FRANCE: Mirazur Named Worlds Best Restaurant

Mirazur is a restaurant in Menton, France rated with three stars by the Michelin Guide.

The restaurant is run by Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco, who previously worked with Bernard Loiseau, Alain Passard, Alain Ducasse and Guy Martin.

He opened Mirazur in 2006, aged 29. He was awarded his first Michelin star within a year, followed by the second star in 2012. In 2019, Colagreco became the first chef not born in France to be awarded three stars in the French edition of the Guide Michelin.

The restaurant was voted 35th best in the world in 2009's Restaurant (magazine) Top 50, 24th in 2012, 28th in 2013.

In 2014, a second Michelin Star was awarded to Mirazur improving its standing significantly from 28th to 11th, subsequently to 6th in 2016.

The restaurant took 4th place in 2017 World's 50 Best Restaurants list and in 2018 took a top 3 spot by being awarder 3rd place.

In 2019, Mirazur was named "Best restaurant in the world"

The Test Kitchen in Cape Town has been named as the 44th best restaurant in the world by British trade magazine ‘Restaurant’ following an awards ceremony in Singapore that was graded by a panel of experts including chefs, restaurant owners and food critics.

The eatery, situated at The Biscuit Mill in Cape Town’s popular Woodstock district, opened in 2010 and has been collecting national and international food critic awards since then.

Owned by restauranteur Luke Dale-Roberts, the menu is a blend of eclectic South African fusion dishes that see the bookings piling up weeks – and even months – in advance.

The full top fifty restaurant list is

1: Mirazur (Menton, France)

2: Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)

3: Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)

4: Gaggan (Bankok, Thailand)

5: Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark)

6: Central (Lima, Peru)

7: Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)

8: Arpege (Paris, France)

9: Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain)

10: Maido (Lima, Peru)

11: Den (Tokyo, Japan)

12: Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)

13: White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)

14: Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain)

15: Septime (Paris, France)

16: Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)

SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town Is Most Biologically Diverse City On Earth

Cape Town was recently named the most biologically diverse city on Earth, but its natural beauty is under threat according to a new study.

Cape Town was named the most biologically diverse city on Earth in the first ever City Nature Challenge.

The challenge, which began in the US in 2016, is an international effort to get citizens to record plant and animal species, and to see which city can make the most observations and record the most creatures.

It started out as a battle between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but went global in 2018.

In 2019, Cape Town won by a long margin. We did not just win the challenge, Tony Rebelo, a senior scientist at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi) said. We totally outperformed all other cities when it came to species.

The city boasts 53 763 observations by 1 141 people and recorded 4 588 different species. Its closest competition, La Paz in Bolivia, saw 46 931 observations and 3 006 species recorded – even though it had more people (1 500) trying to observe species.

San Diego County in the US came third, with 38 241 observations of 3 019 species.

The Cape is home to the smallest of the planet’s six floral kingdoms. The Cape Floral Kingdom has a high number of unique species that are found nowhere else on the planet.

In the meantime, the Cape’s natural treasure seems to be under threat according to a new study published in the scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

According to the study the Cape has experienced the second highest plant species extinction rate since 1900 at 37, after Hawaii which has lost 79 species.

Rebelo estimates that 13 plant species are already extinct in the city, and this is having a knock-on effect on insects, amphibians and other animals. “Cape Town has a huge responsibility for conservation of our biodiversity.”


Tourism Observer

AFRICA: Radisson Blu Is The Leading Individual Hotel Brand In Africa

Radisson Blu has for a second year in a row, secured the leading position as the hotel brand with the most hotels under development and the most hotel deals in its pipeline in Africa, according to the recently published 2019 W Hospitality Pipeline Report.

Radisson Blu, part of the Radisson Hotel Group™ took over as the fastest growing hotel brand in Africa last year and has for a second year claimed the title with the recent release of W Hospitality Pipeline Report 2019, the most authoritative source on the growth of the hotel industry in Africa.

The report has ranked Radisson Blu as the leading individual hotel brand with the highest number of hotel deals and within this pipeline, the largest number of rooms and proportion of its pipeline actually under construction, in Africa.

The Group's upper midscale brand, Park Inn by Radisson, has also entered the same top 10 brand list, securing the fifth position.

We are thrilled to see our flagship brand, Radisson Blu, continuing to lead the way in Africa with the most hotel deals signed and the most hotel rooms under construction, than any of the other 120 hotel brands it was ranked against.

This is a true testament of our agility as a hotel group, as we can move quickly from deal signing to hotel opening. As referenced in the report, we had several hotels which were signed and opened within the same year.

This is aligned with our development strategy, as we expect our future growth to arise from existing hotel take-overs and new build hotels.

With economic headwinds in some African markets, we have identified further opportunities to exploit our vast knowledge and experience in converting unbranded, underperforming hotels, offices or apartment buildings and re-position them to the right brand and market segment within the Radisson Hotel Group brand portfolio, says Andrew Mclachlan, Senior Vice President, Development, Sub-Saharan Africa, Radisson Hotel Group.

This growth has spiked Radisson Hotel Group's portfolio in Africa to 99 hotels (20,500+ rooms) in operation and under development across 32 countries.

We aim to add a further 12 hotels to our African portfolio this year, which will take us well over the 100 hotel mark by year end and confidently on our way to securing 130 hotels by the end of 2022.

Our five-year development strategy focuses on creating scaled hotel growth in key cities and resort locations across Africa.

With a focus on scaled growth in key locations across Africa, we can offer guests multiple hotels across different brands and market segments, at various price points and improved local hotel performance with strong local procurement and cluster select services in the same city.

Cape Town, Johannesburg and Lagos are our three gateway cities in sub-Saharan Africa where we aim to have scaled growth and an ambition of up to ten hotels within the same city.

Dakar, Abidjan, Douala, Luanda, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Addis Ababa are cities where we aim to have between three and five hotels due to the size of the economy, market, long-term fundamentals and supply and demand opportunities.

In addition, we are not ignoring the smaller cities and larger towns across Africa where we've identified potential to penetrate the market with either our midscale Park Inn by Radisson brand or upscale Radisson, concludes Mclachlan.

AFRICA: Taxify Operates In More African Cities Than Uber.

Ride-hailing company Taxify is taking the fight for market share in Africa with Uber to places where Uber isn’t.

The Estonian company which has grown to become Uber’s biggest rival in Africa is pursuing an expansion strategy that’s focused on not only operating in major cities across Africa, like Uber does.

Taxify has also been expanding to smaller cities and now operates in more African cities than Uber.

In Nigeria, in addition to Lagos and Abuja, the only two cities where Uber currently operates, Taxify has launched operations in Ibadan, Nigeria’s largest city by land size, and Owerri, a bustling commercial center in the southeast.

While neither city matches Lagos or Abuja as urban centers, they have sizable business districts and populations of over 1 million people each.

In Tanzania, while Uber has stuck only to Dar es Salaam, Taxify operates there as well as in Dodoma, the nation’s capital and in Mwanza, a tourism hotbed on the shore on Lake Victoria.

In South Africa, Taxify continues to compete with Uber in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth but has also expanded to Polokwane.

It is set to also launch in East London later this month—a move that will see it surpass Uber for the number of African cities operated in. It will also mean Taxify operates more cities in South Africa than anywhere else.

Much of Taxify’s expansion has been bankrolled by its recent $175 million capital raise—a funding round which valued the company at more than $1 billion.

Taxify’s backers include Daimler, the German car giant and Didi Chuxing, the dominant ride-hailing business in China which is also known for backing Uber’s rivals elsewhere.

As it continues to grow and attempt to win over riders, Taxify’s lower commissions on fares are also a tactic to win over drivers.

For its part, Uber, which has now operated in African cities for five years, is also eyeing more expansion with Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mauritius among potential targets.

And showing a willingness to adapt to local markets, it has also introduced lower cost ride-hailing options with rickshaws in Kenya and motorcycles in Uganda.


Tourism Observer

SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town's Water Crisis Has Not Affected Hotel Room Occupancy

According to the 2018 African Hotel Valuation Index, Cape Town's water crisis did not hurt the city's hotel room occupancy over the past year.

In fact, hotel room values in the province increased by 25 percent in 2017.

The South African and African hotel markets have benefited from economic growth, foreign investment and political stability in a number of countries on the continent, the Index reported.

Cape Town’s recovery in the coming years is expected because of a stronger economy, the recent announcement that there would be no Day Zero for 2019 if water restrictions are adhered to and an anticipated faster growth in foreign and domestic tourism.

