Seychelles tourism news – ‘HM’ premature ending of European flights a cause for concern
AIR SEYCHELLES THE DOWNSIDE OF CLOSING EUROPEAN ROUTES SO SOON Still in the holiday mood and yet to celebrate the best ever annual arrivals record to the Seychelles come midnight on the 31st of December this year, the more sober of the archipelagos tourism stakeholders are nevertheless beginning to see the impact of Air Seychelles […]
Seychelles tourism news – Zil Air flies Santa to the President’s Village children at the MAIA Luxury Resort
ZIL AIR AND MAIA LUXURY RESORT FLY IN SANTA CLAUS In an extraordinary spirit of Christmas did the MAIA Luxury Resort and Zil Air team up with the Rotary Club of Victoria to fly Santa Claus to over 40 children of the Presidents Village, assembled near the MAIA helipad. Corporate Seychelles has for long made […]
Tanzania aviation update – Aerodrome reconstruction ‘on course’
TRANSPORT MINISTRY INSPECTS ONGOING WORK ON SECONDARY AIRPORTS The Acting CEO of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority accompanied the Deputy Minister for Transport on a tour of secondary airport facilities currently under reconstruction, to provide details on the ongoing programme launched last year (2010) to upgrade, improve and enlarge such infrastructure across the country. This […]
Tanzania hospitality news – SOPA Lodges sets eyes on Zanzibar and the southern safari circuit
SOPA LODGES TANZANIA CONFIDENT IN FUTURE, VOWS TO INVEST IN ZANZIBAR It was learned over the Christmas holiday that Sopa Lodges, already a major stakeholder in both Kenya and in Tanzania, has expressed their desire to enter the holiday resort market in Zanzibar with a new property, as a result of encouraging financial returns from […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, Fourth edition December 2011 and final edition of the year
TOURISM, AVIATION AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands A weekly roundup of reports, travel stories and opinions by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome Get daily breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome or read the daily postings on my blog via: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com Many of these articles then also […]
Uganda tourism news – Lack of funds may negate impact of Lonely Planet ranking for Uganda as Number 1 Global Destination for 2012
TOURISM MINISTER OPENS NEW HERITAGE MUSEUM, LAMENTS LACK OF FUNDS The Minister of Tourism, Minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu lamented the lack of funding when opening a new privately owned heritage museum in Mbarara just before Christmas. He used the opportunity to ask for equitable funding for his ministry and the tourism sector, commensurate with the […]
Uganda conservation news – NFA finally gets new Executive Director, prompting immediate controversy
NFA GETS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BUT CHOICE IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED The National Forest Authority, which has been without a substantive Executive Director for the past two years following the initial suspension and then, depending where one stands either sacking or non renewal of contract for Damian Akankwasa who suffered from a wide range of personal and […]
China’s double edged Christmas present to Tanzania and Uganda rattles conservationists
CHINAS CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO EAST AFRICA RATTLES CONSERVATION FRATERNITY News emerged just before the long Christmas weekend that Uganda and Tanzania have signed a joint agreement with CCECC, the China Civil Engineering Construction Company, worth over 450 million US Dollars, to prepare a feasibility study for a new proposed railway route from Tanga port to […]
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2012
My dear readers, as the Christmas season is upon us and the final countdown of 2011 is now underway, I take a much needed break from my daily postings with news and updates from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. ‘Normal service’ will resume in the first week of 2012 and while I will […]
Kenya conservation breaking news – Keen family signs ‘easement’ contract to add crucial land to Nairobi National Park
NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK GETS 100 EXTRA HECTARES (Nairobi National Park main gate at Langata) The conservation fraternity had reason to celebrate this week when the park was expanded by 100 hectares or over 250 acres of land, courtesy of John Keen and his family, who through an easement gave Kenya Wildlife Service control to administer […]
