After UTODA’s strangle hold on public transport was broken it is Karibu to the new city busses
COMMUTER BUSSES IN KAMPALA, A NOVEL WAY TO EXPLORE THE CITY The recent, yet politically highly charged introduction of a fleet of brand new commuter busses into the city has opened up new options for visitors to Kampala, finally being able to cut through the maze of routes and pick up points of the commonly […]
Tanzania aviation news – Swissport makes record profits on the back of a near monopoly
NEAR MONOPOLY EARNS SWISSPORT RECORD PROFITS While officially at least the monopoly of Swissport as the sole handling agent at key Tanzanian airports has been lifted, when a few more licenses were granted last year, the reality is that it remains a quasi monopoly, which is bringing huge profits and benefits to the shareholders, all […]
Seychelles Carnival, Number two is gone, number three is one the way
CARNIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE VICTORIA A REVIEW AND A PREVIEW True to the words of the Seychelles Tourism Board was the 2012 Second Edition of the Carnaval de Carnivals, the mother of all carnivals in Victoria / Seychelles, bigger, better, more colourful and under an unprecedented media spotlight, bringing the Seychelles once again to the global […]
Tanzania conservation breaking news – EACJ rules against Tanzania government, Serengeti Highway case to go ahead to full hearing
ANTI SERENGETI HIGHWAY COALITION CELEBRATES LEGAL VICTORY The appellate division of the East African Court of Justice has dismissed an attempt by the Government of Tanzania to question the jurisdiction of the East African Court of Justice, to which environmentalists and the conservation fraternity had taken their case, trying to block it from building a […]
Kenya conservation news – Upper sections of Mt. Kenya National Park on fire
SECTIONS OF MT. KENYA NATIONAL PARK ABLAZE Information was confirmed overnight from sources in Nanyuki that indeed sections of the Mt. Kenya National Park, high up on the mountain, are ablaze with forest and moorland fires. Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service have mounted joint fire fighting operations assisted by personnel drafted in from […]
Tanzania aviation news – Precision Air eyes Lilongwe and Harare from June 2012
PRECISION AIR EYES LILONGWE AND HARARE Information was confirmed that Tanzanias premier private airline, Precision Air, will be commencing flights to Harare, via Lilongwe, from 02nd of June onwards. This new combination will open up Zimbabwe as well as Malawi as new destinations from Tanzania, offering tourists and business travelers direct links instead of travelling […]
Rwanda aviation news – WB’s Bombardier Dash 8 now flies RwandAir colours
RWANDAIRS DASH 8 NOW FLIES WB COLOURS (Picture courtesy of RwandAir) Already on the RwandAir fleet since early 2010 on a long term wet lease from Kenyas leasing specialist firm ALS, the WB Bombardier Dash 8 100 was during the last maintenance also repainted and is now proudly flying the RwandAir colours across the East […]
East Africa hospitality news – Serena Hotels’ profit rises by nearly 20 percent
SERENA HOTELS PROFITS RISE BY NEARLY 20 PERCENT TPS East Africa, the holding company owning Serena Hotels, has just announce a jump in profits for their financial year 2011 by 19.3 percent after revenues rose by nearly a billion Kenya Shillings to 5.46 billion from 2010s 4.48 billion Kenya Shillings. Indications are that a sound […]
The Trials and Tribulations of Life in East Africa
OFF POWER OFF WATER OFF INTERNET WHAT NEXT The patience of users of utilities, including electricity, water and internet / international phone services has been sorely tested of late for parts of Eastern Africa and Uganda in particular. Electricity generation has been a problem in the entire region, but felt most harshly back here in […]
East African Community news – About border fees and other needle pricks
