Seychelles aviation breaking news – AF and HM renew codeshare agreement
AIR SEYCHELLES RENEWS CODE SHARE WITH AIR FRANCE Information was received that Air Seychelles and Air France / KLM have signed a renewal of their exisiting and long in place code share agreement, with will allow as many as six weekly flights between Paris CDG and Mahe. All flights are operated on the Air Seychelles B767 aircraft but with a […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Brand new E190ER arrives at Kenya Airways
KENYA AIRWAYS TAKES DELIVER OF NEW E190ER Today saw Kenya Airways release of their financial year results but alongside more good news emerged when it was confirmed that their latest addition to the fleet, a brand new Embraer 190 had arrived overnight and was being readied for operations with the maiden flight due in under two […]
Rwanda conservation breaking news – Akagera fence construction commences
AKAGERA FENCE CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGAN Information received overnight from RDB sources confirms that the long awaited fence construction around key sections of the Akagera National Park has finally commenced, to the relief of neighbouring communities. The entire fence will be approximately covering a distance of 120 kilometres at a cost of almost 2.8 million US Dollars at present […]
Uganda news update – Kisoro road construction greatly advanced
KISORO ROAD COMPLETION DRAWS NEARER The main contractor for the road reconstruction and tarmacking between Kabale and Kisoro will within the month of June hand over two more completed sections of the new road to government, after completing all the work and inspections recently. Tourist visitors already enjoy a smooth ride, but for some 10 miles which will be […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Kenya Airways announced 2010/11 results
KENYA AIRWAYS RELEASES RESULTS The Pride of Africa released their annual results today at 07.00 a.m. at the Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi, when Group CEO Dr. Titus Naikuni was addressing the media in the presence of other senior Kenya Airways staff including their Finance Director. The regional airline giant posted after-tax profits which were 73.9 […]
Uganda news update – UWA’s woes continue unabated
UWA’S WOES REACH NEW LEVELS The Uganda Wildlife Authority, torn apart as a result of the ill fated appointment of a friend as chairman last year by the then minister, is now seemingly facing new woes, as the Commission of Enquiry chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice George Kanyeihamba is showing its ‘teeth’. Armed with […]
Uganda conservation news update – Dr. Okurut to head NEMA
DR. OKURUT TO HEAD NEMA As the lackluster and widely perceived mediocre two terms of office of Dr. Aramanya Mugisha at the helm of the National Environmental Management Authority came to an end, the Minister of Environment wasted no time after her re-appointment to cabinet to appoint Dr. Tom Okurut at the new NEMA boss, effective immediately. […]
Ethiopian aviation news update – Lagos gets the new B777
ETHIOPIAN CHANGES TO B777 ON LAGOS ROUTE Effective beginning of June this year has Ethiopian Airlines introduced the B777 on the route between Addis Ababa and Lagos / Nigeria. Cross Africa traffic has grown stronger that the global average growth in aviation and ET is one of only two airlines to have fully understood and exploited the […]
Uganda tourism news update – Ministry of Tourism, at last!
TOURISM GETS OWN MINISTRY BACK As projected here a few weeks ago, President Museveni has indeed re-constituted a separate Ministry of Tourism, leaving Trade and Industry behind as a ‘stand alone’ ministry again to the great relief of the entire industry. New cabinet minister is the Hon. Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, who already served as state minister […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region, Fifth edition May 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 via Twitter @whthome or on my blog: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com Fifth edition May 2011 Africa News STOP MOUTHING OFF ABOUT GULF CARRIES – […]
Seychelles news update – Tourism Academy records 50 percent increase in demand for course places
TOURISM FEATURES BIG IN CAREER DECISIONS Seychelles Tourism Academy Principal Flavien Joubert last weekend led over 140 students to the Seychelles International Conference Centre for their annual graduation ceremony, which was graced by the presence of President Michel and other government officials. In his address Mr. Joubert confirmed the increasing trend of applications by young Seychellois […]
Rwanda breaking news – Kwita Izina 2011 the biggest and best ever
KWITA IZINA THE ‘BIGGEST AND BEST EVER’ Rwanda’s annual gorilla naming festival is now only just over two weeks away and 22 new born gorillas will be formally named in Ruhengeri on the 18th of June. As has become almost customary now Rwanda is organizing a week of events, covering the country with a cycling tour, holding […]
Rwanda news update – Hotel assessors graduate
HOTEL QUALITY ASSESSORS GRADUATE A dozen hotel assessors did last week graduate after a two month training course which focused on the East African Community’s common standards of classification and grading of hotels, lodges, inns, resorts and other hospitality businesses. The course was organized by the East African Community Secretariat and the Rwanda Development Board’s […]
Rwanda news update – Parliament in Kigali asks for more Akagera ‘fence money’
RWANDAN PARLIAMENT ASKS FOR ‘FENCE MONEY’ Government was asked to allocate at least 350 million Rwandan Francs out of the overall 30 billion Rwandan Francs budget likely to be set aside for the Rwanda Development Board, to be used to erect a fence around key parts of the Akagera National Park where small scale farms reach […]
Tanzania conservation news update – Eastern Arc Mountains get Norwegian funding
EASTERN ARC MOUNTAINS GET NORWEGIAN FORESTRY SUPPORT Inspite of many misgivings over the President’s directive a few weeks ago to cancel an application for UNESCO recognition as a world heritage site for the Eastern Arc Mountains has Norway now concluded pending negotiations with the Tanzanian government over a support initiative worth nearly 6 million US […]
Tanzania conservation news – Wildlife smuggling investigation underway
MORE REVELATIONS ON SMUGGLING SHOCK CONSERVATIONISTS Information came to light in Tanzania last week that influential ‘people’ – allegedly from the government in Qatar using an air force aircraft, were late last year flying out live animals and birds with customs officials conniving in the scam in contravention of the country’s laws and regulations governing […]
Kenya news update – Another record year for Kenya in the making
GOOD NEWS FOR KENYA TOURISM Kenya projects a 15 percent growth overall for the year 2011 according to sources at the Ministry of Tourism in Nairobi, setting the stage for another record year for the country’s tourism industry. In particular ‘traditional’ markets have recovered strongly since the 2008 downturn although new and emerging markets, as […]
South Sudan news update – Abyei will make or break CPA
ABYEI WILL MAKE OR BREAK PEACE AGREEMENT The blatant violation by regime troops and loyalist militias of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between Khartoum and the SPLM/A led Southern liberation movement 10 days ago has again highlighted the reckless disregard by Khartoum’s ICC wanted leader Bashir and his goons. Tens of thousands of refugees are streaming […]
Kenya breaking news – Serena Hotels holds Annual General Meeting
SERENA HOTELS HOLD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING East Africa’s leading hotel, resort and safari lodges company, Serena Hotels, is holding their annual general meeting today at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, preceded by a meeting of the Board of Directors at their Kenyan flagship property, The Nairobi Serena Hotel. While the group is traditionally reserved about […]
Stop mouthing off about Gulf carriers – go match them!
