Gqeberha tour operators’ spirits are soaring after the announcement that Airlink is set to launch a new series of flights that will link the city directly to the Kruger National Park.
The introduction of the air route connects Nelson Mandela Bay, for the first time, directly with SA’s flagship game reserve while also re-establishing the Eastern Cape’s connection to the Garden Route.
The company said it would launch the Gqeberha-Kruger flights on November 16.
The flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, which is situated between Hazyview, Mbombela and White River, 40km from Numbi, the nearest park gate.
The plane will depart from Gqeberha on each flight day at 11.30am and will leave from Kruger Mpumalanga International at 1.20pm the same day to return to the Friendly City.
Airlink will operate an Embraer Regional Jet, a twin-engined 44-seater aircraft, on the route, and passengers will be offered complimentary meals and refreshments during the flight.
“It will be the first ever scheduled airline service between these two centres," the company said in a statement.
“Bookings opened in August and there has been strong traction in the market, confirming the need and demand for this service.”
Airlink chief executive De Villiers Engelbrecht said the new route offered multiple benefits for tourists and local businessmen.
“It pairs the respective gateways to the Sunshine Coast/Garden Route with the Kruger National Park and its surrounding lodges, and other attractions.
“For leisure travellers, it will cut travel time significantly, avoiding the need to connect via Johannesburg.
“It will also support business travel between the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga’s economic and industrial hubs."
Alan Fogarty of Alan’s Tours said it was a major positive step by the airline.
“We just want to say — welcome Airlink. We really appreciate what you’re doing.
“This is a massive boost for our tourism.”
He said SA’s most important destinations for foreign tourists were the Kruger National Park, Cape Town and the Garden Route.
“The strong marketing by the Western Cape and then the introduction some years ago of direct flights from the George airport to the Kruger Park really set us back.
"Tourists have been exiting the Garden Route at George and flying to the Kruger from there.
“Now in one fell swoop, with this new direct link to the Kruger Park, we have also re-established the contiguous route that can take tourists from Cape Town up the Garden Route all the way to Gqeberha, where they hopefully stay two nights at least and include a visit out to Addo before they fly to the Kruger Park.
“Or they can fly into Gqeberha from Kruger and travel down through the Garden Route to Cape Town from here.
"It’s really positive for our tourism.
“I hope our metro will be shouting the news from the rooftops.”
Lyn Haller of Umzantsi Tours said she was looking forward tremendously to the introduction of the flights.
“Before when we had tourists in Gqeberha who wanted to go to Kruger, we used to have to fly them there via Johannesburg or Nelspruit [Mbombela].
"Now with the direct flight it will be much easier for us to co-ordinate, and a more pleasant experience for our visitors.”
She said now that tourists knew they could fly to Kruger from Gqeberha rather than only from Cape Town or George, it created opportunities and flexibility.
“I envisage we will also have tourists arrive in Gqeberha by passenger liner who will also take advantage of it, where they fly to the park from here and then meet their ship again at another port.”
She said she was sure Airlink would be able to fill up the flights it offered.
“I’m sure our metro will be advertising it and that will create greater awareness.”
Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen said: “This aligns with what international tourists require and has been identified as a priority route by our tourism economic development desk.
“Alongside this, we are advocating that more frequent business and tourist friendly flights are allocated between Nelson Mandela Bay and Johannesburg, as well as Cape Town.
“It is vital that the revival of tourism in the Bay is supported by more direct and accessible flights to key destinations.
“Furthermore, this supports our drive for this metro to be positioned as the gateway to the Garden Route and the diverse experiences of the Eastern Cape.
“By improving the accessibility of Nelson Mandela Bay by air, the metro is better positioned to attract national and international conferences and sporting events.”
She said in the long term, the chamber’s tourism desk had identified the opportunity for a bi-weekly direct international flight between Frankfurt and the Bay, given the number of German and European tourists who were interested in visiting the area.
“Alongside ease of access for passengers, there is opportunity for the region to develop and promote direct inter-continental freight opportunities.”
Nelson Mandela Bay municipality spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said it recognised the value of improved air connectivity in strengthening the metro’s tourism proposition.
“A direct flight connection between Gqeberha and the Kruger region presents an opportunity to connect two distinctive tourism offerings, enabling visitors to combine coastal, wildlife, heritage and nature-based experiences in their travel itineraries.”
He said the metro offered a diverse tourism experience, including beaches and coastline, marine and adventure tourism, cultural and liberation heritage, sporting events, festivals and business tourism.
“Our value proposition is built on this diversity, supported by our position as a gateway to the wider Eastern Cape.
"We want visitors to see the metro not merely as a stopover, but as a destination in its own right, worthy of longer stays and repeat visits.”
He said the city’s aim was to build a resilient and competitive tourism economy that could respond to changing market conditions, attract investment, stimulate local enterprise and create sustainable employment.
“Our objective is to grow visitor numbers, encourage longer stays, increase local spending and ensure that tourism contributes meaningfully to inclusive economic development across Nelson Mandela Bay.”