Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) Cabin Crew Leaders Programme (CCLP) has been accredited with the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Advanced Certificate in Service Excellence under the nationally-recognised WSQ Service Excellence Competency Framework supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). About 200 newly-promoted SIA cabin crew leaders are expected to benefit from this certification each year.
All cabin crew who complete the CCLP will now be awarded a WSQ Advanced Certificate in Service Excellence. This accreditation ensures SIA’s training programme is benchmarked against national standards and reinforces the importance of SIA empowering its employees with nationally-recognised certifications for training and development. The new accreditation builds on the accreditation of SIA’s Cabin Crew Readiness Programme (CCRP) to the WSQ Certificate in Service Excellence in 2013.
The CCLP is a six-week programme under which cabin crew who are promoted to the rank of Leading Steward/Stewardess undergo customised classroom and on-the-job training. The training includes a wide variety of modules aimed at developing their leadership capabilities, coaching skills and customer relationship management competencies. Cabin crew are also trained in First Class customer service, in-flight sales, documentation procedures and service recovery techniques. The programme is designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to effectively perform their role as a team leader on SIA flights.
“In a time when businesses are undergoing transformation, it is critical for employers to embrace skills development as one of the core business strategies. SIA is an exemplary company which has been consistently investing resources to develop the skills of its employees. The accreditation of the CCLP to the WSQ Advanced Certificate in Service Excellence emphasises SIA’s commitment to empower its employees so as to maintain its competitive advantage. SSG will continue to work closely with our partners to enable more Singaporeans to stay relevant in today’s fast-changing economy,” said Dr Gog Soon Joo, Group Director, Training Partners Group, SkillsFuture Singapore.
“Staff training and development is a cornerstone of Singapore Airlines’ corporate philosophy and part of our continuous pursuit of excellence. The latest WSQ certification is an important step in providing further recognition of our cabin crew as service professionals and service leaders. It is an important motivator as our senior crew demonstrate the highest standards of performance and are role models to our new staff,” said Singapore Airlines Senior Vice President Cabin Crew, Mr Tan Pee Teck.
Singapore to Manchester – which is newly direct, replacing the former route that stopped in Munich on the way to Manchester. The Manchester flight now continues on, somewhat bizarrely, to Houston.
Airbus A350-900. Singapore Airlines has nine of these in its fleet, and another 58 on order.
Krisflyer – although this acts as a codeshare with both Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand, so points can be allocated to their respective schemes.
CLASS
Business, in seat 16K.
DURATION
A scheduled 14 hours, 25 minutes, but it lands 20 minutes early.
THE FREQUENCY
Five times a week.
THE SEAT
The leather seats – which are being rolled out across the whole Singapore Airlines long haul fleet – line up in a 1-2-1 formation and each one feels like a chunky, self-contained fortress. There's a 60-centimetre pitch, and 28-centimetre width – more than enough to comfortably wriggle around in. There are also lots of little storage cubby holes around it, plus several adjustable lights and easily jabbed recline controls.
BAGGAGE
The allowance of 40 kilograms for checked baggage – spread across as many cases as you like – is relatively generous. The carry-on allowance of two pieces, with a maximum weight of seven kilograms a piece, seems on the stingy side though. I take on one that is significantly more than that, but it's not weighed, so rigorous enforcement doesn't seem to be a priority.
COMFORT
In the seated position, it's hard to imagine business class done better. It feels more like a little room than merely a seat. Converting it to a lie-flat bed is a conundrum that nearly everyone requires assistance with. As with all business class beds, there are compromises, and here it's a lack of mattress-like cushioning plus forcing the feet into a small gap at the end rather than letting them spread free.
Socks, blankets, eye masks and slippers are provided, although oddly ear plugs aren't – which doesn't matter too much as the A350 is extraordinarily quiet.
ENTERTAINMENT
The 18-inch LCD screen is hugely impressive, as is the intuitive touchscreen handset which makes you feel like airlines have finally joined the smartphone era. The movie selection is large – I count 407 – but the new releases are a bit underwhelming, which is probably more Hollywood's fault. The TV selection is fabulous though, with several complete seasons, including Westworld, Game of Thrones and – the one that keeps me going most of the flight – Veep.
FOOD
A highly satisfying tournedos steak in mushroom sauce wins out of the three dinner options, and while the accompanying vegetables look a little mushy, they've enough firmness in the bite. The nasi lemak for breakfast is a winner, too. You would be perfectly happy with both meals in, say, a hotel restaurant.
The drinks options don't quite match up to the food – two red wines (including a feisty Robert Oatley shiraz), two whites, a selection of cocktails that seems obsessed with using 7-Up as an ingredient. And the beer selection – Heineken, Tiger or Budweiser – is lazily poor.
SERVICE
Singapore Airlines has a long-standing reputation for service, and it is smooth efficiency that is the hallmark rather than concerted friendliness. That said, the gimmick of addressing every customer by name is clearly drilled in. Most crew are doing their first Manchester flight, so are a little unsure of the food and drink options, but they check when asked and promptly return with an answer.
ONE MORE THING
You can link your electronic devices to the screen if you wish, while extra connectivity comes with the in-flight Wi-Fi, which works remarkably smoothly and costs $US21.95 for the whole flight.
THE VERDICT
Reputation matters – Singapore Airlines is often regarded as the best in the business, and with good reason. The A350 experience lives up to expectation – and it's particularly impressive from a technological point of view. The overall feeling is of a five-star luxury chain hotel, rather than an edgy boutique joint, though – reliable excellence wins over personality. And letting the hair down occasionally, even if it's just by sticking a craft beer option on the menu, could make it even more impressive.
Twenty-five awards were given out last night to airlines that contributed to the growth and development of the Singapore air hub over the past year, as part of the 12th annual Changi Airline Awards.
The ceremony, organised by Changi Airport Group (CAG) and held at The St Regis Singapore, was attended by Minister for Education (Schools) and Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng.
The top five airlines and airline groups, based on passengers last year, were Singapore Airlines Group, followed by Jetstar Group, AirAsia Group, Cathay Pacific Airways and Lion Group.
Singapore Airlines Group also topped the list for the highest cargo volume, followed by Cathay Pacific Airways, FedEx Express, China Airlines and EVA Air.
The partner of the year award was given to delivery firm DHL Express, which in October launched its fully automated South Asia Hub at the Changi Airfreight Centre.
The $140 million facility, the firm's largest infrastructural investment here, tripled DHL's cargo-handling capacity to 628 tonnes during the peak processing window, and increased its parcel-sorting speed to 24,000 shipments and documents per hour - a sixfold improvement.
CAG chief executive Lee Seow Hiang said Changi Airport will "continue to transform" to meet future challenges. "We will do so by catering supply for future growth, as well as working with our partners to grow sustainable demand for aviation services."
He mentioned the Airport Collaborative Decision Making initiative as an example of Changi Airport adding capacity to the airport ecosystem.
The initiative has enabled a reduction of 90 seconds in the average taxiing time for departing flights during peak hours, which has translated into fuel savings for airlines.
Mr Lee said CAG is pursuing avenues for "sustainable growth" with its partners in the long term, such as growing new passenger segments for airlines.
"These include meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, fly-cruise out of Singapore, and low-cost long-haul travel such as forthcoming services by Scoot and Norwegian to Athens and London respectively," he said.
Last year, Changi Airport handled a record 58.7 million passengers, a growth of 5.9 per cent year-on-year.
The airport, which also added four new airline partners and eight new city links last year, is expected to receive 60 million passengers this year.
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Friday, 28 April 2017
SINGAPORE: Singapore Tourism Borad Invests S$34m To Promote Singapore Tourism
The three parties will focus on promoting Singapore as an attractive stopover and twinning destination for travellers.
Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport Group and the Singapore Tourism Board on Monday Apr 17 renewed an ongoing partnership deal to promote Singapore as an attractive destination for travellers.
In a press release, the three parties said they will jointly invest S$33.75 million under the renewed three-year partnership, and their marketing efforts will focus on promoting the country as a choice stopover as well as a twinning destination - travelling to two destinations on a single itinerary.
This augments the previous approach of only targeting travellers from specific long-haul markets such as the US and Europe, they added.
The renewed partnership will also see the Free Singapore Tour refreshed.
The tour, which provides transfer passengers with a free taste of Singapore's offerings, will be expanded to include more experiences curated based on travellers' interests such as food tours to sample local fare, the press release said.
The Free Singapore Tour pulled in 59,000 passengers last year, up 8 per cent from the previous year, it added.
The partnership also hopes to broaden the marketing programme to woo business and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) visitors, the press release said.
Meanwhile, Singapore was the top tourist destination by expenditure in the Asia Pacific in 2016, according to an index from MasterCard released this week. The Lion City easily topped long-time competitor Hong Kong, which ranked 10th by that metric.
Singapore tourism arrivals hit a record high in 2016, bringing in 24.8 billion Singapore dollars ($17.7 billion) to the city state. A majority of the tourists came from nearby countries like China, Indonesia and India.
The center of the universe is moving to Asia, David Scowsill, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said. He cited high growth figures in the region and said, A lot of this growth is driven by China. The Chinese market has gone from 58 million outbound trips in 2010 to 135 million now.
Those Chinese tourists, however, are not visiting Hong Kong as much as they used to although they still made up 77 percent of all visitors to the city last year.
In February 2017, the number of mainland Chinese tourists coming in to Hong Kong was down by 7 percent according to data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Hong Kong has been an important shopping destination for Chinese tourists, and its tourist industry was hit as shoppers became more careful with their cash during tighter economic conditions.
Allan Zeman, chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, which helps oversee an iconic party district in Hong Kong, said he's confident the city's tourism numbers will only increase from here.
"I think that tourism seems to have bottomed out in Hong Kong at the moment…but it is rising a bit," Zeman said, adding that a bridge under construction between Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai, would make connect those tourist hot spots and attract more visitors.
"I think the secret for both locations is they have to continue to reinvent themselves with new product so that visitors, particularly on the leisure side, come not once, not twice, but continually visit the location every three or four years," Scowsill said.
Singapore and Hong Kong are often compared as travel destinations because tourist attractions in both countries are man-made, and they rely heavily on experiences such as shopping, amusement parks and restaurants.
One of the main challenges for both cities has therefore been getting the same tourists make repeated visits.
The Singapore Tourism Board is trying to ensure the city state remains relevant by organizing a robust line of events throughout the year and forming strategic partnerships.
"Partnerships with Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines allow us to go into the international marketing space in a much more concerted way and effective way. We also have very good partnerships with JTB in Japan and Flight Centre in Australia, and that's helping us to drive tourists from those destinations as well," Lionel Yeo, CEO of the Singapore Tourism Board, said.
About 58.7 million passengers pass through Singapore's Changi every year, and that airport has been ranked the world's best for five consecutive years.
Events are a major attraction for tourists to Singapore, and its Formula 1 race has been a major crowd-puller over the past eight years. To add to that success, the Singapore tourism board is working to bring in other sporting events. Soccer's International Champions Cup, which will be held for the first time in Singapore this year, and mixed-martial arts showdown UFC Fight Night will be held there in June.
In Hong Kong, the annual Rugby Sevens attracts a large amount of tourists to the city, the city needs more such events.
"I think we need to look at having an event a month, and if we can, become the event capital of Asia," he said.
Both Singapore and Hong Kong are so-called MICE hubs — which is short for destinations for meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions. As important financial centers, attracting tourism dollars from business travelers provides a large source of income.
Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport Group and the Singapore Tourism Board on Monday Apr 17 renewed an ongoing partnership deal to promote Singapore as an attractive destination for travellers.
In a press release, the three parties said they will jointly invest S$33.75 million under the renewed three-year partnership, and their marketing efforts will focus on promoting the country as a choice stopover as well as a twinning destination - travelling to two destinations on a single itinerary.
This augments the previous approach of only targeting travellers from specific long-haul markets such as the US and Europe, they added.
The renewed partnership will also see the Free Singapore Tour refreshed.
The tour, which provides transfer passengers with a free taste of Singapore's offerings, will be expanded to include more experiences curated based on travellers' interests such as food tours to sample local fare, the press release said.
The Free Singapore Tour pulled in 59,000 passengers last year, up 8 per cent from the previous year, it added.
The partnership also hopes to broaden the marketing programme to woo business and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) visitors, the press release said.
Meanwhile, Singapore was the top tourist destination by expenditure in the Asia Pacific in 2016, according to an index from MasterCard released this week. The Lion City easily topped long-time competitor Hong Kong, which ranked 10th by that metric.
Singapore tourism arrivals hit a record high in 2016, bringing in 24.8 billion Singapore dollars ($17.7 billion) to the city state. A majority of the tourists came from nearby countries like China, Indonesia and India.
The center of the universe is moving to Asia, David Scowsill, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said. He cited high growth figures in the region and said, A lot of this growth is driven by China. The Chinese market has gone from 58 million outbound trips in 2010 to 135 million now.
Those Chinese tourists, however, are not visiting Hong Kong as much as they used to although they still made up 77 percent of all visitors to the city last year.
In February 2017, the number of mainland Chinese tourists coming in to Hong Kong was down by 7 percent according to data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Hong Kong has been an important shopping destination for Chinese tourists, and its tourist industry was hit as shoppers became more careful with their cash during tighter economic conditions.
Allan Zeman, chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, which helps oversee an iconic party district in Hong Kong, said he's confident the city's tourism numbers will only increase from here.
"I think that tourism seems to have bottomed out in Hong Kong at the moment…but it is rising a bit," Zeman said, adding that a bridge under construction between Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai, would make connect those tourist hot spots and attract more visitors.
"I think the secret for both locations is they have to continue to reinvent themselves with new product so that visitors, particularly on the leisure side, come not once, not twice, but continually visit the location every three or four years," Scowsill said.
Singapore and Hong Kong are often compared as travel destinations because tourist attractions in both countries are man-made, and they rely heavily on experiences such as shopping, amusement parks and restaurants.
One of the main challenges for both cities has therefore been getting the same tourists make repeated visits.
The Singapore Tourism Board is trying to ensure the city state remains relevant by organizing a robust line of events throughout the year and forming strategic partnerships.
"Partnerships with Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines allow us to go into the international marketing space in a much more concerted way and effective way. We also have very good partnerships with JTB in Japan and Flight Centre in Australia, and that's helping us to drive tourists from those destinations as well," Lionel Yeo, CEO of the Singapore Tourism Board, said.
About 58.7 million passengers pass through Singapore's Changi every year, and that airport has been ranked the world's best for five consecutive years.
Events are a major attraction for tourists to Singapore, and its Formula 1 race has been a major crowd-puller over the past eight years. To add to that success, the Singapore tourism board is working to bring in other sporting events. Soccer's International Champions Cup, which will be held for the first time in Singapore this year, and mixed-martial arts showdown UFC Fight Night will be held there in June.
In Hong Kong, the annual Rugby Sevens attracts a large amount of tourists to the city, the city needs more such events.
"I think we need to look at having an event a month, and if we can, become the event capital of Asia," he said.
Both Singapore and Hong Kong are so-called MICE hubs — which is short for destinations for meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions. As important financial centers, attracting tourism dollars from business travelers provides a large source of income.
SINGAPORE: International Tourists Spent Most In Singapore Compared To Other Asia Pacific Countries
International tourists spent the most in Singapore among Asia Pacific destinations last year, coming in ahead of other hotspots such as Bangkok and Tokyo, according to the latest findings from Mastercard released on Wednesday (Apr 26).
According to the Mastercard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2017, international tourists spent US$15.4 billion (S$21.5 billion) last year, while Bangkok took in US$12.7 billion and Tokyo, US$11.1 billion.
And this has been an ongoing trend. The payments provider said Singapore has tracked an 18 per cent jump in visitor spend over the past two years, or 2015 to 2016.
However, it was Bangkok that took top spot in terms of the region's most-visited destination. The Thai capital drew 19.3 million visitors, while Singapore was the second most-visited destination with 13.1 million visitors and Tokyo third with 12.6 million last year, the findings showed.
Of the five destinations in the region to garner a minimum spend of US$200 a day from these visitors, Singapore attracted the highest-spending visitors at US$254 per day, compared with Beijing's US$242 and Shanghai's US$234, it added.
Singapore also maintained its position as a regional travel hub, both as an origin and feeder city, Mastercard said. Chinese travellers accounted for the largest share of arrivals into Singapore at 17.5 per cent, or about 2.3 million visitors, followed by travellers from Indonesia (2 million visitors) and India (920,000 visitors).
As a feeder city, Singapore leads all intra-regional arrivals in Southeast Asian destinations with 6.3 per cent, or 7.9 million visitors, the findings showed.
Local authorities have been keen to promote the country as a choice stopover, with Changi Airport, Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board inking a three-year renewal of partnership to do just that.
"Over the last two years, Singapore has experienced an 18 per cent growth in visitor expenditure, demonstrating that our city-state has reaped the benefits of its many leisure offerings – from tourist attractions to new and different lifestyle and retail experiences," said Mastercard Singapore country manager Deborah Heng.
"Singapore has solidified its position as a leading travel destination in the Asia Pacific region, boasting the highest overall tourist expenditure. This will encourage both the public and private sector to work together to develop new initiatives that will build on the work done to date.”
From Singapore Tourism Board: Well there are a few things we are doing which I can talk about. I think the first is in the area of pursuing our event strategy, and that's something that we're very committed to, both on the business event side as well as on the leisure event side.
It's extremely important that we continue to attract a stream of high quality leisure and business events to Singapore that would draw people to come to Singapore. So in this year for example, we are happy to announce that we have the UFC Fight Night, it's coming in June.
We have the International Champions Cup which will see top European clubs come to play, you know, top European clubs come to play in Singapore this year and for the next four years as well so doing things like that helps to drive visitorship to us, pursuing that event strategy.
The second thing we're doing, is pursuing the right partnerships. So, partnerships with Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines, you know, allow us to go into the international marketing space in a much more concerted way and effective way.
We also have very good partnerships with JTB in Japan and flight center in Australia and that's helping us to drive tourists from those destinations as well.
I think there are a range of destinations in this region which are competitive. The good news is that Asia Pacific growth for travel and tourism is very robust and expected to be robust in the medium term.
So I think there's a lot of growth to go around, it's incumbent on each one of us to do what we need to do to remain competitive.
So for Singapore, we're choosing to pursue an events strategy where making sure that our tourism infrastructure continues to be able to support tourism growth whether it's in cruise, or whether it's in business events and so these are the things that we will do to keep competitive.
I think for those of us in travel & tourism, definitely these more macro geopolitical type of developments will have some bearing.
At the end of the day, I think we thrive best in a situation where we have economies which are stable & growing, where there is relative peace and stability.
So, these things definitely will have an impact on us. Hence, when we do our outlook and forecast, for this year, we are mindful of the growth potential. But we are also mindful that there could be some of these things that could drag growth down.
That you can get so much done, in a relatively small space, that there is so much that we can offer here, and you can have a very meaningful stay here and move around very efficiently, and safely, and so much to discover in one small space.
According to the Mastercard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2017, international tourists spent US$15.4 billion (S$21.5 billion) last year, while Bangkok took in US$12.7 billion and Tokyo, US$11.1 billion.
