Kempinski keen on expansion across Africa
KEMPINSKI EYES RWANDA AND OTHER MARKETS FOR EXPANSION DRIVE IN AFRICA (Posted 28th September 2013) ‘Company poised to bring luxury hospitality to up-and-coming destinations around the continent’ according to Kempinski’s CEO Reto Wittwer. Kempinski Hotels, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, has announced plans to expand its portfolio of luxury hotels in Africa. With two new […]
Lake Tanganyika disaster claims lives of 15 children
DISASTER STRIKES ON LAKE TANGANYIKA (Posted 28th September 2013) A group of 15 children, who had travelled earlier in the week on Lake Tanganyika to participate in an immunization campaign, were among the victims when their returning boat was caught up in a storm and capsized. Lake boats, as often seen on Uganda’s lakes too, […]
Will new maritime security measures by Seychelles bring the big cruise lines back?
SEYCHELLES TAKES MARITIME SECURITY PRECAUTIONS TO THE NEXT LEVEL (Posted 28th September 2013) When some years ago, during an interview in his office, the Seychelles Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, at the time also holding the Environment and Energy portfolios, Joel Morgan made it plain that his country viewed any pirate attack on ships […]
A month and counting towards the Seychelles’ Festival Kreol
FESTIVAL KREOL – A MONTH AND COUNTING (Posted 28th September 2013) The 28th edition of Seychelles’ Creole Festival will take place on the archipelago’s main island of Mahe from October 25th to 31st, turning the spotlight to the unique blend of Creole culture which makes the islands stand out through the beauty of the people, […]
Trials and Tribulations of a frequent Traveller
ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA OR ELSEWHERE TOO? (Posted 27th September 2013) At the end of the 2013 World Tourism Day, and hot on the heels of my piece about Tanzania’s FastJet being refused to start operations over the obscure lack of some ‘documentation’ by the South African Department of Transport, emerged another story of the […]
Taleb Rifai sends his condolences to the Kenyan people
The Kenya Tourism Board has just availed a message of condolences sent to them by UNWTO Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai. Solidarity among the tourism countries of this world prevails, especially on World Tourism Day. In Statement by Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization On behalf of the World Tourism Organization, and […]
A guest post on World Tourism Day – in support of local (Kenyan) talent
On occasions I do publish or rather re-publish articles I come across or written by individuals I know or have met. Claudia was very involved in the recent Hotel Summit East Africa and when I learned that she was periodically writing about tourism in Kenya, I promised to choose one of her stories and share […]
Promoting Uganda’s tourism attractions – a unique grass root stakeholder initiative
UGANDA’S HIDDEN TOURISM SECRETS – UNVEILED ON WORLD TOURISM DAY (Posted 27th September 2013) There are rare occasions when one comes across a truly exceptional idea, initiative or voluntary undertaking, and when it touches on the very core of my professional interest, tourism, it can be sure to be showcased and given exposure, in local, […]
Kenya’s tourism stakeholders formulate demands
GIVE TOURISM A BREAK DEMAND STAKEHOLDERS (Posted 27th September 2013) What are presently just murmurs may yet grow into a mighty chorus, as tourism stakeholders are now taking stock of the impact of the Westgate attack last weekend, trying to evaluate the fallout as it gradually becomes more evident to them. While officials put a […]
Uganda at (nearly) 51 celebrates the UNWTO World Tourism Day in style
UGANDA AT 51 CELEBRATES WORLD TOURISM DAY (Posted 27th September 2013) Today will see the formal launch of the UN World Tourism Organization’s World Tourism Day in Uganda in the town of Fort Portal, located in the heart of a triangle of national parks at the foothills of the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Rwenzori […]
Kenya Airways AGM looks at future
KENYA AIRWAYS’ AGM LOOKS AT FUTURE AS SHAREHOLDERS PUT 2012/13 BEHIND THEM (Posted 27th September 2013) ‘Kenya Airways experienced an extremely difficult operating environment’ was the tenor of the airline’s Annual General Meeting held yesterday in Nairobi at the Bomas of Kenya. While passenger numbers were slightly up to 3.664.884 during the 2012/13 financial year, […]
Serena’s CEO sends a special World Tourism Day Message
South African aviation authority kills spirit of UNWTO’s World Tourism Day
FASTJET FALLS VICTIM OF SOUTH AFRICAN AVIATION AUTHORITY SHENANIGANS (Posted 26th September 2013) On the eve of FastJet’s inaugural flight from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg, timed to coincide with the UNWTO’s World Tourism Day celebrations, has the South African aviation authorities thrown a spanner in the works by demanding ‘additional documentation’. This is the […]
EcoTourism Kenya names winners of the 2013 Eco Warrior Awards
At the opening of the Eco Tourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference in Nairobi did the Eco Tourism Society use the opportunity to reveal the names of the nominees and eventual winners for the various categories the organization recognizes year after year. Congratulations to those who made it to the top this year and best of […]
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism speaks on Westgate
Press Release : Tourism Industry unshaken after Westgate mall terror attack Tourism industry unshaken after Westgate Mall terror attack, affirms Kandie Nairobi 26th September 2013: Kenya’s tourismindustry remains stable despite the recent terror attack at Nairobi’s upmarket Westgate Mall, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Ms. Phyllis Kandie has […]
