Rwanda aviation news – More flights on the drawing board between Kigali and Nairobi
MORE FLIGHTS PLANNED BETWEEN KIGALI AND NAIROBI With the arrival of a second brand new B737-800 by the end of next month RwandAirs fleet will have grown to 7 aircraft comprising a Bombardier Dash 8, two CRJ200s, two B737-500s and their latest acquisitions being two B737-800s. The new birds will be used to operated the […]
Uganda conservation news update – UWA Commission of Enquiry in ‘tatters’
UWA COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY IN DISARRAY The term of the commission has expired by end of August, the Minister has told the chairman to immediately wind up and submit his report and anything other than that is completely out of order now commented a ministry source on condition of strict anonymity when contacted over the […]
Uganda hospitality breaking news – Did the AYA brothers sell their Nakasero Hill hotel?
NAZA GROUP OF MALAYSIA ACQUIRES KAMPALA PROPERTY The 5 year long attempt by the notorious AYA brothers to build and complete a Hilton Hotel in Kampala has apparently come to an end this weekend as news are breaking of Malaysias NAZA Group having acquired the incomplete property lock stock and barrel for a staggering 230 […]
Uganda hospitality breaking news – IHG and Kingdom Kampala announce details of new InterContinental Hotel
INTERCONTINENTAL KAMPALA BECOMING REALITY (An artists impression of the new InterContinental Kampala) The Intercontinental Hotel Group and owners Kingdom Kampala no relation to the Gulf based Kingdom Hotels Group it should be pointed out are imminently releasing a formal statement on their new property, which is being developed from the ground up at the Shimoni […]
Rwanda aviation news – RwandAir ‘shows off’ the new B737-800 across the region
RWANDAIR SHOWS OFF NEW B737-800 ACROSS THE REGION Entebbe, Nairobi, Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam and Brazzaville / Libreville all had a glimpse of RwandAirs latest acquisition when the aircraft was deployed on the regional routes in a one off showing the flag exercise, allowing passengers normally travelling on the airlines CRJ or B737-500 jets […]
Seychelles aviation news – ‘HM’ to return two B767-200 to ILFC
AIR SEYCHELLES TO RETIRE TWO B767-200 Information has come to light that the arrival of the airlines new CEO Bram Steller in Mahe Bram is due to take up his new assignment by 01st of October will also be marked by the retirement of the two oldest Boeing 767-200 aircraft. According to a source in […]
Seychelles tourism news update – ‘Affordable Seychelles’, myth or reality
AFFORDABLE SEYCHELLES MYTH OR REALITY Readers of my articles often challenge me to substantiate the Affordable Seychelles tag line I keep bringing up when reporting about the archipelagos tourism events and developments. Introduced at the height of the 2007/8 global financial and economic crisis, the invention by the Seychelles Tourist Board had two main objectives: […]
Rwanda news update – Going ‘Dutch’ to promote tourism, trade and investments
RWANDA GOES DUTCH Rwandas recent investment seminar and promotion in the Netherlands was used as a launchpad for the inaugural edition of Discover Rwanda and its Dutch version Ontdek Rwanda. Aimed to show Dutch travelers the tourism attractions the Land of a Thousand Hills holds for visitors it is equally aimed at attracting more investments […]
Kenya news update – New Thika highway due for completion by March 2012
SIX MONTHS TO GO FOR COMPLETION OF NEW THIKA HIGHWAY Information emerged from Nairobi overnight that Kenyas national highway authority has now set a completion date for the new highway from Nairobi to Thika as March 2012. The project is one of Kenyas major infrastructural investments in linking the capital to the countryside and decongest […]
Uganda conservation news – UWA commission of enquiry chair continues controversial utterances in public
UWA COMMISSION CHAIR JUST CANT SHUT UP In typical style, combative and controversial as ever, has retired Supreme Court Justice George Kanyeihamba, only days after it became known that he received directives from the Minister of Tourism to immediately wind up his commissions work and submit a final report, now taken aim at the UWA […]
Uganda conservation news – Re-forestation company in OXFAM’s cross hairs, but why?
