Tanzania tourism news – Welcome to the UN-WTO Executive Council
UNWTO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WELCOMES TANZANIA AS A NEW MEMBER Tanzania was elected to the UNs World Tourism Organizations Executive Council it was announced at the General Assembly currently underway in South Korea with a term of membership until 2015. The Executive Council meets normally twice a year, most recently in Mombasa / Kenya the first […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, Second edition October 2011
TOURISM, AVIATION AND CONSERVATION NEWS from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region 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 […]
Rwanda tourism news – JATA 2011 in Tokyo rated a success by participants
JAPAN TARGETTED BY RWANDA TOURISM FOR MORE VISITORS The recently concluded JATA 2011, Japans if not South East Asias leading travel show, was once again attended by a delegation from Rwandas tourism fraternity, ever keen to open new markets and attract visitors from that part of the world to come and see the attractions of […]
Uganda conservation news – IGG gives green light for the appointment of a new NFA boss
IGG CLEARS WAY FOR APPOINTMENT OF NEW NATIONAL FOREST AUTHORITY BOSS The spat between the Inspector General of Government and the Ministry overseeing the NFA has yesterday come to an end when the IGG had to concede that it was within the Ministers powers to reject candidates proposed to her by the Board, a development […]
Rwanda tourism breaking news – Coming to you shortly: The Congo Nile Trail
RWANDA TOURISM LAUNCHING CONGO NILE TRAIL In another remarkable show of innovative spirit has the Rwanda Development Board Tourism and Conservation in recent months developed a new trail, which will take visitors to the continental watershed, from where Africas two most important rivers, the Nile and the Congo are being fed. A ten day trail, […]
Seychelles aviation news – Ethiopian Airlines to start Mahe flights in mid November
ETHIOPIAN TO COMMENCE SEYCHELLES FLIGHTS From the middle of November onwards will Ethiopian Airlines begin flights from Addis Ababa to Mahe, the Seychelles international airport outside the capital Victoria. It is understood that a B737-800 aircraft will be used for the service, which initially will connect the two countries three times a week. The new […]
Tanzania tourism news – National College of Tourism formally opened
NATIONAL COLLEGE OF TOURISM FORMALLY OPENED The Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism last week officially opened the country first National College for Tourism, a long awaited institution to teach relevant hospitality and tourism courses to provide skills to young Tanzanians wishing to join the sector. This development augments the existing private vocational training institutions […]
Tanzania conservation news – Lake Natron Soda Ash Project – let’s see who prevails
STATEMENT BY SENIOR OFFICIAL PITS HIM AGAINST PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE Information came to light over the weekend that the Director of Environment in the office of the Vice President has for all practical purposes declared the Lake Natron Soda Ash Project as dead in the water in the absence of clearance by NEMC, Tanzanias National Environmental […]
Uganda tourism news – RainForest Lodge Mabira to stage Jazz night
RAINFOREST LODGE MABIRA SET FOR A NIGHT OF JAZZ, RYTHM AND BLUES Raising awareness and drumming up support for the survival of Mabira Forest comes in many different forms and key stakeholder, GeoLodges Africas RainForest Lodge will be breaking new ground when they hold a night of music at the lodge deep in the forest. […]
Seychelles news update – Anti piracy fight gains added momentum with a new joint police unit being established with the UK
SEYCHELLES TO HOST NEW ANTI PIRACY UNIT The authorities in the Seychelles, already at the forefront of the fight against the ocean terrorists from Somalia, have reportedly agreed to jointly set up and host a new anti piracy unit with British Metropolitan police specialists from the Serious and Organized Crime division. The newly constituted team […]
Uganda conservation news – Mweya Safari Lodge partners with USAID’s STAR Project and UCOTA
MWEYA SAFARI LODGE PARTNERS WITH USAID TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CONSERVATION Information was provided over the weekend to this correspondent that the USAID funded STAR project has partnered with the Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park and UCOTA, the Uganda Community Tourism Association to raise funds towards conservation education in schools neighbouring the […]
Uganda news update – UMEME goes on social networks, launches dedicated ‘Incident Room’
UMEME LAUNCHES INCIDENT ROOM Ugandas embattled electricity distributor UMEME, stung by criticism from the public, the business community and parliamentarians, has in recent days moved to start a public counter offensive, aimed to bring accurate information faster into the public domain. Their call centre, in the past notorious for giving often as many different accounts […]
Kenya tourism news – Narok to Sekenani Gate road blocked by demonstrators
TOURISTS STUCK AS LOCALS PROTEST STATE OF MARA ROAD Dozens of tourists were reportedly blocked for some time yesterday (Saturday) enroute to the Masai Mara Game Reserve as incensed locals demonstrated against the continued failure by the contractor to repair the crucial access road between Narok and the Sekenani entrance gate. Emotions over the road […]
Tanzania aviation news – One last stumbling stone for Precision Air IPO
MORE OFFICIAL PROBLEMS AT LAUNCH OF PRECISION AIR IPO Official Tanzania has apparently tried to throw one last spanner in the works of the ongoing IPO sale of shares by the countrys leading airline, when vital documents from the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange were delivered late to several leading banks participating in the launch. […]
Mauritius tourism news update – Port Louis council launches cultural heritage programme
CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED IN PORT LOUIS Earlier in the week did the Port Louis municipal council, jointly with the US Embassy, launch a cultural heritage conservation programme. The initiative is aimed to preserve and promote the islands heritage beyond the two globally recognized UNESCO World Heritage Sites Mauritius already has under her belt. […]
Tanzania conservation news – Minister for Education launches new national ‘World Heritage Committee’
TANZANIA LAUNCHES ITS OWN WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE The Minister for Education and Vocational Training, and notably not the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, earlier this week launched a 7 member national World Heritage Committee, causing both applause and bafflement amongst regular pundits. Led by Prof. Kabuli the committee is tasked to, amongst other things, […]
Kenya tourism news – Magical Kenya Travel Show set for October 19 and 20
MAGICAL KENYA TRAVEL SHOW TO HIGHLIGHT KENYAS ATTRACTIONS Nairobi will see the inaugural version of Kenyas own international tourism show go underway when on October 19th and 20th the industry will be showcasing the countrys attractions from its sunniest side at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Kenya’s capital city. The exhibition, planned for a […]
Uganda aviation news – Contract handling or self handling, a yet to be answered question by the UCAA
THE OBSTACLES TO SELF HANDLING ARE MANY AND DELIBERATE Entebbe International Airport remains the regions highest priced handling location for airlines as dominant player ENHAS has to contend only with DAS Handling, which maintains itself through a handling contract from Kenya Airways but not much more, and that one courtesy of a major row a […]
Rwanda conservation news – Gishwati next for national park status?
