RwandAir’s first CRJ900 goes into the Bombardier paintshop for mid October delivery

RWANDAIRS NEW CRJ900 NOW IN PAINTSHOP AT BOMBARDIER

(Picture of a CRJ900, being painted in RwandAir livery)

RwandAirs first of two Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft, due for delivery in October this year, is now, that the annual factory closure for the summer holiday season is over, in the manufacturers paintshop, where in coming days it will emerge in the blue and yellow colours of RwandAir.
Set for delivery to Kigali in the second or third week of October, according to present information at hand, MSN 15286 will be handed over to the airline in a ceremony at the assembly plant before being flown via Europe to The Land of a Thousand Hills, before the sister ship MSN 15287 will follow.
It is understood that RwandAir has an option for at least one more of these state of the art aircraft and there is speculation if the option will be exercised in due course already, as the national airline of Rwanda continues to expand in terms of destinations and frequencies.
Announcements are expected as to new destinations at the end of September or in early October, and there is excitement amongst the aviation fraternity in Eastern Africa as the carrier will add a further two fully owned brand new aircraft to their fleet, something only Kenya Airways and Precision Air have accomplished in the past, with all other airlines in the region so far having opted for older and ageing aircraft due to the cost involved in outright purchase of new birds. Congratulations to RwandAir therefore for breaking through the ceiling others with less vision have set for themselves and for believing that a small countrys airline CAN accomplish phenomenal achievements if only the nation and the leadership are behind it.
Watch this space for breaking news and regular updates from Eastern Africas vibrant aviation industry.

Seychelles enters fibre optic broad band era as new system goes online

SEYCHELLES FIBRE OPTIC CONNECTION NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL

Visitors to the tropical Creole island paradise of the Seychelles will now be able to surf the net at full broad band speeds, made possible by the connection to the global grid via fibre optic cable. The connection, originating from the Tanzanian coast off Dar es Salaam, landed in the Beau Vallon Bay area of the main island of Mahe in early June and has since undergone extensive testing, before being officially launched.
Seychelles Cable Systems, jointly owned by the government of Seychelles, Seychelles Cable & Wireless and Airtel, has started offering business and domestic users affordable packages to surf the net. Higher speeds and lower cost will ensure that e-Commerce continues to penetrate the archipelagos businesses, linking Seychelles commercial sector, amongst them of course the guest houses, holiday villas and resorts but also the DMCs and key conservation organizations to the global market place.
Airtel in particular has across their African mainland countries of operations rolled out superfast 3.75G networks, accessible by USB modem, though companies and commercial users are provided with state of the art network equipment linking them to the world. Cable & Wireless, for long the dominant provider of telecom services in the islands before Airtel commenced operations two years ago, too has undertaken domestic investments with an island wide, presently Mahe only, fibre optic cable link to give new subscribers almost instant access to the fastest ever internet connection available on the archipelago. Outer islands will continue to be linked via satellite to the internet, although it is planned to link the Seychelles second and third islands, Praslin and La Digue, also to the domestic fibre optic grid. Watch this space for future updates and a feedback on speeds and connectivity when next visiting the islands in due course.

Sarova Hotels Kenya sign up with B4Checkin

SAROVA HOTELS KENYA SIGN UP WITH B4CHECKIN

B4Checkin has been selected by Sarova Hotels, Resorts and Game Lodges to provide communication and feedback software systems to their entire chain of hotels and lodges throughout Kenya and East Africa. The implementation of B4Checkin solutions at Sarova Hotels’ eight properties marks the company’s first African installations and reaffirms their continued global growth in the hospitality industry.
According to the World Tourism Organization, in 2009 Africa was the only region in the world to show growth in tourism. In 2010 international arrivals rose by six percent to 49 million and data shows the trend continued through early 2011. With an increasing number of travelers being serviced by Sarova Hotels, the group needed a platform with CRM functionality that could reach guests in a meaningful manner, irrespective of their country of origin. Sarova Hotels will use B4Checkin technology to better connect with hotel patrons and measure guest satisfaction.
B4Checkin’s Email Communication package and B4Feedback system are working hand-in-hand to maximize guest service for Sarova Hotels. While the customized email communications allow each property to send pre-arrival and post-stay emails to guests regardless of booking channel, B4Feedback’s online comment card system makes it easier for the guest to provide feedback on their stay. Comments are text-based and received instantaneously. This allows the Hotels to better understand and remedy intermittent service breakdowns and retain the customer’s loyalty. Other benefits of the proprietary automated guest feedback management system include real-time business intelligence, customizable reports and the opportunity to generate repeat bookings.

Sarova Hotels strives to continuously improve in all aspects of its business states Kulgit Rekhi, Director of Operations at Sarova Hotels, Resorts & Game Lodges. With this ethos, Sarova will use B4Checkin’s cloud-based solutions to capture, centralize and manage its guests’ experiences better and in real time. This activity also reaffirms Sarova’s commitment to environmental causes. Additionally, Sarova plans to enhance its contribution towards its CSR activities by capitalizing on the savings accruing from reduction in the use of papers, etc. With a robust growth plan for East Africa, Sarova hopes for mutually beneficial partnership with B4Checkin.