And this has been an ongoing trend. The payments provider said Singapore has tracked an 18 per cent jump in visitor spend over the past two years, or 2015 to 2016.
However, it was Bangkok that took top spot in terms of the region's most-visited destination. The Thai capital drew 19.3 million visitors, while Singapore was the second most-visited destination with 13.1 million visitors and Tokyo third with 12.6 million last year, the findings showed.
Of the five destinations in the region to garner a minimum spend of US$200 a day from these visitors, Singapore attracted the highest-spending visitors at US$254 per day, compared with Beijing's US$242 and Shanghai's US$234, it added.
Singapore also maintained its position as a regional travel hub, both as an origin and feeder city, Mastercard said. Chinese travellers accounted for the largest share of arrivals into Singapore at 17.5 per cent, or about 2.3 million visitors, followed by travellers from Indonesia (2 million visitors) and India (920,000 visitors).
As a feeder city, Singapore leads all intra-regional arrivals in Southeast Asian destinations with 6.3 per cent, or 7.9 million visitors, the findings showed.
Local authorities have been keen to promote the country as a choice stopover, with Changi Airport, Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board inking a three-year renewal of partnership to do just that.
"Over the last two years, Singapore has experienced an 18 per cent growth in visitor expenditure, demonstrating that our city-state has reaped the benefits of its many leisure offerings – from tourist attractions to new and different lifestyle and retail experiences," said Mastercard Singapore country manager Deborah Heng.
"Singapore has solidified its position as a leading travel destination in the Asia Pacific region, boasting the highest overall tourist expenditure. This will encourage both the public and private sector to work together to develop new initiatives that will build on the work done to date.”
From Singapore Tourism Board: Well there are a few things we are doing which I can talk about. I think the first is in the area of pursuing our event strategy, and that's something that we're very committed to, both on the business event side as well as on the leisure event side.
It's extremely important that we continue to attract a stream of high quality leisure and business events to Singapore that would draw people to come to Singapore. So in this year for example, we are happy to announce that we have the UFC Fight Night, it's coming in June.
We have the International Champions Cup which will see top European clubs come to play, you know, top European clubs come to play in Singapore this year and for the next four years as well so doing things like that helps to drive visitorship to us, pursuing that event strategy.
The second thing we're doing, is pursuing the right partnerships. So, partnerships with Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines, you know, allow us to go into the international marketing space in a much more concerted way and effective way.
We also have very good partnerships with JTB in Japan and flight center in Australia and that's helping us to drive tourists from those destinations as well.
I think there are a range of destinations in this region which are competitive. The good news is that Asia Pacific growth for travel and tourism is very robust and expected to be robust in the medium term.
So I think there's a lot of growth to go around, it's incumbent on each one of us to do what we need to do to remain competitive.
So for Singapore, we're choosing to pursue an events strategy where making sure that our tourism infrastructure continues to be able to support tourism growth whether it's in cruise, or whether it's in business events and so these are the things that we will do to keep competitive.
I think for those of us in travel & tourism, definitely these more macro geopolitical type of developments will have some bearing.
At the end of the day, I think we thrive best in a situation where we have economies which are stable & growing, where there is relative peace and stability.
So, these things definitely will have an impact on us. Hence, when we do our outlook and forecast, for this year, we are mindful of the growth potential. But we are also mindful that there could be some of these things that could drag growth down.
That you can get so much done, in a relatively small space, that there is so much that we can offer here, and you can have a very meaningful stay here and move around very efficiently, and safely, and so much to discover in one small space.
INDIA: Jetstar Denies It Is World’s Worst Airline
LOW-cost carrier Jetstar has hit back at claims it is the worst airline in the world and said the findings research by consumer watchdog Choice had no credibility.
Data compiled by 11 consumer groups globally including Choice was released earlier today after 11,000 passengers who travelled in the past year gave feedback and scored the performance of 73 airlines.
The findings showed Qantas was ranked as the best of the national carriers (ranking 36), ahead of rival airline Virgin Australia (51) and Jetstar came in last (73).
Jetstar has come dead last in a new survey of more than 100 airlines.
A new global study has found Jetstar to be the worst performing overall according to more than 11,000 people who took part.
But the budget airline has hit back, saying the survey lacks "veracity".
Jetstar spokesman Luke Enright criticised how the research was conducted and said it was not a fair indicator of all airlines.
He said the data size of Jetstar passengers which included more than 100 respondents of the 11,000 overall was “around half the number of people we carry on one flight and a lot less than 34 million customers who flew with us last year.”
They also called it an international survey but only surveyed people from eight countries, he said.
Emirates took the crown as the best airline in the world.
Tigerair was not included in the survey because the sample size of passengers was too small.
But Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey stood by the research and said it’s unsurprising Jetstar is disappointed in their poor performance but instead of trying to rubbish the survey, they should work on cleaning up their act.
People are sick of poor treatment, particularly when flights are delayed or cancelled.
Jetstar said they continued to do a lot of work behind the scenes on areas where we can improve, particularly on flight punctuality.
Customers rated airlines on a range of criteria including punctuality, checking in, boarding, treatment by staff, comfort on-board, meals, safety and value for money.
In comparison Australia-based airline Qantas ranked the 36th best airline in the world and Emirates came out on top.
The study was conducted by Choice, in association with watchdogs from around the world, and found more than a third of passengers who flew with Jetstar said they experienced disruptions from flight cancellation and waiting times of an average of at least four hours after scheduled departure times, the Daily Mail reported.
Jetstar only received one star out of five for overall satisfaction. The airline was rated 4.51 out of 10 for comfort and its website scored 4.81 out of 10.
Despite the findings, Jetstar say they question the results.
"There are a lot of holes in this latest survey, including leaving out our main competitor Tiger because they didn't collect enough responses, so the veracity of the report is questionable," a spokesperson said.
Air New Zealand ranked 26th in the world - well ahead of the two Australia-based airlines.
Here are the top five airlines according to the survey:
1. Emirates based out of the United Arab Emirates 8.29
2. Avianca based out of Columbia 8.17
3. Qatar Airways based out of Qatar 8.15
4. Luxair based out of Luxembourg 8.1
5. Singapore Airlines based out of Singapore 8.1
Data compiled by 11 consumer groups globally including Choice was released earlier today after 11,000 passengers who travelled in the past year gave feedback and scored the performance of 73 airlines.
The findings showed Qantas was ranked as the best of the national carriers (ranking 36), ahead of rival airline Virgin Australia (51) and Jetstar came in last (73).
Jetstar has come dead last in a new survey of more than 100 airlines.
A new global study has found Jetstar to be the worst performing overall according to more than 11,000 people who took part.
But the budget airline has hit back, saying the survey lacks "veracity".
Jetstar spokesman Luke Enright criticised how the research was conducted and said it was not a fair indicator of all airlines.
He said the data size of Jetstar passengers which included more than 100 respondents of the 11,000 overall was “around half the number of people we carry on one flight and a lot less than 34 million customers who flew with us last year.”
They also called it an international survey but only surveyed people from eight countries, he said.
Emirates took the crown as the best airline in the world.
Tigerair was not included in the survey because the sample size of passengers was too small.
But Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey stood by the research and said it’s unsurprising Jetstar is disappointed in their poor performance but instead of trying to rubbish the survey, they should work on cleaning up their act.
People are sick of poor treatment, particularly when flights are delayed or cancelled.
Jetstar said they continued to do a lot of work behind the scenes on areas where we can improve, particularly on flight punctuality.
Customers rated airlines on a range of criteria including punctuality, checking in, boarding, treatment by staff, comfort on-board, meals, safety and value for money.
In comparison Australia-based airline Qantas ranked the 36th best airline in the world and Emirates came out on top.
The study was conducted by Choice, in association with watchdogs from around the world, and found more than a third of passengers who flew with Jetstar said they experienced disruptions from flight cancellation and waiting times of an average of at least four hours after scheduled departure times, the Daily Mail reported.
Jetstar only received one star out of five for overall satisfaction. The airline was rated 4.51 out of 10 for comfort and its website scored 4.81 out of 10.
Despite the findings, Jetstar say they question the results.
"There are a lot of holes in this latest survey, including leaving out our main competitor Tiger because they didn't collect enough responses, so the veracity of the report is questionable," a spokesperson said.
Air New Zealand ranked 26th in the world - well ahead of the two Australia-based airlines.
Here are the top five airlines according to the survey:
1. Emirates based out of the United Arab Emirates 8.29
2. Avianca based out of Columbia 8.17
3. Qatar Airways based out of Qatar 8.15
4. Luxair based out of Luxembourg 8.1
5. Singapore Airlines based out of Singapore 8.1
THAILAND: Intoxicated British Tourist Drowns At Patong Beach In Phuket
Scott Townsend, 37, from Douglas in the Isle of Man, was reportedly seen “intoxicated” walking on Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand, last Friday at 8am local time.
A British tourist has drowned on a Thai holiday island after walking into the sea a day before he was set to fly home, police have revealed.
Locals fearing for his safety urged him not to go into the water and told him to return to his hotel.
But he reportedly ignored their advice and stayed on the beach before later being seen disappearing beneath the water.
Rescuers and police were called at 10am and spent 20 minutes searching for him before pulling his body from the sea some 10 to 15 metres from the shore.
Police said that witnesses described Mr Townsend as being drunk and that he was due to fly back to his home on the Isle of Man the next day.
Devastated friends and colleagues have paid tribute to him on social media.
Devastating news. So tragic. Another absolutely smashing lad taken far too soon,” one friend wrote.
Another added that they were absolutely gutted to hear this news.
“Scott Townsend was a great friend,” they wrote.
The Kusoldharm Foundation, a rescue group, said they helped to retrieve the body with lifeguards but Mr Townsend was already dead.
“The victim’s body was near the shore but he had drowned. We tried to save him but it was too late,” a spokesman said.
“CPR was attempted before the victim arrived at hospital. Doctors confirmed he had died.’’
Capt Yingyong from Patong Police Station said that onlookers who had seen Mr Townsend before he entered the water believed he was “an intoxicated person.”
He said that the hospital had confirmed the death as drowning. Relatives in Scotland have been informed.
The Foreign Office released a statement saying it was “assisting the family of a British man who sadly died in Patong, Thailand.”
A British tourist has drowned on a Thai holiday island after walking into the sea a day before he was set to fly home, police have revealed.
Locals fearing for his safety urged him not to go into the water and told him to return to his hotel.
But he reportedly ignored their advice and stayed on the beach before later being seen disappearing beneath the water.
Rescuers and police were called at 10am and spent 20 minutes searching for him before pulling his body from the sea some 10 to 15 metres from the shore.
Police said that witnesses described Mr Townsend as being drunk and that he was due to fly back to his home on the Isle of Man the next day.
Devastated friends and colleagues have paid tribute to him on social media.
Devastating news. So tragic. Another absolutely smashing lad taken far too soon,” one friend wrote.
Another added that they were absolutely gutted to hear this news.
“Scott Townsend was a great friend,” they wrote.
The Kusoldharm Foundation, a rescue group, said they helped to retrieve the body with lifeguards but Mr Townsend was already dead.
“The victim’s body was near the shore but he had drowned. We tried to save him but it was too late,” a spokesman said.
“CPR was attempted before the victim arrived at hospital. Doctors confirmed he had died.’’
Capt Yingyong from Patong Police Station said that onlookers who had seen Mr Townsend before he entered the water believed he was “an intoxicated person.”
He said that the hospital had confirmed the death as drowning. Relatives in Scotland have been informed.
The Foreign Office released a statement saying it was “assisting the family of a British man who sadly died in Patong, Thailand.”
Passenger Sexually Asaulted On Flight, Filed Lawsuit Against Delta Air Lines
A woman in the US has filed a civil lawsuit against Delta Air Lines, alleging flight attendants failed to protect her from a man who masturbated next to her and assaulted her during a flight from South Carolina to Detroit in July last year.
The Michigan woman’s lawyer said first-class passenger Christopher Finkley, 41, who was convicted last month of simple assault and indecent exposure, began touching himself shortly after takeoff.
This gentleman, was fondling himself in first-class he was noticed about 40 minutes into the two-hour flight by a flight attendant,the flight attendant apparently called down to Detroit to make sure that police would be there to arrest this man,lawyer Jordan Acker said.
Finkley, according to a sentencing memorandum, went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom because the one in first-class was out of order. On his way back to his seat, Finkley sat in an empty aisle seat next to the woman.
Shortly after the defendant sat down, he placed his hand on the victim’s upper thigh and began to rub her bare skin, the court document read.
While he was doing this, the defendant told her that he liked white women and asked where’s your man?
The victim told him to ‘please stop’ and saidmy kids are behind me.
Finkley continued touching the woman’s bare thigh, saying he was merely massaging her leg, before putting his hand underneath the woman’s shorts.
He then returned to his seat after realising the flight was about to land.
After his return, he resumed rubbing his penis, this time observed by a second flight attendant, the sentencing memorandum read.
Upon landing, the woman immediately texted her daughter and told her to stay in her seat because she was scared.
Finkley was later taken into FBI custody and told an investigator he had two drinks before and during the flight.
He initially denied masturbating, claiming the zipper of his shorts must have malfunctioned and was spotted by flight attendants as he tried to fix it.
After being told he could be prosecuted for making false statements, Finkley admitted that he liked to sit with his hands in his pants and massage his penis, what he called “his happy place,” according to the sentencing memorandum.
He stated that he did not mean for the flight attendants to see his penis but that it is possible that they did, the document reads.
Defendant then admitted to touching the lady on the outside of her knee and making a ‘caressing motion’.
Finkley pleaded guilty to simple assault on November 2 in connection to the incident.
He denied masturbating on the flight, however, admitting only to touching the woman’s leg, claiming that his zipper was broken and that he does not wear underwear.
Finkley was later sentenced to seven days in jail and one year of probation.
Ashton Marrow, a spokeswoman for Delta Air Lines, declined to comment on the lawsuit.t.
The Michigan woman’s lawyer said first-class passenger Christopher Finkley, 41, who was convicted last month of simple assault and indecent exposure, began touching himself shortly after takeoff.
This gentleman, was fondling himself in first-class he was noticed about 40 minutes into the two-hour flight by a flight attendant,the flight attendant apparently called down to Detroit to make sure that police would be there to arrest this man,lawyer Jordan Acker said.
Finkley, according to a sentencing memorandum, went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom because the one in first-class was out of order. On his way back to his seat, Finkley sat in an empty aisle seat next to the woman.
Shortly after the defendant sat down, he placed his hand on the victim’s upper thigh and began to rub her bare skin, the court document read.
While he was doing this, the defendant told her that he liked white women and asked where’s your man?
The victim told him to ‘please stop’ and saidmy kids are behind me.
Finkley continued touching the woman’s bare thigh, saying he was merely massaging her leg, before putting his hand underneath the woman’s shorts.
He then returned to his seat after realising the flight was about to land.
After his return, he resumed rubbing his penis, this time observed by a second flight attendant, the sentencing memorandum read.
Upon landing, the woman immediately texted her daughter and told her to stay in her seat because she was scared.
Finkley was later taken into FBI custody and told an investigator he had two drinks before and during the flight.
He initially denied masturbating, claiming the zipper of his shorts must have malfunctioned and was spotted by flight attendants as he tried to fix it.
After being told he could be prosecuted for making false statements, Finkley admitted that he liked to sit with his hands in his pants and massage his penis, what he called “his happy place,” according to the sentencing memorandum.
He stated that he did not mean for the flight attendants to see his penis but that it is possible that they did, the document reads.
Defendant then admitted to touching the lady on the outside of her knee and making a ‘caressing motion’.
Finkley pleaded guilty to simple assault on November 2 in connection to the incident.
He denied masturbating on the flight, however, admitting only to touching the woman’s leg, claiming that his zipper was broken and that he does not wear underwear.
Finkley was later sentenced to seven days in jail and one year of probation.
Ashton Marrow, a spokeswoman for Delta Air Lines, declined to comment on the lawsuit.t.
United Kingdom: British Airways Crew Handcuff Passenger To Seat, Order Him To Defecate On His Seat
A passenger suffering from cancer and diabetes claims his hands and feet were tied by six British Airways crew who “treated him like a slave” after he fell ill in midair and tried to sit in first class.
Kwame Bantu, 65, claims he was handcuffed to the seat with his legs bound together as it was claimed the crew banned him from using the toilet and ordered him to defecate in his seat.
Mr Bantu was heading to see family in Jamaica when he says he began to feel dizzy and saw his leg swelling an hour after taking off from Gatwick.
He tried to move to a more comfortable first class seat so he could stretch his legs but says he was “ambushed” by stewards who dragged him back to his seat in economy and strapped him down by the neck and shoulders.
He and another passenger who tried to stand up for him were reportedly thrown off the BA jet after the captain diverted to a Portuguese air force base on the Atlantic island Terceira yesterday.
Mr Bantu, from London, said, they ambushed me. I was completely humiliated, my human rights had been taken away from me.
They refused to listen about my medical illness and what I was going through. I was treated like a slave.
It’s when some of the other passengers expressed their concern for me that they stopped the plane and landed to kick us out.
Joy Stoney, 40, a businesswoman from Yorkshire who did not know Mr Bantu, says cabin crew handcuffed the OAP and told him to “defecate in his seat, when he said he needed to go to toilet.
She said: He was holding his crotch area for a while and it was horrible to see. I called the steward manager to come see me and told her I would escort him to the toilet myself.
They said, He needs to defecate himself in the chair, and I think that is utterly inhumane.”
Mr Bantu and Ms Stoney say they were stranded on the island without their luggage and have had no help from the British consulate.
Jo Henry, from London, said British Airways was “heavy handed” in the way they dealt with the elderly passenger.
She said: They dealt with the situation really badly they were totally heavy handed.
There were six or seven police officers who came on-board when we landed in Portugal,there was no need for that.
New mother Jo, who was taking her eight-month-old baby on her first flight, slammed the airline for the way they treated the rest of the passengers once on the ground.
She said: There was no level of care from the BA staff.
When we landed in Portugal we had to go to a waiting room by ourselves while the cabin crew stayed on the plane.”
A spokesman for the Portuguese police on the island of Terceira said the two people kicked off the flight had not been arrested and the matter was closed as far as they were concerned.
Earlier reports had claimed a rowdy couple who were demanding a free upgrade had forced the plane to divert.
A Portuguese air force spokesman said: “The pilot decided to land in Lajes in the island of Terceira because of a dispute between cabin crew and a couple who wanted to be transferred from economy class to first class.
“The British couple will remain in Terceira and will be questioned by police.”
He said the couple had filmed the spat on a mobile phone.
The row erupted on flight BA2263 after it left London Gatwick Airport for Jamaican capital Kingston on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
According to Flight Tracker, the plane left Gatwick at 11.36am before diverting to Terceira at 3pm to offload the two passengers.
The aircraft then left the Portuguese island at 7.15pm and returned to London without ever completing its route to Jamaica.
A spokesman for British Airways said: Caring for our customers is our highest priority and we are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident.
The flight returned to Gatwick and customers were taken to hotels.
Meanwhile, a Delta Air Lines passenger was kicked off a flight because he was desperate for the loo after waiting half an hour for takeoff.
Video shows Kima Hamilton’s “outrageous” clash with cabin crew, which ended with everyone on board being forced to leave the plane and a further two-hour delay.
