Brussels Airlines introduces high cuisine at high altitude
BRUSSELS AIRLINES BOOSTS INFLIGHT CUISINE (Posted 31st October 2013) (First class inflight meals with the help from a friendly chef) Starting tomorrow, 01st of November, will Brussels Airlines introduce a range of new inflight meals on their intercontinental flights, which includes the routes from Brussels to Entebbe, Kigali, Bujumbura and Nairobi, the airline’s East African […]
Two new locally owned hotels boost bed capacity on Mahe
NEW SEYCHELLOIS OWNED HOTELS SIGNAL CONFIDENCE IN TOURISM GROWTH (Posted 31st October 2013) The launch this week and last week of two new Seychellois owned hotels, the Treasure Cove Hotel and the Crown Beach Hotel, signal a renewed spirit of confidence in the future of the tourism industry from among local investors in the hospitality […]
Five years of economic reforms in Seychelles helped shape tourism successes
ECONOMIC REVIEW UNDERWAY AS ECONOMIC REFORM PROGRAMME CLOCKS 5 YEARS (Posted 30th October 2013) Five years ago to the day did President James Alix Michel go on national television to make a ground breaking announcement about a new economic course of action, as the country was coming under the dark cloud of a global financial […]
Special Qantas flight brings over 200 visitors to the Seychelles
QANTAS LANDS IN SEYCHELLES WITH OVER 200 TRAVELERS ON ROUND THE WORLD TRIP (Posted 30th October 2013) A special Qantas chartered Boeing B747-400 landed last evening at the international airport on Mahe, bringing 215 travellers to the archipelago under the banner of ‘Captain’s Choice’, an Australian specialized tour operation using private jets to take their […]
Vanilla Island Organization signs accord with Constance Hotels Group
VANILLA ISLAND ORGANIZATION SIGNS MOU WITH CONSTANCE HOTELS (Posted 30th October 2013) The Reunion based Vanilla Island Organization, the formation of which was announced in September alongside the UNWTO Conference on Sustainable Tourism Developments on small island states, has yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Constance Hotels in the Seychelles capital of Victoria. The […]
Kigali Serena hosts Africa’s ICT movers and shakers
KIGALI SERENA HOSTS BOTH TRIPARTITE AND ‘TRANSFORM AFRICA SUMMIT’ (Posted 30th October 2013) The Kigali Serena Hotel, without argument Kigali’s best city hotel and subsequently awarded the World Travel Award during the Africa award ceremony earlier in the month in Nairobi, is currently hosting the ‘Transform Africa Summit’ to which the Rwandan government has invited […]
Turkish Week ends at the Kampala Serena
TURKISH WEEK ENDS AT KAMPALA SERENA (30th October 2013) A week of delightful Turkish music and cuisine came to an end on Monday night as the Kampala Serena Hotel hosted a dedicated ‘Turkish Week’ which they had organized in conjunction with Turkish Airlines. Chefs, foodstuffs and spices were flown into Entebbe by Turkish, as were […]
Air Uganda signs mobile money deal with MTN
AIR UGANDA LAUNCHES MOBILE MONEY PAYMENT OPTION (Posted 30th October 2013) Air Uganda yesterday formally launched their new payment option which prospective passengers can now use to pay for their ticket. An agreement with MTN’s Mobile Money now permits instant payment when booking on line, securing the reservation made by simply accessing their mobile money […]
RwandAir wins big at AKWAABA Tourism Trade Fair in Lagos
RWANDAIR SCOOPS ‘BEST SHORT HAUL AIRLINE’ AWARD AT NIGERIA’S TOP TRAVEL EXPO (Posted 30th October 2013) The 9th Akwaaba Travel Fair in Lagos / Nigeria, where this year the tourism boards of Rwanda and Kenya represented East Africa, has on the opening day awarded RwandAir the coveted trophy as ‘Best Short Haul Airline in Africa’ […]
Qatar Airways’ joining of oneworld – an opportunity for them and a challenge for other alliance members
QATAR AIRWAYS JOINS ONEWORLD ALLIANCE (Posted 30th October 2013) Travellers using Qatar Airways from their East African destinations of Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and Addis Ababa will effective today be able to enjoy the benefits of QR having joined the third of the global airline alliances, oneworld. It is thought that following […]
Air Seychelles places 20+ million order with Viking for three brand new Twin Otter DHC 6 – 400’s
