Awesome Africa

Namibia: Wonder-Woman Wins Gold

2012-09-08T11:09:00.000+02:00

FOR any Olympian to win gold at the Paralympics or Olympics is an extraordinary sporting achievement.

On Wednesday, Namibian sporting history was re-written when the sensational Johanna Benson won the first ever Paralympic gold medal in our history. What makes this victory even sweeter is the fact the 22-year-old sprinter had already won a silver medal over the weekend, the first time a Namibian female Olympian has ever won a medal at the Paralympics. Our performance in recent Paralympics and Olympics history - of course with the exception of the 2012 Paralympics - has largely been run-of-the-mill.

The nation had resigned itself to merely making up numbers and did not feature at all in any of the medal tables for gold, silver and bronze medallions. The first time we laid our hands on any medal was 22 years ago when Frank Fredericks captivated the world with his blistering speed. Running in the 100 metres and 200 metres, he won four silver medals at the Olympic Games (two in 1992 and two in 1996), making him Namibia's first Olympic medalist. He also won gold medals at the World Championships, World Indoor Championships, All-Africa Games and Commonwealth Games. Fredericks has broken 20 seconds for the 200 metres 24 times. The only other man to have done this is Usain Bolt.

But Johanna Benson's scooping gold at the 2012 London Paralympics even surpasses Fredericks's achievements because this is the first time ever that a Namibian female has won an Olympic gold medal. As a nation, we should honour this woman whose superlative effort at this coveted global sporting showpiece puts Namibia on the world map of achievers. When the Paralympians arrive we should turn out en-masse at Hosea Kutako International Airport to toast this wonder-woman whose accomplishment will go down as one of our greatest sporting achievements. When our Paralympians arrive from London this should be Johanna Benson's hour of glory. She overcame her handicap to win a coveted medal that evaded even our able-bodied team of Olympians - none of them managed to win even a bronze medal. Her glory belongs to each and every one of us, and her victory belongs to each and every one of us. Let us therefore rejoice and rally behind this trailblazer.

Sport, be it athletics, soccer, rugby, swimming or boxing, is a universal language that unifies all-and-sundry and it removes political, cultural and religious barriers. This should be a telling lesson to our sports administrators not to discriminate when it comes to supporting able bodied and differently-abled athletes. Moreover, may it be a lesson for us all that although sports administrators and others are important, it is the athletes who win medals and not the officials.

We applaud the government for providing incentives to our athletes, because our sporting heroes just like our political heroes deserve recognition and honour. We should be proud that despite the fact we only became independent 22 years ago we have so far won 6 medals at the Olympics and Paralympics, which is a significant sporting achievement. Still on the sporting front, our boxers have competed against and beat the best there is in the world, the likes of Harry "The Terminator" Simon and Paulus "The Hitman" Moses. Benson's victory just like the conquests recorded by the iconic Frank Fredericks, and others will inspire generations of future Olympians and Paralympians.

And it is not only through the sheer superhuman efforts of their athletes that countries such as United States of America, People's Republic of China, Australia, Great Britain, Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea have always topped the medals table at these games. The point we are making is that these countries usually have record hauls of gold, silver and bronze because they plan far ahead of time and they invest heavily in the preparation of their athletes in search of national honours and glory - they do not go to sleep immediately after the Olympic Games. Hats off to this differently-abled, courageous, very able and inspirational Namibian sprinter!

The Awesome Africa Team congratulates our African sports men and women

2012-08-13T16:40:00.000+02:00

Congratulations to our African sports men and women for making Africa proud.
South Africa leads the Olympic tally with Ethiopia, Kenya, Tunisia, Uganda, Algeria, Egypt, Botswana and Morocco all bringing medals home!

Lawrence Anthony Ad on South African Television

2012-08-13T12:46:00.001+02:00

A magnificent ad hit South African television this week portraying the legendary conservationist Lawrence Anthony from Thula Thula who sadly passed away in March this year.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df0XeFhd058 - his memory and legend in dealing with elephants, rescuing rhino's and saving the Baghdad Zoo after the US invasion of Iraq will never be forgotten. Lawrence you are deeply missed!

To follow the life of Lawrence and the remarkable and amazing stories - he published the following books:

Babylon's Ark - Lawrence involvement in the rescue of Baghdad Zoo after the US invasion of Iraq

The Elephant Whisperer - Lawrence remarkable rescue of a herd of elephants and his interaction at Thula Thula

The Last Rhinos - Lawrence amazing story whilst rescuing the last remaining Northern White Rhinos in the DR Congo

Algeria: The Olympian Who Didn't Try - But Won Gold

2012-08-08T13:47:00.001+02:00

Taoufik Makhloufi, the Algerian middle-distance runner who was expelled from the Games on Monday, was reinstated on Tuesday – and went on to win gold in the men's 1,500m race.

He won in a time of 3 minutes 34.08 seconds, while an American, Leonel Manzano, took silver in 3:34.79, and another African, Moroccan Abdalaati Iguider, took bronze in 3:35.13, reports the Algeria Press Service (APS).

Makhloufi's extraordinary reversal of fortune quickly became one of the big talking points of the athletics competition.

Reuters reported that he tried to withdraw from Monday's 800m race but didn't meet a Games deadline, then dropped out after running only 200m. As a consequence, he was expelled by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

"The referee considered he had not provided a bona fide effort and decided to exclude him from participation in all further events in the competition," the IAAF said.