Earlier this month, United Airlines workers dragged a bloodied doctor off an overbooked jet to make way for airline staff.
It got worse for the airline yesterday when it emerged a celebrity’s prized giant rabbit died on board on a flight from the UK.
On Friday an American Airlines flight attendant was caught on camera “whacking” a mum of twins with a pushchair and challenging another passenger to hit him.
Kwame Bantu, 65, claims he was handcuffed to the seat with his legs bound together as it was claimed the crew banned him from using the toilet and ordered him to defecate in his seat.
Mr Bantu was heading to see family in Jamaica when he says he began to feel dizzy and saw his leg swelling an hour after taking off from Gatwick.
He tried to move to a more comfortable first class seat so he could stretch his legs but says he was “ambushed” by stewards who dragged him back to his seat in economy and strapped him down by the neck and shoulders.
He and another passenger who tried to stand up for him were reportedly thrown off the BA jet after the captain diverted to a Portuguese air force base on the Atlantic island Terceira yesterday.
Mr Bantu, from London, said, they ambushed me. I was completely humiliated, my human rights had been taken away from me.
They refused to listen about my medical illness and what I was going through. I was treated like a slave.
It’s when some of the other passengers expressed their concern for me that they stopped the plane and landed to kick us out.
Joy Stoney, 40, a businesswoman from Yorkshire who did not know Mr Bantu, says cabin crew handcuffed the OAP and told him to “defecate in his seat, when he said he needed to go to toilet.
She said: He was holding his crotch area for a while and it was horrible to see. I called the steward manager to come see me and told her I would escort him to the toilet myself.
They said, He needs to defecate himself in the chair, and I think that is utterly inhumane.”
Mr Bantu and Ms Stoney say they were stranded on the island without their luggage and have had no help from the British consulate.
Jo Henry, from London, said British Airways was “heavy handed” in the way they dealt with the elderly passenger.
She said: They dealt with the situation really badly they were totally heavy handed.
There were six or seven police officers who came on-board when we landed in Portugal,there was no need for that.
New mother Jo, who was taking her eight-month-old baby on her first flight, slammed the airline for the way they treated the rest of the passengers once on the ground.
She said: There was no level of care from the BA staff.
When we landed in Portugal we had to go to a waiting room by ourselves while the cabin crew stayed on the plane.”
A spokesman for the Portuguese police on the island of Terceira said the two people kicked off the flight had not been arrested and the matter was closed as far as they were concerned.
Earlier reports had claimed a rowdy couple who were demanding a free upgrade had forced the plane to divert.
A Portuguese air force spokesman said: “The pilot decided to land in Lajes in the island of Terceira because of a dispute between cabin crew and a couple who wanted to be transferred from economy class to first class.
“The British couple will remain in Terceira and will be questioned by police.”
He said the couple had filmed the spat on a mobile phone.
The row erupted on flight BA2263 after it left London Gatwick Airport for Jamaican capital Kingston on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
According to Flight Tracker, the plane left Gatwick at 11.36am before diverting to Terceira at 3pm to offload the two passengers.
The aircraft then left the Portuguese island at 7.15pm and returned to London without ever completing its route to Jamaica.
A spokesman for British Airways said: Caring for our customers is our highest priority and we are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident.
The flight returned to Gatwick and customers were taken to hotels.
Meanwhile, a Delta Air Lines passenger was kicked off a flight because he was desperate for the loo after waiting half an hour for takeoff.
Video shows Kima Hamilton’s “outrageous” clash with cabin crew, which ended with everyone on board being forced to leave the plane and a further two-hour delay.
Earlier this month, United Airlines workers dragged a bloodied doctor off an overbooked jet to make way for airline staff.
It got worse for the airline yesterday when it emerged a celebrity’s prized giant rabbit died on board on a flight from the UK.
On Friday an American Airlines flight attendant was caught on camera “whacking” a mum of twins with a pushchair and challenging another passenger to hit him.
SPAIN: Emirates To Fly Only A380 To Spain
Emirates today announced that all of its flights to Spain will be operated by the iconic A380.
In addition to the existing double daily A380 service to Barcelona, the airline will operate a double daily A380 service to Madrid, significantly boosting seat capacity from Dubai to Spain.
This change enables more A380 to A380 connections to and from key business and leisure destinations such as Australia, China, South Korea and South East Asia with just one stop in Dubai.
Commencing 1st September 2017, Emirates flights EK143/144 will be operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft in a 3-class configuration with 14 Private Suites in First Class, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 399 comfortable seats in Economy Class.
Passengers in all classes will enjoy access to Wi-Fi and over 2,500 channels of films, TV shows, music and games, with an impressive selection in Spanish, through ice Digital Widescreen, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
They will also experience the famed hospitality of the airline’s multi-cultural cabin crew, with Spanish speakers on all flights to and from Spain, as well as fine wines and regionally inspired cuisine prepared using the finest ingredients.
What’s more, First and Business Class passengers can travel to and from the airport in style with Emirates complimentary Chauffeur-drive service as well as enjoy Emirates exclusive lounges at select airports around the world.
Once on board, passengers in premium class seating receive a luxurious amenity kit featuring Italian-made Bulgari products and can enjoy the Emirates Onboard Lounge; First Class passengers can also take advantage of the Emirates Shower Spa to freshen up.
Emirates’ flight EK143 departs from Dubai International Airport at 14:30hrs and arrives in Madrid at 20:20hrs. The outbound flight EK144 departs from Madrid at 22:05hrs and arrives in Dubai at 07:15hrs the following day.
The airline currently operates two daily services between Dubai and Madrid, as well as a double daily A380 service between Barcelona and Dubai.
From the airport, Emirates also enables seamless rail connections from Barcelona and Madrid to 25 cities across Spain through its partnership with Renfe rail.
The links between Madrid and Emirates extend far beyond the airline’s double daily service. Emirates has been a proud sponsor of Real Madrid since 2011.
Through its SkyCargo division, Emirates also facilitates the import and export of key products, connecting Spanish companies to the world.
In 2016, Emirates transported over 70,000 tonnes of cargo from Spain including: apparel, food products like fish and olive oil, pharmaceuticals and shoes; bound for the UAE, Africa, Hong Kong, USA, Australia and Mexico.
In addition to its four daily passenger flights, Emirates also operates dedicated cargo flights with its freighter aircraft to both Barcelona and Zaragoza.
Earlier this month, Emirates was recognised as the ‘Best Airline in the World’ at the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for airlines.
The award was based on thousands of reviews Emirates received from the TripAdvisor community over the past twelve months. Emirates was the most positively reviewed airline in the industry over that period of time.
In addition to the existing double daily A380 service to Barcelona, the airline will operate a double daily A380 service to Madrid, significantly boosting seat capacity from Dubai to Spain.
This change enables more A380 to A380 connections to and from key business and leisure destinations such as Australia, China, South Korea and South East Asia with just one stop in Dubai.
Commencing 1st September 2017, Emirates flights EK143/144 will be operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft in a 3-class configuration with 14 Private Suites in First Class, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 399 comfortable seats in Economy Class.
Passengers in all classes will enjoy access to Wi-Fi and over 2,500 channels of films, TV shows, music and games, with an impressive selection in Spanish, through ice Digital Widescreen, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
They will also experience the famed hospitality of the airline’s multi-cultural cabin crew, with Spanish speakers on all flights to and from Spain, as well as fine wines and regionally inspired cuisine prepared using the finest ingredients.
What’s more, First and Business Class passengers can travel to and from the airport in style with Emirates complimentary Chauffeur-drive service as well as enjoy Emirates exclusive lounges at select airports around the world.
Once on board, passengers in premium class seating receive a luxurious amenity kit featuring Italian-made Bulgari products and can enjoy the Emirates Onboard Lounge; First Class passengers can also take advantage of the Emirates Shower Spa to freshen up.
Emirates’ flight EK143 departs from Dubai International Airport at 14:30hrs and arrives in Madrid at 20:20hrs. The outbound flight EK144 departs from Madrid at 22:05hrs and arrives in Dubai at 07:15hrs the following day.
The airline currently operates two daily services between Dubai and Madrid, as well as a double daily A380 service between Barcelona and Dubai.
From the airport, Emirates also enables seamless rail connections from Barcelona and Madrid to 25 cities across Spain through its partnership with Renfe rail.
The links between Madrid and Emirates extend far beyond the airline’s double daily service. Emirates has been a proud sponsor of Real Madrid since 2011.
Through its SkyCargo division, Emirates also facilitates the import and export of key products, connecting Spanish companies to the world.
In 2016, Emirates transported over 70,000 tonnes of cargo from Spain including: apparel, food products like fish and olive oil, pharmaceuticals and shoes; bound for the UAE, Africa, Hong Kong, USA, Australia and Mexico.
In addition to its four daily passenger flights, Emirates also operates dedicated cargo flights with its freighter aircraft to both Barcelona and Zaragoza.
Earlier this month, Emirates was recognised as the ‘Best Airline in the World’ at the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for airlines.
The award was based on thousands of reviews Emirates received from the TripAdvisor community over the past twelve months. Emirates was the most positively reviewed airline in the industry over that period of time.
INDIA: Jet Airways Strengthens Connectivity With 42 New Weekly Flights
Jet Airways, India’s full-service premier international airline, will add 42 weekly flights connecting three new city pairs as part of strengthening its domestic network to meet growing demand between metros and emerging cities. Introduction of additional frequencies and wide-body deployments between key metros will also boost capacity on existing sectors this summer as the airline bolsters its already extensive network to meet an expected surge in demand during the holiday season.
The carrier will commence operations between Nagpur and New Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata, and Kozhikode and Bengaluru as part of its broader strategy of connecting India’s emerging / Tier II cities with India’s metros via direct flights.
It will also introduce additional frequencies on the highly traveled Delhi – Amritsar and Mumbai – Kolkata sectors and boost capacity on the New Delhi – Bengaluru and New Delhi – Bhopal routes with the introduction of the wide-body Airbus A330 and Boeing 737 services, respectively.
The changes are a part of Jet Airways’ summer schedule which will see the airline operate upto 650 flights per day connecting 65 destinations in India and abroad.
Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, said, "Our summer schedule has been meticulously planned to meet the expected surge in demand over the holidays. New flights, additional frequencies, greater capacity including the introduction of wide-body services across more sectors are meant to offer our discerning guests greater choice, convenience, connectivity and added comfort. We invite our guests to experience the Joy Of Flying Jet Airways this summer and wish them happy holidays."
New Flights:
As a network carrier, Jet Airways is the first in India to introduce direct services that link upcoming cities in India and key metro links that further connect travellers with its key gateways in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. In line with that strategy, the airline will introduce a direct flight connecting Nagpur, the ‘Orange City’ and emerging metropolis of Maharashtra, to the capital, New Delhi. Similarly, the airline will also connect Lucknow, the ‘City of Nawabs’ with Kolkata, the third largest metropolis of India, and Kozhikode with Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India. The new services will commence operations effective May 01, 2017.
Jet Airways flight 9W 7065 will depart New Delhi at 0745 hrs, arriving in Nagpur at 0930 hrs. On the return leg, Jet Airways flight 9W 7062 will depart Nagpur at 1020 hrs and arrive in Delhi at 1205 hrs.
Similarly, Jet Airways’ flight 9W 772 will depart Lucknow at 0705 hrs and arrive in Kolkata at 0835 hrs. The return leg, Jet Airways 9W 771, will depart Kolkata at 1450 hrs. and land at Lucknow at 1630 hrs. On the Bengaluru - Kozhikode sector, 9W 2371 from Bengaluru will depart at 1315 hrs. to reach Kozhikode at 1430 hrs. On its return, flight 9W 2372 will leave Kozhikode at 1455 hrs. to reach Bengaluru at 1605 hrs.
Frequency Addition:
Jet Airways has also introduced additional flights on existing sectors as part of its approach of the airline’s strategy of offering its guests additional choice and flexibility via a range of convenient options.
The airline introduces a fourth daily frequency between Amritsar and New Delhi in response to growing demand from guests. Jet Airways flight 9W 2793 will depart New Delhi at 1940 hrs. and arrive in Amritsar at 2110 hrs. On the return leg, Jet Airways 9W 2794 will depart Amritsar at 2135 hrs. and arrive in New Delhi at 2305 hrs. The delayed departure from Amritsar will be especially helpful for tourists and leisure travellers who wish to connect onwards to other destinations including international ones, from New Delhi.
Additionally, Jet Airways introduces an eighth frequency between Mumbai and Kolkata, bolstering East-West connectivity and providing guests with seamless connections to Western India via its Mumbai gateway. Jet Airways 9W 621 will depart from Mumbai at 2035 hrs. and arrive into Kolkata at 2320 hrs. On the return journey, Jet Airways 9W 622 will depart Kolkata at 0145 hrs. and arrive in Mumbai at 0435 hrs. allowing guests from Kolkata an early start to their day by enabling them to connect onwards via the airline’s early morning connections to Goa, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Mangalore and Kerala.
The summer season will also see Jet Airways becoming the only Indian airline to connect Aizawl to Mumbai via Kolkata allowing the capital of Mizoram to be easily connected with the country’s financial capital.
This is in addition to Aizawl’s current connectivity to Delhi via Guwahati.
Capacity Expansion:
Jet Airways’ continues to expand the rollout of its wide-body services on domestic routes connecting key metros.
The A330 service, which doubles the airline’s carrying capacity on a route also comes with added comfort allowing guests to enjoy its spacious cabin, lie-flat beds in Premiere and ergonomically designed seats in Economy, offering guests a more meaningful, relaxed and comfortable flying experience.
Jet Airways will deploy an Airbus A330 on the New Delhi – Bengaluru sector via flight 9W 807 leaving New Delhi at 0705 Hrs. and arriving into Bengaluru at 0950 hrs. On its return 9W 820 will depart from Bengaluru at 1105 Hrs., reaching New Delhi at 1340 Hrs.
With this new service, the airline now connects four major metros with domestic wide body services. The new flight will complement Jet Airways’ current wide body daily services between Delhi – Mumbai, Delhi – Chennai, Mumbai – Bengaluru and Mumbai – Chennai, which have received overwhelming response from the guests.
Additionally, the airline is also upgrading its new evening service between Bhopal and New Delhi to a Boeing 737, complementing the morning service that exists between the two cities.
Jet Airways is India’s premier international airline which operates flights to 65 destinations, including India and overseas. Jet Airways’ robust domestic India network spans the length and breadth of the country covering metro cities, state capitals and emerging destinations.
Beyond India, Jet Airways operates flights to key international destinations in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. The Jet Airways Group currently operates a fleet of 112 aircraft, comprising Boeing 777-300 ERs, Airbus A330-200/300, Next Generation Boeing 737s and ATR 72-500/600s.
Jet Airways, together with airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Airways, Etihad Regional operated by Darwin Airline, and NIKI, participates in Etihad Airways Partners. Etihad Airways is part of the Etihad Aviation Group, which also holds minority investments in each of these airlines.
The carrier will commence operations between Nagpur and New Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata, and Kozhikode and Bengaluru as part of its broader strategy of connecting India’s emerging / Tier II cities with India’s metros via direct flights.
It will also introduce additional frequencies on the highly traveled Delhi – Amritsar and Mumbai – Kolkata sectors and boost capacity on the New Delhi – Bengaluru and New Delhi – Bhopal routes with the introduction of the wide-body Airbus A330 and Boeing 737 services, respectively.
The changes are a part of Jet Airways’ summer schedule which will see the airline operate upto 650 flights per day connecting 65 destinations in India and abroad.
Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, said, "Our summer schedule has been meticulously planned to meet the expected surge in demand over the holidays. New flights, additional frequencies, greater capacity including the introduction of wide-body services across more sectors are meant to offer our discerning guests greater choice, convenience, connectivity and added comfort. We invite our guests to experience the Joy Of Flying Jet Airways this summer and wish them happy holidays."
New Flights:
As a network carrier, Jet Airways is the first in India to introduce direct services that link upcoming cities in India and key metro links that further connect travellers with its key gateways in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. In line with that strategy, the airline will introduce a direct flight connecting Nagpur, the ‘Orange City’ and emerging metropolis of Maharashtra, to the capital, New Delhi. Similarly, the airline will also connect Lucknow, the ‘City of Nawabs’ with Kolkata, the third largest metropolis of India, and Kozhikode with Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India. The new services will commence operations effective May 01, 2017.
Jet Airways flight 9W 7065 will depart New Delhi at 0745 hrs, arriving in Nagpur at 0930 hrs. On the return leg, Jet Airways flight 9W 7062 will depart Nagpur at 1020 hrs and arrive in Delhi at 1205 hrs.
Similarly, Jet Airways’ flight 9W 772 will depart Lucknow at 0705 hrs and arrive in Kolkata at 0835 hrs. The return leg, Jet Airways 9W 771, will depart Kolkata at 1450 hrs. and land at Lucknow at 1630 hrs. On the Bengaluru - Kozhikode sector, 9W 2371 from Bengaluru will depart at 1315 hrs. to reach Kozhikode at 1430 hrs. On its return, flight 9W 2372 will leave Kozhikode at 1455 hrs. to reach Bengaluru at 1605 hrs.
Frequency Addition:
Jet Airways has also introduced additional flights on existing sectors as part of its approach of the airline’s strategy of offering its guests additional choice and flexibility via a range of convenient options.
The airline introduces a fourth daily frequency between Amritsar and New Delhi in response to growing demand from guests. Jet Airways flight 9W 2793 will depart New Delhi at 1940 hrs. and arrive in Amritsar at 2110 hrs. On the return leg, Jet Airways 9W 2794 will depart Amritsar at 2135 hrs. and arrive in New Delhi at 2305 hrs. The delayed departure from Amritsar will be especially helpful for tourists and leisure travellers who wish to connect onwards to other destinations including international ones, from New Delhi.
Additionally, Jet Airways introduces an eighth frequency between Mumbai and Kolkata, bolstering East-West connectivity and providing guests with seamless connections to Western India via its Mumbai gateway. Jet Airways 9W 621 will depart from Mumbai at 2035 hrs. and arrive into Kolkata at 2320 hrs. On the return journey, Jet Airways 9W 622 will depart Kolkata at 0145 hrs. and arrive in Mumbai at 0435 hrs. allowing guests from Kolkata an early start to their day by enabling them to connect onwards via the airline’s early morning connections to Goa, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Mangalore and Kerala.
The summer season will also see Jet Airways becoming the only Indian airline to connect Aizawl to Mumbai via Kolkata allowing the capital of Mizoram to be easily connected with the country’s financial capital.
This is in addition to Aizawl’s current connectivity to Delhi via Guwahati.
Capacity Expansion:
Jet Airways’ continues to expand the rollout of its wide-body services on domestic routes connecting key metros.
The A330 service, which doubles the airline’s carrying capacity on a route also comes with added comfort allowing guests to enjoy its spacious cabin, lie-flat beds in Premiere and ergonomically designed seats in Economy, offering guests a more meaningful, relaxed and comfortable flying experience.
Jet Airways will deploy an Airbus A330 on the New Delhi – Bengaluru sector via flight 9W 807 leaving New Delhi at 0705 Hrs. and arriving into Bengaluru at 0950 hrs. On its return 9W 820 will depart from Bengaluru at 1105 Hrs., reaching New Delhi at 1340 Hrs.
