Seychelles to host next RETOSA ministerial meeting ahead of Routes Africa 2012
SEYCHELLES TOURISM LANDS RETOSA BOARD MEETING ALONGSIDE ROUTES AFRICA The Midas touch of Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture continues unabated, as he just announced, upon his return from the SADC and RETOSA meetings in Mauritius, that Victoria will be the venue of the next RETOSA board meeting, just ahead of the time when Routes […]
Uganda hosts International Parliamentary Union in Kampala
2.000 PARLIAMENTARIANS ASSEMBLE IN KAMPALA About 2.000 members of parliament from around the world are expected to come to Kampala for the International Parliamentary Union meeting, which is going to last for 6 days. Delegates who came early have already taken advantage of seeing some of Ugandas spectacular sights in the national parks, boosting #VisitUganda2012, […]
Kenya Airways launches share rights issue amid breaking news of Eldoret becoming KQ’s fifth domestic destination.
KENYA AIRWAYS NEW SHARE ISSUE LAUNCH GETS PRESIDENTIAL NOD OF APPROVAL The long awaited launch of Kenya Airways share rights issue yesterday in Nairobi was graced by the presence of President Mwai Kibaki, who in his keynote address called this financial transaction the biggest ever in the history of Kenya and the Eastern and Central […]
Kenya tourism news – KTB partners with Jockey Club of Kenya to promote domestic travel
NAIROBIS TOURISM FRATERNITY HEADS TO NGONG FOR MAGICAL KENYA SHOW The Jockey Club of Kenya is partnering with the Kenya Tourist Board this weekend to bring Kenyans to the Ngong Race Course, to promote both horse racing as well as domestic tourism across the country, now generally known as #TembeaKenya. The mini exhibition will be […]
Airtel launches today in Rwanda, bringing back competition to the mobile sector
AIRTEL LAUNCHES RWANDA OPERATIONS Africas largest mobile network operator, in terms of countries served, is today launching operations in Rwanda, where it will be the third company after MTN and TIGO, stepping into the void left when RwandaTel, majority owned at the time by Gadaffi Libya, lost its license for not fulfilling terms and conditions […]
Earth Hour on 31st March the ‘in thing’ across Kenya’s hospitality industry
EARTH HOUR THE IN THING IN NAIROBIS HOTELS The annual Earth Hour, promoted by the World Wide Fund for Nature, in short WWF and others to raise environmental awareness, has clearly taken roots across the hospitality industry in Kenya, and the region for that matter. At The Sarova Stanley, now 110 years old and located […]
Kenya’s new tourism minister seeks 5 billion budget allocation from treasury to finance marketing and PR
NEW TOURISM MINISTER SAYS 5 BILLION SHILLINGS NEEDED FOR MARKETING KENYA (New tourism minister Danson Mwazo [left] and the former office holder Najib Balala [right]) At the handover from Hon. Najib Balala who had fallen victim to party politics and paid the price for standing up against his chairman Prime Minister Odinga to the newly […]
3rd East African e-Tourism Conference goes underway at Nairobi’s InterContinental Hotel
E-TOURISM CONFERENCE KICKS OFF AT INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL NAIROBI The third East African e-Tourism Conference, sponsored by the InterContinental Hotel Nairobi, The Kenya Commercial Bank, VISA and the Kenya Tourist Board has gone underway today in Kenyas capital Nairobi, with over 200 attendees filling the conference room to the brim. Keynote speaker on opening was IHGs […]
Skal Kampala holds AGM, re-elects Kainembabazi Sabiti as club president
SKAL KAMPALA RE-ELECTS KAINEMBABAZI SABITI TO ANOTHER TERM The annual general meeting last evening of the Skal Club of Kampala saw Kainembabazi Sabiti re-elected as club president for another term of office. In her work life Kaine is General Manager for Amadeus in Uganda, also overseeing Rwanda and Burundi. Vice President is James Rattos, Director […]
Rwanda Development Board responds to sectoral demands with a new ‘better service’ campaign
RWANDA DEVELOPMENT BOARD RESPONDS WITH BETTER SERVICE CAMPAIGN Hot on the heels of growing demands by the private sector stakeholders that Rwanda needs more training for staff working in the hospitality industry, has the Rwanda Development Board Tourism and Conservation responded with a dedicated campaign launched yesterday in Kigali, promoting quality services at all levels. […]