AIR SEYCHELLES SIGNS ORDER FOR 3 DHC 6 – 400 TWIN OTTERS WITH VIKING (Posted 29th October 2013) Breaking News – Stop Press – Breaking News – Stop Press In a surprise announcement at a media briefing late this morning did the Air Seychelles CEO Cramer Ball break the news of the purchase of 3 […]
Common tourist Visa announcement will NOT take place at WTM after all
COMMON VISA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR UGANDA, RWANDA AND KENYA DELAYED (Posted 29th October 2013) An announcement was to be made at the World Travel Market next week in London, that the long awaited common tourist Visa, applicable for Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya, would be launched by the first of January next year, to add to the […]
La Digue island to get electric carts to eventually phase out regular cars
LA DIGUE’S SUCCESS TRIGGERS NEW APPROACH TO ISLAND TRANPORTATION (Posted 15th October 2013) The delegation from Reunion to the Festival Kreol did not just come for fun in the sun but also staged on the opening day a successful renewable energy exhibition, showcasing some of the technology available from Reunion which can equally be installed […]
Festival Kreol seen through the lense of my camera …
IMPRESSIONS OF THE FIRST FOUR COLOURFUL FESTIVAL KREOL DAYS IN THE SEYCHELLES (Posted 28th October 2013) (Seychelles bound on KQ 450, the fastest way from Eastern Africa to the archipelago in just about 3 hours. And the aircraft used for the service that day, a SkyTeam branded Embraer E190) (And the ride was smooth all […]
Reunion stands by Seychelles in testament of a special relationship
REUNION’S PRESENCE EVERYWHERE IS TESTAMENT TO A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP (Posted 28th October 2013) ‘Is Reunion your choice partner in cultural and tourism cooperation’ I asked the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange earlier in the day and he quipped back with the broadest of smiles lighting up his face: ‘We have […]
Air Seychelles launches new top VIP service at Mahe’s International Airport
AIR SEYCHELLES LAUNCHES ‘VIP’ SERVICES (Posted 28th October 2013) ‘Air Seychelles VIP’ was launched last Thursday evening at the international airport by the airline’s CEO Cramer Ball, who officially inaugurated the new service to the applause of invited dignitaries, government officials and members of the business community. Present was the Seychelles Vice President Danny Faure, […]
A Catholic mass celebrated in Creole language was the Sunday highlight of the Festival Kreol
FESTIVAL KREOL SUNDAY CELEBRATED WITH A MASS IN CREOLE LANGUAGE (Posted 28th October 2013) The Au Cap district church on the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe was the centre of worship yesterday when hundreds of Catholic faithful attended a special mass, celebrated in Creole language, to mark this year’s 28th Festival Kreol. Present at the […]
Uganda police arrest two Chinese found with blood ivory
UGANDA IMPOUNDS OVER 2 TONS OF IVORY AS TWO CHINESE ARRESTED IN KAMPALA (Posted 28th October 2013) Last weekend did security operatives working hand in hand with enforcement officers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority arrest two Chinese and two Guineans in Kampala, with a haul of over 1.9 tons of blood ivory ready to be […]
Hiking across South West Uganda – the journey continues
BLAZING NEW TRAILS – A JOURNEY FROM KABALE VIA BUNYONYI TO KISORO (Posted 23rd October 2013) The South West of Uganda has of late made waves among tourism operators as new lodges, camps and even home stays have started to line up along the various tourist routes and hiking trails, which visitors can explore by […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Fourth edition October 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 […]
Tanzania’s Mafia Island’ waters turn into a regular whale shark highway
MAFIA ISLAND TOURISTS ENJOY INCREASED SIGHTINGS OF WHALE SHARKS (Posted 27th October 2013) Information from Dar es Salaam speaks of a windfall of marine experiences for tourists visiting Mafia Island, as increased sightings of the whale sharks have been reported in recent months. Marine experts are in fact at a loss to explain why against […]
New way forward for Air Mauritius ?
