The prodigal son returns as James Rattos makes a comeback in Kampala

JAMES RATTOS LEAVES ENASHIPAI TO TAKE OVER AS SOKONI AFRICA’S GM IN KAMPALA (Posted 28th February 2015) When James Rattos left the Sheraton Kampala just two years ago, where he served in various capacities before becoming the hotel’s Director of Sales & Marketing, over a decade of having a familiar face around at one of […]

Meet Reunion at ITB in Hall 20

ITB 2015 – REUNION’S WINDOW TO THE WORLD (Posted 28th February 2015) Reunion’s tourism industry representatives will be making an appearance in Berlin next week alongside other Vanilla Islands in an effort to attract more German visitors to the island. IRT, Ile de la Reunion Tourisme, will be joined by nearly 20 exhibitors representing the […]

RhiNEWS February: Rhino horn trade debate, habitat expansion & more

News updates from Save the Rhino International Welcome to February RhiNEWS, bringing you rhino news and updates from around the world. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. FEBRUARY 2015 Equipment, education and environment are all key aspects of rhino conservation. This month we bring you positive news on these topics […]

No 344 Wildlife Trade News 27th February 2015

Sadly another dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes from around the world … but with one upside, China is banning the importation of ivory to the mainland for initially one year … a first step into the right direction … in the spotlight today …………………… China bans ivory imports – what […]

Welcome eTN Ambassador

A message from the eTN Publisher Juergen Thomas Steinmetz eTurboNews is now the oldest Internet-based newsletter in the travel and tourism industry with the largest reach of travel industry partners around the globe. And, as a result of many long established partnerships, our news articles are now read by millions of web visitors outside our […]

Beware of the power of the social media!

SOCIAL MEDIA COMPLAINTS ABOUT POOR SERVICES TRIGGER INSTANT RDB RESPONSE (Posted 27th February 2015) Frustrated with service levels, treated poorly by waiters, left standing at the reception as if you don’t belong? In Rwanda, already one of the best connected countries in Eastern Africa, such treatment, when reported on the social media, has instant consequences […]

From Safari Golf to Championship courses – Kenya got it all

Lillian Gaitho today looks at some of Kenya’s fancied Golf destinations, notably at a time when the Kenya Tourism Board was hosting a group of international golf writers on a familiarization tour to sample just how much the country can offer to golfers, safaris and beaches just some of the value added benefits … Golf […]

No 343 Wildlife Trade News 26th February 2015

The daily dose of bad new from around the world … Poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes … in the spotlight today …………………… Indonesia’s Forests Disappearing at Record Rates. extract: A 2014 study published in the journal of Nature Climate Change revealed that Indonesia had been under-reporting how much primary forest it was clearing, and that […]

Hypocrisy of Namibian Elephant Hunt

Updates from the Conservation Action Trust Hypocrisy of Namibian Elephant Hunt Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Hypocrisy of Namibian Elephant Hunt The Namibian | February 24, 2015 | JOHN GROBLER | ALARM has been raised over plans by the Loxodonta Africana Conservancy around Kamanjab to hunt an elephant under […]

Lyon’s Salon CE this week and then on to ITB 2015

REUNION EXHIBITS AT LYON’S SALON CE (Posted 27th February 2015) Reunion Tourism is once again present at the Lyon Salon CE, which is taking place since yesterday and ends this evening. France’s Rhone-Alpes region is thought to be a major source market for potential visitors to Reunion, itself of course a French region located between […]

UCOTA Monthly E-Newsletter

The latest from the Uganda Community Tourism Association | Pearls of Uganda Uganda Community Tourism Association E-newsletter ~February 2015 Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Like us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend The Uganda Community Tourism Association’s mission is to spearhead sustainable community-based tourism in collaboration […]

What does constitute a four or five star hotel?

The International Hotel Association is one of many organizations which provide their global membership with a catalogue of criteria what entails being star rated, from the measly1 star to the highly acclaimed 5 star hotels and resorts. Some properties, in particular in the UAE, of course claim to be 7 star hotels but global criteria […]

Want to see the Seychelles’ carnival – here is an offer hard to refuse

AIR SEYCHELLES PROMOTES THE CARNIVAL WITH EXCEPTIONAL OFFERS (Posted 26th February 2015) Air Seychelles, partner airline for the upcoming Seychelles Carnival, has targeted the Tanzanian market with an offer hard to refuse, to come to the islands at the end of April and participate, or simply just experience, the onslaught of the global carnivalistas when […]

