RTTA hosts Kenyan counterparts for a flying visit to Kigali
RWANDAN TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS HOST KENYAN COUNTERPARTS IN KIGALI (Posted 11th July 2013) The Land of a Thousand Hills offers within its borders a range of tourism attractions unique to Eastern Africa and it is no wonder that Rwanda’s tourism stakeholders are keen to get that message out and forge partnerships with other countries in the […]
Kenya seeks stronger ties with Abu Dhabi following launch of KQ flights
KENYA SET TO BUILD TOURISM & TRADE RELATIONS ON THE BACK OF ABU DHABI FLIGHTS (Posted 11th July 2013) Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, while in Abu Dhabi last week to represent the Kenyan government at the formal launch celebrations of KQ’s flights to the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, wasted […]
Ngamba Island the scene of setting African Grey parrots free
JANE GOODALL SETS SEIZED PARROTS FREE ON NGAMBA ISLAND (Posted 11th July 2013) The latest visit by Dr. Jane Goodall to Ngamba Island, Uganda’s chimpanzee refuge in Lake Victoria, was full of action as she released 17 surviving African Grey parrots into the wild, after an additional four months quarantine period of monitoring their health […]
New tarmac road to open up Semliki game reserve and national park
NEW ROAD TO SEMLIKI A BONUS FOR TOURISTS (Posted 10th July 2013) The new road from Fort Portal, located at the north eastern side of the Rwenzori Mountains, to Semliki and the border with the Congo DR, will upon completion open up this part of Uganda, for locals as much as for tourist visitors. Recent […]
Rwanda first in EAC to have overland busses equipped with wireless internet
RWANDA LIVES UP TO BEING EAST AFRICA’S BEST CONNECTED COUNTRY (Posted 10th July 2013) Rwanda’s reputation to being East Africa’s most tech savvy country and the best connected country took a further boost, when it was learned that the Jaguar bus company, based in Kigali, has started to equip their entire fleet with routers, permitting […]
Kenya customs nab more blood ivory
KENYAN AUTHORITIES IMPOUND YET MORE BLOOD IVORY (Posted 10th July 2013) Following the discovery of a 20 foot container originating in Uganda last week, which stuffed with ivory was waiting to be shipped to the Far East, did Kenyan authorities yesterday nab yet more, hidden in a 40 foot container due to leave for Malaysia […]
Ethiopian Airlines partners with Malawi government to form Malawian Airlines
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES CREATES ‘MALAWIAN AIRLINES’ IN JOINT VENTURE WITH MALAWI (Posted 10th July 2013) The government of Malawi, holding 51 percent of the shares, and Ethiopian Airlines, the erstwhile Pan African carrier, holding 49 percent, have according to information from Addis Ababa finalized the creation of a new national airline in the Southern African country, […]
Emirates set to fly the A380 to Mauritius from 16th December onwards
EMIRATES GETS APPROVAL TO FLY THE A380 TO MAURITIUS (Posted 09th July 2013) Information was just confirmed, at no other place than the Routes Africa meeting which just ended at Kampala’s lakeside resort and conference complex of Munyonyo, that Emirates has obtained regulatory approval to start operating the giant Airbus A380 to the island from […]
Mozambique Airports announce major investments in ‘new’ Nacala airport
MOZAMBIQUE ANNOUNCES NACALA AIRPORT RE-CONSTRUCTION AT ROUTES AFRICA (Posted 09th July 2013) Emmanuel Chaves, Chairman and CEO of Airports Mozambique, aka Aeroportos de Mocambique, announced during the Routes Africa meetings that the airport of Nacala in the North of the country will be fundamentally reconstructed, expanded and upgrades, to be able to receive long haul […]
Seychelles claim Routes Africa’s Best Destination Marketing Award
SEYCHELLES TAKES ROUTES AFRICA DESTINATION MARKETING AWARD (Posted 09th July 2013) Few had any doubts of the outcome of this contest, when the Seychelles were crowned winner of the annual Destination Marketing Award by Routes Africa, which ended this morning in Kampala with final presentation to the delegates by Kenya Airways and FastJet after three […]
