Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories | AFP | Pilgrims on Saturday thronged Bethlehem for Christmas Eve as Europeans worked up some holiday spirit despite tight security in the shadow of the Berlin market attack. Crowds of Palestinians and tourists flocked to Bethlehem’s Manger Square near the Church of the Nativity, ahead of …
Read More »Exciting week in gorilla world
When a group of endangered mountain gorillas from the Rwanda side of the Virunga Mountains which had migrated to the DR Congo side returned recently, one group of conservationists was overjoyed – and they showed it in a blog on Dec.5. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which protects about …
Read More »Mombasa to get dedicated cruise ship terminal
ATC News by Wolfgang H. Thome Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism Mr. Najib Balala has officially launched the construction of a dedicated cruise ship terminal at the Port of Mombasa. The estimated cost of 350 million Kenya Shillings, equivalent to about 35 million US Dollars, will be funded in part …
Read More »African migrants fear for Gambia as tourists stay relaxed
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | The cocktails keep flowing by the pool on the tourist strip, but in The Gambia’s markets many African migrant traders are packing up their businesses and heading home. The international community is piling pressure on President Yahya Jammeh to leave power after 22 years and …
Read More »RWANDA: Musanze’s Red Rocks
Where tourists learn firsthand about Rwanda When tourists come to Rwanda, they want to experience something different. That is why we have come up with different programs to ensure visitors who come to us go back with something they are going to remember for a long time, writes Joseph Ondiek …
Read More »PICTORIAL: EU Ambassador Kristian Schmidt scales Rwenzori Mountain
PICTORIAL: The European Union Ambassador to Uganda Kristian Schmidt gave Ugandan tourism a big boost by scaling the country’s highest mountain, the Rwenzori. Together with several colleagues, they on Thursday reached the summit of Magherita (5109meters), the highest point in Uganda. The European Union team that spent 8 days …
Read More »Giraffes ‘threatened with extinction’
Paris, France | AFP | Wild giraffe numbers have plummeted by 40 percent in the last three decades, and the species is now “vulnerable” to extinction, a top conservation body warned Thursday. The population of the world’s tallest land mammal dropped to below 100,000 in 2015, mainly due to shrinking …
Read More »World’s aviation industry soaring to record profits
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The aviation industry is set to post record net earnings this year and is expected to remain profitable in 2017, despite rising oil prices and global political turbulence, its trade association said Thursday. “Airlines continue to deliver strong results. This year we expect a …
Read More »Etihad celebrates a year of success in Tanzania
ATC News by Wolfgang H. Thome Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has marked its first year of operations in Tanzania, as it continues to support the growing two-way flow of business and leisure travellers flying between Dar es Salaam and the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. Over …
Read More »Fastjet to cut flights in East Africa
Tanzanian based -lowcost carrier Fastjet has announced plans to cut flights in East Africa starting this month as part of a route rationalisation exercise meant to match frequencies and customer demand. Fastjet, which launched direct flights between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe International Airport in 2014, says “rationalisation” of its …
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