What an exemplary sign of respect and show of solidarity – HATS OFF to KENYA BUZZ
Dear Kenyabuzz subscriber, Following the Westgate Mall attack, this week we will not be sending out the events and movies newsletters. For updated information on what’s on and/or what’s showing around the country, please visit our website www.kenyabuzz.com We wish to take this opportunity to relay our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and heartfelt […]
EU holds back on anti travel advisories against Kenya
NO ANTI TRAVEL ADVISORIES – YET (Posted 26th September 2013) The European Union has, for now at least, bowed to pressure not to issue some more of their infamous anti travel advisories following the Westgate Mall attack by a group of terrorists. In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy did Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta ask […]
Emirates does it again
EMIRATES SCOOPS YET MORE AWARDS (Posted 25th September 2013) Information was just received that Emirates has won the prestigious ‘UAE Aviation Company of the Year’ award alongside the ‘UAE Company of the Year’ award during a ceremony held in Dubai. The vote for Aviation Company of the Year award came as a result of a […]
Reunion close up and personal
REUNION – THE INDIAN OCEAN’S LITTLE KNOWN ‘WILD CARD DESTINATION’ (Posted 24th September 2013) (Reunion seen through the eyes of a local artist – at the Seaside market of St. Paul) A week on La Reunion – a French island in the deep of the Indian Ocean, located between Madagascar and Mauritius – sounds like […]
The sound of generators is back on Zanzibar
POWER RATIONING RETURNS TO ZANZIBAR (Posted 25th September 2013) Power rationing has returned to Zanzibar according to reports received from the Spice Island following a series of technical faults discovered in the set up of the new 100 MW power cable link with the mainland, which was installed earlier in the year. A source on […]
The Westgate siege is over
THE SIEGE IS OVER (Posted 24th September 2013) The Kenyan government has in the past few minutes all but confirmed that the siege situation at the Westgate Mall is now over, with all the terrorists dead – while at least 10 suspects are in custody – and that security forces on site are now carrying […]
Kigali residents and visitors set to get free internet access at selected hot spots
SMART KIGALI OFFERS FREE INTERNET ACCESS AT SELECTED KIGALI HOTSPOTS (Posted 23rd September 2013) Owners of smart phones in Kigali will have reason to smile as access to the internet, free of cost, is now rolling out across Rwanda’s capital city. In particular visitors from abroad will welcome the new service, which is being put […]
Kenya remains defiant in the face of adversity
VISITORS FOR AFRICAN HOTEL INVESTMENT AND ECO TOURISM CONFERENCES ‘SAFE’ (Posted 23rd September 2013) Participants of the Second African Hotel Investment Conference, due to go underway tomorrow at the InterContinental Hotel in Nairobi, the venue chosen for the second year running and the parallel running Eco and Sustainable Tourism Conference have been assured by Kenya’s […]
Now Rwanda eyes golfing with planned resort near Kibuye
GOLF COURSE PLANNED NEAR KIBUYE (Posted 23rd September 2013) Plans to build a major golf resort in the Kivu ‘zone’, an area earmarked by Rwanda’s tourism planners at the Rwanda Development Board, have become known, adding a further attraction to this scenic part of Rwanda, already known through the Congo Nile Trail which spans from […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Fourth edition September 2013
AVIATION, TOURISM AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. A weekly roundup 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 load’. Read […]
Kenya counts their dead and wounded as the country mourns
KENYA MOURNS (Posted 22nd September 2013) As Kenyans wake up this morning the realize it was not a nightmare they had in their sleep but that the siege at the Westgate Mall is still ongoing, though from the latest reports it is now clear that the gunmen are pinned down and largely contained, yet still […]
Nairobi’s Westgate Mall under attack
Breaking News NAIROBI’S WESTGATE MALL COMES UNDER ATTACK (Posted 21st September 2013, 14.15hrs) News have been emerging from Nairobi that gunfire has been reported from the West Gate Mall, one of Nairobi’s largest and a major police and security operation is now underway and have confirmed that a hostage situation exists with possibly significant numbers […]
The trials and tribulations of frequent travelers
OF HALF AND TOTAL NITWITS (Posted 21st September 2013) This rant, as some will see it, had time to settle down but in the cold light of day, anger and frustration remains in place and yes, it is about accessibility and airport security once again. In Entebbe, be it in pouring rain or in scorching […]
RwandAir’s Juba launch fares called ‘incredible’
RWANDAIR ROCKS JUBA MARKET WITH SPECIAL LAUNCH FARES (Posted 21st September 2013) When RwandAir launched their three times a week flights from Kigali to Juba, many South Sudanese, according to a source in Juba, felt it was a welcome addition to their airline scene but nothing really special as few thought that flying to Kigali […]
Tourism stakeholders in Uganda ‘hugely disappointed’ over VAT decision
UGANDA’S TOURISM SECTOR MAD WITH MP’S FOR KEEPING VAT ON ACCOMMODATION (Posted 21st September 2013) ‘So it was all in vain’ commented a leading Uganda tourism stakeholder in an email yesterday evening when news emerged that parliament had voted to maintain 18 percent VAT on tourism services and in particular on previously exempted hotel, lodge […]
