Kenya tourism and conservation news – Cheli & Peacock bag 4 Eco Tourism Kenya Awards
CHELI AND PEACOCK BAG FOUR ECO TOURISM AWARDS One of Kenyas foremost safari companies, Cheli and Peacock, has last weekend taken the Eco Tourism Kenya annual awards by storm, claiming four prizes for outstanding services. Besides being named Tour Operator of the Year 2011 the company Elsas Kopje lodge was also acclaimed Best small lodge […]
Mauritius tourism news – Government intent to divest of various tourism related assets
MAURITIUS GOVERNMENT DIVESTS SOME TOURISM ASSETS It was learned over the weekend that the Mauritius government intends to divest from some tourism related interest in order to bring in cash for other purposes. Divestments will include offloading interests in casinos, the Belle Mare Tourist Village, the Lake Point Complex and the Port Louis Waterfront developments. […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, Fifth edition November 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 […]
Tanzania tourism breaking news – Massive landslide cuts off key safari route
MASSIVE LANDSLIDES BLOCK KEY SAFARI ROUTE It was learned yesterday that a massive landslide cut off the main route between the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha at Mto Wa Mbu, the escarpment where the Lake Manyara National Park is located. Torrential rains, which currently lash parts of Eastern Africa, caused a major rock […]
South Sudan aviation news – Southern Star halts operations?
SOUTHERN STAR HALTS OPERATIONS Only a few weeks ago was information confirmed that South Sudans first post independence airline, Southern Star, commenced flight operations, with big fanfare and big dreams. Following two months of erratic operations though, has Southern Star already halted operations and ALS, the company in Nairobi they had leased their single aircraft […]
East African Community Summit – Problems ahead dampen hope for success
SPATS AHEAD OF EAC SUMMIT IN BUJUMBURA Old and new rifts emerged in the meetings preparing for the council of ministers and the head of state summit later this week in Bujumbura, when news emerged from there that new battle lines were being drawn up. The application by the Bashir regime in Khartoum, to join […]
Seychelles aviation breaking news – Italy’s Blue Panorama seeks traffic rights
BLUE PANORAMA OF ITALY SEEKS TO STEP INTO VOID LEFT BY AIR SEYCHELLES The Vice President Sales for Italys Blue Panorama airline was in Mahe at the end of last week to discuss the upcoming gap in seats and flights between Italys main cities of Rome and Milan to the Seychelles, following the announcement of […]
Kenya tourism news – Lamu Cultural Festival ‘a total success’
LAMU FESTIVAL A SUCCESS AND FREE OF ANY SCARES OR INCIDENTS The annual Lamu Cultural Festival came to a close yesterday with every available bed booked up by locals, said to comprise over 75 percent of the hotel bookings but also by overseas tourists, who had defied the blanket anti travel advisories and flown, boated […]
Uganda aviation news – Just over a week to go until Gulf Air returns to Uganda
GULF AIR GEARS UP TO ENTEBBE LAUNCH (Soon in the skies over Uganda, a Gulf Air A320) Just over a week away from the launch of its return to Uganda has the Gulf Air team now gotten into gear and is working the market with launch fares. While travel to the GCC region, mainly thought […]
Kenya conservation news – 87 more tusks found in container destined for China
VIGILANT OFFICIALS SEIZE 87 ELEPHANT TUSKS A Hong Kong bound container with 87 elephant tusks was seized over the weekend in Nairobi, when alert customs and security officials opened the container for a physical spot check, after various inconsistencies rang the alarm bells and raised suspicion of illicit contraband being hidden amongst the consignment of […]
Seychelles tourism update – New arrival record established with 6 weeks to go till the end of 2011
NEW ARRIVAL RECORD REACHED WITH NEARLY 6 WEEKS TO GO TILL YEAR END 174.530 and counting was the message from Mahe last week, when the archipelagos previous arrival record, established in 2010, was broken with weeks to go still until the end of the year. Notably did the record breaker arrive on the latest airline […]
Rwanda tourism breaking news – New Congo Nile Trail is officially launched in Gisenyi today
RWANDAS NEW CONGO NILE TRAIL HIKING THROUGH RURAL AFRICA (The starting point of the Congo Nile Trail just outside Bralirwa Bay / Gisenyi) Before I set out to conquer the new Congo Nile Trail, at least in part from Kibuye to Gisenyi, during a trial trip with a group of other media representatives, questions were […]
Seychelles aviation news – Will Air Astral take over flights from France via Mahe?
