First off and now on again – the U-turns of Mauritius’ position on festivals
OFF AGAIN AND ON AGAIN – MORE U-TURNS BY MAURITIUS TOURISM CONFUSE MARKET In yet another U-turn of sorts has the Mauritius Tourism Minister Michael Sik Yuen over the weekend announced that the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority will after all hold a festival later this year, known as the Festival of the Sea. Only a […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, Third edition May 2013
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 You can get your daily news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome or join me on www.facebook.com/WolfgangHThome where the articles also ‘cross load’. Read […]
Brussels Airlines teams up with RwandAir for ‘Flying Visit to Nairobi’
BRUSSELS AIRLINES AND RWANDAIR ORGANIZE FLYING VISIT TO NAIROBI During the just ended week did Brussels Airlines, in conjunction with codeshare partner RwandAir, operate a flying visit from Kigali to Nairobi, showcasing their award winning business class and inflight service to a group of 14 Rwandan travel agents. Both the RCAA and the KCAA granted […]
Air Seychelles slashes cargo rates between Mahe and Praslin by 40 percent
AIR SEYCHELLES SLASHES DOMESTIC CARGO RATES Information received from Mahe speaks of a 40 percent reduction in tariffs for shipments of cargo by air from the main international airport to the island of Praslin, an offer mainly aimed at hospitality businesses in urgent need of time critical deliveries. A kilogramme of cargo will from next […]
Quo Vadis Air Tanzania – government and opposition clash in parliament over ATCL’s future
OPPOSITION IN PARLIAMENT DEMANDS AIR TANZANIA TO BE DECLARED BANKRUPT Sharp differences in opinion emerged in the Tanzanian parliament this week, when the Minister for Transport Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe moved his ministry’s budget for the financial year 2013/14. When touching on the budget provisions for Air Tanzania, he painted a glowing picture to the house […]
The Aberdare Country Club brings horse riding back
ABERDARE COUNTRY CLUB BRINGS HORSE RIDING BACK The Aberdare Country Club, a favourite of this correspondent for many decades already, has since the re-opening last year seen its fortunes rise and aficionados return in their droves. Set in over 1.300 acres of a private game sanctuary, the club features a 9 hole ‘safari golf course’ […]
Chobe and Paraa Lodges become Gold Sponsors of Brussels Airlines’ Bike For Africa event 2014
MARASA BECOME GOLD SPONSORS OF BRUSSELS AIRLINES ‘BIKE FOR AFRICA’ EVENT Paraa and Chobe Safari lodges, owned and operated by Marasa, the hospitality arm of the Madhvani Group in Uganda, have just signed up to become Gold Sponsors for Brussels Airlines’ ‘Bike For Africa’ charity cycling race planned for the period of 28th January to […]
MV Spice Islander charge sheet cites 2.740 casualties in the world’s worst maritime disaster
COURT CASE OF MV SPICE ISLANDER REVEALS SHOCKING NUMBERS OF CASUALTIES Prosecutors in Zanzibar are finalizing their paperwork in a case against eleven individuals to stand trial on manslaughter charges over what has turned out to be the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster on record. The MV Spice Islander, as reported here at the time […]
TOTAL drops exploration plans for the Virunga National Park
REPRIEVE FOR THE VIRUNGA PARK AS FRENCH OIL GIANT TOTAL DROPS OIL EXPLORATION In a breaking news story has information come to light that the French oil company TOTAL has today, through its CEO and Chairman Christophe de Margerie, made a firm commitment to respect the integrity of the national park and drop all plans […]
Mtwara tense as shops remain closed and security forces deploy in town and at airport
MTWARA ‘VERY TENSE’ THOUGH FLIGHTS CONTINUE, FOR NOW Information has come to light from sources in Tanzania that the town of Mtwara, recently in the news over increasingly acrimonious exchanges between the local population and their leaders and the central government over plans to build a gas pipeline for gas to Dar es Salaam instead […]
Kenya Airways’ Pride Centre gets IATA approvals
KENYA AIRWAYS’ PRIDE CENTRE GETS IATA NOD OF APPROVAL Kenya Airways’ inhouse training facility, the Pride Centre, located at the airline’s Embakasi headquarters, has recently been given recognition and approval by IATA, which certified the training college after an audit of facilities, teacher’s qualifications and the curriculum taught. Two years ago the Pride Centre was […]
Lamu’s mangrove forests under siege
LAMU’S MANGROVE FORESTS UNDER INCREASED THREAT Conservationists in Kenya have raised the alarm over the rapid cutting down of mangrove forests around the Lamu archipelago. A senior official at the Kenya Forest Service, one Donald Avude, has come out with all guns blazing as he painted a grim picture on the destruction of mangrove forests […]
Ethiopian Airlines named Official Carrier for African Union Golden Jubilee year
ETHIOPIAN NAMED OFFICIAL CARRIER FOR AFRICAN UNION GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR Africa this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Organization for African Unity, in short OAU, which was later renamed to the African Union. The headquarters of the continental organization have since the inception 50 years ago been located in Addis Ababa, […]
Qatar Airways resumes London flights with the B787 Dreamliner
QATAR AIRWAYS RESUMES B787 FLIGHTS TO LONDON HEATHROW Qatar Airways’ sales teams have been blitzing the East African markets of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda with news, that the airline has resumed their Doha to London flights with the B787 Dreamliner, the first B787 destination outside the Gulf since the FAA and global regulators lifted […]
Kwita Izina 2013 set for 22nd June as Rwanda government introduces new draft tourism bill
RWANDA GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES NEW DRAFT TOURISM BILL TO PARLIAMENT Rwanda’s government yesterday presented a new draft tourism bill to parliament, aimed to strengthen the sector through better regulations and legal provisions. The tourism sector, presently overseen by the Rwanda Development Board’s Tourism and Conservation Department, has developed in leaps and bounds in recent years, recording […]
