KAA orders consultations to kickstart ‘Project Greenfield’ after Gichuki’s return to office
KAA INVITES STAKEHOLDERS FOR FURTHER CONSULTATIONS OVER AIRPORT DESIGN No sooner had the Kenya Airport Authority CEO Stephen Gichuki returned to his office did he move to implement the cabinet requirement for the Project Greenfield to go ahead and invited a number of stakeholders to provide their final input, recommendations and observations. Gichukis return, in […]
GVTC gets 30.000 US Dollar donation from Norway to continue gorilla protection work
GVTC RAISES 30.000 US DOLLARS FOR VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK SUPPORT The Rwanda based Greater Virunga Transboundary Cooperation which brings together the three gorilla countries of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo DR, has reportedly managed to raise 30.000 US Dollars in financial support for the Virunga National Park in the Eastern Congo, located right in the middle […]
Kampala Serena sponsors ‘President’s Shield Golf Tournament’ to the tune of 100 million
SERENA SPONSORS PRESIDENTS SHIELD GOLF TOURNAMENT WITH 100 MILLION Ahead of the 50th Independence anniversary, due to culminate with a range of celebrations across the Pearl of Africa on 09th October, is Serena Hotels injecting 100 million Uganda Shillings into the Presidents Shield Golf Tournament due to be held this Friday at the Uganda Golf […]
Flights resume between Juba and Khartoum as regime embargo finally lifted
FLIGHTS BETWEEN JUBA AND KHARTOUM RESUME AFTER 6 MONTHS BREAK Following the outbreak of hostilities earlier this year, initiated by Khartoums rogue regime attempting to reverse the independence decision of its former Southern population by means of naked aggression, were flights between the two capitals of Juba and Khartoum halted by the Northern civil aviation […]
Leopard Beach takes three in a row as World Travel Awards Africa are pulled from Nairobi
LEOPARD BEACH TAKES TOP RANKING AGAIN AS GALA NIGHT PULLED FROM NAIROBI What was to be a night to be remembered for Kenyas if not Africas tourism fraternity, the World Tourism Awards Africa Gala Dinner, during which the continents winners were to be announced in the capital Nairobi in October, has reportedly been pulled by […]
UNDP and GEF offer partnerships worth 220 million Kenya Shillings
UNDP AND GEF SET TO PARTNER WITH KENYA TO PROMOTE WESTERN TOURIST CIRCUIT Information has been ascertained that the United Nation Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility, in short GEF, have set aside a joint 220 million Kenya Shillings to support partnered initiatives with amongst others the Kenya Forest Service, the Kenya Wildlife Service […]
Seychelles Tourism Academy partners with Air Seychelles for new aviation courses
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY VENTURES INTO AVIATION COURSES The Seychelles Tourism Academy has earlier in the week signed a Memorandum of Understanding with national airline Air Seychelles in a move which will see training personnel from the airline help in teaching relevant course material at the STA in La Misere. A regular contact from the academy […]
Kagesheki raps laziness and latecoming at Namanga border post
PULL UP YOUR SOCKS KAGESHEKI TELLS NAMANGA IMMIGRATION STAFF Complaints received while on a recent visit to Kenya, about the often slow and cumbersome processing of tourists, prompted the no nonsense and hands on Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Amb. Khamis Kagesheki earlier this week to make a surprise visit to the border post […]
Kenya Airways’ stands firm in face of attempts to apply political pressure
MUSCLE FLEXING OVER KENYA AIRWAYS CONTROL SEEN AS AN ACT IN VAIN When Kenya Airways management recently, and rightly, ignored an illegal directive by the Prime Minister over the planned staff rationalization programme, Odinga, who had made himself a willing tool of the unions links with which is a long standing hallmark of his familys […]
FastJet selects Tanzania as start up country for operations
FAST JET SELECTS TANZANIA AS AFRICAN START UP COUNTRY A periodic source from the UKs aviation industry has passed information that Tanzania has been selected as the first country to commence FastJet operations in Eastern Africa, no surprise to regional aviation pundits who have harboured doubts about Kenya being the first as a result of […]
Tanzania’s tourism and conservation structure faces a major overhaul
TANZANIA TOURISM AND CONSERVATION INSTITUTIONS FACE MAJOR RESTRUCTURING Regular sources from Dar es Salaam report that a high powered delegation from Zimbabwes Tourism Authority were in Tanzania recently on invitation of the government, holding bilateral discussions and sharing experience of how the institutional structure of Tanzanias tourism and wildlife management could be streamlined and improved. […]
Now Brussels Airlines ditches Mombasa too
NOW BRUSSELS AIRLINES PULLS MOMBASA FLIGHTS TOO A regular source from within Brussels Airlines, with the utmost reluctance and on condition of strictest anonymity, confirmed what the aviation grapevine had been whispering about for the past few days, that indeed the planned flights from Brussels to Mombasa, once a week, have been shelved. Initially due […]
Uganda’s funding for tourism marketing comes under the spotlight again
MINISTRY OF TOURISM TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT FUNDING SOURCES Details are beginning to emerge of how best to make operational certain provisions in the Tourism Act pertaining to the introduction of a levy, which could solve the perennial problems of marketing funding the sector has suffered over the past two decades. While provided […]
KAA Board finally signs on to ‘Project Greenfield’ contract
KAA SIGNS CONTRACT AS PRESSURE ON CHAIRMAN GROWS TO RESIGN Information was received over the weekend that the Kenya Airport Authority has finally signed on to the contract for what is generally referred to as Project Greenfield, the planned major expansion of Nairobis Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with a second runway and a completely new […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Third edition September 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 […]
