Common tourist Visa and ID travel for citizens high on agenda in Kigali
KIGALI MEETING DRIVES SINGLE TOURIST VISA AGENDA FORWARD (Posted 13th September 2013) Experts from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda met in Kigali yesterday to advance discussions on how to implement the directive of their heads of state to have a single tourist Visa available from 2014 onwards, to enhance the flow of tourist visitors across the […]
Darkness in Johannesburg – man made …
JOHANNESBURG SHINES IN DARKNESS (Posted 08th September 2013) Joburg held to ransom screamed the headline when I arrived in South Africa’s industrial and commercial capital city of Johannesburg, which had the previous night been plunged into darkness and in many parts still was off power, as a result of alleged sabotage by staff. We in […]
Ile Soleil projects re-launch in new look
ISLE SOLEIL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT BACK ON TRACK (Posted 13th September 2013) Following extensive examinations on the initial plans for the development of the Isle Soleil, with particular emphasis on tourism projects, was a new version launched a few days ago, which includes stakeholder input after taking advice and critique on board. Following the formal introduction […]
Jambo Jet launch comes nearer as both Chairman and CEO named
JAMBO JET IS TAKING SHAPE WITH KEY APPOINTMENTS (Posted 13th September 2013) Kenya Airways yesterday announced the appointment of Willem Alexander Hondius as the Chief Executive of Jambo Jet, the low cost addition to the Kenya Airways Group, which is thought to take off within months now to take over a number of domestic, and […]
Edelweiss uncertain over continued flights through Summer 2014
EDELWEISS MAY DROP MOMBASA ROUTE FOR SUMMER 2014 (Posted 12th September 2013) Information is emerging that Edelweiss, the Swiss charter airline, is considering halting their charter flights to Mombasa for the summer season 2014, after flying to the Kenya coast for a number of years regardless of season. Should this information be confirmed, and every […]
From today it is ‘official’ … though you may have read it here ahead of times, ‘as usual’
MOHAMMED HERSI LEAVES THE WHITESANDS RESORT AND SPA (Posted 05th September 2013) (Mohammed Hersi with President Uhuru Kenyatta on the opening of the 2nd East African Infrastructure Summit) News emerged yesterday afternoon that Mohammed Hersi, General Manager of the Whitesands Beach Resort and Spa and Regional Manager Coast for Sarova Hotels, also overseeing the two […]
Yellow Fever Inocculation update from ATTA
Atta Memo: Yellow Fever Update From Atta Medical Advisor Dr Richard Dawood The manufacturer (SPMSD) has announced that Yellow Fever vaccine supply problems will continue into the New Year. This is bound to have a significant impact for travel to Africa, since they are the sole manufacturer of the vaccine, globally. Atta members with clients […]
Kenya tourism data for 2012/13 cause concern and spur calls for action
KENYA’S ANNUAL TOURISM REPORT RAISES MORE QUESTIONS (Posted 12th September 2013) When tourism cabinet secretary Phyllis Kandie announced the details of the 2012/13 annual tourism report, for the period of July 2012 to June 2013 (Kenya’s financial year), the data gave cause for more questions than it provided answers for, as far as senior stakeholders […]
Air Madagascar first to put pen to paper with VITO
AIR MADAGASCAR FIRST TO SIGN ON TO VANILLA ISLAND CONCEPT (Posted 11th September 2013) Air Madagascar was the first airline from within the newly formed Vanilla Island Tourism Organization to sign a formal cooperation agreement with them. When learning of the announcement made in La Reunion on Tuesday, that VITO, now facilitated with a budget […]
‘Bad tourism law’ prevents board appointments for Kenya’s tourism parastatals
NO BOARDS FOR KENYA TOURISM PARASTATALS AS LAW GOES FOR REVIEW (Posted 11th September 2013) Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary in charge of tourism, Mrs. Phyllis Kandie, yesterday responded to mounting pressure over lack of board appointments for the tourism parastatals bodies formed under the most recent version of the Tourism Act, when she stated that the […]
Air Mauritius offers special deal for onward flights to La Reunion
CONCESSIONARY TICKETS TO REUNION OFFERED FOR LONG HAUL PASSENGERS ON AIR MAURITIUS (Posted 11th September 2013) Mauritius Tourism Minister Michael Sik Yuen yesterday, on the occasion of the launch of the Vanilla Island Tourism Organization (VITO), made a breaking news announcement when answering a question from a journalist about affordably connectivity between the islands. ‘Air […]
Breaking news from the Indian Ocean Vanilla Island group meeting in La Reunion
VANILLA ISLAND MEETING ADMITS MALDIVES AS A FULL MEMBER (Posted 10th September 2013) In breaking news it was confirmed that the present members of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Island group have earlier today admitted the Maldives as its seventh member. The group now comprises La Reunion, Mauritius (including Rodrigues), Madagascar (including Nosy Bay), Mayotte, the […]
South Sudan’s ‘South Supreme Airlines’ starts Khartoum flights
SOUTH SUPREME LAUNCHES JUBA – KHARTOUM FLIGHTS (Posted 10th September 2013) South Sudan’s South Supreme Airlines on Sunday launched their first commercial flight between the South Sudan capital Juba and the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, reportedly using an Antonov A26 for the service. The flights became possible following the establishment in end February of the […]
Rwanda moves on Mombasa rail link as Isaka – Dar route may fall to the wayside
RWANDA MOVES FAST TO PREPARE FOR MOMBASA – KAMPALA – KIGALI RAIL LINK (Posted 10th September 2013) Following the two tripartite summits between presidents Kagame, Kenyatta and Museveni, during which the East African countries agreed on a host of joint infrastructure and logistics projects to be implemented on the fast track, has Rwanda now announced […]