Fastjet owes answers to Tweeps over aborted take offs
FASTJET REPORTEDLY ABORTS TAKEOFF TWICE ON MWANZA FLIGHT Questions asked but not answered on Twitter about an allegedly twice aborted takeoff only served to turn over the rumour mill faster about the reasons for the failure of flight FN 0163 on the 13th of May to successfully take off from Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere […]
Kenya’s new minister in charge of tourism sworn in
KENYA’S NEW TOURISM MINISTER SWORN IN Mrs. Phyllis Kandie was yesterday sworn in as Kenya’s new Minister for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism, combining the previously stand alone ministry with, what tourism stakeholders described as ‘very alien bedfellows’, namely Commerce and East African Affairs. There was wide speculation after the election results were announced, […]
Africa airline competition heats up some more as SAA set to get 20 more brand new A320’s
AIRLINE COMPETITION SET TO HEAT UP AS SOUTH AFRICAN GETS 20 MORE AIRBUS A320’S The news coming from Johannesburg, that South African Airways is due to take progressive delivery of 20 Airbus A320 aircraft, will serve as a reminder for other African airlines that sitting still, or pronouncing the delivery of 10 or 15 year […]
Briatore eyes third resort project in Malindi
BRIATORE’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH MALINDI CONTINUES AS THIRD RESORT IN THE OFFING While in Malindi last weekend to see the progress on his ‘Billionaire’s Resort’, which is due to fully open in August this year, did Flavio Briatore let the cat out of the bag, that he was planning to build another resort next year, […]
Dirk Ten Brink retires as Rhino Fund Chairman
DIRK TEN BRINK RETIRES AS CHAIRMAN OF RHINO FUND Dirk Ten Brink, best known in Uganda for his long service first as General Manager and then Director of Group Operations (Golden Leaves Hotels) at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, has an almost equally long association with the Rhino Fund Uganda. It was Dirk who joined hands […]
KCAA re-certifies JKIA in accordance with ICAO requirements
JOMO KENYATTA RECEIVES RE-CERTIFICATION FROM KCAA The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has recently re-certified Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in accordance with guidelines issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization, in short ICAO. The initial certification for JKIA was granted in 2008 and KAA has since been regularly inspected and issued with renewals, now a mandatory […]
Tourism stakeholders voice disagreement over TTB’s Swahili Tourism Fair concept
TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS TAKE ISSUE WITH TOURIST BOARD DECISIONS Information is coming to light from Arusha, that tourism stakeholders have sharply criticized the Tanzania Tourist Board over their decision to engage a South African company as partners to set up a rival tourism trade fair in Dar es Salaam. TTB was accused to have engaged the […]
Briatore’s Billionaire’s Resort in Malindi set for August opening
BRIATORE’S BILLIONAIRE RESORT SET FOR AUGUST LAUNCH Flavio Briatore’s 500 million Kenya Shilling investment in the Billionaire Resort will pay off when the new luxury resort in Kenya’s seaside town of Malindi will open its doors to the owners of the apartments in August this year. Briatore, the former Renault F1 team boss before having […]
Precision Air introduces new logo to the market
PRECISION AIR LAUNCHES NEW LOGO Tanzania’s premier private airline, Precision, has just unveiled their revised logo, which while based on their previous showcase now looks fresher and simpler, yet retaining the company’s corporate colours and their trademark gazelle. The airline operates a mixed fleet of B737-300, ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft, including the latest […]
Kenya conservation group deputy director charged with ivory possession
‘CONSERVATIONIST’ ARRESTED FOR IVORY POSSESSION – CLAIMES CONSPIRACY BY KWS Information was received from Nairobi that a Deputy Director of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, Mrs. Susan Soila and her son Robert were arrested on Sunday in Emali, after being found with ivory in their car weighing around 19 kilograms. The two were reportedly produced […]
Port Victoria victorious at Word Tourism Awards as Leading Indian Ocean Cruise Port
PORT VICTORIA NAMED AS THE INDIAN OCEAN’S LEADING CRUISE PORT The hotly contested top rank as the Indian Ocean’s leading cruise port went once again to Port Victoria on the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe, during the World Travel Award Indian Ocean Ceremony held last night in the Maldives. Two resorts from the Seychelles were […]
Air Mauritius bags WTA honours as Leading Indian Ocean Airline
AIR MAURITIUS BAGS ‘INDIAN OCEAN’S LEADING AIRLINE’ AT WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS The World Travel Award Ceremony for Indian Ocean island destinations, held yesterday evening in the Maldives, saw the host country take the lion’s share of awards, but Air Mauritius, as several times before, once again took the airline honours as the ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Second edition May 2013
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 You can get your daily news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome or join me on www.facebook.com/WolfgangHThome where the articles also ‘cross load’. Read […]
Torrential rains cut road link to Lunga Lunga border
ROAD TO TANZANIAN BORDER AT LUNGA LUNGA CUT BUT FLOOD WATER DAMAGE Reports have emerged from the Kenyan coast that a key road link between Mombasa and the Tanzanian border at Lunga Lunga has been disrupted, following biblical rainfalls which caused several culverts to be washed away. The road on both sides of the affected […]
Seychelles on course to have Mission Lodge recognized as a UNESCO WHS
MISSION LODGE – WHERE SOME OF THE HISTORY OF THE SEYCHELLES COMES ALIVE The history of the Seychelles archipelago is well described elsewhere, with the islands changing hands between colonial occupiers ranging from the Portuguese way back in the 15th and 16th century over the French to the British, before becoming independent from Britain on […]
