Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, First edition November 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 @whthome or join me on www.facebook.com/WolfgangHThome where the articles also ‘cross […]
Sarova Stanley bags another major award ahead of WTM
SAROVA STANLEY WINS ‘BEST LUXURY HISTORICAL HOTEL IN KENYA’ AWARD (Posted 02nd November 2013) David Gachuru, General Manager of the Sarova Stanley Hotel, received this year’s Luxury Hotel Award on behalf of Sarova Hotels during the award ceremony yesterday evening in the holiday resort of Phuket / Thailand. World Luxury Awards are globally recognized as […]
Seychelles’ magic – discovering hidden gems …
MEET ONE OF THE SEYCHELLES’ HIDDEN GEMS – THE RESIDENCE ON THE ROCKS (Posted 02nd November 2013) Travel to the Seychelles is always a much anticipated affair, an affair which in my case has lasted for many years and which keeps growing stronger every time I visit the islands. In my ‘line of business’ I […]
Starwood’s Le Meridien brand likely to lose management of the Barbarons in the Seychelles
LE MERIDIEN BARBARONS TO CLOSE IN EARLY 2014 FOR MAJOR OVERHAUL (Posted 02nd November 2013) Information obtained and confirmed while in the Seychelles speaks of Le Meridien, a Starwood brand for resort operations, will very likely lose the management of the Le Meridien Barbarons, when it reopens in mid to late 2014 after a planned […]
Tanzanian government forced to halt anti poaching operations over abuse claims
ANTI POACHING OPERATIONS MAY BE HALTED OVER OUTCRY ABOUT HARSH MEASURES (Posted 02nd November 2013) Members of parliament in Tanzania have voiced their concern over the harsh measures used by security forces drawn in to the fight against poaching, which has in recent weeks gathered some momentum as global pressure over the unabated mass slaughter […]
Rwanda takes home ‘Best Exhibitor Award’ from AKWAABA / African Travel Market
RWANDA TAKES TOP HONOURS AS ‘BEST EXHIBITOR’ AT JUST ENDED AKWAABA FAIR (Posted 02nd November 2013) Information received from Rwandan participants in this year’s 9th edition of African Travel Market / AKWAABA in Lagos Nigeria tells the story of yet another Rwandan success at a tourism trade fair. The Rwandan stand was voted, by participants […]
And for good measure another repost, this one from Cheli & Peacock
Which is needless to say about the solar hybrid eclipse … enjoy this one too and more news, as usual, overnight. THE C&P PORTFOLIO ASTRO TOURISM PUTS KENYA’S STUNNING NORTH BACK ON THE TOURISM CIRCUIT! On November 3rd, Kenya will experience a ‘Hybrid’ Total Solar Eclipse! It will be visible for less than 1 minute […]
Another edition of the Porini Camps news update and well worth reading.
For the benefit of many of my readers, reproduced with Porini’s permission and their compliments. October 2013 Dear Dr. Wolfgang, Greetings Porini Enthusiast! It has been a remarkable summer with a series of unprecedented and dramatic events in our beautiful country. As we get closer and closer to mark the 50th anniversary of Kenya’s independence, […]
Travel agents face the axe by BSP over delayed payments
DELAYED PAYMENTS BY KENYA GOVERNMENT MAY SEE TRAVEL AGENTS BARRED BY IATA (Posted 01st November 2013) Some of Kenya’s leading travel agencies are in reported trouble with IATA and the Kenyan BSP over alleged failure to fully remit their outstanding ticket sales, which by contract are due every month by the 17th. At least one […]
Uganda’s north at the centre of the hybrid eclipse path
NORTHERN UGANDA BRACES FOR MASSIVE VISITOR INFLUX AHEAD OF ‘HYBRID ECLIPSE’ (Posted 01st November 2013) Over 10.000 visitors made up by a large number of locals and several hundred foreign tourists, are expected to flock to Northern Uganda from today to witness, good weather permitting, one of the great spectacles of the skies above us, […]
Seychelles’ launch search for winning carnival song for 2014
