Friday 30 December 2016

KENYA: Mombasa Tourism Board To Enhance Tourism In Mombasa

The Kenya Tourism Board yesterday welcomed plans by the county government to set up the Mombasa Tourism Board.

The administration announced it wants to set up a local tourism marketing agency to complement the national government’s KTB.

Several weeks ago, during a tourism stakeholders meeting with the county government, Governor Hassan Joho said he will push for an executive bill through the county assembly to establish the board.

Kenya Tourism Board chairperson Jimi Kariuki yesterday said the Coast has world-class sandy beaches, making it one of Kenya’s flagship tourism products.

“Marketing the Coast tourism product from a national and local level will further support the acceleration of the region’s tourism recovery,” Kariuki said.

The Kenya Tourism Board yesterday welcomed plans by the county government to set up the Mombasa Tourism Board.

The administration announced it wants to set up a local tourism marketing agency to complement the national government’s KTB.

Several weeks ago, during a tourism stakeholders meeting with the county government, Governor Hassan Joho said he will push for an executive bill through the county assembly to establish the board.

Kenya Tourism Board chairperson Jimi Kariuki yesterday said the Coast has world-class sandy beaches, making it one of Kenya’s flagship tourism products.

“Marketing the Coast tourism product from a national and local level will further support the acceleration of the region’s tourism recovery,” Kariuki said.

In a statement to media houses, Kariuki said infrastructural improvements within and around the key coastal tourism towns are essential to support the sector and attract tourists.

He said this will enable the KTB to deliver its marketing mandate.

He said the concept of having a national tourism marketing agency and a local or regional board is a practice in several top tourism destinations in the world.

France, Spain, Italy, Britain, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand all have this concept in place. Kenya Coast Tourists Association chairman Mohammed Hersi and Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast executive director Sam Ikwaye have supported the move.

KENYA: Jambojet Dissapoints Passengers, With Delays, Cancellations And Negligence

'They should be sued for the damage they caused to our travel plans' shouted a passenger from Kenya, who had been booked to travel to Lamu on Jambojet but was offloaded at Malindi's Airport and left to fend for himself and his family.

Jambojet, one of Kenya's low cost airlines, had over the past days, according to affected passengers, set new lows for dealing with delayed and canceled flights, in particular vis a vis response times of emails and social media queries, where, if at all, template replies appear to have been copied and pasted by Jambojet staff.

Only days after the full impact of the delays became public did the airline finally admit what aviation pundits had already established, that technical issues with one of the airline's leased Q400's saw the entire schedule literally fall apart, with travelers booked to the Ukunda airfield close to the Diani beaches being dumped at the main airport in Mombasa, having to make their own way to their resorts.

'I booked my flight to Ukunda because I want to avoid the dreadful drive through Mombasa and then the agonizing wait at the ferry. Flying directly saves many hours each way and Jambojet stole those precious vacation hours from us. How can an airline just dump us in Mombasa when our ticket says Ukunda. To make it worse, where was the station manager and duty manager of the airline? This will have consequences, that is all I can tell you right now' ranted another Nairobi based regular reader, fuming with anger.

Meanwhile, Tourists at Diani airstrip Kwale county welcomed by Miss tourism drawn from all 47 counties on Mar 28th 2015, Jumbojet a KQ product made its first stop in Diani Kwale County.

Hoteliers at the Coast have accused low-cost carrier Jambojet of “dumping passengers” midway their journeys and delaying flights. Through their lobby group – the Kenya Coast Tourism Association – the hoteliers said the carrier has been dumping passengers destined for Ukunda and Malindi at the Moi International Airport (Mombasa).

“Passengers heading to Ukunda chose a direct flight to avoid the pain at the ferry, and you go ahead to subject them to the same pain again without any qualms. Why don’t you just sell what you can handle instead of giving a false promise of having the capacity to land in Ukunda or Malindi,” KCTA chairman Mohammed Hersi said. He said the inconveniences are hurting domestic tourism , a blow to hotels. However, Jambojet said it has had “unexpected technical challenges” on its fleet that operates most of its coastal routes.

“Additionally, the delivery of our newly leased aircrafts initially schedules for introduction during the peak season was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, and will only be delivered in early 2017,” the management said in a statement yesterday.

This, it said, has forced the carrier to reschedule flights and carry passengers on smaller aircrafts, while re-routing others via Mombasa using Kenya Airways flights. “We apologise to all concerned for the unpleasant nature of this entire experience and we will resolve the issue,” the management said.

LAOS: Kingfisher Ecolodge In The Emerald Triangle

Welcome to Champasak Province, the southern-most province of Laos, a place also known as the "Emerald Triangle" being the crossroad between Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, the newest travel destination in Indochina where it is still possible to see and feel the genuine lifestyle and natural beauty of this enigmatic Country.

Our vision is to provide our guests with a comfortable, intimate experience with exotic nature in a unique environment such as in the Beung Kiat Ngong Wetlands (part of RAMSAR Convention) of the Xe Pian NPA (Natural Protected Area) which is one of the most attractive of all of the NPAs scattered throughout the Laotian territory.
We endeavour to do this in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible

Our ultimate goal is to meet the expectations of travelers looking for a different kind of tourism, by searching new feelings and reflections by experiencing unique and relaxing events like staring at a bright night stars parading in the tropical sky or just watching elephants and water buffalo grazing in slow motion while a far away flock of white birds plays in the distant blue skies of Laos.

The Kingfisher Ecolodge staff, wish you a pleasant trip and we hope to be welcoming you soon!

KENYA: Bad Weather Dissrupting Flights Announces Kenya Airways

Airlines flying from East Africa to Dubai and other UAE airport suffered heavy unseasonal fog covering the approach to DXB and their neighbours.

Kenya Airways has made a public announcement about bad weather affecting their flights too on services to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Dubai.

Nairobi, Dec 30th 2016... Kenya Airways wishes to inform its guests that due to bad weather leading to poor visibility, its flight schedule into Europe and UAE has been disrupted.

This had affected flights into and out of London, Paris, Amsterdam and Dubai and in some instances led to diversion of our aircraft to alternate airports.

We are working to minimize the level of disruption to our guests including seeking alternative arrangements where possible as this is facing not only Kenya Airways, but other carriers as well. We urge patience from those whose journeys have been interrupted.

We apologize to our guests affected by this act of nature and assure them that we will continue to do all that is possible to get them to their final destinations. We thank you for patience and continued support.

For further information do not hesitate to contact our 24 hour contact centre on +254 20 327 4747, email customer.relations .

Thank you for flying the Pride of Africa.


As was the case in recent days with RwandAir, which suffered similar weather related delays and reroutings in West Africa but also on their services to Dubai, safety must come first and the crews must be thanked for making the right decisions and rather sit on the tarmac and suffer the anger and frustration of passengers than flying blind into the unknown.

INDIA: Demonetization Has No Effect On Tourism, Says Tourism Ministry

Demonetization has had no impact on the arrival of foreign tourists into the country, data released by the Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday, showed.

According to the data available for the month of November, the number of tourists that came to India grew 9.3% to 8.91 lakh from 8.16 lakh in the same period last year.

The Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) also saw a surge, rising 14.4% to Rs 14,474 crore in November from 11,431 crore in the same period last year.

"Demonetization did not have any impact on the foreign Tourist Arrival and Foreign Exchange Earnings which have shown robust growth over the comparative period lsat year," the Ministry of Tourism said in a statement.

It said that the government had taken a number of steps to ensure that no hardship is faced by the tourists and the industry is not affected."

The government demonetized the use of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from November 8 which took out 86% of the currency (in value terms) from the economy, essentially creating a deep cash crunch situation. Indians were left with no option but to line up outside ATMs and banks to withdraw money within prescribed limits and even foreign tourists who landed in India faced trouble exchanging the currency at airports.

Foreign tourists took to e-tickets and cashless payments at Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monuments. According to the data, in the one month since demonetization (November 9 till December 8) e-ticket sales went up to 28,176 from 2,807 in the previous month (October 9 till November 8). Sales of e-tickets garnered Rs 181.49 lakh in the period compared to Rs 3.10 lakh in the corresponding period.

Botswana, Zimbabwe And Zambia Resume Univisa Or KAZA Visa

In time for the peak season of travel, over the Christmas and New Year holidays have Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana resumed issuing their UniVisa, or KAZA Visa.

