Rwanda Tourism – leaving nothing to chance

RWANDA CELEBRATES WORLD TOURISM DAY WITH THE OPENING OF A NEW CULTURAL CENTRE (Posted 28th September 2015) (Seen here, from right to left, are the Governor of Northern Province Mr. Aine Bosenibamwe, the Minister for Sports and Culture Ms. Julienne Uwacu and the newly appointed Chief Tourism Officer at RDB Ms. Belise Kariza) In Rwanda […]
Seychelles remembers tourism pioneers during World Tourism Day

The Seychelles depend on tourism like few other countries, the sector being the back bone of the entire economy. Hence anything to do with tourism makes headlines on the archipelago and when celebrating the 2015 World Tourism Day yesterday did the who is who in Seychelles’ tourism public and private sector come together to remember […]
Combining ‘Silverbacks’ with ‘Silverchefs’ … only in Uganda!

GORILLA HIGHLANDS’ MIHA LOGAR CONFIRMS ‘SILVERCHEF COMPETITION’ (Posted 27th September 2015) Uganda’s famous ‘Silverbacks’, the dominant male gorillas in the forests of Bwindi and Mt. Mgahinga, no doubt inspired the creators of the upcoming ‘Silverchef Competition’ when chosing the name for the event, which later this year will pit South Western Uganda’s most accomplished chefs […]
Seychelles celebrates World Tourism Day with a Grand Ball

Annual ‘Seychelles Tourism Ball’ will again mark Tourism Day 2015 as the public / private sector partnership premier social event Seychelles Tourism in collaboration with its partners will again this year be celebrating Tourism Week which will commence as from Monday 21st and continue until Sunday 27th September 2015. With the aim of raising awareness […]
It is all about food this week on Reunion

REUNION’S GASTRONOMY FESTIVAL – A CELEBRATION OF GOOD TASTE (Posted 26th September 2015) Reunion is presently staging the Festival of Gastronomy until the 28th of September to celebrate the unique cuisine of this French region, found deep in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar. IRT, short of Ile de la Reunion Tourisme has partnered with […]
The results are out of the WYSE Global Youth Travel Awards
(Posted 26th September 2015) Leading players in the youth, student and educational travel industry celebrated at the Global Youth Travel Awards 2015 The winners of the Global Youth Travel Awards 2015 – sponsored by Else Globe – were announced in Cape Town tonight during the concluding event of this year’s World Youth and Student Travel […]
Supreme court ruling on new airline’s name reopens door for air service licence application

‘SEYCHELLES AIRLINES’ RECLAIMS NAME BUT HAS UPHILL STRUGGLE AHEAD (Posted 26th September 2015) In a landmark ruling has the Seychelles Supreme Court decided in favour of plaintiff Intershore Aviation and ordered the Seychelles Registrar of Companies to restore to them the name of ‘Seychelles Airlines’. The Registrar had initially granted Intershore Aviation the name in […]
Let’s rock at Red Rocks Musanze for World Tourism Day
A Billion Tourists – A Billion Opportunities is a slick slogan to highlight just how much the global tourism industry has grown in recent years and what economic impact the sector now has on in particular some African countries. Following a recent visit to Rwanda and, as part of the media itinerary a visit to […]
Ticket cost is fare PLUS taxes as this latest airline advert exposes

INCLUSIVE FARE ADVERT EARNS FASTJET PRAISE WITH CONSUMERS (Posted 26th September 2015) The exposure of regulatory fees and taxes, shown in Fastjet’s latest ticket cost advert in Tanzania and Malawi, has been widely welcomed by consumer groups as a move towards embracing Western advertising standards to show inclusive rather than exclusive prices. The airline yesterday […]
The ServicMag issue 11 is out … enjoy the read …
The service mag The service mag shared a link: "tsm issue11 #ClippedOnIssuu" tsm issue11 #ClippedOnIssuu issuu.com This 11th issue brings you 64 pages of articles in 3 languages on Customer Service and Business Growth
New airline cooperation extends to cover the African Indian Ocean islands

INDIAN OCEAN AIRLINES COMMIT TO NEW PACT (Posted 25th September 2015) The national airlines of the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar together with Reunion’s Air Austral and Inter Iles Air of the Comoros earlier in the week signed a cooperation pact aimed to pave the way to greater air links between these Vanilla Islands organization members. […]
Transat returns to Reunion with a new holiday programme

TRANSAT HOLIDAYS MAKES A RETURN TO REUNION AFTER NEARLY A DECADE (Posted 25th September 2015) (Some of the travel agents invited by Transat to Reunion) Thirty travel agents and Transat officials just concluded an extensive fact finding mission on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion, after the tour operators signaled their return to market […]
Jovago.com released Kenya Hospitality Report

While this is not one of Lillian Gaitho’s regular contributions it nevertheless makes interesting reading. JOVAGO Launches Hospitality Industry Report on the Kenyan Sector Report analyzes different aspects, factors and key drivers that majorly influence the industry (Posted 25th September 2015) A report carried out by Jovago on a host of factors that make up […]
News from Ol Pejeta
September 2015 Dear Friend of Ol Pejeta: Cricket Champion Bats for #lastmalestanding Captain of the Mumbai Indians cricket team and one of the most successful batsman in the Indian Premier League, Rohit Sharma, paid a visit to Ol Pejeta last week, to raise awareness about the plight of rhinos across Africa. "Wonderful trip to Africa […]
Fastjet positions first A319 to Harare