Affordable Seychelles, a reality and no longer a myth
AFFORDABLE SEYCHELLES NOT A MYTH AS THE FACTS SUPPORT REALITY When talking to friends, acquaintances and business partners about the Seychelles, and going by the feedback from my blog, now with just about 200.000 hits, it almost always evokes awe, envy at times but for sure fires up the interest and desire of my listeners […]
Tanzanian wildlife official insists hunting of elephant must continue
NO RESPITE FOR ELEPHANTS AS TANZANIAN OFFICIALS INSIST HUNTING MUST CONTINUE Reports presented to the Tanzanian parliament a few weeks ago, that up to 30 elephant a day are being killed by poachers due to rising demand in China and other Asian countries for ivory, made stark reading and put the continued survival of the […]
Kikwete remains shtumm on key issues over aviation and tourism access
KIKWETE REMAINS SHTUMM ON KEY AVIATION AND TOURISM ISSUES WHILE IN KENYA Whatever hopes and expectations there may have been, as a result of President Jakaya Kikwetes visit earlier this week to Kenya, the Kenyan aviation and tourism sectors are far from satisfied. While speaking at a dinner organized for him by the Kenya Association […]
Nairobi’s JKIA expansion given cabinet nod and fast track orders
KIMUNYAS FATE IN BALANCE AS CABINET TURNS ON HIM Embattled Amos Kimunya, for now still Minister of Transport while his fate hangs in the balance over investigations by parliamentary committees and after locking horns with cabinet colleagues, will have swallowed hard when the last cabinet session on Thursday this week, chaired by President Kibaki, tossed […]
Fairmont Kenya presents new executive chef Karan Suri to the media
FAIRMONT KENYA INTRODUCES KARAN SURI AS NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF Filling the shoes of an acclaimed predecessor like Hubert de Marais is never going to be easy but Fairmont Kenya went out of their way to secure the services of Karan Suri, who going by the feedback received while in Kenya over the past 10 days, […]
Seychelles Tourism Academy gets a further 15 study places from Shannon College
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY TO SEND ANOTHER 15 STUDENTS TO SHANNON Within the space of two weeks, after STA and the National Human Resources Development Council handed over air tickets to 14 students selected to go for their Bachelor Degree Course in Irelands Shannon College, did news emerge that the Irish institution has offered the Seychelles […]
The Boma, Nairobi’s latest 5 star hotel now ready to open its doors
A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK THE BOMA HOTEL NAIROBI The names Red Cross and hotels are not always considered compatible in the same sentence but in Kenya, the Red Cross Society is about to change that with a bang, when the new Boma Hotel will open its doors officially in a short while from […]
Air Mauritius confirms Viljoen as CEO and appoints Appalsamy as Chairman
AIR MAURITIUS ACTING CEO FINALLY GETS THE JOB FOR GOOD Following an almost inexplicably long period as Acting CEO was Mr. Andre Viljoen finally confirmed as Chief Executive Officer of Air Mauritius earlier this week, having served in an acting capacity for nearly two years since December 2010. A regular source in Port Louis also […]
37 and counting as another E190 is set to join the Kenya Airways fleet
37AND COUNTING AS KENYA AIRWAYS GETS ANOTHER E190 IN SKY TEAM LIVERY This weekend will see the arrival of fleet aircraft number 37 at the Kenya Airways base in Embakasi / Nairobi, another Brazilian built Embraer E190, with the difference that the livery will reflect the airlines membership in Sky Team, one of the worlds […]
Brussels Airlines offers 50 percent rebate on fares to Uganda for Golden Jubilee celebrations
BRUSSELS AIRLINES OFFERS 50 PERCENT REBATE ON 50TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY Brussels Airlines, the airline with the longest uninterupted service record to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, has announced that for those wishing to join Independence Day on the 09th of October this year, their flight on the 06th of October from Brussels to Entebbe, and […]
Kigali’s International airport set for a further 15 Mio USD upgrade
MORE WORK TO BE DONE AT KIGALIS KAMEMBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT It was learned overnight that additional work worth some 15 million US Dollars will commence in October this year at Kamembe International Airport in Kigali. Growing passenger numbers, as a result of the network and fleet expansion by RwandAir and the operation of additional flights […]
Houston Marketing’s Spotlight Workshops promote inter African travel
SPOTLIGHT WORKSHOPS RETURN TO FEATURE EAST AFRICA IN CAPETOWN With over 75.000 South Africans travelling to East Africa every year on business and on holiday South Africa has become one of the most potent African market places for inbound operators in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. As a result of personal experiences of visiting Eastern […]
Seychelles’ tourism private sector leader reiterates validity of crucial issues raised last week
SEYCHELLES TOURISM PRIVATE SECTOR RAISES SAME CONCERNS, VALIDATES ISSUES (Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St. Ange and Louis DOffay, Chairman of SHTA) Following a recent article in which the concerns of the Seychelles private sector were expressed, and questions asked about a number of pressing and increasingly controversial issues vis a vis Air […]
9 / 11 remembered as the clock strikes the very moment right now
11 AND COUNTING 9/11 REMEMBERED Today the 11th anniversary of the most heinous terror strike ever will be remembered by the families and friends of the thousands of victims who lost their lives when two hijacked aircraft struck New Yorks Twin Towers, another struck the Pentagon and one was brought down in Pennsylvania after passengers […]
Turning 75 years the Aberdare Country Club gets a new lease of life
THE ABERDARE COUNTRY CLUB REBORN AT 75 The silence of the African night was suddenly shattered by the eerie cries of some peacocks, waking me from my sleep in the deep of the night. It was cold, very cold, but still I went to the window, lifted the curtains to see outside and noticed shrouds […]