The signing ceremony between the three countries was used to promote culture and heritage and common transboundary conservation areas, which can now be visited by foreign tourists under one Visa regime, to be issued at the airport of entry either being Harare, Lusaka or Gaborone.

The move is expected to provide a major incentive for foreign tourists to visit more than just one of the countries in the region, helping boost visitor numbers to the parks and key attractions like the Victoria Falls.

Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland and even South Africa are due to join the KAZA UniVisa in due course, opening up a large part of SADC for foreign tourists to enter and travel under one single Visa arrangement.

This form of Visa regime was first launched for the jointly hosted UNWTO General Assembly meeting allowing attendees to cross the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia at the Victoria Falls with complete ease.

In East Africa a similar modus operandum is in place between Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya whereby tourists can at their airport of entry ask for a common tourist Visa at the cost of 100 US Dollar, saving 50 US Dollars for those who intend to travel across all three countries.

But Tanzania does not participate in these arrangements, citing the need to capacity build first, raising acid questions what they have been doing over the past decades if they still lack the capacity today to integrate into the regional EAC bloc.

USA: 1996 NBA Draft

When NBA fans think “best draft ever,” the 2003 draft often comes to mind, which saw superstars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade all selected in the top five picks.

And while that class holds up as arguably the best ever when expanded out to solid second-round picks like Kyle Korver, Mo Williams and Zaza Pachulia, if you delve just a little deeper into draft history, another year stands out for the magnitude of the stars it produced. The year was 1996, when future league legends like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson realized their dreams of becoming NBA players.

As is the case with every draft, however, teams didn’t exactly get it right. For instance, Bryant — a future five-time champion and 18-time All-Star — fell to No. 13 overall before being selected by the Charlotte Hornets.

Following Bryant's retirement, PointAfter, a sports data visualization site that’s part of the Graphiq network, set out to right the wrongs by re-picking the ’96 draft. Based on each player’s career win shares (an estimate of the number of wins contributed to a team by a player) and accolades (All-NBA teams, MVPs, championship rings, All-Star berths, etc.), we re-ordered the draft to better reflect the “correct” order in terms of how guys panned out in the pros.

Note: There are 29 first-round draft slots because 29 NBA franchises existed in 1996, rather than today's total of 30

PUERTO RICO: Harmony Of The Seas Docks And Boosts Puerto Rico tourism

The world's biggest cruise ship has docked in Puerto Rico for the first time as the US territory reports a boost in tourism amid an economic crisis.

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas arrived Wednesday in the historic district of the capital of San Juan. The ship can carry up to 6,700 passengers and 2,300 crew members.

The arrival follows an US$8 million port renovation.

Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla says Puerto Rico expects to welcome a record 1.7 million cruise ship passengers next year.

PHILIPPINES: Department of Tourism Expecting 12M Tourist Arrivals

Department of Tourism (DOT) has expanded its arrival goals for the next six years.

DOT plans to reach 12 million tourism arrivals annually by 2022, said Czarina Zara-Loyola, director of the DOT’s public affairs and advocacy office said.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, Loyola said, expects to exceed annual targets.

“If we exceed annual targets, and we will, better iyon,” she said.

In a statement, Teo said the government is working to increase tourist arrivals in the country through partnerships with neighboring countries, as well as airlines and other industry stakeholders.

However, Loyola assured that despite raising its target arrivals, the DOT is pushing for sustainable and responsible tourism.

“May mga area na kapag congested na, hindi na natin doon dadalhin [ang mga turista]. The goal of this administration under Secretary Wanda Teo is to develop and introduce new tourist sites,” she said.

This can be seen in the Miss Universe pageant activities, which kicked off last month with visits of titlists from 12 countries to different spots in the Philippines.

She also emphasized that they will not raise tourism targets further until there is sufficient infrastructure to accommodate arrivals.

“Hindi naman natin sabihing basta magdadala kami ng mga turista dito. Siyempre, ang tanong pa rin diyan, mayroon bang mauupuan sa eroplano? Sa lugar, mayroon bang matutuluyang mga hotel? Kapag mapo-provide natin iyan, that’s the time na increase natin ang target natin,” she said.

The DOT expects more tourists to come to the country next year due to the Miss Universe pageant, which will be staged in the country.

Teo also expects up to 3 million Chinese tourists to visit the Philippines, after the two countries signed a memorandum of agreement on tourism cooperation, which aims to give the DOT a “better opportunity” to market the Philippines to travelers from its Asian neighbor.

Several direct flights, the DOT said, were also launched this year, such as flights to Laoag from Guangzhou, and from Changi International Airport to Cebu.

They are also preparing to welcome more visitors from Cambodia, Teo said, after the Philippines signed an agreement to start a series of programs that aim to revitalize tourism between the two countries.

Other events that may draw travelers to the country include Madrid Fusion Manila, an international culinary festival; the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit; and high-level conferences of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Aside from tapping partners, DOT recently approached current Miss Universe titleholder Pia Wurtzbach to be a tourism ambassador.

Earlier this month, the House Committee on Tourism approved a proposal to designate boxer-senator Manny Pacquiao as spokesperson for the DOT’s upcoming campaign to promote Philippine attractions around the world.

TANZANIA|: Air Tanzania Plans To Fly To New Domestic Routes

With now three Bombardier turboprop aircraft in operation, two brand new Q400NG's and one Q300,Air Tanzania increased their flights to key destinations on domestic routes so far.

ATCL will however add more routes next year, with flights to Mtwara - Tanzania's gas capital - Dodoma - the country's political capital - but also Songea and Tabora named.

Out of the airline's hub in Dar es Salaam, where next year the new international terminal will open its doors, does Air Tanzania presently serve Kilimanjaro/ Arusha, Mwanza and Zanzibar while the only international route flown is the Comoros islands.

Another Bombardier Q400NG has joined the fleet - expected in 2017, will the airline consider returning to regional routes like to Entebbe and Nairobi.

The delivery of two Bombardier C300 jets, due to join the fleet either in the second half of 2017 or early 2018, will then open the doors for flights to other African destinations and possibly as far as Dubai, currently only served by foreign airlines like FlyDubai and Emirates.

The Tanzanian government has over the past months paid nearly 300 million US Dollars for the purchase of a total of five Bombardier aircraft and the down payment to Boeing of a 10 million US Dollars commitment fee for a B787 Dreamliner due for delivery in the second half of 2018.

Domestic competition is said to be fierce now as two other airlines, besides the safari airlines like Auric and Coastal, vie for market share, among them Precision Air and Fastjet. Travelers can expect special deals and low fares for the time being as the battle for the Tanzanian skies takes a new dimension.

Tuesday 27 December 2016

NORWAY: Norwegian Cruises From Miami To Cuba

Norwegian Cruise Line today opened for sale the line’s 2017 cruises to Cuba aboard Norwegian Sky, the largest vessel sailing to Cuba, which also offers an overnight stay in Havana.

Norwegian Sky will sail a series of five, four-day cruises from Miami to Cuba in May 2017 that will include an overnight in the capital of Havana. On Monday, May 1, Norwegian Sky will set sail for her first voyage to Havana, arriving on Tuesday morning and staying alongside until Wednesday evening, allowing guests the opportunity to go ashore and experience the island’s rich cultural traditions through people-to-people exchanges. Norwegian will also offer OFAC-compliant shore excursions, where guests aboard Norwegian Sky will have the opportunity to visit historical sites such as Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; view incredible art and listen to the vibrant local music scene; and visit with Cuba’s warm and friendly residents through people-to-people exchanges.

The ship will continue on to call on Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island destination in the Bahamas that was recently enhanced to offer guests exciting new ways to enjoy the island, with additional features to be added through summer 2017.

Along with the freedom and flexibility that only Norwegian Cruise Line can provide, guests sailing on Norwegian Sky also enjoy unlimited complimentary beverages as a part of the ship’s all-inclusive program. Additional Cuba cruise departure dates include May 8, 15, 22 and 29. The four-day cruises begin at 619 € per person.

FRANCE: Air France To Fly to Marrakech And Porto

As from 26 March 2017, Air France customers will be able to fly off to Marrakech (Morocco) and Porto (Portugal) on board three new weekly flights operated on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle by Airbus A320.

This summer, Air France will offer up to 38 weekly flights to 2 destinations in Portugal and up to 48 weekly flights to 3 destinations in Morocco.