FASTJET ZIMBABWE IN FINAL STAGE FOR AIR OPERATOR CERTIFICATE (Posted 25th September 2015) Following the arrival in Harare of Fastjet’s first Airbus A319 for the new Zimbabwean franchise operation are now final preparations underway to undergo the remaining audit stage ahead of the expected granting of an Air Operator Certificate, in short known as AOC. […]
Smart airport operators will attend the ‘Smart Airports’ conference
Less than 2 weeks to go! Have you registered for SMART Airports Conferences 2015? View in your browser Are you attending inter airport Europe 2015? Make sure you register for the official co-located SMART Airports conferences, 5-9th October 2015 Less than 2 weeks to go! Have you registered for SMART Airports Conferences 2015? Limited spaces […]
Need Destination Development Support? Check this out!
WYSE Travel Confederation View this email in your browser (Posted 25th September 2015) WYSE Travel Confederation launches new Destination Development Programme The World Youth Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation has launched a new industry development initiative to provide support to destinations looking to grow their international youth arrivals. The Destination Development Programme offers a […]
Belgrade announced as venue for the 2016 WYSE Travel Confederation Conference
WYSE Travel Confederation View this email in your browser (Posted 25th September 2015) The city of Belgrade in Serbia has been announced as the WYSTC 2016 host destination The World Youth Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation has announced that its 2016 World Youth and Student Travel Conference (WYSTC) will be held in Serbia’s capital, […]
Kenya Airways set for return to Conakry and Freetown

KENYA AIRWAYS GETS ALL CLEAR TO RESUME FLIGHTS TO FREETOWN AND CONAKRY (Posted 25th September 2015) Kenya’s foreign ministry yesterday lifted the remaining restrictions imposed on Kenya Airways at the start of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, at which time the airline was effectively banned from flying to West Africa with the exception of […]
Conservation Action Trust updates
Lion and Leopard Non Detriment Findings – Government Gazette 10th September 2015 10 September 2015 | Government Gazette | BOMO EDITH EDNA MOLEWA | The following is recommended: 1) Guidelines for the allocation of leopard trophy quotas must be developed and provided to all provinces by the end of January 2015. 2) A conditional leopard […]
Simba Lodges announce the opening of their new Tarangire Lodge

(Posted 23rd September 2015) Simba Portfolio Lodges yesterday announced the opening of the third lodge on the northern safari circuit in Tanzania. Located just outside the newly opened Sangaiwe Gate on the west side of Tarangire National Park, Tarangire Simba Lodge joins Karatu Simba and Serengeti Simba Lodges in offering hospitality in the wilderness. Like […]
Reunion – nothing short but creative …

MAGMA AND MAGNIFIQUE EQUALS TO MAGMA’ GNIFIQUE – ONLY ON REUNION ISLAND (Posted 23rd September 2015) Four eruptions this year of the famous Piton de la Fournaise have raised interest levels greatly for visits to the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion and the tourism marketers have promptly latched on to these events to hard […]
World Tourism Day – A billion tourists is a billion opportunities
This year´s World Tourism Day is an opportunity to celebrate the transformative potential of one billion tourists. Today, more than one billion tourists travel to an international destination every year. These billion tourists have made tourism a leading economic sector, contributing 10% of global GDP and 6% of the world´s total exports. Yet these big […]
Seychelles’ tourism private sector boss steps down 9 months before the end of his mandate
FREDDY KARKARIA STEPS DOWN AS CHAIRMAN OF SHTA (Posted 23rd September 2015) In a shock development was it learned earlier today that Mr. Freddy Karkaria has unexpectedly stepped down from his position as Chairman of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association during a board meeting held two days ago. The board members present immediately appointed […]
Three weeks and counting to the 2015 edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo

KWALE COUNTY GOVERNOR JOINS KTB’S MURIITHI NDEGWA TO LAUNCH MKTE2015 (Posted 23rd September 2015) In a fine example how a county government can work hand in hand with the Kenya Tourist Board has the Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya stood by side with KTB’s CEO Muriithi Ndegwa, launching the countdown towards the 5th edition of the […]
Kenya’s tourism secretary announced CNN comeback
CNN WORMS ITS WAY BACK INTO PR DEAL WITH KENYA (Posted 23rd September 2015) Reactions came in thick and fast yesterday after it became known across Kenya’s tourism circles that the CNN PR deal has been reinstated and not one comment was complimentary. There is speculation that the global news ‘Hotbed of Errors’ had refused […]
World Routes moves from Durban / South Africa to Chengdu / China next year

(Posted 22nd September 2015) As another successful World Routes draws to a close on the African continent, the Province of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa, has officially handed the event over to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, China for 2016. Speaking at the close of the 21st World Route Development Forum in Durban today, […]
Who needs Uber in Nairobi, Mombasa or Kisumu when you got Kenatco

Lillian Gaitho’s midweek topic is the signing earlier today of Jovago.com and Kenatco to provide travelers with a seamless connnection from the airport to their hotel, if, that is, the hotel’s own limo service does not pick up or drop off clients – something savvy travelers know they can book on line too. Jovago has […]
All missing now is a brand name for the Etihad alliance

AIR SEYCHELLES TAKES PART IN ETIHAD ALLIANCE MEETING IN ITALY (Posted 22nd September 2015) The Etihad Alliance, there is really no other way to describe what the national airline of Abu Dhabi has put into motion over the past few years, has the CEO’s of all the major partners assembled in Rome today for a […]
CAFE JAVA’S – KAMPALA BOULEVARD
RefinedPalates is clearly getting into gear … here comes another food review from another busy CBD joint …