Kenya travel news – Travel agencies raise service fees effective 01st April
TRAVEL AGENTS RAISE SERVICE FEES The Kenya Association of Travel Agents has just announced that their members will from 01st of April charge their clients an extra US Dollar 15 equivalent for consultations and bookings made on their behalf, a practice which goes back to around 2007 when airlines on a broad basis discontinued commissions […]
Uganda Wildlife Authority gets new board, finally
UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY GETS NEW BOARD, FINALLY The long wait to have a new competent board appointed, a year since the buddy appointment by former tourism minister Otafire of one Muballa and company came to a dramatic end when court declared him not competent enough to hold the position, is now finally over. Former Permanent […]
Emirates announces to their East African markets the opening date for new A380 terminal in Dubai
EMIRATES SET FOR GRAND OPENING OF NEW A380 TERMINAL ON NEW YEAR 2013 A regular source from the Emirates Kampala office broke the news overnight that their new dedicated A380 terminal will be opened officially on the 01st of January 2013, taking the midnight fireworks Dubai has become famous for further into the New Year. […]
Mauritius news update – More pedestrian zones planned for Port Louis
PORT LOUIS SET TO ADD MORE PERIPHERAL CAR PARKS TO CREATE PEDESTRIAN ZONES (Map courtesy of Google) Information was received from a source in Mauritius that plans are underway by the city council of the islands capital to create two more peripheral multi storey car parks as part of their efforts to create pedestrian only […]
Tanzania conservation news – Marine park extension on to dry land prompts accusations against TANAPA of land grabbing
LOCALS ACCUSE TANAPA OF LAND GRABBING Locals between Tanga, via Mwambani to Pangani are up in arms since it became known that TANAPA is clandestinely scheming for the expansion of the Tanga Marine National Park right into the heart of Tanga before then incorporating swathes of inland locations, including villas and existing properties into a […]
Routes Conferences updates
UPDATES ON ROUTES AFRICA IN SEYCHELLES GENERATE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FLOW Regular reporting on the Routes Africa event which is scheduled for July in the Seychelles capital Victoria on the main island of Mahe has led to a flurry of additional information being availed, for the other Routes Conferences for the various regions around the globe. […]
East Africa’s power woes continue as TANESCO admits to being literally broke and unable to pay power producers
TANESCO ADMITS THAT BEING BROKE AND UNABLE TO PAY TO BLAME FOR OUTAGES In a startling development it was learned overnight that TANESCO, Tanzanias power distributor, has run short of cash and was unable to pay independent power producers, in turn compelling them to switch off their plants as they could no longer buy fuel. […]
Uganda news update – New opinion poll claims over 70 percent dissatisfied with the direction the country is taking
RUDE NEWS FOR GOVERNMENT AS OPINION POLL CLAIMS OVER 70 PERCENT DISSATISFIED Ugandans will be waking up to news today that the latest opinion polls carried out across the country peg the level of dissatisfaction and disillusionment by the people with the governments performance to well over 70 percent, a stark change from a year […]
Rwanda hospitality news – Cross section of hoteliers and managers demands more training for staff
RWANDAS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TAKES AIM AT HOSPITALITY SECTOR Hoteliers in Rwanda have called upon the Workforce Development Authority to step up their training in the hospitality sector to equip staff already in the workplace with better skills and sensitize them to the needs of customer care, according to information received from Kigali yesterday. WDA […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Fourth edition March 2012
AVIATION, TOURISM AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. A weekly roundup of breaking news, reports, travel stories and opinions by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome Get daily breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome, join me on Facebook where the articles also cross load or read the daily […]
Kenya’s Minister of Tourism Najib Balala sacked by his party chairman