Starting from the 2017 summer season, Air France will be offering customers 3 weekly flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Marrakech (Morocco) and Porto (Portugal).

Air France will connect Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Marrakech and Porto, respectively on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays by Airbus A320, with 166 seats and equipped with the latest medium-haul travel cabins.

Flight schedules (in local time) to Marrakech:

AF1076: leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 07:05, arrives in Marrakech at 09:25;
AF1077: leaves Marrakech at 10:25, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 14:50.
Flights operated on Wednesdays and Sundays.

AF1076: leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 09:55, arrives in Marrakech at 12:15;
AF1077: leaves Marrakech at 13:15, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 17:40.
Flights operated on Fridays.

Flight schedules (in local time) to Porto:

AF1528: leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 14:35, arrives in Porto at 15:50;
AF1529: leaves Porto at 18:00, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 21:15.
Flights operated on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

AF1528: leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 16:30, arrives in Porto at 17:45;
AF1529: leaves Porto at 18:40, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 21:55.
Flights operated on Saturdays.
Marrakech, the red city

Situated at the foot of the Atlas mountain range and in the heart of Morocco, Marrakech reveals unexpected treasures and wonders behind its red ramparts. Divided into two distinct parts between the historical district and the new town, a stroll through the Majorelle Garden while enjoying a mint tea is a must-see attraction for travellers. Recognized for its handicrafts and souk, Marrakech will be the third destination in Morocco served by Air France.
Porto, the unconquered city

Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, offers visitors countless strolls through its maze of winding narrow streets. The town is home to several Unesco world heritage sites which every year attract hordes of visitors. Located along the Douro river, Porto offers a unique and fascinating landscape that Air France customers will be able to admire at sunset.

PHILIPPINES: Travel To The Philippines

The year 2016 was pretty great for the Philippines in terms of tourism development and presence on the International market.

We review some of the Philippines’ news stories that give focus to all the amazing achievements and improvements the country is making to present itself to the world:

Early in 2016, it was discovered the Philippines had a number of unrecorded islands within its territory. An estimated 534 of them were recently “discovered,” bumping up the count from 7,107 to 7,641. New species of plants and animals might be discovered on these islands, leading to new attractions and destinations for tourists.

Already a popular vacation spot in the Philippines, the honor of being Condé Nast Traveler’s best island in the world really sealed the deal for this island destination. Being one of the Top 10 is already a big achievement in itself, but actually ranking No. 1 really gives this amazing destination an edge over the rest of the white sand beaches across Southeast Asia.

More Filipino words were added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) within the year, which included several foods and terms of familial endearment such as pancit, puto, tito, tita and many others. The OED is well known for keeping historic accounts of core words from languages across the world. The more Filipino words are included in the OED the better the country becomes know to the rest of the world.

With a new president at the helm, the Philippines is facing a new era of change. During President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), many problems were brought to light and solutions were definitely promised. Among these were, of course, improvements to the country’s tourism infrastructure: better roads and gateways; increased aquacultural and agricultural preservation. Terrorism and drug trafficking will also be curbed to make tourists and travelers feel safer than before.

Philippine pride swelled up again when the 2016 Miss International winner turned out to be Miss Kylie Verzosa. Kylie really strutted her stuff onstage and made sure the judges saw that Filipino women not only had stunning looks, but also amazing confidence, personality and wit. With Pia Wurtzbach winning the coveted Miss Universe crown many months back, the home country of these lovely women garnered more attention worldwide.

With the year 2017 just coming in a few days, who knows what new and exciting developments will be waiting for the Philippines? With all the modernization and recognition it’s been receiving, the country should definitely be part of your travel destinations list for the new year.

THAILAND: Full Moon Party At The Land Of Smiles

For many ravers on the tropical oasis of Koh Phangan, the origins of the Thai island's debauched full moon parties are as hazy as their memories of the beach bash the next morning.

Yet Mr Sutti Kursakul, a middle-aged island native with a distinctive black moustache, claimed he not only remembers the first moonlit party, but also organised it.

"I held the first full moon party in 1988. It was a farewell to my Australian friend," Mr Sutti said as neon-clad tourists flowed in and out of his bar, vibing to house music.

What started as a monthly gathering for spiritually-inclined trance fans in the 1990s has since exploded into a world-famous monument to hedonism.

Up to 30,000 people, mostly young Western backpackers, descend on Haad Rin beach each month to guzzle buckets of booze and jump through hoops of fire - an increasingly perilous beachside activity as the evening's intoxication takes hold.

Now thumping electronic dance music has replaced the psy-trance beats of the 90s, while a cottage industry of neon clothing and body-paint vendors has turned the beach into a one-stop shop for the party faithful.

They Keep on comming despite junta run political woes and a month-long "toning down" of the kingdom's usually wild nightlife, following the death of beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October.

Through a decade of military coups and curfews, Thailand's buoyant tourist industry has kept the economy afloat.

The Land of Smiles has already welcomed more than a record 30 million tourists this year.

They are expected to rake in more than US$68.5 billion (S$99 billion), which represents 17 per cent of the economy.

Over the years, the full moon party has often been cast as a depraved, crime-ridden fest, where foreigners trash their idyllic surroundings and take excessive risks.

"The Western media is so negative," said Mr Sharon Kahatai, an Israeli hostel owner who made the island his home nearly a decade ago.

"I think the full moon (party) is an amazing project. I don't know if there are other projects like that which bring young people, 18 to 22, from all around the world to be together."

Some old-school ravers say the notoriety and commercialism are changing the event for the worse.

But Mr Sutti insists the spirit is the same.

"Nothing has changed about the full moon party - just more people," he said, stressing how the revellers bring crucial cash into the pockets of locals.

Thai tourism authorities want to lure wealthier visitors to the kingdom.

But hedonistic fixtures of Thailand's nightlife, such as the full moon party, appear safe.

Cyclical crackdowns on Thailand's freewheeling party scene never seem to stick and the beach rave shows no sign of slowing down.

"It's obviously popular with many people," said Mr Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, the public relations director of Tourism Authority of Thailand.

USA: Tourism & Travel Directories In The USA

There is a new way for small and mid-sized travel businesses to find new customers. Many of them are now using an online business directory. It's a new way, but a smart move, for various reasons. In fact, sometimes, you will find big businesses too using this new method.

These are websites too, but with a critical difference. These websites allow businesses to submit their details, and these details are then published in the right category. A good online directory such as Biphoo.com will have several categories such as travel, health, real estate, food, legal, finance, clothing, entertainment, and many more.

Many customers are visiting these directories because they can find many businesses at the same place, which means there is no need to keep browsing the internet to find and compare each website. A good local business directory such as Biphoo will list many businesses in each category. Search engine robots too visit these directories, meaning your website is likely to achieve good ranks if you are enlisted in the directory.

For a tour and travel business, a travel business directory offers perhaps the easiest and cheapest marketing to reach out to customers, and even other travel businesses with whom a business association can be established.

Take Biphoo.com, for instance. It's a global directory where you will find businesses registered from around the world, including the United States and other countries. The tour and travel category of Biphoo is very active too. It covers flights, hotels, car hires, cruises, and even lists websites that run bus tours and allow bus ticket bookings.

The websites have been listed accurately. So it's easy for people to find the right firm, after going through the list of travel companies. Search is quick and easy.

There is a Featured Place segment where you can read interesting articles and travelogues. Many readers come to the site just to go through these stories, and end up visiting the websites that are listed in the directory. Plus, there is also the Recent News section where readers can learn the latest news from popular travel destinations and attractions. Of course, you can search to find flights at Biphoo as well.

Tourism agencies in the United States and elsewhere in the world can register at the Biphoo travel business directory today and get listed at the right category. Promotion is guaranteed. Customers can come in from all around the world. Travel businesses from other countries too can register here to find customers, and work with tour and travel companies from the US.

Basic listing at the Biphoo local business directory is free. There is a paid listing service as well that works even better for businesses. Choose whichever fits your need the best, select the right category, and get your travel business listed at Biphoo. There are simply too many benefits in joining this online directory. You can get started today. Yes, there are other directories too, but Biphoo is among the best ones you can find.



Airbus And Iran Air Pen 100 Commercial Jets Deal

Following on from an official commitment signed in January this year, Airbus and Iran Air have now signed a firm contract for 100 commercial jets, comprising 46 A320 Family, 38 A330 Family and 16 A350 XWB aircraft, with deliveries beginning in early 2017.