Increase in regional tourism, both business and leisure, improving air connectivity across the continent, evolution in politics, increased room night demand and domestic consumption are all positive steps in the right direction for the fast-developing continent.

To ensure continued support from local travelers in particular, hoteliers need to start appealing to local demand and not relying on international visitors.

The fifth edition of the HVI analysed the hotel values of 26 markets operating in 19 African countries.

The Index surveyed in excess of 75,000 existing and 11,500 proposed rooms in the upper mid-market and higher space.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Kenya Airways To Fly 10 Times A Week On Non-stop Flights To Cape Town And Commence Daily Flights To New York In October

Kenya Airways (KQ) will fly to Cape Town 10 times weekly following the introduction of direct flights to the South African city on Wednesday.

The three non-stop flights will depart Nairobi every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday as the carrier stretches its wings to capture the African market.

We are indeed very proud to increase our frequencies to South Africa to cater for the growing number of our customers who travel between Nairobi and Cape Town.

In addition to enhancing Africa integration, this new route will be beneficial to the tourism industry as it establishes vital links with our global network, said Kenya Airways Chief Commercial Officer Vincent Coste.

The national carrier began flying the Cape Town route via Livingstone in 2016, with seven weekly flights to the South African capital. This in addition to the three non-stop flights brings the tally to 10.

The carrier is set to have its maiden flights to New York as well as introduction of direct flights to Mauritius.

The carrier already has a pre-existing code sharing agreement with Air Mauritius, which flies between Port Louis and Nairobi.

This will mean that passengers from Kenya will from June have the option of flying daily to Mauritius.

KQ flies to 42 African destinations out of a total 51 globally.

Kenya Airways is set to commence daily flights between Nairobi and New York in October, marking a milestone for the national carrier that will cut the flight time between the two cities by more than seven hours.

Travellers have begun booking advance tickets for the airline’s maiden flight to the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Kenya Airways has already secured a landing slot at JFK.

The trans-Atlantic flights, scheduled to depart Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 10:30pm every day, will last 15 hours.

This is a reduction from the current flight time of over 22 hours, including lengthy layovers.

We are currently loading the flights onto our system. We shall go live and ready for bookings on Thursday, says Kenya Airways chairman Michael Joseph in a telephone interview.

The launch of direct flights between Kenya and the United States will mark a significant milestone for the business and for the country.

Passengers travelling to JFK will arrive at 6.30 a.m., in time for morning meetings, while the return flight from JKF will depart at 1.30 p.m. and arrive in Nairobi at 10.30 a.m. the next day.

Each trip will have a maximum of 234 passengers, 204 in Economy and the rest in Business Class of the national carrier’s Dreamliner aircraft.

Kenya Airways, known in short as KQ, had announced its preference to operate the flights through a code-share partnership with US carrier Delta Airlines, its SkyTeam partner.

Delta, Virgin Atlantic and KLM Air France are KQ joint venture partner and shareholder are, however, currently working out a time-consuming merger, which has seen KQ opt to go it alone for now.

When this merger is over, we may add another flight to the US with a connecting flight through West Africa, said Mr Joseph.

The government, KQ’s top shareholder, has recently stepped up its campaign to actualise direct flights to America, with the Uhuru Kenyatta administration anticipating it will boost exports to the US and help jumpstart the tourism sector.

With about 100,000 tourists visiting Kenya every year for leisure and business, the US remains the top source of visitors into Kenya from the Americas, according to Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) data

Imports from the US stood at Sh47.8 billion in 2016, mostly consisting of machinery and equipment while exports, mostly garments and apparels, stood at Sh43.4 billion.

Kenya has recently implemented a raft of recommendations by the US government to enhance security, among them separation of passenger arrival and departure terminals, clearing the flight path and fencing off the airport.

As a result, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last February gave Kenya the Category One rating, paving the way for direct flights subject to other permits being received by the airport and KQ.

Mr Joseph now says the airline has secured all but two permits required for it to fly to the US, a position the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) director-general, Gilbert Kibe, confirmed.

JFK is yet to be cleared as the last point of departure, a security-based permit to be issued by the US Transportation Security Administration, said Mr Kibe.

The other outstanding permit is the technical authority to operate from the FAA. I am confident that KQ will receive the two in time.

Mr Joseph, who also exuded optimism about securing the twin clearances, said it was standard airline practice to put ticket up for sale at the closing preparatory stages of entering a new market.

JKIA’s longstanding second-class status forced passengers flying from Kenya to the US to transit through Europe, the Middle East or the four African countries, South Africa, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, and Nigeria whose airports have the designation.

Airlines plying the JKIA and JFK route include Turkish Airlines (through Istanbul), Qatar Airways (through Doha) and British Airways (through Heathrow), KLM (through Amsterdam) and Emirates (through Dubai and/or Italy).

Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways also have flights to the US while RwandAir hopes to commence such flights later this year.

KQ’s foray into the US comes at a time when the airline is facing an uphill task to turnaround its fortunes, with a recent restructuring of its balance sheet seen as the last chance.

The airline’s management, which recently announced a Sh3.8 billion half-year net loss for the business, hopes that the new route will help boost the their flat revenues.

Imports from the US stood at Sh47.8 billion in 2016, mostly consisting of machinery and equipment while exports, mostly garments and apparels, stood at Sh43.4 billion.

Kenya has recently implemented a raft of recommendations by the US government to enhance security, among them separation of passenger arrival and departure terminals, clearing the flight path and fencing off the airport.

As a result, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last February gave Kenya the Category One rating, paving the way for direct flights subject to other permits being received by the airport and KQ.

Mr Joseph now says the airline has secured all but two permits required for it to fly to the US, a position the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) director-general, Gilbert Kibe, confirmed.

JFK is yet to be cleared as the last point of departure, a security-based permit to be issued by the US Transportation Security Administration, said Mr Kibe.

“The other outstanding permit is the technical authority to operate from the FAA. I am confident that KQ will receive the two in time.”

Optimistic

Mr Joseph, who also exuded optimism about securing the twin clearances, said it was standard airline practice to put ticket up for sale at the closing preparatory stages of entering a new market.

JKIA’s longstanding second-class status forced passengers flying from Kenya to the US to transit through Europe, the Middle East or the four African countries — South Africa, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, and Nigeria — whose airports have the designation.

Airlines plying the JKIA and JFK route include Turkish Airlines (through Istanbul), Qatar Airways (through Doha) and British Airways (through Heathrow), KLM (through Amsterdam) and Emirates (through Dubai and/or Italy).

Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways also have flights to the US while RwandAir hopes to commence such flights later this year.

KQ’s foray into the US comes at a time when the airline is facing an uphill task to turnaround its fortunes, with a recent restructuring of its balance sheet seen as the last chance.

The airline’s management, which recently announced a Sh3.8 billion half-year net loss for the business, hopes that the new route will help boost the their flat revenues.

Kenya Airways' destinations outside Africa are:

- Guangzhou, China

- Paris, France

- Hong Kong, China

- Mumbai, India

- Amsterdam, Netherlands

- Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

- Bangkok, Thailand

- London, United Kingdom

- Hanoi, Vietnam

- Dubai, UAE

Kenya Airways (KQ) has been feted as Africa’s leading airline at the 24th Annual World Travel Awards held in Kigali, Rwanda.

This is the second consecutive year the national carrier has won the coveted title, beating other nominees including South African Airways, RwandAir, EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc.

KQ was also named the winner in the Business Class category for the fifth consecutive year, while Ethiopian Airlines bagged the award in the Economy Class category - winning it for the fifth year in a row.

Winning these awards would not have been possible without the passion and dedication of the Kenya Airways team and the strong support from our guests.

Our guests are at the heart of everything we do at the airline and these two awards confirm our undeterred commitment to them, said KQ boss Sebastian Mikosz in a statement Wednesday.

Ethiopian Airlines was feted as Africa's leading airline brand, coming out tops in the category against Kenya Airways, South African Airways, RwandAir, EgyptAir, Tunisair and Royal Air Maroc.

Cape Town International Airport in South Africa was named the region's leading hub while Diani Beach in Kenya was named as Africa's leading beach destination.

The World Travel Awards serve to recognise, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry within each key geographical region.

Last year's ceremony was held in Zanzibar, Tanzania.


Tourism Observer

SOUTH AFRICA: British Airways To Commence Flights To Durban From October 29

South African city of Durban with the start of British Airways’ new direct service.

From October 29 holidaymakers will be able to surf their heart out along the Golden Mile, explore the lush green garden province and enjoy golden sun kissed beaches with three direct flights a week from Heathrow to the spectacular South African city.

