Kenya aviation news – KQ responds with third flight to Mahe as Ethiopian at the verge of commencing their own flights to Seychelles

KENYA AIRWAYS RESPONDS TO ETHIOPIAN COMMENCING SEYCHELLES FLIGHTS

Kenya Airways has seemingly responded quickly to the news that Ethiopian Airlines will effective beginning of April begin to fly four times a week between Addis Ababa and Mahe / Seychelles, with the announcement that by mid April a third weekly flight will be introduced between Nairobi and Mahe.
Both airlines will use a B737-800 aircraft for their flights and both airlines are expected to attract connecting traffic from across their network in Africa and beyond, but also from their alliance partners, to take them to a dream holiday at the beaches of the Seychelles.
The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority has granted Kenya Airways the traffic rights for the third flight and feedback from the tourism industry on the archipelago has been enthusiastic that from April a total of 5 new flights will come to the Seychelles, adding much needed seats but also helping in promoting the islands as a holiday destination. The 4 new flights on Ethiopian and the added frequency on Kenya Airways will be supported by added cooperative measures between the Seychelles Tourism Board and the respective airlines, promoting in targeted markets across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and even the Americas where ET already flies to.
Great news for a great destination and happy landings for the added flight by The Pride of Africa.

Cheli & Peacock set to add, improve during low season

CHELI & PEACOCK MAKES WAVES WITH INNOVATIONS

(Cheli & Peacock Impressions from Kenya | Pictures courtesy of P & C)

One of Kenya foremost collections of fine safari camps and beach resorts, award winning Cheli & Peacock, has just released updates on developments in several of their properties.
New additions and changes to tent sizes were reported from several locations, notably from Tortilis Camp in Amboseli, one of the earliest C&P camps, where the new oversized tents are now a metre wider, giving even more comfort and the feeling of space to visitors when indoors.
At the Elephant Pepper Camp, one of the award winners in 2011, a 9th tent was added to meet growing demand while two of the existing tents were raised on platforms to give guests an even more spectacular view across the sprawling plains and undulating hills of the Mara Game Reserve.
At Saruni Samburu a new family villa was added which can also serve as a larger VIP accommodation while at Elsas Kopie one cottage will be enlarged, one cottage will get a new outdoor bath and all roofs will be rethatched during the low season when some of the properties will in fact be closed for general upgrading and improvements to shine afresh after the rainy season is over.
Visit www.chelipeackock.com for more information on the amazing collection of some of Kenyas finest safari and beach properties available.

Ethiopian aviation news – 3 weeks and counting to the inaugural flight to Seychelles

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES SET TO COMMENCE SEYCHELLES FLIGHTS IN 3 WEEKS

While recently in the Seychelles it was confirmed that Ethiopian Airlines will be commencing 4 weekly flights between Addis Ababa and Mahe from the beginning of April, adding a second connection through a key African mainland hub after Kenya Airways flights via Nairobi.
The fact that ET will start with 4 flights a week is in fact seen as notice of intent to neighbouring KQ, presently only flying twice a week via Nairobi, to connect their global network to the Creole island paradise, and in particular offering their Star Alliance and codeshare partners from key source markets convenient onward flights to the Seychelles, outshining their nearest and fiercest rivals.
The new connection is also important for travelers from Africa to the Seychelles with connectivity until now depending largely on the flights from Johannesburg to Mahe on Air Seychelles and by Kenya Airways via Nairobi, where growing demand for visits to Affordable Seychelles has been aided by the archipelagos NO VISA policy, which admits tourists as long as they have a return ticket, a confirmed hotel reservation and enough spending money for the duration of their stay, and in the case of African visitors a yellow fever inoculation certificate.
It was also confirmed by a source from the Seychelles Tourism Board that the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, now headed by Alain St. Ange, and STB held discussions with Ethiopian Airlines ahead of the flight launch to explore closer ties and cooperation to bring more journalists and travel agents to the island on fam trips, using Ethiopian Airlines extensive African and global network.
It could not be established if a twin centre holiday option has been on the meeting agenda, as Ethiopia has a number of excellent tourism attractions and national parks, which are largely underexplored and underutilized at present and which might in turn receive a publicity boost from a joint initiative with the Seychelles, combining the traditional African mainland safaris with the fabulous beach holidays on the archipelago.
Watch this space for coverage about the inaugural flight in three weeks time.

Mauritius tourism news – Talks with airlines at ITB crucial to bring in more tourists

MAURITIUS TALKS TO AIRLINES AT ITB
A regular source from Mauritius has send impressions from the just concluded ITB, the worlds largest global tourism trade show, to share some news about what the islands large delegation has accomplished.
Our official met with airlines flying regularly from Germany to Mauritius and to explore how in the current environment they can increase seats during peak demand times. We were told they also talked to other airlines like Air Berlin [now in the Etihad stable after Abu Dhabi’s
national airline acquired a strategic 30 percent stake in the second
largest German airline]. I personally thought that was interesting because Air Berlins partner Etihad has bought 40 percent of Air Seychelles, effectively rescuing that airline and our own, Air Mauritius, has been making losses and is undergoing a cost cutting programme. Generally though some of us felt while in Berlin that Mauritius should have joined with La Reunion and Seychelles for the Carnival festival because those two countries got a lot more attention from the media and the public. Maybe it is true we had the chance to join the hosting of that festival and dont know why Mauritius was absent from such a big media event. We have watched what happened in Seychelles over the past few years and how they got into the spotlight and our own tourism promotion authority must now also be restructured if we want to make up for lost time and lost ground. Civil servants have no longer a place in running our sector, it is time the private sector asserts itself and then steps up and offers a new vision for Mauritius tourism. And our government has to make a hard choice on our airline too, perhaps best to bring in a partner before things go worse.
Harsh words, perhaps harsher thoughts even? What if any lessons will be learned on Mauritius, time will tell so watch this space for breaking news, as and when things get moving there.