Mwanza, Tanzania’s almost undiscovered city on Lake Victoria
MWANZA THE (ALMOST) UNDISCOVERED CITY ON LAKE VICTORIA (Mwanza, Tanzanias Lake Victoria lake side city / source: ExoticExpeditionsTanzania.com) Even for East Africans, Mwanza has an exotic ring to its name and more often than not, geography classes at school notwithstanding, some would place Tanzanias lake side city somewhere else, on Lake Tanganyika perhaps or not […]
Seychelles chosen as ICTP launch venue
SEYCHELLES CHOSEN AS ICTP LAUNCH VENUE The International Council of Tourism Partners will be formally launched, with now nearly 180 members from over 40 countries, at the tropical island paradise of the Seychelles on July 07th. The formation announcement was made at last years World Tourism Market when the Seychelles were a founder member alongside […]
ETS comes under renewed fire as EU commissioner threatens Chinese airlines with ‘consequences’ for non compliance, come June
ETS COMES UNDER MORE PRESSURE While some countries appear to have been quietly threatening the EU to block any agreements in upcoming climate talks to show their active disagreement to EU negotiators, should Brussels not refer their hugely controversial emission trading scheme to ICAO for moderation and to reach a globally acceptable solution ICAO and […]
Entebbe welcomes Nasair inaugural flight
NASAIR MAKES MAIDEN FLIGHT TO ENTEBBE Eritreas official airline Nasair Eritrea, which last year merged with Eritrean Airlines to form a stronger and financially more viable national airline, has now commenced flights to Entebbe Uganda from Asmara, offering the first direct flight between the two countries instead of having to travel via Nairobi. While the […]
Emirates adds Vietnam as destination 124 in their growing network
EMIRATES ADDS VIETNAM East African travelers will soon be able to say themselves the famous phrase spoken by Robin Williams, starring as the cantankerous, authority defying armed forces network DJ: Goooooood Mooooooorning Vietnaaaaaaam when travelling with Dubais award winning carrier Emirates, even though the daily flight will actually arrive at 19.20 hrs local time in […]
Air Seychelles fleet development update as airline set to receive 2 A330-200 over next 8 months
AIR SEYCHELLES SET TO GET 2 A330-200 AND AT LEAST 1 A320 A regular source from Victoria has confirmed that the Seychelles national airline will between mid and end of June receive their first A330-200 aircraft, painted in Air Seychelles livery. Crews are already training for type conversion from their old licenses for the B767 […]
Seychelles resorts and restaurants reeling from rocketing cost for cooking gas as government scraps subsidies
SEYCHELLES RESORTS AND RESTAURANTS UP IN ARMS OVER ROCKETING GAS PRICE A number of Seychelles based hoteliers and owners of restaurants in regular contact with this correspondent have expressed their dismay, if not outright anger, over the sharp rise of the price for liquefied gas to now nearly Seychelles Rupees per litre. It was learned […]
Virgin announces end of flights to Kenya by September 24th
VIRGIN ANNOUNCES END TO KENYA FLIGHTS A shock announcement was dropped on Kenya yesterday by the management of Virgin, presently operating daily flights between London Heathrow and Nairobis Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, that they will discontinue flights effective 24th September this year. A senior airline executives statement was quoted to this correspondent by an aviation […]
The Swahili Fashion Week 2012 is coming to a place near you in East Africa
SWAHILI FASHION WEEK IS COMING TO A PLACE NEAR YOU IN EAST AFRICA border=0 v:shapes="_x0000_i1025"> The fifth edition of the Swahili Fashion Week will go underway in Kenyas capital Nairobi with the first of overall four events, when the Nairobi Showcase takes place on the 30th August this year. This will be followed by the […]
Gulf Air’s future hangs in the balance after Bahrain’s lower house of parliament rejects bail out package
GULF AIRS FUTURE HANGS IN BALANCE Sources from Bahrain have overnight confirmed that the Kingdoms lower house of parliament has yesterday rejected a proposed bailout plan presented by the airline, worth some US Dollars 1.75 billion and referred the matter to the upper house of parliament for moderation and mediation. The Kingdoms government has committed […]
Uganda Wildlife Authority launches new state of the art website
UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE Virtual access to Ugandas ten national parks was just made easier for anyone wishing to visit the Pearl of Africa during the countrys 50th anniversary year of Independence from Britain, after the Uganda Wildlife Authority and their partners launched the latest state of the art website version. Supported by […]
Seychelles at the tip of your finger for iPhone and iPad users
SEYCHELLES FOR I PHONE YES YOU CAN Tourists intending to visit the Creole Island Paradise of the Seychelles, for real or through a virtual visit will now be able to download a dedicated Seychelles application to their iPhone or iPad, also available for Android smart phones. Seychelles Connect has recently launched their novel way of […]
RwandAir appoints Bert van der Stege as new General Manager / Commercial
RWANDAIR APPOINTS NEW GENERAL MANAGER COMMERCIAL Breaking news just in from a regular source in Kigali tells the story of a management reshuffle with the appointment of Mr. Bert van der Stege, who joined the company as General Manager Commercial, elsewhere known as Commercial Director or Chief Commercial Officer earlier in the month. Bert can […]
South Sudan opens one stop investment centre in Juba
INVESTMENT CENTRE OPENS IN JUBA AS FIRST HIGHRISE BUILDING PLANS REVEALED The government in Juba has opened their first dedicated investment one stop centre last weekend it was learned from a regular source in South Sudans capital. Potential investors, often taken aback by the bureaucracy involved to open shop in South Sudan, have greeted the […]
Turkish Airlines makes Kigali their 20th African destination