The service will be the only non-stop link between Europe and Durban and flights will be operated by the airline’s newest fleet of aircraft, the Boeing 787-8.

The timetable will have a morning arrival into Durban and an evening arrival into Heathrow.

The new route comes as British Airways rolls out a £4.5 billion, five-year customer investment plan, with a focus on excellence in the premium cabins and more choice and quality for all its customers.

Durban is a year round destination, with sultry summers and mild, dry winters.

It has long been a favourite holiday playground for South Africans but will soon be easier than ever for international visitors to enjoy too.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: Durban’s warm water, hot summers and laid-back beachy atmosphere make this coastal city the perfect holiday destination.

It is a gateway to many nature reserves, parks and historic sites, and has a thriving food, drink and art scene; defining the city as a must visit for culture and adventure.

Sihle Zikalala, Minister for the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, said: We are proud to be able to showcase the city of Durban to the world through this new British Airways direct flight.

The sheer diversity in travel and business opportunities that visitors can access through this gateway into the province of KwaZulu-Natal will unlock enormous potential.

Tickets are available to buy on ba.com and start from £599 in World Traveller (economy cabin), £1214 in World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and £3199 in Club World (business class).

Customers can also choose to cut the cost of flights by using Avios in part payment.

British Airways operates a twice daily service from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Johannesburg and flies year-round to Cape Town every day from Terminal 3 and three times a week from Gatwick during the winter season.

British Airways has a long-standing partnership with Comair who fly direct from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Durban and six other destinations across South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

For those wanting to escape to the South African sun, British Airways Holidays has the following packages on offer:

British Airways Holidays offers flight & five nights stay at the 5* The Oyster Box, from £1299 per person, travelling on selected dates in November.

Includes World Traveller return flights from London Heathrow and accommodation with breakfast.


Tourism Observer

GERMANY: Lufthansa Introduces A350-900 To Africa

Lufthansa has announced that it will be introducing the A350-900 to its Munich to Cape Town route, starting in December 2018.

The aircraft is the world’s most modern and eco-friendly long haul aircraft. It uses 25 percent less kerosene, has 25 percent lower emissions and is significantly quieter during take-off than comparable aircraft models.

Dr. Andre Schulz, general manager for Lufthansa Group Southern Africa, said Cape Town has risen significantly in global rankings as a preferred destination for both leisure and business travellers.

European passengers travel increasingly to South Africa, both for leisure and business; and at the same time we see an increasing demand from locals to travel to Europe.

We are excited about introducing this world-class aircraft to our Cape Town – Munich route, in order to ensure we continue to meet our customers expectations and build on our African service offering, he said.

The A350-900 is the Lufthansa fleet’s state-of-the-art newcomer. Economy Class is particularly roomy and comfortable and features the most recent technology.

On average, the new plane consumes only 2.9 litres of kerosene per passenger per hundred kilometres, roughly one quarter of that consumed by comparable aircraft.

Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan engines and optimised aerodynamics reduce its noise footprint by 30 percent, far below the regulation threshold.

Further, because the passenger cabin can be assembled at the same time as the fuselage, wings and tail plane, the A350 takes one third less time to build than other Airbus models.

Last year, Lufthansa placed orders for a total of 25 ultra-modern jet aircraft of this type. The first ten are to be based in Munich, flying to destinations like Delhi, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Boston.

Currently, seven of the ten aircraft are already operating out of Munich. Along with Cape Town, the latest routes to be added to the A350-900’s schedule include Seoul, New York, Chicago, Denver and Singapore.

The aircraft can seat 293 passengers: 48 guests in Business Class, 21 in Premium Economy, and 224 in Economy Class.

Adding the A350-900 to our fleet has been a milestone for Lufthansa, and one that makes us exceptionally proud.

We are looking forward to welcoming this aircraft to Africa, and are sure that our passengers will share in our excitement, said Dr Schulz.



Tourism Observer

AFRICA: Known Dangerous Cities in Africa

Below are some of Africa's most dangerous cities or places where you have to take maximum caution while there.

Crimes rampant in these places are many, including but not restricted to muggings, scams, pick pocketing, Over charging, armed robberies, car robberies, phone,laptop and camera thefts, fake money, assaults, rapes, kidnappings,Cyber-crime,credit card skimming, Household and business burglary, car break-ins and extortion etc.

Lagos, Nigeria

With an estimated population of 21 million, Lagos is Nigeria’s largest city and one of the largest cities in the world.

Crime levels are very high, with a rating of 80.88 out of a possible crime score of 100.

Tourists,Locals and expatriates living in Lagos are prone to muggings, armed robberies, home or business burglaries, carjackings, assaults, rapes, kidnappings, and extortion.

Armed robbers in the city are known to even climb up perimeter fences and subdue guards, and others have invaded waterfront compounds by way of boats.

Criminals also target vehicle occupants in traffic, and break into stationary cars. Some of Lagos' crime hot-spots are airport roads in the days or evenings, as well as banks and grocery stores.

Street gangs called area boys cause terror in the mainland of the city when they clash.

Lagos is also an e-mail scam hotbed, from where dubious cyber criminal prey on people under the pretension that they can receive huge compensation in return some time later after parting with some money by way of electronic transactions.

Nairobi, Kenya

As Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi is the hub of the country’s economy, thereby making it attractive to both foreign and investments, and vulnerable to criminal activity.

The US Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) rates Nairobi’s crime levels as critical.

Also, Numbeo,com, as of March 2016, ranked the crime levels at of city as high, and ended up giving it a rating of 78.49 out of 100.

Serious crimes common in Nairobi, according to OSAC, are armed carjackings, home and business burglaries, kidnappings, pick-pocketing, muggings, and snatch and grab-thefts.

Other criminal threats include grenade attacks and terrorism, which in recent years Kenya has bore the brunt of.

However, those victims of robbery who cooperate without resisting are likely to be unharmed in the city, according to OSAC.

Cyber-crime and credit card skimming are other forms of criminal activities on the rise in Nairobi that its foreign visitors need to be aware of.

Rustenburg, South Africa

Rustenburg City is in the North West Province of South Africa.

It has very high crime levels, and is rated at 85.71 out of a possible crime score of 100.

Of all of the cities in the North West Province in 2015, Rustenburg had the highest total cases of criminal activities with 11,117 cases in 2015, according to Crime Statistics South Africa.

Household burglary, kidnapping, hijacking, and political violence are but some of the crimes that frequently occur in this city.

According to South Africa Dialogue, street crimes and muggings are also high in Rustenburg, and caution is necessary each and everyday.

At night, car break-ins are common, and it’s not advisable to leave one's valuables inside a vehicle. When driving on the freeways at night, stops in undesignated areas make one an easy target for robbers, and hence it’s wise to avoid making them.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city, with an estimated population of over 4 million people, and it’s also the capital of Gauteng province.

In recent years it has achieved notoriety for the high numbers of crime and rape cases seen there as well. Crime levels in Johannesburg are very high, achieving a 91.61 out of a possible crime score of 100 as of March 2016.

Due to the many incidences of rape reported there, it has also been dubbed as the World’s Rape Capital.

Recently, Johannesburg has had xenophobic attacks springing up in the low income townships with frequency.

In 2014-2015, according to Africa Check, the murder rate in Johannesburg per 100,000 was 28.2 people. Yet, according to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the average global homicide rate per 100,000 people was 6.2, less than a fourth of that seen in Johannesburg.

Luanda, Angola

Luanda, Angola’s capital city, has a high crime rate, and one which the OSAC reports as being critical.

Out of a possible crime score of 100, Numbeo rates it at 76.39 as of February 2016. According to the UK Government service Gov.UK, common crimes in the city are inclusive of carjackings, assaults, homicides, muggings for valuables such as mobile phones, armed robberies at either night or day especially in areas popular with foreigners, and rape incidences both in nightlife areas and even private homes.

Moving at night around within the city are not recommended, as crimes mostly happen at night in Luanda, according to the OSAC.

There also are crime hot-spots in Luanda that the OSAC particularly warns against venturing into, like the Rua Nehru, the Rua Houari Boumedienne, and the traffic circle in the last part of Rua Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Thefts from stationary or slow-moving vehicles stuck in traffic also happen.

It’s thereby wise to close the windows when stuck in such traffic situations there.

Visitors are also advised to avoid changing or withdrawing money in public places, or handling money in very crowded places.

Cape Town, South Africa

Crime levels in Cape Town, a port city in South Africa and the capital of Western Cape Province, are very high, even though it’s the country’s legislative capital.

