What interests has the Blackwater founder in Kenya?
HONG KONG’S DVN HOLDINGS BUYS 49 PERCENT OF NAIROBI BASED PHOENIX AVIATION (Posted 03rd April 2014) A masterplan of sorts seems to be unfolding in Kenya, where within the space of 5 weeks DVN Holdings, a Hong Kong listed company, acquired a major stake in a second locally registered aviation company. News broke yesterday in […]
Air Seychelles launches cargo flights from Mahe to Praslin
AIR SEYCHELLES LAUNCHES CARGO FLIGHT BETWEEN MAHE AND PRASLIN (Posted 03rd April 2014) Air Seychelles earlier today announced the launch of a dedicated cargo flight between the archipelago’s international airport on the main island of Mahe and Praslin, the second largest island among the 115 which make up the Seychelles. The airline will for the […]
Kenya Airways’ share value rises on improved positive market perception
KENYA AIRWAYS’ SHARE PRICE GOES UP BY 4 PERCENT ON POSITIVE MARKET PERCEPTION (Posted 03rd April 2014) Several factors came together earlier this week when Kenya Airways’ share price rose by 4 percent, showing some re-emerging confidence among investors that the medium and longer term prospects of Kenya’s national airline are positive. First was the […]
Another rhino baby arrives on Uganda’s Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
RHINO FUND UGANDA REPORTS THE ARRIVAL OF RHINO NUMBER 15 (Posted 02nd April 2014) Good news came from the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary when Executive Director Angie Genade, at shortly past 7 p.m. reported yet another birth, this time Bella having her third calf since she arrived on the sanctuary. The Rhino Fund Uganda started out […]
Bad reporting by local papers damages tourism prospects
KENYA’S DAILY NATION UNDER FIRE FOR PEDDLING SPECULATION AS FACTS (Posted 02nd April 2014) Kenya’s Daily Nation was described as ‘being at it again, tearing Kenya’s tourism down with stupid articles’ by a regular Mombasa based sourced, with several other regular contributors too voicing their disgust and disappointment with the newspaper and in particular the […]
Brussels Airlines continues to support Uganda’s tourism industry
BRUSSELS AIRLINES COMES TO THE AID OF UGANDA TOURISM (Posted 02nd April 2014) Brussels Airlines has once again come to the aid of Uganda’s tourism industry when the airline slashed their fares by half to allow a delegation from The Pearl of Africa to exhibit in Copenhagen / Denmark in late May this year, when […]
STA expects phase one completion by mid July
STA NOW EXPECTS PHASE ONE OF RECONSTRUCTION TO BE READY BY MID JULY (Posted 02nd April 2014) The Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, Alain St. Ange, yesterday announced that the expected completion date of phase one of the complete remodeling of the Seychelles Tourism Academy, is the 15th of July. A recent site visit […]
Responsible Tourism high on the agenda of the Africa Travel Week’s WTM Africa programme
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM FEATURES HIGH AT THE FORTHCOMING WTM AFRICA (Posted 02nd April 2014) The inaugural edition of the forthcoming World Travel Market Africa will bring wider issues of responsible tourism to the forefront during its leading event programme. World Travel Market (WTM) Africa, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on Friday […]
KTB organizes tourist health and safety seminar in conjunction with ABTA
KENYA TOURISM BOARD ORGANIZES SAFETY STANDARDS AND HEALTH WORKSHOP (Posted 02nd April 2014) Tourists visiting Kenya are to set to benefit from improved health and safety standards in tourism facilities across the country as the tourism sector steps up training of travel trade. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), Britain’s leading travel association, is […]
Two Kenyans among the ten finalists for the annual Whitley Awards
WHITLEY FUND NOMINATES KENYA’S PAULA KAHUMBU AND SHIVANI BHALLA FOR AWARD (Posted 02nd April 2014) The Whitley Fund for Nature yesterday announced the shortlist of eight finalists for the annual Whitley Awards. This prestigious international prize honours exceptional individuals working in grassroots nature conservation in the world’s developing countries, and who often face humanitarian, environmental […]
TransCentury departure gives Egypt’s Citadel the control of Rift Valley Railways
