Air Seychelles adds Ho Chi Minh City through codeshare with Etihad
AIR SEYCHELLES ANNOUNCES NEW CODESHARE DEAL TO VIETNAM (Posted 12th November 2013) Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, earlier today announced a further expansion of its codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for travel to Vietnam via Abu Dhabi. The expanded agreement will […]
Tanzania’s tourism associations demand continuation of anti poaching operations
TANZANIA’S TOURISM SECTOR DEMANDS ANTI POACHING OPERATION TO CONTINUE (Posted 12th November 2013) In news just in has the Tourism Confederation of Tanzania, the apex body of all tourism sectoral associations, issued a statement in regard of plans by the Tanzanian government to halt the current anti poaching operation due to concerns over human rights […]
Grounded Jetlink seeks to retain traffic rights
JETLINK – READY FOR A COMEBACK OR KEEPING UP APPEARANCES? (Posted 12th November 2013) A notice in the Kenya Gazette, the official government newpaper in which all legally required public notices are published, has raised speculation over the future of Jetlink once again. The airline has initially halted operations a year ago when falling foul […]
35 years and counting of ‘Flying the Creole Spirit’
AIR SEYCHELLES AT 35 (Posted 11th November 2013) Air Seychelles has now turned 35 years, a major accomplishment in this day and age of aviation, where small airlines have disappeared at an alarming rate, either closed down altogether or taken over with a complete loss of their identity in the process. When in 1978 the […]
RwandAir flights can now be ‘tracked’
RWANDAIR FLIGHTS CAN NOW BE ‘TRACKED’ (Posted 11th November 2013) In RwandAir’s latest initiative, aimed to be more user friendly yet, has flight tracking now become available to allow those expecting passengers to arrive in Kigali or one of the 14 other destinations the airline flies to be at the airport right on time without […]
Madagascar braces for runoff election
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION HEADS TO RUN OFF IN DECEMBER (Posted 11th November 2013) The long awaited presidential elections in Madagascar produced no final result during round one of the voting, as no candidate attained the necessary number of votes to be declared the outright winner. A runoff election, closely monitored once again by the African Union, […]
Kenya Airways tops Heathrow punctuality rankings
KENYA AIRWAYS Q2 INDICATORS SLIGHTLY DOWN (Posted 11th November 2013) Kenya Airways’ performance during the second quarter of the year was ever so slightly down from a year ago, largely centred around a 7.8 percent capacity reduction on routes to Europe, where for instance the daylight flights to London were halted until demand justifies their […]
9 tourism businesses among Top 100 SME’s in Uganda
TOURISM BUSINESSES IN TOP 100 OF UGANDA’S LEADING SME’S (Posted 11th November 2013) The Top 100 Awards for Small and Medium sized Enterprises, held last weekend at the Kampala Serena Conference Centre, saw several hospitality and tourism businesses make it into the top ranks and receive their awards from Vice President Edward Sekandi and Finance […]
Aviation hard hit in Khartoum Sudan by lack of foreign currency
MORE WOES FOR KHARTOUM’S AILING ECONOMY AS LUFTHANSA ANNOUNCES EXIT (Posted 11th November 2013) When late last year Kenya’s Jetlink halted operations over South Sudan’s refusal to approve the internationally agreed remittance of ticket sales from Juba to Nairobi, the extent of the financial cost of the ongoing hostilities between the South and Khartoum Sudan […]
Nairobi commuter rail project set for 200 million US Dollar boost
NAIROBI’S COMMUTER RAIL PROJECT GETS 16 BILLION GOVERNMENT BOOST (Posted 11th November 2013) Last week’s meeting of Kenya’s cabinet reportedly approved a range of private public partnership projects, among them one which has in the past featured here regularly, the Nairobi commuter rail project. This crucial project to improve the traffic situation in Nairobi was […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Second edition November 2013
AVIATION TOURISM & CONSERVATION NEWS EAST AFRICA A weekly roundup from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands 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 […]
Kenya Airways opens new ‘Simba Lounge’ on Unit 2 departure level of JKIA
NEW SIMBA LOUNGE OPENS AT JKIA’S UNIT 2 FOR KENYA AIRWAYS PREMIUM PASSENGERS (Posted 10th November 2013) After the August 08th fire at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport did all the airlines have to come to terms with changed operating conditions, initially changing locations and plenty of temporary measures, and notably the absence of lounges for […]
Air Seychelles looks at second year of profitability in a row
AIR SEYCHELLES RECORDS MASSIVE PASSENGER INCREASE (Posted 09th November 2013) The third quarter of the current financial year has produced a year on year increase of passengers carried of 91 percent, in real terms from the 2012 figures of 28.847 to 55.238 in 2013. The airline’s CEO Cramer Ball attributed this massive improvement in his […]
Regular upgrades keep Seychelles’ leading resorts in top shape
SEYCHELLES’ LEADING HOTELS STAY AT THE CUTTING EDGE WITH PRODUCT UPGRADES (Posted 08th November 2013) While the Kempinski Seychelles Resort has just completed a month long work phase, during which the resort was closed for guests, has Banyan Tree Seychelles concluded a rather longer period of upgrade and refurbishment, some 10 years after the resort […]
Air Seychelles increases reach into South Africa
AIR SEYCHELLES REACHES FURTHER INTO SOUTHAFRICA WITH NEW CODE SHARES (Posted 08th November 2013) Air Seychelles has announced an increase in codeshared flights to destinations within South Africa, in conjunction with South African Airways, substantially increasing its reach into key markets beyond Johannesburg. New are 6 codeshared flights each from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban […]
