Tanzania calls common tourist Visa a ‘Security Risk’
TANZANIA REJECTS OFFER TO JOIN COMMON EAST AFRICAN TOURIST VISA SCHEME (Posted 19th January 2014) Tanzania’s latest snub towards the Coalition of the Willing came late last week when officials called the recently launched common tourist Visa for Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya a ‘security risk’ and a threat to its economy, reasons immediately dismissed as […]
Zambia’s Proflight ‘welcomes’ the planned arrival of FastJet
PROFLIGHT ZAMBIA RESPONDS TO FASTJET PLANS (Posted 19th January 2014) Proflight, Zambia’s only remaining scheduled airline flying to international destinations as well as serving domestic routes with presently a fleet of 16 single engine, twin engine and turboprop aircraft, has responded to news that FastJet was eyeing an entry into the Zambian market. Started in […]
Meet Rwanda’s ‘gorilla doctor’ for 26 years
A remarkable story was just send to me by a regular reader from Kigali, asking if I could PLEASE reproduce an article which features today in the Rwanda’s leading daily newspaper, the New Times Rwanda. It is a pleasure my friend – and I am sure readers will appreciate the information, especially given at this […]
Kenya Airways’ first B787 on the assembly line now
KENYA AIRWAYS’ FIRST B787 DREAMLINER ‘UNDER CONSTRUCTION’ (Posted 18th January 2014) Information was received from a source at Boeing, notably NOT from Kenya Airways, that the Pride of Africa’s first B787 Dreamliner, due for delivery in March this year, is now advancing with its assembly at the Boeing facility in Seattle. Kenya Airways has 9 […]
21 Marathons in 21 Days – running for the Mountain Gorillas
RUNNING FOR GORILLAS ENDED YESTERDAY AT CONGO BORDER (Posted 18th January 2014) "800reasons" is one man´s Charity Run across Uganda! Aim is to draw Your attention to extremely endangered mountain gorillas! My promise is to run as many kilometers as there are mountain gorillas left in the world.. 880 km in 21 days! www.800reasons.com is […]
Jet-Set trouble at Malindi airport
BRIATORE JET HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN (Posted 18th January 2014) Reports have emerged from Kenya that the jet of Flavio Briatore, former F1 Renault team chief and owner of the Lion in the Sun and the Billionaires Resort in Malindi, suffered a mishap while parked at the airport of the resort town. Local […]
October is the month for Uganda’s national birding day events 2014
NATURE UGANDA ANNOUNCES DATES FOR NATIONAL BIRDING DAY (Posted 18th January 2014) Though still 9 months away, preparations are already well under way to once again celebrate Uganda’s rich natural heritage and in particular the country’s birdlife with another edition of the National Birding Day. The 2014 event will be spread in fact over three […]
Speaker list for AviAssist event in Entebbe out
AVIASSIST PUBLISHES KEY SPEAKER LIST FOR ENTEBBE EVENT (Posted 18th January 2014) The ‘2Gether4Safety’ seminar and expo on the 13th and 14th of March – part of a 10 day series of aviation certification and training workshops by the AviAssist Foundation, will have an impressive list of speakers lined up, according to a media release […]
FastJet eyes Zambia
FASTJET CONFIRMS PLANS TO SET UP NEW BASE IN LUSAKA (Posted 17th January 2014) Following recent intensified press speculation has FastJet now confirmed that it is in discussions with the Zambian government over the establishment of a FastJet airline based in Lusaka. The Zambian economy provides considerable opportunity. Zambia has a population of over 14 […]
KCAA chairman appointment comes under legal threat
KENYA CIVIL AVIATION DRAWN INTO CONTROVERSY OVER CHAIRMAN’S APPOINTMENT (Posted 17th January 2014) The appointment of another loser from the March 2013 general election as chairman of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has met with swift opposition and threats by sections of the aviation fraternity to sue government, should the appointment – like several others […]
Bomas of Kenya plans shot down in flames as bureaucrats beat a hasty retreat