But APS said he withdrew with an injury and, after a medical examination showed he had a lesion on the knee, he was readmitted. A Reuters writer laconically suggested that “if he was injured, [he] enjoyed a miraculous overnight recovery as he hit the front at the bell and streaked clear of a tight pack with a devastating final lap to win...”

Robert Kitson of London's Guardian newspaper had a gentler take. “Idle perceptions have rarely been confounded so swiftly and utterly,” he wrote, adding that the Algerian might be dubbed “The Man Who Won Olympic Gold After Being Thrown Out For Not Trying.”

The Awesome Foursome! Third Gold for Africa!

2012-08-03T09:32:00.001+02:00

London — South Africa's rowing team of Sizwe Ndlovu, Matthew Brittain, John Smith and James Thompson secured the country's third gold medal of the London Olympic Games, finishing first in the men's lightweight four final on Thursday afternoon.

The South Africans started conservatively, going through the 500 metres mark in third place, and dropped back to fourth by the 1 500m mark.

Over the last 500m stretch, however, they fought back and passed hosts Great Britain, Australia and Denmark to clinch gold in six minutes, 02.84 seconds (6:02.84).

Britain secured silver, 0.25 seconds behind the SA quartet, with Denmark bagging bronze a further 0.07 seconds behind.

The SA rowing team's medal adds to golds secured earlier in the week by swimmers Cameron van der Burgh and Chad le Clos.

Meanwhile, Le Clos continued his fine form in the pool when he posted the fastest semi-final qualifying time in the men's 100m butterfly heats at the Olympic Games on Thursday morning.

The 20-year-old South African, who won gold in the men's 200m butterfly on Tuesday, withdrew from the 100m individual medley final, which will be held later Thursday, in order to focus on the butterfly, his specialty stroke.

American Michael Phelps, the silver medallist behind Le Clos in the 200m final, was second fastest of the qualifiers in the 100m heats in 51.72.

Three-time Olympic medallist Roland Schoeman and countryman Gideon Louw both qualified for the men’s 50m freestyle semifinals.

Schoeman, who secured the bronze medal in the same event at the Athens Games in 2004, won his heat in 21.92 seconds, qualifying fifth fastest for the semi-finals, while Louw was 11th fastest in a time of 22:12.

Karin Prinsloo also progressed to Thursday night's semi-finals, finishing fifth in her women's 200m backstroke heat and qualifying 13th fastest in two minutes, 10.34 seconds (2:10.34).

Wendy Trott failed in her bid to qualify for the women's 800m freestyle final, finishing fourth in her heat in 8:28:98.

Tanzania: Observing Wonders of Serengeti in Sight

2012-08-02T09:46:00.001+02:00

Arusha — THE annual wildebeest migration is here again but for the first time, this massive movement of large mammals seems to have hit a pot of major controversy.

Various Kenyan media outlets went wild last week with reports claiming that Tanzania was barricading this year's legendary mass movement of wildebeests and zebras from entering Kenya's Maasai Mara by blocking the animals at Serengeti.

Unfortunately the 'reporters' on the other side of the border have never witnessed such a migration, otherwise they would have understood that it was next to impossible to attempt to block nearly two million large mammals travelling in unison and at high speed.

Still the Kenyan media tried to dramatize their explanation of the alleged blockade to the effect that, authorities at Serengeti National Park, were setting ablaze the bushes along the ungulates' routes and the resulting flames were preventing the animals from crossing from Tanzania's plains into Maasai-Mara in Kenya.

The 'Serengeti Migration,' also known as the 'Great Migration,' usually starts at the base of 'Gol' Mountains in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and this natural phenomenon is usually determined by the availability of fresh grass for grazing.

Between January and March of every year, is the time when the calving season for the herbivores begins. This is a period when due to the November and December rains, the area gets carpeted to the horizon, with plenty of fresh grass.

The Conservation Manager at NCAA Mr Amiyo T. Amiyo explained that, in this area of Gol Mountains, around 1.2 million wildebeests, 750,000 Zebra with hundreds of antelopes gather for the whole of the first two months of the year to graze and give birth to new calves.

At least 500,000 newborn calves get to see the light of the day during the February's ungulates' camping and breeding season in Ngorongoro and the reproduction events normally last for up to three weeks in February. Three months later, when the newborn herbivores are strong enough to endure the trek, the Zebras lead the way as millions of wildebeests make the rear.

This is after the monsoon rains have abated in May when the migration starts moving towards the North-west direction. The millions of herbivores never trek alone, antelopes also try to mix themselves into the large movement for protection while scavengers like hyenas or aged carnivores also follow behind ready to feed onto the animals that may drop dead due to fatigue or other calamities that befell them en-route.

The scavengers, which includes even aerial ones like vultures, are usually amply catered for because it is reported that around 250,000 wildebeest and Zebras die during the 'Great Migration' a journey covering more than 800 kilometres from Ngorongoro via Serengeti in Tanzania and crossing onto Maasai Mara Reserve in (South of) Kenya.

This time (July) the millions of wildebeests, zebras and elands that have been grazing around the Grumeti River in Serengeti throughout June will be starting their main exodus from the plains heading further North.

The ungulates will be arriving on the Kenya-Tanzania border in early August and their stay in Maasai-Mara will last only two months because the migration will once more be moving back to Tanzania in late October and their major gathering is expected in Serengeti by November.

