Month: April 2012

East Africa’s Forests, under threat like never before

EAST AFRICAS FORESTS GOING, GOING, GOING AND GONE BY WHEN The recently published East Africa Report 2012 makes grim reading, when it comes to the forests in the region, as over the past 20 years, between 1990 and 2010 more than 22 million hectares of forests were razed, for logging, through population encroachment and to […]

Tanzanian safari guides to register, get licensed

NEW RULES FOR TANZANIAN TOUR GUIDES AIMED TO IMPROVE QUALITY Under a recently launched new set of regulation will it become mandatory for tour guides in Tanzania to register and get licensed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. The measure is expected to come into effect in the next financial year, to allow […]

Nyungwe Forest Lodge, the gateway to the Enchanted Forest

NYUNGWE FOREST LODGE THE GATEWAY TO THE ENCHANTED FOREST When I write about Rwanda, anything to do with Rwanda, my readers often get back to me and say they feel the passion I have for the Land of a Thousand Hills and it is true. Be it the capital Kigali, well lit, clean streets, disciplined […]

Seychelles’ National Economic Council targets tourism for future growth

SEYCHELLES NATIONAL ECONOMICS COUNCIL TARGETS TOURISM FOR GROWTH When President James Michel chaired the countrys National Economics Council, in short NEC, earlier in the week the meeting had to look at a revised growth forecast for the Seychelles of 2.8 percent, down from the initially expected 4 percent. Global rises in the cost of fuel, […]

Rescued lowland gorilla baby to return home soon

RESCUED LOW LAND GORILLA TO RETURN HOME When the Rwandan security forces took a baby gorilla from traffickers last year near the common border with Congo DR, the young animal was kept under close care and supervision for several months, while the authorities tried to establish the origin of the baby. DNA analysis undertaken by […]

Mauritius set to open first eco-park by the end of the year

ECO PARK DUE TO OPEN BY END YEAR AT VALLEY DOSTERLOG A regular source from Mauritius provided information that in line with the countrys tourism outlook, aimed to tap more and more into the eco tourism segment of visitors, a new eco-park will be launched before the end of the year at the Valley DOsterlog, […]

Seychelles architectural heritage gets a boost with new award scheme

MONUMENTS AND SITES COUNCIL PROMOTES HERITAGE Information was received from Victoria that the local office of the International Monuments and Sites Council has launched a new award scheme to promote the conservation of Seychellois architectural heritage. The organization issued a media release saying: The Icomos Seychelles Heritage Award will recognise special accomplishments, projects and efforts […]

ATCL’s past sins come home to haunt them as parliamentary committee unearthed more rot

AIR TANZANIAS PAST SINS COME HOME TO HAUNT THEM Parliamentarians opposed to the constant need to bail out ATCL and having to pay for the irresponsible decisions made by top management, have unearthed yet more liabilities, incurred through guarantees given by the Tanzanian government, in connection with past aircraft deals. The stricken airline, in deep […]

Rwanda Tourism partners with Expedia to open new markets

EXPEDIA PARTNERS WITH RDB TO PROMOTE RWANDA Expedia Incorporated, arguably the worlds largest online travel company, has teamed up with the Rwanda Development Boards Tourism and Conservation Department, to give greater exposure to The Land of a Thousand Hills and widen the marketing reach for the country. RDB hosted a seminar in Kigali earlier in […]

Brussels Airlines launches new cabin product

BRUSSELS AIRLINES LAUNCHES NEW CABIN PRODUCT The latest addition to the growing Brussels Airlines fleet, another A330-300 making it 7 A330 overall, has been unveiled with a new cabin product during a flight last week to Cameroon. A state of the art business class cabin with full flat beds has been introduced while in economy […]

Emirates set to recruit over 4.500 staff in Africa this year

EMIRATES SEEKS TO RECRUIT 4.500 NEW STAFF IN AFRICA Information was confirmed overnight that Emirates, Dubais award winning airline, was once again on the prowl in Eastern Africa and in fact across the continent, to recruit 4.500 pilots, cabin crew, engineering, ground handling, operations, IT and other staff, urgently needed to back up the planned […]

Precision Air announces Lubumbashi flights from 18th May

PRECISION AIR ANNOUNCES NEW DESTINATIONS Starting on 18th of May will Precision Air, Tanzanias most successful private airline, commence flights between Dar es Salaam and Lubumbashi / Congo DR, which will be served via the Zambian capital of Lusaka. Return launch fares have been put on the market at US Dollars 599 return, all taxes […]

Kenya Government sets aside more funds to pay for KQ shares in cash

KENYA GOVERNMENT MAKES ADDED FINANCIAL PROVISIONS TO PAY FOR KQ SHARES It was learned overnight that the Treasury in Nairobi has made added provisions to set aside a further 2.5 billion Kenya Shillings to fully pay up their portion of 26 percent, the government holds as a golden stake in Kenya Airways, the countrys national […]