B4Checkin’s Email Communication package and B4Feedback Online Comment Card system are now in use at the Sarova Stanley, Sarova Panafric, Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, Sarova Mara Game Camp, Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge, Sarova Shaba Game Lodge, Sarova Taita Hills Game Lodge, and Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge.
It is our commitment to bring innovative, cost-effective software solutions to the worldwide hospitality industry said Saar Fabrikant, President and CEO of B4Checkin. Recent installations in Africa add to our international presence, helping to make B4Checkin a truly global provider of online reservation management and guest satisfaction measurement tools.
Novel ideas, creative solutions no longer strangers to Africas key hospitality markets. Watch this space.

GeoLodges Africa make it into the top 50 brand names of Uganda’s who is who in business

GEOLODGES AND EAGLE AIR MAKE IT INTO UGANDAS TOP 50 BRANDS

GeoLodges Africa, owners and operators of some of Ugandas best known lodges like the Nile Safari Lodge, Jacana Safari Lodge, the award winning RainForest Lodge in Mabira and the upcoming Equator Snow in the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, has beaten more fancied opposition to make it into Ugandas top 50 brands in a function last night organized by the Private Sector Foundation Uganda. Alongside did Eagle Air, currently the only airline offering scheduled flights to domestic destinations in Uganda, make it into the top bracket, also beating more fancied opposition along the way.
Voting took place over some weeks via SMS text messages, giving a broad section of Ugandans the opportunity to name their favourite brand from amongst industry, manufacturing and services sectors, ahead of the upcoming 50th anniversary of Independence, due to be celebrated on the 09th of October.
Determining the top 50 brands of the country, though designed towards the Golden Jubilee of Independent Uganda, will reportedly become a regular feature in the future to make sure that consumers on an annual basis will have the opportunity to select what they think are the top performers in the market place.
Well done and congratulations to Zahid Alam, Emily Wissanji and their team at GeoLodges Africa and to Capt. Tony Rubumbora and his team at Eagle Air. Well done for putting tourism on the map of Ugandas best recognized enterprises and businesses.

COMESA releases draft agenda for the Tourism Forum in Nairobi next week

COMESA TOURISM FORUM DRAFT AGENDA RELEASED


COMESA, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the COMESA Business Council have now released the draft agenda for the upcoming Tourism Forum to be held in Nairobi / Kenya between August 22 and 24.
The lineup of speakers is now largely confirmed, with some changes from the earlier versions of the agenda, and still makes impressive reading with tourism and aviation experts coming from as far as the Seychelles, Ethiopia, Zambia and of course the East African Community member states to deliver their key note speeches and topical addresses to the plenary sessions.
Notably will this correspondent read the welcome message by the UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai to the plenary session, before later in the proceedings appearing again as speaker and then as moderator.
This first meeting by COMESA focusing entirely on the hugely important tourism industry in the 19 member trade block is seen as a starting point to develop a more integrated approach across the membership and to have the more advanced countries with significant tourism sectors share some of their experience with those member countries still at the very start of tapping into their tourism resources and marketing them.
Expect live reporting from on site in Nairobi next week to stay informed on the proceedings and the recommendations the forum will make for COMESA to consider for action in coming months.

FIRST COMESA SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Theme: Shaping the Future of Tourism in the Region

22 – 23 August, 2012, Nairobi, Kenya

Venue:

Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club

DAY ONE- 22 August, 2012

08.30AM- 09.00 AM REGISTRATION FOR THE FORUM

09.00 10.00 Official Opening Ceremony

Opening Remarks:

. CEO, Kenya Tourist Board
. Chairman of COMESA Business Council
. Secretary General, COMESA

OFFICIAL OPENING STATEMENT Hon Minister of Tourism, Conservation and Natural
Resources, Kenya

10.00-10.30: Group Photograph – Coffee Break and Networking Session

10.30- 11.15: Session 1

Innovative Tourism: Success stories among key business leaders in Africa

Moderator: Mr. Thierry Kalonji, Acting Director, IPPSD, COMESA Secretariat

Speakers:

. Mr Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines
. Mrs. Rosemary Mugambi, Marketing Manager, Serena Hotel
. Mr. Josue Cesar, Manager Tourism Product and Visitor Services, Seychelles Tourism
Board

Discussion

11.15- 12.00: Session 2

Tourism Sector: Expanding economic opportunities and regional development to impact
the global economy

Moderator: Mr. Eric S. Maseko, CEO, Swaziland Tourism Authority (TBC)

Speakers:

. UN World Tourism Organization, Message of the Secretary General – Read by Prof.
Wolfgang H. Thome
. Ms. Agatha Juma, CEO, Kenya Tourism Federation
. Mr. Josue Cesar, Manager – Tourism Product and Visitor Services, Seychelles
Tourism Board

Discussion

12.00- 12.45: Session 3

The COMESA Sustainable Tourism Development Framework: Basis for Policy and
Strategy

Speakers:

. Mr. Thierry Mutombo, Director of Investment Promotion and Private Sector
Development, COMESA
. Rosette Rugamba, Tourism Expert

