Phone companies set to cap roaming charges for East Africans, well, some East Africans
COALITION OF THE WILLING HANDS CITIZENS CHEAPER ROAMING TARIFFS (Posted 18th September 2014) The mobile phone companies in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya have finally agreed on new tariffs for citizens of the three countries, when they travel across the borders and use their phones on roaming arrangements. Hitherto perceived as often outrageously expensive, apart from […]
Chinese visitor numbers to the Seychelles nearly double since January
CHINESE VISITORS TO SEYCHELLES TOP THE 10.000 MARK (Posted 18th September 2014) ‘Our Chinese visitors have taken to the Seychelles like the fish take to water. We think that the launch of flights by Air Seychelles to Hong Kong have helped a great deal to make connections between China and the islands easier. I agree […]
More aircraft orders will keep Ethiopian on top of the African aviation league
IS ETHIOPIAN READY TO SIGN FOR BOEING’S NEXT GENERATION B737MAX (Posted 18th September 2014) Ethiopian Airlines is expected to make a major announcement as early as this weekend over the future replacement of their narrow body fleet of B737-700/800NG’s and from reliable sources it will be the B737MAX, the neo version of Boeing’s most successful […]
Jovago eyes expansion into SADC region
JOVAGO ANNOUNCES EXPANSION INTO ZIMBABWE (Posted 18th September 2014) Jovago.com, which is a part of Rocket Internet and Africa Internet Holding, has yesterday announced that they have expanded their services to Zimbabwe, adding yet another African country to the growing portfolio which stands at nearly 9.000 hotels in Africa. Only recently did the company sign […]
The future of the travel business – managing changes is the challenge
THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL IS ONLINE – TEACHING THE TRAVEL TRADE NEW TRICKS (Posted 18th September 2014) Three big names are coming together to conduct a seminar about the future of travel in Nairobi on November 07th. 3G Direct Pay has teamed up with Amadeus, East Africa’s leading CRS and TravelStart, to induct travel agency […]
IIPT September Newsletter
Updates from the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism September 2014 IIPT World Travel Market Event to Preview World Symposium on Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations Cultivating Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations is this year’s theme at IIPT’s World Travel Market Session: Wednesday, 5 November, 10:30 to 12:00 Noon South Gallery Rooms 21 […]
Boere Rhino Mafia beat the rap
News updates from the Conservation Action Trust Boere Rhino Mafia beat the rap Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Boere Rhino Mafia beat the rap Saturday Star | 13 September, 2014 | Rhishja Cota-Larson | In 2003, an unexpected criminal element was taking root in South Africa. Certain safari operators […]
Humiliating climbdown by Juba regime as expulsion order rescinded
SOUTH SUDAN’S REGIME BEATS A HASTY RETREAT AS THE REGION THREATENS RETALIATION (Posted 18th September 2014) Plans announced two days ago by the regime of Salva Kiir, to expel all foreigners come 15th of October and hand over their jobs to locals, met with sustained opposition from regional partner countries, where in particular in Kenya […]
Qatar Airways finally takes delivery of first A380
BIG DAY FOR BIG AIRLINE AS FIRST BIG BIRD GETS DELIVERED (Posted 18th September 2014) Qatar Airways yesterday took delivery of the airline’s first ever Airbus A380, number one of ten such big birds on order. Three more such aircraft will join the fleet before the end of the year. Passengers from QR’s East Africa […]
AFRAA’s 46th AGA just 50 days away
REGISTRATION FOR AFRAA’S 46TH ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY GATHERS PACE (Posted 18th September 2014) The who is who in African aviation is expected to assemble in Algiers between 09th and 11th of November, when the organization is holding its 46th Annual General Assembly at the Algiers Hilton Hotel. Several hundred airline professionals from the level of […]
New BASA between Seychelles and Cambodia paves the way for future air connections
SEYCHELLES SIGNS BILATERAL AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH CAMBODIA (Posted 17th September 2014) Following the signing of an economic and technical cooperation agreement in 2010 and a Visa Waiver agreement in 2012 have the Seychelles and Cambodia now signed a new BASA, aka Bilateral Air Service Agreement, which allows for flights between the two countries, as […]
More flights to Bukoba open up Western Tanzania
AURIC AIR ADDS MORE FLIGHTS TO BUKOBA (Posted 17th September 2014) (Picture courtesy of Auric Air) Auric Air, Tanzania’s premier safari and charter airline, has yesterday announced that they will increase their present 17 frequencies to Bukoba, the country’s main town on the Western shores of Lake Victoria, to 19 overall, effective 20th of September. […]
Get out by 15th of October or else – is South Sudan’s regime for real?
