East African aviation news update – Ash cloud ‘may affect’ departures and arrivals
EUROPE FLIGHTS MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY NEW ICELANDIC ASH CLOUD Twice in as many years have warnings been sounded to airlines flying to and from European airport, or across European airspace, that the fresh outbreak of the notorious Icelandic volcano might bring with it resh misery, flight delays and cancellations. Travellers across Eastern Africa have […]
Kenya news update – Fix the Mara road, government told
TOURISM MINISTRY RESPONDS TO ‘TOURIST COMPLAINTS ON MARA ROAD’ The appalling state of the main road between Narok and the Masai Mara Game Reserve, the jewel in the crown of Kenyan game parks, has now reached parliament when questions were raised about the lack of repairs and upgrades on this key tourist access road to the […]
Uganda breaking news – New cabinet takes shape with VP and PM appointments
UGANDA’S NEW CABINET TAKES SHAPE WITH APPOINTMENTS OF VP AND PM President Museveni started the long awaited announcements of his new cabinet by appointing former Speaker of Parliament, the Hon. Edward Sekandi as his new Vice President after former Vice President Prof. Bukenya had tendered his resignation the day before. Also announced was the Right Honourable Amama Mbabazi’s appointment […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region, Fourth 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 instantly via Twitter by following @whthome or read the daily postings on my blog via: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com Fourth edition May 2011 […]
Seychelles breaking news – President Michel sworn in for new term of office
PRESIDENT MICHEL SWORN IN THIS AFTERNOON (Crowds assemble at State House Victoria to witness the swearing in and celebrate ‘their’ election win) Late afternoon on Tuesday 24th of May saw the formal swearing in ceremony take place at the State House in Victoria on the island of Mahe, capital of the Seychelles following the announcement […]
Knocking on heaven’s gate – my return to the MAIA
KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S GATES – A RETURN TO THE MAIA LUXURY RESORT Very few resorts have captured my attention and admiration like the MAIA Luxury Resort which I was privileged to visit 15 months ago. Back then I said it was hospitality made in heaven and sent down to earth for us to enjoy, […]
Seychelles Regatta update – Watching the races on the Le Kir Royal
A DAY ON THE ‘KIR ROYAL’ www.lekirroyal.com Few opportunities arise which are as tempting to accept as spending two days on an ocean going yacht and shadowing a catamaran ocean regatta from the closest possible positions. An invitation by the Seychelles Tourist Board while on the archipelago to cover the presidential elections however did make […]
Seychelles news update – International regatta now underway till weekend
SEYCHELLES REGATTA NOW UNDERWAY WITH 6 MORE RACES TO DETERMINE FINAL WINNER The official opening of the Tourist Board sponsored ‘Seychelles Regatta’ saw also the other sponsors, including and importantly Air Seychelles being recognized, before the skippers and their crews were introduced to the sizeable number of invited guests and international journalists. Held at Eden House […]
Seychelles breaking news – Election results declare President
BREAKING NEWS – PRESIDENT MICHEL DECLARED RE-ELECTED At 12.58 a.m. did the Electoral Commissioner declare President James Michel as re-elected, after addressing a team of election observers and from the Diplomatic Corps. Out of the four contestants the main opposition candidate Wavel received 23.878 votes or 41.43 percent, against President Michel’s 31.966 votes, giving him […]
Seychelles election update – Live from Victoria / Mahe
ELECTIONS SEYCHELLES STYLE – IT TRULY IS ‘ANOTHER WORLD’ The slogan used by the Seychelles Tourist Board ‘Seychelles – Another World’ immediately sprung to mind when observing the elections on Saturday at the main island of Mahe, where this correspondent managed to visit about a dozen polling stations across the island and throughout the day, […]
Seychelles breaking news – Royal couple leaves for home
IT IS ‘BYE BYE SEYCHELLES’ FOR THE ROYAL COUPLE Having been amongst the very first to accurately predict the Seychelles as the honeymoon destination of the recently married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, aka Royal Couple aka Prince William and his it was satisfying to be in destination, when officials on the archipelago finally broke […]
Uganda news update – No cause for alarm, tourists told
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM FOR TOURISTS Officials in Kampala have confirmed that two more suspected Ebola cases were reported in as the measures of the Ministry of Health and WHO officials to contain the disease were intensified to prevent any further spread beyond the immediate areas where the present outbreak was found.Confirmation by the Uganda […]
Seychelles aviation update – Kenya Airways to add third frequency to Mahe
KENYA AIRWAYS TO FINALLY ADD THIRD FLIGHT While on the islands opportunity arose to also discuss air connections to and from the African mainland with my hosts at the Seychelles Tourist Board, which are grossly under represented compared to now double daily flights by Emirates from Dubai on A340’s and daily flights from Doha on […]
Seychelles news update – STA hosts 24 Irish students for next quarter
IRISH HOSPITALITY STUDENTS ON EXCHANGE VISIT TO SEYCHELLES As many as 24 students of hotel management courses at the Shannon College in Ireland have arrived in Mahe under an agreement to host student exchanges between the Seychelles Tourism Academy and the Shannon College of Hospitality Management. They will be deployed across several top class resorts […]
Kenya aviation news update – Jetlink drops Hargeisa
JETLINK DROPS HARGEISA – PROMPTS SOMALILAND REACTION Jetlink, one of Kenya’s privately owned airlines, has reportedly halted operations between Nairobi and Hargeisa, the capital of the selfproclaimed region of Somaliland, in the face of low passenger numbers and for added ‘operational reasons’. Last year East African Safari Air Express also withdrew from the same route, eventually halting […]
