Countdown on to B787 arrival as KCAA approves the use of the new bird
KENYA’S CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY APPROVES B787 USE BY KENYA AIRWAYS (Posted 03rd January 2014) Kenya Airways has confirmed that they received the requested type approval for the Boeing B787, the first of which is due for delivery in March this year. The airline had filed an application, as reported here at the time, with the […]
Mauritius tourism minister expelled by his own party
MAURITIUS’ TOURISM PUBLIC SECTOR IN TATTERS (Posted 03rd January 2014) Mauritius – It’s a Pleasure surely does not enter the mind of the island’s tourism minister Michael Sik Yuen tonight, who was unceremoniously dumped as a party member by the Social Democratic Party of Mauritius. Relations between his erstwhile political home and himself had become […]
Cyclone Bejisa races across the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands
VANILLA ISLANDS UNDER SIEGE BY TROPICAL CYCLONE BEJISA (Posted 03rd January 2014) The Indian Ocean islands off the African mainland are being lashed by another tropical cyclone, this one named Bejisa, as this post is being published, described by some as one of the worst storms in recent times. Sully Chaffre, a professional tourist guide […]
Diani bar grenade attack thought to target tourists
GRENADE ATTACK TARGETS POPULAR ROADSIDE BAR IN DIANI (Posted 02nd January 2014) An apparently targeted grenade attack in the early hours of Thursday, with the Tandoori bar still full of revelers, inured at least 10 people, some of them reportedly seriously. While no nationalities have been disclosed as yet from the Diani Police it is […]
Missed single Visa deadline seen as blow to COW members
SINGLE VISA INTRODUCTION FAILS TO MEET JANUARY 01 DEADLINE (Posted 02nd January 2014) The much fanfared introduction of a common single tourist Visa for foreign tourists coming to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, has started the new year with a postponement, as none of the three countries apparently was ready to launch on January 01st, this […]
Al Shabab terror returns to Mogadishu
MOGADISHU’S TOP HOTEL TARGETED BY TERRORISTS (Posted 02nd January 2014) The Jazeera Hotel near the airport of Mogadishu was yesterday targeted by Islamic radicals, a group of which attempted to break through the security barrier with at least one vehicle wired as a car bomb. Airline sources from Mogadishu have confirmed that Al Shabab has […]
The Good Safari Guide News & Special Offers
As we ended last year so we shall continue in 2014, with rebroadcasting good information about Africa and in this case information from the Good Safari Guide. Enjoy! If you are having trouble viewing this message, see it in your browser. 01/01/2014 Good Safari Guide Newsletter Safari News from the Safari World in Africa and […]
South Sudan CAA bans flights from Juba to breakaway regions
SOUTH SUDAN CIVIL AVIATION BANS FLIGHTS TO ‘LOST TERRITORIES’ (Posted 01st January 2014) The latest news coming from Juba is that the Civil Aviation Authority has now banned all flights terminating in or coming from the territories which are under control of forces opposed to the regime in Juba. That according to an aviation source […]
Selous elephants at the verge of extinction
UNABATED ELEPHANT SLAUGHTER PUSHES SELOUS NUMBERS DOWN TO 13.000 (Posted 01st January 2014) ‘To be honest, some of us here thought you had gone plain mad when you suggested a few weeks ago that Tokomeza was deliberately mismanaged to bring it to a halt. Now I think I owe you an apology because the latest […]
TCT echoes sentiments over Kagesheki sacking …
I am reproducing the latest copy of the newsletter of the Tourism Confederation of Tanzania, where my earlier sentiments about the sacking of a principled man, Ambassador Khamis Kagesheki, from his position as Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife, are echoed. THE FORMER MINISTER COMMENDED FOR FOSTERING PPP Inside this issue: Minister gets tough on […]
No let up in Reunion’s marketing campaign
MAKE A DATE WITH REUNION IN 2014 (Posted 01st January 2014) Reunion, the French Indian Ocean island, was at it until the very last hours of last year, in promoting travel to this amazing destination. IRT, as the Ile de la Reunion Tourisme office is known in short, has from late last year stepped up […]
Briatore makes an impact in Malindi
BRIATORE JOINS FELLOW HOTELIERS IN MALINDI TO PROMOTE BEACH SECURITY (Posted 31st December 2013) Flavio Briatore, owner of two hospitality businesses in Malindi, the Billionaires Resort and the Lion in the Sun, has joined hands with his colleagues in the tourism industry, as well as with local politicians, to improve the security of tourists along […]
News from Gamewatchers Safaris
For those of you who can only ever go on safari from the comfort of your armchair, here is the end of year newsbroadcast from Porini / Gamewatchers. Enjoy reading about the exciting things happening ‘bush side’ in Kenya, but do try to make an appointment in person to see East Africa’s great parks and […]
Tourism in Seychelles an overview as the end of the year approaches – Minister St.Ange speaks
A final word from my friend Alain St. Ange, Minister for Tourism and Culture in the Seychelles, who reflects on 2013 as he looks ahead to the New Year 2014. Tourism in Seychelles an overview as the end of the year approaches – Minister St.Ange speaks As 2013 winds to a close, Seychelles as a […]
Tax collectors raid Nairobi hotels
NAIROBI HOTELIERS MINCE NO WORDS ABOUT TAX RAIDS (Posted 30th December 2013) The comments made by Mr. David Gachuru, Chairman of the Nairobi County Business Association and also General Manager of one of Nairobi’s landmark hotels, the Sarova Stanley, were probably among the mildest heard in connection with a raid by the Kenya Revenue Authority […]