Later, as the short (Vuli) rains start their precipitation, the herbivores will start their major trek again heading South to Ngorongoro where they are to arrive in time for 'Christmas,' in December, ready for the next round of breeding set for February 2013.

With such a migratory circle now very clear, the Tanzania National Parks' Public Relations Manager, Mr Paschal Shelutete wonders why some Kenyan media reached the conclusion that Tanzania wanted to block the animals' movement.

"It is important for the herbivores to migrate from one point to another in order to avoid cases of inbreeding," explained Mr Shelutete adding that the wildebeests spend only two months in Kenya with the rest of 10 months in Tanzania.

The TANAPA official also explained about the fires that Kenya claimed that they were being lit to scare the animals from crossing into Maasai-Mara saying it was scientifically as 'Early Burning,' executed under the General Management Plan of Serengeti National Park.

"This is type of fire which is set early while grasses are still green is known as 'early burning'. The fire is practiced for several reasons which include reducing number of destructive insect such as tsetse fly; it is also set to reduce amount of litter that can catalyze fire during dry season," he said.

In 2010 and 2011 Kenya's media and the country's green activists were lashing Tanzania over the planned construction of Arusha-Musoma highway via Serengeti claiming the road will affect wildlife around the corridor.

In 2009 Kenya pointed fingers southwards, following the closure of 'Bologonja' entrance where Serengeti bordered Maasai Mara through which alien tour operators used to infiltrate into Tanzania without following regulations. Now for the first time, the accusations are targeting the legendary migrations.

Being staunch competitors in Tourism Industry, Tanzania and Kenya may not come to terms easily where matters of wildlife are concerned but especially at the point where the two countries share the bounty of Serengeti animals. Still, despite the yearly fabricated rumours from across the border; the mighty Serengeti is not just about to die!

SASCOC congratulate Chad on his Olympic gold

2012-08-01T10:13:00.000+02:00

Olympic governing body SASCOC led the way in congratulating young Chad le Clos who blitzed his way to Team South Africa’s second gold medal of the 2012 Olympic Games in London on Tuesday.

Twenty-year-old Le Clos won the 200-metre butterfly swimming event in an amazing 1min 52.96sec, beating American Olympic legend Michael Phelps into second spot in a nail-biting race to the wall.

KwaZulu-Natal based Le Clos now joins Team SA’s Cameron van der Burgh as an Olympic gold medallist after Van der Burgh won gold in the 100m breaststroke on Sunday night.

South African have now already improved on their showing at the last Games in Beijing where they won just one medal, Khotso Mokoena’s silver in the long jump

“It gets better and better,” enthused SASCOC Chief Executive Officer Mr Tubby Reddy as the nation celebrated young Le Clos’ victory.

“Now that we’ve already got two medals after just four days of competition, I have no doubt that this double success is going to motivate the rest of the team to even greater heights.

South Africa also won two medals at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, our first Games since re-admission to the international sporting world. But with the Games only into their fourth day hopes are now high that they can match and even improve on their Sydney 2000 (five) and Athens 2004 (six) Olympic Games.

First Gold Medal for the African continent

2012-07-30T10:50:00.001+02:00

A jubilant Olympic governing body SASCOC congratulated swimmer Cameron van der Burgh on his and South Africa’s first gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London on Sunday.

Twenty-four-year-old Van der Burgh powered his way to an Olympic and world record time of 58.46 seconds in the 100-metre breaststroke event after setting an Olympic record of 58.83 in Saturday night’s semi-finals.

It was South Africa’s first medal of the 2012 Games and came on just the second day of competition at the Aquatic Centre.

“We’re up and running,” beamed SASCOC Chief Executive Officer Mr Tubby Reddy as the nation celebrated Van der Burgh’s victory.

“Here’s hoping his victory will rub off on and inspire the rest of Team South Africa to follow in his wake and win even more medals here in London.”

Pretoria based Van der Burgh’s medal means that they’ve already equalled their medal success of the last Games in Beijing four years ago where they won just one medal, Khotso Mokoena’s silver in the long jump.

Reddy says Van der Burgh’s success was also testimony to the hard work put in by the South African sports movement during the Games build-up.

“We have done extensive preparation in terms of funding our top athletes with the Operation Excellence programme, boosted our coaching prowess and embraced all areas of expertise and it’s great to see that paying off.”

Van Der Burgh will win R400,000 cash which SASCOC put on the table as an extra incentive to win gold.

Said Sports Minister Mr Fikile Mbalula: “This must rank as one of South Africa’s proudest sporting moments. The entire South African nation salutes Cameron van der Burgh on his magnificent performance.”

SASCOC President Gideon Sam also got in on the special feeling: “What a truly defining moment for Team South Africa at the 2012 Olympic Games.”

Van der Burgh’s medal was also the first by an African country at these Olympic Games and was the 20th medal won by South Africa since re-admission to international sport at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

It puts them one ahead of north African powerhouse Nigeria who with a population of 123 million dwarf South Africa’s population of just over 50 million.

Africa: Tourism in Africa Is Slowly Coming of Age

2012-07-26T10:02:00.000+02:00

Jet-lagged, 500 delegates from around the world arrived in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, in May to deliberate on the path to Africa's tourism future.

To unwind, Zimbabwe's Tourism Authority, host of the congress of the Africa Travel Association (ATA), had organized a fun-filled welcome. The delegates toured Victoria Falls - one of the world's seven natural wonders - where they participated in bungee jumping, gorge swinging and zip-lining over the Zambezi River. They then went on safari, encountering lions and elephants. Later they savoured local cuisine and danced enthusiastically to traditional music.

