Kenya aviation news update – Kenya Airways once again takes lead in ‘Plant a Future’
KENYA AIRWAYS PARTICIPATES IN ‘PLANT A FUTURE’ PROJECT LAST WEEKEND Staff and friends of Kenya Airways are involved this weekend in the planting of 250.000 tree seedlings as part of their annual ‘Plant a Future’ tree planting day at the Ngong Hills, outside the capital Nairobi. The Pride of Africa has been participating in this conservation […]
South Sudan news update – Local hotel group opens new property in Bor / Jonglei State
LOCALLY OWNED HOTEL GROUP SPREADS TO JONGLEI STATE Over the weekend the ‘South Sudan Hotel’ was opened in the town of Bor, Jonglei State, adding facilities for visitors to the state and also spreading the wings of this locally owned hotel group. They already own and operate conventionally built hotels, i.e. not tents or prefabricated container […]
Aviation news update – Egypt Air gets new B777-300ER as traffic levels rise again
EGYPT AIR GETTING BACK ON COURSE A regular source at the Egypt Air Kampala office was excited over the weekend, telling news that the airline had just taken delivery of a 6th brand new Boeing B777-300ER, which were ordered four years ago. Instead of deferring delivery of the long range jet the airline took delivery via […]
East African news update – New EAC headquarters on course
EAC HEADQUARTERS ‘ON COURSE’ The construction of the new East African Community headquarters in Arusha, near its present location at the International Conference Centre, is reportedly on course, with staff excited about the prospects of leaving the array of rented accommodation and moving into one purpose built new complex. The building is financed with a […]
Kenya news update – Nairobi selected for new Visa International Africa office
KENYA TO BECOME VISA PROCESSING CENTRE FOR 25 COUNTRIES Nairobi was reportedly selected as the operations base for a widened presence in Africa by Visa International according to media reports from Kenya. The South African office of Visa, which has looked after the company’s interests in sub-Saharan Africa, will in future deal solely with South […]
Kenya conservation news – Reprieve for Lamu’s heritage?
LACK OF WATER IN LAMU MAY PREVENT MEGA PROJECTS The ancient town of Lamu is presently suffering a worsening water crisis, affecting sections of the population but also businesses like restaurants and hotels. Wells which in the past supplied fresh water, have been overexploited due to the rising population numbers and have gone ‘salty’, making […]
Kenya news update – Grand Regency Hotel braces itself for seizure under ‘asset freeze’
KENYA IN FINAL STAGE TO FREEZE GADAFFI’S ASSETS The Grand Regency Hotel in Nairobi, acquired by Gadaffi’s Libya under most controversial circumstances a some time ago, is bracing itself to have the ‘Laico’ in the name taken off, as has happened with hotel investments already in Rwanda and Uganda. Information came to light over the […]
Tanzania conservation news update – WCFT raises funds but speeches also generate controversial reactions
HARSHER PENALTIES IN THE MAKING FOR POACHING The recent Wildlife Conservation Foundation Tanzania annual fundraising dinner in Dar es Salaam brought a number of issues to the forefront in the speeches given by foundation leaders and guests, which have moved the conservation fraternity in East Africa’s largest country for months and years. Responding to the […]
Kenya aviation news update – MAS introduces ‘vintage Dakota’
VINTAGE AIRCRAFT DELIVERED TO MOMBASA AIR SAFARI Capt. Johnny Cleave, CEO and principal owner of Mombasa Air Safari, took delivery earlier in the week of a vintage DC 3 ‘Dakota’ aircraft at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa. The airline bought the plane outright albeit with assistance of a bank loan for the purpose. The […]
Rwanda news update – More nominations for global awards for Rwanda
RWANDA’S ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD EARNS THEM TWO AWARD NOMINATIONS Information was received overnight from Kigali that the country has been nominated for two major global awards in recognition of their environmental policies put in place. The ‘World Future Council’ put Rwanda up for their award to have comprehensively banned the use of plastic bags in the […]
Tanzania news update – 4.8 quake rumbles Arusha and Manyara regions
4.8 QUAKE HITS NORTHERN TANZANIA After a period of relative calm has seismic activity of late increased again in parts of the region, with Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania registering earth tremors in recent weeks. Only yesterday did a 4.8 on the open ended Richter Scale hit the Manyara region, felt too as far as Arusha, where as […]
Uganda and East Africa tourism news update – Easter season ‘fully booked
EASTER SPECIALS NOW HIT THE MARKET IN FORCE With just a week to go to the long Easter weekend are leading hotels and restaurants in Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe and other municipalities advertising their hearts out with special offers chasing special offers, to attract customers towards their buffets, while resorts and safari lodges are reaching the […]
Uganda news update – Country safe, no cause for alarm
UGANDA CALM INSPITE OF ISOLATED INCIDENTS Stage managed and apparently media scripted events in recent days have portrayed Uganda as a country ‘in problems’ but far from it. The ‘walk to work’ scheme by members of the opposition – not all of them it should also be pointed out – shows an intriguing affinity between sections […]
Uganda conservation news update – SoftPowerEducation holds Murchisons exhibition at Uganda Museum
SOFT POWER EDUCATION PRESENTING ‘MURCHISONS’ TREASURES’ The Jinja based Soft Power Education, instrumental in the rehabilitation, expansion and upgrading of local schools through tourist visitors’ contributions and volunteer work, will this Friday evening make a presentation at the Uganda Museum, unveiling ‘historical treasures’ about Murchisons Falls National Park. Starting at 18.00 hrs the opening function is […]
Aviation breaking news – Kenya Airways re-affirms B787 order after reaching deal with Boeing on compensation
KENYA AIRWAYS DECIDES FOR B787 AFTER ALL In what appears to have been a well executed role play, using discussions with Airbus to obtain ultimately the very best deal from Boeing in regard of compensatory concessions for to the extraordinarily long delay of the delivery of the first of 9 B787 Dreamliners, has Kenya Airways finally announced this […]