SEYCHELLES UNVEIL CARNIVAL 2014 POSTER AS SONG CONTEST LAUNCHED BY MINISTER (Posted 31st October 2013) Seychelles’ Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St. Ange yesterday unveiled the poster for the ‘Carnaval de Carnivals – The Carnaval International de Victoria’ which is scheduled for 25th to 27th of April next year. He explained to the media that […]
Brussels Airlines introduces high cuisine at high altitude
BRUSSELS AIRLINES BOOSTS INFLIGHT CUISINE (Posted 31st October 2013) (First class inflight meals with the help from a friendly chef) Starting tomorrow, 01st of November, will Brussels Airlines introduce a range of new inflight meals on their intercontinental flights, which includes the routes from Brussels to Entebbe, Kigali, Bujumbura and Nairobi, the airline’s East African […]
Two new locally owned hotels boost bed capacity on Mahe
NEW SEYCHELLOIS OWNED HOTELS SIGNAL CONFIDENCE IN TOURISM GROWTH (Posted 31st October 2013) The launch this week and last week of two new Seychellois owned hotels, the Treasure Cove Hotel and the Crown Beach Hotel, signal a renewed spirit of confidence in the future of the tourism industry from among local investors in the hospitality […]
Five years of economic reforms in Seychelles helped shape tourism successes
ECONOMIC REVIEW UNDERWAY AS ECONOMIC REFORM PROGRAMME CLOCKS 5 YEARS (Posted 30th October 2013) Five years ago to the day did President James Alix Michel go on national television to make a ground breaking announcement about a new economic course of action, as the country was coming under the dark cloud of a global financial […]
Special Qantas flight brings over 200 visitors to the Seychelles
QANTAS LANDS IN SEYCHELLES WITH OVER 200 TRAVELERS ON ROUND THE WORLD TRIP (Posted 30th October 2013) A special Qantas chartered Boeing B747-400 landed last evening at the international airport on Mahe, bringing 215 travellers to the archipelago under the banner of ‘Captain’s Choice’, an Australian specialized tour operation using private jets to take their […]
Vanilla Island Organization signs accord with Constance Hotels Group
VANILLA ISLAND ORGANIZATION SIGNS MOU WITH CONSTANCE HOTELS (Posted 30th October 2013) The Reunion based Vanilla Island Organization, the formation of which was announced in September alongside the UNWTO Conference on Sustainable Tourism Developments on small island states, has yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Constance Hotels in the Seychelles capital of Victoria. The […]
Kigali Serena hosts Africa’s ICT movers and shakers
KIGALI SERENA HOSTS BOTH TRIPARTITE AND ‘TRANSFORM AFRICA SUMMIT’ (Posted 30th October 2013) The Kigali Serena Hotel, without argument Kigali’s best city hotel and subsequently awarded the World Travel Award during the Africa award ceremony earlier in the month in Nairobi, is currently hosting the ‘Transform Africa Summit’ to which the Rwandan government has invited […]
Turkish Week ends at the Kampala Serena
TURKISH WEEK ENDS AT KAMPALA SERENA (30th October 2013) A week of delightful Turkish music and cuisine came to an end on Monday night as the Kampala Serena Hotel hosted a dedicated ‘Turkish Week’ which they had organized in conjunction with Turkish Airlines. Chefs, foodstuffs and spices were flown into Entebbe by Turkish, as were […]
Air Uganda signs mobile money deal with MTN
AIR UGANDA LAUNCHES MOBILE MONEY PAYMENT OPTION (Posted 30th October 2013) Air Uganda yesterday formally launched their new payment option which prospective passengers can now use to pay for their ticket. An agreement with MTN’s Mobile Money now permits instant payment when booking on line, securing the reservation made by simply accessing their mobile money […]
RwandAir wins big at AKWAABA Tourism Trade Fair in Lagos
RWANDAIR SCOOPS ‘BEST SHORT HAUL AIRLINE’ AWARD AT NIGERIA’S TOP TRAVEL EXPO (Posted 30th October 2013) The 9th Akwaaba Travel Fair in Lagos / Nigeria, where this year the tourism boards of Rwanda and Kenya represented East Africa, has on the opening day awarded RwandAir the coveted trophy as ‘Best Short Haul Airline in Africa’ […]
Qatar Airways’ joining of oneworld – an opportunity for them and a challenge for other alliance members
