Congo aviation news – Bukavu crash claims life of top presidential advisor, injures Congolese finance minister
ANOTHER PLANE CRASH CLAIMS LIFE OF PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR Information has been received from Eastern Congo, that a plane crash in Bukavu has claimed the life of top presidential advisor Augustine Katumba Mwanke, while seriously injuring the Congolese Finance Minister, the Governor of South Kivu Province and other senior officials of the regime in Kinshasa. The […]
Southern Sudan news – Nimule elephants kill at least 3 villagers
NIMULE ELEPHANTS KILL VILLAGERS Sad news arrived from Juba / Southern Sudan yesterday when it became known that rogue elephants straying outside the Nimule National Park had reportedly killed at least 3 people including a pregnant woman. Complaints voiced in Juba to the Directorate for Wildlife were reportedly also not meeting with any significant action, […]
Tanzania conservation news – Interview in The Guardian about the Stiegler’s Gorge hydro power project
INTERVIEW ON STIEGLERS GORGE POWER PROJECT WITH LEADING OFFICIAL As repeated mention was given in past months about the planned hydro electric power plant at the Stieglers Gorge / Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania, a recent interview by Michael Haonga with the Director General of the Rufiji Basin Development Authority Aloyce Masanja was recently published […]
Mauritius news – Spared by cyclone the island gets much needed rains
RAINS CONTINUE TO DRENCH MAURITIUS While spared the onslaught of a recent cyclone, which passed Mauritius well off shore, the island was nevertheless at the receiving end of heavy rains. A regular source however saw the positive side of this weather as in his words at least our water reservoirs can start to fill up […]
Uganda aviation news – U7 goes daily to Dar es Salaam now
AIR UGANDA UPS DAR FLIGHTS TO DAILY Ugandas quasi national airline U7 has announced that they will move from presently 6 departures per week between Entebbe to Dar es Salaam to now daily flights with immediate effect, adding Sunday flights which previously were not featuring on the schedule. The airline now serves Nairobi 3 times […]
Kenya aviation news – Gulf Air to remain on Nairobi route, sheds Athens and Damascus
GULF AIR TO CLOSE MORE ROUTES Gulf Air has announced that following the closure of their routes to Entebbe and Geneva two weeks ago, a further four routes will be shelved from March onwards. Affected are Athens and Damascus, both in the bad news over political troubles, but also Milan and Kuala Lumpur which have […]
Seychelles ‘Carnival International de Victoria’ update
CARNIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE VICTORIA ATTRACTS AT LEAST 26 FOREIGN GROUPS Information available from Victoria now indicates that at least 26 foreign carnival groups have confirmed their participation in the Carnvaval de Carnivals in the Seychelles capital Victoria, with key carnival nations like Brazil and Germany represented with floats and troupes, besides the famous Notting Hill […]
Mauritius hospitality news – New ‘essentials only’ business hotel to open at Mall of Mauritius
NEW BUSINESS HOTEL SET TO OPEN ON MARCH 12TH No room service, no pool, no in-house restaurant and NO SURPRISES AT CHECK OUT was the description given by a source in Port Louis when describing a new, mall based business hotel, the Voila Bagatelle` which is set to open in a months time. While following […]
Kenya tourism news – David Stogdale appointed to the board of KTB
DAVID STOGDALE APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF THE KENYA TOURIST BOARD Effective January 19th did the Minister of Tourism Najib Balala appoint one of Kenyas hospitality grandmasters, David Stogdale, to the board of director of KTB it was learned over the weekend. Looking back at a long and distinguished career in key positions of Kenyas hospitality industry […]
Kenya conservation breaking news – Southern Bypass routing prompts immediate opposition by conservationists
NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK HOW LONG WILL THE DEFENCES HOLD Sections of Kenya conservation fraternity have described plans to carve out over 150 acres from the Nairobi National Park the beginning of the end fearing that once the precedent has been set, the flood gates will open even more in the future. The next thing will […]
Reflections on my visit to Bahrain – the Arabian Culture Capital 2012.
