This blog is all about aviation but also about a lot more than that …
If you are like me you can’t wait to read what is coming up next.Aviation is in my blood and I simple can never get enough information about the latest news from airlines, manufacturers and service providers … Here is the May news update from Brussels Airlines … Online version Dear guest, Our May newsletter […]
Best airline nine times in a row? Read on to find out more!

ETIHAD BAGS TRIO OF AWARDS AT TRAVEL OSCARS (Posted 06th May 2015) New brooms are supposed to sweep better but alas, not always is that the case and I had to rely on my trusted Kenyan Semahouse PR source to get the hottest news updates from Etihad, the latest kid on the Entebbe block as […]
Seychelles Tourism and Chamber of Commerce and Industry pledge to work closely together

SCCI set to launch tourism awareness campaign (Posted 06th May 2015) The Seychelles Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) has moved to launch a tourism service awareness campaign and has called on the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) to work in partnership with them. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) is proposing a revamped "U-First" […]
Technology insights made easy
Amadeus’s latest newsletter is again full of sector specific insights which normally only ‘insiders’ come to know about. Here is is all out in the open for all to read and internalize. Is Wearable Technology the next big thing? Wearable technology is predicted to become the biggest thing since the release of the smart phone. […]
No 401 Wildlife Trade News: 6th May

After 400 editions of this newsletter you can see from today’s copy there is no obvious sign of the wildlife trade diminishing in its scale. Is this, coupled with barely any news ever coming from South or Central America where we know the wildlife trade is rampant, alarming to you? The next hot-spot will be […]
Tourism downturn now spills over into Kenya’s national economy at large

LACK OF TOURIST DOLLARS DRIVES KENYA SHILLING TO A THREE YEAR LOW (Posted 06th May 2015) While Kenya’s Central Bank has over the past few months poured over 50 billion Kenya Shillings worth of US Dollars into the market to stem the slide of the currency this was clearly to no avail as the Shilling […]
Lillian Gaitho looks at the latest high tech gadgets in hotels
Lillian’s success as a guest writer on my blog has apparentlyprompted a number of other aspiring writers to try their hand too … they are starting with their own blogs, as a beginning, but clearly have their eyes set on making an appearance here. Among them are two promising young bloggers: http://irenesconciergeblog.com/ and http://traveldesignhunt.blogspot.com/ Lillian […]
No 400 Wildlife Trade News: 5th May

The daily dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes from around the world … Please note: For newsletter subscription and circulation details see message at the end of this newsletter. in the spotlight today …………………… UAE. CHECK OUT THIS LINK TO OBTAIN A FEEL FOR THE ENORMOUS AND EXPANDING UAE WILDLIFE TRADE. […]
New codeshare deal adds travel options from India to the Seychelles
INDIA’S JET AIRWAYS SIGNS CODESHARE DEALS WITH AIR SEYCHELLES (Posted 06th May 2015) When Air Seychelles launched their three times a week service from Mahe to Mumbai in early December was speculation immediately rife who closely the two Etihad partners Jet Airways in India and Air Seychelles would work together to open up the Indian […]
Reunion revs up sharkspotting capacity
Following a recent article here about the range of actions taken by the regional government of Reunion to safeguard swimmers, snorkelers, divers and surfers from a sudden shark attack have now additional measures been added to make the beaches of Reunion safe. On the 29th of April was for the first time ever, at the […]
Seychelles Tourism and Emirates – partners in progress

Emirates and Seychelles Tourism ink new partnership deal(Posted 05th May 2015) Under the extended Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), Emirates and Seychelles Tourism will put into effect a range of joint marketing activities focusing on promoting Seychelles in its various source markets. The agreement was signed today by Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, […]
No 399 Wildlife Trade News: 4th May

The daily dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes from around the world in the spotlight today …………………… Wildlife Declining Rapidly Says Scientists http://gazettereview.com/2015/05/wildlife-declining-rapidly-says-scientists/ “The objective of CITES is to ensure that wild fauna and flora is not unsustainably exploited through international trade.” says John Scanlon, CITES http://cites.org/eng/cites_sg_wto20 So: How do you […]
Three more US destinations in 2016 and double daily to New York?
QATAR AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES NEW US DESTINATIONS (Posted 05th May 2015) Qatar Airways, presently serving Entebbe and Kigali combined with a daily flight, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam with double daily flights, daily services to Kilimanjaro International Airport and shortly commencing five flights a week to the Spice Island of Zanzibar, has good news to tell […]
New ferries AND a cable car service – read on to find out about the where and how!

KENYA GOVERNMENT TO BUDGET OVER A BILLION SHILLINGS FOR NEW FERRIES (Posted 05th May 2015) Information was received from Nairobi that the Kenyan government intends to come to the air of the Kenya Ferry Company, a parastatal body responsible for running the Likoni ferry services which connect the island of Mombasa with the southern mainland. […]
Aviation Africa 2015 conference set to look at potential of the African market

Aviation Africa 2015 (http://www.aviationafrica.aero) which opens on 10th May at Le Meridien Hotel, Dubai will underscore the immense potential of the African aviation market. The two-day event, held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, President of Dubai’s Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Airline, has been established to […]
Wedding bells? Anyone?
Before I fly off again just one last piece …I hear so much about weddings these days, my own kids included, so when I had lunch with my daughter and her hubby yesterday, and the issue of a honeymoon arose – not a minimoon or familymoon as they put it, a proper honeymoon, I remembered […]
The Corridor of Destruction is real after all as Eastern Arc Mountains lose 80 percent forest cover