OXFAM TAKES AIM AT NEW FORESTS COMPANY BUT FOR WHAT REASONS There is intense speculation over the real reasons why British charity organization turned political activist OXFAM let fly against the New Forests Company in a report published recently. It is alleged in the report that the New Forests Company was morally and ethically guilty […]
Mauritius tourism news – Government set to launch new tourism academy
NEW TOURISM ACADEMY PLANNED FOR MAURITIUS The government in Mauritius appears set to launch an international tourism and hospitality academy, according to the Minister for Tertiary Education who made the announcement earlier in the week when officiating at the start of a tourism sustainability conference. The meeting drew participants from 20 countries in the wider […]
Rwanda conservation breaking news – National Forest Policy rated ‘best in the world’
UN GIVES RWANDA FUTURE POLICY AWARD RECOGNITION Rwandas determined efforts, supported and spearheaded by none other then President Paul Kagame, has just won the country global recognition when the countrys national forest policy was chosen over all other 20 nominated contenders as the best in the world by the World Future Council, according to an […]
East Africa tourism news – EAC holds tourism and wildlife meeting in Mombasa
REGIONAL TOURISM MEETING IN MOMBASA DISCUSSES EAC TOURISM PROTOCOL A regional meeting is taking place in Mombasa under the auspices of the East African Community to discuss the advancing of articles 115 and 116 of the EAC Treaty, concerning greater integration and cooperation of the tourism and wildlife sectors. The stakeholders are set to prepare […]
Uganda news update – November is the month for more hydro power
MORE HYDRO POWER ON THE WAY Reports from the Bujagali Falls hydro electric plant are encouraging as completion of the project appears to be on time and the installation of the first of 5 turbines is underway. By November this year an initial 50 MW of cheaper hydro generated electricity will become available, to be […]
Uganda conservation news – UWA commission of enquiry told ‘time is up’
UWA COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY TOLD TO WIND UP AND DELIVER REPORT In a stunning turnabout was the Commission of Enquiry, chaired by controversial former Supreme Court Justice George Kanyeihamba asked to wind up immediately and file their long overdue report. News broke overnight that the tourism Minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu has instructed the Secretary of […]
Mauritius aviation news – More flights by Emirates to Port Louis
EMIRATES ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS TO MAURITIUS Dubais award winning airline Emirates has just announced that they will increase their present number of flights between Dubai and Port Louis from 9 to 11 by December this year. Mauritiuss tourism industry has been knocking on their governments door for a while now, literally begging to have the […]
Uganda aviation news – Kajjansi at last gets AVGAS and JetA1 storage facilities
KAJJANSI FUEL TANKS FINALLY A REALITY Information was received from the Kajjansi airfield and the Kampala Aero Club that they have finally been able to install their own AVGAS bowser and JetA1 fuel tanks near their hangar facility, allowing them to store sufficient fuel to cushion against the regular Shell induced shortages experienced over the […]
Kenya Tourism news – Porini / Gamewatchers win Skal International’s ‘Best Tour Operator’ Award
SKAL INTERNATIONAL HONOURS PORINI / GAMEWATCHERS WITH ECO AWARD Following recognition for their superb conservation efforts in Kenya, East Africa and the Africa continent at large has Porini Camps / Gamewatcher Safaris now been globally rewarded for their boundless commitment to keep their camps pollution footprint small and to mitigate their environmental impact actively through […]
Kenya tourism updates – Keekorok bags World Luxury Hotel Award
KEEKOROK BAGS WORLD LUXURY HOTEL AWARD Kenyas oldest lodge in the Masai Mara, the grand old dame of the countrys safari lodges, was just awarded Luxury Lodge in the annual World Luxury Hotels Award ceremony in Croatia where winners of the 30 available categories were announced last week for 2010/11. Rahul Sood, Group Managing Director […]
Kenya conservation news – Land use change application causes instant objections
CONSERVATIONISTS DEMAND A HALT TO LAND USE CHANGE APPLICATION As the assaults against the environment multiply across the region continue, like the Mabira saga in Uganda, the corridor of destruction Serengeti-Lake Natron-Selous-Tanga Marine Park in Tanzania, in Kenya too the stage is set now for an epic battle between the conservation fraternity and developers, as […]
Seychelles aviation news – Etihad starts gearing up with launch promotions
ETIHAD STARTS SEYCHELLES PROMOTION With the formal launch of initially 4 flights a week between Abu Dhabi and Mahe just weeks away, the destination campaign by Etihad across its global network is rapidly getting into gear now. Ahead of Top Resa in Paris have news started to emerge of a major push by Etihad, supported […]
Kenya aviation news update – Shares right issue by Kenya Airways expected for November
KENYA AIRWAYS SHARE RIGHTS ISSUE SET FOR NOVEMBER With the airlines annual general meeting set for 14th of October, when shareholders are expected to vote in favour of plans by management already given the thumbs up by the board, the timeline is now mapped out for Kenya Airways planned share rights issue to go ahead […]
Tanzania aviation news – Precision Air’s IPO to commence 07th October
PRECISION AIRS IPO CLEARS FINAL HURDLE A regular source in Dar es Salaam confirmed overnight that the long awaited and often delayed and in fact obstructed IPO by Precision Air, Tanzanias leading airline company, will now finally go underway on October 07th and run for an overall period of three weeks. Tanzanias financial regulators gave […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean regions, Third edition September 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 Third edition September 2011 DUBAI A […]
Mauritius aviation news – Air Mauritius announces more flights to Durban in December and January
AIR MAURITIUS ANNOUNCES EXTRA FLIGHTS TO DURBAN Information was confirmed overnight that Air Mauritius will as a result of the upswing in demand for seats to and from South Africa add three extra flights between Pt. Louis and Durban in December this year and into January 2012. Regular and special promotions by the South African […]
Kenya aviation news – The cost to rise to the top
THE COST OF GETTING TO THE TOP Details emerged over the weekend from Nairobi of the potential cost of Kenya Airways drive to become the number one airline of choice in Africa, connecting the continent via their Nairobi hub. Only recently did The Pride of Africa sign a record breaking deal of 10 firm orders […]
Seychelles tourism news – Shark nets installed off Anse Lazio beach on Praslin
SHARK NETS INSTALLED ON ANSE LAZIO BEACH ON PRASLIN Information was received from Mahe over the weekend that the anti shark campaign continues to be high on the countrys agenda following two unprecedented shark attacks some weeks ago. While fishermen and coast guard are still searching for sharks in the pristine waters off the Seychelles […]
Tanzania conservation news – The Serengeti Highway, a web of lies and deceit
CONSERVATION AND HIGHWAY DONT MIX Comments made over the weekend by Tanzanias Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda did not go down well with the conservation fraternity in Tanzania at all it appears, as comments and broadsides came flooding in to this correspondents mailboxes once again. The politician reportedly made his contradictory comments when visiting Musoma, where […]
Tanzania aviation news – ATCL’s Bombardier Q 300 returns to Dar
KIGOMA AND TABORA TO BE ATCLS FIRST DESTINATIONS The arrival of Air Tanzanias Bombardier Q 300 turboprop aircraft from South Africa over the weekend, where it had been undergoing heavy maintenance since February but was only released after the Tanzanian government bailed out the financially ailing airline, has prompted an announcement that by the end […]