KIIR REGIME’S LATEST MOVE DRIVES SOUTH SUDAN INTO FURTHER ISOLATION (Posted 17th September 2014) ‘Get the hell out of our country’ appears to be the message by the regime of Salva Kiir in South Sudan, after Ministerial Circular 007/2014 made its entry into the public domain yesterday. Investors representatives, Executive Directors in companies, even those […]
Anti travel advisories and Ebola drive down Africa’s tourism arrivals
AFRICA’S TOURISM GROWTH LAGS BEHIND GLOBAL AVERAGE THIS YEAR (Posted 16th September 2014) The latest data available from the United Nations World Tourism Organization show an increase in global travel by 5 percent, in real numbers up to 517 million travelers during the first half of 2014 as compared to 495 million in 2013. The […]
Wir reisen nach Reunion …
REUNION HOSTS TRAVEL JOURNALISTS FROM GERMANY’S TOP 5 MEDIA HOUSES (Posted 16th September 2014) Der Spiegel, Die Frankfurter Allgemeine, Die Zeit, Die Presse and Die Neue Zuericher Zeitung are awe inspiring names in journalism and their travel sections generally considered to be on top of their class with weekly reviews of destinations and periodic live […]
Tourism downturn now impacts on currency value
LACK OF TOURIST DOLLARS PUSHES KENYA SHILLING TO THREE YEAR LOW (Posted 16th September 2014) The Kenya Shilling yesterday reached a three year low when the currency breached the crucial threshold of 89 to the US Dollar, after sliding for the past few weeks already. Market analysts now already predict that a further devaluation may […]
Dar es Salaam to Entebbe – once again nonstop
FASTJET RESTORES NONSTOP FLIGHTS FROM DAR ES SALAAM TO ENTEBBE (Posted 16th September 2014) Fastjet will today launch its fourth international destination out of Dar es Salaam, when the maiden flight to Entebbe in Uganda is taking to the skies. After Johannesburg, Lusaka and Harare are flights to Entebbe of particular importance, as the double […]
Serena Hotels – September 2014 Enewsletter
Updates from Serena Hotels Having any problems seeing this newsletter? View it in your browser September News: Introducing the Migration Trails Offer Serena Hotels is happy to present to you its tailored safari product, Migration Trails Offer to Mara Serena Safari Lodge. Maasai Mara Game Reserve is the most frequently visited Game Reserve in Kenya. […]
JKIA’s new Terminal 1A set to become the airport’s primary check in facility
KENYA AIRWAYS SHIFTS MORE FLIGHTS TO THE NEW TERMINAL 1A (Posted 16th September 2014) From an initial four ‘test flights’ a day a few weeks ago has the number of Kenya Airways departures now handled at the new Terminal 1A risen to 28 and more are being shifted there as of the 16th of September. […]
More Dreamliner flights on African routes
KENYA AIRWAYS INTRODUCES THE B787 DREAMLINER ON THE ROUTE TO KINSHASA (Posted 15th September 2014) SkyTeam member Kenya Airways’ Kinshasa flights on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, leaving in the morning at 07.55 hrs local time under flight number KQ 554, will now be operated by the airline’s new B787-8 Dreamliner as the previously used […]
MascaRun South Africa comes to an end
‘MASCARUN SOUTHAFRICA’ PARTICIPANTS FLY HOME AS REUNION’S NEW AMBASSADORS (Posted 15th September 2014) ‘And the winner of the MascaRun South Africa is … REUNION TOURISM’ which could have been the headline or should have been the headline considering the waves the destination made on the 24 South African travel agents and tour operator staff who […]
