Routes Africa 2013 goes underway in Munyonyo / Kampala
ROUTES AFRICA OPENS AT LAKESIDE RESORT OF MUNYONYO WITH RECORD ATTENDANCE (Posted 08th July 2013) Routes Africa opened yesterday at the lake side resort and conference complex of Munyonyo with a new record attendance recorded by the organizers. This 8th edition of Routes Africa has brought a large number of airline executives, airport […]
Kenya Airways and KLM renew exemption from Competition Act for another 7 years
KENYA AIRWAYS AND KLM GET CLEARANCE FROM COMPETITION AUTHORITY (Posted 07th July 2013) During the last week did the Kenya Competition Authority delivery its verdict on the application filed by alliance partners Kenya Airways and KLM/Air France, to be given a further exemption of 7 years in coordinating schedules, setting fares and using joint measures […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, First edition July 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 […]
TCAA plans become public to double navigation fees
TCAA PLANS TO DOUBLE NAVIGATION FEES (Posted 07th July 2013) Information has emerged from Dar es Salaam’s aviation circles that the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority appears set to double navigation charges. While stakeholder consultations, now an almost mandatory requirement for statutory bodies like the TCAA, will apparently be called to discuss the implications of the […]
KQ 117 safe in Athens after sensor malfunction
KENYA AIRWAYS CREW ON KQ 117 EXECUTES PERFECT EMERGENCY LANDING IN ATHENS (Posted 06th July 2013) Although information is still somewhat sketchy it can now be confirmed that the crew of Kenya Airways flight KQ 117 from Amsterdam to Nairobi executed a perfect emergency landing in Athens, when sensors from the cargo hold indicated a […]
Safari operators protest VAT on accommodation
UGANDAN SAFARI OPERATORS PAINT BLEAK PICTURES AS VAT HITS THE SECTOR HARD (Posted 06th July 2013) ‘The introduction of 18 percent VAT on hotel and lodge accommodation will have devastating consequences on leisure tourism to Uganda’ said a regular tourism source in Kampala yesterday, when discussing the immediate impact of the restoration of VAT for […]
Ethiopian takes delivery of their 6th B777-200LR
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES GETS THEIR 6TH B777-200LR (Posted 06th July 2013) Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s leading carriers and one of the three African members of Star Alliance, has earlier this week taken delivery of their sixth B777-200LR in a ceremony at Boeing’s Seattle assembly plant. The aircraft has since arrived in Addis Ababa and is […]
Ethiopia’s Viewpoint Lodge retains TA’s Certificate of Excellence
VIEWPOINT LODGE ON BABAGOYA LAKE RETAINS TOP TRIPADVISOR RATING (Posted 06th July 2013) Too little is known really about Ethiopia, even though Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s leading international carrier, flying to North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and of course, being the erstwhile Pan African airline, across the continent. Yet, most […]
Routes Africa comes to Kampala this weekend
ROUTES AFRICA COMES TO KAMPALA THIS WEEKEND (Posted 05th July 2013) Uganda’s Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi, is set to open the Routes Africa meeting which start this weekend in Kampala, hosted jointly by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and Entebbe International Airport at the lake side resort complex of Munyonyo, near this […]
Seychelles’ arrivals grow by 14+ percent in first half of 2013
SEYCHELLES FIRST HALF YEAR ARRIVALS GROW BY 14 PERCENT (Posted 05th July 2013) The Seychelles Tourism Board had estimated a growth in arrival figures for 2013 by a conservative 3+ percent, reflecting the global economic outlook at the time the forecasts were put together. It came as a surprise therefore for many, though not for […]
Rwanda commemorates the 19th Liberation Day
LIBERATION DAY 19 MARKS END OF ANNUAL GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION PERIOD (Posted 04th July 2013) Today, 19 years ago, did the then RPF take complete control of Rwanda after completing the liberation of the country. The killer militias had been driven out of the country, across the border into the Congo – where until today […]
Kenya Airways launches Abu Dhabi as 61st destination
61 AND COUNTING AS KENYA AIRWAYS COMMENCES ABU DHABI FLIGHTS (Posted 04th July 2013) Kenya Airways is now flying to 61 destination, in Africa and beyond, as they launched their flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The Pride of Africa is codesharing the three weekly services with partner Etihad, after […]
Uganda Guide App wins UCC’s ACIA Judges Award
UGANDA GUIDE APP WINS ACIA JUDGES AWARD (Posted 04th July 2013) Uganda’s first ever guide application, developed by the Pearl Guide has during the recent Uganda Communications Commission 3rd Annual Innovation Award Ceremony been honoured with a special Judges Choice Award, recognizing excellence and initiative, on the technological side but also for the impact this […]
Kampala feels third tremor at 01.22 a.m. with a 5.7 strength at epicentre under Lake Albert
THIRD TREMOR HITS KAMPALA IN TWO DAYS (Posted 04th July 2013) A third tremor, and the largest yet, has hit Kampala at 01.22 hrs this morning, setting the TL’s of the social media among Kampaleans alight even at this hour. One tremor yesterday reached 5.2 on the open ended Richter Scale – the other one […]
Mombasa’s English Point transforms into a marina estate
MOMBASA’S ‘ENGLISH POINT’ UNDERGOES TRANSFORMATION TO MARINA ESTATE (Posted 03rd July 2013) Flavio Briatore’s plans to build a Billionaires Resort in Malindi, reported about repeatedly in the past, has clearly opened the doors for similarly ambitious top of the range real estate developments along the Kenya coast. With Kenya’s economy set for a major boom […]
