ethiopian Airlines' international network through Addis Ababa.
Emirates and South African Airways Expand Their Partnership
Emirates and South African Airways have expanded their codeshare partnership, adding more destinations and improving connections across Southern and Central Africa.
The expanded cooperation creates additional options for passengers travelling between Emirates' international network and destinations served by South African Airways.
New Hotel Development: Hilton’s Outset Collection Heads to Madrid
Hilton has announced the first European, Middle Eastern and African property under its new Outset Collection by Hilton brand.
Casa Verbena Madrid is expected to open in late 2026 with 45 rooms in central Madrid.
The announcement adds another accommodation option for travellers planning leisure or city-break travel to Spain.