With this new service, the airline now connects four major metros with domestic wide body services. The new flight will complement Jet Airways’ current wide body daily services between Delhi – Mumbai, Delhi – Chennai, Mumbai – Bengaluru and Mumbai – Chennai, which have received overwhelming response from the guests.
Additionally, the airline is also upgrading its new evening service between Bhopal and New Delhi to a Boeing 737, complementing the morning service that exists between the two cities.
Jet Airways is India’s premier international airline which operates flights to 65 destinations, including India and overseas. Jet Airways’ robust domestic India network spans the length and breadth of the country covering metro cities, state capitals and emerging destinations.
Beyond India, Jet Airways operates flights to key international destinations in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. The Jet Airways Group currently operates a fleet of 112 aircraft, comprising Boeing 777-300 ERs, Airbus A330-200/300, Next Generation Boeing 737s and ATR 72-500/600s.
Jet Airways, together with airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Airways, Etihad Regional operated by Darwin Airline, and NIKI, participates in Etihad Airways Partners. Etihad Airways is part of the Etihad Aviation Group, which also holds minority investments in each of these airlines.
INDIA: Jet Airways Suspends Pilot Over Assault And Racisim
Jet Airways says it has suspended a foreign pilot from flying duty over allegations he assaulted a woman and hurled racist abuse at another passenger on a domestic flight.
The Mumbai-based airline confirmed the incident took place on April 3 on a Chandigarh-Mumbai flight, adding the pilot in question had been taken off the flying roster soon after and an apology had been extended to the victim.
“As regards the said incident, Jet Airways has noted guest feedback with concern and regrets the incident,” Jet Airways said in a statement on Wednesday.
The airline has, as per policy, initiated a full-fledged investigation, based on specific inputs from guests, concerned departments and agencies.
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh has weighed in on the scandal, although he clarified that he had not witnessed the incident first-hand.
“Not only was he racist, but physically assaulted a lady and abused a physically challenged man ... absolutely disgraceful and shame on @jetairways,” said India’s out-of-favour spinner on Twitter, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reprimand the airline and its pilot.
Strict action must b taken &such things should not be allowed or tolerated in r country.. #proudtobeindian let's get together and sort this
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 26, 2017
Scandals have dogged the airline industry in recent weeks, particularly in the United States after United Airlines drew global outrage for forcefully dragging a passenger off an overbooked flight.
Footage of the April 9 incident captured by fellow passengers went viral on social media and caused a public relations calamity for the carrier and airport officials.
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and strategic partner Jet Airways, India’s full-service, premium international carrier, have signed a groundbreaking agreement with the Government of Maharashtra to promote tourism to the western Indian state.
The partnership will enable both airlines to capitalise on their strong links with Maharashtra and further propel domestic and international arrivals into the state capital Mumbai and beyond. It is the first time an Indian state has signed a tourism collaboration agreement with airlines.
The Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis presided over the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Mumbai today. The agreement was signed by Valsa Nair Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra; Neerja Bhatia, Vice President, Etihad Airways Indian Subcontinent; and Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways. It followed months of discussions between the leadership of both airlines and the state government on exploring ways to collaborate in promoting tourism.
Under the agreement, the three entities will pool marketing resources to participate in travel-trade events in key international markets such as the UK and the UAE, jointly promote ‘Destination Maharashtra’ through advertising campaigns, and organise inbound familiarisation trips for media and travel agents.
Etihad Airways and Jet Airways are key contributors to India’s thriving travel and tourism sector carrying the biggest combined share of international traffic to and from India with one in five travellers choosing either carrier.
Collectively, they operate five flights a day between Abu Dhabi, the UAE carrier’s operational hub, and Maharashtra’s main international gateway of Mumbai with domestic connections across the country. In addition, Jet Airways flies daily between Maharashtra’s second largest city of Pune and Abu Dhabi.
Maharashtra, the third largest state in India, is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations. Mumbai ranks second after the Indian capital Delhi in terms of first port of entry for foreign tourist arrivals into India, and fifth in domestic tourist visits.
Commenting on the association, Shri Jaykumar Rawal, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra stated, "We are honoured to welcome this opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways.
This MoU is the beginning of a strategic partnership with two leading and most important international airlines to attract as many international tourists as possible. Together, we can create benefits for travellers and shareholders.
Our aim is to jointly put in place the best strategies and practices to increase Maharashtra’s marketing footprint and position it as the most preferred destination."
Smt. Valsa Nair Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra added, "We’re delighted to further strengthen our relationship with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways.
This is a landmark agreement that will provide valuable support for Maharashtra Tourism’s global campaigns and marketing activities, as well as some of the industry’s most important trade and business events. This unique and important partnership between Maharashtra Tourism, Etihad Airways and Jet Airways will boost the state’s image exponentially."
James Hogan, Etihad Aviation Group President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Being part of one of the world’s largest economies, Maharashtra has plenty to offer to business and leisure travellers.
We are therefore delighted to expand our links to promote tourism to this vibrant state, which we have been serving with dedicated flights for 13 years."
"This agreement represents the first time a state government has ventured into such a tourism partnership with the airline industry, hence we appreciate the opportunity to work with our strategic Indian partner Jet Airways on this breakthrough agreement.
Our combined operation with Jet Airways between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai, complemented by Jet’s widespread domestic services, is further testament to the importance of Maharashtra on our route map."
Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways, said, "It is a moment of both pride and honour that the Government of Maharashtra has chosen to join hands with Jet Airways and our strategic partner Etihad Airways in this unique initiative of leveraging our collective resources and impact for strengthening travel and tourism to the state."
"Mumbai is Jet Airways’ home hub and the airline shares a warm and emotional bond with Mumbai and the state of Maharashtra.
We operate our highest number of flights from the city and have always positioned and promoted Mumbai as the gateway to the state and the country. Our mutual network represents a huge market that can be potentially accessed in support of this initiative."
Maharashtra is home to a diverse range of tourist attractions, from beaches, caves, forts, wildlife, tiger reserves, national parks and hill stations, to monuments, palaces, festivals, places of worship, and adventure sports. Mumbai, the international gateway to Maharashtra, is the country’s financial hub and home to numerous museums, architectural heritage and Bollywood, the world’s largest film industry in terms of movie production.
Since Jet Airways began operations from Mumbai in 1993, the airline has flown millions of guests to and from its main hub over the past 24 years.
Mumbai was also the first Indian city to be served by Etihad Airways with the launch of daily flights in September 2004. A second daily service was introduced in November 2013, followed two years later by a third daily frequency.
Etihad Airways has carried more than two million guests on the route over the past 13 years with key inbound markets including Abu Dhabi, London, New York, San Francisco and Chicago.
Etihad Airways’ Indian network to and from Abu Dhabi covers 11 cities that also includes Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.
Jet Airways offers the additional Indian cities of Pune, Lucknow, Mangalore and Goa to Abu Dhabi, as well as numerous domestic connections.
During 2017, Jet Airways is scheduled to launch flights from Kannur and Chandigarh to Abu Dhabi, subject to appropriate regulatory approvals and completion of operational readiness at these airports.
Combined, both carriers operate over 250 flights each week between Abu Dhabi and 15 Indian cities.
About Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC)
Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the state, which generates substantial foreign exchange and has culminated in significant employment prospects. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) was established with the aim of promoting tourism in the state.
Since its foundation, MTDC has been at the forefront of development and maintenance of various tourist sites and at present owns and maintains resorts in these regions.
To aide tourists, MTDC has opened information centres at all popular destination, which provide travel information about various tourist spots in Maharashtra along with travel maps, Maharashtra tourism guides and travel books at affordable prices.
Maharashtra is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India offering a diverse range of experiences from pristine beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, natural caves, waterfalls, to imposing forts, colourful festivals, ancient pilgrimage shrines, museums, and historical monuments. For further details, please visit: maharashtratourism.gov.in
About Etihad Aviation Group
Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) is a diversified global aviation and travel group comprising five business divisions – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways Engineering, Etihad Airport Services, Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners.
The group has minority investments in seven airlines: airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Virgin Australia, and Swiss-based Darwin Airline, trading as Etihad Regional.
From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to, or has announced plans to serve, more than 110 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.
The airline has a fleet of over 120 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with 204 aircraft on firm order, including 71 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777Xs, 62 Airbus A350s and 10 Airbus A380s. For more information, please visit: etihad.com
About Jet Airways
Jet Airways is India’s premier international airline which operates flights to 65 destinations, including India and overseas. Jet Airways’ robust domestic India network spans the length and breadth of the country covering metro cities, state capitals and emerging destinations.
Beyond India, Jet Airways operates flights to key international destinations in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. The Jet Airways Group currently operates a fleet of 112 aircraft, comprising Boeing 777-300 ERs, Airbus A330-200/300, Next Generation Boeing 737s and ATR 72-500/600s.
Jet Airways, together with airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Airways, Etihad Regional operated by Darwin Airline, and NIKI, participates in Etihad Airways Partners.
Etihad Airways is part of the Etihad Aviation Group, which also holds minority investments in each of these airlines. Visit jetairways.com
The Mumbai-based airline confirmed the incident took place on April 3 on a Chandigarh-Mumbai flight, adding the pilot in question had been taken off the flying roster soon after and an apology had been extended to the victim.
“As regards the said incident, Jet Airways has noted guest feedback with concern and regrets the incident,” Jet Airways said in a statement on Wednesday.
The airline has, as per policy, initiated a full-fledged investigation, based on specific inputs from guests, concerned departments and agencies.
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh has weighed in on the scandal, although he clarified that he had not witnessed the incident first-hand.
“Not only was he racist, but physically assaulted a lady and abused a physically challenged man ... absolutely disgraceful and shame on @jetairways,” said India’s out-of-favour spinner on Twitter, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reprimand the airline and its pilot.
Strict action must b taken &such things should not be allowed or tolerated in r country.. #proudtobeindian let's get together and sort this
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 26, 2017
Scandals have dogged the airline industry in recent weeks, particularly in the United States after United Airlines drew global outrage for forcefully dragging a passenger off an overbooked flight.
Footage of the April 9 incident captured by fellow passengers went viral on social media and caused a public relations calamity for the carrier and airport officials.
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and strategic partner Jet Airways, India’s full-service, premium international carrier, have signed a groundbreaking agreement with the Government of Maharashtra to promote tourism to the western Indian state.
The partnership will enable both airlines to capitalise on their strong links with Maharashtra and further propel domestic and international arrivals into the state capital Mumbai and beyond. It is the first time an Indian state has signed a tourism collaboration agreement with airlines.
The Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis presided over the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Mumbai today. The agreement was signed by Valsa Nair Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra; Neerja Bhatia, Vice President, Etihad Airways Indian Subcontinent; and Jayaraj Shanmugam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways. It followed months of discussions between the leadership of both airlines and the state government on exploring ways to collaborate in promoting tourism.
Under the agreement, the three entities will pool marketing resources to participate in travel-trade events in key international markets such as the UK and the UAE, jointly promote ‘Destination Maharashtra’ through advertising campaigns, and organise inbound familiarisation trips for media and travel agents.
Etihad Airways and Jet Airways are key contributors to India’s thriving travel and tourism sector carrying the biggest combined share of international traffic to and from India with one in five travellers choosing either carrier.
Collectively, they operate five flights a day between Abu Dhabi, the UAE carrier’s operational hub, and Maharashtra’s main international gateway of Mumbai with domestic connections across the country. In addition, Jet Airways flies daily between Maharashtra’s second largest city of Pune and Abu Dhabi.
Maharashtra, the third largest state in India, is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations. Mumbai ranks second after the Indian capital Delhi in terms of first port of entry for foreign tourist arrivals into India, and fifth in domestic tourist visits.
Commenting on the association, Shri Jaykumar Rawal, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra stated, "We are honoured to welcome this opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways.
This MoU is the beginning of a strategic partnership with two leading and most important international airlines to attract as many international tourists as possible. Together, we can create benefits for travellers and shareholders.
Our aim is to jointly put in place the best strategies and practices to increase Maharashtra’s marketing footprint and position it as the most preferred destination."
Smt. Valsa Nair Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra added, "We’re delighted to further strengthen our relationship with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways.
This is a landmark agreement that will provide valuable support for Maharashtra Tourism’s global campaigns and marketing activities, as well as some of the industry’s most important trade and business events. This unique and important partnership between Maharashtra Tourism, Etihad Airways and Jet Airways will boost the state’s image exponentially."
James Hogan, Etihad Aviation Group President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Being part of one of the world’s largest economies, Maharashtra has plenty to offer to business and leisure travellers.
We are therefore delighted to expand our links to promote tourism to this vibrant state, which we have been serving with dedicated flights for 13 years."
"This agreement represents the first time a state government has ventured into such a tourism partnership with the airline industry, hence we appreciate the opportunity to work with our strategic Indian partner Jet Airways on this breakthrough agreement.
Our combined operation with Jet Airways between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai, complemented by Jet’s widespread domestic services, is further testament to the importance of Maharashtra on our route map."
Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways, said, "It is a moment of both pride and honour that the Government of Maharashtra has chosen to join hands with Jet Airways and our strategic partner Etihad Airways in this unique initiative of leveraging our collective resources and impact for strengthening travel and tourism to the state."
"Mumbai is Jet Airways’ home hub and the airline shares a warm and emotional bond with Mumbai and the state of Maharashtra.
We operate our highest number of flights from the city and have always positioned and promoted Mumbai as the gateway to the state and the country. Our mutual network represents a huge market that can be potentially accessed in support of this initiative."
Maharashtra is home to a diverse range of tourist attractions, from beaches, caves, forts, wildlife, tiger reserves, national parks and hill stations, to monuments, palaces, festivals, places of worship, and adventure sports. Mumbai, the international gateway to Maharashtra, is the country’s financial hub and home to numerous museums, architectural heritage and Bollywood, the world’s largest film industry in terms of movie production.
Since Jet Airways began operations from Mumbai in 1993, the airline has flown millions of guests to and from its main hub over the past 24 years.
Mumbai was also the first Indian city to be served by Etihad Airways with the launch of daily flights in September 2004. A second daily service was introduced in November 2013, followed two years later by a third daily frequency.
Etihad Airways has carried more than two million guests on the route over the past 13 years with key inbound markets including Abu Dhabi, London, New York, San Francisco and Chicago.
Etihad Airways’ Indian network to and from Abu Dhabi covers 11 cities that also includes Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.
Jet Airways offers the additional Indian cities of Pune, Lucknow, Mangalore and Goa to Abu Dhabi, as well as numerous domestic connections.
During 2017, Jet Airways is scheduled to launch flights from Kannur and Chandigarh to Abu Dhabi, subject to appropriate regulatory approvals and completion of operational readiness at these airports.
Combined, both carriers operate over 250 flights each week between Abu Dhabi and 15 Indian cities.
About Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC)
Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the state, which generates substantial foreign exchange and has culminated in significant employment prospects. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) was established with the aim of promoting tourism in the state.
Since its foundation, MTDC has been at the forefront of development and maintenance of various tourist sites and at present owns and maintains resorts in these regions.
To aide tourists, MTDC has opened information centres at all popular destination, which provide travel information about various tourist spots in Maharashtra along with travel maps, Maharashtra tourism guides and travel books at affordable prices.
Maharashtra is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India offering a diverse range of experiences from pristine beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, natural caves, waterfalls, to imposing forts, colourful festivals, ancient pilgrimage shrines, museums, and historical monuments. For further details, please visit: maharashtratourism.gov.in
About Etihad Aviation Group
Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) is a diversified global aviation and travel group comprising five business divisions – Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways Engineering, Etihad Airport Services, Hala Group and Airline Equity Partners.
The group has minority investments in seven airlines: airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Virgin Australia, and Swiss-based Darwin Airline, trading as Etihad Regional.
From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to, or has announced plans to serve, more than 110 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.
The airline has a fleet of over 120 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with 204 aircraft on firm order, including 71 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777Xs, 62 Airbus A350s and 10 Airbus A380s. For more information, please visit: etihad.com
About Jet Airways
Jet Airways is India’s premier international airline which operates flights to 65 destinations, including India and overseas. Jet Airways’ robust domestic India network spans the length and breadth of the country covering metro cities, state capitals and emerging destinations.
Beyond India, Jet Airways operates flights to key international destinations in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. The Jet Airways Group currently operates a fleet of 112 aircraft, comprising Boeing 777-300 ERs, Airbus A330-200/300, Next Generation Boeing 737s and ATR 72-500/600s.
Jet Airways, together with airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Airways, Etihad Regional operated by Darwin Airline, and NIKI, participates in Etihad Airways Partners.
Etihad Airways is part of the Etihad Aviation Group, which also holds minority investments in each of these airlines. Visit jetairways.com
BRAZIL: Brazilian Cuisine
Brazilian cuisine has European, African and Amerindian influences.It varies greatly by region, reflecting the country's mix of native and immigrant populations, and its continental size as well.
This has created a national cuisine marked by the preservation of regional differences.
The cuisine of a nation is determined largely by the societies, customs and traditions within that culture as well as by accessibility and availability to certain foods and ingredients.
Because Brazil is such a melting pot of colours, languages and customs, its cuisine is similarly varied. In addition, the various types of dishes and ingredients used depend on the geographical location within Brazil.
Ingredients first used by native peoples in Brazil include cassava, guarana, açaÃ, cumaru, cashew and tucupi. From there, the many waves of immigrants brought some of their typical dishes, replacing missing ingredients with local equivalents.
In general, root vegetables are commonly used. Fruits grow well in the tropical and sub-tropical conditions and are also, therefore, used extensively, even in savoury cooking. Mangos, papayas (also known as paw paws), guavas, granadillas and pineapples are all firm favourites.
These make for delicious dishes, whether savoury or sweet. Many dishes use rice or beans as a staple or base ingredient, since these are widely available, filling and fairly nutritious. Common meats include beef, pork and different kinds of fish and seafood.
Breakfasts are often fruit-based and refreshing. In general, lunch is the main meal of the day and, therefore, the largest and most filling.
Appetisers
Appetisers refer to the starters of a meal. However, in Brazil, they also refer to the food commonly available from street vendors. Popular Brazilian appetisers include: • Acarajé - fried balls of shrimp, black-eyed peas and onions. • Bolinhos do Arroz – deep-friend balls made from a rice-based batter. • Empadinhas de Palmito – a bread or pastry stuffed with palm hearts. • Coxinha – chicken croquettes
For instance, the European immigrants,from Portugal, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and Switzerland were accustomed to a wheat-based diet, and introduced wine, leafy vegetables, and dairy products into Brazilian cuisine.
Main Courses
Main courses are varied, filling and very tasty. They may include the likes of:
• Feijoada – black bean stew with smoked meats. This is a time-consuming dish and generally served to friends and family that are staying overnight.
• Vatapá – a shrimp and cashew nut dish.
• Pastel de Acelgas - swiss chard and chorizo sausage tart.
• Moqueca de Peixe – a fish stew with plenty of coconut flavouring.
• Cururu de Camarao – a gumbo (stew or soup) made from shrimp and okra.
