The Kuwaiti General Directorate of Residence Affairs recently announced a ban on recruitment of domestic workers from five African countries.
The latest ban raises the list to 20 countries.
According local media sources, the Kuwaiti ministry of foreign affairs issued a circular mentioning the names of the 5 countries, which include Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Bhutan, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Additionally, the other 15 African countries are Djibouti,Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, Malawi, Chad, Sierra Leone, Niger, Tanzania, the Gambia, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.
The circular also included five other African countries whose domestic workers faced a temporary ban, including Cameroon, the Congo, Burundi, Eritrea and Liberia.
Tourism Observer
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Ethiopia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ethiopia. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Monday, 12 March 2018
ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines Flies All-female Crew On Their Flight From Ethiopia To Buenos Aires In Celebration Of Women’s Day
Ethiopian Airlines, the national flag carrier of Ethiopia made history once again after announcing the deployment of an all-female crew for their flight from Ethiopia to Buenos Aires, Argentina to mark and celebrate International Women’s Day.
Awaiting your arrival, hours left to dispatch our All Women-Operated Flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina. #Newdestination #girlpower #paintingtheskiesinpink pic.twitter.com/zioAhP7Zuy
— Ethiopian Airlines (@flyethiopian) March 7, 2018
This, however, does not come as news to those who keenly follow the state-owned flag carrier as they broke barriers some months ago.
They deployed an all-female crew for a special flight from Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria.
Lately, the Ethiopian carrier, which commands the biggest share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network, has been making major changes to its processes.
These including fully digitizing its operations and providing free Wi-Fi to all customers using its main hub.
Tourism Observer
Saturday, 30 December 2017
ERITREA: Gash-Barka Region Where The Persecuted Kunama People Live Is Breadbasket Of Eritrea
Most of the estimated 100,000 Kunama live in the remote and isolated area between the Gash and Setit rivers near the border with Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian-Eritrean War (1998–2000) forced some 4,000 Kunama to flee their homes to Ethiopia. As refugees they reside in the tense area just over the border with Eritrea and in proximity to the contested border village of Badme.
In the 2007 Ethiopian census, however, the number of Kunama in Tigray has dropped to 2,976 as the remaining 2,000 or so members of this ethnic group have migrated into the other Regions of Ethiopia.
The Kunama speak the Kunama language. It belongs to the Nilo-Saharan family, and is closely related to the Nara language. Although some Kunama still practice traditional beliefs, most have adopted Christianity and Islam.
The fertile plains of the Gash-Setit, also known as the Gash-Barka, region where the Kunama live are sometimes referred to as the breadbasket of Eritrea.
Formerly nomadic, today they are farmers and pastoralists. Historically, the Kunama have been dominated by other ethnic groups and they are often forced from their traditional lands.
The official policy of the Government of Eritrea is that all land is state property and the Government encourages large commercial farms.
Award-winning documentary film Home Across Lands chronicles the journey of newly arrived Kunama refugees as they strive to become self-reliant, invested participants in their new home.
Guiding their transition is the resettlement agency, International Institute of Rhode Island, that connects them to the resources they need as they work to establish a new community and better life for their families.
Analysis of classic genetic markers and DNA polymorphisms by Excoffier et al (1987) found that the Kunama are most closely related to the Sara people of Chad.
Both populations speak languages from the Nilo-Saharan family.
They are also similar to West African populations, but biologically distinct from the surrounding Cushitic and Ethiopian Semitic Afro-Asiatic-speaking groups.
According to Trombetta et al. (2015), around 65% of Kunama are carriers of the E1b1b paternal haplogroup. Of these, 20% bear the V32 subclade, to which belong 60% of the Tigre Semitic speakers in Eritrea.
This points to substantial gene flow from neighbouring Afro-Asiatic-speaking males into the Kunama's ancestral Nilotic community. Cruciani et al. (2010) observed that the remaining Kunama individuals are primarily carriers of the A (10%) and B (15%) lineages, which are instead common among Nilotes.
The Kunama language has been included in the proposed Nilo-Saharan language family, though it is distantly related to the other languages, if at all.
Kunama is spoken by the Kunama people of western Eritrea and just across the Ethiopian border.
The language has several dialects including: Barka, Marda, Aimara, Odasa, Tika, Lakatakura, Sokodasa, Takazze-Selit and Tigray. Ilit and Bitama are not mutually intelligible and so may be considered distinct languages.
Though the Kunama people have their own ancient and past history and culture, we would like to mention some of it, beginning in the 19th century.
Under the Italian colonial era, the Italians and the Swedish missionaries introduced the western culture and religion (Christianity), in the Kunama communities and played important roles, particularly within the Kunama society in general.
The Italian missionaries introduced Catholicism, whereas the Swedish missionaries preached Protestantism, among the Kunama people.
These missionaries wrote many different books and made researches on the Kunama people, on their history and culture and made it known to the wider world.
But today, the international community, including governmental and non-governmental humanitarian organizations, are ignoring the discrimination, the injustices and the plights, the Kunama people are being subjected to, and the misery they are facing, in their native land, due to the oppressive policies of the present PFDJ’s regime.
The present plights of the Kunama people, are being ignored, not only by the international community, but also by those same Italian and Swedish missionaries.
Today, these two groups have become unable, or unwilling, to make even simple appeals, on behalf of the Kunama people.
The openly committed social mischief, the ever increasing confiscation of their native and ancestral land, the oppression.
The indiscriminate detentions, imprisonments and killings, the present PFDJ’s regime’s local authorities, are carrying out on the Kunama people, are being, either ignorantly or deliberately , overlooked, both by the missionaries and by the humanitarian organizations alike.
There is realization of such injustices upon the Kunama people, in their native land, even on the part of some individuals within the PFDJ’s regime itself, but even those individuals lack of civil-courage, to come out and confront the regime, on behalf of the Kunama people.
Some others, do acquiesce,in such injustices, by simply generalizing that the regime is using the same measures of injustices upon all Eritrean people, in the whole of Eritrea .
Today, under the current PFDJ’s regime, and in their own native and ancestral territory, the Kunama people are suffering much more intensively than under all other past Eritrean authorities, as the followings main areas of discrimination they are enduring will show:
1.- ethnic/racial discrimination;
2.- culturo-linguistic discrimination and oppression;
3.- economic discrimination;
4.- confiscation of the Kunama rural and of
5.- urban land, in the cities, like
Barentu (Biara), Bimbilna, Boshoka, Dokinbia, Shambakko, Tessenei (Sinai), Ugaro and in many other Kunama villages and countryside. Barentu, Biara, (white-water), in Kunama, Barentu/Barenku, (white-water), in Baria and Maitada/Maitzada, in Beni-Amer/Tigre languages,had been established, as a Kunama regional capital town and seat of the first Italian colonial administrator of the Kunama land, in 1937, and is known and has been kept as the Kunama regional capital town, ever since.
After the liberation of Eritrea , in 1991, the current PFDJ’s regime began its initial land confiscation, in the Kunama regional capital town itself.
In 1994, the PFDJ’s regime officially declared that land belonged to the State. Following that declaration, the regime’s local authorities began driving the Kunama people out of their residences in down town Biara, (Barentu).
The pretext the regime’s local authorities used to drive the Kunama out of their urban residences, was as follows:
1.- the claim that the land belonged to the State;
2.- that the city was not constructed under a master-plan;
3.- that the buildings were not constructed on the basis of the master plan, e.g. apartments, villas, services and so on;
4.- that anyone wishing to make such types of constructions, had to submit his/her bank account to the regime’s local authorities.
5.- that all new constructions in the town, had to be taxed, though the land belonged to the Kunama native owners;
6.- that any one below 40 years of age, had to complete first the national military service, before being allowed to get permission.
Hence any one who was not able to fulfill the above criteria was compelled to leave his/her area and such policy is persistent up to these very days.
