Kibaki legacy gets further boost with launch of commuter rail terminal
PRESIDENT KIBAKI SET TO LAUNCH COMMUTER RAIL AT SYOKIMAU Tuesday’s launch of the long awaited commuter rail services in Nairobi, on the stretch from Syokimau to the central Nairobi railway station, will signal relief for thousands of people who have hitherto been stuck in traffic jams for anywhere between an hour and a half to […]
EU suspends ETS under growing pressure and threat of trade wars
AFRICAN AIRLINES EXHALE AFTER EU SUSPENDS ETS One of the world’s most contentious regulations, the European Union’s Emission Trading Scheme, has been suspended for foreign airlines flying into EU airspace, at least until September next year according to reports received from a Brussels based aviation source. The issue, with EU Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and her […]
Likoni Ferry may face yet more disruptions
FRIDAY MAY BE STRIKE DAY AT THE FERRY AGAIN There are growing indications that staff at the Kenya Ferry Services, reportedly disgruntled over the company’s failure to pay up all outstanding dues, may return to strike action this coming Friday. The tourism trade, hard hit at the last full day strike and forced to take […]
Tourism investors worried about true motives for the hunt on Lupita Lodge owners
INVEST IN TANZANIA TOURISM AT YOUR OWN RISK Citing the ongoing saga over the Lupita Lodge’s owners, who according to the latest information are now also being hounded by the Tanzania Revenue Authority, after earlier attempts to frustrate them and make them pack up and go by lands department officials have failed, has a regular […]
North Samburu attacks leave scores of security personnel dead and wounded
SAMBURU ATTACKS ON POLICE CONTINGENT RAISES SERIOUS SECURITY CONCERNS As a fuller picture emerges from Kenya’s Samburu North District, where in recent days as many as 30 security personnel had been killed by alleged cattle rustlers, have tourism sources expressed their concern over the deteriorating security situation in several parts of the country. The number […]
Leopard Beach Resort and Spa set for grand reopening on December 12th
ONE MONTH AND COUNTING TO THE GRAND REOPENING OF THE ‘CHUI’ After once again scooping the prestigious ‘Kenya’s Leading Beach Resort’ accolade by the World Travel Awards for 2012, all eyes are now on the 12th of December, when the Leopard Beach Resort and Spa will reopen its doors after the most extensive refurbishment, rebuilding […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, Second edition November 2012
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 breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome, join me on www.facebook.com/WolfgangHThome where the articles also ‘cross load’ or […]
KAA may opt for temporary structures at JKIA to improve performance
KAA IN DESPERATE RUSH FOR SHORT TERM CAPACITY SOLUTIONS A regular aviation source from Nairobi has confirmed that the Kenya Airport Authority, under immense pressure to complete ongoing construction and expansion work and then start with Project Greenfield – long delayed by political interference in the planning and procurement process as well as in the […]
Kibaki launches new super highway
PRESIDENT KIBAKI FORMALLY COMMISSIONS KENYA’S FIRST SUPERHIGHWAY The brand new 8 lane highway, connecting Nairobi with the municipality of Thika, was yesterday formally commissioned by President Mwai Kibaki, under whose leadership the project was launched in 2009. Highway construction and rehabilitation and major infrastructure projects like the expansion of aviation facilities across Kenya, not just […]
IFATCA meeting for Africa / Middle East ends in Kampala
IFATCA MEETING FOR AFRICA / MIDDLE EAST ENDS IN KAMPALA The 23rd IFATCA Africa / Middle East Regional Meeting ended yesterday in Kampala on a high note with a gala dinner hosted by the Uganda Air Traffic Controllers Association at the Kampala Serena Hotel. This is the third time UATCA is hosting this important event […]
Kenya Airways signs code share deal with Vietnam Airlines
KENYA AIRWAYS SIGNS CODESHARE WITH VIETNAM AIRLINES Kenya’s national airline has just announced their 17th code share agreement, linking Vietnam with Kenya via the airline’s direct flights to Bangkok, from where passengers can now enjoy seamless connections and through ticketing to fly to one of Asia’s most vibrant economies. The daily flight by KQ to […]
Precision adds another brand new ATR to the fleet
PRECISION AIR TAKES DELIVERY OF ANOTHER BRAND NEW ATR42-600 Tanzania’s leading airline Precision Air has just taken delivery of the first of five brand new ATR’s, ordered a year ago as reported at the time. The ATR42-600, the most advance turboprop yet available from the French manufacturer, will be used for flights from Dar es […]
More baggage allowance for Air Seychelles passengers
AIR SEYCHELLES UPS BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES As World Travel Market 2012 winds down and the Seychelles delegation takes stock of their achievements in London this year to promote the archipelago as the Indian Ocean’s destination of choice, has Air Seychelles added a goodie for those visitors coming to the islands with the national airline, directly or […]
Mwazo’s action reversed by Industrial Court
MWAZO REELING AS INDUSTRIAL COURT REINSTATES MURIITHI NDEGWA First feedback from London is that Kenya’s tourism minister looked perplexed and stunned when news were whispered in his ear that Muriithi Ndegwa, clearly now a subject to the Minister’s personal vengeance, was restored to his rightful position as CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board by order […]
Seychelles hostages ‘freed’ in an operation, not by ransom payment
SEYCHELLES HOSTAGES IN SOMALIA WERE RESCUED, NO RANSOM PAID The Seychelles’ remarkably run of good fortunes in their fight against ocean terrorism has seemingly been crowned last week, when two hostages, taken from their fishing vessel in Seychellois waters by Somalia’s terrorists of the sea, were freed in a combined operation of coalition forces now […]