From Lake Victoria to Victoria Falls as Routes Africa announces venue for 2014
ROUTES AFRICA ENDS 3 DAY MEETINGS ON A HIGH (Posted 10th July 2013) Presentations this morning by Kenya Airways and FastJet ended three days of intense and often outright captivating meetings at Kampala’s lake side resort of Munyonyo, which, according to all delegates, provided ‘the best environment for a conference one could wish for’. This […]
South Sudan’s tourism seriously affected by attack on Boma National Park
CONFLICTS TURN TOURISM INTO A HIGHLY ENDANGERED SPECIES IN SOUTH SUDAN (Posted 07th July 2013) Once thought of as Africa’s last safari and expedition frontier, attracting huge attention following the features on National Geographic TV ‘The Great Migrations’ has South Sudan’s tourism industry been made captive and held hostage by events beyond the sector’s sphere […]
Common tourist Visa for East Africa still a distant dream
MORE EXCUSES FOR FAILURE TO IMPLEMENT COMMON TOURIST VISA (Posted 08th July 2013) The just concluded meeting of the East African Community’s Committee on Tourism and Wildlife once more discussed the long overdue common tourist Visa, which was due to have been introduced by 2012, and that number having been pushed from previously envisaged […]
Routes Africa 2013 goes underway in Munyonyo / Kampala
ROUTES AFRICA OPENS AT LAKESIDE RESORT OF MUNYONYO WITH RECORD ATTENDANCE (Posted 08th July 2013) Routes Africa opened yesterday at the lake side resort and conference complex of Munyonyo with a new record attendance recorded by the organizers. This 8th edition of Routes Africa has brought a large number of airline executives, airport […]
Kenya Airways and KLM renew exemption from Competition Act for another 7 years
KENYA AIRWAYS AND KLM GET CLEARANCE FROM COMPETITION AUTHORITY (Posted 07th July 2013) During the last week did the Kenya Competition Authority delivery its verdict on the application filed by alliance partners Kenya Airways and KLM/Air France, to be given a further exemption of 7 years in coordinating schedules, setting fares and using joint measures […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, First edition July 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 […]
TCAA plans become public to double navigation fees
TCAA PLANS TO DOUBLE NAVIGATION FEES (Posted 07th July 2013) Information has emerged from Dar es Salaam’s aviation circles that the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority appears set to double navigation charges. While stakeholder consultations, now an almost mandatory requirement for statutory bodies like the TCAA, will apparently be called to discuss the implications of the […]
KQ 117 safe in Athens after sensor malfunction
KENYA AIRWAYS CREW ON KQ 117 EXECUTES PERFECT EMERGENCY LANDING IN ATHENS (Posted 06th July 2013) Although information is still somewhat sketchy it can now be confirmed that the crew of Kenya Airways flight KQ 117 from Amsterdam to Nairobi executed a perfect emergency landing in Athens, when sensors from the cargo hold indicated a […]
Safari operators protest VAT on accommodation
UGANDAN SAFARI OPERATORS PAINT BLEAK PICTURES AS VAT HITS THE SECTOR HARD (Posted 06th July 2013) ‘The introduction of 18 percent VAT on hotel and lodge accommodation will have devastating consequences on leisure tourism to Uganda’ said a regular tourism source in Kampala yesterday, when discussing the immediate impact of the restoration of VAT for […]
Ethiopian takes delivery of their 6th B777-200LR
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES GETS THEIR 6TH B777-200LR (Posted 06th July 2013) Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s leading carriers and one of the three African members of Star Alliance, has earlier this week taken delivery of their sixth B777-200LR in a ceremony at Boeing’s Seattle assembly plant. The aircraft has since arrived in Addis Ababa and is […]