In recent years, it has consistently been ranked among the most violent cities in the world. Cape Town has a crime rating of 82.45 out of a possible crime score of 10 as of March 2016, which is an increase from the previous 3 years.

From April 2011 to March 2012, Cape Town recorded more murders than both Johannesburg and Pretoria combined, according to Africa Check.

Criminal activities like drug dealing, mugging, vandalism, theft, assault, armed robbery, and bribery are especially common there.

Taking nighttime walks is also risky in and of itself.

Much of the violence in Cape Town is fueled by drug-related gang activity and the economic inequality still prevalent in non-white territories.

According to a 2014 report by the Institute for Security Studies, annual income in a white household was just over six times more than a black household in Cape Town.

Benghazi, Libya

Libya second largest city of Benghazi, has been engulfed in a civil war.

The city is ever at risk of radical Islamic terrorist attacks.

In September of 2012, the US Embassy in Libya was attacked by violent extremists, and 4 US government employees, the US Ambassador to Libya included, died in the chaos.

Crime levels across the whole country are still rising.

Incidences of carjackings, robberies, burglaries, and gun attacks are now more prevalent, largely due to the looting of government artillery that ensued in a mad scramble for economic and military gains after Gaddafi’s removal.

Sexual harassment of women is also rising, as well as petty and hardcore street crimes alike.

Even stricter laws on people's dress make expatriate women who don’t dress conservatively susceptible to attacks from Islamic extremist militias.

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Pietermaritzburg is both the province's second largest city after Durban and the capital of Kwa-Zulu-Natal Province in the nation of South Africa.

It has very high crime levels, with a crime rating of 87.5 out of a possible crime score of 100.

Armed robbery, sexual assault, arson, drug dealing, house break-ins, carjackings, and car theft are some crimes that are rife in Pietermaritzburg.

In the 3 years leading up to 2015, crimes levels in the city rose significantly. According to Crime Statistics South Africa, in 2015 there were 15,720 criminal incidences in the city.

This was an increase on the previous years, as in 2014 there were 14,794 reported incidents of criminal activities, and in 2013 there were 13,596.

When xenophobic attacks flare up elsewhere in South Africa, they also tend to quickly spread to Pietermaritzburg as well.

Durban, South Africa

Durban is the largest city in Kwa-Zulu-Natal Province in South Africa.

It’s a coastal city that is popular with local and international tourists who annually number within the hundreds of thousands.

Economically, the city hosts the biggest container and commodity port in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the OSAC.

But crime and criminal-related deaths have been on the rise. According to a 2014 report by the Mexican Citizens' Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice, Durban City was 38th among the 50 most violent cities in the world.

Homicides per 100,000 people stood at 34.5 in 2014, up from in 2013 when they were at 32 per 100,000.

Crime in Durban is at 87.89 out of a possible crime score of 100, indicating it as being very high.

Beyond Durban's city limits, Kwa-Zulu-Natal province in 2015 was reported as the most dangerous province in South Africa.

Taking personal precautions, like avoiding nighttime travel or walking alone, is recommended to avoid falling victim.

Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Port Elizabeth is a coastal city in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Tourists are drawn to this vibrant port city, which is dubbed the Windy City for its windy coastal clime.

Port Elizabeth has a rich cultural heritage, and is among the cities early explorers like Vasco Da Gama passed through.

However, crime is very high there and is rated at 80.56 out of a possible crime score of 100.

Muggings and street crimes are common in Port Elizabeth much like in the rest of South Africa.

Xenophobic attacks against foreigners also tend flare up in Port Elizabeth when there is unrest in South Africa.

In 2014, Port Elizabeth was ranked number 35 by the Mexican Citizens' Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice among the world’s 50 most dangerous cities, and, in 2013, it was number 41.

Murders per 100,000 people in 2014 were 34.8, slightly down from 36 in 2013.

Others may be:

Mogadishu, Somalia

Maputo, Mozambique

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Kampala, Uganda

Tripoli, Libya

Kinshasa, DR Congo

Goma, DR Congo

Brazzaville, REP Congo

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Dakar, Senegal

Conakry, Guinea

Bamako, Mali

Khartoum, Sudan

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso



Tourism Observer

SOUTH AFRICA: Underworld Activities Taking Place In Cape Town

Underworld turf war over club security in Cape Town, with exclusive footage revealing how the battle has spilled over into establishments.

In one case a group of men are filmed bashing their way into a full venue.

Several sources have warned that the violence may escalate much further if drastic action is not taken soon.

On Wednesday night two men were murdered in Pinelands by gunmen said to be dressed in black and wearing balaclavas.

The shooting, according to several sources, was linked to underworld ructions.

These sources, who have intimate knowledge of underworld happenings, said one of those murdered was the second-in-command to a 27s gang leader.

However, this was not officially confirmed.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said two suspects fled the scene in a white Hyundai Tucson.

They were yet to be arrested.

A multidisciplinary task team, including members of the national intervention unit from Gauteng, the Hawks and the liquor unit, have carried out at least two major raids in the city centre since May to try and stamp out the violence.

In one of the latest raids targeting underworld activities, two bouncers were arrested in Long Street on Tuesday night for allegedly not being registered as is required by law.

More intense raids may be conducted.

Over the months the turf battle has escalated.

Club turf war

Cape Town has so far been the epicentre of the underworld war for control over the lucrative nightclub security industry, as well as the drug and illicit tobacco trade.

Businessman Nafiz Modack is said to be heading a new underworld faction, which is effectively hijacking the control of club security from an older, more established grouping.

This has resulted in clashes and shootings.

Several sources with intimate knowledge of what has been happening said that under the older grouping, club security was more controlled.

The newer grouping was shaking things up in a way, they said, that was resulting in violence.

However, a source linked to the newer grouping has insisted the opposite was happening - that the newer grouping is settling the turbulent industry.

Both those in the older and newer grouping have said they are against drug smuggling.

Ructions in the underworld started at least three years ago, but the situation started getting much more volatile last year when the newer grouping started making its presence felt.

In the middle of last year, a gun was fired outside a club believed to be in the city centre.

It was not clear what had sparked this incident, but it is understood it may have had to do with a scuffle between patrons inside a venue.

Later last year, as the newer grouping was apparently preparing to move in on city clubs, a murder was carried out.

The killing happened in a Sea Point hotel on November 8, 2016.

Craig Mathieson, the night manager of Hotel 303, located in Sea Point and owned by businessman Mark Lifman, was gunned down inside it.

Lifman was previously involved in the nightclub security industry.

Nothing was stolen from the 44-year-old Mathieson or from the hotel, leaving some fearing he was the target of a hit.

No arrests appear to have been made for Mathieson’s murder.

Later that month that Mathieson was killed, a group of men, said to be from the new underworld faction, targeted a man, said to be a rival, inside a popular Cape Town establishment.

Footage of inside the establishment, dated November 27, 2016, shows a man being kicked and beaten.

It is understood the man is linked to the older underworld faction and had upset someone in the newer faction.

Previously witnessed members of the newer faction at a city centre club and then at a popular Cape Town strip club.

On April 17 the men, several of them armed, were seen storming the first club.

When they convened outside the strip club, police had intervened, searching them and confiscating firearms which were later returned to them.

In more exclusive footage, taken in a West Coast venue in April 2017, a man can be seen forcing his way into an establishment.

Patrons are at the bar and the door to the venue appears to be closed.

But the one man forces it in and appears to jump over something blocking his way.

He then appears to kick it.

Several men then stream into the venue.

Patrons inside do not appear to understand what is happening.

That same month, on April 17, two men were wounded in a shooting in Café Caprice in Camps Bay.

It is understood the two patrons were in the wrong place at the wrong time as they were caught up in a shooting believed to be linked to an underworld turf war.

Footage taken after the shooting shows panicked patrons rushing around the venue.

Several sources with ties to policing have said more clampdowns are planned to tackle underworld activities.

However, several other sources fear there will be more violence.

Two men thought to be gang leaders were killed within minutes of each other in separate shootings in Cape Town on Wednesday night.

Police said two men were shot dead in their vehicle in a parking area at Pinelands shopping centre. One of them is believed to have been Marwaan Desai, allegedly leader of The Nice Time Kids.

"Two men fled the scene in a white Hyundai Tucson," said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut.

Five minutes earlier, a 23-year-old, thought to be the gang leader known as "Bassier", was killed in Bontheuwel, east of Pinelands.

A spate of recent shootings in Cape Town is thought to be related to a turf war being waged between drug dealers on the Cape Flats.