“I am delighted that we have reached an agreement to go to the next decisive phase and start taking delivery of new aircraft. I am gratified that this new round of cooperation with Airbus has come to fruition and brought us closer with more practical steps to follow for Iran Air’s fleet renewal. Iran Air considers this agreement an important step towards a stronger international presence in civil aviation. We hope this success signals to the world that the commercial goals of Iran and its counterparts are better achieved with international cooperation and collaboration,” said Mr Farhad Parvaresh, Iran Air Chairman and CEO.

“This is a landmark agreement not only because it paves the way for Iran Air’s fleet renewal,” said Fabrice Bregier, Airbus President and CEO.

“Our overall accord includes pilot training, airport operations and air traffic management so this agreement is also a significant first step in the overall modernisation of Iran’s commercial aviation sector.”

The agreement is subject to US government Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) export licences which were granted in September and November 2016 and which are required for products containing 10 per cent or more US technology content. Airbus has coordinated closely with regulators in the EU, US and other countries, to ensure total understanding and compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA).

The agreement follows the implementation of the JCPOA, its associated rules and guidance and included new commercial aircraft orders as well as a comprehensive civil aviation package. The package also includes pilot and maintenance training, as well as support for the development of air navigation services (ATM), airport and aircraft operations and regulatory harmonization.

RUSSIA: Russian Military Plane Crashes In Black Sea, 92 Passengers On Board

A Russian military plane with 92 people on board has crashed into the Black Sea on its way to Syria, Russian news agencies reported on Sunday, and it was unlikely there would be any survivors.

The crashed Tu-154 plane of Russia’s Defense Ministry carried eight crew members and 84 passengers, the ministry’s official spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

The plane was carrying Russian servicemen and members of a renowned military choir and dance ensemble, the Alexandrov Ensemble, who were being flown into Russia’s Hmeymim air base in Syria to entertain military personnel in the run-up to the new year, the RIA news agency quoted the Defence Ministry as saying.

Executive Director of the Spravedlivaya Pomoshch (Fair Aid) charity fund Elizaveta Glinka, known as Dr. Liza, was on the list of the passengers, too.

A commission of Russia’s Defense Ministry led by Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Popov has departed to the Black Sea resort of Adler in the wake of the Tu-154 military plane crash, added Konashenkov.

The Tu-154 plane of the Defense Ministry disappeared from radars at 05.40 a.m. Moscow time shortly after taking off from Sochi.

The Defense Ministry said the debris of the Tu-154 plane was found 1.5 km from the coast near Sochi at the depth of 50-70 meters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to say what had caused the crash. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed of the situation. He receives information from the emergencies services on the search effort. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu is also in a constant contact with the president.

UAE: Al Zahra Hospital Sold To NMC Health For $560 Million

NMC Health (LON:NMC), a leading UAE-based healthcare provider, is to acquire Al Zahra Hospital Sharjah from Gulf Medical Projects (ADX:GMPC) for US$560 million (AED 2.1b). Opened in 1981, the hospital is located in the Al Ghuwair district of Sharjah and is one of the largest medical facilities in the United Arab Emirates.

NMC will fund the acquisition of Al Zahra Hospital through a combination of equity and debt, drawing on new loan facilities negotiated with JP Morgan Ltd and Standard Chartered Bank. Subject to NMC shareholder approval on 29 December, the acquisition is scheduled for completion by the end of March 2017 and is expected to be the largest deal in the region’s health care sector for ten years. NMC also recently acquired Sharjah-based Dr Sunny Healthcare chain of medical centres and pharmacies for US$ 64 million (AED 235m).

The holding company of Al Zahra Hospital, Gulf Medical Projects Company, was established in 1979 in Sharjah by a government decree under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah. In addition to the 137-bed Sharjah hospital, the group owns and manages Al Zahra Private Medical Centre in Dubai, and Al Zahra Hospital Dubai.

The health care sector has been a focus for economic development by the Government of Sharjah, establishing the Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC) free zone in 2012 and taking steps to help position the emirate as a centre for medical education, research and development, and also as a destination for medical tourism. Meanwhile, the recent introduction of new health insurance regulations has helped accelerate private sector growth.

The University of Sharjah has led the way in education and research, creating Sharjah Medical Excellence Cluster in 2005, adding university colleges for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy to its existing College of Health Sciences. More recently the university has added Sharjah Institute of Medical Research (2011), University Hospital Sharjah, University Dental Hospital and an Education Leadership and Research centre of excellence. Last year, plans were announced for a centre of excellence for diabetes and endocrinology research and a centre for nanomedicine.

The government brought addition focus to the Sharjah’s commitment to put health at the top of the social, economic and political agenda by joining the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) Healthy Cities programme in 2012. Sharjah has since been able to meet 88 percent of the 80 programme criteria, becoming the first Middle Eastern country to be accredited as a WHO Healthy City.

UAE: Eco-tourism Projects Enhance Sharjah Natural Resources Tourism

After many years of quietly developing its cultural tourism resources, Sharjah has now begun to launch large scale eco-tourism projects that both help provide visitors with a richer experience and help protect the emirate’s natural environment. Perhaps the largest of these, so far, is the Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project, which deftly presents the archaeological site and area of natural beauty as a world-class tourist attraction, whilst managing the impact of tourism on the environment.

Developed and managed by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and opened in January of this year, the 50 kilometre Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project combines archaeology exhibits with eco-tourism and adventure pursuits to offer visitors a unique experience. Visitors can learn about the history of the ancient settlement in Mleiha, which dates by to the 3rd millennium, supported by modern tourist facilities and a multi-lingual destination management team. The surrounding desert and mountains provide plenty of opportunity for tours, camping and extreme sports.

The second phase of the Mleiha project is planned to create a 450 square kilometre Mleiha National Desert Park in collaboration with Sharjah’s Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), which will reintroduce indigenous wildlife, such as oryx and gazelles, to the area. The second phase will also include a camping park, a motel for overnight stays and an astronomy observatory.

One of the largest new projects announced this year, is Sharjah Safari Park. The park is expected to become one of the largest safari parks outside of Africa, covering an area of about 14 square kilometres (about 3,500 acres) and accommodating up to 50,000 animals. Encompassing Al Bardi Park in Al Dhaid area, the project also aims to help to protect natural ecosystems and biodiversity by creating a sustainable tourism resort, which will include areas dedicated to previously indigenous species.

Sharjah is also investing heavily in its eastern region, which includes the areas of Dibba, Kalba and Khorfakkan on the Gulf of Oman coast. Shurooq is currently developing Kalba Eco-Tourism Project, one of the largest eco-tourism developments in the region, and Al Hisn Island, a leisure and tourist attraction located in Dibba Al Hisn. A new leisure cruise ship terminal is being built at Khorfakkan Port, in line with Sharjah’s goals to continue to develop its cruise tourism business.

Meanwhile, close to the Sharjah-Kalba road in the Hajjar mountains, Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre was officially opened to the public in March this year. The new 12 square kilometre wildlife conservation centre, managed by EPAA, was established to protect endangered animal species native to the region’s fragile mountain ecosystems. However, like Mleiha and the Wasit Wetland Centre in Sharjah city, the new centre is tourist-ready, with a visitors’ centre, modern facilities and knowledgeable guides.

Against the backdrop of Sharjah’s continuous investment in art, history and Islamic culture, these eco-tourism developments are expected to help enhance the emirate’s appeal to existing tourism market segments, such as GCC families, and new segments, such as independent travelers searching for unique experiences.

Sharjah plans to attract more than 10 million tourists to the emirate by year 2021.

Friday 23 December 2016

AUSTRALIA: Reef Snorkelling Deaths

75-year-old Japanese woman was pulled from the water about 2:00pm yesterday at Moore Reef, off the coast of Cairns in far north Queensland.

Queensland police said the woman was on a day trip with Sunlover Reef Cruises.

Today the company issued a statement expressing "deep sympathies to the family and friends of the Japanese woman who tragically passed away".

"Our crew have being offered support and professional counselling," it read.

The woman is the 10th person to die on the reef in the region this year and the fifth since early November.

The Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators said the majority of the victims were elderly and had pre-existing medical conditions.

Spokesman Col McKenzie said snorkelling the reef is on many people's bucket lists.

"While we are very proud of the fact we have the safest snorkelling in the world, we've got to sit down and have a really close look at all these events and see if there's anything we can do," he said.

