News from ‘Further Down South’ – courtesy of Gill Staden and her ‘The Livingstone bi-Weekly’
Enjoy the latest edition of ‘The Livingstone bi-Weekly’ … https://thelivingstoneweekly.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/tlbw6jan16-compressed.pdf Inside: Water woes but thanks and well done Tourist numbers down at Livingstone Airport 8,000 trees for Western Province Batoka Dam gets a mention Kariba Bush Club and photos of Lake Kariba How to make the best of the new ZESCO tariffs Lions at Wildlife […]
AirlineRatings.com publishes new airline safety list
NOT ONE AFRICAN AIRLINE MAKES IT INTO THE TOP 20 SAFEST IN THE WORLD (Posted 06th January 2016) When AirlineRatings.com released their latest list of the world’s 20 safest airlines and the 10 safest LCC’s, short for Low Cost Carriers, was not one African airline among those listed. The rankings were again topped by Qantas, […]
UNWTO honours Arthur Haulot
UNWTO recognizes Arthur Haulot with Lifetime Achievement Award (Posted 06th January 2016) Conferred to recognize individuals with visionary leadership and significant contribution to the tourism sector, the UNWTO Lifetime Achievement Award has been bestowed on the deceased Arthur Haulot, founder of the International Social Tourism Organization (ISTO/OITS), for his pioneer work in promoting social tourism […]
A National Airline – to have or not to have
UGANDAN AVIATION PROSPECTS – A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE (Posted 06th January 2016) Since the exit of Air Uganda, which fell victim to the shenanigans of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority a year and a half ago, has the Ugandan flag not been flown across the region, unless of course by the smaller airlines which […]
Tanzania’s lake side city of Mwanza – now easy to reach
DISCOVER MWANZA, TANZANIA’S CITY ON LAKE VICTORIA (Posted on 04th January 2016) (Mwanza, Tanzania’s Lake Victoria lake side city / source: ExoticExpeditionsTanzania.com) Even for East Africans, Mwanza has an exotic ring to its name and more often than not, geography classes at school notwithstanding, some would place Tanzania’s lake side city somewhere else, on Lake […]
The City of Angels welcomes Qatar Airways to the US West Coast
QATAR AIRWAYS ADDS LOS ANGELES AS EXPANSION CONTINUES IN 2016 (Posted 04th January 2016) Aficionados of Qatar Airways have yet more reason to smile after the Doha based national airline of the State of Qatar added Los Angeles as their first new destination this year on New Year’s Day. The City of Angels is Qatar […]
Will presidential ferry ride bring much needed improvements at Likoni?
PRESIDENT KENYATTA TAKES PERSONAL INTEREST IN COAST INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES (Posted 04th January 2016) Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala is credited to have President Kenyatta now take a personal interest in the woes of coast commuters using the Likoni ferries. Balala last week threw his weight behind proposals to build a bridge across the channel […]
Win a ski vacation with Brussels Airlines and Club Med
Take part in this quick quiz and you could win a luxury ski holiday for two. Have you packed your bags yet? Fill in the form below and take your chance! First name*: Name*: E-mail *: Country *: Language English Nederlands Français Yes, I would like to be kept informed of interesting promotions […]
No 592 Wildlife Trade News: 4th January 2016
More bad news at the start of the year 2016 about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes and government ignorance, incompetence and looking the other way … in the spotlight today …………… 2015: A disastrous year for wildlife protection in Malaysia January 3, 2016 Wildlife NGOs say despite small improvements, the government has largely failed to […]
Build a passenger cruise terminal now says Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary
BALALA DEMANDS NEW CRUISE TERMINAL FOR THE PORT OF MOMBASA (Posted 04th January 2016) (Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala and Kenya Coast Tourism Association Chairman Mohammed Hersi seen here at the port of Mombasa as the Seven Seas Voyager comes into port in Mombasa) Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala once again showed why […]
Reflections on the Calabar Carnival – Africa’s largest street party
LOOKING FORWARD TO CALABAR 2016 (Posted 03rd January 2016) When Ikechi Uko, a few days prior to Christmas, called to invite me to attend the African continent’s largest carnival street party, Calabar in Cross River State, was I torn between grabbing the ever packed suitcase and rushing to the airport or honouring commitments made for […]