Discussion

12.45- 14.00 Lunch Break

14.00- 15.00: Session 3 (continues)

Sustainable Tourism: Prioritizing the tourism industry to ensure corporate and
environmental responsibility for community development

Focusing on:

. Foster collaboration in terms of trans-frontier agreements and resource management
. Encourage the prioritization of the tourism sector at the national level for economic and
social development
. Improve the collection of tourism data and capturing of statistics

Moderator: Mr. Kahindi Lekalhaile, CEO, Ecotourism Kenya

Speakers:

. Mr. Gibson Phiri, Deputy General Manager, Garden Groups Hotel
. Mr. Amon Wekesa, President, Uganda Tourism Association
. Mr. Helen Lubowa, Chief Executive Officer, UCOTA

Discussion

15.00- 16.00: Session 3 (continues)

Relaxation of Visa requirements

Focusing on:

. Creation and implementation of a COMESA single visa
. Encourage country immigration authorities develop an appropriate framework to
facilitate adoption of single tourist visa for the region
. Integrate flexibilities in immigration requirements to allow visa requirements for
extensions of legitimate activities

Moderator: Ms. Rosette Rugamba, Tourism Expert

Speakers:

. Mr. Simba Mandinyenya, Director, Research, Planning and Development- RETOSA
. Kenya Ministry of Immigration (TBC)
. Prof. Wolfgang H. Thome, Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands Correspondent,
eTurboNews Inc

Discussion

16.00 – 16.15 Coffee Break

16.15 – 17.15: Session 3 (continues)

Coalition in the Tourism Industry: Regional Cooperation amongst players in the tourism
sector

Moderator: Ms. Lucy Karume, Chairperson, Kenya Tourism Federation (TBC)

Speakers:

. Mr. Francis Ngwenya, Vice President (Hospitality), Zimbabwe Tourism Council
. Mr. Shadrack Mashauri, Principal Tourism Officer, EAC Secretariat
. Ms. Rosemary Mugambi, Marketing Manager, Serena Group of Hotels
. Ms. Waturi Matu, Coordinator, East African Tourism Platform (TBC)

Discussion

END OF DAY ONE

DAY TWO: 23 August, 2012

08.30 – 09.30: Session 3 (continues)

Tourism and Climate Change: Conserving biodiversity for tourism development

Focusing on:

. Involving the private sector in the formulation of tourism regulations, industry and policy
frameworks at the national and regional levels
. Consider tourism sectors response to climate change
. Enhance the development of ecotourism at the national and regional levels

Moderator: Dr. Amany Asfour, Board Member, COMESA Business Council

Speakers:

. Mr. Jamil Butt, Tourism Ambassador to Zambia, Seychelles.
. Mr. Edwin Sebuhoro- CEO, Eco-tours Rwanda
. Mr. Charles Arden Clarke, Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (TBC)
. Mr. George Manyara, Tourism Office, IGAD (TBC)

Discussion

09.30 – 10.30: Session 3 (continues)

Upgrading the tourism industry standards and developing human and institutional capacities

Focusing on:

. Conduct and initiate relevant research, which is regional in scope, on the impact of the
tourism industry on natural and socio-cultural environments
. Provide necessary training and technical support to members countries to enable them
to meet necessary standards, as well as training for regional and international
. Implement appropriate policies to ensure skills transfer and provisions for a skilled
regional labour force

Moderator: Dr. Amany Asfour, Board Member, COMESA Business Council

Speakers:

. Dr. Nsengimana Hemogene, Secretary General, Africa Standardization Organization
. Mr. Jeffreys Manjengwa, Zimbabwe Tourism Board
. Dr. Kenneth Ombongi, Principal, Utalii College (TBC)

Discussion

10.30-10.45 – Networking Coffee Break

10.45 – 11.45: Session 3 (continues)

Tourism and Infrastructure Development: Information and Communications Technology
(ICT) and Air Transport

Focusing on:

. Develop e-tourism policies and strategies both at the national and regional levels
. Encourage Member states to develop ICT infrastructure to facilitate the tourism sector in
the region
. Consider the challenges affecting the air transport industry and way forward
. Promote interconnectivity in air transport for tourism development in the region, taking
consideration the responsibility of governments and air service providers

Moderator: TBA

Speakers

. Mr. Damien Cook, Director, Managing Director, E- Tourism Frontiers Limited
. Mr. Tewolde, Gebre Mariam, CEO, Ethiopia Airlines

Discussion

11.45 – 12.45: Session 3 (continues)

Tourism Product Development and Marketing

Focusing on:

. Branding COMESA as a single destination;
. Creating innovative products that are competitive
. Developing affordable transfrontier and regional tourism packages;

Moderator: TBA

Speakers

. Ms. Doris Kofi,Zambia Tourism Board
. Mr. Fred Okeyo, Regional Marketing Manager, Kenya Tourist Board (TBC)

Discussion

12.45 – 14.00 Lunch Break

14.00 – 15.00:

Formation of the CBC tourism workgroup

Introduction by Ms. Sandra Uwera, Coordinator, COMESA Business Council

Consideration of the recommendations of the forum
Closing remarks
END OF THE FORUM