MAJOR CHANGES IN OWNERSHIP OF RIFT VALLEY RAILWAYS ANNOUNCED (Posted 02nd April 2014) Egypt’s Citadel Capital has yesterday completed the long expected acquisition of a 34 percent stake previously held by Kenya’s TransCentury, a company listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. TransCentury had given statutory notice in line with NSE and Capital Market Authority regulations […]
Another Eastleigh attack kills 6, injures a dozen
KENYA’S TOURISM INDUSTRY REELS FROM CONTINUED NEGATIVE REPORTS ON TERROR (Posted 01st April 2014) ‘It just does not end’ lamented a regular senior tourism source from Nairobi when discussing the latest explosion in the Eastleigh area of the capital Nairobi, a part of the city where repeatedly in the past explosives were thrown and […]
Jambojet – they finally take to the air
JAMBOJET TAKES TO THE SKIES TO THE DELIGHT OF PASSENGERS (Posted 01st April 2014) Come 06.30 hrs Nairobi time will Jambojet take off for their maiden flight, destined for Kenya’s lakeside city of Kisumu, followed by a 07.30 hrs take off for the city of Mombasa. Anticipated for months by the travelling public which got […]
Where Surf meets Turf at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel
IT IS SURF AND TURF NOW AT SHERATON KAMPALA’S SEVEN SEAS RESTAURANT (Posted 01st April 2014) Sheraton Kampala’s most popular restaurant, the Seven Seas, now offers patrons and in house guests wider choices with the introduction of additional menu items beyond crustaceans, sea fish, salmon and clam chowder. Those with their tastebuds screaming for a […]
IRT takes local DMC’s on day long factfinding tour
IRT ORGANIZES STAKEHOLDER INFORMATION DAY (Posted 01st April 2014) Ile de la Reunion Tourisme, the island’s tourism office, last week organized a day for DMC’s and other interested parties to visit a number of new tourism establishments to create awareness of new products and attractions. Several Destination Management Companies responded to the invitation, among them […]
IHG joins hands with Amadeus in new strategic technology partnership
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS PARTNER WITH AMADEUS FOR BETTER SERVICES (Posted 01st April 2014) The InterContinental Hotel Group, represented in the Eastern African region through the InterContinental Hotel Nairobi as well as franchised Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn operations, has yesterday announced a new strategic technology partnership with Amadeus, the world’s leading CRS. Consumer technology has become […]
Robert Brierley – Gone too soon
RIP ROBERT BRIERLEY (Posted 01st April 2014) Robert Brierley, one of the visionaries behind the rise of Uganda’s South West’s growing popularity for adventure tours, walking safaris and the establishment of hiking trails, is no more. Rob unexpectedly and suddenly passed away over the weekend, leaving behind a grieving family in Langenthal / Switzerland and […]
More green electricity for Kenya
KENYA GETS ANOTHER 280 MW OF GREEN ELECTRICITY (Posted 31st March 2014) Kenya will progressively get another 280 MW to feed the electricity starved country, as the latest of the geo thermal plants at Olkaria, located at the foot of Mt. Longonot in the Great African Rift Valley, started coming on line over the weekend. […]
Qatar Airways ups Melbourne capacity by 30 percent
QATAR AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES CAPACITY BOOST TO MELBOURNE (Posted 31st March 2014) Qatar Airways has over the weekend announced plans to boost their capacity on the route from Doha to Melbourne, largely as a result of the rapidly growing demand for seats. The airline will switch to their presently largest aircraft type, a B777-300ER, which offers […]
Uganda Civil Aviation Authority after 9 months lapse finally gets new board
UGANDA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY GETS NEW BOARD (Posted 31st March 2014) Following the expiry of the official term of office of the Board of Directors of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority in June last year has a vacuum existed on board level of Uganda’s aviation regulatory body, which had drawn critique from air operators and […]
Amb. Karitanyi takes over from Rica Rwigamba as new head of Tourism & Conservation at RDB