A.- Social and economic discrimination and oppression:
the measures taken, by the regime’s local authorities,on the Kunama people, in Biara and in other Kunama towns:
1.- Those Kunama who had been living in areas where houses known as services were located, e.g. Tardoni and Jambukur, were ordered to, either urgently construct the types of houses they had been ordered to, or vacate the area, immediately.
2.- Those who had been living in Appartments and Villas, in areas like Auasa were ordered to dislodge and the regime’s authorities gave the land to top regime’s administrators, to the regime’s officials and to rich Tigrigngna investors.
Auasa, is an area where many Kunama people had been living for many years, but the regime’s local authorities pushed every one out of that place.
Those who had refused to leave that area, the municipality was called to go in and destroy their houses.
To those who had been pushed out of their apartments and villas, the regime’s officials gave smaller plots of land, after they had been ordered to pay taxation, and this, only to those who had completed the national military service, but yet, without being compensated for their previous pieces of land.
This type of unstructured rule is practiced only in the Kunama land and areas, especially in:
Biara, (Barentu),
Bimbilna,
Boshoka,
Dokimbia,
Shambakko,
Sinai, (Tessenei) and
Ugaro.
Biara, (Barentu) and its outskirts are totally surrounded by military camps.
The areas of Prima-Kanteri or primo cantiere,Marafarata, Lausi, Duta, Gulul, Balak, Shilibo, which are small localities surrounding Biara (Barentu), have been turned into military camps.
The following table shows the names of those places, of their occupiers and what they are being used for.
Name of the place: Occupied by: Used for:
1 Prima-Kanteri operation 2 underground prison area
2 Marafarata division 74 military base
3 Lausi operation 2 military training camp
4 Duta operation 2 military police camp
5 Gulul operation 2 military hospital, police station
and underground prison.
6 Balak division 21 head office
7 Shilabo operation 2 administrative office
Land confiscation in other parts of the Kunama land:
The land confiscation is not limited only in Biara, (Barentu), but also in other parts of the Kunama land and in small villages, in particular and in the whole of the Kunama land, in general.
The Kunama people are being confiscated of their native and ancestral land, individually, communally, and ethnically, by the regional administrative offices, by the ranked military officials, and by the regime’s regional and local authorities.
During the Ethio-Eritrean 1998-2000 border-conflict, all inhabitants of Fode and of Anugulu, fled en-masse, to Ethiopia and are currently living in Shimelba refugee-camp, in the Ethiopian State of Tigray.
The villages of Anugulu and Fode are situated in two of the most fertile areas of the Kunama land, of which the Kunama are very proud.
Those fertile areas have now been confiscated, by the regime’s local authorities, and given to the former inhabitants of Addi-Bare, in the Badumma Plains, who have now been resettled in the villages of Anugulu and Fode.
The Kunama is a culturally knit society, which has very little or no cultural affinities with other Eritrean ethnic-groups.
Religiously, in the Kunama society, there are Christians:
Catholics and Protestants, as well as Muslims, but the majority of the Kunama rural population, are adherents of their traditional Kunama Belief, which has its origin from and based on Judaism.
The Kunama Belief is monotheistic, the doctrine that admits, venerates and adores, only one God, Anna.
In the Kunama traditional religious matters, there are a number of different places of worship, which are often frequented and where various traditional events are commemorated and practiced, at different times and occasions.
Such places are retained as holy ones, and highly respected by the Kunama society.
Today, those places have been completely turned into military camps, by the local authorities of the current regime.
The Kunama people, therefore are prevented from gathering in those places and performing the religious duties of their Traditional Belief.
Whenever the Kunama people do gather and attempt to fulfill their religious duties, the regime’s authorities use the occasion for detaining the Kunama boys and girls and conscripting them into the armed forces.
Hence the Kunama are being discouraged from gathering in those holy places of worship or of celebration, and therefore also forced to let their Traditional Belief and their religious duties and practices go extinct.
Tuka, is a widely-known Kunama traditional festivity, which encompasses several rituals, such as circumcisions of the Kunama girls, and so-known, “bringing into the Kunama cultural ways”, of the Kunama boys.
The event is celebrated accompanied and combined with recollections of the Kunama people’s bravados, and choreographed with young Kunama people, wearing the skins of different wild animals and covering their heads and faces with the heads of those animals and imitating the movements of those same animals.
The whole celebration has the dual meanings and purpose of pageantry and of entertainment, at the same time.
Other forms of the Kunama cultural elements too are recalled and performed during Tuka, of which celebrations, last almost a year around.
The main day of Tuka, which is held in a locality with the same name, and where the Kunama people from all over the Kunama land do gather and participate.
The popular Kunama dance, called anna or ukunda is danced all day long, in a joyous atmosphere, catalyzed by the abundant availability of aifa, the Kunama alcoholic drink which is freely served to all participants.
It is the responsibility and the task of the Kara or Karaua kinship, to call for, organize and run the Tuka, festivities.
In Kundura, traditional dances are performed by the Kunama young people, gathered in the village of Kona, from many other villages of the district, accompanied with the sound of horns, played by the young people themselves.
Cultural orientations, blessings and pieces of advice are given by the village’s elders, Kundura too has a dual purpose: cultural and religious.
Shatta, during the celebration of this cultural event, the young men, dance, wearing only local pants, which are, in fact forbidden, but they would instead deliberately wear, and challenge the Shatta manna or Shatta chief, an elderly man who would punish the culprits, whipping them on their naked upper-bodies.
The more the upper bodies of the young-men bleed, the more cheers do they get from their female admirers. Shatta is only a feast of display of endurance, courage and bravado.
Indoda, is a tradition held solely before the season of the major rainfall, where, following the pleas of the Kunama communities, the ngora manne or the chiefs of the rain,would accept gifts, in compensation for the prayers and supplications they elevate to Anna or God, for the rain to fall, for the protection of the crop-fields and harvest, and prevention of locusts, of other insects and of birds, damaging agriculture.
Sangga-nena, means bones-reconciler, and as such, those individuals are highly respected and their activities too, are highly appreciated and honored.
They use solely peaceful means to mediate and settle homicidal discords, between the culprit, murderer, and the innocent, parties.
This is a uniquely Kunama tradition, and which has no parallels in all of the other Eritrean different nationalities, and it is a Kunama traditional and cultural value which excludes and supersedes all forms of formal court procedures.
The PFDJ regime’s local authorities in the Kunama land, have been literally hunting those Kunama individuals, sangga-nene, and they have either detained and imprisoned them or forced them flee their native land and the country.
This is, not only an obvious discrimination, oppression and suppression of one of the highest and unique Kunama cultural values, but they are also very deliberate attempts to create conflicts and bring about unhealed and permanent divisions and hatred within Kunama communities and within the Kunama people as a whole.
Ana-ila the cutting of hair, is a ritual performed, when the young Kunama have reached a certain age and therefore are considered to be brought up and into adulthood. Until that time, the young Kunama, are known as gaishafna,the carriers of a distinctive hair-style, denoting adolescence.
Gathered by the various elders, from various villages, and accompanied by many of the young Kunama who have already gone through that ritual and are therefore known as amfura or young-adult, the gaishafna, are led to places called Agisha or Alai-sagila, and through training and tests, are brought up to adulthood, with which they drop also their gaishafna hair-style and status.
As pointed out previously, because the PFDJ’ regime’s authorities in the Kunama land, keep targeting such gathering of the Kunama people, to arrest and forcefully conscript the young Kunama into the armed-forces, such cultural events, celebrations and rituals are being forced to be abandoned.
These too are very deliberately coordinated activities, by the regime’s authorities, to oppress and suppress the Kunama people’s traditional and cultural values and force them into the regime’s ideologies.