Ethiopia’s Viewpoint Lodge retains TA’s Certificate of Excellence
VIEWPOINT LODGE ON BABAGOYA LAKE RETAINS TOP TRIPADVISOR RATING (Posted 06th July 2013) Too little is known really about Ethiopia, even though Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s leading international carrier, flying to North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and of course, being the erstwhile Pan African airline, across the continent. Yet, most […]
Routes Africa comes to Kampala this weekend
ROUTES AFRICA COMES TO KAMPALA THIS WEEKEND (Posted 05th July 2013) Uganda’s Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi, is set to open the Routes Africa meeting which start this weekend in Kampala, hosted jointly by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and Entebbe International Airport at the lake side resort complex of Munyonyo, near this […]
Seychelles’ arrivals grow by 14+ percent in first half of 2013
SEYCHELLES FIRST HALF YEAR ARRIVALS GROW BY 14 PERCENT (Posted 05th July 2013) The Seychelles Tourism Board had estimated a growth in arrival figures for 2013 by a conservative 3+ percent, reflecting the global economic outlook at the time the forecasts were put together. It came as a surprise therefore for many, though not for […]
Rwanda commemorates the 19th Liberation Day
LIBERATION DAY 19 MARKS END OF ANNUAL GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION PERIOD (Posted 04th July 2013) Today, 19 years ago, did the then RPF take complete control of Rwanda after completing the liberation of the country. The killer militias had been driven out of the country, across the border into the Congo – where until today […]
Kenya Airways launches Abu Dhabi as 61st destination
61 AND COUNTING AS KENYA AIRWAYS COMMENCES ABU DHABI FLIGHTS (Posted 04th July 2013) Kenya Airways is now flying to 61 destination, in Africa and beyond, as they launched their flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The Pride of Africa is codesharing the three weekly services with partner Etihad, after […]
Uganda Guide App wins UCC’s ACIA Judges Award
UGANDA GUIDE APP WINS ACIA JUDGES AWARD (Posted 04th July 2013) Uganda’s first ever guide application, developed by the Pearl Guide has during the recent Uganda Communications Commission 3rd Annual Innovation Award Ceremony been honoured with a special Judges Choice Award, recognizing excellence and initiative, on the technological side but also for the impact this […]
Kampala feels third tremor at 01.22 a.m. with a 5.7 strength at epicentre under Lake Albert
THIRD TREMOR HITS KAMPALA IN TWO DAYS (Posted 04th July 2013) A third tremor, and the largest yet, has hit Kampala at 01.22 hrs this morning, setting the TL’s of the social media among Kampaleans alight even at this hour. One tremor yesterday reached 5.2 on the open ended Richter Scale – the other one […]
Mombasa’s English Point transforms into a marina estate
MOMBASA’S ‘ENGLISH POINT’ UNDERGOES TRANSFORMATION TO MARINA ESTATE (Posted 03rd July 2013) Flavio Briatore’s plans to build a Billionaires Resort in Malindi, reported about repeatedly in the past, has clearly opened the doors for similarly ambitious top of the range real estate developments along the Kenya coast. With Kenya’s economy set for a major boom […]
Kenyan officials seize blood ivory in container coming from Uganda
UGANDAN CONTAINER WITH BLOOD IVORY SEIZED IN MOMBASA (Posted 03rd July 2013) Disturbing news are emerging from Mombasa that a 20 ft container, reportedly originating in Uganda, was seized in a shipping yard in Changamwe near the port of Mombasa, while awaiting to be shipped to a yet to be confirmed destination overseas. The […]
Kigali becomes a magnet for global hospitality giants
KIGALI TURNS INTO A MAGNET FOR GLOBAL HOTEL GROUPS (Posted 02nd July 2013) During a recent visit to Kigali it was possible to assess building progress on the new national convention centre and adjoining hotel, the government of Rwanda is putting up in order to attract a growing share of the continental MICE business. The […]
