Qatar wants US Immigration pre-clearance status for new airport
QATAR SEEKS US IMMIGRATION PRE-CLEARANCE FOR HAMAD INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURES (Posted 03rd March 2014) Following the agreement between Abu Dhabi and the United States, to establish a US Immigration pre-clearance outpost at the international airport in Abu Dhabi for flights by Etihad into the United States, are now news emerging that Qatar too is negotiating for […]
China critics are not taking kindly to their officials mouthing off
ATTACKING CRITICS DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACTS THAT CHINA IS THE MAIN CONSUMER OF BLOOD IVORY (Posted 03rd March 2014) The mudslinging by Chinese officials, blaming ‘Western media’ and by implication the conservation fraternity at large, for negative publicity over the sharp increase in elephant slaughter in Africa, and as being intended to drive a […]
Kampala celebrates good food and drink as the rest of the world celebrates Carnival
SHERATON’S CONNOISSEUR FESTIVAL ONCE AGAIN A BIG SUCCESS (Posted 02nd March 2014) (One of several ‘exhibitors’ stalls at the Sheraton Kampala’s 02nd Connoisseur Festival) The glasses handed out by the Sheraton Kampala at the entrance to the Lion Centre and the extensive gardens beyond were put to good use by hundreds of Kampaleans who thronged […]
Ethiopian Airlines announces Vienna flights from June onwards
ETHIOPIAN ADDS VIENNA AS THEIR 9TH EUROPEAN DESTINATION (Posted 03rd March 2014) Starting on 02nd of June will Ethiopian Airlines add Vienna, the Austrian capital, to their European network, making it a total of 9 destinations across Europe. In partnership with fellow Star Alliance member Austrian Airlines will passengers be able to fly beyond Vienna […]
The downside of those new laws in Uganda – Suspension of aid, withholding loans
RECALL OF WORLD BANK LOAN DEALS SERIOUS BLOW TO UGANDA’S TOURISM AND WILDLIFE SECTOR (Posted 02nd March 2014) The announcement on Friday by the Managing Director of the World Bank, that a loan of over 90 million US Dollars lined up for Uganda, from which in particular the tourism and wildlife sector, and specifically the […]
Find out why Malawi’s civil aviation department cancelled Kenya Airways’ traffic right to Lusaka
MALAWI CANCELS KENYA AIRWAYS’ 5TH FREEDOM RIGHTS BETWEEN LILONGWE AND LUSAKA (Posted 01st March 2014) Kenya Airways’ long standing service to the Malawian travelling public, offering a 5th freedom connection between Malawi and Zambia, was clearly worth little for the bureaucrats in Lilongwe, when they abruptly cancelled these 5th freedom rights to give upstart Malawian […]
Saint Pierre’s Hotel Lindsey now on IRT central booking platform
IRT’S CENTRAL BOOKING SYSTEM ADDS ‘HOTEL LINDSEY’ (Posted 01st March 2014) Ile de la Reunion Tourisme, or Reunion Tourism’s central reservation system, which is accessible via the organization’s website www.reunion.fr, has just added another locally owned hotel to the growing list of available properties it now features. Built last year and located in the town […]
Kenya Airways’ ‘Change for Change’ makes a difference for the Born Free Foundation
KENYA AIRWAYS AND BORN FREE FOUNDATION REVAMP COOPERATION (Posted 01st March 2014) To celebrate the 30th ‘birthday’ of the Born Free Foundation on the 21st of March has Kenya Airways and Virginia McKenna, the lead actress in the Oscar winning classic film ‘Born Free’ once again joined hands to make the already intense working relationship […]
Air Mauritius on track to post full year profit after years of losses
AIR MAURITIUS RETURNS TO PROFITABILITY (Posted 01st March 2014) Information received over a week ago, which inexplicably ended up in the spam box and was only retrieved today after the source in Port Louis made enquiries, paints a rosier picture for the financial future of Air Mauritius. A significant turnaround is now visible as the […]
Bombardier hands over brand new Q400NextGen to RwandAir