Light aircraft passengers have a lucky escape as plane comes down in city park
PASSENGERS IN LIGHT AIRCRAFT CRASH GET OFF LIGHTLY (Posted 02nd January 2016) A privately owned Cessna 210 this afternoon came down outside Nairobi’s Wilson Airport perimeter short of the runway but the pilot and his three passengers walked away from the wreck without major injuries. The aircraft is registered in Kenya as 5Y-BME with the […]
Seychelles announce dates for the 6th Carnival International de Victoria
SIXTH CARNAVAL INTERNATIONAL DE VICTORIA DATES ANNOUNCED FOR APRIL 22ND TO 24TH (Posted 02nd January 2016) The Seychelles Tourism Board has confirmed the dates of the 2016 edition of the island’s most popular annual festival, the ‘Carnaval International de Victoria’, this year as a celebration of national unity. The archipelago’s primary tourism festival, the 6th […]
Now FlyDubai ditches Bujumbura as more airlines are considering capacity cuts
FLYDUBAI DUMPS BUJUMBURA AS ISOLATION OF REGIME GETS WORSE (Posted 02nd January 2016) When several months ago a prediction was made here that airlines were, in the wake of growing violence in Burundi, reviewing their capacity on their routes to Bujumbura, were regime sycophants swift to accuse this correspondent of bias against the country and […]
Congo’s airlines remain blacklisted by the EU but should their airports be blacklisted too?
AVIATION AUTHORITIES’ INCOMPETENCE LEADS TO AVOIDABLE DEATHS AT MBUJI-MAYI (Posted 02nd January 2016) The Congolese aviation authorities have once again come under scrutiny after an Airbus A310F cargo plane, registered as 9Q-CVH, MSN 413, overshot the – what many now say unserviceable runway – and flattened several houses. At least 8 people, who lived in […]
How seriously does Kilifi County take tourism?
BRIATORE TEAM TELLS MALINDI TO SHAPE UP OR THEY WILL SHIP OUT (Posted 02nd January 2016) Hopes for more multi-billion Kenya Shilling investments in Malindi by Flavio Briatore, the former Formula 1 figure, are hanging by a thread it was learned over the New Year holiday from a source in Malindi. Briatore, initially enchanted by […]
The Forecast for 2016 at Bluebay Resorts & Spa, Zanzibar
From my friend Chris Modigell who is now managing the Blue Bay Resorts on Zanzibar, some very special (liquid) greetings on New Year’s Day … Take A Tour Bookings
Kenya Airways new codeshare deal with Air France gives passengers five added destinations
KENYA AIRWAYS EXPANDS CODESHARE DEAL WITH AIR FRANCE TO WIDEN EUROPEAN REACH (Posted 01st January 2016) Kenya’s national airline Kenya Airways and SkyTeam partner Air France have in December put pen to paper as the two airlines expanded their codeshare arrangements. It is understood that passengers travelling on the Kenya Airways’ flights from Nairobi to […]
East Africa celebrates New Year without incidents
IT WAS SAFETY AND SECURITY FIRST ACROSS EAST AFRICA AS HOLIDAYS PASS PEACEFULLY (Posted 01st January 2016) Tourists and locals alike enjoyed both the Christmas holidays and the New Year celebrations in the region and beyond, with no major incidents reported from either Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya or Tanzania, nor from Zambia and Zimbabwe nor from […]
Global Safety and Security – another Relativity Theory
TAKE THE ADVENTURE BUT LEAVE THE RISK – UNTIL NOW EASIER SAID THAN DONE (Posted 31st December 2015) The 2015 Africa Travel Association Congress in Nairobi had lined up an impressive speaker list, some of which were truly inspirational while others, less for the topic than for the presentation, had this correspondent scrambling for tea […]
Reunion – a year in review
Many personalities and VIP’s traveled to the island of Reunion in 2015. Among those we had the pleasure to welcome during their stay in the tropics Amaury Lavernhe alias Moz , champion of bodyboard and honorary ambassador of the island of Reunion. Having won the title of champion of France 2014 World Champion in 2014 […]
Seychelles’ charismatic tourism minister reflects on 2015 as he wishes everyone a Happy New Year
Alain St.Ange of the Seychelles issues end of year message to the island’s tourism & culture related industries (Posted 30th December 2015) As we prepare to bid farewell to 2015, it was important for me to reflect on what we have achieved together for our country’s tourism and also its culture related industries. I must […]
Going to FITUR? Why not attend the UNWTO 12th Awards Forum?