BAHRAIN, ARABIAS CULTURE CAPITAL 2012 WHERE THE ANCIENT MEETS THE FUTURE (Bahrain’s capital city of Manama, where the ancient Fort Bahrain, one of the Kingdoms UNESCO World Heritage Sites, has been carefully excavated and lovingly restored, while today and tomorrow unfolds in the background, adding new chapters to the rich heritage and culture of the […]
Southern Sudan aviation news – Gulf Air to delay start of Juba flights
GULF AIR DELAYS START OF JUBA FLIGHTS Following the shock announcement, that the recently inaugurated route to Entebbe will be suspended on 21st February, came further information to light from Juba, when it was confirmed that Gulf Air will delay the commencement of flights between Bahrain and the Southern Sudanese capital city until further notice. […]
Kenya aviation news – JKIA construction delays prompt more concerns by aviation industry
KENYA AIRPORT AUTHORITY REACTS TO STINGING CRITICISM Clearly stung by criticism over complaints about the visible delay on construction of the new terminal and other facilities, much needed to de-congest East Africa busiest hub Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has the authoritys CEO reacted earlier in the week. We have set aside some 10 percent of […]
Congo DR government again lambasted over widespread poaching
REPORT ON ELEPHANT POACHING PAINTS GRIM PICTURE FOR CONGO CONSERVATION Information came to light this week that over 500 elephant had been killed for ivory in the Virunga National Park in Eastern Congo over the past two years alone. The park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Officials of the Congolese Institute for the […]
Seychelles tourism news – NEC approves more funding for tourism promotion
SEYCHELLES NATIONAL ECONOMICS COUNCIL APPROVES GREATER TOURISM FUNDING It was learned overnight that the presentations made by the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association SHTA to the government of Seychelles, on a range of issues from concerns over recent developments at Air Seychelles and over funding of tourism marketing, were part of the discussions of the […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – IATA renews IOSA and ISAGO certification for KQ
KENYA AIRWAYS RETAINS IOSA AND ISAGO CERTIFICATION Following an extensive safety and ground operations audit has IATA earlier in the week once again officially re-certified Kenya Airways and issued another IOSA and ISAGO certificate to The Pride of Africa. IATAs regional director for Africa Gaoussou Konate was in Nairobi to personally hand over the certificates […]
Breaking Aviation News – Gulf Air suspends Entebbe flights
GULF AIRS RESTRUCTURING AND COSTCUTTING SEES ENTEBBE AXED When Gulf Air returned to Uganda on the 05th of December with 4 flights a week, much hope and expectation was raised in Ugandan aviation circles that new options had opened up, for visitors coming to Uganda from across the Gulf Air network and travelers from Uganda […]
Queen Elizabeth National Park fire destroys safari lodge
NATIONAL PARK FIRE DESTROYS SAFARI LODGE A raging bush fire, allegedly set by staff of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, has devastated the Kyambura Game Lodge earlier in the week, according to reports from a source close to UWA. The fire was reportedly started by UWA staff to clear dry vegetation and allow for fresh green […]
Maldives woes set to benefit Vanilla Island’s tourism sectors
MALDIVES POLITICAL MESS TO BENEFIT VANILLA ISLANDS Recent events on the Maldives have triggered a trend by key global tour operating companies to seek alternatives, should the islands descend into full scale political unrest. First in the bad news came the Maldives opposition demands to shut down with immediate effect all Spas in each and […]
Rwanda tourism news – Jack Hanna Cottage at Gorilla Nest Lodge gets 5 star makeover
JACK HANNA COTTAGE GETS 5 STAR MAKEOVER The Gorilla Nest Lodge outside Musanze / Ruhengeri, which sustained fire damage sometime last year as reported here, has finalized the makeover of the famous Jack Hanna Cottage, where guests are now accommodated alongside the neighbouring Ranch Rooms, allowing as many as 8 guests to enjoy the unique […]
