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Africa Travel Magazine is proud to include
the following newsletter for our readers, courtesy
of Professor Wolfgang H. Thome, who played a key
role in our ATA 8th Cultural and Ecoltourism
Symposium in Kampala, and in establishing ATA's
first Uganda Chapter. From
Uganda, the Pearl of Africa Second edition, December 2004 KENYA AIRWAYS EXPANDS FLIGHTS With the beginning of the high season for KQ
more flights are being added. Amsterdam is getting
an extra flight, as is the route Bangkok to
Hongkong, where a 4th frequency now comes into
operation. The evening flight to Dar es Salaam is
now returning to Nairobi the next morning to offer
full connectivity into the entire network for all
morning departures. An additional daylight flight
to Khartoum and Cairo is also being added, as are
more high season flights to and from Mombasa.
Flights to Lubumbashi however will be delayed until
February 2005. The entire winter schedule can be
accessed via www.kenya-airways.com
and bookings on-line are also possible, as are the
traditional ways of booking through a travel agent.
Kenya Airways will take delivery of two additional
B777 in May and June 2005, at which time further
route and network expansion is possible. EAST AFRICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT UNDER
SPOTLIGHT In a recent edition information was published
that East African Airlines would commence flights
between Nairobi and Entebbe once again. Schedule
details now available have however caused some
consternation amongst the travel trade, as the
departure time from Entebbe is nearly identical to
the Kenya Airways evening flight, and their return
flight too arrives back in Entebbe within half an
hour of the late evening Kenya Airways flight.
Section of the travel trade decried the decision
not to opt for a non-conflicting time spot or
otherwise an agreement between the airlines over
the evening flight‚ timings. In the past
Ugandan carriers like Africa One burnt money on the
route by flying near empty on the Nairobi route and
EAA can hopefully avoid such costly mistakes. It is
generally felt that a 5th flight per day between
Nairobi and Entebbe ‚ Kenya Airways
operates 4 flights per day at present ‚
would be welcome but that the two carriers should
agree on the timings as well restore a full code
share between them. TRAVEL ADVISORIES DISMISSED The recently sharply dialed up tone in the
American anti travel advisory against Kenya has
been dismissed by Ugandan operators as
‚without consequence and substance‚. A
senior tour operator in Kampala in fact mentioned:
‚Kenya and Tanzania were successful to promote
their countries over the past few months. During
the high season we could not get rooms. I think the
traveling public has learned to see through the
charades of warnings‚ against destinations
that are generally ok. How can the Security
Council of the UN come to Nairobi and immediately
they are gone the Americans once more slap a bad
advisory on our Kenyan colleagues? Either they do
nôt know what is going on or they have a
hidden agenda. This will be without consequence in
the end, our visitors will continue to come, I am
sure about this. But the American State Department
is loosing its credibility, who wants to believe
them any longer? NFA CHALLENGED ON POACHING News have emerged from Mabira Forest, located
between Kampala and Jinja, that organized poaching
for trophies and meat has taken roots. Uganda
Wildlife Authority pointed out that Mabira falls
under the National Forest Authority‚
responsibility, but that UWA is fighting commercial
poaching countrywide and that successful
prosecutions have taken place. NFA is now
challenged to root out the ill practice in Mabira
and throughout its forest domains. PRESIDENT OPENS IMPERIAL RESORT BEACH The President in his address once again
underscored his keen interest in tourism and his
determination to give the sector due recognition by
his government. A promise to review the application
of VAT on hotel and lodge accommodation was given,
which could reduce hotel rates by as much as 17
percent in Kampala and Entebbe hotels. Claims by the owners however, that they had
created a 6 star facility caused some bemusement
amongst the crowds, specially as they vowed to
improve same to 7 stars – an
accolade justly claimed only by the magnificent
Burj-al-Arab in Dubai to the knowledge of this
correspondent. East African classification and
grading standards are due to come into effect in
early 2005 and the maximum grading goes to 5 stars,
as is common international practice. RHINO SANCTUARY BEGINS STOCKING IN
2005 Due to the holiday season now beginning in
earnest, stocking of the newly created Rhino
Sanctuary has been pushed to early 2005, to ensure
full availability of veterinary services and
support staff on site for the duration of the
relocation. Official opening is now thought to take
place in mid 2005, by which time between 5-10 rhino
will be available for viewing on the 18.000 acre
reserve. KWS BOARD DISMISSED The Board of Directors of Kenya Wildlife
Services has been prematurely retired by the Acting
Minister for Tourism in Nairobi. This is the third
time in 6 years that a board is sent packing before
the expiry of its term. KWS has been riddled with
controversy of late over attempts to
privatize‚ the organization, which led to the
sacking of its chairman a few months ago, and more
recently over a recruitment scandal, which saw the
Executive Director being suspended from office.
Such situations arise mainly when the appointments
are made on political lines rather than looking at
competence and expertise when selecting board
members. HUNTING REARS ITS UGLY HEAD AGAIN A website has now been found to advertise
hunting for the endangered Sitatunga gazelle
species in Uganda, despite assurances from
government that the decades old hunting ban still
stands. There is however suspicion that this ban
has of late been flouted, as more pilot projects
seem underway in spite the fact that the Lake Mburo
pilot project findings were never published nor
discussed with conservation and tourism
stakeholders. A very large majority of stakeholders
are for a long-term moratorium on hunting to allow
game stocks to fully recover, and only the few who
stand to profit from the gory trade are advocating
for it. The website in question can be found at the
following location on the web: http://www.sportsmenonfilm.com/jagdkontor-uganda.htm
and clearly shows reference to the Sitatunga, as
well as to hunting in protected areas like Kyambura
Game Reserve and the Toro/Semliki Game Reserve.
This adds a particular twist to the story, as the
lodge inferred for accommodation in the
Toro/Semliki Game Reserve belongs to a member of
the Board of Trustees of Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Government has been asked to comment on this
development but at the time of going to press no
response has been received from the Ministry of
Tourism. |
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