Quo Vadis Burundi Tourism

BURUNDI’S FOLLIES LIKELY TO HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON TOURISM (Posted 26th February 2015) Hot on the heels of news that Burundi will from 01st of March onward halt the issuing of visitor passes and Visa on arrival come more bad news for the country’s tourism industry. Reliable information received from Bujumbura suggests that Burundi […]

Happy on a tiny Kenyan island? Read on to find out all about Wasini …

Promoting travel to Kenya, East Africa in fact, is a primary purpose of this blog, inspite of regular yaps about negativity by some, those of course being in the tiniest of minorities and probably having their own issues … Here comes a story from a new guest blogger, who describes how she came to Kenya, […]

Dar es Salaam – waiting to be discovered

Lillian Gaitho, Jovago.com’s PR Manager, put pen to paper, or fingers to the keyboard rather, and is sharing her thoughts on a visit to Dar es Salaam. Enjoy! Dar es Salaam; a Festival of Senses Nestled along the shores of the Indian Ocean, Dar’s eclectic lifestyle mirrors in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean […]

No 342 Wildlife Trade News 25th February 2015

Your daily dose of bad news from around the world … about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes … in the spotlight today …………………… Kenya: Inside China Where Smuggled Ivory Meets Second Death. EXTRACT: "Law enforcement has not kept up with this huge expansion in the illegal ivory in China, where it is the largest in […]

Spring is around the corner !

More news updates, this one from Kempinski Hotels Can’t read this email? Click here to view it online HOME BOOK NOW ? ? Spring is around the corner ! We are delighted to share with you news from Kempinski Hotels around the globe in this spring edition of our newsletter. The Kempinski team is excited […]

Another round of ‘Alon Bat Kare’ offers great rebates for tours on Reunion

ALON BAT KARE – RELOADED (Posted 26th February 2015) Reunion Tourism has announced another round of the popular ‘Alon Bar Kare’ which gives visitors and locals the opportunity to discover tourism attractions at up to 20 percent rebate on published prices. From the 28th of February to the 01st of March inclusive will tariffs tumble […]

East Africa Newsletter February 2015

Keen to learn more about the latest technologies in travel? Look no further but this space where Amadeus’ East Africa Newsletter February 2015 gives all the latest news … This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. The Travel Agent of the future As technology advances, we as […]

Work at the ferry port in Victoria gets underway for improved passenger facilities

MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS COMING UP FOR THE INTER ISLAND FERRY PORT (Posted 26th February 2015) The main ferry port in Victoria, Seychelles charming capital city, is the primary jump off point for tourists travelling from the main island of Mahe to Praslin and on to La Digue, the archipelago’s second and third largest islands. Everyone visiting […]

Thumbs up for EATP, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya and thumbs down for Burundi

VISA FREE TRAVEL FOR EXPATRIATES WITHIN THE ‘COW’ COUNTRIES FINALLY A REALITY (Posted 26th February 2015) The East African Tourism Platform, the regional tourism apex body affiliated to the East African Community, has just recorded one of their most significant achievements, when Kenya finally came on board a few days ago to make Visa free […]

Good news for Seychelles tourism as cruise liners return

‘THE WORLD’ DUE IN SEYCHELLES FOR A THREE DAY PORT CALL (Posted 25th February 2015) A regular source from the Seychelles’ capital Victoria has confirmed that ‘The World’, a unique cruiseliner, will be on port call from 26th to 28th of February inclusive. After initially docking at port Victoria on the main island of Mahe […]

Invitation: Tourism Executive Lunch before ITB at the Ritz Carlton Berlin

Going to ITB? Want to increase your networking? Here is a great opportunity … Dear eTN TourismExecutive Reader, Will you be attending ITB Berlin? Join us for our network lunch in Berlin at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Potsdamer P Like Tweet Pin +1 in Dear eTN TourismExecutive Reader, Will you be attending ITB Berlin? […]

No 341 Wildlife Trade News 24th February 2015

Another daily dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes from around the world …. in the spotlight(again) today …………………… Help stop slaughter of elephants, David Attenborough tells Xi Jinping (NA COMMENT: This news story has criss-crossed the world – but not yet reached the CITES web site, Facebook page or Twitter. Is […]

Does the change in Visa regulations spell doom for Burundi’s tourism sector?

NEW VISA IN ADVANCE POLICY SEEN AS HUGELY DETRIMENTAL TO BURUNDI TOURISM (Posted 24th February 2015) ‘First the departure of Carmen Nibigira as Director General and now Visa in advance? This double whammy will very likely push Burundi’s tourism sector back into the tourism stone age’ responded a Kenya based source whose company had tried […]