Mr McKenzie said Workplace Health and Safety released an updated risk-briefing document in all major languages, which highlights the risks associated with snorkelling and diving.

"But at this point in time, there has been no substantive changes made," he said.

"We're at a bit of a loss as to what we can do."

Mr McKenzie said 10 fatalities in one year is double the industry average.

"Maybe we need to tweak the regulations somewhere," he said.

"We've got to be very careful that we don't discriminate by age or take a reactive position when that's not justified.

"I think it's possible that we could bring in place a rule that says that everybody over a certain age has to acknowledge that they have been told of the risks associated with snorkelling and diving."

Mr McKenzie said compulsory medical checks for divers and snorkelers would be cost prohibitive, with dive medicals in Cairns costing about $80.

"Can you imagine a million passengers being told they've got to go and have a dive medical before they get on a boat? They simply won't do it," he said.

"If they want to go and see good coral, they can go and see it anywhere in Asia as well, so we've got to be cost-competitive.

"I don't believe there would be any change in the number of people dying, they would simply die somewhere else."

In November, a 60-year-old British tourist died while scuba diving at Agincourt Reef and two French tourists died after suffering heart attacks while snorkelling together at Michaelmas Cay off Cairns.

Both had pre-existing medical conditions.

MALTA: Hijacked Libyan Plane Lands In Malta

An Afriqiyah Airways A320 with around 120 people on board has just landed in Malta after it was hijacked.

At 12.13pm, the plane's engines were still running and it was surrounded by AFM soldiers at a distance. It did not seem anyone had yet approached the plane.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted he is informed of a potential hijack situation of an internal Libyan flight diverted to Malta. Security and emergency operations were standing by.

The plane was on an internal flight from Sebha to Tripoli in Libya. A total of 111 passengers and a crew of seven are on board.

The reports indicated that one hijacker is on board. He is claiming to be in possession of a hand grenade.

The hijacker claiming to be pro-Gaddafi, said he was willing to let all passengers go apart from the crew, if his demands were met.

It is not known what his demands are at this stage.

Meanwhile MIA told passengers in the Departures Lounge that all flights have been delayed until further notice. At present Ryanair and Lufthansa planes are on the apron. Passengers are assuming that this would not be resolved quickly and are scrambling to get food and drinks.

Afriqiyah Airways operates from Sebha to Tripoli on Friday, leaving at 10.10am and arriving at 11.20am.

It operates another flight on Tuesdays.

The last major hijack incident in Malta took place in November 23, 1985 when an EgyptAir Boeing 737 plane was diverted to the island.

What followed was a 24-hour nightmare that ended in a bloody massacre with 62 people dead when Egyptian commandos stormed the plane.Only one of the three hijackers survived and was brought to justice.

Forty-three years ago then Prime Minster Dom Mintoff managed to negotiate the release of 247 passengers and eight air hostesses on board a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet which was also hijacked over Iraq and flown to Malta.

The passengers and air hostesses were released in return for fuel. The plane had been hijacked by Palestinian terrorists. The plane later left Malta and the hijackers eventually surrendered.

INDIA: Demonetisation Causing Incovenience To Tourists, Bookings Fall Rapidly

Raju Lakhani’s beachside restaurant here at this popular tourist strip in north Goa should have been packed this time of the year. But the tables at Moon Star are empty, and the restaurateur is a worried man.

“We have no customers,” he said. “Almost 90 percent of tourists are leaving because of the inconvenience caused by demonetisation.”

Lakhani said he now has no choice but to lay off workers. He is one of Goa’s many restaurant owners who are feeling the brunt of what is referred to as notebandi — the colloquial term for the ban on India’s Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, 86 percent by value of all bank notes.

At 2.8 percent, the travel and tourism sector in India grew faster last year than it did worldwide (2.3 percent). It contributed to 6.3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP)–including direct, indirect and induced contributions — and translated to Rs 8.3 lakh crore in 2015, according to this 2016 report by the World Trade And Tourism Council (WTTC), a forum for the travel and tourism industry.

Tourism is also a labour-intensive sector, creating 78 jobs for every million rupees invested, according to tourism ministry data. The agriculture sector creates 45 jobs for the same investment, and manufacturing, only 18.

Ever since 2009, the share of tourism in employment has consistently been over 10% of India’s workforce of 500 million workers. This means that the sector employs almost 50 million people–more than the population of Colombia.

In 2015, the number of foreign tourists visiting India was over 8 million, and earned the country foreign exchange earnings of almost Rs 1.35 lakh crore, a growth of 9.6 percent over 2014, according to tourism ministry data.

But if travel entrepreneurs like Lakhani start scaling down their businesses, all this could change.

In the weeks following notebandi, it was reported that foreign tourists were being inconvenienced. Bookings also fell rapidly in Kerala and Karnataka.

Raju Lakhani’s beachside restaurant here at this popular tourist strip in north Goa should have been packed this time of the year. But the tables at Moon Star are empty, and the restaurateur is a worried man.

“We have no customers,” he said. “Almost 90 percent of tourists are leaving because of the inconvenience caused by demonetisation.”

Lakhani said he now has no choice but to lay off workers. He is one of Goa’s many restaurant owners who are feeling the brunt of what is referred to as notebandi — the colloquial term for the ban on India’s Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, 86 percent by value of all bank notes.

At 2.8 percent, the travel and tourism sector in India grew faster last year than it did worldwide (2.3 percent). It contributed to 6.3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP)–including direct, indirect and induced contributions — and translated to Rs 8.3 lakh crore in 2015, according to this 2016 report by the World Trade And Tourism Council (WTTC), a forum for the travel and tourism industry.

Tourism is also a labour-intensive sector, creating 78 jobs for every million rupees invested, according to tourism ministry data. The agriculture sector creates 45 jobs for the same investment, and manufacturing, only 18.

Ever since 2009, the share of tourism in employment has consistently been over 10% of India’s workforce of 500 million workers. This means that the sector employs almost 50 million people–more than the population of Colombia.

Tourist woes: Cash crunch, long queues, exchange limits

In 2015, the number of foreign tourists visiting India was over 8 million, and earned the country foreign exchange earnings of almost Rs 1.35 lakh crore, a growth of 9.6 percent over 2014, according to tourism ministry data.

But if travel entrepreneurs like Lakhani start scaling down their businesses, all this could change.

In the weeks following notebandi, it was reported that foreign tourists were being inconvenienced. Bookings also fell rapidly in Kerala and Karnataka.

Will King and Hallam Baker-Howard, both UK citizens in their early 20s, landed in Mumbai on 28 November 2016 — 20 days after the imposition of notebandi. They found themselves in the midst of a cash crunch.

“We went from ATM to ATM in Mumbai during our first three days in India and there were huge lines snaking outside all of them,” King recounted. “Once, after waiting for 45 minutes, we reached the front of the queue, and the cash ran out.”

Governments of several countries, including the UK, Australia, and Canada, have issued travel advisories to their citizens about the money trouble they might encounter in India.

“It’s not just that we have to wait in line. I’m being charged a fee for every transaction of almost Rs 120 (1.5 British pounds),” said Baker-Howard. “Earlier, I would have withdrawn a large amount but now I have to do so every day and this is costing me a lot of money for no reason.”

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that ATM charges will be waived for customers until December 30, 2016, but that does not apply to foreign bank-account holders like Baker-Howard.

The cap on withdrawal has affected not only incoming tourists, but also outgoing Indians, as Scroll reported on 2 December 2016. Visitors were unable to withdraw more than Rs 2,000 in foreign currency, which is not adequate.

RBI regulations also declared that foreign tourists could only exchange currency worth upto Rs 5,000 a week until December 15, 2016. However, before the move, foreign passport holders were able to exchange as much as $3,000 (Rs 200,000). This means that visiting foreigners can now only exchange 2.5% of what they could before notebandi.

Tourists were, however, allowed to use a "pre-paid instrument" in exchange for foreign currency tendered. But this does not help those who have run out of foreign currency. Tourists leaving the country post-demonetisation have been unable to change more than Rs 5,000 into their own currency, although the average demand for re-encashment is Rs 20,400.

Wednesdays at Anjuna are usually a crowded affair with a weekly flea market underway. The lanes are lined with stalls selling everything from clothes, handicrafts, and jewellery to spices, curios, and food. On 14 December 2016, the whole market was deserted.