The host's intention was clear: see, feel and believe. Zimbabwe's showcasing spoke louder than routine speeches. It spurred tourism ministers from Ghana, Namibia, Uganda and other African countries to become bullish about the continent's potential. Said US Ambassador Charles A. Ray, "Zimbabwe, even with its political uncertainty, is a potentially huge market."

Economic lifelines

Tourism watchers are upbeat. In 2004, proponents of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) approved an action plan to make Africa the "21st century destination." Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), recently stated that "Africa has been one of the fastest-growing tourism regions of the last decade.... With the right investment, tourist arrivals will continue to grow, investors will see excellent returns, jobs will be created and the entire economy will benefit." The sector already employs about 7.7 million people in Africa. Mr. Rifai cited data showing steady increases in Africa's tourist arrivals, from 37 million in 2003 to 58 million in 2009.

Tourism revenues are the lifeline of many economies. About 50 per cent of Seychelles' gross domestic product (GDP) comes from tourism. The rates are 30 per cent in Cape Verde, 25 per cent in Mauritius and 16 per cent in Gambia. The World Bank reports that tourism accounts for 8.9 per cent of East Africa's GDP, 7.2 per cent of North Africa's, 5.6 of West Africa's and 3.9 per cent of Southern Africa's. In Central Africa, tourism contributes just 1 per cent.

Small space on global stage

Despite the chest-thumping, Africa's share of global tourist arrivals is relatively small. There were 980 million international tourist arrivals in 2011, of which only 50 million traveled to Africa. However, Africa is still receiving more tourists than the Caribbean, Central America and South America combined, according to UNWTO.

North Africa suffered a 12 per cent loss in 2011 from the previous year due to that region's political unrest, denting the continent's share of international arrivals. But that loss was partially offset by a 7 per cent uptick in sub-Saharan Africa, which gained 2 million arrivals. Overall, the 2011 data shows that Africa performed better than the Middle East, which lost 5 million arrivals. Generally, the continent's top earners are Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritius, according to UNWTO.

Tourists in Africa come mostly from Europe and the US. France is the number one source, followed by the UK and the US. French tourists like to go to Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritius, Senegal and Madagascar. Tourists from the UK mostly go to Egypt, South Africa, Mauritius and Gambia, while those from the US prefer South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.

Infrastructure problems

The East African Community (EAC), a regional bloc, hopes to attract tourists from other parts of the world - not just the West - to go to different parts of East Africa - not just Kenya and Tanzania. The EAC strategy, developed in 2006, includes using DVDs, brochures and other materials to promote the region as a bloc. At international tourism conferences, East Africa now speaks with one voice.

What draws tourists to a country, region or continent? "I wanted to see something different from Europe and I decided to visit Kenya and Tanzania. It is a different feel I got, and I like that," Sven Brun, from Norway, tells Africa Renewal. The McKinsey Global Institute, a think tank, maintains that tourists are attracted to countries with good infrastructure, safety and security, and sanitation. Janet Kiwia, the managing director of World Jet Travel and Tours in Tanzania, adds that bad roads, poorly maintained airports, power outages and other shortcomings keep tourists away.

There are concerns over the safety of Africa's aircraft and airspace. In just two days in June, two planes crashed in Nigeria and Ghana, killing more than 160 people. In 2009 the World Bank found that 60 per cent of runways in North Africa were in excellent condition, but only 17 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa were. In addition, many sub-Saharan airports are small and have trouble dealing with increasing arrivals. Most depend on a single airline and some have no connections to major carriers.

Innovative approaches

A report by New York University, the World Bank and the ATA calls on industry operators to apply innovative approaches to managing the different types of African tourism, which it categorizes as "safari," "nature" and "culture." The report recommends "going beyond traditional safari to include new adventures" by tapping tour operators' creativity.

Nature tourism, including gorilla tracking, presents opportunities. More than 700 mountain gorillas live in the Virunga Mountains that span Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Faced with political instability, the DRC is trying to attract tourists by charging lower rates than Rwanda and Uganda. In 2011 the three countries raked in a total of $225 million from gorilla tourism. Through the website www.friendagorilla.org, tourists pay to track gorillas using webcams. It is also possible to "friend" a gorilla on the social network Facebook. Raising awareness of gorilla tourism through social media may attract more tourists from different parts of the world. More tourists mean more money spent on hotels, restaurants, tour guides and souvenirs, stimulating local economies.

Culture tourism requires aggressive promotion. Like food festivals in Mexico and music and cultural festivals in Jamaica and Trinidad, African festivals can draw visitors. Film festivals in Zanzibar and Burkina Faso attract culture tourists. Africa needs to "develop flagship tourist attractions and communicate brand effectively," advises a McKinsey report.

Africa's domestic tourism (by resident visitors) has been flagging. Not more than half of Kenyan chief executives have seen an elephant, notes Victoria Safari, a Kenyan tourism company. "Africans should know Africa better than the white person from outside," it adds, recommending cheaper transportation rates and ease of travel to encourage African tourists. Currently it costs about $1,500 to travel 1,800 miles from Luanda, Angola, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, but only $1,100 to go from London to Dar es Salaam, a distance of 4,600 miles.