Reports last month said that security experts believed there was a link between increasing violence on the flats and competition for security contracts at nightclubs in the city.

Suspected gang boss Jerome "Donkie" Booysen was shot in the neck following two shooting incidents outside nightclubs in Camps Bay and the CBD.

On Friday last week a man believed to be 30-year-old Mario Swarts, was killed in Elsies River. Swarts had said that he was a member of The Bad Boys. He was said to be the gang's assassin.

CCTV footage from a shop near the suspected hideout of The Bad Boys gang, on Twelfth Avenue, Leonsdale, shows Swarts being shot repeatedly at point-blank range.

Sources say the police are on the alert for revenge attacks.


Tourism Observer
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ANGOLA: Luanda Overtakes Hong Kong As Most Expensive City For Expatriates To Live In

Mercer’s annual Cost of Living Survey finds African, Asian, and European cities dominate the list of most expensive locations for working abroad

- Luanda overtakes Hong Kong as the most expensive city for expatriates to live in according to Mercer’s 23rd annual Cost of Living Survey.

- Victoria in the Seychelles ranks 14th most expensive city sharing the same ranking with Moscow.

Cape Town, Blantyre and Windhoek ranks amongst the 15 cheapest cities globally.

In a rapidly changing world, mobility has become a core component of multinational organizations’ global talent strategy. To support the growing number of international assignees working in an increased number of locations, organizations are focusing on evaluating assignments from a cultural perspective, preparing for regional and lateral moves, and modifying compensation approaches to stay competitive.

As organizations grapple with these challenges, they are working hard to accommodate the needs of their workforce and to support employees’ careers. According to Mercer’s (www.Mercer.com) 2017 Global Talent Trends Study, fair and competitive pay as well as opportunities for promotion are top priorities for employees this year – not surprising given the current climate of uncertainty and change.

As a result, multinational organizations are carefully assessing the cost of expatriate packages for their international assignees. Mercer’s 23rd annual Cost of Living Survey finds that factors like instability of housing markets and inflation for goods and services contribute to the overall cost of doing business in today’s global environment.

“Globalization of the marketplace is well documented with many companies operating in multiple locations around the world and promoting international assignments to enhance the experience of future managers,” said Ilya Bonic, Senior Partner and President of Mercer’s Career business. “There are numerous personal and organizational advantages for sending employees overseas, whether for long- or short-term assignments, including career development by obtaining global experience, the creation and transfer of skills, and the re-allocation of resources.”

Mercer’s 2017 Cost of Living Survey finds Asian and European cities – particularly Hong Kong (2), Tokyo (3), Zurich (4), and Singapore (5) – top the list of most expensive cities for expatriates. The costliest city, driven by cost of goods and security, is Luanda (1), the capital of Angola view the Top 15 Cities Ranking here: http://APO.af/hrS2vG). Other cities appearing in the top 10 of Mercer’s costliest cities for expatriates are Seoul (6), Geneva (7), Shanghai (8), New York City (9), and Bern (10). The world’s least expensive cities for expatriates, according to Mercer’s survey, are Tunis (209), Bishkek (208), and Skopje (206).

Mercer's authoritative survey is one of the world’s most comprehensive, and is designed to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for their expatriate employees. New York is used as the base city and all cities are compared against it.

Currency movements are measured against the US dollar. The survey includes over 400 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods, and entertainment.

“While historically mobility, talent management, and rewards have been managed independently of one another, organizations are now using a more holistic approach to enhance their mobility strategies. Compensation is important to be competitive and must be determined appropriately based on the cost of living, currency, and location,” said Mr. Bonic.

Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
Only three European cities remain in the top 10 list of most expensive cities for expatriates.

Zurich (4) is still the most costly European city on the list, followed by Geneva (7) and Bern (10). Moscow (14) and St. Petersburg (36) surged fifty-three and one hundred and sixteen places from last year respectively, due to the strong appreciation of the ruble against the US dollar and the cost of goods and services. Meanwhile, London (30), Aberdeen (146) and Birmingham (147) dropped thirteen, sixty-one and fifty-one spots respectively as a result of the pound weakening against the US dollar following the Brexit vote. Copenhagen (28) fell four places from 24 to 28. Oslo (46) is up thirteen spots from last year, while Paris fell eighteen places to rank 62.

Other Western European cities dropped in the rankings as well, mainly due to the weakening of local currencies against the US dollar. Vienna (78) and Rome (80) fell in the ranking by 24 and 22 spots, respectively. The German cities of Munich (98), Frankfurt (117), and Berlin (120) dropped significantly as did Dusseldorf (122) and Hamburg (125).

Despite moderate price increases in most of the European cities, European currencies have weakened against the US dollar, which pushed most Western European cities down in the ranking,” explained Ms. Constantin-Métral. “Additionally, other factors like the Eurozone’s economy have impacted these cities.

As a result of local currencies depreciating against the US dollar, some cities in Eastern and Central Europe, including Prague (132) and Budapest (176) fell in the ranking, while Minsk (200) and Kiev (163) jumped four and thirteen spots, respectively, despite stable accommodations in these locations.

Ranking 17, Tel Aviv jumped two spots from last year and continues to be the most expensive city in the Middle East for expatriates followed by Dubai (20), Abu Dhabi (23), and Riyadh (52), which have all climbed in this year’s ranking. Jeddah (117), Muscat (92), and Doha (81) are among the least expensive cities in the region. Cairo (183) is the least expensive city in the region plummeting ninety-two spots from last year following a major devaluation of its local currency (view the Bottom 15 Cities Ranking here: http://APO.af/4AAhwv).

Egypt’s decision to allow its currency to float freely in return for a 12 billion dollar loan over three years to help strengthen its economy resulted in the massive devaluation of the Egyptian Pound by more than 100% against the US dollar, pushing Cairo down the ranking” said Ms. Constantin-Métral.”

Quite a few African cities continue to rank high in this year’s survey, reflecting high living costs and prices of goods for expatriate employees (view the African Cities Ranking here: http://APO.af/pCXLBW). Luanda (1) takes the top spot as the most expensive city for expatriates across Africa and globally despite its currency weakening against the US dollar.

Luanda is followed by Victoria (14), Ndjamena (16), and Kinshasa (18). Tunis falls six spots to rank 209 as the least expensive city in the region and overall.

Asia Pacific

Five of the top 10 cities in this year’s ranking are in Asia. Hong Kong (2) is the most expensive city as a result of its currency pegged to the US dollar, which drove up the cost of accommodations locally. This global financial center is followed by Tokyo (3), Singapore (5), Seoul (6), and Shanghai (8).

“The strengthening of the Japanese yen along with the high costs of expatriate consumer goods and a dynamic housing market pushed Japanese cities up in the ranking,” said Ms. Constantin-Métral. “However, the majority of Chinese cities fell in the ranking due to the weakening of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar.”

Australian cities have all experienced further jumps up the global ranking since last year due to the strengthening of the Australian dollar. Sydney (25), Australia’s most expensive city for expatriates, gained seventeen places in the ranking along with Melbourne (46) and Perth (50) which went up twenty-five and nineteen spots, respectively.

India’s most expensive city, Mumbai (57), climbed twenty-five places in the ranking due to its rapid economic growth, inflation on the goods and services basket and a stable currency against the US Dollar. This most populous city in India is followed by New Delhi (99) and Chennai (135) which rose in the ranking by thirty-one and twenty-three spots, respectively. Bengaluru (166) and Kolkata (184), the least expensive Indian cities, climbed in the ranking as well.

Elsewhere in Asia, Bangkok (67) jumped seven places from last year. Jakarta (88) and Hanoi (100) also rose in the ranking, up five and six places, respectively. Karachi (201) and Bishkek (208) remain the region’s least expensive cities for expatriates.

The Americas

Cities in the United States are the most expensive locations in the Americas, with New York City (9) ranked as the costliest city, climbing two spots from last year. San Francisco (22) and Los Angeles (24) follow, having climbed four and three spots respectively. Among other major US cities, Chicago (32) is up two places, Boston (51) is down four places, and Seattle is up seven places. Portland (115) and Winston Salem (140) remain the least expensive surveyed cities for expatriates in the US.

Nathalie Constantin-Métral, Principal at Mercer with responsibility for compiling the survey ranking, said, “Overall, US cities either remained stable in the ranking or have slightly increased due to the movement of the US dollar against the majority of currencies worldwide.”