KWS relocates 21 Eastern Black Rhinos to Ruma National Park
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE TRANSLOCATES 20 RHINOS TO RUMA NATIONAL PARK (Picture courtesy of Kenya Wildlife Service) Good news emerged from Kenya that KWS has last week successfully completed the relocation of 21 Eastern Black Rhinos to the Ruma National Park, formerly known as Lambwe Valley National Park when this correspondent still lived in Kenya and […]
Rwanda tourism news – L’ Esperance’s eco tourism lodge project to support the orphanage
L ESPERANCES BIRAMBYE LODGE PROJECT TAKES SHAPE (Victor Monroy surrounded by ‘his’ children at L Esperance) One of the most remarkable orphanages I have ever seen, L Esperance at Kigarama in the highlands of South Eastern Rwanda along the Congo Nile Trail, is now set to embark on one of their income generating projects, the […]
African aviation – Decision time for African governments to help or let go
GULF CARRIERS BIGGEST THREAT TO AFRICAN AVIATION Two aviation sources have of late once again expressed their concern, that the onslaught of Gulf based airlines will eat into their traffic shares and reduce and dampen growth prospects for the future. Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, the latter the erstwhile Pan African airline copied successfully by […]
Uganda airline news – SN drops outbound fares by 25 percent
BRUSSELS AIRLINES DROPS FARES FROM ENTEBBE BY 25 PERCENT Competition was cited by a source close to Brussels Airlines in Kampala for their move to drop outbound fares by 25 percent, which is a promotion valid until the 13th of March, effective immediately. SN is a regular visitor to Entebbe since the days of the […]
Kenya aviation news – Royal Air Maroc set for Nairobi in 2012
ROYAL AIR MAROC SET FOR NAIROBI Kenyas Minister for Tourism, Najib Balala, is in Morocco at present on a mission to promote travel between the two countries, and while there reportedly asked Royal Air Maroc to commence flights between Nairobi and Casablanca. Nonstop flights are thought to encourage both tourism and trade between the two […]
Seychelles news – Work has started for new Seychelles Tourism Academy
WORK BEGINS IN EARNEST AT THE NEW STA CAMPUS Information from Mahe indicates that work has now began at the new campus of the Seychelles Tourism Academy, where when complete some 500 students will be able to undertake certificate, diploma and degree courses in hospitality and tourism studies. Demolition of some of the existing buildings […]
60 years ago, when a Princess climbed up to Treetops and came down a Queen
TREETOPS, WHERE THE PRINCESS TURNED QUEEN On February 06th in 1952, outside Nyeri in the forest of the Aberdare Mountains, did a youthful Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philipp climb up the ladders into a treetop hideaway, to spend the night watching the game parade by the waterhole below. Little did she know, and […]
Uganda news – New cars for parliamentarians translates to no money for tourism promotion
PARLIAMENTARY GREED ADDS TO TOURISM FUNDING WOES News emerged from sources in parliament that a controversial deal for new vehicles for members of parliament is apparently going ahead, worth over 100 million Uganda Shillings per MP, draining the available funds left in the emancipated purses of the Ministry of Finance even more. Only last week […]
African airlines hope for Chinese government ban on the EU’s ETS will see the scheme suspended
AFRICAN AIRLINES HOPE CHINESE REFUSAL OF THE EUS ETS WILL BRING CHANGES The just reported directive of the Chinese government, prohibiting Chinese airlines from participating in any form or shape in the European Unions Emission Trading Scheme or ETC, has set not only China and Europe on a collision path but opened new hope for […]
Kenya aviation news – Additional rights issue team announcements complete Kenya Airways’ line up
KENYA AIRWAYS PUTS FINAL TOUCHES TO RIGHTS ISSUE TEAM Information was received over the weekend that the Pride of Africa has named Ugandas Crested Stock Securities and Tanzanias Orbit Securities alongside Standard Investment Bank, the initially named primary and lead broker in Kenya to complete the line up covering all three East African stock exchanges […]