Travelport Uganda rocked by resignations
TRAVELPORT UGANDA ROCKED BY RESIGNATIONS Not all seems well at Travelport Uganda, formerly Galileo, which once was the almighty CRS in Kampala, willingly or unwillingly, before Amadeus opened shop and, withstanding all character attacks, established itself as a credible, and much more friendly alternative. After the reported resignation of Country Sales Manager Edward Brown Lwanga […]
Kempinski Kenya sets date for Olare Mara rebranding
KEMPINSKI ANNOUNCES 15 JANUARY 2013 AS REBRANDING DATE FOR OLARE MARA CAMP Information has been confirmed that Kempinski will on 15th January 2013 formally rebrand the Olare Mara Camp, ahead of the expected opening in March 2013 of the Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi, and then operate it as the Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara. The 12 […]
Mombasa traffic jam sees travellers sleep in their cars
JUMBO JAM ADDS TO MOMBASA’S TRAFFIC WOES No sooner were memories fading over the strike a week ago, which brought the ferry services between Mombasa and the southern mainland to a standstill, did more bad news hit home. A mega jam, not ever seen before at such a massive scale, brought traffic to a halt […]
Kenya Airways issued profit warning as half year results reveal a 4.6 bln KShs loss
KENYA AIRWAYS’ LOSSES JUSTIFY COST CUTTING MEASURES The announcement yesterday of Kenya Airways’ half year financial results brought home the reality of what the company’s management has been saying for a while now, that sharply risen cost put a deep dent into the bottom line and red ink leaked into the provisional balance sheet. The […]
MCTA breaks news that tourism stakeholders take KTB saga to court
After I posted several admittedly sharpish pieces vis a vis Kenya’s increasingly untenable tourism minister, and his shenanigans, I have received several DM’s and mails, telling me to stop misleading the public or inventing my stories. I guess this MCTA piece tells who the liars here are … Enjoy reading Tourism Stakeholders seek Injunction against […]
FastJet set to launch sales, still peddles 20 USD fare without stating full ticket cost
FASTJET NEARS FORMAL TICKET SALES LAUNCH Competitors are already poking fun at the tail graphics of soon to fly FastJet, declaring it tongue in cheek as the face of the vulture, keen to pick money off the bones of unsuspecting travelers falling prey to the US Dollar 20 fare, the airline keeps peddling and dangling […]
RwandAir gets second CRJ900NG, announces new routes
RWANDAIR GETS SECOND CRJ900NG The delivery of a second brand new Bombardier CRJ900NG in Kigali yesterday has completed the current fleet renewal programme, allowing Rwanda’s national airline to look forward to the next phase, when more aircraft, more destinations and very likely a privatization programme will go underway. There is already speculation over the current […]
NEW WEST AFRICA VENTURE MAY POINT THE WAY FOR AIR UGANDA
NEW WEST AFRICA VENTURE MAY POINT THE WAY FOR AIR UGANDA The partnership between Air France and AKFED in the new Air Cote` Ivoire with a 20 and 15 percent shareholding in the company respectively, may open new doors for future cooperation even in East Africa, where AKFED is the principal shareholder of Air Uganda. […]
Seychelles fibre optic link to the world restored
SEYCHELLES BACK ON HIGH SPEED FIBRE OPTIC When a careless ship captain dropped anchor outside Dar es Salaam’s harbour on the fibre optic cable linking the Seychelles to the continental African circuit on the 12th of October, the high speed lights on the archipelago went dim. Still connected to the globe by satellite back up, […]
Express Kenya signs exclusive deal with Amadeus
EXPRESS KENYA SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DEAL WITH AMADEUS Global travel technology giant Amadeus has yesterday signed a long term deal with one of Kenya’s leading travel companies, Express Travel, for the exclusive use in their organization to provide content and facilitate transactions. Express had for the last two years running been voted as Kenya’s best travel […]
Ol Pejeta adds more value with opening of ‘Morani Restaurant’
OL PEJETA SET TO OPEN THE ‘MORANI RESTAURANT’ In what has been described by this correspondent as one of Kenya’s most complete safari experiences, all in one spot, with a range of different accommodation facilities, from Serena to Porini, Ol Pejeta is now adding yet more value for visitors. The Morani Restaurant will open this […]
Arusha finally inaugurated as Tanzania’s fifth city
ARUSHA FINALLY BECOMES A CITY The municipality of Arusha, best known as East Africa’ safari capital, was last week finally granted city status, fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the hundreds of thousands of residents, who enjoy life under the shadow of Mt. Meru. President Kikwete, last week on a tour of the Kilimanjaro region […]
KTB saga rocks Kenya’s tourism industry at eve of WTM
SACK MWAZO TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS DEMAND Kenya’s tourism industry, at the eve of the crucially important start of the World Travel Market in London, is in uproar and turmoil over the ongoing saga of the position of CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board. First sacked by hapless tourism minister Danson Mwazo, now described by many as […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, First edition November 2012
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 breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome, join me on www.facebook.com/WolfgangHThome where the articles also ‘cross load’ or […]
Tana Delta declared Africa’s latest RAMSAR Site
KENYA’S TANA RIVER DELTA BECOMES THE WORLD’S LATEST RAMSAR SITE (Map courtesy of www.ramsar.org) Those with greedy eyes on this prized area, wanting to turn it into agricultural wastelands through unsustainable farming methods, will have to think twice now that the Tana River Delta has been officially recognized as the world’s latest RAMSAR site, giving […]