• Pizza – the Brazilians have adopted pizza as one of their own unique foods, using a variety of toppings to enhance its flavour.
• Chancaca - Glazed salmon with pineapple salsa.
Accompaniments
Breads and pastries are often used to enhance and bulk up the main course of the meal. Some of these traditional accompaniments include:
• Pao de Queijo - cheese bread.
• Farofa - toasted manioc meal.
• Couve a Mineira - garlicky collard greens
Desserts
With the variety of fruit available in Brazil, the desserts are truly delicious. Some of these are:
• Banana Frusta Com Canella Angular - fried banana with cinnamon sugar.
• Bolo de Minho Carioca - Carioca cornflakes.
• Crème de Papaya - cream of papaya (made with ice cream).
• Passion fruit mousse cake
• Quindin – mini coconut flans.
Brazil boasts plenty of ethnic restaurants, which have introduced dishes like sushi to the locals. Gradually, such dishes and ingredients have infiltrated the homes of the locals, adding a modern dimension to their traditional dishes.
When potatoes were not available they discovered how to use the native sweet manioc as a replacement. Enslaved Africans also had a role in developing Brazilian cuisine, especially in the coastal states. The foreign influence extended to later migratory waves Japanese immigrants brought most of the food items that Brazilians would associate with Asian cuisine today, and introduced large-scale aviaries.
Root vegetables such as cassava,locally known as mandioca, aipim or macaxeira, among other names, yams, and fruit like açaÃ, cupuaçu, mango, papaya, guava, orange, passion fruit, pineapple, and hog plum are among the local ingredients used in cooking.
Some typical dishes are feijoada, considered the country's national dish; and regional foods such as vatapa, moqueca, polenta and acaraje.
There is also caruru, which consists of okra, onion, dried shrimp, and toasted nuts (peanuts or cashews), cooked with palm oil until a spread-like consistency is reached; moqueca capixaba, consisting of slow-cooked fish, tomato, onions and garlic, topped with cilantro; and linguiça, a mildly spicy sausage.
The national beverage is coffee, while cachaça is Brazil's native liquor. Cachaça is distilled from sugar cane and is the main ingredient in the national cocktail, caipirinha.
Cheese buns (pães-de-queijo), and salgadinhos such as pastéis, coxinhas, risólis (from pierogy of Polish cuisine) and kibbeh (from Arabic cuisine) are common finger food items, while cuscuz branco (milled tapioca) is a popular dessert.
Regional cuisines
There is not an exact single national Brazilian cuisine, but there is an assortment of various regional traditions and typical dishes. This diversity is linked to the origins of the people inhabiting each dam.
For instance, the culinary in Bahia is heavily influenced by a mix of African, Indigenous and Portuguese cuisines. Chili including chili sauces, and palm oil are very common. But in the Northern states, due to the abundance of forest and freshwater rivers, fish and cassava are staple foods.
In the deep south like Rio Grande do Sul, the influence shifts more towards gaúcho traditions shared with its neighbors Argentina and Uruguay, with many meat based products, due to this region livestock based economy - the churrasco, a kind of barbecue, is a local tradition.
Southeast Brazil's cuisine
In Rio, Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais, the feijoada,a black bean and meat stew rooted is popular especially as a Wednesday or Saturday lunch. Also consumed frequently is picadinho literally, diced meat or rice and beans.
In Rio de Janeiro, besides the feijoada, a popular plate is any variation of grilled bovine fillet, rice and beans, farofa and French fries, commonly called Filé à Osvaldo Aranha. Seafood is very popular in coastal areas, as is roasted chicken (galeto).
In Sao Paulo, a typical dish is virado à paulista, made with rice, tutu de feijão, sauteed kale, and pork. São Paulo is also the home of pastel, a food consisting of thin pastry envelopes wrapped around assorted fillings, then deep fried in vegetable oil.
It is a common belief that they originated when Japanese immigrants adapted the recipe of fried spring rolls to sell as snacks at weekly street markets.
In Minas Gerais, the regional dishes include corn, pork, beans, chicken,including the very typical dish frango com quiabo, or chicken with okra, tutu de feijão,paste of beans and cassava flour, and local soft ripened traditional cheeses.
In EspÃrito Santo, there is significant Italian and German influence in local dishes, both savory and sweet. The state dish, though, is of Amerindian origin,called moqueca capixaba which is a tomato and fish stew prepared in a Panela de Barro(clay pot).
Amerindian and Italian cuisine are the two main pillars of Capixaba cuisine. Seafood dishes in general are very popular in Espirito Santo but unlike other Amerindian dishes the use of olive oil is almost mandatory. Bobó de camarão, Torta Capixaba, Polenta are also very popular.
North Brazil's cuisine
The cuisine of this region, which includes the states of Acre, Amazonas, Amapa, Para, Rondonia, Roraima, and Tocantins, is heavily influenced by indigenous cuisine. In the state of Pará, there are several typical dishes including:
Pato no tucupi (duck in tucupi) – one of the most famous dishes from Pará. It is associated to the CÃrio de Nazaré, a great local Roman Catholic celebration.
The dish is made with tucupi (yellow broth extracted from cassava, after the fermentation process of the broth remained after the starch had been taken off, from the raw ground manioc root, pressed by a cloth, with some water; if added maniva, the manioc ground up external part, that is poisonous because of the cyanic acid, and so must be cooked for several days).
The duck, after cooking, is cut into pieces and boiled in tucupi, where is the sauce for some time. The jambu is boiled in water with salt, drained and put on the duck. It is served with white rice and manioc flour and corn tortillas
Center-West Brazil's cuisine
In the state of Goiás, the pequi is used in a lot of typical foods, specially the "arroz com pequi" (rice cooked with pequi), and in snacks, mostly as a filling for pastel. Also, a mixture of chicken and rice known as galinhada is very popular.
Northeast Brazil's cuisine
The Brazilian Northeastern cuisine is heavily influenced by African cuisine from the coastal areas of Pernambuco to Bahia, as well as the eating habits of indigenous populations that lived in the region.
The vatapá is a Brazilian dish made from bread, shrimp, coconut milk, finely ground peanuts and palm oil mashed into a creamy paste.
The Bobó de camarão is a dish made with cassava and shrimp (camarão).
The acarajé is a dish made from peeled black-eyed peas formed into a ball and then deep-fried in dendê (palm oil). Often sold as street food, it is served split in half and then stuffed with vatapá and caruru.Acarajé is typically available outside of the state of Bahia as well, including the markets of Rio de Janeiro.
In other areas, more to the west or away from the coast, the plates are most reminiscent of the indigenous cuisine, with many vegetables being cultivated in the area since before the arrival of the Portuguese.
Examples include baião de dois, made with rice and beans, dried meat, butter, queijo coalho and other ingredients. Jaggery is also heavily identified with the Northeast, as it is carne-de-sol, paçoca de pilão, and bolo de rolo.
Tapioca flatbreads or pancakes are also commonly served for breakfast in some states, with a filling of either coconut, cheese or condensed milk, among others.
Southern Brazil's cuisine
In Southern Brazil, due to the long tradition in livestock production and the heavy German immigration, red meat is the basis of the local cuisine.
Besides many of the pasta, sausage and dessert dishes common to continental Europe, churrasco is the term for a barbecue (similar to the Argentine, Uruguayan, Paraguayan and Chilean asado) which originated in southern Brazil.
It contains a variety of meats which may be cooked on a purpose-built "churrasqueira", a barbecue grill, often with supports for spits or skewers. Portable "churrasqueiras" are similar to those used to prepare the Argentine, Chilean, Paraguayan and Uruguayan asado, with a grill support, but many Brazilian "churrasqueiras" do not have grills, only the skewers above the embers.
The meat may alternatively be cooked on large metal or wood skewers resting on a support or stuck into the ground and roasted with the embers of charcoal,wood may also be used, especially in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.
Since gaúchos were nomadic and lived off the land, they had no way of preserving food, the gauchos would gather together after butchering a cow, and skewer and cook the large portions of meat immediately over a wood burning fire. The slow-cooked meat basted in its own juices and resulted in tender, flavorful steaks.
This style would carry on to inspire many contemporary churrascaria which emulate the cooking style where waiters bring large cuts of roasted meat to diners' tables and carve portions to order.
The chimarrão is the regional beverage, often associated with the gaúcho image.
Popular dishes
Coxinha is a popular Brazilian snack.
Rice and beans is an extremely popular dish, considered basic at table; a tradition Brazil shares with several Caribbean nations.
Brazilian rice and beans usually are cooked utilizing either lard or the nowadays more common edible vegetable fats and oils, in a variation of the Mediterranean sofrito locally called refogado which usually includes garlic in both recipes (many Brazilians do not like garlic in rice, and not using garlic is the standard in restaurants) and sometimes onion, or even Welsh onions, parsley, fresh coriander or other herbs (again, it depends on personal tastes).
In variation to rice and beans, Brazilians usually eat pasta (including spaghetti, lasagne, yakisoba, lamen, and bīfun), pasta salad, various dishes using either potato or manioc, and polenta as substitutions for rice, as well as salads, dumplings or soups of green peas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, broad beans, butter beans, soybeans, lentils, moyashi (which came to Brazil due to the Japanese tradition of eating its sprouts), azuki, and other legumes in substitution for the common beans cultivated in South America since Pre-Columbian times.
It is more common to eat substitutions for daily rice and beans in festivities such as Christmas and New Year's Eve (the tradition is lentils), as follow-up of churrasco (mainly potato salad/carrot salad, called maionese, due to the widespread use of both industrial and home-made mayonnaise, which can include egg whites, raw onion, green peas, sweetcorn or even chayote squashes, and pronounced almost exactly as in English and French) and in other special occasions.
Either way the basis of Brazilian daily cuisine is the starch (most often a cereal), legume, protein and vegetable combination.
There is also a differentiation between vegetables of the verduras group, or greens, and the legumes group (no relation to the botanic concept), or non-green vegetables.
There are Brazilians which eat both daily or the most often they can, only vegetables of one group, or none at all, which again depends on personal tastes.
Salgadinhos are small savoury snacks (literally salties). Similar to Spanish tapas, these are mostly sold in corner shops and a staple at working class and lower middle-class familiar celebrations. There are many types of pastries:
Pão de queijo (literally "cheese bread"), a typical Brazilian snack, is a small, soft roll made of manioc flour, eggs, milk, and minas cheese. It can be bought ready-made at a corner store or frozen and ready to bake in a supermarket and is gluten-free.
Coxinha is a chicken croquette shaped like a chicken thigh.
Kibe/Quibe: extremely popular, it corresponds to the Lebanese dish kibbeh and was brought to mainstream Brazilian culture by Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. It can be served baked, fried, or raw.
Esfiha: another Middle Eastern dish, despite being a more recent addition to Brazilian cuisine they are nowadays easily found everywhere, specially in Northeastern, Southern and Southeastern regions. They are pies/cakes with fillings like beef, mutton, cheese curd, or seasoned vegetables.
Pastéis are pastries with a wide variety of fillings. Similar to Spanish fried Empanadas but of Japanese origin (and brought to Brazil by the Japanese diaspora). Different shapes are used to tell apart the different flavours, the two most common shapes being half-moon (cheese) and square (meat). Size, flavour, and shape may vary greatly.
Empadas are snacks that resemble pot pies in a small scale. Filled with a mix of palm hearts, peas, flour and chicken or shrimp.
Misto-quente is grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
Cuscuz branco is a dessert consisting of milled tapioca cooked with coconut milk and sugar and is the couscous equivalent of rice pudding.
AçaÃ, cupuaçu, starfruit, and many other tropical fruits are shipped from the Amazon Rainforest and consumed in smoothies or as fresh fruit. Other aspects of Amazonian cuisine are also gaining a following.
Cachorro-quente is the Brazilian version of hot-dogs, usually garnished with tomato sauce, corn, peas and potato chips.
Cheese: the dairy-producing state of Minas Gerais is known for such cheeses as Queijo Minas, a soft, mild-flavored fresh white cheese usually sold packaged in water; requeijão, a mildly salty, silky-textured, spreadable cheese sold in glass jars and eaten on bread; and Catupiry, a soft processed cheese sold in a distinctive round wooden box.
Pinhão is the pine nut of the Araucaria angustifolia, a common tree in the highlands of southern Brazil. The nuts are boiled and eaten as a snack in the winter months. It is typically eaten during the festas juninas.
Risoto (risotto) is a rice dish cooked with chicken, shrimp, and seafood in general or other protein staples sometimes served with vegetables, another very popular dish in Southern Brazil.
Mortadella sandwich
Sugarcane juice, mixed with fruit juices such as pineapple or lemon.
Angu is a popular side dish (or a substitution for the rice fulfilling the "starch element" of use common in Southern and Southeastern Brazil). It is similar to the Italian polenta.
Arroz com pequi is a traditional dish from the Brazilian Cerrado, and the symbol of Center-Western Brazil's cuisine. It is basically made with rice seasoned on pequi, also known as a souari nut, and often chicken.
Caipirinha, a national drink
Also noteworthy are:
Special ethnic foods and restaurants that are frequently found in Brazil include Arab cuisine (Lebanese and Syrian), local variations of Chinese cuisine nevertheless closer to the traditional than American Chinese cuisine, Italian cuisine, and Japanese cuisine,sushi bars are a constant in major metropolises, and people from Rio de Janeiro are more used to temaki than people from São Paulo, home of more than 70% of the Japanese diaspora in the country.
Pizza is also extremely popular. It is usually made in a wood-fire oven with a thin, flexible crust, little or very little sauce, and a number of interesting toppings. In addition to the "traditional" Italian pizza toppings, items like guava cheese and Minas cheese, banana and cinnamon, poultry (either milled chicken meat or smoked turkey breast) and catupiry, and chocolate are available.
Traditionally olive oil is poured over the pizza, but in some regions people enjoy ketchup, mustard and even mayonnaise on pizza - on Rio de Janeiro, for instance, a server might be surprised if someone asks for olive oil instead of ketchup, more traditional regionally.
Brazil nut cake is a cake in Brazilian cuisine that is common and popular in the Amazon region of Brazil, Bolivia and Peru
Broa, corn bread with fennel.
Drinks
Cachaça is Brazil's native liquor, distilled from sugar cane, and it is the main ingredient in the national drink, the Caipirinha.
Other drinks include mate tea, chimarrão and tereré (both made up of yerba maté), coffee, fruit juice, beer (mainly Pilsen variety), rum, guaraná and batidas. Guaraná is a caffeinated soft drink made from guaraná seeds and batida is a type of fruit punch.
Typical and popular desserts
Brazil has a variety of candies such as brigadeiros (chocolate fudge balls), cocada (a coconut sweet), beijinhos (coconut truffles and clove) and romeu e julieta (cheese with a guava jam known as goiabada).
Peanuts are used to make paçoca, rapadura and pé-de-moleque.
Local common fruits like açaÃ, cupuaçu, mango, papaya, cocoa, cashew, guava, orange, passionfruit, pineapple, and hog plum are turned in juices and used to make chocolates, popsicles and ice cream.
Typical cakes (Bolos)
Pão de mel (honey cake, somewhat resembling gingerbread, usually covered with melted chocolate)
Bolo de rolo (roll cake, a thin mass wrapped with melted guava, most often called rocambole in Southern and Southeastern Brazil)
Bolo de cenoura (carrot cake with chocolate cover made with butter and cocoa)
Bolo prestÃgio (chocolate cake with a coconut and milk cream filling, covered with brigadeiro)
Bolo de fubá (corn flour cake)
Bolo de milho (Brazilian-style corn cake)
Bolo de maracujá (passion fruit cake)
Bolo de mandioca (cassava cake)
Bolo de queijo (literally "cheese cake")
Bolo de laranja (orange cake)
Bolo de banana (banana cake spread with cinnamon)
Other popular and traditional desserts
Fig, papaya, mango, orange, citron, pear, peach, pumpkin, sweet potato (among others) sweets and preserves, often eaten with solid fresh cheese or doce de leite.
Quindim (egg custard with coconut)
Brigadeiro (a Brazilian chocolate candy)
Biscoitos de maizena (cornstarch cookies)
Beijinho (coconut "truffles" with clove)
Cajuzinho (peanut and cashew "truffles")
Cocada (coconut sweet)
Olho-de-sogra
Pudim de pão (literally "bread pudding", a pie made with bread "from yesterday" immersed in milk instead of flour (plus the other typical pie ingredients like eggs, sugar etc.) with dried orange slices and clove)
Manjar branco (coconut pudding with caramel cover and dried plums)
Doce de leite
Arroz-doce (rice pudding)
Canjica (similar to rice pudding, but made with white corn)
Romeu e Julieta: goiabada (guava cheese) with white cheese (most often Minas cheese or requeijão)
Torta de Limão (literally "Lime Pie", a shortcrust pastry with creamy lime-flavored filling)
Pé-de-moleque (made with peanuts and sugar caramel)
Paçoca (similar to Spanish polvorones, but made with peanuts instead of almonds and without addition of fats)
Pudim de leite (condensed milk-based crème caramel, of French origin)
Brigadeirão (a pudim de leite with chocolate or a chocolate cake)
Rapadura
Doce de banana (different types of banana sweets, solid or creamy)
Maria-mole
Pamonha (a traditional Brazilian food made from fresh corn and milk wrapped in corn husks and boiled). It can be savoury or sweet.
Papo-de-anjo
"Açaà na tigela" (usually consists of an açaà (Brazilian fruit) mixture with bananas and cereal or strawberries and cereal (usually granola or muslix))
Avocado cream (avocado, lime and confectionery sugar; blended and chilled)
A Brazilian breakfast buffet.
Breakfast, the café-da-manhã (literally, "morning coffee"): Every region has its own typical breakfast. It is common to find tropical fruits, typical cakes, tapioca, cuscuz, grilled ham-and-cheese-sandwiches, bread and butter, mortadella, ham, cheese, requeijão, ham and cheese, ham and requeijão, smoked turkey and cheese, smoked turkey and requeijão, honey, or jam, and the drink can be sweetened coffee, juice, hot chocolate, café com leite, or sweetened tea.
Elevenses or brunch, the lanche-da-manhã (literally, "morning snack"): Juices, fruits, light sandwiches, crackers and cookies are the most common snacks if one eats a breakfast really early at morning, while others may eat a more hearty lunch-like meal if they didn't have breakfast at all.
Midday dinner or lunch, the almoço: Normally this is the biggest meal. Rice is a staple of the Brazilian diet, albeit it is not uncommon to eat pasta instead. It is usually eaten together with beans, boiled dry legumes and some other kind of protein, and may be served together with farofa (a toasted flour of manioc or corn), polenta, salads or cooked vegetables.
Tea, the lanche-da-tarde (literally "afternoon snack"): It is a meal had between lunch and dinner, and basically everything people eat in the breakfast, they also eat in the afternoon snack. Nevertheless, fruits are less common.
Night dinner or supper, the jantar: For most Brazilians, jantar is a light affair, while others dine at night. Soups, salads, pasta, hamburgers or hot-dogs, pizza or repeating midday dinner foods are the most common dishes.
Late supper, the ceia: Brazilians eat soups, salads, pasta and what would be eaten at the elevenses if their jantar was a light one early at the evening and it is late at night or dawn. It is associated with Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Main meals, that are served nearly everywhere, and are eaten in nearly all households above poverty line.
