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 […]
Seychelles and Hong Kong sign new BASA
SEYCHELLES SIGNS NEW BASA WITH HONG KONG (Posted 27th June 2013) Information was received from Mahe, that during the ongoing Investment Conference, which the Seychelles are presently holding in Hong Kong in order to attract both business links and more tourists, a new bilateral air services agreement was signed between the archipelago and Hong Kong, […]
Serengeti killer highway back on the agenda
SERENGETI HIGHWAY BACK ON TANZANIA’S AGENDA AS BUDGET SET ASIDE FOR PLANNING (Posted 27th June 2013) Words like ‘deception’ but also the undiplomatic word ‘lies’ were used in comments sent to this correspondent when news emerged that the Tanzanian government, in the face of past protests and boycott threats, and in neglect of more viable […]
Tourists find cost of accommodation shoot up by 18 percent
UGANDA’S HOTEL FORCED TO RAISE TARIFFS BY 18 PERCENT (Posted 27th June 2013) Notices are now being sent out by hotels, lodges and resorts from across Uganda to their clientele, warning them of an imminent rise in tariffs. The Ugandan Minister for Finance Maria Kiwanuka, during her budget speech two weeks ago, announced that the […]
The pro’s and con’s of the Obama visit to Africa
US PRESIDENTIAL VISITS – BONUS OR INTOLERABLE BURDEN (Posted 27th June 2013) When US President Barrack Obama touches down at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam in a few days, there will be a fair amount of BO-OOO’s from neighbouring Kenya, the land his late father came from and the land he ostensibly […]
Tourism cabinet secretary Phyllis Kandie set to visit site for new hospitality college today
NEW TOURISM COLLEGE TO BE SET UP IN KILIFI (Posted 26th June 2013) A regular source from Mombasa has confirmed that the current visit to the coast by Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie, who holds the tourism portfolio besides regional cooperation and commerce, will have her see the proposed site in Kilifi for the new tourism […]
Narok County kicks out Equity Bank from Masai Mara fee collection deal
NAROK COUNTY TERMINATES EQUITY BANK’S MASAI MARA GATE COLLECTION DEAL (Posted 26th June 2013) Details were received overnight that the Narok County government has unilaterally cancelled the 7 year deal the previous Narok County Council had entered into with Equity Bank for the collection of gate fees for the Masai Mara Game Reserve, which is […]
QATAR Airways name London and Paris as first A380 destinations
QATAR AIRWAYS NAME LONDON AND PARIS AS FIRST A380 DESTINATIONS (Posted 26th June 2013) Qatar Airways has announced that once they will receive their long awaited Airbus A380, the first destination to be served with the giant aircraft will be London Heathrow, later to be followed by Paris CDG. The aircraft will be configured in […]
Houston Marketing sets dates for next Seashow in Scandinavia
HOUSTON MARKETING TARGETS SCANDINAVIA FOR AFRICAN MARKET WITH SEASHOW (Posted 26th June 2013) Targeting the growing Scandinavian market to Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, here comes an ideal opportunity once again to meet with most of the major wholesalers and tour operators in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Collectively the four Nordics countries are […]
Reed Exhibitions bank on Africa’s future with launch of new events
REED TRAVEL EXHIBITIONS ADD FOCUS ON AFRICA (Posted 26th June 2013) Reed Travel Exhibitions have announced the dates for a three pronged approach in holding three key promotional events at the same time and at the same venue. The ‘Africa Travel Week’ will be staged in Cape Town between 28th of April to May 03rd […]
Danielle Payet-Alis takes over from Louis D’Offay at SHTA
SEYCHELLES TOURISM BIDS FAREWELL TO LOUIS D’OFFAY AT SHTA (Posted 25th June 2013) Louis D’Offay, for the last 15 years the chairman of the Seychelles Hotel and Tourism Association SHTA, has during the just concluded Annual General Meeting of the archipelago’s premier private sector association retired from his position. Under his leadership over the past […]
Air Seychelles climbs on to a Skytrax’s podium position
AIR SEYCHELLES MAKES IT TO SKYTRAX PODIUM POSITION (Posted 25th June 2013) The turnaround at Air Seychelles, manifested through a million US Dollar profit after not much more than a year of partnership with Etihad, Abu Dhabi’s national airline, and marked by a rush of code share arrangements which now sees the HM code carried […]
Tanzania ranked top safari destination by Safaribookings.com
TANZANIA RANKED TOP SAFARI DESTINATION IN AFRICA (Posted 24th June 2013) Good news emerged over the weekend when the rankings by www.Safaribookings.com became known, which put Tanzania, albeit by a mere whisker, on top of the African rankings as the continent’s leading safari destination. Second came Botswana, followed by the arguably more fancied Kenya, Zambia […]
Budget cuts for tourism a real and present danger to the sector
COAST HOTELIERS RAISE RED FLAG OVER PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS (Posted 24th June 2013) Senior hoteliers along the Kenya coast have raised the red flag over proposed budget cuts for the country’s tourism sector, warning of dire consequences should the planned recovery marketing missions not unfold and take root as a result of lack of funds. […]
Many Tourism and Hospitality students among applicants for scholarships
MADHVANI FOUNDATION OFFERS HOPE TO TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY STUDENTS (Posted 24th June 2013) Uganda’s best endowed and without argument largest educational foundation, the Madhvani Foundation, has this year received over 1.400 applications from students seeking support for their studies, a dream only having a chance to turn into reality if chosen by the trustees of […]