RWANDAIR NOW JUST A MONTH AWAY FROM DOUALA LAUNCH (Posted 28th February 2014) As Kigali is getting ready to receive RwandAir’s brand new Bombardier Q400NextGen turboprop aircraft next Monday afternoon, are news emerging from the airline’s corporate headquarters that the planned launch of flights to Douala, the carrier’s 16th destination overall and 5th in West […]
Air Seychelles’ outgoing CEO Cramer Ball gets presidential thanks for a job well done
OUTGOING AIR SEYCHELLES CEO RECEIVES PRESIDENTIAL THANKS (Posted 28th February 2014) Cramer Ball, and his successor Manoj Papa who will take over on the 01st of April, were yesterday invited to State House in Victoria for a meeting with President James Alix Michel. The president, in his State of the Nation Address a day earlier, […]
Reunion Tourism seeks new avenues to promote the island in France
IRT ROLLING OUT NEW COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE (Posted 28th February 2014) Reunion’s tourism office is pulling out all the stops to make sure the island remains visible in the key French market with the signing of an agreement with France’s Karavel Group. IRT will have access to three communications platforms to get their messages […]
High Court Judge in Kampala orders release of blood ivory – UWA/URA set to appeal ruling
UGANDA’S REPUTATION TAKES ANOTHER KNOCK AS JUDGE RETURNS BLOOD IVORY TO OWNERS (Posted 28th February 2014) Conservationists and the public at large were baffled when news broke two days ago that High Court Judge Musalu Musene had delivered a ruling which effectively returned a seized consignment of blood ivory coming from the Congo to the […]
Safety in aviation – Africa – 2 weeks to go
Entebbe will be the place to be for everyone who is keento participate in key aviation certification workshops. Coming your way in two weeks, AVIASSIST will conduct a series of training sessions for aviation personnel from the entire region. Don’t miss this great opportunity. Key airlines partners are Kenya Airways / KLM, Air Uganda, Emirates […]
KAA again under scrutiny over tender award for duty free shops at JKIA
PROCUREMENT OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY HALTS KAA DUTY FREE SHOPS TENDER AWARD (Posted 28th February 2014) The Public Procurement Oversight Authority has questioned the validity of the tender award by the Kenya Airport Authority to hand the duty free shops at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport over to a new operator, according to information received from a […]
Flying to Mombasa for a song – book now with Jambojet
JAMBOJET FLIGHTS NOW OPEN FOR BOOKINGS (Posted 28th February 2014) Nairobi to Mombasa at Kenya Shillings 2.850 or the equivalent of 33 US Dollars, all taxes and regulatory charges included – flying does not come any cheaper in Kenya as even some bus companies now charge more than that. Bookings have yesterday gone ‘live’ and […]
President Michel’s State of the Nation address confirms tourism’s contributions to economy
PRESIDENT MICHEL’S STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS HIGHLIGHTS TOURISM CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL ECONOMY (Posted 27th February 2014) When President James Alix Michel delivered his 10th State of the Nation address yesterday, the Seychellois’ eyes and ears were tuned to TV screens and radios to hear what the balance sheet for 2013 would look like and […]
Soon to come – new facilities for Inter Island Ferry users
SEYCHELLES PORT AUTHORITY RESPONDS TO CHANGED MARKET CONDITIONS (Posted 27th February 2014) The regular consultative meetings between the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association and the Ministry for Tourism and Culture in the past repeatedly focused on the need to improve facilities at the main jetties in Victoria, on Praslin and on La Digue. The accidental […]
Mauritius receives multiple accolades in China
Tourism news from Mauritius … Mauritius receives multiple accolades in China Mauritius will receive three awards in China. Thus, revealing itself as a rising island destination in just a short span of time, highlighting the combined efforts of the MTPA and Air Mauritius on this emerging market. Two trophies will be awarded to Mauritius by […]
SA’s Rhinos, not worth a ticket to London?