Secondary meals. People usually have a meal at the tea time, while elevenses and late suppers depend in peculiarities on one's daily routine or certain diets.
Restaurant styles
A simple and usually inexpensive option, which is also advisable for vegetarians, is comida a quilo or comida por quilo restaurants (literally "food by kilo value"), a buffet where food is paid for by weight. Another common style is the all-you-can-eat restaurant where customers pay a prix fixe. In both types (known collectively as "self-services"), customers usually assemble the dishes of their choice from a large buffet.
RodÃzio is a common style of service, in which a prix fixe is paid, and servers circulate with food. This is common in churrascarias, pizzerias and sushi,Japanese cuisine restaurants, resulting in an all-you-can-eat meat barbecue and pizzas of varied flavours, usually one slice being served at the time.
The regular restaurant where there is a specific price for each meal is called "restaurante à la carte".
Vegetarian
Although many traditional dishes are prepared with meat or fish, it is not difficult to live on vegetarian food as well, at least in the mid-sized and larger cities of Brazil. There is a rich supply of all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and on city streets one can find cheese buns (pão de queijo); in some cities even the version made of soy.
In the 2000s, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre have gained several vegetarian and vegan restaurants.However outside big metropolises, vegetarianism is not very common in the country. Not every restaurant will provide vegetarian dishes and some seemingly vegetarian meals may turn out to include unwanted ingredients, for instance, using lard for cooking beans.
Commonly "meat" is understood to mean "red meat," so some people might assume a vegetarian eats fish and chicken. Comida por quilo and all-you-can eat restaurants prepare a wide range of fresh dishes. Diners can more easily find food in such restaurants that satisfies dietary restrictions.
This has created a national cuisine marked by the preservation of regional differences.
The cuisine of a nation is determined largely by the societies, customs and traditions within that culture as well as by accessibility and availability to certain foods and ingredients.
Because Brazil is such a melting pot of colours, languages and customs, its cuisine is similarly varied. In addition, the various types of dishes and ingredients used depend on the geographical location within Brazil.
Ingredients first used by native peoples in Brazil include cassava, guarana, açaÃ, cumaru, cashew and tucupi. From there, the many waves of immigrants brought some of their typical dishes, replacing missing ingredients with local equivalents.
In general, root vegetables are commonly used. Fruits grow well in the tropical and sub-tropical conditions and are also, therefore, used extensively, even in savoury cooking. Mangos, papayas (also known as paw paws), guavas, granadillas and pineapples are all firm favourites.
These make for delicious dishes, whether savoury or sweet. Many dishes use rice or beans as a staple or base ingredient, since these are widely available, filling and fairly nutritious. Common meats include beef, pork and different kinds of fish and seafood.
Breakfasts are often fruit-based and refreshing. In general, lunch is the main meal of the day and, therefore, the largest and most filling.
Appetisers
Appetisers refer to the starters of a meal. However, in Brazil, they also refer to the food commonly available from street vendors. Popular Brazilian appetisers include: • Acarajé - fried balls of shrimp, black-eyed peas and onions. • Bolinhos do Arroz – deep-friend balls made from a rice-based batter. • Empadinhas de Palmito – a bread or pastry stuffed with palm hearts. • Coxinha – chicken croquettes
For instance, the European immigrants,from Portugal, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and Switzerland were accustomed to a wheat-based diet, and introduced wine, leafy vegetables, and dairy products into Brazilian cuisine.
Main Courses
Main courses are varied, filling and very tasty. They may include the likes of:
• Feijoada – black bean stew with smoked meats. This is a time-consuming dish and generally served to friends and family that are staying overnight.
• Vatapá – a shrimp and cashew nut dish.
• Pastel de Acelgas - swiss chard and chorizo sausage tart.
• Moqueca de Peixe – a fish stew with plenty of coconut flavouring.
• Cururu de Camarao – a gumbo (stew or soup) made from shrimp and okra.
• Pizza – the Brazilians have adopted pizza as one of their own unique foods, using a variety of toppings to enhance its flavour.
• Chancaca - Glazed salmon with pineapple salsa.
Accompaniments
Breads and pastries are often used to enhance and bulk up the main course of the meal. Some of these traditional accompaniments include:
• Pao de Queijo - cheese bread.
• Farofa - toasted manioc meal.
• Couve a Mineira - garlicky collard greens
Desserts
With the variety of fruit available in Brazil, the desserts are truly delicious. Some of these are:
• Banana Frusta Com Canella Angular - fried banana with cinnamon sugar.
• Bolo de Minho Carioca - Carioca cornflakes.
• Crème de Papaya - cream of papaya (made with ice cream).
• Passion fruit mousse cake
• Quindin – mini coconut flans.
Brazil boasts plenty of ethnic restaurants, which have introduced dishes like sushi to the locals. Gradually, such dishes and ingredients have infiltrated the homes of the locals, adding a modern dimension to their traditional dishes.
When potatoes were not available they discovered how to use the native sweet manioc as a replacement. Enslaved Africans also had a role in developing Brazilian cuisine, especially in the coastal states. The foreign influence extended to later migratory waves Japanese immigrants brought most of the food items that Brazilians would associate with Asian cuisine today, and introduced large-scale aviaries.
Root vegetables such as cassava,locally known as mandioca, aipim or macaxeira, among other names, yams, and fruit like açaÃ, cupuaçu, mango, papaya, guava, orange, passion fruit, pineapple, and hog plum are among the local ingredients used in cooking.
Some typical dishes are feijoada, considered the country's national dish; and regional foods such as vatapa, moqueca, polenta and acaraje.
There is also caruru, which consists of okra, onion, dried shrimp, and toasted nuts (peanuts or cashews), cooked with palm oil until a spread-like consistency is reached; moqueca capixaba, consisting of slow-cooked fish, tomato, onions and garlic, topped with cilantro; and linguiça, a mildly spicy sausage.
The national beverage is coffee, while cachaça is Brazil's native liquor. Cachaça is distilled from sugar cane and is the main ingredient in the national cocktail, caipirinha.
Cheese buns (pães-de-queijo), and salgadinhos such as pastéis, coxinhas, risólis (from pierogy of Polish cuisine) and kibbeh (from Arabic cuisine) are common finger food items, while cuscuz branco (milled tapioca) is a popular dessert.
Regional cuisines
There is not an exact single national Brazilian cuisine, but there is an assortment of various regional traditions and typical dishes. This diversity is linked to the origins of the people inhabiting each dam.
For instance, the culinary in Bahia is heavily influenced by a mix of African, Indigenous and Portuguese cuisines. Chili including chili sauces, and palm oil are very common. But in the Northern states, due to the abundance of forest and freshwater rivers, fish and cassava are staple foods.
In the deep south like Rio Grande do Sul, the influence shifts more towards gaúcho traditions shared with its neighbors Argentina and Uruguay, with many meat based products, due to this region livestock based economy - the churrasco, a kind of barbecue, is a local tradition.
Southeast Brazil's cuisine
In Rio, Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais, the feijoada,a black bean and meat stew rooted is popular especially as a Wednesday or Saturday lunch. Also consumed frequently is picadinho literally, diced meat or rice and beans.
In Rio de Janeiro, besides the feijoada, a popular plate is any variation of grilled bovine fillet, rice and beans, farofa and French fries, commonly called Filé à Osvaldo Aranha. Seafood is very popular in coastal areas, as is roasted chicken (galeto).
In Sao Paulo, a typical dish is virado à paulista, made with rice, tutu de feijão, sauteed kale, and pork. São Paulo is also the home of pastel, a food consisting of thin pastry envelopes wrapped around assorted fillings, then deep fried in vegetable oil.
It is a common belief that they originated when Japanese immigrants adapted the recipe of fried spring rolls to sell as snacks at weekly street markets.
In Minas Gerais, the regional dishes include corn, pork, beans, chicken,including the very typical dish frango com quiabo, or chicken with okra, tutu de feijão,paste of beans and cassava flour, and local soft ripened traditional cheeses.
In EspÃrito Santo, there is significant Italian and German influence in local dishes, both savory and sweet. The state dish, though, is of Amerindian origin,called moqueca capixaba which is a tomato and fish stew prepared in a Panela de Barro(clay pot).
Amerindian and Italian cuisine are the two main pillars of Capixaba cuisine. Seafood dishes in general are very popular in Espirito Santo but unlike other Amerindian dishes the use of olive oil is almost mandatory. Bobó de camarão, Torta Capixaba, Polenta are also very popular.
North Brazil's cuisine
The cuisine of this region, which includes the states of Acre, Amazonas, Amapa, Para, Rondonia, Roraima, and Tocantins, is heavily influenced by indigenous cuisine. In the state of Pará, there are several typical dishes including:
Pato no tucupi (duck in tucupi) – one of the most famous dishes from Pará. It is associated to the CÃrio de Nazaré, a great local Roman Catholic celebration.
The dish is made with tucupi (yellow broth extracted from cassava, after the fermentation process of the broth remained after the starch had been taken off, from the raw ground manioc root, pressed by a cloth, with some water; if added maniva, the manioc ground up external part, that is poisonous because of the cyanic acid, and so must be cooked for several days).
The duck, after cooking, is cut into pieces and boiled in tucupi, where is the sauce for some time. The jambu is boiled in water with salt, drained and put on the duck. It is served with white rice and manioc flour and corn tortillas
Center-West Brazil's cuisine
In the state of Goiás, the pequi is used in a lot of typical foods, specially the "arroz com pequi" (rice cooked with pequi), and in snacks, mostly as a filling for pastel. Also, a mixture of chicken and rice known as galinhada is very popular.
Northeast Brazil's cuisine
The Brazilian Northeastern cuisine is heavily influenced by African cuisine from the coastal areas of Pernambuco to Bahia, as well as the eating habits of indigenous populations that lived in the region.
The vatapá is a Brazilian dish made from bread, shrimp, coconut milk, finely ground peanuts and palm oil mashed into a creamy paste.
The Bobó de camarão is a dish made with cassava and shrimp (camarão).
The acarajé is a dish made from peeled black-eyed peas formed into a ball and then deep-fried in dendê (palm oil). Often sold as street food, it is served split in half and then stuffed with vatapá and caruru.Acarajé is typically available outside of the state of Bahia as well, including the markets of Rio de Janeiro.
In other areas, more to the west or away from the coast, the plates are most reminiscent of the indigenous cuisine, with many vegetables being cultivated in the area since before the arrival of the Portuguese.
Examples include baião de dois, made with rice and beans, dried meat, butter, queijo coalho and other ingredients. Jaggery is also heavily identified with the Northeast, as it is carne-de-sol, paçoca de pilão, and bolo de rolo.
Tapioca flatbreads or pancakes are also commonly served for breakfast in some states, with a filling of either coconut, cheese or condensed milk, among others.
Southern Brazil's cuisine
In Southern Brazil, due to the long tradition in livestock production and the heavy German immigration, red meat is the basis of the local cuisine.
Besides many of the pasta, sausage and dessert dishes common to continental Europe, churrasco is the term for a barbecue (similar to the Argentine, Uruguayan, Paraguayan and Chilean asado) which originated in southern Brazil.
It contains a variety of meats which may be cooked on a purpose-built "churrasqueira", a barbecue grill, often with supports for spits or skewers. Portable "churrasqueiras" are similar to those used to prepare the Argentine, Chilean, Paraguayan and Uruguayan asado, with a grill support, but many Brazilian "churrasqueiras" do not have grills, only the skewers above the embers.
The meat may alternatively be cooked on large metal or wood skewers resting on a support or stuck into the ground and roasted with the embers of charcoal,wood may also be used, especially in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.
Since gaúchos were nomadic and lived off the land, they had no way of preserving food, the gauchos would gather together after butchering a cow, and skewer and cook the large portions of meat immediately over a wood burning fire. The slow-cooked meat basted in its own juices and resulted in tender, flavorful steaks.
This style would carry on to inspire many contemporary churrascaria which emulate the cooking style where waiters bring large cuts of roasted meat to diners' tables and carve portions to order.
The chimarrão is the regional beverage, often associated with the gaúcho image.
Popular dishes
Coxinha is a popular Brazilian snack.
Rice and beans is an extremely popular dish, considered basic at table; a tradition Brazil shares with several Caribbean nations.
Brazilian rice and beans usually are cooked utilizing either lard or the nowadays more common edible vegetable fats and oils, in a variation of the Mediterranean sofrito locally called refogado which usually includes garlic in both recipes (many Brazilians do not like garlic in rice, and not using garlic is the standard in restaurants) and sometimes onion, or even Welsh onions, parsley, fresh coriander or other herbs (again, it depends on personal tastes).
In variation to rice and beans, Brazilians usually eat pasta (including spaghetti, lasagne, yakisoba, lamen, and bīfun), pasta salad, various dishes using either potato or manioc, and polenta as substitutions for rice, as well as salads, dumplings or soups of green peas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, broad beans, butter beans, soybeans, lentils, moyashi (which came to Brazil due to the Japanese tradition of eating its sprouts), azuki, and other legumes in substitution for the common beans cultivated in South America since Pre-Columbian times.
It is more common to eat substitutions for daily rice and beans in festivities such as Christmas and New Year's Eve (the tradition is lentils), as follow-up of churrasco (mainly potato salad/carrot salad, called maionese, due to the widespread use of both industrial and home-made mayonnaise, which can include egg whites, raw onion, green peas, sweetcorn or even chayote squashes, and pronounced almost exactly as in English and French) and in other special occasions.
Either way the basis of Brazilian daily cuisine is the starch (most often a cereal), legume, protein and vegetable combination.
There is also a differentiation between vegetables of the verduras group, or greens, and the legumes group (no relation to the botanic concept), or non-green vegetables.
There are Brazilians which eat both daily or the most often they can, only vegetables of one group, or none at all, which again depends on personal tastes.
Salgadinhos are small savoury snacks (literally salties). Similar to Spanish tapas, these are mostly sold in corner shops and a staple at working class and lower middle-class familiar celebrations. There are many types of pastries:
Pão de queijo (literally "cheese bread"), a typical Brazilian snack, is a small, soft roll made of manioc flour, eggs, milk, and minas cheese. It can be bought ready-made at a corner store or frozen and ready to bake in a supermarket and is gluten-free.
Coxinha is a chicken croquette shaped like a chicken thigh.
Kibe/Quibe: extremely popular, it corresponds to the Lebanese dish kibbeh and was brought to mainstream Brazilian culture by Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. It can be served baked, fried, or raw.
Esfiha: another Middle Eastern dish, despite being a more recent addition to Brazilian cuisine they are nowadays easily found everywhere, specially in Northeastern, Southern and Southeastern regions. They are pies/cakes with fillings like beef, mutton, cheese curd, or seasoned vegetables.
Pastéis are pastries with a wide variety of fillings. Similar to Spanish fried Empanadas but of Japanese origin (and brought to Brazil by the Japanese diaspora). Different shapes are used to tell apart the different flavours, the two most common shapes being half-moon (cheese) and square (meat). Size, flavour, and shape may vary greatly.
Empadas are snacks that resemble pot pies in a small scale. Filled with a mix of palm hearts, peas, flour and chicken or shrimp.
Misto-quente is grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
Cuscuz branco is a dessert consisting of milled tapioca cooked with coconut milk and sugar and is the couscous equivalent of rice pudding.
AçaÃ, cupuaçu, starfruit, and many other tropical fruits are shipped from the Amazon Rainforest and consumed in smoothies or as fresh fruit. Other aspects of Amazonian cuisine are also gaining a following.
Cachorro-quente is the Brazilian version of hot-dogs, usually garnished with tomato sauce, corn, peas and potato chips.
Cheese: the dairy-producing state of Minas Gerais is known for such cheeses as Queijo Minas, a soft, mild-flavored fresh white cheese usually sold packaged in water; requeijão, a mildly salty, silky-textured, spreadable cheese sold in glass jars and eaten on bread; and Catupiry, a soft processed cheese sold in a distinctive round wooden box.
Pinhão is the pine nut of the Araucaria angustifolia, a common tree in the highlands of southern Brazil. The nuts are boiled and eaten as a snack in the winter months. It is typically eaten during the festas juninas.
Risoto (risotto) is a rice dish cooked with chicken, shrimp, and seafood in general or other protein staples sometimes served with vegetables, another very popular dish in Southern Brazil.
Mortadella sandwich
Sugarcane juice, mixed with fruit juices such as pineapple or lemon.
Angu is a popular side dish (or a substitution for the rice fulfilling the "starch element" of use common in Southern and Southeastern Brazil). It is similar to the Italian polenta.
Arroz com pequi is a traditional dish from the Brazilian Cerrado, and the symbol of Center-Western Brazil's cuisine. It is basically made with rice seasoned on pequi, also known as a souari nut, and often chicken.
Caipirinha, a national drink
Also noteworthy are:
Special ethnic foods and restaurants that are frequently found in Brazil include Arab cuisine (Lebanese and Syrian), local variations of Chinese cuisine nevertheless closer to the traditional than American Chinese cuisine, Italian cuisine, and Japanese cuisine,sushi bars are a constant in major metropolises, and people from Rio de Janeiro are more used to temaki than people from São Paulo, home of more than 70% of the Japanese diaspora in the country.
Pizza is also extremely popular. It is usually made in a wood-fire oven with a thin, flexible crust, little or very little sauce, and a number of interesting toppings. In addition to the "traditional" Italian pizza toppings, items like guava cheese and Minas cheese, banana and cinnamon, poultry (either milled chicken meat or smoked turkey breast) and catupiry, and chocolate are available.
Traditionally olive oil is poured over the pizza, but in some regions people enjoy ketchup, mustard and even mayonnaise on pizza - on Rio de Janeiro, for instance, a server might be surprised if someone asks for olive oil instead of ketchup, more traditional regionally.
Brazil nut cake is a cake in Brazilian cuisine that is common and popular in the Amazon region of Brazil, Bolivia and Peru
Broa, corn bread with fennel.
Drinks
Cachaça is Brazil's native liquor, distilled from sugar cane, and it is the main ingredient in the national drink, the Caipirinha.
Other drinks include mate tea, chimarrão and tereré (both made up of yerba maté), coffee, fruit juice, beer (mainly Pilsen variety), rum, guaraná and batidas. Guaraná is a caffeinated soft drink made from guaraná seeds and batida is a type of fruit punch.
Typical and popular desserts
Brazil has a variety of candies such as brigadeiros (chocolate fudge balls), cocada (a coconut sweet), beijinhos (coconut truffles and clove) and romeu e julieta (cheese with a guava jam known as goiabada).
Peanuts are used to make paçoca, rapadura and pé-de-moleque.
Local common fruits like açaÃ, cupuaçu, mango, papaya, cocoa, cashew, guava, orange, passionfruit, pineapple, and hog plum are turned in juices and used to make chocolates, popsicles and ice cream.
