Many challenges to Africa’s tourism industry stem from wildlife crime says UNWTO report

Wildlife watching tourism is one of the most important tourism segments in Africa, according to new UNWTO research released on the occasion of World Wildlife Day which was celebrated yesterday 03rd of March. In view of tourism’s potential in advancing inclusive growth across the continent, poaching and illicit trade in wildlife pose a serious threat […]

New East Africa destinations give boost to FlyDubai’s financial results

MUCH OF FLYDUBAI’S GROWTH COMES FROM AFRICA (Posted 04th March 2015) When FlyDubai yesterday announced their annual results of the financial year ended on 31st December 2014, did Africa feature highly on the score card. • 14% increase in passenger numbers between 2013 and 2014 in Africa • 100% increase in number of routes in […]

No 347 Wildlife Trade News 3rd March 2015

Your daily dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes from around the world … in the spotlight(again) today …………………… CHINA & CITES No 347 Wildlife Trade News 3rd March 2015 China’s Next Challenge: The Depletion of Global Natural Resources. China is cleaning up its act at home, but will leaders be willing […]

Rickshaw Newsletter – March 2015

And something more to ‘snack on’ – proverbially speaking of course … Enjoy the read … Click here if you can’t view this email properly Newsletter March 2015 WEBSITE | ABOUT US | TOUR PACKAGES | CONTACT US American Express Africa Travel Partner Network Conference by Pooja Lalji Rickshaw Senior Staff attend Travel Partner Network […]

Kenya still got what it takes, wedding bells included

TRAVELLING TO THE KENYA’S COAST – ANTI TRAVEL ADVISORIES NOTWITHSTANDING (Posted 03rd March 2015) When the 2015 edition of the world’s largest tourism trade and consumer show, ITB in Berlin goes underway in 24 hours, will no doubt many of the Kenyan delegation look at the initials and quietly translate the initials into ‘IS TOURISM […]

First EU Ecolabel for a hotel in a French overseas region goes to Reunion

ANOTHER FIRST FOR REUNION AS THE PALM HOTEL & SPA ATTAINS THE EU ECOLABEL (Posted 03rd March 2015) Created by the European Commission in 2003, the European Ecolabel is a unique label, formally recognized at European level and useable in all member states of the European Union. It allows a business to reduce energy costs, […]

No 346 Wildlife Trade News 2nd March 2015

Your daily dose of bad new from around the world about poaching, wildlife and environmental crime … in the spotlight today …………………… CHINA & CITES China’s wild panda numbers have increased by 17% since 2003, new census reveals (NA comment: They can protect ‘their’ pandas while destroying much of rest of the world’s wildlife. What […]

Mozambique at your fingertips courtesy of Lillian Gaitho …

Lillian Gaitho starts her week by looking at what Mozambique has to offer … and plenty that is by the look of it … and for us East Africans of course there is a Serena Hotel in Maputo, the Grand Ol’ Dame of Mozambique’s hospitality industry, The Polana Serena in Maputo where Kenya Airways flies […]

Kenya Airways reclaims African Cargo Airline of the Year Award

KENYA AIRWAYS CAPTURES MAJOR CARGO AWARD (Posted 02nd March 2015) The just ended Air Cargo Africa 2015 Conference in South Africa’s Centre Court, Hotel Casino Convention Resort at Emperors Palace, The City of Ekurhuleni saw Kenya Airways walk away with a huge recognition as Africa’s ‘Cargo Airline of the Year’. The three day event, which […]

Berlin take notice: Here come the Seychelles

Seychelles heads to the ITB Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture and Sherin Naiken, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board are on their way to Berlin this week to head the Seychelles tourism and hospitality delegation attending the ITB Tourism Trade Fair. A large number […]

7th EAPCE 2015 set for Kigali this week

07TH EAST AFRICAN PETROLEUM CONFERENCE SET FOR KIGALI (Posted 02nd March 2015) Eastern Africa, besides being a tourism magnet with magnificent safari parks, beaches, cultural and historical attractions, has in the more recent past also emerged as a major region of new oil and gas finds. The Tanzanian offshore gas reserves are thought to be […]

New BASA between Italy and Seychelles allows for more flights

SEYCHELLES SIGN NEW BASA WITH ITALY (Posted 02nd March 2015) Seychelles’ Civil Aviation CEO Gilbert Faure last week signed a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement on behalf of the Seychelles’ government with Italy which was represented at the function by Maria Francolini, Director for International Relations at the Italian Ministry for Transport. The new agreement […]

New ferry MV Dar es Salaam now connects the city with Bagamoyo

TANZANIA IMPROVES MARINE SAFETY WITH NEW FERRY (Posted 01st March 2015) Tanzania has for some time now had a dismal record when it comes to marine safety with a series of accidents on lakes and on the ocean with thousands of lives lost over the past decades. Authorities were stung by sustained criticism over their […]

Private initiative is the key driver for Uganda’s socioeconomic development

COBATI – WHERE THE VISION OF ONE PROVIDES VISION FOR MANY (Posted 01st March 2015) When Maria Baryamujura during the week shared updates from her latest venture, it dawned on me that I have known this industrious lady for several decades now, and from day one was community tourism part of her vocabulary, part of […]

Boeing’s B787 Dreamliner debuts in the Seychelles

ETHIOPIAN BECOMES THE FIRST AIRLINE TO FLY THE B787 DREAMLINER TO MAHE (Posted 01st March 2015) Ethiopian Airlines, presently connecting out of their hub in Addis Ababa three times a week to the international airport on Mahe, just became the first airline to bring the state of the art B787 Dreamliner to the Seychelles. This […]

No 345 Wildlife Trade News 28th February 2015

The daily dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes from around the world, including first comments about China’s ‘ban’ on ivory imports for a year … in the spotlight today …………………… China’s carved ivory import ban ‘largely window-dressing’ EXTRACT: “The ‘temporary ban’ does not apply to the massive domestic legal ivory market […]

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 […]