TOURISM OFFICIALS EAT HUMBLE PIE OVER PREMATURE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR NEW HOTELS (Posted 17th January 2014) Tourism ministry officials were again left with egg all over their faces after it became clear that their announcement of ‘imminent plans’ to build several hotels and leisure facilities at the site of the Bomas of Kenya in the Langata […]
Kenya Airways introduces new Commercial Director
KENYA AIRWAYS APPOINTS NEW COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR (Posted 17TH January 2014) Kenya Airways’ prolonged search for a replacement of Mohan Chandra has been concluded as the airline announced the appointment of Mr. Gerard Clark as their new Commercial Director. Gerard, on his LinkedIn page, describes his own professional experience as follows: Spanning 25+ years, expertise across […]
Catching up with Amadeus East Africa’s Juan Torres
AMADEUS EAST AFRICA – DRIVEN BY INNOVATION AND DRIVING INNOVATION (Posted 17th January 2014) (Juan Torres of Amadeus East Africa) Readers of this publication have, going by the feedback constantly received, a healthy appetite if not outright fascination with the latest technological developments which have over recent years reshaped the way for instance airlines and […]
AVIASSIST ready to accredit aviation media for Entebbe event
AVIASSIST ANNOUNCES MEDIA ACCREDITATION CRITERIA FOR ENTEBBE WORKSHOPS (Posted 17th January 2014) The AVIASSIST Foundation, which will be holding a series of certification workshops in Entebbe / Uganda between the 10th and 21st of March this year, has late yesterday made available their media accreditation policy for this and other of their events in a […]
Hilton opens their third property in the Seychelles
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON OPENS IN SEYCHELLES (Posted 17th January 2014) With the opening of the DoubleTree by Hilton Allamanda Resort and Spa on the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe has Hilton become the international hotel group with the most resorts on the archipelago, now numbering three in total. Described as a four star resort with […]
South Sudan tourism – a big victim of the civil war
SOUTH SUDAN TOURISM PROSPECTS ALL BUT DEAD (Posted 16th January 2014) South Sudan’s fledgling tourism industry – most travellers to Juba and beyond are traders, business men, NGO personnel and political ‘tourists’ but only a few hundred thought to have come to South Sudan for safaris – has been described as ‘dead in the Nile […]
Night travel ban for busses in Kenya strands hundreds on Mombasa bound train
TRAIN DERAILMENT STRANDS HUNDREDS OUTSIDE MOMBASA (Posted 16th January 2014) Kenya’s ill thought out directive, banning busses from travelling at night, which has brought misery to tens of thousands of travelers not only in Kenya but from across the region, who use busses to get to Kenya overnight and arrive at their destination in the […]
The Good Safari Guide News & Special Offers
The UCOTA Newsletter, re-published here yesterday, got a lot of positive feedback from readers, many asking for more such detailed ‘in country’ information. Today I am happy to share with you the latest from The Good Safari Guide and I am sure there will be plenty of more select ‘shares’ to come. Enjoy! The Good […]
Another rhino baby ‘arrives’ on Ziwa
RHINO NUMBER 14 ARRIVES AT ZIWA – THE NATURAL WAY (Posted 15th January 2014) Being currently the Acting Chairman of the Rhino Fund Uganda – my successor in office Dirk Ten Brink left Uganda for good last year prompting me to step up once again and walk the talk of conservation commitment – it is […]
Bangkok flight date changes free of charge says Kenya Airways
KENYA AIRWAYS WAVES CHARGES FOR BANGKOK FLIGHT CHANGES (Posted 15th January 2014) The ongoing political turmoil in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city, is not only costing that country very dearly in terms of loss of tourist arrivals, trade and commerce but has also now affected airlines flying there. Kenya Airways has now taken the reluctance of […]