GISHWATI FOREST IS LINED UP AS RWANDAS NEXT NATIONAL PARK Sources close to the Rwanda Development Boards Tourism and Conservation Division have confirmed earlier in the week that Gishwati Forest, featured recently in RwandAirs inflight magazine INZOZI, has now been designated as a tourism attraction, confirming suggestions by this correspondent some months ago already that […]
Kenya tourism news – Minister urges the use of 4×4’s for safaris
USE QUALITY PURPOSE BUILT SAFARI VEHICLES SAYS BALALA As part of Kenyas drive towards quality tourism and to further shed the image of being a cheap destination has the Minister for Tourism urged safari operators to move away from the use of the conventional mini busses and use purpose built 4×4 vehicles, which project the […]
Kenya conservation news – WWF supports re-forestation along Mara River catchment area
WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE TARGETS MARA RIVER BANKS FOR RE-FORESTATION It was learned overnight that the Mara River, one of the key life arteries of the Masai Mara ecosystem, will get a welcome boost as some 25.000 tree seedlings will be planted from its catchment areas along the banks of the river and its […]
Kenya tourism update – Hemingways goes upcountry
WATAMUS HEMINGWAYS GOES UPCOUNTRY What was once upon a time the Seafarers Hotel, set on one of Kenyas best beaches in Watamu, has of course since those old days turned into the even more famous Hemingways, in this correspondents mind one of the top resorts along the Kenyan coast. The name was chosen as indeed […]
Uganda news update – Kampala dismisses Kenyan media reports over Tanzanian rail links
KAMPALA DOWNPLAYS SNUB SCENARIO OVER TRANSPORT LINKS WITH TANZANIA Political observers close to the seat of power in Kampala have downplayed the emerging talk in Kenyas media that Uganda was to shift its imports from the Kenyan port of Mombasa to Tanzanian ports, following a state visit by President Museveni to Tanzania last week. While […]
Tanzania news update – Hoteliers brace for more electricity rationing
TANZANIAS HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY BRACES FOR MORE POWER RATIONING News emerged in Dar es Salaam yesterday about the further reduction of hydro electric power generation from at least two dams, reducing further the output of electricity available for consumers. It appears that the low level of water in the reservoirs behind the Mtera dam had lowered […]
Kenya tourism news update – Former Tourism PS and KTB CEO must stand trial
FORMER TOURISM PS AND KTB CHIEF EXECUTIVE MUST STAND TRIAL Behind the scenes maneuvering and legal tactics by defense teams seem to have failed for the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Rebecca Nabutola and the former Chief Executive of the Kenya Tourist Board Dr. Onggonga Achieng, as news emerged yesterday evening from […]
Seychelles conservation story – Aldabra, the apple of the eye in the Garden of Eden
ALDABRA THE APPLE OF THE EYE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN Splendid isolation comes to mind when looking up Aldabra, the worlds second largest coral atoll and part of the Seychelles archipelago. Aldabra is so large in fact that the entire main island of Mahe would comfortably fit inside the atoll, not that anyone would […]
Kenya tourism news – More charter flights heading for Mombasa
ADDED CHARTERS HEADING FOR MOMBASA AMID HOPES AND DOUBTS Information from aviation sources in Mombasa tells a story of hope and doubts at once, when details become known that more charter flights, including from Poland and Russia, were heading for Mombasas Moi International Airport as of next week. The new all inclusive tour charter flights […]
Uganda conservation news – More controversy keeps the UWA Commission of Enquiry in the public spotlight
MINISTER OF CROCODILES CANNOT SHUT UP EITHER Rash decisions and bad decisions triggered all this and it is entirely Otafires fault that UWA is now in tatters said a source close to the centre of the ongoing controversy, when it became known that the now Minister for Justice had gotten once again involved in the […]
Uganda news – More CHOGM cases sent to court affecting top politicians
MORE CHOGM CHARGES AGAINST SENIOR POLITICIANS ROCK POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT The Inspector General of Government moved swiftly over growing allegations that former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya was singled out and kept in remand jail while awaiting his bail application to be heard by the High Court, when more charges against senior politicians were brought. Conspiracy […]
Kenya conservation news – Elephant relocation from Narok to Masai Mara concludes first stage
62 ELEPHANT GET RELOCATED INTO THE MASAI MARA Information was sourced from Nairobi that the recently mentioned relocation of a herd of elephant from the Narok District in Kenya into the Masai Mara Game Reserve has been concluded earlier in the week, after a total of 62 animals, instead of the initially envisaged 50 had […]