Purposes of forcefully building a united Eritrean society, with the final aim of creating an Eritrean national identity, which fundamentally, and practically, is the imposition of, and therefore, it reflects the Eritrean-Tigrian ethnic-culture, and cultural values.
It is to be noted that these are also fundamental violations of the human and cultural rights of the Indigenous Peoples, in multi-ethnic, multi-culturo-linguistic and multi-religious countries and nations, like that of the Eritrean nation and society.
Though it is one of the prime inhabitants of Eritrea , today, the Kunama ethic-group and nationality is considered and looked down upon, as a second citizen, even in its own native and ancestral land.
As a proof of such rampant a violation of the native ethnic-groups’ territorial rights, let us point out that, as soon as the PFDJ’s regime assumed power in the independent Eritrea, it reshuffled the territories of the Eritrean different nationalities in general, but it literally dismembered the Kunama land.
With its new nomenclature of Gash-Barka region, which, by the way, are the imposed names of two rivers, one of which, Gash stands for the Kunama land. It is the name of the river that runs through the Kunama land and which is known to and called by the Kunama people as Sona.
The same river is called Mereb, in the highland Tigrian regions, but as it reaches the Kunama land, it is called Sona.
Similarly, the same river is known to and called, by the Sudanese, as Gash, as it reaches and dissipates itself in the Derudeb desert, in the Sudanese Kassala state.
Why then, has Gash become a synonymous of the Kunama land, is everyone’s guess.
Today, the Kunama land, has very arbitrarily been divided, by the PFDJ’s regime, into La-alai, (upper) and Tahatai, (lower) Gash.
Part of La-alai Gash, has been annexed to the neighboring Tigrigngna region of Serae, and another part of it to the Tigrigngna region of Hamasien, with which, traditionally, the Kunama land, had never shared its geographical borders.
With its general nomenclature of Gash-Barka, the PFDJ’s regime has created, in the Baria populations’ territory, lying between the Kunama territory and the Beni-Amer populations’ territory of Barka, geographically very disruptive and ethnically very volatile scenarios.
In order, for those populations to go back to their respective territories and live peacefully, with themselves and with their neighboring populations, as they used to do, in ancient times.
The present land divisions, names and land administrations, arbitrarily and unjustly conjured out by the present PFDJ’s regime of Ato Isaias Afworki, have to disappear with it own disappearance.
The southern geographical borders of the Kunama people’s ethnic land from east to west, have very specifically and clearly been spelled out by EEBC, Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission which stated that, the south-western sector of the Cunama territory begins at Khor Om Hagar.
At the Sudanese border and extends to the junction of the Mareb and the Mai Ambesa.
In the south-eastern sector of the Cunama territory, the Commission determines that the eastern border of the Kunama territory between the Setit and the Mareb coincides with the classical signature of the border as marked on the maps.
Though the traditional geographical borders of the Kunama territory, in north-eastern and north-western sectors are clearly known to and defined by the Kunama populations.
Inhabiting those areas, the present PFDJ’s regime had the audacity to cut, the Kunama territory bordering with the Sudan, delimiting, defining and giving it to Tigre without specifying why, and who those Tigre populations, today inhabiting those Kunama areas are, for, the adjective/qualifier Tigre.
Itself is understood and properly applied to, only by those populations and folk-groups, which do know that they speak one and the same, so-called Tigre language, but yet, they do actually know that they are populations of different ethnic origins, at times confronted with unidentified territorial delimitations and therefore encountering problems of rightful settlements.
After the independence of the Eritrean state, the regime, started providing different settlement sites, in the Kunama land, where, mostly Tigrians refugees, returning from The Sudan, were settled.
Those Tigrians were very purposefully settled, mostly in the vast and fertile areas of Gulluj, in the Kunama Tika region, and in other similar localities, in the neighboring Kunama Aimasa region.
Technically speaking, those Tigrians and other not-native settlers in the Kunama land, are still refugees, but in their own native country.
After the Ethio-Eritrean 1998-2000 border conflict, many Kunama ethnic-members fled to the neighboring Ethiopian State of Tigray.
Due to that motive, increased discrimination, flagrant abuses and all kinds of injustices, were exercised, by the regime’s local authorities, upon the remaining Kunama ethnic-members.
Many educated Kunama, intellectuals, ordinary Kunama ethnic-members, men, women, boys, girls, farmers, shepherds, old and young people were hunted, jailed, tortured, and killed, accused of a petty reasons and false accusations, such as Kunama people supporting and helping the Ethiopian government.
Many of those Kunama who had fled to Ethiopia and many of those still living at home, are often being accused of supporting and helping the Democratic Movement for the Liberation of the Eritrean Kunama, (DMLEK) and subjected to indiscriminate and continuous spying activities, persecutions, detentions, imprisonment, torture, killings and disappearances.
Today, the Kunama is being hunted, by the regime’s authorities in the Kunama land, individually, collectively and as members of an ethnic-group, which, in their eyes, is to be systematically ethnic-cleansed.
The fact that the US government has opened its doors, for the resettlement of the Kunama refugees in the USA, following the open persecution they are being subjected to, by the PFDJ’s regime, at home and also in their refugee-camps, in Ethiopia, is being defined, by the Eritrean regime’s officials, like Ato Kahsay Berhe, the ex-governor of the Gash-Barka region, as Kunama being.
This is only a frustrated reaction, resulting from the grudges the PFDJ’s regime and its officials, bear to the US government, accusing the present Eritrean PFDJ’s regime of being a disruptive force, and a spoiler of peace in the Horn of Africa.
Tourism Observer
Thursday, 7 September 2017
KENYA: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Opens Public Car Park
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) had in 2013 converted the car parking garage into a temporary arrivals section after a fire destroyed Terminal 1.
Security features at the garage have been fixed and works at arrival terminals 1A and IE now completed.
Kenya Airports Authority is pleased to announce that the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport car parking garage is now officially open to the public.
The facility is able to handle 1,300 additional parking spaces.
Cars using the garage will be charged Sh100 on average, depending on the duration they are parked at the facility.
Installation of CCTV cameras at the garage was one of the security measures implemented by KAA ahead of auditing by American Authorities for direct flights to the US.
The JKIA was in February given Category One status following several audit processes by the US’ Federal Aviation Administration.
The status is awarded based on proven capabilities of a country’s civil aviation authority that it has the laws and oversight processes in place to assure safe operations.
That determination is made on the basis of a country’s compliance with safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, a UN agency.
Earlier, Kenya had failed to meet a number of conditions, delaying commencement of flights in August last year.
Major upgrades have been made at the JKIA since its international terminal was destroyed in a fire four years ago.
Operating direct flights between Kenya and the US is expected to cut by half freight costs in what could have a ripple effect on economic growth. Kenya exports mostly horticultural products to the US.
Kenya contributes more than 35 per cent share to the global flower trade that continues to grow despite stiff competition from Ecuador, Ethiopia and Colombia.
Monday, 24 April 2017
It Is Faster For Passenger To Fly Through Europe Than Use An African Airport, Why?
Sub-Saharan Africa remains, on aggregate, the region where Travel & Tourism competitiveness is the least developed. Although regional performance has increased, it has improved less compared to other parts of the world.
Southern Africa remains the strongest sub-region, followed by Eastern Africa and then Western Africa. Yet, on average, Eastern Africa is the most improved region, while Southern Africa has experienced a slight decline.
Considering the size and the rich cultural and natural resources, the 29 million tourists visiting the continent in 2015 is low. From a business perspective, the untapped potential of the region could be an opportunity with expected returns potentially higher than other already mature destinations.
Still, a number of conditions need to be in place to grow tourism, including the expansion of an African middle class. Despite sustained economic growth in the past decade, Africa has not seen the same kind of income increases enjoyed by Asian households. As a consequence, only a fraction of African people can afford to travel.