TURKISH MAKES KIGALI THEIR 20TH AFRICAN DESTINATION The arrival in Kigali of Turkish Airlines makes it three new connections this year which Rwanda has established with the rest of the world over the past few months. Turkish, a Star Alliance member, joins alliance partners Brussels Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways in Kigali, adding […]
RwandAir set to announce Mwanza flights
RWANDAIR ADDS MWANZA AS NEXT DESTINATION A regular source in Kigali has confirmed that RwandAir will be adding Mwanza, Tanzanias main Lake Victoria township, to their growing list of destinations as the airline continues to expand. The flights are due to commence in June, just weeks from now, and preparations are in high gear to […]
Mombasa’s Bella Vista Night Club hit by attempted attack
MOMBASA NIGHTSPOT HIT BY ALLEGED TERRORISTS The Moi Avenue based Bella Vista Night Club and Restaurant in Mombasa was hit last evening by what has been described as both gunfire and an explosion. While details remain sketchy at this stage, information has been trickling in since 10 pm last evening that at least one person, […]
New map of South Sudan shows borders in line with 1956 boundaries between north and south
NEW OFFICIAL MAP OF SOUTH SUDAN EXTENDS TO 1956 BOUNDARIES The government of South Sudan last week launched their first official map for the country which attained independence from their former slave masters in Khartoum only in July last year. The Council of Ministers meeting a week ago, otherwise known as cabinet, approved the new […]
Kenya Airways makes Delhi its 57th destination
57 AND COUNTING AS KENYA AIRWAYS ADDS DEHLI Delhi will today become Kenya Airways 57th destination, when the B767-300 takes off from Nairobi later in the day to start scheduled flights to Indias capita city. After Mumbai, served daily, this will be KQs second destination in India, to be followed in coming years by at […]
Fresh fighting sees Virunga National Park rangers killed, park outposts shelled
FRESH FIGHTING CAUSES COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO VIRUNGA RANGER POSTS Gorilla conservation in the Congo DR has just become even more difficult as reports emerged via Rwanda that a fresh outbreak of fighting has seen the vitally important ranger post in Bikenge, at the edge of the park, extensively damaged through shelling, almost making it appear […]
Routes Africa meeting to be held at Kempinski Seychelles Resort
ROUTES AFRICA LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY The Kempinski Seychelles Resort at Baie Lazare was chosen as the befitting venue for the Routes Africa 2012 Conference, due to take place on the Seychelles main island of Mahe from July 08th 10th. The annual series of Routes conferences will continue in a few days in Tallinn […]
Rivertrees reopens today after annual ‘hibernation’
RIVERTREES REOPENS TODAY (Picture courtesy of Rivertrees) Rivertrees, a country Inn set right at the Usa River halfway between Arusha and the Kilimanjaro International Airport, a long time favourite of this correspondent when visiting East Africas Safari Capital will emerge from its annual self prescribed hibernation and reopen its doors to guests on today, 14th […]
Eastern and Central African Road and Rail Infrastructure Summit set for Dar es Salaam
DAR ES SALAAM VENUE FOR 3RD EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICAN ROAD AND RAIL SUMMIT Tanzanias commercial capital of Dar es Salaam was chosen to once again host the third East and Central Africa Road and Rail Infrastructure Summit, bringing together private and public sector, investors and operators from a number of African countries including non […]
Air Tanzania to commence flight operations next weekend
AIR TANZANIA TO RESUME FLIGHTS NEXT WEEKEND Following the delayed arrival of their leased B737-500 over the weekend has a regular aviation source in Dar es Salaam confirmed that ATCL is intent to resume operations within a week, now putting final touches on schedules, crew planning and a last ditch sales and marketing effort, to […]
Etihad targets Ethiopia with initially 5 flights per week starting November
ETIHAD TARGETS ETHIOPIA An Addis Ababa based source confirmed that Etihad, the national airline of Abu Dhabi, is set to commence flights between the UAEs capital city and Ethiopia later this year. The information obtained claims that Etihad will from November this year begin with five flights per week, reportedly using an A320 aircraft on […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Second edition May 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 […]
Likoni ferry deals more scares to users
LIKONI FERRY USERS INCENSED OVER FRESH INCIDENT Mid morning rush hour traffic across the Likoni channel served ferry users another shock experience, when MV Nyayo stalled before landing and drifted into the open waters of the channel. Another ferry en route was dispatched immediately to come alongside the stalled vessel to tow her back to […]
Threat to Kazimzumbwi Forest poses another challenge to new natural resources minister
FORESTRY OFFICIALS FINGERED IN ATTEMPTED FOREST GRABBING Kazimzumbwi forest, located only some 20 kilometres south of Dar es Salaam in the Pugu Hills and adjoining the Pugu Forest Reserve, was exposed as the latest assault victim by land grabbers and corrupt officials, when the outgoing District Commissioner Ms. Khanifa Karamagi, now on transfer to her […]
Mara conservancy and KWS in dispute over orphaned cheetah cubs
CHEETAH ORPHANS SEE KWS AND MARA CONSERVANCY LOCK HORNS KWS have such an ability to stir controversy and dish out slaps into the faces of their conservation partners at times said a Nairobi based conservation source before adding they might be well advised to undertake a crash course in public relations and how to build […]
Kagesheki’s speech silences his sacked predecessor during formal handover of tourism ministry
KAGESHEKI GETS HANDOVER REPORT FROM SACKED PREDECESSOR Disgraced former minister for natural resources and tourism Ezekiel Maige had to return one last time to the ministry he brought into disrepute, in the end costing him his job, when he had to attend the formal handover to his successor, widely respected Ambassador Khamis Kagesheki. Maiges apparently […]