Africa Travel Week seminar comes to Kampala
REED EXHIBITIONS SET TO UPDATE UGANDA’S TOURISM SECTOR ON WTM AFRICA (Posted 15th January 2014) Derek Houston, the Africa Representative of Reed Exhibitions, is set to introduce the concept of the Africa Travel Week, which includes among other components the World Travel Market Africa, held in Cape Town between 28th April and 03rd of May […]
Sheraton Kampala change of guard this Thursday
SHERATON KAMPALA BIDS FAREWELL TO CHRIS POLLARD AND WELCOMES IAN DUNCAN (Posted 15th January 2014) (Ian Duncan, the new General Manager of the Sheraton Kampala Hotel) When Chris Pollard arrived at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, a long agenda of ‘things to do’ awaited him and as coincidences play out, I was one of the first […]
Seychelles among the Lonely Planet’s top ten for 2014
LONELY PLANET PICKS SEYCHELLES AS ONE OF THEIR TOP TEN FOR 2014 (Posted 15th January 2014) The Seychelles, for long a dream destination and associated with the rich and famous and the who is who in sports, show biz and politics, has just earned the seal of approval from the Lonely Planet Guides, when it […]
UCOTA January 2014 Monthly E-Newsletter
The successful reproduction here of informative newsletters and media releases continues in the new year, starting off with the UCOTA news from Uganda, which offer valuable insight into the grassroots of tourism in our country, where UCOTA has for a very long time been the advocate of communities and champion of grass root participation in […]
FastJet sets new passenger and revenue records in December
HOLIDAY SEASON BRINGS FASTJET NEW PASSENGER AND REVENUE RECORD (Posted 15th January 2014) FastJet’s passenger statistics and information provided on revenues achieved shows a new record for December last year, just 13 months into the operations of the startup airline. 37.458 passengers flew with the airline driving the loadfactor to an average 71 percent for […]
Arusha incident report sheds light on crew’s actions
REPORT ABOUT ETHIOPIAN’S ARUSHA MISHAP NOW AVAILABLE (Posted 14th January 2014) Just received from a regular reader of my blog, and I do acknowledge Mr. Richard Gomes’ as the source of this information, the findings shown below refer to the Arusha incident of Ethiopian Airlines’. The information is relayed here without any alterations or additional […]
France meets Kenya at the Nairobi Serena’s Mandhari Restaurant
THE BEST OF FRANCE COMES TO THE BEST IN NAIROBI (Posted 14th January 2014) Aficionados of fine cuisine, especially French cuisine, have much to look forward to in Nairobi, as the Nairobi Serena Hotel will feature the Michelin star rated chef Arnaud Fayne from the highly acclaimed Auberge du Jeu de Paume at their Mandhari […]
ATTA’s annual ‘Winter Networking Event’ set for February 06th
ATTA PREPARES FOR ‘WINTER NETWORKING EVENT’ (Posted 14th January 2014) The Africa Travel and Tourism Association, in short ATTA, is getting ready for their annual ‘Winter Networking Event’ which will take place during the Destination Travel Show in London on February 06th, starting at 18.00 hrs or half an hour after the end of business […]
Air Seychelles and Vanilla Island Organisation ink partnership deal
AIR SEYCHELLES SIGNS COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH THE VANILLA ISLANDS (Posted 13th January 2014) Air Seychelles announced earlier today that they have signed a wide reaching partnership and cooperation agreement with the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands Organization. The deal was signed as a large delegation from the fellow Vanilla Island La Reunion was in the Seychelles […]
30th of March is RwandAir’s D-Day for Douala flights
RWANDAIR ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF DOUALA FLIGHTS ON 30TH MARCH (Posted 13th January 2014) RwandAir has just confirmed that Douala, the airline’s 16th destination overall and 5th in West Africa, will see the launch flight take off from Kigali on March 30th. The aircraft used on the route will be a CRJ900NextGen, featuring 7 seats […]