Abdul Qayoom and Ahmed Bhat sit outside A-Z Handicrafts waiting for customers. They have applied for a swipe machine so they can accept card payments. However, their requests have been repeatedly turned down for lack of residence proof.

Over 35% of tourists travel to India for leisure, according to 2010 tourism ministry data.

“People come here to spend their own money but they cannot access it,” said Qayoom. “This is ridiculous.”

Shack owners mostly set up shop during peak season and operate in cash. However, some, like the H2O bar in Calangute and Sunset Bar in Siolim, have ordered swipe machines. These are yet to arrive.

SAMOA: Digicel Samoa Plans To Go Into Tourism Industry With Brand New Hotel

Digicel Samoa’s Chief Executive Officer: Rory Condon.

Digicel Samoa is looking into joining the tourism industry through the development of a brand new hotel.

This was confirmed by Digicel Samoa’s Chief Executive Officer, Rory Condon during an interview where he stated that the company wishes to make the most of Samoa’s beauty.

Although no formal announcement have been made, Mr. Condon said that when the development is completed, it will benefit Samoa in many different ways.

“We haven’t yet made any formal announcements but what I can say is that Samoa is so beautiful,” he told the Samoa Observer.

“You have to pinch yourself sometimes when you look around and this beauty is the obvious attraction that prompted us to have a plan to build a hotel in Samoa.”

According to Mr. Condon, the telecommunication company has only the success of the tourism industry in mind with their hotel plans.

“It’s a plan that’s rooted in the future success of the Samoan tourism Industry,” he said.

“You only have to look at the enormous excitement of having Samoa up on the world stage after the recent boxing match I was at in Auckland.”

Mr. Condon also confirmed that this is a plan long in the making.

hief Executive Officer: Rory Condon.

Digicel Samoa is looking into joining the tourism industry through the development of a brand new hotel.

This was confirmed by Digicel Samoa’s Chief Executive Officer, Rory Condon during an interview where he stated that the company wishes to make the most of Samoa’s beauty.

Although no formal announcement have been made, Mr. Condon said that when the development is completed, it will benefit Samoa in many different ways.

“We haven’t yet made any formal announcements but what I can say is that Samoa is so beautiful,” he told the Samoa Observer.

“You have to pinch yourself sometimes when you look around and this beauty is the obvious attraction that prompted us to have a plan to build a hotel in Samoa.”

According to Mr. Condon, the telecommunication company has only the success of the tourism industry in mind with their hotel plans.

“It’s a plan that’s rooted in the future success of the Samoan tourism Industry,” he said.

“You only have to look at the enormous excitement of having Samoa up on the world stage after the recent boxing match I was at in Auckland.”

Mr. Condon also confirmed that this is a plan long in the making.

“I have been working on a plan for a couple of years now,” he said.

“Personally I come from a country that has built a strong, tourism economy while at the same time guarding its traditions and its cultures and playing to its unique strengths that attracts tourists.

“So it’s with this mindset that we put together a plan for a development in Apia. We work really closely with the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labor (M.C.I.L.) as well as other government departments who support our vision.”

Furthermore, Mr. Condon says that it’s an exciting time for tourism and that this development will seek to benefit the nation greatly.

“It’s (plans) still early days and we expect to be developing sometime in the middle of next year but it’s a really exciting time for tourism in Samoa,” he said.

“There have been many very fantastic developments built in this current year and my view is I believe that rising tides lift all boats and our development will occupy some space in Samoa.

“It will attract a new centre of tourists and employ many Samoans so it will benefit Samoans right across.

We are very excited about this project.”

INDIA: Priyanka Chopra Is Now Brand Ambassador Of Assam Tourism

The state government had approached the actor and a few other celebrities after cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar turned down the offer.

Actor Priyanka Chopra will be the face of Assam tourism for two years, the state government announced on Monday. Assam Tourism Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said they had already signed a two-year contract with her “free of cost”, PTI reported. “We’ll only have to pay her during shooting and also for print advertisements as she will do so by leaving aside other work,” he said.

The Assam administration had first approached cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to be the brand ambassador. After he turned down the offer, they had approached a few other celebrities, Sarma said.

For her first appearance as the brand ambassador for Assam tourism, Chopra will visit Guwahati on December 24 to participate in the International Tour Operators Conclave, according to the minister. “With her, we’ll go global with countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Germany, among others,” he said. “Her association will definitely help Assam attract more national as well as global.

TANZANIA: Bujora Museum And The Sukuma People

Located about 20 kilometres east of Mwanza is a special piece of the Sukuma tribe history and a must-visit destination for anyone travelling to this northern Tanzania port city.

The Bujora Museum is uniquely Sukuma, drawing inspiration from the ancient traditional practices of Tanzania’s biggest tribe. The Sukuma are said to have arrived in northwestern Tanzania as early as the 15th Century and conquered the natives of the area and established the Sukuma Kingdom here.

“Sukuma means northerners,” says Felix Mugongo, a Sukuma who works as a guide at the museum. “We are called Sukuma because we came from the north. Some historians say we came from Congo, while others say we came down following the River Nile from Somalia.”

The Bujora Museum was established in 1968 by the late Father David Clement after the French-Canadian priest – who was back then in charge of the Bujora Parish Catholic Church – was impressed by the Sukuma way of life.

“His aim was to find a way of blending the Sukuma culture with Christianity,” Mugongo says of the priest who installed black statues of Jesus and Virgin Mary in the Church as one of his ideas of blending the Sukuma culture with Christianity.

“Even though he was a priest, David encouraged the use of traditional medicine, only that he did not like the way the Sukuma traditional healers diagnosed diseases – like by sacrificing a chicken or through dreams,” Mugongo says.

Since its inception close to five decades ago, Bujora Museum has served as a useful resource centre for those interested in learning about the rich traditional culture of the Sukuma, a people who still inhabit this area.

The museum offers a detailed overview of the fascinating history of the Sukuma. For instance, can you imagine that one of the drums that were made by King Songa in 1505 still exists? Or did you know that in the traditional Sukuma culture it was a taboo to kill a snake because for a human being to encounter one was considered a blessing? How about the fact that the Sukuma used to dance (and still do) while cuddling a live python? Well, neither did I, until recently when I visited the Bujora Museum.

During my visit, I found three pythons that are nurtured from a small one-room house in the museum. Some Sukuma dancers, my guide told me, still perform with the deadly pythons.
“We still have one dance group at the centre that performs with the pythons as a way of preserving our culture,” says Mugongo, adding that sometimes dancers deliberately let the deadly snake bite them just for “effect”.

“But these snakes have been treated and are no longer poisonous,” he says.

Dance was an integral part of the Sukuma culture. In the olden days, the Sukuma used to organise dance competitions featuring different clans, each trying to win over the audience with innovative props. Most groups performed with different farming implements, while others used distinctive objects such as pythons.

Another intriguing thing in the museum is a replica of the traditional Sukuma house, a small hut where some of the most important household assets such as herbs, pots, baskets and gourds that were used as spoons are displayed.

The traditional Sukuma house was windowless and had a tiny door that was just about three feet high, meaning that one had to bend down a great deal in order to enter the house.
“The door was made like that for security reasons,” says Mugongo. “That presented a very big challenge for an intruder because he couldn’t enter the house without being noticed first by its occupants.”

In the royal hut – which is set apart by its majestic size and a roof pinnacle that is decorated with shells – the contents include the king’s seat that was carved out of a single piece of wood, the mancala game board, stools, crowns, and musical instruments like drums, among other items.

Also quite interesting is the hut of the medicine man, which features photographs of some well-known Sukuma traditional healers holding some of their tools of the trade such as cow horns.
But while the traditional Sukuma dwelling is certainly attention-grabbing, it isn’t the only thing that attracts at least 200 visitors to this museum per week.

Bujora Museum also boasts a couple of drums that have existed for more than 100 years which, according to Mugongo, were important instruments not just for playing music but also communication.

“For instance,” he says, “when someone died the drum was played to call people to assembly, where the death announcement would be made.”

The open-air museum, which is under the management of the Bujora Parish Catholic Church, charges entrance fees of Tsh15,000 for non-East Africans, Tsh10,000 for East Africans who are non-Tanzanians and Tsh3,000 for locals.

Those who wish to stay the night at the museum pay Tsh10,000 for a cottage per night.