While tourism in Europe and, more recently, Asia has been fuelled by intra-regional travel, data reveals that, on average, African tourists spend a tenth of what an overseas tourist would spend.
Air connectivity and travel cost are challenges linked to the regulatory framework. Although most African nations have signed onto the 1988 Yamoussoukro Declaration in an effort to reach a multilateral “open skies” agreement, almost thirty years later, air travel remains inefficient throughout the region.
Stifled by concerns about different levels of development, protectionist fears linked to their national carriers, conflicts with competition regulations and lack of dispute settlement mechanism, mean that, to date, it is still difficult for any company to fly to new destinations.
Airlines regularly need to lobby their governments to negotiate a bilateral treaty with the destination country, which can be a lengthy process. As a result, there is little competition and little connectivity. In fact, in some cases, it is faster for a passenger to fly through Europe rather than use an African hub.
The lack of competition in turn impacts the costs of tickets and airport and landing charges. Twenty of the 30 Sub-Saharan countries covered by the Report apply ticket taxes and airport charges above the world average.
The countries that have been more active in signing bilateral agreements Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa have been able to create strong state owned carriers. Some countries in West Africa rely on privately owned companies, while all other African countries still maintain unprofitable, inefficient and insecure publicly owned national companies.
Recently, the five countries with strong national carriers, private operators and small state-owned operators committed to a Single African Air Transport Market that should enter into force by the end of 2017. Air transport in particular, and transport infrastructure generally, remain, to date, the biggest challenges for travel & tourism development in Africa.
The lack in significant improvement in the use of natural resources is also hindering Africa’s T&T competitiveness. While tourism in the region is mainly driven by natural tourism, there is ample room for improvement in protecting, valuing and communicating cultural richness.
In several African countries, there are numerous cultural sites and intangible expressions that could be better leveraged and combined with the rich natural capital available; only South Africa performs above the world average. Natural resources are also unevenly protected, despite the importance of protecting the environment for African economies.
On average, environmental performance is positive, but deforestation and habitat loss are becoming problematic in some countries. Ten African countries have lost at least 7% of their forests compared to 2000.
Lack of international openness is a further area that requires policy attention at the regional level. In addition to open-skies policies, in many cases visa policies are still very restrictive, especially in West Africa.
While regional analysis highlights some of the common trends, shared strengths and weaknesses, there are, as always, large variations at the country level. Compared to the 2015 edition of the TTCI, Tanzania, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon and Mozambique have all achieved a stronger performance, while Namibia and South Africa have lost some ground.
South Africa still leads the regional ranking, taking the 53rd place globally, though the country slipped 5 places since 2015. It continues to rely on cultural resources (19th), strong natural resources (23rd), and a conducive business environment (21st), characterized by minimal red tape and modest administrative burden.
Although the labour market remains inefficient (118th), there has been some progress in this area: it ranked 135th two years ago. The country has also improved price competitiveness (43rd) by reducing tickets charges, taxes and hotel prices. Despite these improvements, South Africa’s tourism competitiveness has deteriorated on two elements—safety and security (120th) and environmental sustainability (117th).
Fears of terrorism and an increased sense of insecurity related to crime make tourists less light-hearted about travelling in the country. With 33 homicides per 100,000 people, South Africa has one of the worst homicide rates in the index, ranking 131st.
With respect to environmental sustainability, deforestation and loss of habitat have proceeded at a rapid rate since 2000. The global interest and demand for South Africa’s natural resources is increasing, but insufficient habitat preservation could prevent the country from benefitting from this growing source of tourist attraction.
Another aspect that has contributed to a lower performance for South Africa this year is the reduced efforts made by the government to support the sector (59th). Although spending has remained unchanged, marketing campaigns have been perceived as effective (40th). To foster its tourism sector, South Africa could also implement more open visa policies (71st) and service trade agreements (91st).
Namibia is the 4th most T&T competitive nation in Sub-Saharan Africa, taking the 82nd place globally. Namibia’s natural resources (40th), its business environment (38th), air transportation (58th) and price competitiveness (30th) sustain Namibia’s competitiveness as the country slowly continues to increase international arrivals.
Nonetheless, Namibia loses 12 positions this year, resulting partially from statistical adjustments such as the inclusion of previously unavailable deforestation figures, which have significantly reduced the sustainability performance of the country.
Despite these adjustments, which make comparison more challenging, Namibia has lost a considerable portion of its forest since the early 2000s (127th) and its water resources have deteriorated.
Similarly, the re-assessment of car rental services (72nd) and the diffusion of ATMs have resulted in a lower performance of Namibia’s tourism service infrastructure (73rd). Beyond these changes, Namibia still needs to improve its health and hygiene (117th) and under-appreciated cultural resources (127th), and renew focus on its inadequately qualified human resources (106th), which remain the main bottlenecks toward a faster development of the T&T sector in the country.
Tanzania ranks 91st in 2017. It is home to one of the most impressive concentration of natural resources (8th) and wildlife globally, with its rich variety of landscapes, ranging from Mt. Kilimanjaro to its coastline and Zanzibar.
Yet international arrivals have flattened since 2012, when the country welcomed 1 million international visitors. Tanzania is a price-competitive destination (34th) where the government plays an active role in promoting the T&T sector (45th). Still, there is enormous untapped potential.
Cultural resources (86th) could be nurtured to better complement the natural and safari tourism offer. While there has been some progress in the country’s infrastructure, particularly air (106th, up 10 places) and ground transport (102nd, up 18 places), it remains largely underdeveloped.
Tourism service infrastructure (103rd) and, specifically, the hotel reception capacity, remain low (119th). Despite some improvements, Tanzania’s business environment (102nd) is still characterized by slow and costly processes to start a business or obtain construction permits.
Health and hygiene conditions (125th) are also improving very slowly. Similarly, the uptake of ICTs technologies is proceeding at a slower pace than in other countries (121st), with a particularly low increase in mobile broadband subscriptions. Despite its immense potential, Tanzania still has important gaps to fill to fully leverage the T&T sector as a mean to increase its living conditions.
Côte d’Ivoire ranks 109th on the index, rising eight places, which is an increase of almost 4%. International tourists’ arrivals increased from 380,000 in 2013 to 1.4 million in 2015, and the country has bettered its scores on nine of the 14 pillars, with a remarkable improvement in international openness (94th) since implementing a visa liberalization policy.
Although starting from a low level, Côte d’Ivoire has increased the level of its qualified labour force (122nd, up 16 places), and improved its safety and security (96th) as well as its ICT readiness (104th). Despite this directional improvement, the T&T sector is not yet very well developed.
Air transportation is still sub-optimal (91st), the offer of tourism services remains limited (101st) and the cultural resources, despite a significant influx of business tourism, are not strongly valued (120th). Health and hygiene conditions also contribute to the lower appeal of the country (134th), with a high incidence of malaria and HIV.
To continue attracting more tourists, the country needs to develop a better offer, and should try to improve on health and hygiene, infrastructure and human resources. Price competitiveness should also be monitored; Côte d’Ivoire has become more expensive to visit this year due to increased airport and taxes charges.
Mozambique improves considerably, rising 8 places, and ranking 122nd. The strengths of Mozambique’s T&T competitiveness continue to be its natural resources and its very open visa policy (8th). This year, the country rose in the rankings through improvements in ICT readiness (123rd, up 11 places), resulting from increased mobile phone usage, by reducing taxes and charges on air transport, and by placing more value on its natural resources.
Although there is still no natural site on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, Mozambique has slightly increased the surface of protected areas and has managed to improve the awareness of its outstanding natural resources (73rd), ranging from safari parks to pristine beaches and islands.
The country’s environmental sustainability is positive (64th) and the amount of threatened species is low. However, there are looming sustainability risks, including the lack of water treatment systems and deforestation, resulting from illegal logging.