KENYAS TOURISM MINISTER NAJIB BALALA SACKED A cabinet reshuffle announced this afternoon in Nairobi revealed that Kenyas successful and widely respected Minister of Tourism, presently also the Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Committee, was unceremoniously dumped from his ministerial post after reportedly locking horns with his ODM party chairman and presidential aspirant Prime Minister Odinga, […]
ICAO holds African and Indian Ocean Regional Aviation Safety Meeting in Kampala
ICAOS REGIONAL AIR SAFETY CONFERENCE OPENS IN KAMPALA ICAOs 1st ever Regional Aviation Safety Group Meeting for Africa and the Indian Ocean islands commenced this morning in Kampala, to be followed in two days by the 18th AFI Planning and Implementation Regional Group Meeting at the same venue, the Imperial Royale Hotel in the Nakasero […]
Tanzania aviation news – KADCO gets new chairman, new board
KILIMANJARO AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY GETS NEW BOARD As preparations continue to expand and modernize JRO and bring the 1970s style airport into the 21st century at last Kilimanjaro International is the main aviation gateway to the famous northern circuit national parks of Arusha, Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti government has appointed a new board of […]
British Airways set to battle for East African market share
BRITISH AIRWAYS FINALLY FIGHTS BACK From the Worlds Favourite Airline it has been a long way to being just another airline coming to East Africa and the strikes and subsequent negative reports last year did little to swing public opinion back to BA, translating into yielding traffic share to other airlines coming to East Africa, […]
Tanzania tourism breaking news – President Kikwete appoints new TTB chairman, Minister appoints new board members
TANZANIA TOURIST BOARD GETS NEW CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTORS It was confirmed over the weekend that President Kikwete last week appointed Ambassador Charles A. Sanga as the new Chairman of the Tanzania Tourist Board. The Minister of Tourism Ezekiel Maige subsequently appointed new members of the Board of Directors to serve alongside the new chairman, namely […]
UNWTO selects Arusha as venue for first Pan African Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management
UNWTOS FIRST PAN AFRICAN CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE TOURISM SET FOR ARUSHA The recently concluded ITB in Berlin / Germany brought good news for Tanzania as pen was put to paper between the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the Government of Tanzania to hold the first ever UNWTO Pan African Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management […]
African aviation news – Routes Africa comes to Seychelles in July
ROUTES AFRICA DEAL SIGNED AND SEALED, ANOTHER FIRST FOR SEYCHELLES The seventh Routes Africa Conference was signed and sealed last week when the organizers and the government of Seychelles put pen to paper to formalize the announcement made a few weeks ago, when in fact the global media were present in Victoria to report about […]
About the trials and tribulations of a frequent traveller – Valued guest on board, suspect on the ground
VALUED GUESTS AND PASSENGERS IN THE AIR, SUSPECTS ON THE GROUND When joining the inaugural flight of Qatar Airways to Kigali earlier in the week in Entebbe, and when returning from Kigali back to Uganda, the excesses and follies of the so called security once again stared me in the face. Here in Uganda, the […]
Seek justice at the East African Court, registrar tells environmentalists and conservationists
THE EAST AFRICAN COURT OF JUSTICE AWAITS YOUR CASES, CONSERVATIONISTS TOLD East Africas conservation and environmental groups found reasons to smile broadly earlier in the week when it became public knowledge that the Registrar of the East African Court of Justice in Arusha had not minced words when encouraging NGOs and individuals who have issues […]
Tanzania’s aviation infrastructure to get boost with new radar centres
MORE RADAR STATIONS FOR TANZANIA TO IMPROVE MONITORING It was learned that the presently single radar station in the country in Dar es Salaam will soon be supplemented with new radar equipment to be installed in Mwanza, the countrys lakeside municipality on Lake Victoria, where construction is at an advanced stage according to information received […]