GERMANY: Lufthansa Acquires All Shares In Brussels Airlines

As of 2018 will Brussels Airlines be fully integrated into the Lufthansa Group and join the Eurowings Group. Brussels Airlines, including its attractive Brussels market, its well established Africa network and its advantageous cost structure which has allowed the leading Belgian airline to successfully compete with the tough low-cost competition in the Belgian market, will further strengthen the Lufthansa Group and Eurowings Group market position.

After the agreement of Lufthansa and the shareholders of SN Airholding on the modalities of the complete take-over, Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s Executive Board decided yesterday to exercise the call option for the outstanding 55 percent of the shares. The call option comes into effect by 31st of December 2016. The closing of the transaction will happen by the beginning of January 2017.

The price for the take-over of the remaining 55 percent of the shares had already been part of the agreement for the call option in 2008. The price for the acquisition of the remaining 55 percent of the shares is 2.6 million euro, which will be transferred to a consortium of 30 shareholders.

'Following the acquisition of the 45% share of SN Airholding eight years ago, we now want to take a next step in our already very solid and successful cooperation. As a longstanding shareholder and partner of Brussels Airlines, we are already closely linked to each other. Therefore we value Belgium and especially Brussels as highly attractive markets that perfectly complement our offer in the heart of Europe.

Brussels Airlines already has a very competitive cost structure and brings a well-established long-haul network, especially to and from Africa, to the Lufthansa Group portfolio. We also very much appreciate the high qualification, motivation and performance of the 3,500 Brussels Airlines employees'

UGANDA: Uganda Expects To Earn $700M From Bird Watching Tourists

Uganda, home to more than half of Africa’s bird population, seeks to earn over $700 million from its rich birding variety over the next decade, government officials said during the Africa Birding Expo held in Entebbe from 18-21 November.

The East African nation hosted the event for the first time at Botanical Gardens in Entebbe and hopes to use the show to increase its tourism revenue. Tourism currently contributes about 10 percent of the country’s GDP.

“We have more birds than U.S. and Europe combined but they earn more than us. We are targeting 100,000 birders who will bring in $700 million a year in the next 10 years,” New Vision quoted Stephen Asiimwe, the chief executive officer of Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), saying.

The event which attracted over 100 exhibitors from Africa and across the world, is organized by UTB and Uganda Safari Guides and funded by the World Bank in efforts to showcase the country’s vast bird heritage.

Uganda has over 1,000 bird species but its tourism numbers are about 500 visitors every year, paltry figures compared to other nations like the U.S., which attracts about 17 million bird watchers every year despite its paltry number of species.

The East African nation has about 10 percent of the world’s bird population.

Some of the most sought-after birds in Africa that are found in Uganda include Shoebill, Fox’s weaver, Black bee-eater, Rwenzori Turaco and the Green-breasted pitta, which are mainly found in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Ichuya Forest and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park, found in the western region of East Africa’s second biggest economy has over 600 species, the highest for any protected area across the continent.

The Ugandan government is increasing its efforts to tap more earnings from this rich bird diversity, through extensive training of its bird guides, developing infrastructure to help tourists access the birds easily and improved marketing of sector as a major tourism attraction product.

RWANDA: Lion Found Dead In Akagera National Park.

One of the seven lions that were in 2015 translocated to the Akagera National Park from South Africa has been found dead.

Garuka is thought to have died of injuries sustained while attempting a kill following reports that her collar stopped emitting a satellite signal about a year ago.

“Rangers would regularly track her in the field, using the VHF transmitter, however, we were unable to follow her movements as closely as the others who continue to emit a satellite signal every eight hours,” Akagera National Park said in a facebook post.

“Rangers tracking Garuka last week came across her collar and remains. Garuka was in good condition last time she was seen by park rangers. There were no signs of illegal activity in the area and since she was hunting alone we suspect that she may have died of injuries sustained while attempting a kill.”

But it’s not all doom and gloom. On the heels of Garuka’s death, Akagera National Park has reported a boost for these endangered species as one of the lionesses has given birth to two cubs.
“We are pleased to share that rangers tracking Amahoro were able to confirm what we had been suspecting; she has given birth to two cubs! This is Amahoro’s first litter and the cubs are estimated to be around two months old,” park management said in a facebook post.

“Shema and her three seven-month-old cubs are doing well and sisters Umwari and Kazi have been seen with their four cubs by tourists for the first time recently. The sad loss of Garuka, and the addition of Amahoro’s cubs brings the number of lions in Akagera to 15,” Akagera National Park said.

UGANDA: Pearl Of Africa Tourism Expo, Please Attend.

The Uganda Tourism Board will be hosting the third PEARL OF AFRICA TOURISM EXPO (POATE 2017) between the 17th to 19th of February 2017 at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, Uganda.

The main aim of hosting POATE is to create a common networking platform for the Ugandan tourism industry but also for stakeholders from the wider region as well as the overseas tourism source markets.

UTB's vision, working with tourism partners, is to develop POATE into one of the most effective networking platforms in the East African Region within the shortest time possible. Towards that end is POATE seeking to invite only those buyers and media personnel that will exceed the expectations of the sellers and guarantee a 'return on investment' for the country.

It was confirmed earlier today that UTB intends to bring in at least a hundred hosted buyers and tourism / travel media from USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Russia, Australia, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain, Finland, Brazil, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Japan, India, UAE, Morocco, India, Malaysia, China and as well as South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Nigeria from the African region.

For further information about POATE please get in contact with the:

Pearl of Africa Expo Desk
c/o Uganda Tourism Board
Plot 42 Windsor Crescent, Kololo
P.O. Box 7211 Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 414 342 196/7 | Fax: +256 414 342 188

UGANDA: Discover Soroti, Visiting Moru Apesur Is Exciting

Soroti is located 100km to the north-west of Mbale town and if you are using private means of transport it will take you over six hours from Kampala to get there — passing through Lugazi, Jinja, Iganga and Mbale, among other districts.

Soroti town is a little gem right across the majestic Mount Elgon. The town has been in existence for centuries and is the headquarters of Soroti district, which is bordered by other districts such as Serere in the south, Kaberamaido in the west, Kumi in the east and Amuria in the west.

The most recent population census carried out in the district estimated Soriti to be inhabited by approximately 344,000 people, with the biggest number being women. In Soroti, speaking Ateso, Kumam, English and Kiswahili can help you get around, even a little Luganda is useful if the other languages are hard for you to speak.

Even though the biggest part of the town is rocky, you will find that there is a lot of farming going on here, with most of the farmland used to grow millet, maize, sweet potatoes, oranges, lemon and cotton, among other common crops in the region.

The little town is a bustle of energy despite the slow pace on the outskirts. Even on Sundays, you will find that most businesses are open, including especially the wholesale dealers and supermarkets. As it is in most of the busy districts in eastern Uganda, most of the supermarkets and petrol stations open are owned by people of Asian and Somali origin. They have been thriving here for years although the numbers decreased during Amin’s regime when the former Ugandan president told them to get lost.

The first things that you will notice are the beautiful rock structures on your way into Soroti town and then a lone one in the town that seems to act as a shield for the artistic town. There are over three big rocks that could be over 20 feet high on the way from Mbale to Soroti, and each one is composed of other small rocks that look like someone picked them and piled one on top of the other to make a hill which makes for a beautiful sight!

The Moru Opiyai rock in the town must be the highest of the rocks. Although not as wide, it starkly stands out surrounded by modern buildings with people going around minding their own business in its midst. As a safety measure, you will need permission to climb the Moru Opiyai rock, which is steep and quite rocky; a trained guide with good equipment can make the process easy for you.

The structures in Soroti are reminiscent of the 1950s, giving the town a vintage feel to it even though there are new buildings being set up with modern designs. There are enough good accommodations for you to enjoy a comfortable stay in the town at prices that do not break the bank. You can get a hotel within the city centre or one out of town but no matter where you choose there will be something good.

The best part about Soroti that will surprise you is that there are no expectations for a good nightlife until the night approaches and you start noticing different bars and nightclubs coming to life. It is quite surprising because you do not expect to find anything that can suit you for a night about town in Soroti.

Whether it is under a huge maple tree or in a state-of-the-art designed discotheque, everyone has a place to go and unwind. People in Soroti like having a good time, as is the case in most parts of Uganda. So, you will find the bars open till morning and nightclubs such as Trends and Strikers open with a DJ mixing music for the revellers till the last person finds their way home at dawn.

