Ol Pejeta’s Northern White Rhinos mate, raising hope for the survival of the sub species
EXCITEMENT SWEEPS OL PEJETA AS NORTHERN WHITE RHINOS MATE Good news emerged from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in the central Kenyan highlands near Nanyuki when information was released that two of the four Northern White Rhinos brought some years ago from a zoo in the Czech Republic were actually seen mating, very likely putting Najin […]
Tanzania’s Chumbe Island Coral Park gets included in Sustainia 100 list at Rio+20 Summit
CHUMBE ISLAND GETS GLOBAL RECOGNITION BY SUSTAINIA The Chumbe Island Coral Park was selected at the Rio+20 Summit as one of a hundred globally selected projects and included in the inaugural Sustainia 100 listings, as was announced yesterday by the Honorary Chair of Sustainia, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the presence of such climate […]
Juba International Airport to get security boost through EU funding and logistical support
JUBA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SECURITY UPGRADE TO GET EU FUNDING Aviation security at the international airport in Juba, South Sudans capital city, has always been porous at best and the airlines operating in and out of that airport had to create their own additional measures to ensure that their own internal security standards were upheld. As […]
Kenya Airways shares now fully traded again at the Nairobi Stock Exchange
KENYA AIRWAYS NEW SHARES START TRADING Yesterday saw the first day of trading of the new shares Kenya Airways had issued under a share rights issue, which raised nearly 14.5 billion Kenya Shillings. While short of the full subscription by some margin the funds generated will nevertheless be enough to make relevant downpayments towards new […]
Seychelles set to host four key events in early July, staying in the media spotlight
SEYCHELLES MAKES HISTORY IN JULY The Seychelles are looking forward to a series of meetings which at the start of July will come thick and fast and underscore why the archipelago is the darling of the global travel and tourism media and increasingly a choice place for bringing political and professional gatherings to the tropical […]
Another 6 Nairobi National Park lions killed as KWS’s response comes under fire from Kenya’s conservation fraternity
NEWS OF LION KILLINGS AND RENEWED ELEPHANT POACHING PILE PRESSURE ON KWS The shock news yesterday, that 6 lions were killed outside the safety of the Nairobi National Park has brought not just the human wildlife conflict to the forefront again but also re-kindled the arguments between the conservation fraternity in Kenya and the Kenya […]
Turkish offers third daily connection till September to the Big Apple
TURKISH ANNOUNCES THIRD DAILY FLIGHT TO NEW YORK FOR HIGH SEASON A regular source at the Turkish Airlines Kampala office has confirmed that travelers from Uganda, in fact applying to the other East African destinations of Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kigali too, will until the 16th September add a third daily flights between Istanbul […]
Qatar Airways announces launch of flights to Maputo by end October
QATAR AIRWAYS SET TO ADD MAPUTO TO THEIR GROWING AFRICA NETWORK Qatar Airways relentless roll out in Eastern and South Eastern Africa seems to be turning into one mighty juggernaut, as the airline just this instant released information to this correspondent that after Kilimanjaro due to be launched on the 25th of July and Mombasa […]
Tanzania’s Tourism fraternity shocked by news of former TTB CEO Peter Mwenguo’s passing
IN MEMORIAM PETER MWENGUO The former Chief Executive of the Tanzania Tourist Board, known around the world for his successful efforts to promote his native country, has according to information received from Dar es Salaam passed away following an apparent stroke on Monday this week. Peter, according to a reliable source, had just returned from […]
Conservation project on the island of Rodrigues / Mauritius receives SKAL Asia Environment Award
SKAL INTERNATIONAL RECOGNIZES MAURITIUS CONSERVATION PROJECT The Mauritius Minister for Tourism Michael Sik Yuen was at hand as guest of honour when Skal International, through Skal Mauritius President Suzy Edouard announced the honour of being selected as recipient of the Asia Environment Award 2012. The Francois Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve Project was emerging […]
Kenya’s tourism stakeholders fume over meagre budget allocations for tourism marketing
KENYAS TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS LIVID OVER BUDGET CUTS FOR MARKETING When the budget analysis was done in Kenya last Friday in a series of breakfast and lunchtime presentations by leading accounting, audit and financial service consultancy firms, the stark reality began to sink in with the countrys tourism industry, namely that significant cuts in purchasing power […]
Britain donates three Eastern Black Rhinos to Tanzania
BRITAIN SENDS THREE EASTERN BLACK RHINOS TO TANZANIA Information sent over the weekend but only now accessed and processed speaks of the UK donating three Eastern Black Rhinos to Tanzania, which after their arrival on a cargo plane at Arushas Kilimanjaro International Airport were promptly taken by road to their new home at the Mkomazi […]
Zanzibar aims at half a million tourist visitors by 2020
ZANZIBAR AIMS AT HALF A MILLION TOURIST VISITORS BY 2020 Although the recent riots are now a thing of the past, they also left some intense concerns amongst tourism stakeholders on the spice island of Zanzibar where many investors fear any repeat could irreparably damage the industry for years to come, a development with devastating […]
Korean Air rushes to apologize over calling Africans ‘full of primitive energy’ in start up commercial
SO NOW WE ARE FULL OF PRIMITIVE ENERGY Getting an invitation for an inaugural flight celebration is often something to be more than just a little happy about, as the access to the apron and the smell of jet fuel tends to bring out the best in me when writing about aviation developments. Months ago […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, Third edition June 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 […]