AIR MAURITIUS SEEKS COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS (Posted 27th October 2013) Information received from Mauritius indicates that the airline may have dropped its search for a strategic investor and shifted attention to the level of commercial agreements. The airline’s top management was reportedly in Dubai last week seeking to reach an agreement with Emirates, which flies twice […]
Deputy CEO appointment at Seychelles Tourism completes the top team
SEYCHELLES TOURISM BOARD LINE UP COMPLETE WITH APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CEO (Posted 26th October 2013) The line up at the top of the Seychelles Tourism Board is now complete with the appointment by President James Alix Michel of Ms. Nathalie Didon as Deputy Chief Executive last Friday. The various changes became necessary when former CEO […]
Mihin Lanka announces flights between Colombo and Mahe
MIHIN LANKA DUE TO LAUNCH COLOMBO – MAHE FLIGHTS ON 16TH NOVEMBER (Posted 25th October 2013) Following a state visit by Sri Lanka’s president to the Seychelles a few months ago did it not take long for the promised airlinks between the two island countries to be announced. While in the Seychelles this week it […]
28th Festival Kreol bursts into life with a performance of Creole stars
FESTIVAL KREOL NUMBER 28 LAUNCHES IN VICTORIA (Posted 25th October 2013) (It is Festival Kreol time on the Seychelles, bringing the Creole World to Victoria, Kapital Lemonn Kreol) Victoria has truly become the Capital of the Creole World, as Creole people from around the globe have come to the Seychelles to celebrate, what has all […]
Elewana’s Sand River Camp now fully operational
SAND RIVER MASAI MARA OPENS FOR GUESTS (Posted 24th October 2013) Soft opened in July this year has the Sand River Masai Mara tented camp almost quietly entered the luxury safari market in Kenya, expanding the ‘elewana’ collection’s reach from their traditional base in Tanzania across the border into Kenya too. Built on elevated platforms […]
Kenya Airways’ first B777-300ER homebound for Nairobi
KENYA AIRWAYS’ PREPARES FOR FERRY FLIGHT OF NUMBER 45 (Posted 24th October 2013) Tomorrow, Friday 25th will Kenya Airways’ latest and biggest bird ever take to the air from the Boeing manufacturing plant in Seattle to start the ferry flight home to the airline’s base in Nairobi. The 400 seat aircraft, offering 28 seats in […]
New Jinja highway construction aims for 2015 start
WORK ON MULTI LANE HIGHWAY TO JINJA TO START IN 2015 (Posted 23rd October 2013) (Picture courtesy of Uganda National Roads Authority) Whether by coincidence or by design has the Uganda National Road Authority, in short UNRA, in recent days taken to the public and the media with their plans to build a state of […]
Kenya’s culinary delights – mostly anyway
CULINARY DELIGHTS – KENYA STYLE (Posted 23rd October 2013) A pictorial of what this travelling scribe found so far on his plates while on safari to Kenya … and a big compliment to the chefs encountered along the way, except that is for the soup and main course at the WTA Ceremony, where THAT […]
UCAA launches strategic plan review
UGANDA CAA LAUNCHES 20 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW (Posted 23rd October 2013) A regular source close to the UCAA has confirmed that a full scale review and update of the Civil Aviation Authority’s 20 year strategic plan has been launched by the Uganda Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala. With […]
