Ferry boat sinks but crew safe after successful rescue mission
FERRY BOAT SINKS BUT CREW RESCUED In what has been termed a miraculous escape amongst the maritime fraternity on the Seychelles was the three man crew of the ferry boat Le Cerf rescued after their vessel sank in a storm while returning to base in Mahe. Owned by Masons Travel, one of the Seychelles leading […]
Guilty as charged for Nabutola, Achieng and Muriuki earns them jail terms
GUILTY AS CHARGED FOR FORMER TOURISM LEADERS Time has finally ran out for the trio of accused, Ms. Rebecca Nabutola, a former Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary, Dr. Achieng Ongonga and one Duncan Muriuki over a case which emerged against them in 2008, when they found themselves in the dock over allegations of unauthorized use […]
Kenya Airways plans for low cost carrier come under public scrutiny
JAMBO JET FATE IN BALANCE AS OBJECTIONS ARE DUE TO BE HEARD Kenya Airways plans for the launch of their own low cost airline, Jambo Jet, will reportedly be subjected to public scrutiny, as the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has invited the public and competitors in the airline industry to submit their comments, observations and […]
Egypt Air resumes flights after strike, for now …
EGYPT AIR RESUMES FLIGHTS, FOR NOW Egypt Air has for now resumed flight operations from Cairo, including flights to the Eastern African destinations like Nairobi and Entebbe, after representatives of striking cabin crew and government reached a temporary understanding, however according to information received only holding until the weekend. If at that time the airline […]
New Entebbe highway project takes next step
COMPENSATION GUIDELINES FOR NEW ENTEBBE HIGHWAY LAND SIGNALS PROGRESS The Uganda National Roads Authority has now published the approved guidelines for compensation procedures, as the new highway project from the city to Entebbe gathers momentum. Approved by the last parliament in its final session, the new highway will link Kampala by dual carriage from the […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Second 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 […]
A year on and maritime safety is still as big a concern as ever in Tanzania
A YEAR ON FEAR AND APPREHENSION PREVAIL It is exactly a year today that the MV Spice Islander I sank between the Zanzibari islands of Unguja and Pemba, taking, according to a report by the commission of enquiry, at least 1.529 people with it to a wet grave. At the time, many promises were made, […]
Seychelles Tourism Academy launches the region’s first e-Learning course
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY LAUNCHES ON LINE TOURISM COURSE In what surely is another First in the Indian Ocean has the Seychelles Tourism Academy launched their first online tourism course, now available through www.seychellestourismacademy.edu.sc and partnered by the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth. The launch of the eLearning Sustainable Tourism Course at the […]
Another new opening date announced for the so called Kampala Hilton
KAMPALA HILTON MORE EMPTY PROMISES OR FOR REAL THIS TIME Officials of the AYA Group have yesterday announced that the hotel, due for completion by October 2007 when the Commonwealth Summit was held in Kampala, would now finally open its doors in March 2013. Full mouthed statements, often bordering the grotesque if not outright incompetent, […]
COMESA Business Forum set for November 13 and 14 in Kampala
COMESA ANNOUNCES DATES OF BUSINESS FORUM FOR KAMPALA SUMMIT Following the hugely successful COMESA Tourism Forum, recently held in Nairobi with participants from the 19 member states, the COMESA Secretariat has just notified the participants of another opportunity to meet alongside the COMESA Summit 2012, due to be held at the Commonwealth Resort in Munyonyo, […]
Seychelles tourism – new challenges as battle lines are drawn
WHATS GOOD FOR ETIHAD MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR SEYCHELLES TOURISM A series of meetings between the tourism private and public sector, taking place over coming days on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue islands, is expected to raise a number of issues, where according to information received while on the archipelago have concern levels have […]
Kenya Airways defies illegal directive and completes staff restructuring
KENYA AIRWAYS COMPLETES STAFF RATIONILIZATION PROGRAMME Though waves went high when Kenya Airways announced their plans a few weeks ago to offer early retirement while embarking in the outsourcing of staff duties predictably did the radical Transport and Allied Workers Union rush to court, besides threatening strike action again, and got the countrys Prime Minister […]
La Digue to get fire station boosting infrastructure for tourism
LA DIGUE GETS MORE FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT The tourism sector on Seychelles and in particular on the island of La Digue has warmly welcomed the news that a dedicated fire brigade station is to be constructed. On the day of leaving the archipelago following a week long fact finding mission it was confirmed that the […]
Kenya’s tourism stakeholders fight back by telling the facts
KENYA HITS BACK AT ANTI TRAVEL ADVISORIES On arrival from the Seychelles in Nairobi a storm of outrage by the countrys tourism industry awaited this correspondent, as the usual suspects of Britain, Australia and France had slapped fresh anti travel advisories on Kenya, unsettling yet further an already brittle situation and the bag of mixed […]
Ethiopian does ‘African First’ double within a month
SECOND AFRICAN FIRST FOR ETHIOPIAN IN A MONTH After taking delivery of Africa first B787 Dreamliner in late August, and then showcasing the aircraft across Eastern Africa to reclaim the spotlight, often dimmed by less than best and possible PR and Corporate Communications, the airline is now aiming at another African first when a new […]