Cheap flights to Dar es Salaam now just a day away
FASTJET’S MAIDEN FLIGHT TO ENTEBBE – A DAY AND COUNTING (Posted 15th September 2014) The billboards are up in Kampala now and the new offices of Fastjet at the Entebbe International Airport have been furnished, connected and occupied by staff only employed days ago, who have undergone a rapid indoctrination of the company’s philosophy and […]
Opening up Angola’s airspace – one flight at a time
THREE IS BETTER THAN TWO BUT ANGOLA STILL KEEPS ITS AIRSPACE UNDER LOCK AND KEY (Posted 15th September 2014) After four years of bilateral negotiations has Angola finally put pen to paper last week to allow one more frequency between the two countries, up from previously two. While the news was welcomed in aviation circles […]
Lynne Leakey RIP – Thoughts on the passing of an icon
LYNNE LEAKEY – SAFARI GUIDE PAR EXCELLENCE, CONSERVATIONIST AND FRIEND – RIP (Posted 14th September 2014) (Picture by Xavier Mateu with much appreciation) When a friend passes, one’s own mortality becomes only too apparent, more so when it is an age mate, or sorts of an age mate anyway as one does not put the […]
New roads open up Uganda for trade and tourism
NEW ‘OIL HIGHWAY’ TO BE READY NEXT MONTH (Posted 14th September 2014) A brand new 92 kilometre long highway from the Western Ugandan town of Hoima to the shores of Lake Albert, directly into the centre of activity for oil exploration and future oil production, will according to the Uganda National Road Authority be ready […]
Only in the Seychelles
A review of last weekend’s Praslin Culinary and Arts Fiesta and perhaps lessons to be learned by other tourism destinations. Tourism: "It takes a popular event to raise the profile of the destination" says Praslin Hoteliers in the Seychelles by a South Africa based Journalist who joined the Praslin Island Fiesta "Claim back our Tourism […]
Faltering tourism sector knocks point 8 percent off growth forecasts in Kenya
KENYA GOVERNMENT FINALLY ADMITS THAT TOURISM DOWNTURN IMPACTS ON GROWTH (Posted 14th September 2014) When Kenya’s Treasury Secretary earlier this week revised the country’s growth forecasts from 5.8 percent to 5 percent for 2014, it was for the first time that a senior government official actually owned up and acknowledged that the faltering tourism industry […]
Marasa Africa Quarterly Newsletter
News from the Ugandan and Kenyan lodges of Marasa Africa View newsletter in your browser In this issue we once again invite you to share the updates from our safari lodges, each of which represents the combination of the very best of what is on offer at these destinations. Marasa Africa is one of the […]
UNWTO / ICAO meeting in the Seychelles shifted to April 2015
INAUGURAL UNWTO / ICAO CONFERENCE POSTPONED TILL APRIL 2015 (Posted 13th September 2014) Confirmation was received yesterday that the October 13th – 15th joint conference between the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, which was to bring the world’s transport and tourism ministers together in a ground breaking meeting, has […]
New Nairobi airport terminal gets busy
NEW TERMINAL 1A GETS BUSIER AS MORE KENYA AIRWAYS FLIGHTS ARE MOVED (Posted 13th September 2014) Kenya Airways yesterday shifted yet more flights leaving Nairobi into the brand new Terminal 1A from the present location of Terminal 1C, formerly and still better known as Unit 2. Six more flights are now checking in at the […]