Serena Rwanda also announces staff changes in Kigali

SERENA RWANDA TOO ANNOUNCES STAFF CHANGES Information was received from regular sources in Kigali, that staff changes through transfers and promotions have taken place at Serena Rwanda too. Former head of Sales and Marketing for the Great Lakes Region Miss Evelyn Karamagi was promoted to the position of Rooms Divisions Manager at the Kigali Serena […]

Mauritius set to crack down hard on polluters

MAURITIUS CRACKS DOWN ON OCEAN POLLUTERS The Ministry of Environment in Port Louis has spoken out against polluting the ocean around the island through careless practices and mismanagement of amongst others sewerage facilities, when it became known that a local treatment plant let a spill run into the sea near Baie du Tombeau. Environment Minister […]

Seychelles Connect launches new website for special deals, last minute bookings and more

SEYCHELLES CONNECT LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE Finding out whats on and where things happen across the Seychelles archipelago is now made easier, since Seychelles Connect has launched a brand new website via www.seychellesconnect.co Operated by the publishers of the Seychelles premier annual Leisure and Business Guide the new site will bring local hospitality, tourism and other […]

Cheli & Peacock make first runner’s up in WTTC’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

C & P CLAIM GLOBAL RUNNER UP POSITION IN TOURISM FOR TOMORROW AWARDS One of Kenyas finest safari camp companies, Cheli & Peacock, has just been anointed global runner up at the Tourism For Tomorrow Awards in the field of conservation, adding yet another trophy to their display cabinet. Organized annually by the World Travel […]

Brussels Airlines takes the fight for market share to the frequent flyers …

BRUSSELS AIRLINES TURNS UP THE COMPETITIVE HEAT In what is clearly aimed at capturing market share from their closest competitors, has Brussels Airlines just launched a major campaign in Kampala It Only Takes One Try To Win Gold. Frequent travelers holding loyalty cards from competing carriers, especially those with lots of miles accrued, often fear […]

Serena Uganda announces promotions

CHANGES AT SERENA UGANDA SEE PROMOTIONS, TRANSFERS With Joyce Wangui, until now Country Sales Manager for Serena Hotels in Uganda, returning to Nairobi to take up a new position as Group Corporate Sales Manager on head office level, Miss Allen Ampaire has been promoted to the position of Country Sales Manager Uganda. Allen will oversee […]

KWS passes out 300 more community game rangers

KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE PASSES OUT 300 MORE RANGERS The Tsavo based KWS Manyani training college was the venue for passing out over 300 community game rangers last weekend, who were given intensive training for several months to supplement and assist KWS personnel in combating poaching and keeping rogue animals at bay. The new batch of […]

UWA plans for launch of new state of the art webportal

UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY COUNTS DOWN TO NEW WEBSITE LAUNCH The presence, finally, of a competent and respected board of directors at the Uganda Wildlife Authority has made its presence felt almost immediately, as the organization is now sailing in calmer waters once again all round. Sections of the past board, (mis)led by the former chairman […]

Egypt Air puts disappointing 2011 behind and looks to future again

EGYPT AIR PUTS DISAPPOINTING YEAR BEHIND THEM, LOOKS AT THE FUTURE Egypts national airline is apparently putting a disappointing year behind them, which saw traffic disruptions during the revolution lead to major shifts in market share, before eventually making a recovery but still recording a profit reduction by more than three quarters compared to 2010. […]

Emirates enhances inflight entertainment systems, competition good for travelers

EMIRATES FIGHTS FOR EAST AFRICAN MARKETS SHARE After putting flights from Dubai to Entebbe on a nonstop schedule at the end of March, a move which was widely welcomed amongst travelers from Uganda who are now spared the unnecessary stopover in Addis Ababa long critizised but only taken seriously by the airline after the impact […]

Reflections At The Stroke Of Midnight

REFLECTIONS AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT It is all too often that I see the clock strike midnight and tonight is no different from so many others. My own life clock struck 62 just now, time to take stock in private and also time to share a few thoughts with you all, who follow my […]

ATCNews: 

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome is the founder and publisher of ATCNews, Eastern Africa’s leading aviation, tourism and conservation news blog of its kind. Wolfgang has over 48 years of experience in the tourism, aviation and conservation fields in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, covering all aspects of safari-, hotel- and air-operations. 

The Managing Editor of ATCNews is Mrs. Esther C. Goossens.

Facebook Twitter Linkedin
Subscribe to this blog via email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
Join more than 34.500 other recipients of ATCNews for immediate access to every article posted.

Join 34.5K other subscribers

© 2024 ATCNews | Website developed and maintained by Kasiryelabs