Kenyan officials seize blood ivory in container coming from Uganda
UGANDAN CONTAINER WITH BLOOD IVORY SEIZED IN MOMBASA (Posted 03rd July 2013) Disturbing news are emerging from Mombasa that a 20 ft container, reportedly originating in Uganda, was seized in a shipping yard in Changamwe near the port of Mombasa, while awaiting to be shipped to a yet to be confirmed destination overseas. The […]
Kigali becomes a magnet for global hospitality giants
KIGALI TURNS INTO A MAGNET FOR GLOBAL HOTEL GROUPS (Posted 02nd July 2013) During a recent visit to Kigali it was possible to assess building progress on the new national convention centre and adjoining hotel, the government of Rwanda is putting up in order to attract a growing share of the continental MICE business. The […]
New traffic rules expected to improve tourist traffic to Mombasa’s airport and beyond
NEW TRAFFIC RULES BRING HOPE TO COAST TOUR OPERATORS (Posted 02nd July 2013) Details have become public over the weekend of new measures on the flow of traffic, to and from the Moi International Airport in Mombasa and in and out of the city from upcountry, both crucial elements for improving tourist traffic at the […]
JKIA security confiscates more ivory from passengers
SECURITY AT JKIA NABS MORE IVORY SMUGGLERS (Posted 02nd July 2013) News from Nairobi tell the story of continued vigilance against the smuggling of ivory through Kenya’s main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International, as two more individuals from South Sudan and the United States were nabbed over the weekend. Both were found in possession of ivory […]
Ethiopian postpones launch of Manila flights
ETHIOPIAN SHELVES MANILA FLIGHTS, FOR NOW (Posted 02nd July 2013) Travellers who were set to fly with Ethiopian Airlines to Manila / Philippines on board the flights which were due to commence today, will be disappointed to learn that one of Africa’s best will not just yet be taking them there. Information was sourced from […]
Rwanda’s mountain gorillas – A success story for conservation
RWANDA’S MOUNTAIN GORILLAS – A SUCCESS STORY OF DETERMINED CONSERVATION (Posted 01st July 2013) Happy Independence Day to all the people of Rwanda When the name Rwanda comes up, at least in tourism circles, gorilla tracking comes to mind, first and foremost, as the Land of a Thousand Hills is indeed best known for offering […]
Sale of shares in key hotels in Kenya set for July
KENYA’S PRIVATIZATION COMMISSION SET TO SELL HOTEL STAKES IN JULY (Posted 01st July 2013) Major stakes in some of Kenya’s best known hotels, the InterContinental Nairobi, the Nairobi Hilton and the Mountain Lodge, will be up for grabs by existing shareholders, as Kenya’s Privatization Commission has named July as the month during which these transactions […]
Seychelles host Sri Lankan President on State Visit
SEYCHELLES’ PRESIDENT JAMES MICHEL RECEIVES SRI LANKAN HEAD OF STATE (Posted 01st July 2013) The ongoing State visit by Sri Lanka’s President Rajapaksa to the Seychelles has strengthened the cooperation already in place between the two Indian Ocean island countries. Following a one on one meeting between the two presidents did the full delegations meet […]
KWS speeds up ranger training by drafting KNYS recruits
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE FAST TRACKS RANGER RECRUITMENT (Posted 01st July 2013) The recent announcement that Kenya Wildlife Service is to recruit at least another 1.000 rangers to put boots on the ground in poaching prone areas, has received a further boost over the weekend. A regular conservation source in Nairobi has confirmed that at least […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, Fifth edition June 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 […]
Kandie boosts the importance of Kenya’s tourism trade associations
TOURISM CABINET SECRETARY’S COMMENTS BOOST TRADE ASSOCIATIONS (Posted 29th June 2013) While addressing the general meeting of the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers, which took place earlier in the week at the Whitesands Resort and Spa in Bamburi / Mombasa, did the Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism, Mrs. Phyllis […]
Seychellois citizens now enjoy Visa free visits to China
VISA WAIVER FOR SEYCHELLOIS VISITING CHINA NOW IN EFFECT (Posted 29th June 2013) HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SEYCHELLES Effective 26th of June can Seychellois citizens, who want to visit China, including Hong Kong, where Air Seychelles flies to three times a week, enter China on a 30 day […]
RwandAir takes delivery of second B737-700NG
RWANDAIR TAKES DELIVERY OF SECOND B737-700NG (Posted 28th June 2013) Yesterday afternoon saw another addition to RwandAir’s growing fleet arrive in Kigali, when the second B737-700NG landed at the international airport. The aircraft, formerly operated by TUIFly of Germany and only about 6 years old, brings to a close the replacement exercise of the more […]
Kenya Airways introduces new cost cutting measures in wake of FY 2012/13 losses
KENYA AIRWAYS INTRODUCES NEW COST CUTTING MEASURES TO BOOST PROFITABILITY (Posted 28th June 2013) Good news for shareholders have come out of the Kenya Airways headoffice in Embakasi, when information was released yesterday about projected 5 billion Kenya Shillings in savings over the next few years, following the re-negotiation of crucial maintenance and supply contracts […]
Sherin Naiken confirmed as new STB Chief Executive
CHANGES AT THE HELM OF STB (Posted 28th June 2013) (On the left the outgoing STB CEO Elsia Grandcourt and on the right incoming CEO Sherin Naiken) A press release yesterday late afternoon from the office of President James Alix Michel, confirmed that the Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Mrs. Elsia Grandcourt, will […]