Despite the climb in the ranking this year, the tourism potential in Mozambique remains largely untapped. Infrastructure (121st), human resources (129th), and health and hygiene conditions (136th) are all factors that require significant investments and would generate substantial returns for the tourism sector, but also for the country’s overall competitiveness and productivity.
Southern Africa remains the strongest sub-region, followed by Eastern Africa and then Western Africa. Yet, on average, Eastern Africa is the most improved region, while Southern Africa has experienced a slight decline.
Considering the size and the rich cultural and natural resources, the 29 million tourists visiting the continent in 2015 is low. From a business perspective, the untapped potential of the region could be an opportunity with expected returns potentially higher than other already mature destinations.
Still, a number of conditions need to be in place to grow tourism, including the expansion of an African middle class. Despite sustained economic growth in the past decade, Africa has not seen the same kind of income increases enjoyed by Asian households. As a consequence, only a fraction of African people can afford to travel.
While tourism in Europe and, more recently, Asia has been fuelled by intra-regional travel, data reveals that, on average, African tourists spend a tenth of what an overseas tourist would spend.
Air connectivity and travel cost are challenges linked to the regulatory framework. Although most African nations have signed onto the 1988 Yamoussoukro Declaration in an effort to reach a multilateral “open skies” agreement, almost thirty years later, air travel remains inefficient throughout the region.
Stifled by concerns about different levels of development, protectionist fears linked to their national carriers, conflicts with competition regulations and lack of dispute settlement mechanism, mean that, to date, it is still difficult for any company to fly to new destinations.
Airlines regularly need to lobby their governments to negotiate a bilateral treaty with the destination country, which can be a lengthy process. As a result, there is little competition and little connectivity. In fact, in some cases, it is faster for a passenger to fly through Europe rather than use an African hub.
The lack of competition in turn impacts the costs of tickets and airport and landing charges. Twenty of the 30 Sub-Saharan countries covered by the Report apply ticket taxes and airport charges above the world average.
The countries that have been more active in signing bilateral agreements Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa have been able to create strong state owned carriers. Some countries in West Africa rely on privately owned companies, while all other African countries still maintain unprofitable, inefficient and insecure publicly owned national companies.
Recently, the five countries with strong national carriers, private operators and small state-owned operators committed to a Single African Air Transport Market that should enter into force by the end of 2017. Air transport in particular, and transport infrastructure generally, remain, to date, the biggest challenges for travel & tourism development in Africa.
The lack in significant improvement in the use of natural resources is also hindering Africa’s T&T competitiveness. While tourism in the region is mainly driven by natural tourism, there is ample room for improvement in protecting, valuing and communicating cultural richness.
In several African countries, there are numerous cultural sites and intangible expressions that could be better leveraged and combined with the rich natural capital available; only South Africa performs above the world average. Natural resources are also unevenly protected, despite the importance of protecting the environment for African economies.
On average, environmental performance is positive, but deforestation and habitat loss are becoming problematic in some countries. Ten African countries have lost at least 7% of their forests compared to 2000.
Lack of international openness is a further area that requires policy attention at the regional level. In addition to open-skies policies, in many cases visa policies are still very restrictive, especially in West Africa.
While regional analysis highlights some of the common trends, shared strengths and weaknesses, there are, as always, large variations at the country level. Compared to the 2015 edition of the TTCI, Tanzania, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon and Mozambique have all achieved a stronger performance, while Namibia and South Africa have lost some ground.
South Africa still leads the regional ranking, taking the 53rd place globally, though the country slipped 5 places since 2015. It continues to rely on cultural resources (19th), strong natural resources (23rd), and a conducive business environment (21st), characterized by minimal red tape and modest administrative burden.
Although the labour market remains inefficient (118th), there has been some progress in this area: it ranked 135th two years ago. The country has also improved price competitiveness (43rd) by reducing tickets charges, taxes and hotel prices. Despite these improvements, South Africa’s tourism competitiveness has deteriorated on two elements—safety and security (120th) and environmental sustainability (117th).
Fears of terrorism and an increased sense of insecurity related to crime make tourists less light-hearted about travelling in the country. With 33 homicides per 100,000 people, South Africa has one of the worst homicide rates in the index, ranking 131st.
With respect to environmental sustainability, deforestation and loss of habitat have proceeded at a rapid rate since 2000. The global interest and demand for South Africa’s natural resources is increasing, but insufficient habitat preservation could prevent the country from benefitting from this growing source of tourist attraction.
Another aspect that has contributed to a lower performance for South Africa this year is the reduced efforts made by the government to support the sector (59th). Although spending has remained unchanged, marketing campaigns have been perceived as effective (40th). To foster its tourism sector, South Africa could also implement more open visa policies (71st) and service trade agreements (91st).
Namibia is the 4th most T&T competitive nation in Sub-Saharan Africa, taking the 82nd place globally. Namibia’s natural resources (40th), its business environment (38th), air transportation (58th) and price competitiveness (30th) sustain Namibia’s competitiveness as the country slowly continues to increase international arrivals.
Nonetheless, Namibia loses 12 positions this year, resulting partially from statistical adjustments such as the inclusion of previously unavailable deforestation figures, which have significantly reduced the sustainability performance of the country.
Despite these adjustments, which make comparison more challenging, Namibia has lost a considerable portion of its forest since the early 2000s (127th) and its water resources have deteriorated.
Similarly, the re-assessment of car rental services (72nd) and the diffusion of ATMs have resulted in a lower performance of Namibia’s tourism service infrastructure (73rd). Beyond these changes, Namibia still needs to improve its health and hygiene (117th) and under-appreciated cultural resources (127th), and renew focus on its inadequately qualified human resources (106th), which remain the main bottlenecks toward a faster development of the T&T sector in the country.
Tanzania ranks 91st in 2017. It is home to one of the most impressive concentration of natural resources (8th) and wildlife globally, with its rich variety of landscapes, ranging from Mt. Kilimanjaro to its coastline and Zanzibar.
Yet international arrivals have flattened since 2012, when the country welcomed 1 million international visitors. Tanzania is a price-competitive destination (34th) where the government plays an active role in promoting the T&T sector (45th). Still, there is enormous untapped potential.
Cultural resources (86th) could be nurtured to better complement the natural and safari tourism offer. While there has been some progress in the country’s infrastructure, particularly air (106th, up 10 places) and ground transport (102nd, up 18 places), it remains largely underdeveloped.
Tourism service infrastructure (103rd) and, specifically, the hotel reception capacity, remain low (119th). Despite some improvements, Tanzania’s business environment (102nd) is still characterized by slow and costly processes to start a business or obtain construction permits.
Health and hygiene conditions (125th) are also improving very slowly. Similarly, the uptake of ICTs technologies is proceeding at a slower pace than in other countries (121st), with a particularly low increase in mobile broadband subscriptions. Despite its immense potential, Tanzania still has important gaps to fill to fully leverage the T&T sector as a mean to increase its living conditions.
Côte d’Ivoire ranks 109th on the index, rising eight places, which is an increase of almost 4%. International tourists’ arrivals increased from 380,000 in 2013 to 1.4 million in 2015, and the country has bettered its scores on nine of the 14 pillars, with a remarkable improvement in international openness (94th) since implementing a visa liberalization policy.
Although starting from a low level, Côte d’Ivoire has increased the level of its qualified labour force (122nd, up 16 places), and improved its safety and security (96th) as well as its ICT readiness (104th). Despite this directional improvement, the T&T sector is not yet very well developed.
Air transportation is still sub-optimal (91st), the offer of tourism services remains limited (101st) and the cultural resources, despite a significant influx of business tourism, are not strongly valued (120th). Health and hygiene conditions also contribute to the lower appeal of the country (134th), with a high incidence of malaria and HIV.