In South America, Brazilian cities Sao Paulo (27) and Rio de Janeiro (56) surged 101 and 100 spots, respectively, due to the strengthening of the Brazilian real against the US dollar. Buenos Aires, the Argentina capital and financial hub ranked 40 followed by Santiago (67) and Montevideo, Uruguay (65), which jumped forty-one and fifty-four places, respectively. Other cities in South America that rose on the list of costliest cities for expatriates include Lima (104) and Havana (151).

Dropping from 94th position, San Jose, Costa Rica (110) experienced the largest drop in the region as the US dollar strengthened against the Costa Rican colon. Caracas in Venezuela has been excluded from the ranking due to the complex currency situation. Depending on which exchange rate is being used, the city would arrive at the top or at the bottom of the ranking.

“Inflationary concerns continued to cause some South American cities to rise in the ranking, whereas the weakening of the local currencies in some of the region’s cities caused them to drop in the ranking,” said Ms. Constantin-Métral.

Up thirty-five places from last year, Vancouver (107) has overtaken Toronto (119) to become the most expensive Canadian city in the ranking, followed by Montreal (129) and Calgary (143). Ranking 152, Ottawa is the least expensive city in Canada. “The Canadian dollar has appreciated in value triggering the major jumps in this year’s ranking,” explained Ms. Constantin-Métral.

SOUTH AFRICA: Fire In Knysna Cape Town More Than 10,000 Residents Evacuated

More than 10,000 people have been evacuated from a scenic coastal town in South Africa that has been devastated by wildfires, officials have said.

Military equipment has been used to fightmore than 25 fires in Knysna, they added.

At least eight people have been killed in the storms and fires that have been raging in the town and other areas of the Western Cape region.

Strong wind storms in 30 years caused the fires.

At least 150 properties have been destroyed in Knysna, according to the fire service.

The town has a population of 77,000. It lies 500km (310 miles) east of Cape Town on South Africa's famed Garden Route.

Humanitarian support is being co-ordinated for an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 residents of the Greater Knysna area, after devastating fires, said James-Brent Styan, spokesman for the Western Cape local government ministry.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would assist in a water-bombing operation to extinguish the fires, its spokesman Simphiwe Dlamini said.

About 150 troops would also be deployed to make sure that criminals do not loot properties that have been vacated, he added.

In May, the Western Cape province declared a drought disaster after two reservoirs had completely dried up. It was said to have been the region's worst drought in more than a century.

Several other southern African nations were also affected by the two-year drought, which was caused by the El Nino climate phenomenon.

However, many parts of the region are now experiencing bumper maize harvests.

Up to ten thousand people were evacuated from their homes as fires continued to ravage South Africa's Western Cape region on Thursday, fanned by a ferocious winter storm.

Knysna, a town of 77,000 people 500 kilometres (310 miles) east of Cape Town on South Africa's famed Garden Route, was worst hit as firefighters battled to quell 26 fires along the tourist trail.

High winds from a storm that claimed eight lives as it battered the Western Cape region have caused the blaze to spread rapidly.

The storm, which struck on Tuesday, has damaged buildings, felled trees, left 46,000 homes without electricity and caused travel chaos as flights and rail services were hit by gale-force winds and flooding.

Colin Deiner, the chief director of the Western Cape's fire service, told Voice of the Cape radio that at least 150 structures had been destroyed.

Western Cape premier Helen Zille told Kaya FM: "What we need is air power -- water-bombing, and helicopters to see which areas are affected and who needs to be evacuated."

Zille has been suspended from her party the main opposition Democratic Alliance over tweets apparently endorsing colonialism, but remains head of the regional government. She spent the night in Knysna to coordinate the response of emergency services to the crisis.

The fire in Knysna is the largest and most destructive fire in a built up area in the Western Cape in recent memory with thousands displaced.

It comes on the back of the worst storm seen in the Western Cape in at least thirty years, said Western Cape government spokesman James-Brent Styan in a statement. To date between 8,000 and 10,000 Knysna inhabitants have been safely evacuated."

RWANDA: More Destinations For RwandAir

RwandAir has now launched its seventh West Africa destination, Abidjan, as part of the airline’s continued rollout of new countries important to its strategy to connect Africa via Kigali.

This follows the start of commercial flights on Rwanda Air a month ago to Cotonou and both new destinations are expected to begin feeding traffic into the WB network via Kigali to Eastern and Southern Africa, Dubai and soon to India’s commercial capital of Mumbai.

The recently acquired first Airbus A330-200 by Rwanda Air is meanwhile making yet more maiden appearances across RwandAir’s network with the most recent deployment taking the new bird to Cotonou, Libreville and Douala, where travel agents, corporate clients, invited guests from government, diplomatic corps and the business community were able to tour the aircraft while it was on the ground in the respective cities.

Named ‘Ubumwe‘, a Kinyarwanda word for Unity, will the aircraft now commence commercial flights four times a week to Dubai first before the arrival of a second Airbus A330-300 in November will then pave the way to launch operations to Mumbai.

The airline is banking on the aircraft’s superior inflight comfort and three class cabin configuration which offers Business Class, a dedicated cabin for 21 Premium Economy Seats and an Economy Class with 18 inch seats, the widest presently on offer by commercial airlines.

RwandAir will put several schedule changes into place, aimed to make travel to and from Southern African countries faster and easier, and offering seamless connections into their trans-Africa network and to their new intercontinental destinations.

Johannesburg will revert to nonstop flights, with several traffic days earmarked for a second daily service between Kigali and South Africa’s commercial hub. This change will also facilitate onward travel to Cape Town or Durban – and vice versa – which the current schedule makes difficult at best.

Come January next year, RwandAir will put several schedule changes into place, aimed to make travel to and from Southern African countries faster and easier, and offering seamless connections into their trans-Africa network and to their new intercontinental destinations.

Johannesburg will revert to nonstop flights, with several traffic days earmarked for a second daily service between Kigali and South Africa’s commercial hub. This change will also facilitate onward travel to Cape Town or Durban – and vice versa – which the current schedule makes difficult at best.

New destination Harare, Zimbabwe will, when launched in mid January, be combined with Lusaka, Zambia in a standalone triangular service routing KGL – LUN – HRE – KGL. Flights will in fact be raised from the present three times a week to LUN to five flights a week at that stage January.

The introduction of long haul services to Mumbai and later in 2017 to London will see RwandAir tap into the market of connecting passengers with yet greater determination, to make sure that they can fill their new Airbus A330’s but also carry more traffic into their Eastern and West African networks.

All flights to South Africa will be operated on Boeing 737 aircraft and, while no confirmation has been received as yet, there is speculation that the flights from Kigali to HRE and LUN will see the Bombardier CRJ900 deployed on that route.

The lack of slots for flights from Kigali to London Heathrow is seen as the key reason why RwandAir is now eying Gatwick, the UK capital’s second busiest airport.

The airline’s CEO Mr. John Mirenge, while speaking in Abidjan / Ivory Coast after the official inaugural flight to RwandAir’s latest African destination, gave the clearest indication yet that by 2018 Europe will be on the map for Rwanda’s national carrier.

During the runup of the delivery ceremony of the airline’s first Airbus A330 in Toulouse a few weeks ago did Mr. Mirenge also mention that London may be combined with another European waypoint but would not commit if that could be Frankfurt or another European gateway. At present does RwandAir only operate in codeshare with Brussels Airlines to the European capital.

Following the delivery of two additional aircraft in November, a brand new Boeing B737-800NG and a larger Airbus A330-300 variant is a widening of destinations expected in both Africa and beyond with Mumbai the first intercontinental target of the airline’s relentless expansion drive, fully backed incidentally by the Rwanda government.

In a related development are results due to be announced very soon of the IATA audit on Safe Ground Operations, in short ISAGO, which will certify RwandAir’s ground handling unit to be compliant with global best practice and standards.

NAMIBIA: Air Namibia, Ethiopian Sign Code Share Agreement

Africa’s largest airline, Ethiopian Airlines, last week concluded a codeshare agreement with Air Namibia. The codeshare agreement covers Ethiopian thrice weekly services to Windhoek and the services of both airlines beyond their respective hubs. The agreement will allow both airlines to expand their global network through the services of each airline and also facilitate the provision of competitive and convenient travel choices to their respective customers.

Mr. Girma Shiferaw, Acting Vice President, Strategic Planning and Alliances said, 'We are glad to partner with Air Namibia. It is my sincere belief that such strategic collaboration among African airlines is one of the necessities to see African aviation thrive and grow faster in line with the economic development of the continent.