Bright prospects

Some countries are moving in the right direction. Frommer's, a US travel guide series, named Ethiopia one of the world's top 12 destinations in 2007. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa attracted more than 300,000 foreign visitors. Only recently, renowned international singer Youssou N'Dour became Senegal's minister of culture and tourism, which may help boost tourism in his country.

It may take some time before Africa catches up with Europe, which received 480 million tourists last year. But as international arrivals hit the milestone of 1 billion worldwide in 2012, Africa should aim for a bigger slice of the pie. The right infrastructure, safety and security, and effective communication of the continent's attractions can be starting points.

Angola: Ministry of Hotels Holds International Tourism Fair

2012-07-24T09:12:00.002+02:00

Luanda — The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism together with Luanda International Fair (FIL) will hold on 11-14 October this year the first edition of the Angolan International Tourism Fair (BITUR).

According to a press note that reached Angop on Monday, the event will take place under the motto "The promotion of Angolan tourism heritage: Disseminates its tourist attractions".

The document reads that successful participation in FILDA2011 triggered the establishment of a partnership between the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism and Luanda International Fair, aiming for the divulgence of the Angolan tourist attractions and promotion of its tourist heritage in all aspects such as culture, history, gastronomy, nature and landscape.

The organisers intend to gather in this fair about 200 exhibiters.

Rwanda: Kinigi and Its Unique Attractions

2012-07-23T09:38:00.001+02:00

Renowned for being the route to the home of approximately half of the worlds remaining mountain gorillas, Kinigi town, located right at the foot of Virunga Mountains, comprises beautiful sceneries that make it an outstanding touristic area.

The place is so conducive that one can stay for several days doing various treks and walks observing Rwanda's world unique attractions such as gorillas at the Volcanoes National Park.

As you drive through the mountainous corners of the tarmac road leading to Kinigi, the first immediate impressive change is felt in the temperature drop and it becomes colder as you proceed into the interior.

As one approaches the town, there is a distinctive and clear view of the Volcanoes National Park but the taller Virunga Mountains made up of three active volcanoes situated in Rwanda, Uganda and The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stand out.

"This place is extremely beautiful; you find many touristic attractions, the mountainous area also provides an opportunity to extend the view to neighbouring Uganda and Congo," John Collins, an Australian tourist observes.

He is amazed that as one tours the Kinigi area, it's possible to see remarkable animals including various primates and birds.

Collins says that the thrill and excitement cannot be explained - it simply has to be experienced.

"It is one of the absolute highlights of a tour anywhere on the continent because encountering these gentle giants is an awesome moment in any African journey," he says.

Kinigi is also strewn with classic hotels and stopovers that make the whole journey interesting.

Paul Muvunyi, a shareholder in Akagera Game Lodge and proprietor of Mountain Gorilla View Lodge says that tourists are satisfied when they find opportunities to get a variety of edibles.

"I have observed several times that the visitors stay for even longer once they get what they desire to eat," he said.

The hospitality mogul explains that the cordial and generous reception accorded towards guests is another motivating factor in the area.

Kinigi is probably the only place where visitors come and are easily able to access the ruins of the Karisoke Research station the burial place of Dian Fossey, an American zoologist who was killed an she undertook an extensive study of gorilla conservation in the area.

But beyond that, there is the Volcanoes National Park, one of the most famous areas in Rwanda where tracking of mountain gorillas is done at an international level.

The park is approximately 13,000 hectares and is also home to the recently habituated Golden Monkey, a little known species which is listed as endangered.

The Golden Monkey has a bright golden body but with black limbs, tail end and crown. It was previously found also in Nyungwe forest in southern Rwanda but the only viable population is now found in Volcanoes National Park.

Some tourists agree that to view the Golden Monkey is an entirely different experience compared to visiting the gorillas where the visitor can come up close and view them at close range.

It is only during the recent few years that researchers are starting to put together a detailed picture of their lifestyle and routines.

The Golden Monkeys live mainly in the bamboo thickets and are smaller and harder to spot and Prosper Uwingeri, the chief warden at the park says that it is a perfect environment for the survival these animals.

He asserts that Rwanda is lucky because Kinigi is one of the few places where these primates were saved from extinction while there still were enough to be saved.

Uwingeri also says that the over 200 bird species thought to be harbour in the forest is another feature that makes Kinigi stand out as an exemplary touristic town.

In the early 1990s the gorilla tourism was probably Rwanda's main foreign exchange earner. This came to an abrupt end in 1994 during the Genocide against the Tutsi. Gorilla trekking was finally resumed on a permanent basis in 1999.

There are roughly only 600 mountain gorillas left in the world, approximately half of these live a few metres away from Kinigi town.

One will spend most of the day out on the field and you will not need much effort to see these world attractions, you just have to be in Kinigi.

Namibia: Germany Finances North-East Parks

2012-07-22T10:04:00.000+02:00

Namibia continues to invest in its tourism sector, which is viewed as one of Namibia's main GDP growing sectors.

This time around N$37,4 million was invested in the infrastructure development of the Susuwe and Ngenda park stations in the Bwabwata and Mudumu national parks.

The investment is co-financed by the German government, through the German Development Bank (KfW) and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

The German government availed N$27,7 million, while the Namibian government availed N$9,7 million for the development.

The infrastructure development includes park offices, visitor facilities and staff housing and support services such as roads, water and electricity.