Conservation Action Trust news update … Conservation Action Trust www.conservationaction.co.za SA’s Rhinos, not worth a ticket to London? In Cold Blood – Combating organised wildlife crime EIA | 7 Feb 2014 | A report examining international wildlife crime case histories, considering the successes and failures, and highlighting the crucial lessons to be learnt for better […]
Arts and crafts to become part of Reunion’s tourism promotion
REUNION TOURISM SET TO GIVE LOCAL CRAFTS AND ARTS A BOOST (Posted 27th February 2014) Reunion’s 400.000+ tourists visiting the island every year spend an estimated 44 million Euros on the purchase of art pieces and crafts. Subsequently has IRT, the island’s tourism office, assisted to prepare a report on the integration of this crucial […]
Media professionals get free registration for Africa Travel Week
AFRICA TRAVEL WEEK WELCOMES MEDIA PROFESSIONALS WITH FREE REGISTRATION (Posted 27th February 2014) World Travel Market Africa (WTM), the leading B2B exhibition for Africa’s travel industry, has now opened the registration process for visitors and press. The inaugural WTM Africa will bring the world to Africa and promote Africa to the world over the two […]
New theme song chosen for the 4th Carnival International de Victoria
SAVOY HOTEL OPENING POSTPONED (Posted 26th February 2014) The new Savoy Seychelles Hotel on Beau Vallon Bay has inspite of earlier indications to the contrary not yet been formally opened, leading to speculation over the reasons for the delay. It is known that latest in March, the first phase of the beautification project of the […]
Trouble in Zanzibar not helpful for tourism
ZANZIBARI RADICALS AGAIN TARGET CHURCHES AND RESTAURANTS (Posted 26th February 2014) A total of three grenade attacks were reported from Zanzibar’s main island of Unguja, raising concern levels among the tourism and hospitality operators, which have been doing extraordinarily well in recent months. One of the grenades was thrown on Sunday already towards an Anglican […]
Two top wildlife officials axed in Dar es Salaam
NYALANDU SACKS TWO SENIOR WILDLIFE OFFICIALS (Posted 26th February 2014) The Director of the Wildlife Division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof. Alexander Sogorwa and his deputy, Prof. Jafari Kidegesho, were yesterday relieved of their respective duties by the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu. The minister had only […]
Tanzanian Attorney General Justifies Plan to Build Highway through Serengeti Park | East Africa News
And hot on the heels of the shared information from Stop The Serengeti Highway / Save the Serengeti comes this piece of information which was just recently circulated to the tourism fraternity in Tanzania. Too few visitors to the Serengeti ? That sure is a novel way to justify the highway, Yes ??? For your […]
Serengeti Highway Threat Looms Large – Learn Why
When I receive updates and information from Serengeti Watch, it is ALWAYS worth sharingwith my own readers, as, after all, this campaign was triggered back in early 2010 with first signs emerging about the Tanzanian government’s plans to build a highway reported here. Enjoy the read! From: Serengeti Watch <info> Subject: Serengeti Highway Threat Looms […]
Delivery flight going underway on Saturday
SOON COMING TO AN AIRPORT NEAR YOU – RWANDAIR’S NEW BOMBARDIER Q400 (Posted 26th February 2014) (Picture courtesy of RwandAir) The latest acquisition by RwandAir, Rwanda’s national airline, a Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft in a dual class configuration, will later this week commence its journey home to The Land of a Thousand Hills, where the […]
Hemingways becomes major sponsor of the Kenya Open Golf Championship
KENYA OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT GETS SPONSORSHIP BOOST FROM HEMINGWAYS (Posted 26th February 2014) Kenya’s most important international golfing tournament, the Barclays Kenya Open, which will tee off next Thursday at the Karen Country Club, has received a major sponsorship boost when Hemingways came on board with their offer to accommodate tournament officials and administrators and […]
And the winners are … IRT announces results of their 2013 agency challenge
AND THE WINNERS ARE … (Posted 26th February 2014) The winners of the annual ‘Challenge des Agences Réceptives Partenaires 2013’ have been revealed yesterday in St. Denis, the capital of Ile de la Reunion, when IRT, the island’s tourism office, announced who won the four available categories of the competition. Throughout the last year did […]
