Kenya aviation breaking news – B787 Dreamliner is coming to Nairobi on 14th December
KENYA AIRWAYS AND BOEING SHOW OFF THE DREAMLINER December 14th has been set as the long awaited date, that Boeings new wonderplane, the B787 Dreamliner is finally making an appearance over the skies of Kenya, a harbinger of things to come when The Pride of Africa finally can take delivery of the first of 9 […]
Tanzania conservation news – Stiegler’s Gorge / Selous power project, lies exposed and truth be told
STIEGLERS GORGE POWER PROJECT, LIES EXPOSED AND TRUTH BE TOLD When earlier in the year the news was broken here, that the Tanzanian government had reached deep into the bottom drawers of its archives and took out and dusted off the old plans for a power plant at Stieglers Gorge from back in the late […]
Kenya conservation news – Major shipment of blood ivory seized at Mombasa port
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE AND PORT SECURITY SEIZE MAJOR IVORY HAUL Over the weekend did news emerge that KWS officials, working hand in hand with customs and port security personnel, detected yet another ivory shipment destined, according to shipping documents, for Cambodia, estimated to be worth nearly 160 million Kenya Shillings. 465 tusks and ivory pieces […]
Uganda conservation news – Grey Pratincole sighting confirmed in Queen Elizabeth National Park
GREY PRATINCOLE SIGHTING CONFIRMED IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK Birding enthusiasts will be delighted to learn of this latest addition in confirmed sightings of birds within the Queen Elizabeth National Park, where last week the Grey Pratincole was spotted, bringing the total confirmed birds listed to well over 600 in this single location. Uganda had […]
Rwanda aviation updates – Pearl Lounge now offers ‘specials’ for weary travelers
PEARL LOUNGE AT KANOMBE INTERNATIONAL NOW OFFERS SPECIALS While waiting for my flight at Kanombe International Airport in Kigali, the flight being an inaugural event marking the start of scheduled services between Rwanda and Nigeria, it was learned that the Pearl Lounge had launched a special valid on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays, when the normal […]
Uganda news – Two Danish tourists drown in Lake Bunyonyi
DANISH TOURISTS GO MISSING IN LAKE BUNYONYI One of Ugandas most scenic lakes, Lake Bunyonyi near Kabale, has apparently claimed the lives of two Danish tourists, who were last seen swimming off the shores before they disappeared. The lake is known to claim victims regularly but it is extremely rare that foreign tourists are involved […]
Rwanda aviation breaking news – Kigali is now connected with Lagos as inaugural flight takes to the skies
RWANDAIR MAKES IT 13 AND NOT ONE BIT SUPERSTITIOUS This morning will see the launch of RwandAirs 13th destination, and I can see already those with superstitious tendencies to advocate for 12A or 14 instead, but 13 it is and a lucky number by the look of it. The new connection will operate initially three […]
Tanzania hospitality breaking news – Serena’s Kirawira Camp rated 5th best in the world by Conde Nast
KIRAWIRA SERENA BAGS CONDE NASTS 5TH BEST IN THE WORLD Serena has done it again one ought to say, when news broke that one of the worlds leading travel magazines, Conde Nast, has declared their Kirawira Camp as the world 5th best property, according to a vote taken by the readers of the magazine. Today, […]
Uganda news update – Aviation fuel shortage caused by ‘several factors’, all beyond our control …
FIRE, POWER OUTAGES AND PIPELINE CONTAMINATION THE CAUSE OF FUEL SHORTAGES Oil company executives have been struggling to offer a believable explanation over the lack of jet fuel at Entebbe International Airport earlier in the week, when airlines were forced into costly diversions of scheduled flights in order to secure enough fuel to reach their […]
Uganda tourism news – Marasa phases out road and air packages come January 2012
MARASA PHASES OUT ROAD AND AIR PACKAGES COME JANUARY 2012 Marasa Africa, the hospitality and tourism business within the Madhvani Group, which operates Ugandas three main safari lodges in Queen Elizabeth and Murchisons Falls National Park, has just announced that they will be phasing out their direct road and air packages to Mweya Safari Lodge, […]
Uganda hospitality news – Sheraton Kampala Hotel rings in festive season
SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL RINGS IN FESTIVE SEASON Christmas carols in November? One might wonder but the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, for the last 6 months under the able leadership of Chris Pollard and now having its shine back again, did invite the who is who of Kampala on the last evening of November for their annual […]
Kenya news update – Financing pact for ‘Southern Bypass’ signed between Kenya and China
NAIROBIS SOUTHERN BYPASS FINANCING SECURED, PROJECT READY TO GO The Peoples Republic of China has yesterday signed the financing deal with the Kenyan government to begin the process of constructing a southern bypass around the city, which will run nearly 30 kilometres from the citys outskirts along Mombasa Road, giving through traffic to the Rift […]
Kenya aviation news – KAA CEO faces ‘contempt of court’ charges over destruction of homes
KAA BOSS FACES CONTEMPT OF COURT CHARGES Institutional arrogance and contempt for the people whose lives dreams he helped destroy two weeks ago when demolition teams wrecked hundreds of homes worth hundreds of millions of Kenya Shillings, are likely to claim the first victim, as the Managing Director of the Kenya Airports Authority by some […]
The Somalia conflict – Al Shabab, a killer of people but also a killer of the environment
AL SHABAB, KILLERS OF PEOPLE AND KILLERS OF THE ENVIRONMENT When Kenyan troops entered Somalia in hot pursuit of Al Shabab operatives, who had staged several abductions of foreign nationals from Kenyan territory and constantly engaged in cross border raids into refugee camps or against Kenyan military and security outposts, they found moon-like landscapes, bare […]
East African Community Summit expected to turn down Khartoum’s membership application
KHARTOUM TO BE KEPT OUT OF EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY The spat earlier this week between the regime in Khartoum and the government in Nairobi, which blew up when the High Court in Nairobi issued instructions for an arrest warrant against North Sudans regime leader, wanted by the International Criminal Court, alongside several of his henchmen, […]
Uganda aviation breaking news – JET A 1 fuel runs out again at Entebbe
ENTEBBE RUNS OUT OF JET A1 FUEL, AGAIN In another stunning development has Entebbe International Airport once again run out of jet fuel, causing airlines to implement emergency planning measures to find fuel enroute to or from Uganda. Tomorrows South African Airways flight has already been scheduled to fly home to Johannesburg via Nairobi, to […]
Seychelles aviation news update – Helicopter Seychelles, back in the skies and there to stay
HELICOPTER SEYCHELLES RETURN WAS MUCH NEEDED The recent return to the skies over the Seychelles archipelago by Helicopter Seychelles has according to the companys CEO Capt. Shaun Tinkler-Rose already made a difference through medical evacuation flights at night, which the airlines Agusta helicopter is capable of performing. In a communication received through a regular source […]
Seychelles tourism news – Abu Dhabi embassy launch and inaugural Etihad flight to Mahe make front page news
ABU DHABIS THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS SEYCHELLES The start of flights between Abu Dhabi and the Seychelles by national airline Etihad, combined with the official opening of a new embassy by the archipelago for the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, a few days ago prompted one of the Gulfs leading newspapers to publish an […]
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 […]