Since Namibia is looking at new tourism destinations, it is unleashing the potential of some of its best-kept secrets such as the Bwabwata and Mudumu national parks, by developing it.

"These parks have the potential to bring in maximum yields for the country as they offer new areas and routes for tourists to explore, which means they have a great potential of generating new tourism product packages," the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah said at the ground-breaking ceremony of the infrastructure development of the two park stations, last week.

According to the minister, the tourism potential of the northeastern parts of Namibia are only just being tapped.

The area is blessed with beautiful floodplains, river scenery, riparian woodlands, mopane forests and savannah mosaics.

The elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard can be found in this park, as well as the zebra, giraffe, eland wildebeest, impala, roan, sable, and the lechwe.

Waterbuck and even the elusive sitatunga are also seen in these parks and conservancies.

Communities in the Bwabwata National Park, where about 6 000 people live, generate about N$300 000 from products such as devil's claw and N$4 million from trophy-hunting concessions, yearly.

"The variety of benefits generated through sustainable natural resources use, for example, cash income, meat supply, employment, training and infrastructure development add a new dimension to human development that traditional forms of resource use were not able to deliver," Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

Outgoing German Ambassador, Egon Kochanke, said a well-designed and carefully planned park stations are important preconditions for an effective park management, although it is not everything that is needed.

He said sound and sustainable park management plans are needed which consider the needs and requirements of not only wildlife and vegetation but also of the people who live in the proximity of the parks.

Kochanke said integrated park management leads not only to the preservation of biodiversity but is also the base for sustainable economic use of the parks, while well-managed parks lead to increased tourism and job creation.

"I want to assure you that the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany remains committed to this sector and to your ministry's endeavours towards economic development and nature conservation," the outgoing German diplomat said.

The two parks form part of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Park (KAZA), which includes neighbouring countries Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola.

Kochanke said his government, which is supporting KAZA with another N$200 million, believes that the transfrontier area is an extremely important initiative in times of climate change, particularly for the benefit of people living in these five countries.

The new regional coordinator of KAZA Secretariat, Dr Victor Siamudala, a Zambian national was also present at the groundbreaking ceremony.

During the same occasion, the environment minister also officially opened the Mashi Tourism Hub, situated at Kongola.

Happy Birthday Tata Madiba

2012-07-21T14:02:00.000+02:00

Namibia: Anti-Seal Campaign Worries Government

2012-07-21T10:41:00.001+02:00

GOVERNMENT has put together a task team to deal with negative international publicity surrounding Namibia's annual seal cull and its effect on tourism, especially the country's chances to host the Adventure Tourism World Summit (ATWS) next year.

Namibia is one of three countries shortlisted to host the global event, which is expected to lure about 600 players in the adventure tourism industry to the country. Should Namibia be chosen, it will also be the first time the ATWS will take place in Africa.

However, shortly after the Adventure Travel Tourism Association (ATTA) sent its inspection team to Namibia in May, anti-sealing activists calling themselves Just for Seals Namibia launched a petition to get the body to reject the country's bid. By yesterday afternoon, 5 557 people around the globe had signed the petition.

At a meeting of the tourism industry on Monday, marketers voiced their concern about the anti-sealing campaign, set to start on July 15, and the impact it might have have on tourist bookings.

Gitta Paetzold, chief executive officer of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN), yesterday told The Namibian that the consensus at the meeting was that Namibia needed a national strategy on the seal issue. "We all need to convey the same message," she said.

Paetzold said Namibia virtually has the ATWS in the bag, and that the seal controversy could be the "only negative".

Acting Permanent Secretary of Environment and Tourism Erica Akuenje scheduled the first meeting of the task force for yesterday afternoon. Although the seal cull doesn't fall under her Ministry, the seal issue is used to impact the tourism industry negatively.

Akuenje wasn't available for comment yesterday afternoon. The Ministry's director of tourism, Sem Shikongo, referred all questions to Akuenje and told The Namibian that it was an "an internal Government meeting".

Meanwhile, the anti-sealing activists are stepping their campaign. The Seals of Namibia on Wednesday appealed to its more than 4 000 supporters on its Facebook page to start tweeting Hollywood superstar Charlize Theron, who is currently filming 'Mad Max 4' in the Namibia Desert.

"Tweet something like this ... @charlizeafrica please be a voice for 85000 seal pups that will be clubbed to death in Namibia," the appeal suggests.

"If enough people can tweet her, maybe we can get her to see the tweet," it says, adding that "as everyone knows she is a huge animal lover".

In addition to the petition to boycott the ATWS, anti-sealing campaigners are also running other petitions, gaining support mainly through the internet.

By yesterday afternoon, more than 63 000 people had signed The Seals of Namibia's petition to stop the cull. In addition, 8 000 people have signed a petition to US President Barack Obama to stop giving Namibia money through the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

"To continue this funding, at the taxpayer's expense, is unconscionable," the petition reads.

Nearly 1 000 people have also signed a petition to boycott all Namibian products until the Government abolishes the annual seal cull.

Kenya: Korean Air Optimistic Over Nairobi Route Growth

2012-07-19T10:20:00.000+02:00

KOREAN Air plans for boost its newly launched Kenyan operations with a bigger Jomo Kenyatta International Airport even as it awaits allocation of a boarding gate and check in counter at the facility, according to a senior official.

Speaking at the airline's head office in Seoul, Korea, the airline's Vice President in charge of passenger sales Sunghoi Song said that Koreans have big expectations when traveling to other countries based on the facilities at their home airport Incheon in Seoul.