Rwanda celebrates 10 years of Gacaca Courts and bringing fast tracked justice to the genocide victims
THE CLOSURE OF THE GACACA COURTS ONE CHAPTER ENDS BUT WHAT NEXT While still in country after a grand Kwita Izina week of conservation celebrations the opportunity arose to sit in on the International Conference on Gacaca Courts, the answer of the new Rwanda to the need to bring people to justice and justice to […]
Hell’s Gate National Park gorges re-open
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE RE-OPENS HELLS GATE GORGES Following a thorough review of safety procedures and emergency response mechanisms has KWS over the weekend re-opened the gorges, where some 2 months ago disaster struck when a flash flood carried away seven Kenyan youths on a team building exercise. KWS CEO Dr. Julius Kipngetich made the announcement […]
Kwita Izina 2012, where reporting and being reported about for once changed places
KWITA IZINA 2012 A TALE OF NAMING AND FAMING (The author, seen here naming Umutungo or Fortune at Kwita Izina in Kinigi / Musanze on June 16th. Picture courtesy of Telesphore Ngoga) The eighth annual gorilla naming festival, now globally known as Kwita Izina has over the years named 141 young born baby gorillas, with […]
Rhino Fund Uganda announces new procedures for bookings of accommodation
RHINO FUNDS SUCCESS PROMPTS MANAGEMENT CHANGES The Rhino Fund Uganda and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary have announced some changes in the way the organization is operating. Angie Genade, long serving Executive Director of the Rhino Fund and the sanctuary at Ziwa, shared with this correspondent some insights of her success in past years, most notably […]
Kenya Airways drops Rome and Muscat, increases frequencies and capacity to other key destinations
KENYA AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE CHANGES IN THE FACE OF PROFIT DROP A statement received literally within hours of announcing full year financial results which showed a very significant increase in cost levels and a more than halved profit compared to the 2010/11 FY, the airline will with immediate effect suspend flights to Rome and Muscat. […]
Qatar Airways announced second Japan frequency from October
QATAR AIRWAYS GOES DOUBLE DAILY TO JAPAN A media release received overnight has confirmed that Qatar Airways will commence a second daily flight to Japans capital Tokyo, adding to the current daily service routing via Osaka at present. The new service will commence on 28th of October but the airline gave early notice to the markets […]
Emirates continues ‘hard sale’ mode with Summer Sale promotion
EMIRATES HITS MARKET WITH SUMMER FARES With summer and scorching temperatures now arriving back in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries, Emirates is simultaneously launching their annual Summer Sale in the East African markets. Under the offer, up to two children under age 12, traveling with an accompanying adult in economy class, are […]
Kenya Airways announced full year results for 2011/12 FY, sets AGM date
KENYA AIRWYAS FULL YEAR PROFIT DROPS AMID RISING OPERATING COSTS Kenya Airway has now released the full financial year results for 2011/12 and while the upside is continued profitability, and a sharp rise in revenues and passengers carried, the downside is a sharply reduced profit compared with the 2010/11 financial year. This trend translates to […]
East Africa Tourism Platform launches in Kigali
EAST AFRICA TOURISM PLATFORM LAUNCHES IN RWANDA Following the launch at the EAC headquarters in Arusha last week the East African Tourism Platform has now also launched in Rwanda, coinciding with the annual Kwita Izina week, arguably the most important week on the calendar of event of the Rwanda Development Boards Tourism and Conservation Department. […]
Marriott Kigali on course for mid 2013 opening date
MARRIOTT KIGALI ON COURSE FOR OPENING IN MID 2013 The Marriott Kigali Hotel, now under construction in the heart of Rwandas capital city with an adjoining conference centre, is reportedly on course for an opening in 12 months time, as ascertained from a team of the hotel group who are in Kigali at the moment. […]
MV Pearl finally gets license, commences ferry operations to the Ssese Islands
MV PEARL TAKES TO THE LAKE AT LAST The MV Pearl, owned and operated by Kalangala Infrastructure Services, has now reportedly been granted a full license to operate between the mainland at Bukakata near Masaka and Luku on Bugala Island, the main island of the Ssese group in Lake Victoria and site of the Kalangala […]
South Sudan wildlife officers graduate from KWS’ Manyani training college
39 WILDLIFE OFFICERS GRADUATE FROM KWS MANYANI TRAINING SCHOOL The Kenya Wildlife Service, under a bilateral agreement with the Republic of South Sudan, has just graduated some 39 senior wildlife officers from an inaugural course conducted for them at the KWS Wildlife Training College in Manyani, Tsavo West. Present for the graduation was Dr. Julius […]
Rwanda selected as host country for the EAC’s first regional cultural extravaganza
RWANDA SET TO HOST EAST AFRICA FIRST JOINT ART FESTIVAL A regular source in Kigali has overnight shared information that Kigali will be the host city for the East African Communitys first ever joint art festival, to be held in Rwandas capital city from 27th October until 04th of November. The launch event is expected […]
Marasa Africa re-open the Aberdare Country Club and the Ark after extensive modernization and refurbishments
MARASA AFRICA RE-OPEN ABERDARE COUNTRY CLUB AND THE ARK The Kenyan properties of Marasa Africa, the hospitality arm of the Madhvani Group in Uganda, have just been re-opened following months of intense refurbishments and attention to detail at the Aberdare Country Club, featured in the picture above, the Ark a treehotel now much more of […]
Turkish to fly to 30 destinations in Africa by end of the year, eyes 40 by end of 2013
TURKISH TO DOUBLE AFRICAN DESTINATIONS BY END 2013 A source at Turkish Airlines in Nairobi has confirmed that the airline is set to double its African destinations by the end of next year. Presently flying from Istanbul to 20 destinations on the continent, mainly using narrow body B737-800 and B737-900 aircraft, including the East African […]