Kikwete says ‘no ill intent but inept implementation’ to Tokemeza critics
KIKWETE SAYS ‘POOR IMPLEMENTATION BUT NO ILL INTENT’ ABOUT ANTI POACHING (Posted 08th November 2013) When addressing parliament earlier this week did Tanzania’s President Kikwete defend his government’s efforts to combat poaching and at last take a stand against the criminal gangs involved in the wholesome slaughter of entire elephant populations. He however conceded that […]
Thoughts on ‘slum tourism’ by Dipesh Pabari
Earlier this week I met Dipesh Pabari, General Manager of Rift Valley Adventures based on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy and while discussing tourism and all its different faces he mentioned this blog piece which he got published in the Daily Nation. And as agreed there and then and after tracing the item it can now […]
Porini Camps – A view from the armchair if the real thing is beyond reach
GAMEWATCHERS / PORINI LAUNCH 360 VIEWING ON THEIR WEBSITE IN TIME FOR WTM (Posted 07th November 2013) A return to the sites of old exploits always gives the opportunity to take a fresh look at locations and what is new and has happened since a prior visit and while spending time on the Ol Pejeta […]
Rising lake levels in the Rift Valley pose plenty of problems for tourism businesses
THE RISING WATERS OF THE RIFT VALLEY LAKES (Posted 06th November 2013) (The rising waters of Lake Naivasha forced a ‘relocation’ from here to there) After a recent report about the rising water of Lake Baringo literally ‘swallowing’ Lake Baringo Club and the nearby Robert’s Camp, besides drowning several private residences with record high waters […]
More community land dedicated to conservation as new deals signed
CONSERVANCY CONCEPT GAINS MOMENTUM AS MORE COMMUNITIES SIGN DEALS (Posted 06th November 2013) The Northern Rangelands Trust, a conservation NGO primarily covering parts of Northern Kenya with their activities, is thought to be a driving force behind the recent signing of a new conservancy agreement between the Marsabit based Melako and Sera community conservancies and […]
RwandAir and South African sign major code share deal for Kigali – Johannesburg route
RWANDAIR AND SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN DEAL FOR JOHANNESBURG – KIGALI ROUTE (Posted 06th November 2013) The national airlines of Rwanda and South Africa yesterday signed an extensive bilateral code share arrangement which will come into effect on the 07th of December. RwandAir will be operating 7 flights a week between Kigali and Johannesburg and back, […]
Tanzania gifts Kilimanjaro overflight to KQ7773
ASANTE SANA TO THE TANZANIAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY (Posted 06th November 2013) When Kenya Airways’ celebratory launch flight KQ 7773 with their brand new B777-300ER, the airline’s largest ever aircraft, approached Mt. Kilimanjaro enroute to the Kenya coast, Capt. Mwangi made an announcement which had all passengers put their hands together for an instant and […]
Kenya celebrates Kenya Airways’ 45th aircraft arrival
KENYA AIRWAYS LAUNCHES THEIR LARGEST AIRCRAFT EVER (Posted 05th November 2013) ‘Masai Mara’ is the name of Kenya Airways’ first B777-300ER, a 400 seat aircraft offering 372 seats in an enhanced economy class and 28 seats in a classic layout with state of the art flat bed seats in the business class cabin. Notably does […]
Kenya Airways gets process of B787 certification underway
KENYA AIRWAYS STARTS COUNTDOWN TOWARDS DREAMLINER DELIVERIES IN MARCH (Posted 04th November 2013) Kenya Airways has confirmed that they have started the regulatory process of including the B787 Dreamliner in their fleet, as they are preparing to formally introduce their latest aircraft, a Boeing B777-300ER to the Kenyan public this morning. The airline had filed […]
Kenya Airways remains main sponsor of East African Classic Safari Rally
KENYA AIRWAYS SPONSORS THE 2013 EDITION OF ‘EAST AFRICAN SAFARI CLASSIC RALLY’ (Posted 04th November 2013) One of the rally sport’s most popular events, if today not THE most popular one, the Kenya Airways East African Classic Safari Rally, is once again taking place this year and will run from the 21st to the 29th […]
Blood ivory seizure in Dar brings tourism minister to the scene
KAGESHEKI INSPECTS 1.9 TON IVORY SEIZURE FROM CHINESE RESIDENTS IN DAR (Posted 04th November 2013) Tanzania’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Amb. Khamis Kagesheki, was swift to visit the residence of three Chinese living in Dar es Salaam, after some 1.9 tons of blood ivory was discovered there, seized and the two suspects arrested. […]
Swissport opens handling stations at Songwe and Mtwara airports
SWISSPORT TANZANIA COMMENCES HANDLING AT SONGWE AS FASTJET ADDS MBEYA (Posted 03rd November 2013) Swissport Tanzania has added groundhandling services at the Songwe Airport which serves the region around Mbeya but reportedly also opened a station at Mtwara Airport recently, as the number of flights to both airports has significantly increased in the recent past […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, First edition November 2013
AVIATION TOURISM & CONSERVATION NEWS EAST AFRICA A weekly roundup from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands 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 […]
Sarova Stanley bags another major award ahead of WTM
SAROVA STANLEY WINS ‘BEST LUXURY HISTORICAL HOTEL IN KENYA’ AWARD (Posted 02nd November 2013) David Gachuru, General Manager of the Sarova Stanley Hotel, received this year’s Luxury Hotel Award on behalf of Sarova Hotels during the award ceremony yesterday evening in the holiday resort of Phuket / Thailand. World Luxury Awards are globally recognized as […]
Seychelles’ magic – discovering hidden gems …
MEET ONE OF THE SEYCHELLES’ HIDDEN GEMS – THE RESIDENCE ON THE ROCKS (Posted 02nd November 2013) Travel to the Seychelles is always a much anticipated affair, an affair which in my case has lasted for many years and which keeps growing stronger every time I visit the islands. In my ‘line of business’ I […]