The registration for the 12th UNWTO Awards Forum, and for the 12th UNWTO Awards Ceremony is now open on the UNWTO website. The 12th UNWTO Awards Forum will be held on Monday 18th January, from 14:30 to 21:30, at Palacio Neptuno (Calle de Cervantes, 42, 28014 Madrid). This UNWTO Awards Forum showcases the outstanding achievements […]
And my top target for a visit in 2016 is …
THE ONE WHICH GOT AWAY IN 2015 (Posted 30th December 2015) Those conversant with my writings will surely have heard of North Island, Seychelles’ most high profile and shrouded in secrecy resort, chosen by among many of the world’s glitterazi and influentials the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Clooneys for their honeymoon. But […]
Will Tanzania’s ‘Corridor of Destruction’ turn into a corridor of conservation again?
PROFESSOR MAGHEMBE SETS NEW DIRECTION WITH PLEDGES TOWARDS ANTIPOACHING, ILLEGAL LOGGING AND TO BOOST TOURISM PROMOTION (Posted 30th December 2015) Unlike the former holder of the Natural Resources and Tourism portfolio, one Lazaro Nyalandu, who during his time in office diddled and fiddled, clearly afraid of the powers that be in Tanzania, has Prof. Jumanne […]
FlyAfrica Zimbabwe gets AOC back but will they return to the skies anytime soon, or ever?
TIME FOR A NEW REVOLUTION? (Posted 29th December 2015) Reports from Harare suggest that Fly Africa Zimbabwe has managed to get their Air Operator Certificate back, reportedly after making a major downpayment to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority which had filed a claim of some 2.4 million US Dollars against the airline. Where those funds came […]
Lifting Visa requirements via Twitter? REALLY?
DID SOUTH SUDAN LIFT VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR EAST AFRICANS OR NOT JUST YET? (Posted 29th December 2015) A reported tweet by South Sudan’s regime leader Salva Kiir raised expectations that travel from across the Eastern African region into South Sudan will soon be Visa free. While the war torn country is a member of the […]
Ethiopian Airlines commits for two more Q400NextGen aircraft
ETHIOPIAN ADDS TWO BOMBARDIER Q400NEXTGEN TO FLEET (Posted 29th December 2015) Ethiopian Airlines and Bombardier, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer, earlier today confirmed a firm purchase agreement for two more Q400NextGen planes. The order, when delivered next year, will bring the fleet of Q400’s to a total of 19 operated by Ethiopian Airlines, making it the […]
Your ATA December 2015 Newsletter is here!
Enjoy the last ATA News of 2015 … December 2015 Welcome to ATA’s Newsletter! ATA’s Passport to Africa, our monthly newsletter, features the latest member and Africa travel industry news. ATA Executive Director Edward Bergman to step down at end of 2015 ATA Executive Director, Edward Bergman, has announced his departure as of December 31, […]
Musanze Christmas Market at Red Rock once again a big success
THIRD EDITION OF MUSANZE’S RED ROCK CHRISTMAS MARKET ENDS IN SUCCESS AS RWANDA’S FIRST SUCH INITIATIVE GAINS INCREASING PROMINENCE (Posted 29th December 2015) Tourists, local farmers, buyers and sellers gathered this year once again at the Christmas Village Market at Red Rocks, Nyakinama Village, Musanze with more than 200 people getting involved. The event, which […]