Now, customers of Air Namibia will enjoy seamless connection on Ethiopian ever expanding global network across five continents with a minimum layover in Addis Ababa; conversely, our passengers will be able to access destinations beyond Windhoek on Air Namibia flights'.

In response did Air Namibia's Acting Managing Director, Advocate Ellaine Priscilla Samson say: 'We are very pleased with the signing of the codeshare agreement with Ethiopia Airlines, an airline which achieved amazing accomplishments in the global arena. This will be an opportunity for the liberalization of intra-Africa air transport in furtherance of the Yamoussoukro Decision as two African carriers.

In addition, this will assist Air Namibia to expand its network via the global reach and stature of Ethiopia Airlines. Hence the teaming of our two airlines is the consummate endeavor of our continent moving towards a fuller liberalization in the aviation sector'.

The codeshare agreement will allow Ethiopian and Air Namibia to place their codes on each other’s flights beyond their respective hubs.Ethiopian will place its code on SW flights from Windhoek to Gaborone, Luanda, Victoria Falls, and Cape town, while Air Namibia will place it’s code on ET flights between Addis Ababa and Windhoek, Beijing, Lagos, Los Angeles, and São Paulo.

Ethiopian Airlines currently serves more than 90 global destinations across five continents with over 240 daily departures.

KENYA: Aviators Fly Over Kenya Game Park And Loose One Aircraft

Aviators flying vintage planes the length of Africa were showing them off in the skies over a Kenyan game park on Sunday, a day after one of the aircraft was wrecked in a forced landing.

The Vintage Air Rally, including biplanes built in the 1920s and 1930s, has flown from Europe past Egypt's pyramids and through Sudan and Ethiopia, where participants were briefly detained because of a dispute over whether they had proper authorization.

"They are tough conditions for the aeroplanes. It’s hot, it’s high and in the afternoons we get the thunderstorms," rally organizer Sam Rutherford told reporters as the planes flew over a game park on the outskirts of Nairobi.

"We did lose an aircraft," he said of Saturday's incident, when a vintage Boeing Stearman suffered an engine failure and made a forced landing northwest of Nairobi. The plane was "written off" but the crew were fine, Rutherford said.

The rally also briefly lost track of veteran pilot Maurice Kirk and his plane after the stop in Ethiopia last week. He was located on Saturday after landing in South Sudan, but not on a airfield, the organizers said.

Kirk and his plane are no longer part of the rally.

The remaining planes and support aircraft will continue their journey south on Monday, heading to Tanzania. They aim to reach Cape Town, South Africa, in about two weeks.

The rally began in Greece with several teams flying 24 aircraft, including support planes. The organizers did not say how many planes were still involved, but said it was not a surprise some would not complete the journey.

SOUTH AFRICA: Eco Tourism Grows In South Africa

South Africa is prioritising the green economy as a sector for economic growth to hopefully verify the country as more than just a pleasant place to visit.

The South African government has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 34% in 2020 and 42% by 2025.

“Investment into the green economy is also seen as key to helping the country achieve its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The Western Cape specifically has adopted the "Green is Smart" roadmap with the aim of positioning the Western Cape as the green economic hub on the African continent,” says Annelize van der Merwe, Green Economy Investment and Finance Liason, Wesgro.

She also added that in order for this to be achieved, investment from the private sector is essential.

It is needed for technological growth and solutions to existing challenges that would ultimately stimulate green growth. Thus far, South Africa's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer's programme has attracted more than R192bn of investment, with thousands of jobs having been created.

The Western Cape is being pushed as the focal region for promoting the country as a green hub, primarily because Wesgro and GreenCape are both funded by the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town.

Currently, more than 70% of these manufacturing facilities are based in the Western Cape. In addition, the Western Cape will also be host to the first greentech Special Economic Zone in South Africa with a focus on attracting investment into green tech manufacturing.

However, it is not only the Western Cape that’s contributing to SA’s green reputation… Uber recently partnered with Nissan and BMW for UberGREEN, giving their Johannesburg customers the option of having a ride in a 100% electric powered vehicle in effort of reducing carbon emissions.

Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom told parliament during his annual Tourism budget speech in May this year that project ‘Working for Tourism’, will be executed this year. The programme will comprise of 200 young people who will assist in retaining the blue flag status of the South African beaches and also keeping the environment clean and safe.

He also added that the government is supporting SA’s key destinations with installing renewable energy sources as part of the Tourism Incentive Program. These destinations include the Robben Island Museum, the Skukuza and Lower Sabi rest camps in the Kruger National Park and the Karoo Desert, the Hantam and the Free State National Botanical Gardens.

Likewise, Kimberley Airport in the Northern Cape became South Africa's second airport to operate on solar power after George Airport earlier this year. According to Airports Company South Africa News, The solar farm is located on 0.7 hectares of land within the airport precinct and uses an 11kV substation as it its main source of supply, which is also located on the airport's land.

Shortly thereafter, the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, publicised a solar plant at Upington International Airport in the Northern Cape last week, marking the third green energy airport in South Africa.

Hotel Verde in Cape Town serves as a prime example of an independent pioneer in best eco-tourism practices. This hotel opened for business in 2013 and was built on the fundamental principles of 'green-only'. The hotel is the very first hotel in the world to be awarded double platinum for Ledership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Blue Rock Village, labelled ‘Africa’s first green village’ is in the process of expanding by adding the Santa Luzia Lifestyle Centre. “The Santa Luzia Lifestyle centre is a vibrant hub of Cape life where sophistication and chic collide with history and tradition. Its universal appeal makes it one of Cape Town‘s foremost attractions for both locals and international visitors. The centre will be home to boutique shops, doctors’ centre, clinics, professional office space, and gastronomies” said Mr Reichmuth, director of Swisatec and owner of Blue Rock Village.

SOUTH AFRICA: Tourists Flock South Africa’s Game Parks, Beaches And Vineyards

Tourists are flocking back to South Africa’s game parks, beaches and vineyards as a weaker currency and easing of visa rules make holidays cheaper and more accessible.

The number of visitors to South Africa from outside the continent increased by 19 percent over the five months through May, the Tourism Ministry said on July 20. The surging popularity among travelers from markets including the U.S. and Germany can be largely attributed to a weak rand, according to the head of Africa’s largest hotels and casinos company, Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd.

South Africa is on an absolute fire sale, Tsogo Chief Executive Officer Marcel Von Aulock said.“We’ve always been a cheap destination relative to international markets,” and the falling currency has taken that to extremes, he said.

South Africa’s international tourism boom represents a rare note of optimism in an economy hampered by an unemployment rate of 27 percent and projected by the Reserve Bank not to grow this year amid low commodity prices and after the worst drought in more than a century. The rand is the third-worst performer against the dollar among 16 major currencies tracked by Bloomberg over the past 12 months, having declined 12 percent, and reached record lows against both the U.S. currency and euro earlier in 2016.

While the currency had firmed to 14.4115 against the dollar as of 5:04 p.m. on Tuesday, that’s still weaker than its level in November.

South Africa’s government has softened rules introduced in 2014 that required travelers from countries including China to apply for visas in person, hurting demand in one of its fastest-growing tourism markets. For prospective visitors from China, for example, that meant an often lengthy and costly trip to either Beijing or Shanghai.

Those restrictions, together with a condition that visitors accompanied by children must present a detailed birth certificate, contributed to a slowdown in international tourism arrivals in 2015.

With visas now easier to obtain through tour operators, Chinese numbers were 50 percent higher in May than a year earlier while those from India increased by 37 percent, according to the Tourism Ministry.

“Those markets will recover quite quickly, I think, and will continue to grow,” Von Aulock said.

While the birth-certificate rule has been relaxed, the entry requirements for children remain vague enough to deter some families, said Mmatsatsi Ramawela, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa. And although overseas tourist arrivals in 2016 to date are up from the past two years, they are still only the highest since 2013, according to Statistics South Africa data.

Events like the International AIDS Conference in Durban this month have increased the number of visitors, and concerns that terrorist attacks have made Europe more dangerous are also diverting traffic to the southern hemisphere, Ramawela said.

City Sightseeing, which operates hop-on-hop-off city tour buses, has sold more tickets in Cape Town this year and has had to add vehicles and drivers on some days, according to General Manager Paul Nel. Additional direct flights to the city have helped traffic, he said, with Emirates adding a third daily service between Cape Town and Dubai earlier this month.

SOUTH AFRICA: First Airline Founded By A Black Woman, Fly Blue Crane

2015, Air Zimbabwe and Ethiopian Airlines made major strides towards the inclusion of women in the aviation world with the launch of their all-women flight crews. Women continue to be at the forefront of African-based air travel with the establishment of South Africa’s Fly Blue Crane, the first airline to be founded by a black woman.