FEE ISSUE ON TANZANIA KENYA BORDER CONTINUES TO INFLAME EMOTIONS As reported here a while ago, the contentious issue of having to pay a US Dollar 200 fee per vehicle to cross into Tanzania has caused border post blockages not too long ago, bringing about some diplomatic intervention with ministers responsible for East African Community […]
InterContinental Hotel Nairobi to host e-Tourism Conference on March 29/30
E-TOURISM CONFERENCE SET FOR NAIROBIS INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL The upcoming e-Tourism Conference in Kenyas capital Nairobi is taking place at the InterContinental Hotel in Nairobi where over 300 particpants from Africa and beyond are expected to gather to discuss how to push the tourism industry into the 21st century by using not only the social media […]
Rwanda conservation news – Ted Turner donates a million US Dollars to Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund
CNN FOUNDER TURNER SUPPORTS GORILLA CONSERVATION WITH A MILLION DOLLARS Ted Turner has according to information received from Kigali overnight donated a million US Dollars to the Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund. The donation is aimed to allow the Ruhengeri / Musanze based Karisoke Research Centre to widen its reach and set up an outstation in […]
Mauritius news update – Seychelles’ president Michel guest of honour at 44th Independence Day celebrations
44TH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION GRACED BY PRESENCE OF SEYCHELLES PRESIDENT President James Michel of the Seychelles was Guest of Honour earlier in the week as Mauritius celebrated their 44th anniversary of Independence. The entire island thrilled its tourist visitors with displays of cultural performances and the evening fireworks were according to a regular source a […]
Kenya tourism news – Coast tour operators demand a ‘pay as you use’ fee for preferential ferry services
COAST TOUR OPERATORS DEMAND FERRY VIP SERVICES ON PAY AS YOU GO BASIS The recent introduction of VIP services for tourist vehicles, to obtain priority boarding for vehicles for instance on transfers from or to the airport or on a tight schedule leaving for safaris, has been widely hailed as progress and a step long […]
The Seychelles Tourism Academy – set to become a Centre of Excellence in Africa
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY, SET TO BECOME AN AFRICAN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (Front left is Mr. Peter Moncherry who oversees the project of transforming STA into an African Centre of Excellenc) Big plans are afoot at the Seychelles Tourism Academy to turn the institution into not just a source of national pride but to catapult it […]
Rwanda aviation news – Qatar Airways counting down to commence Kigali flights
QATAR AIRWAYS COUNTS DOWN TO KIGALI FLIGHTS It is now a week to go until Qatar Airways, the worlds 5 star airline, will commence operations to Kigali. The airline is extending their daily flights between Doha and Entebbe to the Rwandan capital and the aircraft used will be an Airbus A 320 operates in a […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean island, Second edition March 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 Get daily breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome, join me on Facebook where the articles also cross load or read the daily […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – KQ announces time table for share rights issue after CMA grants final approvals
KENYA AIRWAYS AND CAPITAL MARKET AUTHORITY ANNOUNCE SHARE ISSUE DATES An elaborate presentation by the Chief Executive and Group Managing Director of Kenya Airways, Dr. Titus Naikuni, rang in the countdown towards the 30th of March, when the new share issue will be formally launched in the market, following the final approvals last Friday by […]
Southern Sudan tourism – Boma National Park gets new headquarters but is country ready for tourism?
