The Routes Africa 2012 forum in the Seychelles will bring airlines, civil aviation authorities, and tourism boards together to see how the challenges facing the world of aviation and tourism can best be tackled. “The world economics is changing fast, the aviation climate has changed, and it is so important for everyone to meet and discuss the situation on hand instead of throwing in the towel. Cooperation...

According to Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organisers of Arabian Travel Market, the expansion of regional facilities and the associated potential increase in revenue from tourism will provide a catalyst for further port development throughout the Gulf. “Diversification of the tourism product to capitalise on new market segments, and significant government investment in supporting infrastructure,...

With just days to go until the launch of ITB Berlin 2012 – the world’s leading travel trade show – Breaking Travel News sat down with David Ruetz, head of the annual event, to discuss what visitors can expect this year. Breaking Travel News: ITB Berlin has firmly established itself as the most significant event of its kind in Europe, if not the world. To what do you attribute this success? David...

After threatening attack on the wildlife in Virunga National Park, Conservationists have condemned massive measures to track down poachers and increase patrols to avoid such threats onto the mountain gorillas as they are the most important tourism attraction in the National Park. The Virunga Massif, which is shared by Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is the only mountain...

Tourism returns have been identified as one major step of reducing poverty levels in the remote areas.  To so many Uganda, the tourism is seen as a thing for the foreigners although tourism is one of the major sources of foreign exchange in the country and the increase in the number of tourism returns is as result of an increase in the number of tourists who enter the country to visit Uganda’s national...

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the outstanding treasures of Uganda.  The park has recently been designated a Biosphere Reserve for Humanity under UNESCO.  The park covers 2000 sq. kms and includes a remarkable variety of eco-systems; from semi-deciduous tropical forest to green meadows, savannah and swamps.  It is the home of the famous tree-climbing lions, the Uganda kob and other antelope...

It was learned over the weekend from a regular source in Kampala that the Belgian national airline is planning to upgrade their entire A330 fleet, presently comprising 6 aircraft, to a new standard. The first such retrofitted aircraft will be deployed on the upcoming route to New York, but all services to East and West Africa will progressively also see the new cabin standards, when the re-configuration...

Within a week after reporting that Bella had a baby girl on the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, did news just break that Kori, the third adult female, has also given birth last night in a surprise development not expected so soon. Angie Genade, Executive Director of the Rhino Fund Uganda and of the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, broke the news just minutes ago when she herself had received confirmation from her ranger...

In an extraordinary spirit of Christmas did the MAIA Luxury Resort and Zil Air team up with the Rotary Club of Victoria to fly Santa Claus to over 40 children of the Presidents Village, assembled near the MAIA helipad. Corporate Seychelles has for long made special efforts, and been quite creative in the past, when it came to giving orphans and the disadvantaged in society the spirit of Christmas but...

Urahirwa with lesionOn Tuesday, one-and-a-half-year-old infant Urahirwa from Ntambara’ s gorilla group was found to be lethargic, not moving much and, worst of all, not suckling. Mother Kubaka was carrying the infant on her back. Urahirwa had a severe skin lesion around her nose and mouth. She had been fine on Sunday, and on Monday the group was not monitored because the gorillas were in a deep...