Lake Baringo Club – Where I was chilling with the birds
LAKE BARINGO CLUB, WHERE I WAS CHILLING WITH THE BIRDS Leaving the hustle and bustle of Kenyas capital city Nairobi behind is the desire of many of its residents, while the proper wagenis of course in any case spend little time there, perhaps a day or two at most on arrival and departure again, while […]
Tanzania aviation breaking news – Precision places order for 5 more ATR’s
PRECISION STAYS EXPANSION COURSE WITH NEW ATR ORDER (Picture courtesy of ATR) Information was confirmed overnight that Tanzanias leading airline, Precision Air, has put aside their disappointing IPO performance and are set to stay the course of expansion as announced earlier in the year with an order for a further 5 ATR aircraft. A usually […]
Kenya conservation news – KWS honours fallen conservation heroes
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE HONOURS FALLEN HEROS (For all visitors to the Nairobi National Park and the Nairobi Safari Walk to see at the new monument dedicated to the fallen heroes of KWS) Kenyas Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga has last week formally opened the memorial site erected at the KWS head quarters at the entrance […]
Kenya tourism news – Porini / Gamewatchers bag more awards, earn recognition for being ‘green’
PORINI CAMPS ECOFRIENDLY OPERATIONS REWARDED The Ol Kinyei Conservancy, adjoining the Masai Mara Game Reserve, has received recognition from the Eco Tourism Society of Kenya when recently awarded the rating as best community conservancy in Kenya. Established in 2005 the conservancy has now grown to over 16.000 acres and is home to the Porini Mara […]
Kenya tourism news – Aberdare Country Club to shine again as refurbishment and upgrading continues
ABERDARE COUNTRY CLUB REFURBISHMENT ON COURSE While in Kenya on a fact finding mission to ascertain the state of the tourism industry at the end of what will become the best ever performing year for Kenya Tourism, information was also obtained on the ongoing progress of renovations and the upgrading of one of this correspondents […]
Seychelles and La Reunion tourism news – Carnival International de Victoria becomes media magnet
MEDIA INTEREST IN SEYCHELLES CARNIVAL FESTIVAL SHARPLY UP Following the phenomenal media success which accompanied the inaugural carnival festival earlier this year in Victoria on the main island of Mahe, has the Seychelles Tourism Board now confirmed that requests from the international media to be accredited and cover the event in 2012 are pouring in. […]
Mauritius airline news – New e-payment platform introduced by Air Mauritius
AIR MAURITIUS LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE PAYMENT PLATFORM It was learned from a regular source that Air Mauritius has now launched a brand new e-payment facility for bookings made through their website, when they very recently commissioned their new Wirecard payment platform. The new payment system also expands payment options which were previously only possible by […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, Third edition December 2011
TOURISM, AVIATION AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands A weekly roundup of reports, travel stories and opinions by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome Get daily breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome or read the daily postings on my blog via: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com Many of these articles then also […]
Seychelles and La Reunion to co-host the ‘Carnaval International de Victoria’
SEYCHELLES AND LA REUNION TO CO HOST ANNUAL CARNIVAL FESTIVAL The two Vanilla Islands of La Reunion and Seychelles last week signed a pact to be joint hosts of the second edition of the annual Carnaval International de Victoria, a ground breaking move to have other Indian Ocean islands participate to a wider extend in […]
Kenya aviation news – KQ seeks to recruit at least 60 captains to match crews with new aircraft deliveries
KENYA AIRWAYS TO RECRUIT EXPATRIATE CAPTAINS TO EASE SHORTAGE OF PILOTS During the showcasing last week of Boeings B787 Dreamliner in Nairobi, questions were asked of Dr. Titus Naikuni, CEO of Kenya Airways, how the arrival of additional aircraft in 2012 and beyond the airline is expecting 3 B777 and by all accounts some 10 […]
East Africa aviation update – Brussels Airlines to increase frequencies to Nairobi and Bujumbura for 2012 schedules