When in Soroti, make some time to pass by the muchomo joints especially in Pamba, the tree shed restaurants make a delicious tray packed with soft well-marinated meats, avocado, cabbages and Irish potatoes. In Uganda, this is called a “Lusaniya” since all meats, vegetables and other items are mixed together and served on a huge round tray. There is something heartwarming and simplistic when you share food with your friends as you listen to local music blaring in the neighbourhood on a warm Sunday afternoon.

And if you do not want to drive all the way back to Kampala, you can take a flight from the Soroti Airfield that is also home to the Soroti Flying School, established in 1971 as the East African Civil Aviation Flying School of Excellence under the Directorate of Civil Aviation of the East African Community. They, do not have a regular flight schedule so it is advisable to ask beforehand if there will be any flights to Kampala.

Either way, on your way back to Kampala with Mount Elgon right ahead of you standing majestic as it has for millions of years, your heart might sink a little. Soroti has a way of burrowing its way into your heart with its warm people and the beautiful landscapes. Make sure to go back and get a second or many more fills of the little beautiful rocky town.

ETHIOPIA: Tourism Revenue Goes Down Due To Protests

Ethiopia’s tourism revenue has taken a massive dip in the wake of anti-government protests that started a year ago. The Horn of Africa country is projected to lose about 400 million dollars from tourism in the current budget year.

Millions of dollars was lost in tourism revenue. The tourism ministry’s disclosure that income from the sector had fallen by more than $7m (£5.5m) over the last quarter alone.

A local media portal said the country had planned to generate 3 billion dollars from tourism this year but the current shortfall had forced the government to revise its targets.

The government declared a six-month long state of emergency in October as part of efforst to quell the protests. Most of the protests were in the Oromo and Amhara regions. The clampdown by security agencies led to international calls for the government to respect the rights of protesters.

Ethiopia is a preferred tourist destination for people from around the world. It is estimated that in 2015, over 900,000 tourists visited Ethiopia – famous for its rock-hewn churches, highlands and national parks.

But tour operators report of increase in cancellation of reservations by tourists after the US, UK and several other countries issued travel advisories, warning citizens against all but essential travel to Ethiopia.

SWAZILAND: Inyatsi Swazi Frontier Supporting Local Communties

The Inyatsi Swazi Frontier, now in its eleventh year, brought together over 180 cyclists from all over the world to make Swaziland the centre stage. With cyclists from neighbouring countries Mozambique and South Africa, and as far as Canada, United Kingdom and Malaysia, this event has now become a global spectacle.

The Inyatsi Swazi Frontier is an annual mountain bike race held over 3 days in the North West corner of Swaziland. The route is carefully designed to showcase some of Swaziland’s most spectacular and scenic mountains and valleys, from Malolotja to Pigg’s Peak.

The social responsibility of the Inyatsi Swazi Frontier is at the forefront of the event.

"We are cognisant of the fact that this event takes place through some of the poorest communities of our country, hence it became not just imperative but also humane for us to give back to the same communities," explains Brett Foss, event director.

In an interview, Foss revealed that the Inyatsi Swazi Frontier has built a classroom, kitchen and store room, a toilet block, and erected a water tank at Sokhula Pre- School Care Point and Sebenta Adult Education Centre in Nginamadvolo. Nginamadvolo is a rural community that thrives on subsistence farming.

The Inyatsi Swazi Frontier, now in its eleventh year, brought together over 180 cyclists from all over the world to make Swaziland the centre stage. With cyclists from neighbouring countries Mozambique and South Africa, and as far as Canada, United Kingdom and Malaysia, this event has now become a global spectacle.

The Inyatsi Swazi Frontier is an annual mountain bike race held over 3 days in the North West corner of Swaziland. The route is carefully designed to showcase some of Swaziland’s most spectacular and scenic mountains and valleys, from Malolotja to Pigg’s Peak.

The social responsibility of the Inyatsi Swazi Frontier is at the forefront of the event.

"We are cognisant of the fact that this event takes place through some of the poorest communities of our country, hence it became not just imperative but also humane for us to give back to the same communities," explains Brett Foss, event director.

In an interview, Foss revealed that the Inyatsi Swazi Frontier has built a classroom, kitchen and store room, a toilet block, and erected a water tank at Sokhula Pre- School Care Point and Sebenta Adult Education Centre in Nginamadvolo. Nginamadvolo is a rural community that thrives on subsistence farming.

SWAZILAND: Visiting Swaziland 2017

First opening in 1967, Hlane Royal National park, home to largest herds of game in the country, celebrates 50 years in 2017. The word Hlane means 'wilderness' in siSwati. Here visitors can track the country's lion population, elephant and rhino. Due to outstanding anti-poaching success, only 3 rhinos have been poached in Swaziland in the last 20 years, compared with up to 5 a day in other African countries.

Sibebe Rock is the second largest freestanding rock in the world, pipped to the top by Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia. But Swaziland has its own thoughts o this as Ayers rock has many cracks, meaning it is not a whole piece! Not only do we think its bigger, Sibebe is nearly 2.5 billion years old too. Whilst baron-looking Ayers Rock sees over 500,000 visitors a year, Sibebe has beautifully vegetated cliffs and for the moment offers peace and solitude as you wander its trails. It even has a population of wild horses living amongst the grasslands, but don't let them drag you away!

A perfect and compact choice for adventure seekers - Swaziland offers caving, canopy tours, tubing, rafting or even climbing to the highest summit in Swaziland, Emlembe. Explore Swaziland by bike and have the opportunity to cycle alongside zebras on a mountain bike safari - you will not be lost for things to do.

Swazi crafts are hitting the catwalk! High quality arts & crafts that support local communities have become a mainstay of Swaziland. These include the likes of KhoKho, a boutique handbag company that is made by the hands of local women in Swaziland and so stylish it commands a £460 price tag. These exquisite bags have been featured in Vogue, Elle, and Condé Nast Traveller.

Wednesday 21 December 2016

UGANDA: Important Mountain Gorilla Dies In Accident

Conservationists in Uganda are mourning the death of a 28-year-old gorilla who died Sunday morning after falling off a tree branch in Bwindi impenetrable National Park, Southwest of the country.

Named Ndahura, the gorilla was from a dominant silverback of the Bitukura family of gorillas.

“This morning it was a sad day for Uganda when we lost Ndahura, at a tender age of 28 years, the silverback (dominant male) of the Bitukura family. He fell down when the branch he was sitting on broke,” Said Uganda Wildlife Authority Chief Executive Andrew Seguya

Dr Seguya added that: “We however, believe that his next line, Rukumu will take over the family and keep it together and so if this happens, we don’t expect much effect on tourism,” he added.

Uganda earns about Shs10billion is realized from the sale of gorilla permits annually with every ticket being sold at $600.

SWAZILAND: Explore 'Undiscovered Swaziland'!

UK's only Swaziland-specialist tour operator, Sense Africa, in conjunction with Undiscovered Destinations, have a new and exciting scheduled departure tour running in September 2017. With 11 nights in Swaziland this is fantastic opportunity to fully explore this little-known African Kingdom and experience its highlights.

There are still places available on this first ever 'Undiscovered Swaziland' itinerary so please take a look at the details from Sense Africa below and contact them directly for further information and bookings.

Undiscovered Swaziland
Swaziland is a welcoming Kingdom with wonderfully stunning landscapes, friendly people and up close and personal wildlife sightings. Walk within the reserves, learning to track animals, and truly immerse yourself into the African bush where your senses come alive!

Swaziland is bound tightly with its culture and there will be opportunities to see traditional dancing and to hear beautifully harmonised singing. In the communities you will be welcomed into their homes and their hearts.

Dates: 17 - 30 Sept 2017

Itinerary:
Days 1 - 4: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. Wildlife on foot.
Days 5 - 6: Foresters Arms. Visit magical Malolotja.
Days 7 - 8: Mkhaya Game Reserve. Track black rhino.
Days 9 - 11: Hlane Royal National Park. Big Game safari.

Price: £3,275 pp sharing
Single supplement of £225 pp.
Price includes flights to Swaziland, all transfers in Swaziland, accommodation, all meals, activities, park entrance fees and professional guide for the duration.

Group size: group of 2 - 12

Duration: 11 nights in glorious Swaziland.

Accommodation: Traditional and unique accommodation. Wake up to wildlife, serene.
Transport: Private vehicle between reserves and open land rovers within reserves when on safari.