Typical cakes (Bolos)
Pão de mel (honey cake, somewhat resembling gingerbread, usually covered with melted chocolate)
Bolo de rolo (roll cake, a thin mass wrapped with melted guava, most often called rocambole in Southern and Southeastern Brazil)
Bolo de cenoura (carrot cake with chocolate cover made with butter and cocoa)
Bolo prestÃgio (chocolate cake with a coconut and milk cream filling, covered with brigadeiro)
Bolo de fubá (corn flour cake)
Bolo de milho (Brazilian-style corn cake)
Bolo de maracujá (passion fruit cake)
Bolo de mandioca (cassava cake)
Bolo de queijo (literally "cheese cake")
Bolo de laranja (orange cake)
Bolo de banana (banana cake spread with cinnamon)
Other popular and traditional desserts
Fig, papaya, mango, orange, citron, pear, peach, pumpkin, sweet potato (among others) sweets and preserves, often eaten with solid fresh cheese or doce de leite.
Quindim (egg custard with coconut)
Brigadeiro (a Brazilian chocolate candy)
Biscoitos de maizena (cornstarch cookies)
Beijinho (coconut "truffles" with clove)
Cajuzinho (peanut and cashew "truffles")
Cocada (coconut sweet)
Olho-de-sogra
Pudim de pão (literally "bread pudding", a pie made with bread "from yesterday" immersed in milk instead of flour (plus the other typical pie ingredients like eggs, sugar etc.) with dried orange slices and clove)
Manjar branco (coconut pudding with caramel cover and dried plums)
Doce de leite
Arroz-doce (rice pudding)
Canjica (similar to rice pudding, but made with white corn)
Romeu e Julieta: goiabada (guava cheese) with white cheese (most often Minas cheese or requeijão)
Torta de Limão (literally "Lime Pie", a shortcrust pastry with creamy lime-flavored filling)
Pé-de-moleque (made with peanuts and sugar caramel)
Paçoca (similar to Spanish polvorones, but made with peanuts instead of almonds and without addition of fats)
Pudim de leite (condensed milk-based crème caramel, of French origin)
Brigadeirão (a pudim de leite with chocolate or a chocolate cake)
Rapadura
Doce de banana (different types of banana sweets, solid or creamy)
Maria-mole
Pamonha (a traditional Brazilian food made from fresh corn and milk wrapped in corn husks and boiled). It can be savoury or sweet.
Papo-de-anjo
"Açaà na tigela" (usually consists of an açaà (Brazilian fruit) mixture with bananas and cereal or strawberries and cereal (usually granola or muslix))
Avocado cream (avocado, lime and confectionery sugar; blended and chilled)
A Brazilian breakfast buffet.
Breakfast, the café-da-manhã (literally, "morning coffee"): Every region has its own typical breakfast. It is common to find tropical fruits, typical cakes, tapioca, cuscuz, grilled ham-and-cheese-sandwiches, bread and butter, mortadella, ham, cheese, requeijão, ham and cheese, ham and requeijão, smoked turkey and cheese, smoked turkey and requeijão, honey, or jam, and the drink can be sweetened coffee, juice, hot chocolate, café com leite, or sweetened tea.
Elevenses or brunch, the lanche-da-manhã (literally, "morning snack"): Juices, fruits, light sandwiches, crackers and cookies are the most common snacks if one eats a breakfast really early at morning, while others may eat a more hearty lunch-like meal if they didn't have breakfast at all.
Midday dinner or lunch, the almoço: Normally this is the biggest meal. Rice is a staple of the Brazilian diet, albeit it is not uncommon to eat pasta instead. It is usually eaten together with beans, boiled dry legumes and some other kind of protein, and may be served together with farofa (a toasted flour of manioc or corn), polenta, salads or cooked vegetables.
Tea, the lanche-da-tarde (literally "afternoon snack"): It is a meal had between lunch and dinner, and basically everything people eat in the breakfast, they also eat in the afternoon snack. Nevertheless, fruits are less common.
Night dinner or supper, the jantar: For most Brazilians, jantar is a light affair, while others dine at night. Soups, salads, pasta, hamburgers or hot-dogs, pizza or repeating midday dinner foods are the most common dishes.
Late supper, the ceia: Brazilians eat soups, salads, pasta and what would be eaten at the elevenses if their jantar was a light one early at the evening and it is late at night or dawn. It is associated with Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Main meals, that are served nearly everywhere, and are eaten in nearly all households above poverty line.
Secondary meals. People usually have a meal at the tea time, while elevenses and late suppers depend in peculiarities on one's daily routine or certain diets.
Restaurant styles
A simple and usually inexpensive option, which is also advisable for vegetarians, is comida a quilo or comida por quilo restaurants (literally "food by kilo value"), a buffet where food is paid for by weight. Another common style is the all-you-can-eat restaurant where customers pay a prix fixe. In both types (known collectively as "self-services"), customers usually assemble the dishes of their choice from a large buffet.
RodÃzio is a common style of service, in which a prix fixe is paid, and servers circulate with food. This is common in churrascarias, pizzerias and sushi,Japanese cuisine restaurants, resulting in an all-you-can-eat meat barbecue and pizzas of varied flavours, usually one slice being served at the time.
The regular restaurant where there is a specific price for each meal is called "restaurante à la carte".
Vegetarian
Although many traditional dishes are prepared with meat or fish, it is not difficult to live on vegetarian food as well, at least in the mid-sized and larger cities of Brazil. There is a rich supply of all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and on city streets one can find cheese buns (pão de queijo); in some cities even the version made of soy.
In the 2000s, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre have gained several vegetarian and vegan restaurants.However outside big metropolises, vegetarianism is not very common in the country. Not every restaurant will provide vegetarian dishes and some seemingly vegetarian meals may turn out to include unwanted ingredients, for instance, using lard for cooking beans.
Commonly "meat" is understood to mean "red meat," so some people might assume a vegetarian eats fish and chicken. Comida por quilo and all-you-can eat restaurants prepare a wide range of fresh dishes. Diners can more easily find food in such restaurants that satisfies dietary restrictions.
KENYA: Culinary Tourism In Kenya
There is a new trend of tourists visiting historic or beach sites but end up engaging in culinary tourism activities.
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) observes that culinary tourism creates strong brand awareness and potential loyalties.
KAHC Coast branch Executive officer, Sam Ikwaye says, for instance, many Kenyans touring the Coast will always want to visit particular restaurants for local dishes like biriani and pilau.
Majority of Kenyans traveling upcountry also make stopovers at Kikopey for the delicious nyama choma, explains Mr Ikwaye. Culinary tourism can also mean specific food rituals and customs.
This can be packaged through cultural tourism, for instance, the Kalenjin mursik and the specific tree from which the charcoal flavour is infused. This can be well packaged for tourists visiting to acquire running tips and link the milk to great performance of our athletes.
In short through culinary tourism, we have a great opportunity to think globally while acting locally, Ikwaye says. Ikwaye observes that almost 100 per cent of tourists dine out when traveling and this is constantly one of the top three fantastic activities that tourists engage in.
Kenyan cuisine, Local cuisine is the priority motivating factor in choosing a destination with a bigger budget going towards food related activities, he said.
This ranges from gastronomic routes where tour operators arrange travel itineraries alongside food experiences, food and drink festivals, gourmet and luxury food travel which is made up of a small but very high spending niche.
Veteran Serena Beach Resort & Spa, Executive Chef Ali Khan Jamal notes that the Coastal Kenya is famous for its signature sea food cuisine owing to its proximity to the Indian Ocean.
At the Serena, we are synonymous with mainly Swahili and Kenyan cuisine and over time have perfected our art of food preparation, presentation to loyal clientele who have been frequenting our resort, Chef Jamal said in an interview.
Kenya Tourism Board has been spearheading the promotion of culinary tourism when it launched the Chefs Delight Award. Kenya’ culinary tourism segment is gaining momentum.
KTB anticipates that the new tourism portfolio is set to put Kenya in a global map and among the countries known for their local cuisine such as India, China and Thailand.
Yes Chefs Delight Awards™ Winners are making the Global Headlines again.
Illustrious Chef Extraordinaire Tim Freeman who was named one of Kenya’s Most Innovative Chefs in the 1st chapter of the Chefs Delight Awards™ Kenya (and also led Brew Bistro and Lounge’s kitchen teams to victory, where the restaurant won *Best Bar Bistro Restaurant* & *Best Individual Fine Dining Restaurant* as voted for by their diners), beat Celebrity Iron Chef & Master Chef Bobby Flay on Food Network!!
This is why the Go Places teams highly-recommends 'wine & dine experiences' at our partners Brew Bistro and Lounge & the newly opened Brew Bistro and Lounge Rooftop in Westlands (Fortis Towers, Woodvale Grove), which quite literally puts great emphasis on creating a deliciously inspired menu that will keep you and your guests asking for more & more.
The announcement came at a viewing party for the TV debut of an episode of ‘Beat Bobby Flay’ the cooking competition show, which featured Tim taking on and defeating the most famous Iron Chef of them all, as well as, former Boston Red Sox Executive Chef Steve Postal.
Our heartiest congratulations goes out to Chef Tim Freeman and his family, on this truly magnificent achievement and wish him success at his new position in Denver, USA.
The Go Places™ & Chefs Delight Awards™ Teams are proud to show you this video which was showcased on Korean TV of our highly-recommended dining partner Haru Japanese Restaurant, Karen, Nairobi and the man behind it all – Culinary Extraordinaire, Chef & Owner J.H. Park….
When international media take notice of our Chefs Delight Awards™ winners you know you are truly dining in one of Kenya’s very best!!!
Haru Japanese Restaurant, Karen, Nairobi was the overall WINNER as voted by their *own diners / paying customers* as the 'Best Individual Restaurant & Chef Team' as well as the 'Best Authentic Japanese Restaurant' in the country, in the highly coveted and internationally recognized Chefs Delight Awards™ (1st Chapter), under the stewardship of the world-renowned Chef J.H. Park.
If you love Sushi, Sashimi and Authentic Japanese Culinary treats (or you don't), Haru is the only restaurant in Kenya famed for taking its diners through a culinary journey in the 'land of the rising sun'; which ultimately leads to ‘every diner’, even the most discerning ones, literally craving, asking and yearning for more.
Keep locked to this page, the next post you will see on Haru Restaurant will be a personal interview with the man behind it all Chef & Owner J.H. Park.
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) observes that culinary tourism creates strong brand awareness and potential loyalties.
KAHC Coast branch Executive officer, Sam Ikwaye says, for instance, many Kenyans touring the Coast will always want to visit particular restaurants for local dishes like biriani and pilau.
Majority of Kenyans traveling upcountry also make stopovers at Kikopey for the delicious nyama choma, explains Mr Ikwaye. Culinary tourism can also mean specific food rituals and customs.
This can be packaged through cultural tourism, for instance, the Kalenjin mursik and the specific tree from which the charcoal flavour is infused. This can be well packaged for tourists visiting to acquire running tips and link the milk to great performance of our athletes.
In short through culinary tourism, we have a great opportunity to think globally while acting locally, Ikwaye says. Ikwaye observes that almost 100 per cent of tourists dine out when traveling and this is constantly one of the top three fantastic activities that tourists engage in.
Kenyan cuisine, Local cuisine is the priority motivating factor in choosing a destination with a bigger budget going towards food related activities, he said.
This ranges from gastronomic routes where tour operators arrange travel itineraries alongside food experiences, food and drink festivals, gourmet and luxury food travel which is made up of a small but very high spending niche.
Veteran Serena Beach Resort & Spa, Executive Chef Ali Khan Jamal notes that the Coastal Kenya is famous for its signature sea food cuisine owing to its proximity to the Indian Ocean.
At the Serena, we are synonymous with mainly Swahili and Kenyan cuisine and over time have perfected our art of food preparation, presentation to loyal clientele who have been frequenting our resort, Chef Jamal said in an interview.
Kenya Tourism Board has been spearheading the promotion of culinary tourism when it launched the Chefs Delight Award. Kenya’ culinary tourism segment is gaining momentum.
KTB anticipates that the new tourism portfolio is set to put Kenya in a global map and among the countries known for their local cuisine such as India, China and Thailand.
Yes Chefs Delight Awards™ Winners are making the Global Headlines again.
Illustrious Chef Extraordinaire Tim Freeman who was named one of Kenya’s Most Innovative Chefs in the 1st chapter of the Chefs Delight Awards™ Kenya (and also led Brew Bistro and Lounge’s kitchen teams to victory, where the restaurant won *Best Bar Bistro Restaurant* & *Best Individual Fine Dining Restaurant* as voted for by their diners), beat Celebrity Iron Chef & Master Chef Bobby Flay on Food Network!!
This is why the Go Places teams highly-recommends 'wine & dine experiences' at our partners Brew Bistro and Lounge & the newly opened Brew Bistro and Lounge Rooftop in Westlands (Fortis Towers, Woodvale Grove), which quite literally puts great emphasis on creating a deliciously inspired menu that will keep you and your guests asking for more & more.
The announcement came at a viewing party for the TV debut of an episode of ‘Beat Bobby Flay’ the cooking competition show, which featured Tim taking on and defeating the most famous Iron Chef of them all, as well as, former Boston Red Sox Executive Chef Steve Postal.
Our heartiest congratulations goes out to Chef Tim Freeman and his family, on this truly magnificent achievement and wish him success at his new position in Denver, USA.
The Go Places™ & Chefs Delight Awards™ Teams are proud to show you this video which was showcased on Korean TV of our highly-recommended dining partner Haru Japanese Restaurant, Karen, Nairobi and the man behind it all – Culinary Extraordinaire, Chef & Owner J.H. Park….
When international media take notice of our Chefs Delight Awards™ winners you know you are truly dining in one of Kenya’s very best!!!
Haru Japanese Restaurant, Karen, Nairobi was the overall WINNER as voted by their *own diners / paying customers* as the 'Best Individual Restaurant & Chef Team' as well as the 'Best Authentic Japanese Restaurant' in the country, in the highly coveted and internationally recognized Chefs Delight Awards™ (1st Chapter), under the stewardship of the world-renowned Chef J.H. Park.
If you love Sushi, Sashimi and Authentic Japanese Culinary treats (or you don't), Haru is the only restaurant in Kenya famed for taking its diners through a culinary journey in the 'land of the rising sun'; which ultimately leads to ‘every diner’, even the most discerning ones, literally craving, asking and yearning for more.
Keep locked to this page, the next post you will see on Haru Restaurant will be a personal interview with the man behind it all Chef & Owner J.H. Park.
KENYA: Government Wants Game Parks Managed By Foreign Firm, Kenya & Qatar To Promote Tourism
The county government is pushing to have its game parks and reserves managed by a foreign firm. And in an effort to win the support of locals in its plan, the government has taken a team on a tour of a game park in Kigali, Rwanda, to see how a foreign company has managed it.
The group that was taken to Kigali has 26 people who include elders and NGO officials. They toured Akagera National Park in Kayonza District, which is managed by a foreign firm.
Akagera, a public facility measuring 112, 000 hectares, is managed by African Parks Ltd, a South African firm. The firm also manages game parks in Malawi, Zambia, DR Congo, Central Africa Republic and Chad.
In 2015, the county administration came up with the idea of handing over management of Shaba and Buffalo Springs national reserves to the South African firm.
Buffalo Springs measures 131 square kilometres while Shaba has an area of 254 square kilometres. In the same year 2015, Governor Godana Doyo, Speaker Mohammed Tubi and Tourism executive Suleiman Shunu toured Majete Game Park in Malawi, which is managed by African Parks as part of their study.
The officials said they were satisfied with the firm's wildlife conservation and management. Doyo and another team toured Akagera. At the weekend, the 26 were taken around Akagera by the park's manager and chief executive officer Jes Gruner to see how it is managed.
Grunner said all animals in Akagera, including elephants, lions, Buffaloes and zebras, were all killed following the Rwanda genocide of 1994. ''We came here in 2010 and there was no single animal. African Parks partnered with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to create the Akagera Management Company (AMC), the entity that manages the park,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Kenya and Qatar have signed agreements to promote tourism, education and culture. The deals signed with the rich Persian Gulf nation are part of activities marking the Emir of Qatar's visit to Kenya.
The agreements were signed between President Uhuru Kenyatta and His Highness Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at State House.
Uhuru also presented proposals on new opportunities for investment to Qatar. The MoU on tourism provides for creation of conditions for long-term collaboration through exchange of expertise, statistics, marketing and promotion.
The pact on education provides a framework for cooperation in basic education, higher education and science and technology through exchanges of information, expertise and visits.
The two countries also signed an agreement that provides for co-operation in understanding and promoting each other's culture, through exchanges and participation in each other's activities such as festivals, symposia and exhibitions.
President Kenyatta hailed the visit by the Emir as testimony of the cordial relations between the two countries. He said the agreements will facilitate implementation of projects in various sectors. He other proposals will be presented to the Qatari leader during his visit.
Kenya will appreciate your country's support for development projects in infrastructure, education, energy, tourism and hospitality sectors among others, said the President.
He encouraged Qatar to continue using Kenya as a spring board for its investments in the Comesa market region noting Kenya has the right mix of being a regional business, financial, transport and industrial hub.
President Kenyatta also thanked the government of Qatar for the support it gave to the National Treasury to establish the Nairobi International Finance Center.
Financial services sector is one of the key drivers of Kenya's economy and therefore the Financial Centre will be a catalyst to international financial transactions both in Kenya and in the region once it is complete, said President Kenyatta.
The Qatari Emir said it was unfortunate that Kenya and Qatar have in the past failed to exploit their historical ties for the economic growth.
He said his visit will strengthen mechanisms to exploit new opportunities created after President Kenyatta's visit to Qatar in 2014.
Al Thani also lauded Kenya for its efforts in fighting terror. Terrorism is a global problem that requires the world to come together to provide a solution, he said.
The group that was taken to Kigali has 26 people who include elders and NGO officials. They toured Akagera National Park in Kayonza District, which is managed by a foreign firm.
Akagera, a public facility measuring 112, 000 hectares, is managed by African Parks Ltd, a South African firm. The firm also manages game parks in Malawi, Zambia, DR Congo, Central Africa Republic and Chad.
In 2015, the county administration came up with the idea of handing over management of Shaba and Buffalo Springs national reserves to the South African firm.
Buffalo Springs measures 131 square kilometres while Shaba has an area of 254 square kilometres. In the same year 2015, Governor Godana Doyo, Speaker Mohammed Tubi and Tourism executive Suleiman Shunu toured Majete Game Park in Malawi, which is managed by African Parks as part of their study.
The officials said they were satisfied with the firm's wildlife conservation and management. Doyo and another team toured Akagera. At the weekend, the 26 were taken around Akagera by the park's manager and chief executive officer Jes Gruner to see how it is managed.
Grunner said all animals in Akagera, including elephants, lions, Buffaloes and zebras, were all killed following the Rwanda genocide of 1994. ''We came here in 2010 and there was no single animal. African Parks partnered with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to create the Akagera Management Company (AMC), the entity that manages the park,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Kenya and Qatar have signed agreements to promote tourism, education and culture. The deals signed with the rich Persian Gulf nation are part of activities marking the Emir of Qatar's visit to Kenya.
The agreements were signed between President Uhuru Kenyatta and His Highness Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at State House.
Uhuru also presented proposals on new opportunities for investment to Qatar. The MoU on tourism provides for creation of conditions for long-term collaboration through exchange of expertise, statistics, marketing and promotion.
The pact on education provides a framework for cooperation in basic education, higher education and science and technology through exchanges of information, expertise and visits.