Ethiopian cancels Seychelles flights from March 2014
ETHIOPIAN LEAVES THE SEYCHELLES AS FLIGHTS GET CANCELLED FROM MARCH (Posted 29th December 2013) After starting up with much fanfare last year have news now emerged that Ethiopian Airlines will halt their flights to Mahe from March 2014 onwards after apparently failing to make a significant impact vis a vis traffic carried to the archipelago […]
New Year, New Structures for Seychelles Tourism and Culture
SEYCHELLES TOURISM AND CULTURE MINISTRY END YEAR ON A HIGH NOTE (Posted 29th December 2013) As 2013 draws to a close, and with a new visitor record already established for the archipelago – it is only the final number of arrivals which will be added to the history books in a few days time – […]
Weekly roundup of ATC News from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, Fifth edition December 2013
AVIATION TOURISM & CONSERVATION NEWS EAST AFRICA A weekly roundup from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands of breaking news, reports, travel stories and opinions by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome You can get your daily news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthomeor join me on www.facebook.com/WolfgangHThome where the articles also ‘cross load’. […]
2013 in review
AND THE WINNERS IN 2013 ARE … (Posted 28th December 2013) This year again, I travelled far and wide to bring stories and travel experiences to my readers and this is the time of year that I simply must share ‘The Best of 2013’ with you, though I shall spare you ‘The Worst of 2013’ […]
Made in Kenya – Chris Froome’s story of sporting success
KENYA SET FOR PUBLICITY BOOST THROUGH CHRIS FROOME’S TOUR DE FRANCE WIN (Posted 28th December 2013) ‘Chris Froome – Made in Kenya’ will be screened on Sky Sport News as part of the channel’s year review programmes, dedicated to the win by Chris of the world’s most famous cycling race, the Tour de France. After […]
Flights to Juba – Inbound empty and Outbound full
AIRLINES FLYING TO JUBA DECRY LOW INBOUND LOADS AND HIGH INSURANCE COST (Posted 27th December 2013) Airline personnel still remaining on site at Juba’s International Airport are lamenting the low passenger numbers presently arriving on flights, but also acknowledge that inspite of Juba being by and large calm, the country overall may presently not be […]
Conservationists cautious over uranium mining approval reports in Tanzania
TANZANIAN CONSERVATIONISTS REJECT URANIUM MINING APPROVALS (Posted 27th December 2013) Reactions to media reports in Tanzania, publishing details of approvals for uranium mining given by the country’s Atomic Energy Commission, were swift and harsh, and predicatably given on condition of anonymity, no wonder considering Tanzania’s record of often brutal suppression of dissent, especially when big […]
Kenya Airways ups evacuation flights from Juba from two to four
KENYA AIRWAYS PULLS OUT ALL STOPS TO EVACUATE STUCK KENYANS FROM JUBA (Posted 26th December 2013) In the lastest development over the story broken a few hours ago it now transpires that Kenya Airways will use a window of opportunity to fly at least four times today from Nairobi to Juba, to airlift Kenyans out […]
Say no to plans for a road through Bwindi
SERENGETI HIGHWAY MENTALITY BROUGHT TO BWINDI (Posted 26th December 2013) ‘True, it would shorten the way a lot between Kisoro and the Buhoma side of the Bwindi Forest but it would also completely wreck the park and I bet it would not take long before a gorilla group will be mowed down by a speeding […]
A rebranded Malindi attracts top resort names and high fashion
MALINDI KIKOI FASHION RELOADED (Posted 26th December 2013) Malindi is getting ready, not just for the New Year’s Eve celebrations but also for the second edition of the Kikoi Festival, which will take place on the 30th of December at the ‘White Elephant’. The catwalk fashion show will bring the latest Kikoi creations into the […]
Kenya Airways set for two evacuation flights from Juba on Boxing Day
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT PREVAILS AS KENYA AIRWAYS SET FOR TWO EVACUATION FLIGHTS (Posted 26th December 2013) Kenyans still stranded in Juba will be receiving an unexpected Christmas gift, when Kenya Airways, in conjunction with the Kenyan government, will operate at last two chartered flights from Nairobi to Juba, security situation permitting it should be pointed out, […]
Seasons Greetings
To all my faithful readers my best wishes on Christmas Day.
Christmas present for Kenya’s conservation fraternity
KENYA’S PRESIDENT KENYATTA SIGNS NEW WILDLIFE BILL INTO LAW (Posted 25th December 2013) The conservation fraternity in Kenya had reasons to welcome Christmas as news broke yesterday in Nairobi that President Kenyatta had assented to the new Wildlife Conservation and Management Bill, making it the law of the land with immediate effect. For years had […]
Bring Kagesheki back petition launched
PETITION SEEKS KAGESHEKI REINSTATEMENT (Posted 25th December 2013) Clearly did the sacking of Amb. Khamis Kagesheki as Tanzania’s Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism not go down well with that country’s tourism and conservation fraternity as a petition is now circulating to have him reinstated. Many see his sacking as misguided, if not an outright […]
Isimba group silverback found dead
ISIMBA GROUP LOSES DOMINANT SILVERBACK (Posted 24th December 2013) A regular contributor from Musanze, formerly known as Ruhengeri, the main town outside the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, has passed on sad news just now. The gentle giants of the Virunga mountains are not always gentle it seems, as a fight between Getty, the dominant […]