To continue attracting more tourists, the country needs to develop a better offer, and should try to improve on health and hygiene, infrastructure and human resources. Price competitiveness should also be monitored; Côte d’Ivoire has become more expensive to visit this year due to increased airport and taxes charges.
Mozambique improves considerably, rising 8 places, and ranking 122nd. The strengths of Mozambique’s T&T competitiveness continue to be its natural resources and its very open visa policy (8th). This year, the country rose in the rankings through improvements in ICT readiness (123rd, up 11 places), resulting from increased mobile phone usage, by reducing taxes and charges on air transport, and by placing more value on its natural resources.
Although there is still no natural site on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, Mozambique has slightly increased the surface of protected areas and has managed to improve the awareness of its outstanding natural resources (73rd), ranging from safari parks to pristine beaches and islands.
The country’s environmental sustainability is positive (64th) and the amount of threatened species is low. However, there are looming sustainability risks, including the lack of water treatment systems and deforestation, resulting from illegal logging.
Despite the climb in the ranking this year, the tourism potential in Mozambique remains largely untapped. Infrastructure (121st), human resources (129th), and health and hygiene conditions (136th) are all factors that require significant investments and would generate substantial returns for the tourism sector, but also for the country’s overall competitiveness and productivity.
Tuesday, 4 April 2017
KENYA: Kenya Can Now Operate Direct Flights To The United States
After more than a decade long wait, Kenya can now operate direct flights to the United States.
The US Federal Aviation Administration says Kenya has complied with international safety standards and can have direct flights to the country.
The east african country also had to upgrade infrastructure at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Without the category 1 rating conferred by the US Federal Aviation Administration, all flights originating from Kenya had to make a stop over in another country with the same ranking, usually in Europe or the Middle East.
This is a major milestone in Kenya’s aviation industry as it now has a chance to boost trade with the US and increase its share of American tourists.
Kenya is now among five sub-Saharan Africa countries that can fly directly to the US. The rest are; South Africa, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The US Federal Aviation Administration says Kenya has complied with international safety standards and can have direct flights to the country.
The east african country also had to upgrade infrastructure at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Without the category 1 rating conferred by the US Federal Aviation Administration, all flights originating from Kenya had to make a stop over in another country with the same ranking, usually in Europe or the Middle East.
This is a major milestone in Kenya’s aviation industry as it now has a chance to boost trade with the US and increase its share of American tourists.
Kenya is now among five sub-Saharan Africa countries that can fly directly to the US. The rest are; South Africa, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Wednesday, 31 August 2016
SOMALIA: Hotel Attack
"The number of the people who died in the blast reached 15 and 45 others were wounded, most of them lightly," said Mogadishu police chief Bishar Abshir Gedi.
He said civilians and security forces were among the dead in Tuesday's attack.
Several journalists who were at the hotel at the time of the attack were injured.
A vehicle rammed through a checkpoint on Tuesday and was fired on by security forces before it exploded outside the SYL hotel.
An earlier toll stood at five killed and 28 injured.
The hotel is situated close to the main entrance to the Villa Somalia government complex that includes the presidential palace, ministry buildings and residences.
A witness described seeing a large blast and a thick plume of smoke that rose high into the air.
"I saw a car speeding towards the area and huge smoke and fire went up in the sky," said Elmi Ahmed.
The explosion left a scene of widespread damage with a crater in the road, buildings damaged, nearby walls collapsed and debris scattered across the usually busy carriageway.
The Al-Qaeda aligned Shabaab jihadist group said it was responsible for the attack.
The fortified hotel, popular with government officials, business people and visiting diplomats and delegations, was previously attacked in both February this year and January last year.
Last week gunmen detonated a bomb outside a beachside restaurant before storming inside and killing at least seven people.
The jihadists have also staged repeated attacks in neighbouring Kenya and a recent security analysis warned the group was expanding its horizons with cells active in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as well as Somalia.
Monday, 22 August 2016
THAILAND: Thailand Doubles Visa-on-arrival For 18 Countries
The new charge will come into effect on 27 September, and apply to the citizens of all 18 countries offered visa-on-arrival in Thailand. These include China, India, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia.
The newspaper reported the Thai Foreign Ministry as saying that the decision to implement a 100% increase was based on the belief that the current charge is lower than the visa fees paid by Thai tourists visiting other countries.
The timing of the decision is not ideal however; Thailand’s tourism authorities are working hard to encourage international travellers not to cancel their trips to the kingdom, following the recent bombings in several resort areas. The reason for the attacks is still unclear.
The other countries offered visa-on-arrival to Thailand are Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Marino, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
The newspaper reported the Thai Foreign Ministry as saying that the decision to implement a 100% increase was based on the belief that the current charge is lower than the visa fees paid by Thai tourists visiting other countries.
The timing of the decision is not ideal however; Thailand’s tourism authorities are working hard to encourage international travellers not to cancel their trips to the kingdom, following the recent bombings in several resort areas. The reason for the attacks is still unclear.
The other countries offered visa-on-arrival to Thailand are Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Marino, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Monday, 25 April 2016
SEYCHELLES: Victoria In Carnival Sounds
Minister St. Ange with his colleagues from South Africa, Madagascar and the one and only Kitty Pope of Africa Diaspora Tourism in Atlanta Georgia
'This was the best opening I have seen and I have seen them all' did a fellow journalist say when the lights in the Stade Popiler went on again after the opening act of the 2016 Carnival International de Victoria had drawn to a close amid thundering applause from the spectators.
The VIP area was crowded, led by none other than President James Alix Michel, Vice President Faure, former President Sir Mancham and tourism ministers from South Africa, Madagascar and other dignitaries.
Two short speeches, both to the point, by the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board Ms. Sherin Naiken, followed by a trilingual address in English, Kreol and French of Tourism Minister St. Ange, set the tone for the rest of the night.
When the stage lit up and the annual carnival theme song was performed as opening act were spectators on the edge of their seats and the area under the three stages immediately crowded by TV teams and photo journalists, trying to capture the performers.
On stage went Brazil, China, Vietnam, India, Sweden, South Korea, Ethiopia as well as co-hosts of the event this year, South Africa and Reunion Island, all thrilling the crowds with flashy costumes and killer moves, the combination of which brought out cat whistles and screams from in particular the open stands where thousands of Seychellois has crammed into to see and be part of what has become the islands' main trademark festival.
In his speech did Minister St. Ange refer to the Seychelles carnival festival as the United Nations of Culture, and certainly is is the United Nations of Carnivalistas, who now come in ever larger numbers to this unique festival where - unlike their home carnivals where they perform - they now showcase their crafts and skills besides the most highly ranked carnival troupes from around the world.
The teams mentioned before will be joined in the parade by two German 'Karneval Vereine', from Duesseldorf and Cologne, others from Italy, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, in total 23 foreign performing floats and groups ready to do their thing this afternoon in the centre of Victoria.
It was evident, when invited guests crowded into the Gran Kaz Casino for the after party, that the hosts, staff of the Seychelles Tourism Board, the CEO of the Tourism Board and most notably Minister St. Ange, were beaming with pride for what they have achieved, perfect weather, a balmy evening under the full moon over the Seychelles' capital and a performance, as said already, better than any seen so far, rounded up by fireworks over the stadium at the end of the night's performance.
The Seychelles, a rainbow nation in its own right, perhaps more than any other nation on earth, has the spotlights of some 124 global media houses on them this weekend and going by the look of it, this will be a huge success once more to put the archipelago on the map.
Key sponsors, worth mentioning for helping to make this happen, were Air Seychelles / Etihad, Airtel Seychelles and among others also Kenya Airways, the Pride of Africa, which flew many of the African delegations to Mahe.
Today, come 3 p.m. will the carnival juggernaut waltz through Victoria, on a different route too from previous events, to give more locals and tourists the opportunity to line the streets and cheer on the performers, 23 foreign and dozens from the Seychelles, who have taken to the carnival like the proverbial fish to water.