The airline started three direct flights between Nairobi and Seoul three weeks ago. "We do not have a gate yet and our passengers have to take a longer route to board and its very inconveniencing," Song told visiting Kenyan journalists. JKIA is undergoing expansion for a new passenger terminal, a greenfield terminal for aircrafts and additional parking space to enable it accommodate more flights and passengers. Currently the airport is overstretched and passengers from arrivals and departure cramp in a shared passenger terminal area.

Song said that the current 50 per cent load pack which measures the percentage of available seats, space, or maximum carrying weight paid for and used by passengers is "not bad for a beginning". He added that flights would be increased gradually if load factor gets to between 75 and 80 per cent threshold. Nairobi is the only sub saharan destination the airline flies to which Song explained was due to Kenya Airways connection of African routes key for Asian investors.

Yesterday the Korean ambassador to Kenya Kim-Chan-Woo said the airline was confident of this market adding that the airline will be key in transporting flowers and coffee back to Korea, Japan and China. The commodities though obtained from Kenya have previously been sourced through middlemen in Europe making them expensive in Asia. The airline has also so far brought in 500 tourists since it started operating.

Presenter Michael's Picture in the Book Radio Congo

2012-07-13T10:10:00.002+02:00

Our book recommendation http://www.oneworld-publications.com/cgi-bin/cart/commerce.cgi?pid=657&log_pid=yes; Presenter Michael's picture of Uvira in the DRC is part of Chapter 8.

Brash hustlers, sinister colonels, resilient refugees, and intrepid radio hosts: Meet the future of Congo

While poring over dusty photographs of colonial Congo, Ben Rawlence stumbled upon the image of a lost city – a glistening metropolis fuelled by tin and European capital. Today, that city, Manono, lies inside the ‘Triangle of Death’, an area rarely reached by outsiders since war broke out in Congo more than a decade ago. Rawlence, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, set out to gather news of Manono – and of Congo’s uneasy peace.

Rather than taking the direct flight suggested by aid workers and mercenaries, he travels by foot, bike, and boat, taking his time to meet the people who are making a new life in one of the world’s most dangerous places. We meet Colonel Ibrahim, a guerrilla turned army officer; Benjamin, the kindly father of the most terrifying Mai Mai warlord; the Lebanese cousins Mohammed and Mohammed, young tin traders making their fortune; and the talk-show host Mama Christine, who dispenses counsel and courage in equal measure. Along the way, Rawlence hears the real stories of Congo, during and after the war, and finds beacons of hope for the future.

Ben Rawlence is Senior Researcher on Africa for Human Rights Watch. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, the London Review of Books, Prospect and the Huffington Post, and he has been a contributor to BBC Radio 4’s From Our Own Correspondent. He now lives in London.

'A compelling début." The Bookseller

Africa: Is Africa Ready for Low-Cost Airlines?

2012-07-06T17:59:00.000+02:00

FastJet, a new African discount airline backed by easyJet's founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou, will take to the skies by October, potentially redefining air connectivity on the continent - if the group can navigate Africa's tricky low-cost market.

The airline was established out of the reverse takeover of pan-African conglomerate Lonrho's aviation division by AIM-listed Rubicon Diversified Investments. Stelios became a 5 percent shareholder in Rubicon via his easyGroup Holdings, establishing a brand license agreement to re-launch Lonrho's Fly540 airline - which operates in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola - as 'FastJet', using the easyJet discount model.

Stelios, who sees Africa as "the aviation industry's last frontier", is looking to tap into the continent's growing markets and expanding middle class. If successful, the no-frills carrier could bring air travel to millions of people who previously could not afford it.

"Low-cost carriers in the intra-Africa market would usher in a new era of rapid capacity growth, paving the way for growth in travel...which in turn could result in the greater linking of African economies," explains Brendan Sobie, chief analyst at the CAPA Centre for Aviation. "The potential economic implications are huge."

The timing is right, according to FastJet's new CEO Ed Winter. "The middle class is growing; wealth is being spread more widely than in the past," he told This is Africa. "I'm very hopeful that we will be a big influence in Africa in changing the way aviation happens, raising the bar on reliability and safety and cost. The market is prime for change, and now is exactly the right moment."

Africa's commercial air traffic is expected to grow 5.4 percent annually between 2011 and 2030, according to estimates by Embraer, an aircraft manufacturer, putting the continent ahead of the more mature markets of North America and Europe, which will see respective growth of 3.5 percent and 4.4 percent.

But not everyone sees Africa as a ripe market for discount air travel, with analysts citing infrastructure constraints, low demand and lack of liberalisation as inhibitors. Under the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision countries were supposed to deregulate air services, opening up markets to international competition, but the initiative has stalled, leaving an antiquated system of bilateral agreements that protect national interests. High taxes have rendered air travel unaffordable for most Africans, and have made discount models difficult to operate. Low-cost carriers account for only 12 percent of total seat capacity within Africa, according to CAPA. Within central and west Africa, that figure drops to less than 2 percent.

"There are big limitations of low-cost travel in [sub-Saharan] Africa... To have a proper low-cost model you really need the volume, and I don't believe that in most of Africa you have those volumes," a senior official at Embraer told This is Africa last year. "At the moment there is probably not room for an easyJet or a Ryanair," he said at the time.

