Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Fourth edition September 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 […]
Kenya counts their dead and wounded as the country mourns
KENYA MOURNS (Posted 22nd September 2013) As Kenyans wake up this morning the realize it was not a nightmare they had in their sleep but that the siege at the Westgate Mall is still ongoing, though from the latest reports it is now clear that the gunmen are pinned down and largely contained, yet still […]
Nairobi’s Westgate Mall under attack
Breaking News NAIROBI’S WESTGATE MALL COMES UNDER ATTACK (Posted 21st September 2013, 14.15hrs) News have been emerging from Nairobi that gunfire has been reported from the West Gate Mall, one of Nairobi’s largest and a major police and security operation is now underway and have confirmed that a hostage situation exists with possibly significant numbers […]
The trials and tribulations of frequent travelers
OF HALF AND TOTAL NITWITS (Posted 21st September 2013) This rant, as some will see it, had time to settle down but in the cold light of day, anger and frustration remains in place and yes, it is about accessibility and airport security once again. In Entebbe, be it in pouring rain or in scorching […]
RwandAir’s Juba launch fares called ‘incredible’
RWANDAIR ROCKS JUBA MARKET WITH SPECIAL LAUNCH FARES (Posted 21st September 2013) When RwandAir launched their three times a week flights from Kigali to Juba, many South Sudanese, according to a source in Juba, felt it was a welcome addition to their airline scene but nothing really special as few thought that flying to Kigali […]
Tourism stakeholders in Uganda ‘hugely disappointed’ over VAT decision
UGANDA’S TOURISM SECTOR MAD WITH MP’S FOR KEEPING VAT ON ACCOMMODATION (Posted 21st September 2013) ‘So it was all in vain’ commented a leading Uganda tourism stakeholder in an email yesterday evening when news emerged that parliament had voted to maintain 18 percent VAT on tourism services and in particular on previously exempted hotel, lodge […]
RwandAir operates maiden flight to Juba
RWANDAIR ADDS JUBA AS EXPANSION DRIVE CONTINUES (Posted 21st September 2013) It is D-Day today for RwandAir’s 15th destination to be formally launched, when the maiden flight from Kigali will for the first time ever connect Rwanda’s capital Kigali with South Sudan’s capital city of Juba. The new city pair will initially operate every Monday, […]
Mombasa’s beach side version of the Octoberfest plays out at the ‘Chui’
MOMBASA TOO CELEBRATES OCTOBERFEST AT THE CHUI (Posted 21st September 2013) No sooner was the news about the Nairobi Oktoberfest uploaded in the morning, did emails arrive from none other than Chris Modigell and his team at the Leopard Beach Resort and Spa informing that they too will on Sunday the 22nd celebrate this greatest […]
The Bayimba Festival has come to town …
IT IS ‘BAYIMBA FESTIVAL TIME’ IN KAMPALA (Posted 20th September 2013) One of Uganda’s premier art festivals, the Bayimba International Festival of Arts is set to kick off its 6th edition today spanning the entire weekend. Launched in 2008 this year’s edition was promoted to be larger, more inclusive and with better programming than ever […]
The Octoberfest comes to Nairobi this weekend
NAIROBI LAUNCHES THEIR ANNUAL OCTOBERFEST TODAY (Posted 20th September) Twelve different types of beer should be enough to still anyone’s thirst one would hope and those doing pilgrimage to this year’s Octoberfest venue in Nairobi are sure to find out which one tastes the best. The three day drink, food and music festival, inspired by […]
Kampala’s dining out scene gets ever more competitive
NO LET UP IN THE CULINARY COMPETITION BETWEEN KAMPALA’S LEADING HOTELS (Posted 20th September 2013) The game clearly is on between the Kampala Serena and the Sheraton Kampala, and it is the customers who can enjoy the fruits of such competition in the food and beverages sector, as new ideas and new themes seem to […]
Precision Air named ‘Best Domestic Scheduled Airline’ by TASOTA
PRECISION AIR NAMED ‘BEST DOMESTIC AIRLINE’ BY TASOTA (Posted 20th September 2013) Precision Air was voted by the Tanzania Society of Travel Agents as Tanzania’s ‘Best Domestic Scheduled Airline’, recognizing the carrier’s ongoing efforts to widen their domestic network and connecting Tanzanians from remote parts of the country with Dar es Salaam and other urban […]
STA strengthens industry relations with Constance Hotels and Resorts
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY CEMENT PARTNERSHIP WITH CONSTANCE HOTELS (Posted 19th September 2013) The Principal of the Seychelles Tourism Academy, Mr. Flavien Joubert, has welcomed the decision taken last week by the Constance Hotels Group to work with the Seychelles Tourism Academy to encourage more young Seychellois to enter the world of tourism and start a […]
Seychelles set for World Tourism Day with Seychelles Ball
SEYCHELLES CELEBRATE WORLD TOURISM DAY WITH ‘THE SEYCHELLES BALL’ (Posted 19th September 2013) World Tourism Day, celebrated across the world on the 27th September, will see the Seychelles’ who is who come together at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Beach Resort and Casino for their annual gala night. Tourism, one of the archipelago’s mainstream economic activities, […]
TCAA sends five to South Africa for pilot training
TCAA SPONSORS 5 FOR PILOT TRAINING (Posted 19th September 2013) The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority has selected 5 applicants, out of over 270 who had applied, to go to South Africa for training as pilots. TCAA will be spending about 500 million Tanzania Shillings on the training programme, or an equivalent of over 300.000 US […]
Nairobi hosts Kenya’s most important international Polo tournament this weekend
KENYA TO HOST FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL 10 – 14 GOAL POLO TOURNAMENT (Posted 19th September 2013) The Nairobi Polo Club, founded in 1907, will this weekend host the CfC Stanbic Bank Kenya International Polo Tournament. The 10 – 14 goal tournament has attracted a range of teams from South Africa, Europe and America who came […]
Magical Kenya getting ready for 3rd edition of the Travel Expo
MAGICAL KENYA TRAVEL EXPO JUST A MONTH AWAY (Posted 19th September 2013) Kenya’s premier tourism exhibition will return to the Kenyatta International Conference Centre next month from 18th to 20th of October, showcasing once again the wide range of services, locations and attractions the country has on offer. This year over 150 companies are expected […]
Uganda Fam trips anyone ???