44 days to the Zanzibar Fashion Week
FASHION WEEK ZANZIBAR SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 25 – 27 (Posted 10th September 2013) Fashion events across Eastern Africa have gained greater prominence in recent years, and regional as well as local event have drawn the spotlight on the creativity which can be found among local fashion designers who proudly include and feature local fabrics, colours […]
UNWTO comes to Reunion
REUNION SIGNS MOU WITH UNWTO (Posted 10th September 2013) (Seen here at the press conference from right to left Mr. Didier Robert, President of the region of La Reunion, Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of UNWTO and Alain St. Ange, Minister for Tourism and Culture, Seychelles and current President of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands) […]
Mango doubles Zanzibar flights
MANGO READY TO LAUNCH SECOND FLIGHT TO ZANZIBAR (Posted 10th September 2013) Mango, one of South Africa’s low cost carriers, will be adding a second weekly flight from Johannesburg to Zanzibar, it was just learned. Mango will in fact be moving from their present format of a charter operation to scheduled operations, effective 21st of […]
La Reunion, the ‘tourism wild card’ in the Indian Ocean
UNWTO COMES TO REUNION TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE ISLAND TOURISM (Posted 09th September 2013) The French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion this week will play host to the tourism leaders of small island countries from around the world, who have come to Saint Denis to discuss a host of agenda items. More […]
RwandAir names 21st September as launch date for Juba flights
RWANDAIR FINALISES JUBA LAUNCH (Posted 09th September 2013) Come September 21st will RwandAir launch their nonstop flights to Juba, three times a week. Originally planned to route as an extension of the flights to Entebbe, the Rwandan national airline ran into objections over 5th freedom rights between Entebbe and Juba, which while giving passengers a […]
Kenya Airways moves regional flight handling to Unit 3
KENYA AIRWAYS MOVES REGIONAL FLIGHT HANDLING TO UNIT 3 (Posted 09th September 2013) Kenya Airways has over the weekend completed shifting their regional flight handling to Unit 3, the former domestic unit which was transformed into an international arrival unit following the fire a month ago which in part destroyed the international arrival hall and […]
KWS relocates 21 rhinos to new sanctuary
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE MOVES RHINOS TO NEW SANCTUARY (Posted 09th September 2013) Last week did KWS complete the move of 21 eastern black rhinos to the newly established Borana Rhino Sanctuary in Laikipia. 10 of the prized animals were taken from the Nakuru National Park while a further 11 came from the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Second 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 […]
Precision Air to undergo severe cost cuts to return airline to profitability
PRECISION AIR SEEKS FINANCIAL TURNAROUND THROUGH DEEP CUTS IN COST (Posted 08th September 2013) Precision Air’s management and board have outlined measures aimed at reversing the record financial loss of around 30 billion Tanzania Shillings by embarking on the road of sharp cost cutting which may see as many as 20 percent of the work […]
Sheraton Gardens to host Uganda’s annual tourism expo
UGANDA TOURISM EXPO SET FOR END SEPTEMBER (Posted 08th September 2013) Uganda’s annual ‘Tourism Expo’ is scheduled to take place later this month, with the opening night on the 27th September preceding the main exhibition which is scheduled from 28th to 20th September. The location, strategically chosen as the Sheraton Gardens, is bound to attract […]
Vanilla Islands group set for La Reunion meeting ahead of UNWTO conference
VANILLA ISLANDS TOURISM DELEGATIONS SET FOR MEETING IN LA REUNION (Posted 07th September 2013) Tourism Ministers and their delegations from the Vanilla Island Group are heading to the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion this week for the scheduled meeting to discuss among other agenda items the geographical expansion of the marketing cooperative, aimed at […]
News from the Uganda Wildlife Authority
TOURISM FRATERNITY CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK Leading conservationists, tourism industry gurus, development partners, legislators and representatives of government agencies on 30th August, 2013 converged at Kampala Serena Hotel to celebrate success stories in conservation and growth in tourism industry. Read More LEADING FEMALE CONSERVATIONISTS RECOGNIZED Recognition of prominent women who have […]
Seychelles’ North Island tops the world’s most pricey resorts
AND THE PRICIEST OF THEM ALL IS: SEYCHELLES’ NORTH ISLAND (Posted 07th September 2013) A recent survey, seeking to once and for all determined the world’s most expensive property, has revealed the Seychelles’ famous North Island has topped the chart. Famous for long and made more famous yet when two years ago the Duke and […]
Turkish commits to go from 5 to 6 to daily in Entebbe
TURKISH AIRLINES SET TO GO FROM FIVE TO SIX TO DAILY (Posted 07th September 2013) Turkish Airlines has confirmed that they are now set to move from their present 5 flights a week to 6, come 27th of October, before moving to daily flights on 14th of November. The airline presently flies 5 times a […]
Rwanda’s tourism sector once again grows by double digits in first half of 2013
RWANDA’S TOURISM INCOME RISES BY 11 PERCENT (Posted 06th September 2013) Data released in Kigali yesterday show a continued and sustained growth of the country’s tourism sector. During the first half of 2013 the tourism industry’s revenues grew by 11 percent while tourist numbers rose by 14 percent compared to the record breaking year 2012. […]