TANZANIA’S ALREADY DEVASTATING CONSERVATION RECORD GETS ANOTHER BLOW (Posted 04th May 2015) When the Kikwete presidency ends in late 2015 will this president be remembered by the conservation fraternity for but two things: that he presided over the worst elephant slaughter in history, similar only to the mowing down of the great North American herds […]
Why did the latest Gulf airline chose the smaller handling company in Entebbe

DAS HANDLING BAGS ETIHAD CONTRACT IN ENTEBBE (Posted 04th May 2015) DAS Handling, Entebbe’s second and much smaller handling company, has reportedly bagged the business of Etihad, which commenced flights last week. Predominant handling company ENHAS would not comment on factors or circumstances which led to Etihad taking that decision but sources usually in the […]
Hidden Gems – Made in Kenya
The Lamu archipelago does not need much explanation in our region oramong my readers. This ancient Kenyan town takes visitors back in time. Accessible by air from Wilson Airport with Safarilink and Air Kenya and from JKIA by Jambojet has Lamu something in store for every visitor. Festivals galore, from the Lamu Cultural Festival over […]
40 kilometres in four months but 431 kilometres remain. Read on to find out more!

NEW STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY MAKES ADVANCES (Posted 04th May 2015) Information coming in from Kenya indicates that about 40 kilometres of the new Standard Gauge Railway, in short SGR, is already complete after work started in earnest some four months ago. A further 431 kilometres however need to be finished if the new Chinese financed […]
Airline rubbishes false social and mainstream media allegations and rumours
KENYA AIRWAYS CLEARS THE AIR OVER MEDIA ALLEGATIONS OF CANCELLED DREAMLINER ORDERS (Posted 04th May 2015) Kenya Airways yesterday went on record to nip mainstream media allegations in the bud that the airline had cancelled their remaining three Boeing B787 Dreamliner orders. Truth told, the mainstream media slept when the 07th Dreamliner was delivered over […]
Dreamliner number seven arrives in Nairobi
KENYA AIRWAYS TAKES DELIVERY OF THEIR 7TH B787-8 DREAMLINER (Posted 03rd May 2015) It is rare that an aviation journalist can beat an airline at their own game but here comes the breaking news that yesterday, Saturday 02nd of May did Kenya Airways receive their 07th Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner, flown in nonstop from Charleston / […]
South Sudan’s environment under siege as conflict rages on

THE FALLOUT OF THE CIVIL WAR – AFFECTING PEOPLE, ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT (Posted 03rd May 2015) As the South Sudan civil strife enters its 17th month with no peaceful resolution in sight – all previous agreements were broken more or less immediately by the regime in Juba which has only remained in power courtesy of […]
KWS builds anti poaching alliances in China

Wildlife conservation non-governmental organisations based in China have pledged to forge a united front with Kenya in efforts to combat global wildlife crime. They held a round-table meeting with a Kenya Wildlife Service goodwill delegation at the Jintai Art Museum in Beijing where they discussed how the civil society could work with governments and communities […]
Is delaying the long overdue bilateral meeting between Kenya and Tanzania playing with fire?
BILATERAL MEETING BETWEEN KENYA AND TANZANIA AGAIN DELAYED (Posted 03rd May 2015) Different reasons were offered by different sources in Nairobi for the unexpected postponement of the bilateral talks between Kenya and Tanzania which were due to be held on Wednesday 29th of April. There were some suggestions that the imminent visit of US former […]
Looking for that exclusive safari? Read on to find out what Kenya and East Africa has to offer!
Campi ya Kanzi Newsflash May 2015 Greetings from the Green Hills of Africa! I have an exciting announcement to share about new air safari adventures in East Africa. Please read on for details about these thrilling travel excursions. Exclusive Air Expeditions by Campi ya Kanzi and Saruni Campi ya Kanzi and Saruni are joining forces […]
No 398 Wildlife Trade News: 2nd May

Weekend or not, the bad news just keep coming … poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes just do not stop … in the spotlight today …………………… Pangolin Prison – Part II. EXTRACT: providing black market pangolin meat and scales to traders in China and Vietnam, and now this unimaginable hoard of dead pangolins needs to be […]
Safe e-Payment solutions remain in high demand in Africa as e-Commerce grows in leaps and bounds

MAKING E-PAYMENTS SAFE IS FUNDAMENTAL TO GROWTH OF MOBILE PAYMENTS (Posted 02nd May 2015) 3G Direct Pay Limited has established itself as one of the leading online payment solution for Eastern, part of Central and Southern Africa. To take their services to the next level they have now selected a significant technology partner and mobile […]
ITV report on elephant killings greatly misleading says TANAPA
TANAPA’S ANGRY REACTION A HARBINGER OF THINGS TO COME UNDER NEW LAWS (Posted 02nd May 2015) Going by the angry reaction of TANAPA over recently published figures on elephant and game counts in the country, it can be anyone’s guess what will happen to those who use and rebroadcast such figures inside Tanzania when the […]
Challenges mount for Kenya’s leading tourism companies

SERENA’ PROFITS SLUMP BY 39 PERCENT (Posted 02nd May 2015) Serena Hotels, as TPS Eastern Africa Ltd. – a company quoted on the Nairobi Stock Exchange – is regularly referred to, has now released the results of the last financial year and the profit warning sounded a few months ago turned out to translate into […]