Fly Blue Crane, which has been operating domestically within South Africa since its inception last September, is conducting international flights.

The airline is under the leadership of CEO, Sizakele Mzimela, who’s also the first black executive vice president of South African Airways and the first woman to be selected to the Board of the International Air Transport Association.

Mzimela has previously been vocal about her desire to expand the airline outside of South African borders, with specific mention of Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the DRC.

The airline exec, who has over 20 years of experience in the industry, shared some words of wisdom for female aviators in an interview with Runway Girl Network:

“You have to accept up front that your road will be more difficult than the pale white male sitting next to you,” she mentions. “It’s your job to say ‘nothing will stop me. I’m going to make it.’”

SOUTH AFRICA: Lufthansa Flying From Frankfurt To Cape Town Direct - 2 December 2016,

Lufthansa is expanding operations in South Africa, adding a non-stop route from Cape Town to Frankfurt - the airline has announced.

Dr André Schulz, Lufthansa General Manager for Southern Africa, speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, says the city will now boast services to both Lufthansa Hubs, Munich & Frankfurt.

The new route will start 2 December 2016, with the long-term view to make the route permanent, according to Schulz, complimenting the year-round daily flights from Johannesburg. Added to this, Edelweiss the Swiss Leisure carrier is expected to continue seasonal flights to Zurich.

Flights will depart from Frankfurt every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday - with bookings available immediately for these flights from Friday, 27 May 2016, either through the Lufthansa website or through travel agents.

Tourist arrivals to South Africa in 2016 are already on the up and up as the department of tourism just announced an 18.7%, with Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom cautioning that Easter in March would have had an impact - but the seasonal flights increases will bode well for tourism as a whole.

According to the latest StatSA figures released for the first quarter of 2016, 36 759 visitors from Germany came to SA in for the first quarter, while a comparison between movements in March 2015 and March 2016 shows that the number of tourists increased for seven of the ten leading overseas markets into the country - these being China, Belgium, USA, UK, India, France and Germany.

'Night service to off best possible options to access connections'

Schulz says the flight will operate as a night service with Lufthansa choosing the departure and arrival times carefully to offer travellers the "Best possible options to access connections to the entire Lufthansa route network.”

Flight LH576 leaves Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub at 22:10 and arrives in Cape Town the following morning at 11:00. The return journey departs from Cape Town in the early evening at 18:30 and touches down in Frankfurt the following morning at 05:30, where passengers can access Lufthansa’s entire flight program from its main hub. In total, the Lufthansa Group serves 316 destinations in 101 countries from its hubs in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Lufthansa currently operates a year-round daily flight between Frankfurt and Johannesburg with the Boeing 747-8, the next generation of the iconic Jumbo jet, the longest passenger aircraft in the world. In addition, Swiss International Airlines serves Johannesburg from its Zurich base, offering a daily service with an Airbus A340-300.

“After Johannesburg, Cape Town is one of the most important markets for the Lufthansa Group in Southern Africa and the new gateway will offer our customers access to some 200 destinations from the Frankfurt hub. It also unlocks new tourism opportunities for those coming in from Germany by offering attractive combination options to other destinations in Southern Africa through our Star Alliance partners," says Schulz.

The Cape Town route will be served by a newly retrofitted Airbus A340-300, which boasts over 279 seats and offers the new Intercontinental Business Class (30), new Premium Economy (28) Class and Economy Class (221).

“South Africa remains one of our most important markets in sub-Saharan Africa and a key destination for German as well as other European visitors. We are thrilled to continue building bridges between the Lufthansa Group and the South African tourist industry, says Claus Becker, Director of Sales, sub Saharan Africa.

Added to this, Lufthansa said it would be looking to have a competitive outbound offering for South Africa headed to Frankfurt. "Germany’s central position in Europe makes it an excellent point of departure for business or leisure trips, from the largest Star Alliance hub in Europe,” he added.

In addition to the new SA flight route, the airline is looking to added capacity to its current three flights in Nairobi, Kenya increasing it to four flights a week from 1 September 2016.

Earlier in May, Lufthansa's low-cost carrier EuroWings also launched non-stop flight to the popular holiday destination of Mauritius. Eurowings, which was launched in the beginning of March 2015, will offer year round service from Cologne to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport during the European Summer and Winter Seasons. With the arrival of Swiss leisure carrier Edelweiss in October, Lufthansa will serve Mauritius with four brands from Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Locally, the Western Cape area’s tourism industry is ecstatic about Lufthansa’s additional frequencies into the region.

“This new Lufthansa route will have a positive impact on business and tourism in the Cape,” says Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro, the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape.

“Germany is a priority market as our third-largest source of foreign direct investment, and the third biggest buyer of our products outside of Africa." Cape Town Air Access, a division of Wesgro says it is "actively working on making the direct Frankfurt - Cape Town route a success through publicity, market awareness, and networking opportunities".

“German tourist arrivals are growing rapidly, so we are very pleased that Lufthansa added Frankfurt to their existing seasonal direct daily Munich service. With this additional capacity we expect that Cape Town International Airport will easily reach the 10 million passenger milestone this year”.

Another recent addition as part of the direct route access to Cape Town includes British Airways' direct flights between Cape Town and Gatwick, set to start 24 November. Added to this British Airways has added two more flights to its already expanded Cape Town summer schedule, bringing the number of summer flights between Cape Town International and Heathrow Airport to 19 per week.

Deon Cloete, the General Manager of Cape Town International Airport, also welcomed the announcement. “This additional service from Lufthansa is not only good news for the airport or the region, but particularly for those who need a directly flight to Frankfurt. We value the partnership and the ongoing commitment Lufthansa has made in growing their service and thereby providing connectivity to the rest of the world. This is a huge vote of confidence in our city and we look forward to the continued partnership.”

Flight schedule (all times are local times;winter time) for FRA - CPT 3 times a week

- Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, from 02.12.2016

- LH576: FRA 22:10 – 11:00 +1 CPT
- LH577: CPT 18:30 – 05:30 +1 FRA


Flight duration: (on average) 11 hours 50 minutes

Distance: 9 401 km (5 076 nautical miles)

Aircraft type: Airbus A340-300 (30 Business Class; 28 Premium Economy; 221 Economy Class)

Bed Bugs Fly Free On Many Airlines

A British Airways plane infested with bed bugs was allegedly kept in service despite staff knowing about the problem - a claim the airline denies.

Staff at the airline logged the issue after the insects were spotted and passengers bitten on a flight from the US to Heathrow last week. So serious was the problem that an entire row – 47 – was closed in economy class, the newspaper said.

But staff claimed that engineers did not have time to deal with the bugs and bosses decided to keep the aircraft in service. Days later another real infestation was reported on the same Boeing 747 during a flight from Cape Town to Heathrow.

British Airways denied that it had allowed the plane to return to the sky after the outbreak was discovered.

Whenever any report of bed bugs is received, we launch a thorough investigation and, if appropriate, remove the aircraft from service and use specialist teams to treat it, a spokesman said. The presence of bed bugs is an issue faced occasionally by hotels and airlines all over the world. British Airways operates more than 280,000 flights every year, and reports of bed bugs onboard are extremely rare. Nevertheless, we are vigilant about the issue and continually monitor our aircraft."

The aircraft has now been fully disinfected and cleaned.

As the name would suggest, the insects are more commonly spotted in bedrooms, and outbreaks sometimes occur in hotels.

Last month a couple posted a video showing dozens of bed bugs on the mattress in their New York hotel room. The incident left one of the guests covered in bites.

And in July two holidaymakers won compensation from Thomas Cook after they suffered severe rashes thanks to a bed bug infestation at a resort in the Dominican Republic.

But outbreaks do occasionally occur in the sky. “There are numerous cases of bed bugs being spread on airplanes,” according to Bed-Bugs.com, which offers extermination services. “Bed bugs can spread through close proximity with fellow travellers as well as their belongings.

They also thrive where there is frequent turnover of people. On airplanes, people are in close proximity, are not able to move other than on the plane, and their belongings are required to stay untouched for long periods of time. This is an excellent recipe for bed bug transmittal.”

In 2011 BA was forced to ground two 747s after a passenger said she was bitten on a flight from Los Angeles to Heathrow. The same woman claimed she was bitten on a separate flight from Bangalore to London a month later and set up a website (since closed) to put pressure on the airline to act. Forums have described sightings on US carriers too – including American Airlines, United and Delta.