Nile Basin news update – Nile Waters, continuing to cause controversy
MORE SABRE RATTLING BY EGYPT OVER NILE WATERS Inspite of the political upheavals over the past few months, and a diplomatic charm offensive by the current government in Cairo with visits to Eastern African countries in recent weeks, there is another dimension to the now valid new Nile Treaty, after the signing of Burundi made […]
South Sudan news update – Removal of sanctions to boost tourism and trade
NO ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST INDEPENDENT SOUTH SUDAN Information from Washington will bring great relief to in particular the business community in the soon to be independent new Republic of South Sudan, especially those with interests in the tourism industry. ‘There will be no sanctions against the new country’ was the tenor of the message from […]
Seychelles tourism update – STA graduates tour guides
TOURGUIDES COMPLETE TRAINING AT SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY A dozen newly ‘crowned’ tour-guides were graduated a few days ago by the STA after completing the first ever such course for ‘freelancers’. The graduates, drawn for a variety of ‘day to day jobs’ underwent intense training, including field work, for the past six weeks, learning about marketing, tourism […]
Aviation news update – Oman Air to connect India with Zanzibar
OMAN AIR TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY FROM INDIA TO ZANZIBAR The national airline of the Sultanate of Oman has just announced changed in their scheduling for flights from Muscat to Zanzibar. Effective mid may the airline will offer convenient connections from their four key destinations in India, Dehli, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, operated three times a week […]
Kenya tourism news update – VISA fees to double by July
VISA FEES TO REVERT TO 50 USD Confirmation has been received from Nairobi that Kenya will return to the pre-crisis 50 US Dollar per person Visa fee effective 01st July, partly to raise additional income but also in response to the intransigence of other East African countries to either follow suit or else finally agree […]
Uganda conservation news update – Dead elephants found in forest reserve
DEAD ELEPHANTS FOUND IN FOREST RESERVE OUTSIDE QENP Unsettling news came to light overnight that several dead and apparently poached elephant had been found in a national forest reserve outside the Queen Elizabeth National Park, although staff from the National Forest Authority and the Uganda Wildlife Authority appear to differ on the number. Be it […]
Uganda news update – New tourism master plan in the making
NEW TOURISM MASTER PLAN IN THE OFFING The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Ambassador Onen, has spoken out on the sectoral development, which in the recent past was marred by discontent and squabbles between public and private sector. While admitting that lack of sufficient funding was to blame for much of the woes […]
Uganda hospitality news update – James Rattos promoted to Sales and Marketing Director
SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL GETS NEW SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR James Rattos, long serving staff member and until very recently the hotel’s Food and Beverage Manager, has moved to take over the sales and marketing department, undoubtedly much to the relief of the Sheraton’s clientele, the sales staff and not the least this correspondent, who enjoys very […]
Uganda news update – Current situation report on Nile river accident
NILE RIVER ACCIDENT RESCUE MISSION NOW MOVING TOWARDS RECOVERY PHASE The latest information from Chobe Safari Lodge indicates that the wreckage of the stricken, and only recently imported river boat, has been spotted and is due to be recovered and brought back to the lodge to also provide clues and evidence in the unfolding enquiry […]
Uganda breaking news story – Madhvani Group takes over The Ark and The Aberdare Country Club in Kenya
MARASA COMPLETES TAKEOVER OF ‘THE ARK’ AND ‘ABERDARE COUNTRY CLUB’ Information here alluded to some months ago already has now finally been confirmed, which was bringing two prime Kenya properties into the fold of the Madhvani Group. Following their acquisition last year of a tented safari camp in the Masai Mara, Marasa has indeed taken advantage […]
Uganda breaking news story – Ministry of Tourism to be split off from Trade and Industry
TOURISM TO BE SEPARATED FROM TRADE AND INDUSTRY Long standing demands by the tourism industry to revert to a standalone ministry dedicated to tourism and related areas finally seem to have fallen on fertile ears, as news are firming up that the new cabinet in the making will once again, the first time since the […]
Rwanda news update – Gadaffi’s ‘RwandaTel’ now to be wound up
RWANDATEL WINDING UP ORDER FILED The Rwandan government rarely does anything with half measures, and following the story last week that they have cancelled the mobile license of erstwhile national phone operator RwandaTel, leaving them with the scraps of a small fixed network, the next step was taken yesterday. Majority owned by Libya’s dictator Gadaffi, […]
Tanzania conservation news update – Controversy continues over Tanzania’s hunting block allocations
DECISIONS STILL PENDING ON 156 HUNTING BLOCKS Information was received from Dar es Salaam overnight that after the 12th March application deadline, awards for as many as 156 hunting blocks / concessions for the period 2013 to 2018 are still undecided. The minister for natural resources and tourism conceded this point apparently in parliament on […]
Aviation news update – AFRAA demands greater government controls
AFRAA DEMANDS BETTER CONTROLS OVER ACCESS OF FOREIGN AIRLINES The African Airline Association has renewed calls to African government to be more careful when entering into open skies agreements and granting foreign airlines traffic rights, including 5th freedom rights. The Nairobi based organization demanded that African governments promote closer cooperation between their own airlines, which were […]
Uganda conservation news update – Mt. Elgon park boundaries ‘safe for now’
GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS TO HALT FOREST GIVEAWAY DIRECTIVE The recent news that president Museveni had issued a directive to carve out land from the Mt. Elgon National Park to resettle several hundred families has hit a near dead end, when it became known that a group of experts, constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office, had spoken […]
