Eastgate Airport near Hoedspruit, which serves as a gateway to Limpopo’s safari destinations, completed a R20 million (€1.13m) upgrade this month.
A spokesperson for the airport told Tourism Update that, with an average of 150 monthly flights and over 7 000 passengers passing through its gates in any given month, Eastgate needed an upgrade to better service its growing clientele of residents in the surrounding area and tourists visiting the Kruger National Park and surrounding private game reserves.
Construction started mid-2020 and renovations included:
- A complete overhaul of the entrance gate
- Installation of additional check-in counters
- Increase in the size of the departure lounge to allow for ample seating
- The curio shop and refreshment kiosk received a major revamp
- The size of the baggage claim area was increased
Furthermore, the boarding gate facilities were upgraded to offer a comfortable, sheltered waiting area. Previously the limited seating meant passengers had to wait in the hot sun until boarding.
The car park was fitted with a large section of shading for certain vehicles.
As well as private chartered flights, Eastgate Airport currently operates scheduled flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town by scheduled carriers, Airlink and CemAir.
As a CAT6/7 designated airport, Eastgate can accommodate any size aircraft from an Antonov 124, to an Airbus, to a small Papa Charlie.