BRUSSELS AIRLINES ANNOUNCES INCREASE IN FREQUENCIES TO NAIROBI AND BUJUMBURA Information was received from Brussels Airlines that they will, come April next year, increase their frequencies to Nairobi from presently 3 to 4 a week, while at the same time also raising their flights to Burundis capital Bujumbura from 2 to 3 a week. Notably […]
Tanzania aviation news – Dar’s JNIA set to play catch up, but how and when
NOW DARS JNIA ALSO RUSHES TO CATCH UP WITH DEMAND RISES Information has been received from regular aviation sources in Dar es Salaam, that the countrys main international airport, Julius Nyerere International, has finally and apparently been shocked into a reaction too, following frequent reports in regional media and aviation circles of the determined efforts […]
Seychelles aviation breaking news – Last Paris flights in January as the end of intercontinental operations rapidly approaches
AIR SEYCHELLES TO DROP PARIS ALREADY IN JANUARY The worst fears are coming true for staff and friends of Air Seychelles, when it was confirmed that not only the initially announced cuts of the routes to London, Milan and Rome will become effective almost immediately and be concluded by January 2012 but that Paris too […]
Seychelles tourism news – ‘New’ Seychelles Tourism Academy slowly takes shape
NEW SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY TO BECOME SELF SUSTAINING As reported here a few weeks ago, the Seychelles Tourism Academy is undergoing a dramatic transformation with the demolition of old buildings and the construction of new, purpose built facilities aimed to provide the best possible vocational and tertiary training for students of the hospitality and tourism […]
Kenya aviation news – No booze on domestic flights as Kenya Airways cuts cost
FREE BOOZE NO MORE ON DOMESTIC KENYA AIRWAYS SERVICES While in Nairobi a few days ago it could be confirmed that Kenya Airways had commenced, what one staff has on condition of anonymity described as a trial, a policy of no longer serving alcoholic drinks on domestic routes, not in either business or economy class, […]
Kenya conservation breaking news – Taxes on conservancy fees threaten private conservation efforts
CONSERVANCIES IN KENYA EXPECT TAX HIT Wildlife conservation groups and those involved in private conservancies in Kenya, crucially important to maintaining biodiversity and supporting government policies of adding private land for the purpose of protecting threatened species like rhinos, are bracing for the worst come 2012, as new tax demands appear on the horizon. The […]
Kenya tourism news – ‘Blocking park gates at the Mara is bad for our image’ says leading tourism stakeholder
DISPUTE OVER PAYMENT METHODS SEES TOURISTS BLOCKED AT MARA GATE The simmering conflict over a new electronic payment method at the entrance gates to the Masai Mara Game Reserve has erupted in a way few would have imagined, when protesters blocked the main Sekenani Gate, stranding hundreds of tourists who were left to see rowdy […]
Tanzania aviation update – Kilimanjaro International Airport rehabilitation to start in January 2012 with planning and design stage
KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REHAB PROJECT TO START NEXT JANUARY Information about an upcoming major rehabilitation and modernization of the Kilimanjaro International Airport, in an earlier article here already mentioned, has now confirmed that the project is set to go underway by January 2012. Now just over 40 years old, the airport was inaugurated in 1971, […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – B787 Dreamliner arrives in Nairobi to the African drumbeats
DREAMLINER ARRIVES IN KENYA TO THE AFRICAN DRUMBEATS (Touchdown and KARIBUNI KENYA Dreamliner) Boeings revolutionary aircraft, as one of the accompanying senior executives put it yesterday in a discussion with this correspondent, touched down yesterday at 11.44 hrs local time at Nairobis Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the thunderous applaus and roars of approval from […]
Ethiopia aviation breaking news – New simulator for Q400 to be installed in Addis
ETHIOPIAN ADDS BOMBARDIER Q400 FLIGHT SIMULATOR (Picture courtesy of Bombardier) Information was received overnight that the aviation training academy attached to the home base of Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa will see the addition of a new simulator in due course. The airline has apparently agreed with Bombardier to install a Q400 simulator where pilots […]