Seychelles news update – Seychelles International Regatta starts this weekend
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL – THE SEYCHELLES’ INTERNATIONAL REGATTA When talking ‘regatta’ the mind is quick to conjure up pictures of several dozens of boats or yachts lining up, awaiting the horn sounded by the regatta officials and then swiftly crossing the starting line en masse, sails fluttering in the wind and soon turning into distant […]
Uganda conservation news – More controversy over Uganda Museum
MINISTER AT IT AGAIN OVER MUSEUM On the very day that the new parliament, after swearing in all newly elected members of parliament, was formally constituted, did outgoing Minister for Tourism, Trade and Industry Hon. Kahinda Otafire stir fresh controversy when he pronounced at his farewell party at the ministry – a new government is […]
Uganda conservation update – Rhino Fund puts fact right
RHINO FUND UGANDA PUTS FACTS RIGHT The Rhino Fund Uganda, a duly registered NGO, has taken exception to the blatant misrepresentation and factual errors floated in the Ugandan media in regard to statements allegedly made before the current ongoing Commission of Enquiry, headed by Rtd. Justice Kanyeihamba, which is tasked to look into the use […]
Seychelles news update – Elections or not, here we come …
ALL ROADS LEAD TO SEYCHELLES – ELECTIONS OR NOT Elections for the office of president are special anywhere around the world with the biggest exposure every four years given to the US presidential elections of course, around which an entire media circus has been created, which comes to the TV screens, like it or not, […]
Uganda aviation news update – FLY 540 offers Juba alternative
540 AVIATION OFFERS JUBA FARE VIA NAIROBI At a cost of US Dollars 398, terms and conditions apply, for a return flight has Fly 540 now gone into direct competition with Air Uganda for passengers to South Sudan’s capital Juba. Initial feedback has it that a number of passengers are ready to fly the slightly […]
Rwanda news update – Marriott team concludes Kigali visit
MARRIOT KIGALI TO HAVE OVER 250 ROOMS The visit of the Marriott delegation to Kigali, where they inspected the progress of the ongoing construction, has also brought clarity about the size of the new luxury city hotel. Mr. Billy Cheung, who let the delegation, spoke on Monday to the media and announced that the critical […]
Uganda news update – Source of the River Nile secures 5 year support deal
SOURCE OF THE NILE GETS BREWERY SUPPORT The Municipal Council of Jinja and Port Bell based Uganda Breweries have yesterday put pen to paper, signing a 5 year support deal under which the Diageo owned brewers will invest as much as 2.5 billion Uganda Shillings in the site. Already now are Uganda Breweries signboards evident, […]
South Sudan news update – South Kordofan election results ‘rigged’
SOUTH KORDOFAN ELECTIONS RIGGED CLAIM SPLM SOURCES In the best tradition of the regime in Khartoum was the ICC indicted Ahmad Haroun declared winner of the gubernatorial elections in South Kordofan. He, as his ‘boss’ regime leader Bashir, are alleged to have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes, and this spells certain doom for […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region, Third 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 Third edition May 2011 Africa News GOOD SAFARI GUIDE WINNERS FOR ALL TO SEE […]
Uganda aviation news – Airport cleaners stage sit down strike at Entebbe Int’l
AIRPORT CLEANERS STAGE SIT DOWN STRIKE Information received late yesterday from the Entebbe International Airport spoke of an impromptu sit down strike on arrival on Monday morning, vowing not to start their work until they had been addressed by their managers over demands for higher wages. It reportedly took several hours before a senior airport […]
Seychelles news update – Interview with STB Chief Executive Alain St. Ange
(The author seen here with Mr. Alain St. Ange during a previous conference attendance) INTERVIEW WITH THE CEO OF THE SEYCHELLES TOURIST BOARD ALAIN ST.ANGE Periodically opportunity arises to speak with leading tourism stakeholders, and Alain St. Ange has established a reputation in recent years to be one of Africa’ foremost tourism gurus, considering how […]
Uganda conservation news – Low season tariffs for gorilla tracking in the offing
LOW SEASON GORILLA TRACKING FEES IN THE OFFING Although the information has been kept under tight wraps, details are beginning to emerge that the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Uganda tour operators association AUTO have struck a deal to lower the gorilla tracking permits, presently costing US Dollars 500 year round, during the ‘low season’ […]
Uganda/Rwanda aviation breaking news – Brussels Airlines offers ‘gorilla tracking rebate’
BRUSSELS AIRLINES OFFERS ‘GORILLA TRACKING DISCOUNT’ The Belgian flag carrier and member of the Lufthansa Group, Brussels Airlines, has just passed on information that they will with immediate effect offer a 10 percent ‘gorilla rebate’ for passengers flying to Entebbe / Uganda and Kigali / Rwanda, against proof of having purchased a gorilla tracking permit […]
Africa tourism news update – Good Safari Guide winners now on the web
GOOD SAFARI GUIDE WINNERS FOR ALL TO SEE The Good Safari Guide award ceremony on the eve of the INDABA tourism fair in Durban earlier this month has once again produced some deserving winners, honouring the at times stunning facilities, services and settings of safari camps, safari lodges, resorts and hotels. Proposed for consideration to […]
East Africa news update – New Nile Treaty now a ‘done deal’
NILE WATER PRODUCERS REMOVE EGYPT’S VETO RIGHTS Almost unnoticed did a key ceremony take place last week in Kampala, when the six signatory nations to the new Nile Treaty came together to formally pronounce the treaty ratified and valid, and becoming the ‘new law’ of how the Nile waters would be governed and shared. The […]