STOP MOUTHING OFF ABOUT GULF CARRIERS – GO MATCH THEM In recent months were more than the usual periodical spats observed between European airline chiefs and CEO’s of some of the Gulf region’s leading airlines. Using different forums suggestions were made by the Europeans about the growing ‘threat’ by Gulf based carriers, siphoning traffic from […]
Uganda news update – President submits list of ministerial appointments to parliament
CABINET APPOINTED AT LAST President Museveni made his cabinet announcement yesterday with a number of significant changes, entrusting key ministries to women who now hold 10 of the total of 29 cabinet ministerial seats including such portfolios like Finance, Health, Education, Trade, Energy, Information, President’s Office and Gender. The list has been officially submitted to […]
Seychelles aviation news update – Emirates set to recruit more Seychellois
EMIRATES TO RECRUIT MORE STAFF FROM SEYCHELLES As the award winning national airline of Dubai moves from its present 12 flights per week between Dubai and Mahe to double daily in the very near future, Emirates is also making good of a commitment made when announcing the upping of its frequencies, that they would employ substantially […]
Seychelles aviation breaking news – Etihad to join other Gulf airlines on Seychelles route
NOW ETIHAD WILL FLY TO THE SEYCHELLES Information was confirmed overnight that Etihad, the national airline of Abu Dhabi, has also decided to add the Creole Island Paradise of the Seychelles to their list of destinations. From November 01st Etihad will fly initially four times a week with an Airbus A 320 to the […]
Rwanda aviation breaking news – Rubavu / Gisenyi new domestic RwandAir destination
RWANDAIR STARTS RUBAVU/GISENYI SERVICES The national airline of Rwanda has now set the inaugural flight date for Rubavu / Gisenyi, their second domestic destination in Rwanda, for 02nd of June, at which time they will commence 4 weekly flights. The destination is only a ‘stone throw’ away from the border with the Congo DR, the […]
Indian Ocean breaking news – 3.6 million US Dollars ransom intercepted in Mogadishu
PAYMENT OF RANSOM TO OCEAN TERRORISTS INTERCEPTED Information was received yesterday via the Nairobi based ECOTERRA INTERNATIONAL organization, that authorities in Mogadishu reportedly intercepted two aircraft, crews and passengers, carrying what can only be described as ransom money worth millions of US Dollars, as the two flights appeared to have run short of fuel, or […]
Uganda news update – Pilgrims enroute to Namugongo Martyrs Shrine
MARTYR’S DAY PILGRIMAGES UNDERWAY From right across Uganda and other countries in East Africa are Catholic faithful making their long way to the Namugongo Shrine, where the annual ‘Martyrs Day’ is celebrated, a public holiday in Uganda since the church declared the victims of a savage ritual burning decreed by Kabaka Mwanga, the then King of […]
Uganda news update – Tragedy strikes travellers as flash flood hits their vehicle
TWO DOZEN UGANDANS DROWN IN SOUTH SUDAN RIVER FLASH FLOOD A group of Ugandan traders, returning home after completing their business in Southern Sudan, were reportedly swept away by a sudden flash flood, as they spent the night, probably unknowingly, in a dry river bed where their vehicle had gotten stuck. The horror news reached Uganda […]
Seychelles aviation news update – Delivery of second Twin Otter DHC – 600 deferred
AIR SEYCHELLES DEFERS NEXT TWIN OTTER DHC-600 DELIVERY Information was received from sources close to and at the national airline of the Seychelles, that a second brand new Twin Otter DHC-600 earmarked for purchase will not, for the time being, be delivered while the restructuring of ‘HM’ is ongoing. The first aircraft, the long round the world […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Kenya Airways to add N’djamena / Chad from 19th June
KENYA AIRWAYS TO ADD N’DJAMENA / CHAD Effective 19th of June will Kenya Airways commence initially twice weekly flights on Sunday and Wednesday to N’djamena in Chad, via Cotonou / Benin. This 54th destination overall has reaffirmed Kenya Airways’ lead on the African continent and information from the airline’s head office confirms that by 2013 […]
Seychelles news update – ‘Sun Princess’ calls on Victoria with 1.900 passengers on board
SUN PRINCESS CALLS ON VICTORIA HARBOUR Princess Cruise Lines’ Sun Princess called on Victoria Harbour yesterday for a day long visit, during which many of the 1.900 passengers disembarked to stroll through the capital of the Seychelles while the ship was replenished with water, fuel and other supplies. The ‘new generation’ cruise liner towered over […]