AIR ASTRAL MAY STEP INTO AIR SEYCHELLES PARIS ROUTE There is growing speculation that Air Astral, with a home base on the island of La Reunion, may in due course step into the vacant space left by the announcement of Air Seychelles, that they will progressively drop their European routes from early next year. Air […]
Seychelles aviation news – Restructuring and downsizing of Air Seychelles gains momentum
AIR SEYCHELLES RESTRUCTURING GATHERS PACE A task force has been established at the head office of Air Seychelles in Mahe, having to deal with the downside of the current major restructuring, which will see the airline drop all intercontinental destinations and downsize itself to a regional airline, serving existing and very likely new destinations on […]
Ethiopia aviation news – ET gets first B737-800 Sky Interior
ETHIOPIAN NOW ALSO FLIES THE LATEST BOEING SKY INTERIOR Ethiopian Airlines earlier this week also took delivery of the first of 10 ordered B737-800 Sky Interior, of which RwandAir already fly two, having beaten the African aviation giant to the door to claim the honours of being the first African airline to do so. However, […]
Tanzania aviation news – Former ATCL chiefs in court on criminal charges
FORMER ATCL CHIEF IN COURT AS SUCCESSOR TALKS BIG The former Air Tanzania CEO has ended up in court yesterday with two erstwhile colleagues, charged with abuse of office over an alleged 1.4 billion Tanzania Shillings procurement deal of vehicles. The cause of the charges dates back to 2007, when Air Tanzania, allegedly in violation […]
Mauritius aviation news – International airport rated as number one in Africa, 31 in the world
SIR SEEWOOSAGUR RAMGOOLAN INTERNATIONAL NAMED AS AFRICAS BEST Mauritius had reason to celebrate a world number one position this week when it became known that the international airport survey carried out by the Airport Council International, ranked SSRI as Africas best, ahead of more likely rivals on the continent. Globally the airport is ranked as […]
Rwanda conservation news – National tree planting campaign unfolds across the country
NATIONAL TREE PLANTING CAMPAIGN STARTS Last weekend saw the start of the national tree planting campaign as this year targets in particular parts of the country with less trees than is average in the country. Rwanda presently has 22 percent of its territory under forest cover, a figure due to increase to 30 percent by […]
Tanzania aviation updates – ATCL has big plans but no fleet to recapture market share
AIR TANZANIA PLANS BOMBARDIER PURCHASES Within hours of the announcement that Precision Airs IPO had attracted less than 43 percent of a share take up, did Air Tanzania make waves with an announcement that they would hold more talks with Canadian manufacturer Bombardier for the purchase of up to 8 aircraft. Presently ATCL operates a […]
Tanzania aviation news – Precision Air IPO all but flops, largely undersubscribed
PRECISION AIR IPO ALL BUT FLOPS The signs were ominous from day one of the airlines IPO when several banks had to postpone the launch over lack of relevant documents and an ill timed announcement by the Tanzanian government about a planned revival of Air Tanzania did not help much either as it rattled investor […]
Tanzania aviation news – JRO to get long overdue facelift and expansion
KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL NEXT IN LINE FOR UPGRADE TOO Information has been coming in fast and furious in recent weeks, with news chasing news of yet another major international gateway, and even secondary airports being upgraded, expanded and renovated to finally give aviation the state of the art facilities air operators have been demanding in past […]
Seychelles tourism news – STB shows flag at Nairobi’s Getaway Fair
SEYCHELLES AT NAIROBI GETAWAY FAIR The Seychelles Tourism Boards appearance at the recently concluded Getaway Fair in Nairobi was once again termed an overwhelming success, as the archipelagos stand attracted the attention of both the tourism trade, seeking to forge ties with the islands to do business together, but also of course of individuals coming […]
Seychelles tourism news – STA sends 13 students to the Shannon College for their degree course
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMYS EFFORTS PAY OFF The long standing partnership between the Seychelles Tourism Academy and the Shannon College of Hotel Management has now allowed a further 13 Seychellois graduates from the home made Advances Diploma in Hotel Management to move to Ireland to complete a Bachelor Degree programme and push their skills and capabilities […]
Rwanda aviation news – Preselection of suitable contractors establishes short list for Bugesera
BUGESERA AIRPORT PLANS ADVANCE WITH SHORTLISTING OF 9 CONTRACTORS The start of construction of the new international airport at Bugesera has taken another step forward, when it was announced that 9 international companies have been shortlisted by a selection committee within the Rwanda Development Board. Over 30 companies had submitted initial bids and less than […]
Weekly roundup of news from the East African region and the Indian Ocean islands, Fourth edition November 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 aviation news – Which way Air Seychelles after shock news emerge of European destinations being axed
THE END OF AIR SEYCHELLES AS WE KNOW IT OR A NEW BEGINNING The short reign at the helm of Air Seychelles of Bram Stellar has brought about some activities, which the word restructuring no longer captures. First came the successful negotiations with ILFC for the premature return of two older B767-200 aircraft, surplus in […]
Uganda aviation news – Brussels Airlines’ CEO Bernard Gustin shows ‘flag’ in the face of new rivals entering Ugandan market
BRUSSELS AIRLINES PULLS OUT THE STOPS IN KAMPALA The timing of Brussels Airlines CEO Bernard Gustin visit to Uganda for a media blitz was certainly intriguing as far as the timing was concerned, falling half way between the launch of flights by Qatar Airways in early November and by Gulf Air in early December. SN […]
Tanzania conservation news – Uranium mining dangers downplayed, belittled by government officials with vested interests
DANGERS OF URANIUM MINING DELIBERATELY PLAYED DOWN Tanzanian officials continue to play down the dangers of the proposed Uranium mining project inside the UNESCOs World Heritage Site Selous Game Reserve, according to some experts consulted almost deliberately endangering the health of local populations for the sole motive of profits. They have been bought, that much […]
Uganda aviation news – Cancelled KQ flight enrages passengers
NOT PROUD TO BE THE PRIDE FOR A CHANGE Passengers reacted angrily earlier in the week when their scheduled Kenya Airways flight was first delayed and then cancelled altogether, prompting the country manager of KQ in Kampala to offer a formal apology to those affected. The development took place on Thursday, causing a sizeable number […]
Mauritius tourism news – MTPA to capture spiritual tourism niche
MAURITIUS TO PROMOTE SPIRITUAL HERITAGE TOURISM Hot on the heels of a report about the establishment of the Praslin Heritage Route in the Seychelles come news from Mauritius, another member of the Vanilla Islands, that they too will turn to their heritage in search of added attractions for tourist visitors. The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, […]