The VIP area was crowded, led by none other than President James Alix Michel, Vice President Faure, former President Sir Mancham and tourism ministers from South Africa, Madagascar and other dignitaries.
Two short speeches, both to the point, by the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board Ms. Sherin Naiken, followed by a trilingual address in English, Kreol and French of Tourism Minister St. Ange, set the tone for the rest of the night.
When the stage lit up and the annual carnival theme song was performed as opening act were spectators on the edge of their seats and the area under the three stages immediately crowded by TV teams and photo journalists, trying to capture the performers.
On stage went Brazil, China, Vietnam, India, Sweden, South Korea, Ethiopia as well as co-hosts of the event this year, South Africa and Reunion Island, all thrilling the crowds with flashy costumes and killer moves, the combination of which brought out cat whistles and screams from in particular the open stands where thousands of Seychellois has crammed into to see and be part of what has become the islands' main trademark festival.
In his speech did Minister St. Ange refer to the Seychelles carnival festival as the United Nations of Culture, and certainly is is the United Nations of Carnivalistas, who now come in ever larger numbers to this unique festival where - unlike their home carnivals where they perform - they now showcase their crafts and skills besides the most highly ranked carnival troupes from around the world.
The teams mentioned before will be joined in the parade by two German 'Karneval Vereine', from Duesseldorf and Cologne, others from Italy, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, in total 23 foreign performing floats and groups ready to do their thing this afternoon in the centre of Victoria.
It was evident, when invited guests crowded into the Gran Kaz Casino for the after party, that the hosts, staff of the Seychelles Tourism Board, the CEO of the Tourism Board and most notably Minister St. Ange, were beaming with pride for what they have achieved, perfect weather, a balmy evening under the full moon over the Seychelles' capital and a performance, as said already, better than any seen so far, rounded up by fireworks over the stadium at the end of the night's performance.
The Seychelles, a rainbow nation in its own right, perhaps more than any other nation on earth, has the spotlights of some 124 global media houses on them this weekend and going by the look of it, this will be a huge success once more to put the archipelago on the map.
Key sponsors, worth mentioning for helping to make this happen, were Air Seychelles / Etihad, Airtel Seychelles and among others also Kenya Airways, the Pride of Africa, which flew many of the African delegations to Mahe.
Today, come 3 p.m. will the carnival juggernaut waltz through Victoria, on a different route too from previous events, to give more locals and tourists the opportunity to line the streets and cheer on the performers, 23 foreign and dozens from the Seychelles, who have taken to the carnival like the proverbial fish to water.
Wednesday, 13 April 2016
GHANA: Ghana Named Among World’s Top Travel Destinations For 2016
Ghana has been listed among 36 countries to be visited by travellers in 2016. The list was compiled by a group of 35 experienced and well-travelled bloggers from around the world, who specialise in adventure travel, ecotourism, cultural travel and family travel.
Ghana continues to find a sustainable means of expanding and harnessing its tourism potential in order to attract local and foreign tourists alike.
In recent times, the country’s Tourism Ministry and its implementing agency, the Ghana Tourism Authority have continued to introduce and expand a wide array of tourism related programmes and activities in order to sustain interest and increase earnings within the sector.
A member of the group who usually writes about the country, Elin Reitehaug reiterates this by a short summary on the country’s tourism sector; ‘’you are invited’’ is the standard phrase uttered when Ghanaians start eating. As a traveler in Ghana, you are always invited. Hike Afadjato, the highest mountain in Ghana, or go bird watching on a canopy walk in the rainforest of Kakum National Park, the country’s first protected area. To spot elephants, visit Mole National Park.
In Bolgantaga you’ll discover the rich culture of the Frafra people, known for weaving the world-famous Bolga baskets. In Elmina and along Cape Coast you’ll find several castles and forts recognised by UNESCO. Enjoy the beaches, which are popular for locals during weekends and holidays, when families and young people come to swim and play. Learn to play drums from energetic musicians at the Art Centre in Accra, or attend cultural events such as festivals and traditional celebrations of birth, marriage and death.’
The list also comprised countries such as, Quebec, South Africa, India, Bolivia, Brazil, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Greenland, Madagascar, Mauritius, Canada, South Africa, among others and was put together by Green Global Travel, an Ecotourism, Nature/Wildlife Conservation and Cultural Preservation Magazine.
Ghana continues to find a sustainable means of expanding and harnessing its tourism potential in order to attract local and foreign tourists alike.
In recent times, the country’s Tourism Ministry and its implementing agency, the Ghana Tourism Authority have continued to introduce and expand a wide array of tourism related programmes and activities in order to sustain interest and increase earnings within the sector.
A member of the group who usually writes about the country, Elin Reitehaug reiterates this by a short summary on the country’s tourism sector; ‘’you are invited’’ is the standard phrase uttered when Ghanaians start eating. As a traveler in Ghana, you are always invited. Hike Afadjato, the highest mountain in Ghana, or go bird watching on a canopy walk in the rainforest of Kakum National Park, the country’s first protected area. To spot elephants, visit Mole National Park.
In Bolgantaga you’ll discover the rich culture of the Frafra people, known for weaving the world-famous Bolga baskets. In Elmina and along Cape Coast you’ll find several castles and forts recognised by UNESCO. Enjoy the beaches, which are popular for locals during weekends and holidays, when families and young people come to swim and play. Learn to play drums from energetic musicians at the Art Centre in Accra, or attend cultural events such as festivals and traditional celebrations of birth, marriage and death.’
The list also comprised countries such as, Quebec, South Africa, India, Bolivia, Brazil, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Greenland, Madagascar, Mauritius, Canada, South Africa, among others and was put together by Green Global Travel, an Ecotourism, Nature/Wildlife Conservation and Cultural Preservation Magazine.
Saturday, 5 March 2016
ETHIOPIA: Omo Valley People Change Their Lives
The cultural heritage of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley and Kenya’s Lake Turkana basin has, until recently, been relatively untouched by globalisation. Thousands of years as a crossroads of human migration has resulted in a marked diversity. At least 10 distinct ethnic groups occupy the borders between Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Like most photographers, I was drawn to the Omo Valley not by its landscape, but by these inhabitants, the ochre-skinned Hamer, the lip-plated Suri and Mursi, and the painted Karo amongst them.
Since my first visit to the Omo Valley in 2007, I have witnessed a change in both the landscape and its inhabitants. While modernisation is inevitable, in the Omo it appears to be at the expense of the locals rather than at their hands. The scars are visible in the hundreds of thousands of acres of bare earth waiting to be planted by multinational corporations, as subsistence agriculture is replaced by large-scale industrial farming.
The fate of the Omo Valley was sealed in 2006 when the Ethiopian government began constructing the Pride of Ethiopia: the highly ambitious and controversial Gibe III hydroelectric dam. The dam allows for large-scale commercial farming through irrigated agriculture and has been described as a potential humanitarian disaster for the estimated 500,000 people who live along the Omo River, and around Lake Turkana.
To clear traditional grazing grounds for farming, the government has embarked on a policy of moving people into new model villages. This process is non-negotiable, and has come with many reports of human rights abuses. The Suri warriors are being turned into beggars, living on food hand-outs. No land allowance has been made for the Suri’s cattle herds, nor for subsistence agriculture. Without the cultural identity that land and livestock provides, the fabric of their pastoral society is being destroyed.
Yet ironically, while eroding the Suri’s culture, the government promote them as an “unspoilt tribe”. It is estimated the Suri receive fewer than 1,000 visitors a year, mostly photographers and filmmakers hoping for an “authentic” experience. In reality there is little authenticity in a visit to the most popular Suri villages. When I entered Regiya it was impossible not to be struck by guilt at being a participant in the performance that followed.