The two countries also signed an agreement that provides for co-operation in understanding and promoting each other's culture, through exchanges and participation in each other's activities such as festivals, symposia and exhibitions.
President Kenyatta hailed the visit by the Emir as testimony of the cordial relations between the two countries. He said the agreements will facilitate implementation of projects in various sectors. He other proposals will be presented to the Qatari leader during his visit.
Kenya will appreciate your country's support for development projects in infrastructure, education, energy, tourism and hospitality sectors among others, said the President.
He encouraged Qatar to continue using Kenya as a spring board for its investments in the Comesa market region noting Kenya has the right mix of being a regional business, financial, transport and industrial hub.
President Kenyatta also thanked the government of Qatar for the support it gave to the National Treasury to establish the Nairobi International Finance Center.
Financial services sector is one of the key drivers of Kenya's economy and therefore the Financial Centre will be a catalyst to international financial transactions both in Kenya and in the region once it is complete, said President Kenyatta.
The Qatari Emir said it was unfortunate that Kenya and Qatar have in the past failed to exploit their historical ties for the economic growth.
He said his visit will strengthen mechanisms to exploit new opportunities created after President Kenyatta's visit to Qatar in 2014.
Al Thani also lauded Kenya for its efforts in fighting terror. Terrorism is a global problem that requires the world to come together to provide a solution, he said.
KENYA: Tourism Incentives Not Effective
Kenya has for the last four years gifted tourism industry with major incentives to aid its recovery, following a sustained poor performance. This was due to a mix of factors that included insecurity arising from terror attacks.
The industry has been on turnaround strategy from last year with the number of international arrivals by air growing 16 per cent.
This reversed a decline that it had been experiencing since 2012. It is however unlikely that the incentives by Treasury have had a major impact on the industry.
Tourist arrivals reached 874,000 last year, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), from 748 000 in 2015.
It is the first time that the industry has experienced growth in numbers in five years but still way below the 1.8 million tourists seen in 2011.
It is against this background that the Government and in particular the National Treasury has for a number of years now been giving incentives to the industry in a bid to resuscitate the crucial foreign exchange earner.
In his March 30 budget speech, Henry Rotich Cabinet Secretary Treasury announced plans to exempt locally assembled tourist vans from paying value added tax.
There have been a myriad of such in the recent years that included reduction in visa fees, exemption of VAT from park fees and reduction of passenger fees charged by Mombasa and Malindi airports.
The boldest of these incentives was in 2014, when the Government offered to pay for Kenyans to take holidays in a bid to aid the recovery of the industry.
This would be executed through employers paying holidays for their employees and deduct the expenditure incurred from taxes due to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
Bouncing back However, Institute of Economic Affairs Chief Executive Kwame Owino noted that while the industry is growing, it is unlikely that the numerous token reduction in fees has played a critical factor in its return to the growth path.
Tourism is bouncing back. Whether because it is because of snippets of policies that the Government has put in place or not is a different matter altogether. He noted that while cost might be a factor especially take into consideration growing competition from neighbouring countries, the country needed a well thought out approach to ensure continued industry growth.
There is need for a more sophisticated approach. I do not think that a tourist who comes to Kenya and on average spends between Sh50,000 and Sh60,000 would care whether a visa into the country is Sh2000 cheaper, said Mr Owino.
Increasingly, there is competition from Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. The product in East Africa is getting diversified and I think that it is business response is required for new products, more competitive products. But I do not think there is one super move to solving that,he said.
This year, the Government plans to exempt from VAT tourist vans assembled in Kenya. According to Rotich, this will promote tourism further and to make Kenya a tourism hub.
While tour operators have in the past argued it is costly to modify vehicles locally, with a number of them preferring doing it in Tanzania, Treasury’s move is more likely to benefit the vehicle assembly industry.
In 2014, the Government amended the Income Tax Act allowing companies to pay for employee vacations within the country and deduct this expenditure from taxes due to the Government.
The move was expected to breath some life into the industry that was undergoing challenges due to rise in insecurity that had seen decline in the number of tourists from traditional source markets.
This was in place for the 2014/15 financial year. There was little uptake of the holiday offer by Government among corporates, with analysts noting that while it offered employees benefits, there were almost no direct benefits for the employers and the process of paying for the holidays and recouping through the deductions appeared complex.
I do not think that worked very well, said Owino. Between 2014 and 2015, industry earnings sustained a declining trend, with revenues in 2014 going down to Sh87 billion from Sh93.9 billion in 2013. In the following year, revenue dropped three per cent to Sh84.6 billion.
Another measure aimed at growing tourism at the Coast was reduction of passenger landing charges by 40 per cent at Moi International Airport and Malindi Airport. This was to pull more carriers to fly to the coast.
This however did not translate in increased tourists to Mombasa. KNBS statistics show the number of tourists who arrived through Moi International Airport in Mombasa went down 39.2 per cent from 194,200 in 2013 to 118, 000 in 2014.
The industry has been on turnaround strategy from last year with the number of international arrivals by air growing 16 per cent.
This reversed a decline that it had been experiencing since 2012. It is however unlikely that the incentives by Treasury have had a major impact on the industry.
Tourist arrivals reached 874,000 last year, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), from 748 000 in 2015.
It is the first time that the industry has experienced growth in numbers in five years but still way below the 1.8 million tourists seen in 2011.
It is against this background that the Government and in particular the National Treasury has for a number of years now been giving incentives to the industry in a bid to resuscitate the crucial foreign exchange earner.
In his March 30 budget speech, Henry Rotich Cabinet Secretary Treasury announced plans to exempt locally assembled tourist vans from paying value added tax.
There have been a myriad of such in the recent years that included reduction in visa fees, exemption of VAT from park fees and reduction of passenger fees charged by Mombasa and Malindi airports.
The boldest of these incentives was in 2014, when the Government offered to pay for Kenyans to take holidays in a bid to aid the recovery of the industry.
This would be executed through employers paying holidays for their employees and deduct the expenditure incurred from taxes due to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
Bouncing back However, Institute of Economic Affairs Chief Executive Kwame Owino noted that while the industry is growing, it is unlikely that the numerous token reduction in fees has played a critical factor in its return to the growth path.
Tourism is bouncing back. Whether because it is because of snippets of policies that the Government has put in place or not is a different matter altogether. He noted that while cost might be a factor especially take into consideration growing competition from neighbouring countries, the country needed a well thought out approach to ensure continued industry growth.
There is need for a more sophisticated approach. I do not think that a tourist who comes to Kenya and on average spends between Sh50,000 and Sh60,000 would care whether a visa into the country is Sh2000 cheaper, said Mr Owino.
Increasingly, there is competition from Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. The product in East Africa is getting diversified and I think that it is business response is required for new products, more competitive products. But I do not think there is one super move to solving that,he said.
This year, the Government plans to exempt from VAT tourist vans assembled in Kenya. According to Rotich, this will promote tourism further and to make Kenya a tourism hub.
While tour operators have in the past argued it is costly to modify vehicles locally, with a number of them preferring doing it in Tanzania, Treasury’s move is more likely to benefit the vehicle assembly industry.
In 2014, the Government amended the Income Tax Act allowing companies to pay for employee vacations within the country and deduct this expenditure from taxes due to the Government.
The move was expected to breath some life into the industry that was undergoing challenges due to rise in insecurity that had seen decline in the number of tourists from traditional source markets.
This was in place for the 2014/15 financial year. There was little uptake of the holiday offer by Government among corporates, with analysts noting that while it offered employees benefits, there were almost no direct benefits for the employers and the process of paying for the holidays and recouping through the deductions appeared complex.
I do not think that worked very well, said Owino. Between 2014 and 2015, industry earnings sustained a declining trend, with revenues in 2014 going down to Sh87 billion from Sh93.9 billion in 2013. In the following year, revenue dropped three per cent to Sh84.6 billion.
Another measure aimed at growing tourism at the Coast was reduction of passenger landing charges by 40 per cent at Moi International Airport and Malindi Airport. This was to pull more carriers to fly to the coast.
This however did not translate in increased tourists to Mombasa. KNBS statistics show the number of tourists who arrived through Moi International Airport in Mombasa went down 39.2 per cent from 194,200 in 2013 to 118, 000 in 2014.
KENYA: Tourists Returning To Lamu, Herders Attack And Loot Lodges
Tourists are trickling back to Lamu days after the British government withdrew a travel advisory against the picturesque island.
The advisory, which had been in existence for more than five years, came as a result of insecurity from constant terror attacks and kidnapping of tourists by suspected Al Shabaab militias.
Governor Issa Timamy said the British government’s move to have the advisories lifted was timely and a big boost for the tourism sector.
“I am delighted that the British government decided to suspend the travel ban on Manda and Lamu islands. When our tourism sector is picking, it means that our fishermen are able to sell their catch to various hotels in Lamu.
Our farmers too, once the weather improves, will be able to sell their farm produce to the hotels,” Mr Timamy said.
He added that dhow and boat operators, and tour guides also stood to benefit from the revival of tourism. During the just-concluded Lamu Yoga Festival, the town recorded impressive tourist hotel bookings.
“I was impressed that out of the 350 participants, 200 come from some 27 different nations of the world. This is a clear indication that Lamu’s popularity as a long-haul holiday destination of choice is on the mend,” said Timamy.
The governor said improved infrastructure would further open up the area, citing the introduction of direct flights to the town from Nairobi and Mombasa.
Skyward Express Ltd, based in Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, has announced plans to start the first-ever direct flights between Mombasa and Lamu.
County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said security forces would remain vigilant to ensure that the region was safe for both locals and tourists, adding that tourism formed a crucial pillar of the region’s economy.
And in Kitui County, ongoing projects are expected to open up the tourism sector. County Tourism Executive Peter Nkunda said several tourist attraction sites, among them a reptile park in Mutomo, the Kanyonyoo wildlife sanctuary and bird watching areas in Mutito and Mumoni hills would be revamped. “We have an elaborate plan to make Kitui a tourist destination.
For instance, the reptile park, which is almost complete, will be a regional tourist attraction centre; one of its kind in East and Central Africa,” he said. The reptile park will showcase some of the deadliest snakes in the world that are found in Ukambani.
The county is working with the National Museums of Kenya to craft a 10-year management plan for the park. According to Mr Nkunda, the county is also in the process of establishing an ecotourism centre at the mythical Nzambani rock, said to have magical powers.
Describing tourism in Kitui as a game changer for the county, Nkunda said the sector had a lot of untapped potential ranging from natural to cultural and historical attractions.
Meanwhile, torching of a tourist lodge and cottages in Suyian camp has sent shivers down the spines of conservationists in Laikipia County. They say the trend might cause a nosedive in the region’s tourism sector.
Although no physical attacks have been meted out on tourists, tourism stakeholders and conservationists are worried that if not checked, the situation might lead to massive loses.
Information from commercial ranchers indicates that so far, five camps have closed down: two in Mugie Ranch, one in Laikipia Nature Conservancy, one on Sosian and the latest casualty in Suyian Conservancy. Last weekend, Suyian was attacked by hundreds of armed herders who set on the conservancy’s main lodge and cottages.
The herders also looted from the lodges. The herders escaped into the bushes, carrying with them mattresses and other property.
The invasions have increased in the last few months since the onset of the dry spell, and despite complaints by the local leadership, the migrant herders are still streaming into the locality, causing massive destruction on the habitat which is home to various wild animals, including the Big Five.
Of concern is the invasions of lodges and camps that host thousands of tourists from various parts of the world. Laikipia has about 30 lodges and tourism enterprises. But ranchers have downplayed the effect, saying only about five are affected by the invasions.
According to information posted by Mr Richard Vigne, the Executive Director of Ol Pejeta Conservancy yesterday, Suyian and Mugie ranches are still occupied by hundreds of herders with thousands of livestock. “Suyian Ranch and Mugie Conservancy remain fully occupied by thousands of pastoralists’ cattle.
It is not clear what, if any plan the authorities have to deal with the issues on these two properties in northwestern Laikipia,” Vigne said.
Laikipia County Commissioner Onesmus Musyoki said the ranchers and communities grazing committees are in dialogue to arrest the situation. “We understand that Suyian, which was attacked last weekend has started consultations with the community to strike a deal where they will allow them graze a manageable number of cattle,” said Mr Musyoki.
Musyoki, who spoke after a meeting with Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet however noted that only Mugie, Kivuku and Laikipia Nature Conservancy were under intense attacks. David Tumpes, the Mukogodo East Ward Administrator said the invasions are likely to affect tourism ventures.
Last year, herders believed to be from the neighbouring Isiolo county invaded Il Ngw’esi and Tasia community lodges, which they attacked, killing two workers. However, no tourist was injured during the attack, although it is feared the attacks might repulse visitors heading to the region.
Early this week, the United Kingdom issued a status update on its citizens, an alert which sent fears of an impending travel advisory in case the situation does not improve.
“UK nationals remain free to make their own decisions regarding travel based on the information available,” said Stephen Burns, Head of Communications at the embassy in a statement.
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) also held a meeting at the Lions Court in Nanyuki, where it exuded confidence that the operations taking place in the invaded ranches will improve the situation.
KTB Chairman Jimi Kariuki, Chief Executive Officer Dr Betty Addero, KTB’s Peter Gacheru and Kenya Tourism Federation official Lucy Karume said Laikipia is among key tourist destinations, as they called for partnership between tourism stakeholders, security agencies and the community.
“We urge stakeholders to engage the security and the community so as to put a halt to such incidences,” said Mr Kariuki.
Laikipia farmers Association, an organisation comprising ranchers and other conservationists released a statement where they noted that reinforcing Laikipia’s security and widening dialogue will avert ruin of Sh4 billion-a-year investments that employ more than 5,000 staff.
Five of Laikipia’s approximately 30 tourism enterprises have closed temporarily, including Suyian. The rest remain fully operational.
The advisory, which had been in existence for more than five years, came as a result of insecurity from constant terror attacks and kidnapping of tourists by suspected Al Shabaab militias.
Governor Issa Timamy said the British government’s move to have the advisories lifted was timely and a big boost for the tourism sector.
“I am delighted that the British government decided to suspend the travel ban on Manda and Lamu islands. When our tourism sector is picking, it means that our fishermen are able to sell their catch to various hotels in Lamu.
Our farmers too, once the weather improves, will be able to sell their farm produce to the hotels,” Mr Timamy said.
He added that dhow and boat operators, and tour guides also stood to benefit from the revival of tourism. During the just-concluded Lamu Yoga Festival, the town recorded impressive tourist hotel bookings.
“I was impressed that out of the 350 participants, 200 come from some 27 different nations of the world. This is a clear indication that Lamu’s popularity as a long-haul holiday destination of choice is on the mend,” said Timamy.
The governor said improved infrastructure would further open up the area, citing the introduction of direct flights to the town from Nairobi and Mombasa.
Skyward Express Ltd, based in Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, has announced plans to start the first-ever direct flights between Mombasa and Lamu.
County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said security forces would remain vigilant to ensure that the region was safe for both locals and tourists, adding that tourism formed a crucial pillar of the region’s economy.
And in Kitui County, ongoing projects are expected to open up the tourism sector. County Tourism Executive Peter Nkunda said several tourist attraction sites, among them a reptile park in Mutomo, the Kanyonyoo wildlife sanctuary and bird watching areas in Mutito and Mumoni hills would be revamped. “We have an elaborate plan to make Kitui a tourist destination.
For instance, the reptile park, which is almost complete, will be a regional tourist attraction centre; one of its kind in East and Central Africa,” he said. The reptile park will showcase some of the deadliest snakes in the world that are found in Ukambani.
The county is working with the National Museums of Kenya to craft a 10-year management plan for the park. According to Mr Nkunda, the county is also in the process of establishing an ecotourism centre at the mythical Nzambani rock, said to have magical powers.
Describing tourism in Kitui as a game changer for the county, Nkunda said the sector had a lot of untapped potential ranging from natural to cultural and historical attractions.
Meanwhile, torching of a tourist lodge and cottages in Suyian camp has sent shivers down the spines of conservationists in Laikipia County. They say the trend might cause a nosedive in the region’s tourism sector.
Although no physical attacks have been meted out on tourists, tourism stakeholders and conservationists are worried that if not checked, the situation might lead to massive loses.
Information from commercial ranchers indicates that so far, five camps have closed down: two in Mugie Ranch, one in Laikipia Nature Conservancy, one on Sosian and the latest casualty in Suyian Conservancy. Last weekend, Suyian was attacked by hundreds of armed herders who set on the conservancy’s main lodge and cottages.
The herders also looted from the lodges. The herders escaped into the bushes, carrying with them mattresses and other property.
The invasions have increased in the last few months since the onset of the dry spell, and despite complaints by the local leadership, the migrant herders are still streaming into the locality, causing massive destruction on the habitat which is home to various wild animals, including the Big Five.
Of concern is the invasions of lodges and camps that host thousands of tourists from various parts of the world. Laikipia has about 30 lodges and tourism enterprises. But ranchers have downplayed the effect, saying only about five are affected by the invasions.
According to information posted by Mr Richard Vigne, the Executive Director of Ol Pejeta Conservancy yesterday, Suyian and Mugie ranches are still occupied by hundreds of herders with thousands of livestock. “Suyian Ranch and Mugie Conservancy remain fully occupied by thousands of pastoralists’ cattle.
It is not clear what, if any plan the authorities have to deal with the issues on these two properties in northwestern Laikipia,” Vigne said.
Laikipia County Commissioner Onesmus Musyoki said the ranchers and communities grazing committees are in dialogue to arrest the situation. “We understand that Suyian, which was attacked last weekend has started consultations with the community to strike a deal where they will allow them graze a manageable number of cattle,” said Mr Musyoki.
Musyoki, who spoke after a meeting with Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet however noted that only Mugie, Kivuku and Laikipia Nature Conservancy were under intense attacks. David Tumpes, the Mukogodo East Ward Administrator said the invasions are likely to affect tourism ventures.
Last year, herders believed to be from the neighbouring Isiolo county invaded Il Ngw’esi and Tasia community lodges, which they attacked, killing two workers. However, no tourist was injured during the attack, although it is feared the attacks might repulse visitors heading to the region.
Early this week, the United Kingdom issued a status update on its citizens, an alert which sent fears of an impending travel advisory in case the situation does not improve.
“UK nationals remain free to make their own decisions regarding travel based on the information available,” said Stephen Burns, Head of Communications at the embassy in a statement.
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) also held a meeting at the Lions Court in Nanyuki, where it exuded confidence that the operations taking place in the invaded ranches will improve the situation.
KTB Chairman Jimi Kariuki, Chief Executive Officer Dr Betty Addero, KTB’s Peter Gacheru and Kenya Tourism Federation official Lucy Karume said Laikipia is among key tourist destinations, as they called for partnership between tourism stakeholders, security agencies and the community.
“We urge stakeholders to engage the security and the community so as to put a halt to such incidences,” said Mr Kariuki.
Laikipia farmers Association, an organisation comprising ranchers and other conservationists released a statement where they noted that reinforcing Laikipia’s security and widening dialogue will avert ruin of Sh4 billion-a-year investments that employ more than 5,000 staff.
Five of Laikipia’s approximately 30 tourism enterprises have closed temporarily, including Suyian. The rest remain fully operational.
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