Mauritius’ leading hotel groups pile up major losses as mood turns sour
HOTEL INDUSTRY IN DEEP FINANCIAL TROUBLE AS MARKETING FAILS TOURISM Beachcomber Mauritius has recently released details on their losses suffered for the first half of 2012, said to be in the range of over 170 million Rupees, while the companys main rivals in the Mauritius hospitality market, Sun Resorts, is said to have lost over […]
Precision eyes Harare and Blantyre before the end of 2012
PRECISION AIR NOW EYES HARARE AND BLANTRYE A regular aviation source from Dar es Salaam has over the weekend confirmed that Precision Air, Tanzanias dominant airline, appears set to fly from late this year to Harare via Blantyre, adding two more regional routes to their growing network. Similar to the flights recently launched to Lusaka, […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, First 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 […]
Vodacom Tanzania supports Wild Dog project with 450.000 US Dollars
VODACOM GETS PRESIDENTIAL PRAISE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EFFORTS Even for a large corporation like Vodacom in Tanzania, is 450.000 US Dollars considered serious money and no wonder none other than President Jakaya Kikwete has offered his personal praise and appreciation to the companys CEO Rene Meza at State House Dar es Salaam last weekend. I […]
Zip lining by SMAC Adventures – another first for the Seychelles
ZIP LINING BY SMAC ADVENTURES ANOTHER FIRST FOR THE SEYCHELLES The Constance Ephelia Resort has now started to formally promote one of their new, and very unique, adventure activities, operated within the resort by South African adventure specialist Johan Cronjes SMAC, short for Specialized Multi Adventure Company, which in their own words is Where Paradise […]
Seychelles Tourism Ball 2012 set for the Constance Ephelia Resort
CONSTANCE EPHELIA RESORT SET TO HOST SEYCHELLES TOURISM BALL ON SEPTEMBER 28 While staying at the 5star rated Constance Ephelia Resort it was confirmed that this years Seychelles Tourism Ball will be hosted by the resort, welcoming the entire Seychellois tourism fraternity for the now annual event. Cosponsored by Laurent Perrier Champagne, which this year […]
Kenya Airways’ latest E190 flies into Nairobi to make it 36 … and counting
KENYA AIRWAYS HALF YEAR RESULTS UP AS NEW E190 ARRIVES IN NAIROBI As the Pride of Africa took delivery of their latest Embraer E190 jet yesterday in Nairobi, information has been released that the half year results of the airline, compared to 2011, showed significant growth by about 20.6 percent, driven by increased demand for […]
Emirates keeps up pressure on East African market with continued special offers
EMIRATES BLITZES EAST AFRICAN MARKET WITH YET MORE SPECIAL DEALS While it seemed hard to top the already great offers Emirates has of late put into the market place, like free Visa for East Africans wishing to visit Dubai and special fares to selected destinations, the airline has now published special hotel deals combined with […]
KQ has court order on staff rationalization lifted
KENYA AIRWAYS GETS COURT CLEARANCE TO ADVANCE STAFF RESTRUCTURING Reports about Kenya Airways sacking staff are outrageous and a product of fiction by sections of the media, aimed to cause industrial unrest. None of this is true. What is true is that the airline intends to outsource certain aspects of the operation, and that means […]
Kamuntu leaves tourism to change chairs with Mutagamba
KAMUNTU SHIFTED TO WATER WHILE MUTAGAMBE TAKES TOURISM (Report filed from the Constance Ephelia Resort, Port Glaud, Mahe) In what has been described as a game of musical chair shuffling has Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, since the formation of the government after the general elections in March last year Minister for Tourism, been moved to the […]
Air Berlin set to drop Mombasa from schedule in summer 2013
NOW AIR BERLIN CANCELS SUMMER SERIES TO MOMBASA The bad news about coast tourism seem to chase each other as the latest blow was just delivered when Air Berlin announced their plans to shelve Mombasa from their summer 2013 programme. Sources close to the heart of the Kenyan tourism industry now blame their minister and […]
Precision joins hands with Vodacom to encourage e-payment for tickets
PRECISION AIR JOINS HANDS WITH VODACOM FOR ADDED PAYMENT OPTION (Filed from the Constance Ephelia Resort, Port Glaud, Mahe) Paying by phone and getting a 20 percent rebate on top of it will make travel with Precision Air a financial windfall, when using ones Vodacom connection in Tanzania to make electronic payment with for a […]
Let common sense prevail as the KAA saga rages on
KAA SAGA LET COMMON SENSE PREVAIL AT LAST Report filed from the Constance Ephelia Resort, Port Glaud, Mahe Events in recent days overtook each other and developments came in thick and fast about the saga of the Greenfield Project, which is set to make or break the future of Kenyas aviation sector and will have […]
CAF Meeting kicks off at the Constance Ephelia Resort on Mahe
CAF MEETING KICKS OFF AT THE CONSTANCE EPHELIA RESORT ON MAHE (Filed from the Constance Ephelia Resort, Port Glaud, Mahe) The Creole island paradise of the Seychelles is providing a befitting background for delegates from 54 African nations, who have come to Mahe to hold their annual meetings of Standing Committees, the Executive Committee and […]
Air Seychelles shifts focus from Beijing to Hong Kong
AIR SEYCHELLES SET TO GO TO HONG KONG RATHER THAN BEIJING While in the Seychelles it was learned, that national carrier Air Seychelles, now flying in partnership with Etihad, the national airline of Abu Dhabi, will very likely fly to Hong Kong come February 2013, when the delivery of the airlines second Airbus A330 has […]