QATAR AIRWAYS JOINS ONEWORLD ALLIANCE (Posted 30th October 2013) Travellers using Qatar Airways from their East African destinations of Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and Addis Ababa will effective today be able to enjoy the benefits of QR having joined the third of the global airline alliances, oneworld. It is thought that following […]
Air Seychelles places 20+ million order with Viking for three brand new Twin Otter DHC 6 – 400’s
AIR SEYCHELLES SIGNS ORDER FOR 3 DHC 6 – 400 TWIN OTTERS WITH VIKING (Posted 29th October 2013) Breaking News – Stop Press – Breaking News – Stop Press In a surprise announcement at a media briefing late this morning did the Air Seychelles CEO Cramer Ball break the news of the purchase of 3 […]
Common tourist Visa announcement will NOT take place at WTM after all
COMMON VISA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR UGANDA, RWANDA AND KENYA DELAYED (Posted 29th October 2013) An announcement was to be made at the World Travel Market next week in London, that the long awaited common tourist Visa, applicable for Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya, would be launched by the first of January next year, to add to the […]
La Digue island to get electric carts to eventually phase out regular cars
LA DIGUE’S SUCCESS TRIGGERS NEW APPROACH TO ISLAND TRANPORTATION (Posted 15th October 2013) The delegation from Reunion to the Festival Kreol did not just come for fun in the sun but also staged on the opening day a successful renewable energy exhibition, showcasing some of the technology available from Reunion which can equally be installed […]
Festival Kreol seen through the lense of my camera …
IMPRESSIONS OF THE FIRST FOUR COLOURFUL FESTIVAL KREOL DAYS IN THE SEYCHELLES (Posted 28th October 2013) (Seychelles bound on KQ 450, the fastest way from Eastern Africa to the archipelago in just about 3 hours. And the aircraft used for the service that day, a SkyTeam branded Embraer E190) (And the ride was smooth all […]
Reunion stands by Seychelles in testament of a special relationship
REUNION’S PRESENCE EVERYWHERE IS TESTAMENT TO A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP (Posted 28th October 2013) ‘Is Reunion your choice partner in cultural and tourism cooperation’ I asked the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange earlier in the day and he quipped back with the broadest of smiles lighting up his face: ‘We have […]
Air Seychelles launches new top VIP service at Mahe’s International Airport
AIR SEYCHELLES LAUNCHES ‘VIP’ SERVICES (Posted 28th October 2013) ‘Air Seychelles VIP’ was launched last Thursday evening at the international airport by the airline’s CEO Cramer Ball, who officially inaugurated the new service to the applause of invited dignitaries, government officials and members of the business community. Present was the Seychelles Vice President Danny Faure, […]
A Catholic mass celebrated in Creole language was the Sunday highlight of the Festival Kreol
FESTIVAL KREOL SUNDAY CELEBRATED WITH A MASS IN CREOLE LANGUAGE (Posted 28th October 2013) The Au Cap district church on the Seychelles’ main island of Mahe was the centre of worship yesterday when hundreds of Catholic faithful attended a special mass, celebrated in Creole language, to mark this year’s 28th Festival Kreol. Present at the […]
Uganda police arrest two Chinese found with blood ivory
UGANDA IMPOUNDS OVER 2 TONS OF IVORY AS TWO CHINESE ARRESTED IN KAMPALA (Posted 28th October 2013) Last weekend did security operatives working hand in hand with enforcement officers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority arrest two Chinese and two Guineans in Kampala, with a haul of over 1.9 tons of blood ivory ready to be […]
Hiking across South West Uganda – the journey continues
BLAZING NEW TRAILS – A JOURNEY FROM KABALE VIA BUNYONYI TO KISORO (Posted 23rd October 2013) The South West of Uganda has of late made waves among tourism operators as new lodges, camps and even home stays have started to line up along the various tourist routes and hiking trails, which visitors can explore by […]