CHANGE OF GUARD AT THE HEAD OF RDB’S TOURISM AND CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT (Posted 31st March 2014) After four years at the helm of the Rwanda Development Board’s Tourism and Conservation Department has Ms. Rica Rwigamba left the organization as Ambassador Karitanyi was appointed last Friday by the Rwandan cabinet to take over this critical position. […]
Mwambani port plans would spell the end of the Coelacanth habitat
CONSERVATIONISTS RESPOND WITH ANGER AND DERISION TO KIKWETE STATEMENT ON MWAMBANI PORT (Posted 30th March 2014) ‘He is just another wolf in sheepskin and our environment and conservation of natural, wildlife and marine resources is his prey’ blasted a regular conservation source from Arusha, understandably on condition of strictest anonymity, following news that Tanzania’s President […]
And the lights did go out as Earth Hour struck at Kampala’s leading hotels
KAMPALA’S LEADING HOTELS OBSERVE EARTH HOUR (Posted 30th March 2014) Feedback received from Kampala’s leading hotels, the Kampala Serena Hotel and the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, confirm that both establishments observed this year’s Earth Hour by switching off their main lights – safety and security lights did remain on in line with regulatory requirements – in […]
Terminal 4 will be ready by 04th of July – or so says Kenya’s Transport Secretary Michael Kamau
TRANSPORT SECRETARY NOW GIVES JULY 04TH AS OPENING DATES FOR NEW T4 (Posted 30th March 2014) Kenya’s Transport Secretary Michael Kamau came out swinging earlier this week, when at the launch of the Jambojet livery at the Kenya Airways / Jambojet base in Embakasi he announced that the new Terminal 4 will open its doors […]
Swahili Fashion Week postpones Nairobi event
SWAHILI FASHION WEEK NAIROBI EVENT POSTPONED (Posted 30th March 2014) The much anticipated ‘Swahili Fashion Week Nairobi’ was yesterday postponed until a later date by the organizers, citing logistical and other problems. The regular ‘Swahili Fashion Week’, created by Mustafa Hassanali in 2008 has been taking place ever since in Tanzania and has established itself […]
Rwanda, Uganda and Congo DR sign new cooperation deal for gorilla conservation
TRIPARTITE MEETING IN KIGALI MAPS OUT WAY FORWARD FOR VIRUNGA COOPERATION (Posted 29th March 2014) A tripartite meeting was held in Kigali yesterday where RDB’s Tourism and Conservation Department hosted their counterparts from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Congo’s ICCN, to discuss closer cooperation vis a vis gorilla management and conservation in the Virunga […]
Another rhino killed in Nakuru
ANOTHER RHINO KILLED WITHIN A DAY OF PRESIDENT KENYATTA’S WARNING TO POACHERS (Posted 29th March 2014) President Kenyatta’s stern warning on poaching during his State of the Nation address earlier in the week, and KWS’s attempts to fend off growing criticism about their way of handling the national poaching crisis – a crisis they try […]
KAA under pressure to complete financing of JKIA’s Project Greenfield
JKIA’S PROJECT GREENFIELD IN ‘EXCAVATION STAGE’ (Posted 29th March 2014) While the Kenya Airports Authority is currently in talks to conclude the financing of their most ambitious project ever undertaken yet, the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with the new ‘Project Greenfield’, is excavation work reportedly progressing well already, preparing for the start of […]
UWA set to digging trenches around Murchisons boundaries
UWA RESPONDS TO MURCHISONS PARK NEIGHBOURS REQUESTS TO KEEP GAME IN PARK (Posted 29th March 2014) The Uganda Wildlife Authority has responded to a series of requests from communities neighbouring the Murchisons Falls National Park to keep game and in particular elephants from raiding their shambas [Kiswahili for small scale farms] and destroying their crops. […]
Douala here we come – RwandAir adds Douala to growing network
RWANDAIR LAUNCHES COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS TO DOUALA (Posted 29th March 2014) RwandAir will next Monday launch their long awaited commercial flights from Kigali to Douala, a new route which the airline intends to serve 5 times a week using one of their new Bombardier CRJ900NextGen aircraft. The route will operate out of Kigali every Monday, Wednesday, […]