The Suri women, renowned for their ceramic and wooden lip plates, rushed to collect face paint. Plastic bottles were put aside and T-shirts removed. Children formed tableaus along the path, shimmying up trees to look dreamily into the distance. A huddle of toddlers joined the parade, lying belly-up in the grass. In the pursuit of “photo money”, women piled pots, pans, horns and bushes on their heads; flowers were placed in mouths, stuck in ears and on nipples. Offers to form singing groups, body paint and even to scarify themselves ensued. Susan Sontag’s words about the “predatory nature of the photographic act” resounded.
The fancy-dress parade I witnessed in Regiya fuels fantasies of exoticism, but is performed solely for the benefit of the visitor who pays for the privilege of photographing it. Natterre, a former Suri spokeswoman, said wryly: “We do it for tourists because they ask us to, when the tourists leave we wash our faces and go to the town.” Hans Silvester’s Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa, a book on tribal decorations that made waves in 2009, might be one reason why outfits in the villages have become more elaborate in recent years. A tide of photographers followed and local guides are often expected to provide replications of the images, from the face paint to the foliage. Suri women only usually paint their faces for weddings.
On the other side of the valley, dressing up for visitors has long been normalised. There the tourist dollar is a way of life and convoys of 4x4s snake into villages, gate crashing ceremonies and bribing the participants. East of the Omo Valley encounters with the lip-plated Mursi women are often described as aggressive and uncomfortable. Having watched a 4x4 convoy arrive in a village at first light, and the ensuing scramble for pictures followed by a hasty retreat 20 minutes later, it is easy to see why.
There is no pretence at social interaction. Adding to the objectification of those with lip plates is the fact that it is hard to find a translator, and so for most tourists it is impossible to breach the little common ground available. Although the Suri are not yet subject to such large numbers of tourists, it is poignant that the local guides describe those in the most- visited villages as “looking like the Mursi”.
In another Suri town, Kibish, upturned plastic bottles on poles indicate when there is local beer or honey wine available in the huts that crouch alongside the town’s main streets. By dusk the town seems to sway, and as I listen to chatter, drumming and occasional gunshots, Abdi and I discuss the future of tourism in the Omo. He says: “Five years ago I thought we could be responsible, now it’s obvious that people like the Mursi would be happier without tourists. I hate bringing people here now.” While Ethiopia’s industrialising government is by far the biggest threat to life in the region, as a photographer I am also partly responsible for what is fast becoming a human zoo.
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
ETHIOPIA: Ethiopia On Her Way To Become Chain Hotel Hub
Ethiopia is ranked among the top 10 leading markets in Africa for international chain hotel developments while Egypt leads the group with 18 new hotel chains being developed. Currently, Ethiopia gripped 8th position with 84 per cent hotel development pipeline and under construction disclosed the survey presented at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Addis Ababa.
The hotel business boom in Africa is topping the global market. Taking its share from the African market, Ethiopia has eight new global brand hotels under pipeline. Across the continent, 270 hotel chains are in the pipeline with the expected number of rooms, exceeding 30,000. Egypt is followed by Morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Libya, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda. Although the leading nations are mainly from northern Africa, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are gaining momentum in hotel development projects.
The information obtained from Bench Events indicates that, out of the top 10 global hotel operators, Hilton Worldwide leads with about 7,250 rooms in new hotels. However, Marriott leaps forward, leading with the development of 36 new hotels across the continent. Hotel Partners Africa also identified the top ten opportunities for investors keen to develop hotels in Africa. In West Africa, Nigeria presents the biggest opportunity, with the strongest economy on the continent with 34 branded hotel bedrooms per million population. Ghana with 59 bedrooms and Cote D’Ivoire with 61 bedrooms also present great opportunities with very strong demand.
Rwanda, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia present 29, 48, 63, 79, 122 bedrooms respectively. Despite the existence of great development potential in the region, the political and other risks tend to suggest that new international investment will be limited in the near future. However, Libya continues to attract investors despite the political unrest. Project returns also identified to bring high revenue.
Hotel values in the majority of these locations have been strongly growing. In African countries, 76 per cent of hotel investment returns have been higher than combined averages across other property investments. African countries have shown significant annual growth over the last six years including Zambia and Ghana at 6.5 per cent, Tanzania 6.3 per cent and Angola 6.2 per cent from the most under-supplied opportunity markets. Ethiopia is also listed among the top markets with several deals in process and new chain hotels venturing into the untapped hotel development. Hilton signed a deal for upscale Hilton Awassa Resort & Spa which is expected to open in 2020. Marriott International in partnership with Sunshine Business, opened Africa’s first Marriott Executive Apartments in Ethiopia’s capital.
“Hotel developments prove that it’s an exciting time for Ethiopia which is being transformed from the traditional market to a much developed and less riskier business environment. Investment by major operators evidenced that luxury is coming to the growing nation,” said Estelle Verdier, Managing Director of Jovago East and Southern Africa.
On the other hand, hosting the glamorized and biggest AHIF, which was attended by major global industry players and policy makers, placed Ethiopia in a better position to attract more investments. During the event, major brand operators such as Wyndham Group, Ramada Addis, Inter Continental Group, Accor Group, Western International Inn linked management agreements to run star-rated hotels which would open doors between end 2015 and 2018. The AHIF has also been seen as fresh negotiations expected to bring more chain hotels to Ethiopia.
The hotel business boom in Africa is topping the global market. Taking its share from the African market, Ethiopia has eight new global brand hotels under pipeline. Across the continent, 270 hotel chains are in the pipeline with the expected number of rooms, exceeding 30,000. Egypt is followed by Morocco, Nigeria, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Libya, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda. Although the leading nations are mainly from northern Africa, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are gaining momentum in hotel development projects.
The information obtained from Bench Events indicates that, out of the top 10 global hotel operators, Hilton Worldwide leads with about 7,250 rooms in new hotels. However, Marriott leaps forward, leading with the development of 36 new hotels across the continent. Hotel Partners Africa also identified the top ten opportunities for investors keen to develop hotels in Africa. In West Africa, Nigeria presents the biggest opportunity, with the strongest economy on the continent with 34 branded hotel bedrooms per million population. Ghana with 59 bedrooms and Cote D’Ivoire with 61 bedrooms also present great opportunities with very strong demand.
Rwanda, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia present 29, 48, 63, 79, 122 bedrooms respectively. Despite the existence of great development potential in the region, the political and other risks tend to suggest that new international investment will be limited in the near future. However, Libya continues to attract investors despite the political unrest. Project returns also identified to bring high revenue.
Hotel values in the majority of these locations have been strongly growing. In African countries, 76 per cent of hotel investment returns have been higher than combined averages across other property investments. African countries have shown significant annual growth over the last six years including Zambia and Ghana at 6.5 per cent, Tanzania 6.3 per cent and Angola 6.2 per cent from the most under-supplied opportunity markets. Ethiopia is also listed among the top markets with several deals in process and new chain hotels venturing into the untapped hotel development. Hilton signed a deal for upscale Hilton Awassa Resort & Spa which is expected to open in 2020. Marriott International in partnership with Sunshine Business, opened Africa’s first Marriott Executive Apartments in Ethiopia’s capital.
“Hotel developments prove that it’s an exciting time for Ethiopia which is being transformed from the traditional market to a much developed and less riskier business environment. Investment by major operators evidenced that luxury is coming to the growing nation,” said Estelle Verdier, Managing Director of Jovago East and Southern Africa.
On the other hand, hosting the glamorized and biggest AHIF, which was attended by major global industry players and policy makers, placed Ethiopia in a better position to attract more investments. During the event, major brand operators such as Wyndham Group, Ramada Addis, Inter Continental Group, Accor Group, Western International Inn linked management agreements to run star-rated hotels which would open doors between end 2015 and 2018. The AHIF has also been seen as fresh negotiations expected to bring more chain hotels to Ethiopia.
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