The Far Horizons, one of Uganda’s leading Destination Management Companies and safari operators, has a few places left for fam trips across Uganda’s famous national parks, at major discounts for overseas based tour operators plus, a revenue volume based additional rebate, making participation in these tours an absolute steal. Deadline for the applications to participate […]
Proflight to launch Lusaka – Dar es Salaam service by end October
PROFLIGHT PLANNING LUSAKA – DAR ES SALAAM FLIGHTS (Posted 18th September 2013) Sources in Zambia have confirmed that Proflight Zambia has set the 23rd of October as the launch date for their second international route from Lusaka to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This will follow the earlier launch of flights from Lusaka to Lilongwe in […]
The air is getting thinner for Kenya’s tourism industry
IMMINENT LAY OFFS IN TOURISM INDUSTRY BLAMED ON GOVERNMENT (Posted 18th September 2013) The mood among the tourism sector stakeholders is turning grim and sour as the ill considered introduction of VAT on park and conservancy entrance fees and a range of other services is shattering the industry’s dreams to stem the downturn of the […]
More African Grey seized from smugglers
UWA SEIZES AFRICAN PARROTS AT CONGO BORDER (Posted 18th September 2013) Vigilant officials have impounded a haul of 25 parrots at the Mpondwe border post between Uganda and Congo DR, as the birds were about to be taken out of the country into the Congo, where the present state of civil war in the Eastern […]
Next Spotlight on Africa workshop takes place in Harare
MORE SPOTLIGHT WORKSHOPS FOR AFRICAN TRAVEL TRADE AHEAD OF SANGANAI EXPO (Posted 18th September 2013) Ahead of the Sanganai Zimbabwe Travel Expo in Harare, scheduled for October 10th to 12th, will Derek Houston of Houston Travel Marketing Service hold one of his trademark Spotlight on Africa workshops, where business to business contacts are a given […]
Recommendations and resolutions from the UNWTO Conference in Reunion
As promised here is an update just received from the UNWTO Secretariat in Madrid about the conference resolutions made at the UNWTO Conference on Sustainable Tourism in Small Islands Press Release
Two more Seychellois make captain at Air Seychelles
AIR SEYCHELLES PROMOTE ‘LOCAL TALENT’ (Posted 17th September 2013) Air Seychelles’ CEO Cramer Ball yesterday presented commander’s bars to First Officers Archille Young and Shiv Padayachy at the national airline’s head office which is located at the Seychelles International Airport. Captain Pete Mitchell, General Manager Operations, Captain Granger Narara, Head of Flight Operations, and training […]
Come fly with us for less says Precision Air
PRECISION AIR LAUNCHES SPECIAL FARES TO MBEYA (Posted 17th September 2013) Precision Air has confirmed the introduction of a special fare, available on all their flights from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya, of 147.000 Tanzania Shillings one way or 249.000 Tanzania Shillings return, all taxes and charges included, besides having some catering available on the […]
Kenya expects Chinese visitor arrivals to triple over the next three years
KENYA EXPECTS 100.000 PLUS VISITORS FROM CHINA BY 2016 (Posted 17th September 2013) Kenyan tourism marketers expect arrivals from China, presently already standing at around 38.000 per annum (2012/13 FY figures) to rise significantly over the coming years. A recent trip by President Kenyatta to China, which strengthened bilateral relations and trade, also put added […]
Tanzania Society of Travel Agents recognizes Serena’s top performance
SERENA TAKES THE HONOURS IN 2013 TASOTA AWARDS (Posted 17th September 2013) The Tanzania Society of Travel Agents (TASOTA) has this year once again rewarded Serena Hotels for its continued exemplary service delivery and their range of locations on the Tanzanian safari circuit, in Dar es Salaam and on the spice island of Zanzibar. Out […]
Gulu receives first train in nearly 20 years as RVR completes major work on railway line
GULU WELCOMES FIRST TRAIN IN NEARLY 20 YEARS (Posted 17th September 2013) Recently it was reported here that Rift Valley Railways has been quietly restoring sections of the 500 kilometre long railway line which branches off in Tororo towards Gulu and Pakwach and was expecting to restore cargo services to and from Gulu, to serve […]
Rwanda goes to the polls as tourists continue to flock into the country
IT IS ELECTION DAY IN RWANDA (Posted 16th September 2013) Amid a crisis of sorts, having to deal with thousands of people driven across Rwanda’s borders by increasingly brutal methods of the Tanzanian government, reminiscent of the ethnic cleansing of non Serbs and Muslims in the Balkan War in the early 90 and by the […]
Kenya’s tourism gurus ask for incentives to entice more airlines come to Mombasa
KENYA COAST TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS DEMAND DECISIVE ACTION TO HIT THE MARKET (Posted 16th September 2013) The news last week that Swiss charter airline EDELWEISS has confirmed their withdrawal from the Mombasa route next summer, and added information sourced since then indicating that returning for the 2014/15 winter high season presently stands a knife’s edge – […]
