Kigali set for dozens of new buses to boost public transport capacity
DEMAND FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN KIGALI TRIGGERS ADDITIONAL BUS ORDERS (Posted 20th October 2013) The recent introduction of a new public transport system in Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali has triggered a rush of demand on the busses put on the road by the three licensed transport companies, leaving many users frustrated over long waits […]
Precision Air bailout back on the table ?
DAR GOVERNMENT CHANGES TUNE AS CHANCES FOR PRECISION BAILOUT RISE AGAIN (Posted 20th October 2013) Information received from a source close to Precision Air has confirmed that a bailout deal by the Tanzanian government is now back on the table following a fresh look at all the negative implications of letting the airline ‘hang’. It […]
Round up of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Third edition October 2013
AVIATION, TOURISM AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. A weekly roundup 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 load’. Read […]
FastJet entry on JNB route almost halves average cost of return flights.
FASTJET FINALLY LANDS IN JOHANNESBURG (Posted 19th October 2013) Flight FN0201, the inaugural flight of FastJet’s first international route, arrived yesterday morning at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport from Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport at 11.45 hrs. This flight, delayed for some weeks as a result of competitor pressure brought to bear on […]
Groundbreaking in the offing for rail and airport projects
TWO MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS EYE GROUNDBREAKING TOWARDS END OF YEAR (Posted 19th October 2013) Information received while in Nairobi has suggested that two of Kenya’s future looking infrastructure projects may still break ground before the end of the year. One will be for the work on the extension of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where Project […]
More cases of ‘rotten apples’ emerge
THE ROTTEN APPLES OF KENYA’S IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT (Posted 19th October 2013) No sooner was my own experience with a rotten immigration apple published earlier this week, did a number of my readers send in more material, suggesting that my stark experience at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was far from an isolated case, contrary to what […]
Of MICE and more …
SYMPOSIUM GIVES MKTE PARTICIPANTS A CHANCE TO DISCUSS MICE AND MORE (Posted 19th October 2013) Hot on the heels of the MICE Seminar held at the Sarova Stanley on the day prior of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo opening its doors, did the Kenya Tourism Board on this third edition of the exhibition introduce a […]
It was party time for Magical Kenya Expo participants
MAGICAL KENYA EXPO GUESTS ARE TREATED TO PARTY TIME AT THE WINDSOR (Posted 19th October 2013) The Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club provided the scenic setting for the party the Kenya Tourism Board hosted last night for invited guests, sponsors, the media, exhibitors and of course for the over 150 buyers who had flown […]
Single Visa for Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda ‘almost ready’
TRIPARTITE MEETING ON THE MKTE SIDELINES MAKES SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS (Posted 19th October 2013) The ‘coalition of the willing’ used the occasion of Kenya’s Magical Kenya Travel Expo to have their official delegations meet at Nairobi’s Utalii Hotel to drive the process of a single tourist Visa forward, which according to reliable information will indeed now […]
Entire island nations could be lost like ancient Atlantis
SEYCHELLES HOST CLIMATE CHANGE SYMPOSIUM (Posted 18th October 2013) A symposium on the problems of climate change was held on the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe this week, bringing together participants from several of the Indian Ocean islands and from the African mainland along the Eastern seaboard. The meeting is tasked to develop a common […]
More China bound blood ivory seized
UGANDA SEIZES BLOOD IVORY READY FOR SHIPMENT TO CHINA (Posted 18th October 2013) News received earlier in the week confirmed a major blood ivory seizure by law enforcement officials in Kampala last weekend, when over 800 pieces were found concealed in a container ready for shipment via the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa to China. […]
Serena sweeps the board at WTA with 6 trophies
SERENA HOTELS TAKE 6 WTA AWARDS INCLUDING AFRICA’S BEST HOTEL BRAND (Posted 18th October 2013) (Graham S.E. Cooke handing over yet another WTA Award to Serena’s Director of Operations Mark Gathuri with this correspondent looking on) Nairobi based Serena Hotels, a group presently owning and operating some 24 hotels, resorts, lodges and safari camps in […]
KTB supports Kenya’s first SITE/ICCA/Reed Travel Exhibitions MICE Seminar
REED TRAVEL EXHIBITIONS PARTNER WITH SITE/ICCA AND KTB TO LAUNCH MICE SEMINAR (Posted 17th October 2013) Muriithi Ndegwa, CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board, aka Magical Kenya, this morning officially launched the first ever dedicated MICE Seminar in Nairobi, which aims to equip the over 50 participants from Kenya and the wider region to understand […]
James Rattos bids farewell to the Sheraton Kampala after 12 years
JAMES RATTOS LEAVES THE KAMPALA SHERATON AFTER 12 YEARS (Posted 17th October 2013) After serving in various capacities at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel over the past 12 years, his last position being Director of Sales and Marketing, is James Rattos calling it a day to move back to his native Kenya, where he will on […]
Kenya proves dominant in claiming most African honours at WTA Awards
IT WAS KENYA’S NIGHT AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS (Posted 17th October 2013) (It is all smiles as the Kenya Tourism Board celebrates their win as Africa’s BEST) The World Travel Awards for Africa 2013, held last evening at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, proved to be a night to remember for the assembled […]