BOMA NATIONAL PARK GETS NEW HEADQUARTERS Last weekend saw the inauguration of the long in the making national park headquarters of Boma, catapulted to fame by the inclusion in the National Geographic series Great Migrations. Over 800.000 animals follow an annual migration pattern in and out of the park, with these figures for long dismissed […]
Of lounges and lounges …
OF LOUNGES AND LOUNGES As a frequent traveler I use airport lounges where available and hotel lounges where on offer for guests staying on Executive or Club Floors or using suites. For those in the know, the lounges in the Gulf region are legend, in particular of course the First Class and Business Class lounges […]
East African aviation sources condemn CASSOA’s attempt to dig private sector for income
CASSOA UNDER FIRE OVER EXTORTIONATE FEE DEMANDS The East African Communitys Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency has come under severe criticism by a broad section of aviation and tourism stakeholders for their demand to load already mountainous surcharges and fees with a further 0.70 US Dollars to finance their operations. The agency, swift […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – CMA and KQ to hold joint press conference Monday morning at the Nairobi Serena Hotel
KENYA AIRWAYS SHARE RIGHTS ISSUE ANNOUNCEMENTS IMMINENT Kenya Airways and the Capital Market Authority will hold a joint press conference on Monday morning at the Nairobi Serena Hotel, to provide information on the way forward for the long awaited share issue, which is aiming to raise some 250 million US Dollars for the financing of […]
Tanzania conservation news – WWF fires a dozen staff over allegations of misappropriation of funds
WWF SACKS A DOZEN STAFF OVER FRAUD ALLEGATIONS The Tanzanian branch of the respected World Wide Fund for Nature has reportedly dismissed a dozen of their staff including to senior managers over allegations of misuse of funds and installed a caretaker management team to oversee the process of investigations and of a forensic audit. Information […]
Al Shabab hits Nairobi bus stop with grenade attack, 4 dead and over 40 injured
AL SHABAB SYMPATHIZERS SUSPECTED TO HAVE CAUSED CARNAGE Kenyas determination to pursue Al Shabab terrorists deep into Somalia and joining AMISOM, the United Nations and African Union peace keeping mission in that war torn country, has, inspite of visibly increased vigilance across Nairobis public places, office buildings, shopping centres and hotels, cost the country dearly […]
Kenya aviation news – KQ responds with third flight to Mahe as Ethiopian at the verge of commencing their own flights to Seychelles
KENYA AIRWAYS RESPONDS TO ETHIOPIAN COMMENCING SEYCHELLES FLIGHTS Kenya Airways has seemingly responded quickly to the news that Ethiopian Airlines will effective beginning of April begin to fly four times a week between Addis Ababa and Mahe / Seychelles, with the announcement that by mid April a third weekly flight will be introduced between Nairobi […]
Cheli & Peacock set to add, improve during low season
CHELI & PEACOCK MAKES WAVES WITH INNOVATIONS (Cheli & Peacock Impressions from Kenya | Pictures courtesy of P & C) One of Kenya foremost collections of fine safari camps and beach resorts, award winning Cheli & Peacock, has just released updates on developments in several of their properties. New additions and changes to tent sizes […]
Ethiopian aviation news – 3 weeks and counting to the inaugural flight to Seychelles
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES SET TO COMMENCE SEYCHELLES FLIGHTS IN 3 WEEKS While recently in the Seychelles it was confirmed that Ethiopian Airlines will be commencing 4 weekly flights between Addis Ababa and Mahe from the beginning of April, adding a second connection through a key African mainland hub after Kenya Airways flights via Nairobi. The fact […]
Mauritius tourism news – Talks with airlines at ITB crucial to bring in more tourists
MAURITIUS TALKS TO AIRLINES AT ITB A regular source from Mauritius has send impressions from the just concluded ITB, the worlds largest global tourism trade show, to share some news about what the islands large delegation has accomplished. Our official met with airlines flying regularly from Germany to Mauritius and to explore how in the […]
Kenya news – Nairobi InterContinental hosts International Women’s Day function, raises funds for girls primary school
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL HOSTS NAIROBIS WOMEN WHO IS WHO FOR THEIR DAY The International Womens Day was celebrated at the InterContinental Hotel Nairobi in great style, when the Who is Who of Kenyas professional women came together, not just to celebrate but also to raise funds for the Mbagathi Girls Primary School which put portraits of […]
TripAdvisor’s Best Beaches 2011 leaves out Seychelles as mechanism discriminate smaller destinations
TRIP ADVISOR BEST BEACHES 2012 CLUELESS AS SEYCHELLES OMITTED FROM TOP 25 Not being a mass tourism destination is to our disadvantage here for us said a regular source close to the Seychelles Tourism Board, saying it is hard to get the required numbers in a global contest where bigger destinations like Florida or Turkey […]