Serena signs long term lease after major new investments in Sweetwaters
SERENA ACQUIRES LONG TERM LEASE FOR SWEETWATERS SAFARI CAMP (Posted 16th October 2013) A pending visit to what can only be described as Kenya’s most complete wildlife and adventure experience, this being the Ol Pejeta Conservancy near Nanyuki in central Kenya, will give me the opportunity to not just see the impressive work carried out […]
Over 150 global ‘buyers’ arrive in Kenya for Magical Kenya Travel Expo
KTB HOSTS ‘BUYERS’ FROM AROUND THE GLOBE TO SHOWCASE DESTINATION (Posted 16th October 2013) The Kenya Tourism Board, ahead of the much anticipated Magical Kenya Travel Expo 2013 has decided to tackle global perception about the destination head on by sending ‘Hosted Buyers’ across the country to experience Kenya’s star attractions and see for themselves […]
Celebrating ‘Channi’ Vohra’s life while mourning his passing …
FARE THEE WELL MY FRIEND – THOUGHTS ON THE PASSING OF A ICON OF KENYA TOURISM (Posted 15th October 2013) As much as Kenya’ tourism fraternity is looking forward to the events unfolding this week, the World Travel Awards and the Magical Kenya Travel Expo, there will also be a deep sense of loss among […]
Trials and tribulations of a frequent traveller
IT ONLY TAKES ONE SPOILER TO MESS UP THE HARD WORK OF SO MANY OTHERS (Posted 15th October 2013) Kenyan immigration officials had to be the odd man, or in this case woman out, when on the trot introducing new rules regarding a multiple re-entry on a visa, as practiced in the past dozens of […]
Eldoret gets first of several planned Boma Inn’s
KENYA RED CROSS’ THE BOMA INN ELDORET NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL (Posted 15th October 2013) The Kenya Red Cross owned The Boma Inn, Eldoret is now fully operational, it was learned on day one of an extended visit to Kenya. The new hotel, part of a planned number of three star hotels across the country, alongside […]
KQ’s new B777-300ER to introduce WiFi, better seats and more
KENYA AIRWAYS READY TO SET NEW AVIATION STANDARDS FOR AFRICAN AIRLINES (Posted 15th October 2013) When Kenya Airways’ latest addition to their growing fleet, a Boeing B777-300ER arrives in just about three weeks from now, it will bring with it a range of new features and innovations hitherto unheard of in Africa. A sneak preview […]
Kigali’s Pearl Lounge braces for ‘Bigger and Better’ as airport reconstruction work nears completion
KIGALI’S PEARL LOUNGE TO CHANGE LOCATION AND RETURN IN A NEW ‘BIG LEAGUE LOOK’ (Posted 15th October 2013) (Ongoing work on the new Pearl Lounge at Kigali International Airport) As work progresses at the Kigali International Airport, to create space for additional check in counters and departure lounges, for more shops and outside parking too […]
FastJet to start Jo’Burg service this Friday
FASTJET SETS NEW DATE FOR JOHANNESBURG FLIGHTS (Posted 14th October 2013) In a breaking news development it was just learned that the South African civil aviation department has at long last finished their ‘review’ of additional documents, demanded from Tanzania’s low cost airline on the eve of their planned inaugural flight from Dar es Salaam […]
AFEX pulls out of Rumbek over tax and other issues
AFEX FORCED TO SHUT DOWN RUMBEK CAMPS (Posted 14th October 2013) Yet another Kenyan company has fallen foul of the murky legal, regulatory and taxation regimes in South Sudan, after that country, by refusing to allow ticket sales proceeds to be repatriated, forced Jetlink late last year into first suspending operations and then closing down […]
Zanzibar’s Old Stone town set to get a Heritage Foundation Centre
ZANZIBAR LAUNCHES NEW HERITAGE FOUNDATION CENTRE IN ANCIENT STONE TOWN (Posted 14th October 2013) The island’s government has launched a new project to promote Zanzibar’s long history when announcing the formation of a Heritage Foundation Centre in the old Stone Town, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Minister for Information, Tourism, Culture and Sports […]
Kigali’s free internet is for real …
KIGALI’S INTERNET REVOLUTION TURNS OUT TO BE REAL, AND REAL FAST (Posted 14th October 2013) A weekend trip to Kigali allowed a firsthand experience with the Rwandan internet revolution, which is currently unfolding in the capital city but may eventually spread across the main urban centres of the country. Already in the past were signals […]
Air Arabia prepares for China flights
AIR ARABIA’S CHINA PLANS BOUND TO EXCITE KENYA’S LCC FANS (Posted 08th October 2013) Cheaper flying options are always a matter of keen interest and it was no surprise that queries started to come in when news broke a few days ago that Air Arabia, currently operating daily flights between Sharjah / UAE and Nairobi, […]
RwandAir’s raffle prize winners get free stay at the Kigali Serena
KIGALI SERENA ADDS VALUE TO RWANDAIR’S RAFFLE PRIZE WINNERS (Posted 13th October 2013) Charles Muia, General Manager of the Kigali Serena Hotel and Country Manager for Serena Hotels in Rwanda, took no time to announce that Kigali’s finest hotel will be happy to host the winner of two business class tickets from Juba to Kigali […]
Juba welcomes RwandAir’s inaugural flight with traditional water cannon salute
RWANDAIR OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES JUBA – DESTINATION NUMBER 15 AND COUNTING (Posted 13th October 2013) ‘We are not the kind of airline which is here today and gone tomorrow, RwandAir is here to stay’ said John Mirenge, CEO of RwandAir when he addressed the invited guests at Juba’s Transit Hotel, comprising government and business leaders including […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Second edition October 2013
AVIATION, TOURISM AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. A weekly roundup 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 load’. Read […]