Speaking to the difficulty of making discount models viable, only days after the FastJet deal was completed, one of South Africa's handful of low cost carriers, Velvet Sky, received a final liquidation order, after months on the ground.

It has been a testing time for African aviation more broadly, with Virgin Atlantic cancelling flights to Kenya, and South African Airways calling an end to Cape Town to London Heathrow flights. Meanwhile a crash in Lagos, Nigeria, killed all 153 passengers, highlighting continuing air safety issues.

Fly540 has also been loss-making, though that hasn't put easyGroup off. "That just demonstrates how long it takes to get licenses in place and to become established," Mr Winter argues. "We now have that structure in place and FastJet can move forward with that. That is hugely valuable."

Government perspectives on market liberalisation are also changing, he says, based on an understanding of the broader economic implications of air connectivity. "The governments we have been talking to fully understand that need to change in order to liberalise air travel, democratise air travel and allow low-cost airlines to succeed," he says.

FastJet will re-launch the airline using the low-cost easyJet model, replacing the existing fleet with Airbus 319s. Passenger numbers should double from current levels of around 750,000 passengers per year within six months of launching the new fleet in October. Within a year the group also hopes to have scaled up the fleet to 15 aircraft, envisaging that each of the new carriers will transport 250,000 passengers annually.

The low-cost market remains untested for most of Africa, but FastJet is bullish. The blend of Fly540's existing four country platform, Lonrho's African expertise, and easyGroup's experience in operating low-cost carriers is "the best combination you could ask for," Mr Winter says.

Kenya: Tourism Resilient in Face of Insecurity

2012-07-06T09:37:00.001+02:00

THERE has been no major impact on hotel occupancy as a result of recent terrorism attacks in the country, the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers has revealed.

According to chief executive of KAHC Mike Macharia, there have been "no direct cancellations" that stem from the string of attacks at various points in the country and which have shone the international spotlight on Kenya. "There have been no reports of cancellations and we are in the low season anyway," commented Macharia.

The tourist low season runs between March to Mid July which is the time when there are fewer international visitors mostly because of the long rains experienced around the country at this time that affect travel and tour plans. Mohamed Hersi the regional head of Sarova Hotels in Coast province said that though there have been no cancellation of bookings yet, "people were worried and are asking questions". "We have been doing over 90 per cent occupancy the whole of this week," said Hersi. Hersi said that keeping the market duly informed every time there is an attack has helped forestall any misunderstanding that could affect the highly sensitive tourism industry.

Kenya Tourism Federation also issues security updates each time there is a terrorist attack complete with a map indicating where exactly in Kenya the incident took place so that such happenings are not generalized to appear as if the entire country is unsafe. "We have already issued a statement to MDRs (market development representatives) with a map showing exactly where Garissa is," commented KTF chief executive Agatha Juma, in reaction to twin attacks on Sunday that left 17 people dead in Garissa.

MDRs are usually natives of target markets who create a link between Kenya's tourism players and marketing agencies with potential tourists. Sam Ikwaye the CEO of Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurants Association of Kenya said the attacks have led to more investment in security by players in the hospitality industry. Sai Rock Hotel general manager David Lang'at said his hotel is 90 per cent full but added that there might be indirect cancellations as he has already received two calls from Uganda and Germany asking about the security situation in Mombasa.

Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry Mombasa county chairman James Mureu said generally, business may have been affected indirectly. Mureu said though there might not be any statistics to show that some investors have shied away from the Coast or Kenya as a whole, this might actually be the case. "Those who are already doing business here may not move out but we never know what a potential investor may have been planning before the attacks. Maybe they develop second thoughts after the attacks, we never know," said Mureu.

Somalia: An Emerging Tourism Market

2012-07-05T15:08:00.001+02:00

SOMALIA could give its Eastern Africa neighbours a run for their money in tourism business if its internal conflict and piracy problems are contained, a UN report on regional sustainable tourism shows. The report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa titled a study on the challenges and opportunities for tourism development says the country has the largest coastal belt in Africa, architectural heritage and beautiful pristine beaches that are great for tourism.

The report which was compiled last year but released officially last week however notes that war, perceptions of poor governance and islamic fundamentalism and piracy have hampered the development of Somalia as a tourism destination. "Somalia tourism also includes the landmark of Shanghai old city. Presently controlled by the warlords and the wealthy businessmen, the city is known for its scenic beauty and the old architectural heritage," states the report in part. "Another most sought after sightseeing spot in Somalia tourism is the Sinbusi beach, which is situated about five kilometres away from the city of Merca."

The report lists some of the key untapped tourism business opportunities like eco-tourism, culture and cruise; expansion of air and water transportation; fairly modern and affordable ICT infrastructure. Relative stability in Somaliland and Puntland have also been listed as major entry areas in the exploitation of Somalia's tourism business. By virtue of offering similar tourist attractions, the report recommends a unified approach to Eastern Africa's tourism development under the umbrella of a regional integration. It further suggests the development of of an Eastern Africa tourism master plan.

Adoption of an open skies policy in which even low budget airlines can easily operate flights within the region's countries and adoption of a single tourist visa have also been proposed to drive growth for the sector. "This (single tourist visa) approach will enable free movement of tourists within the region. This is expected to be beneficial to new destinations in East Africa as they could leverage on the markets of the more mature destinations," the report says.

Kenya which mostly markets itself as a safari and beach destination has faced fierce competition from its East African neighbours Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda as a result of some cases of insecurity. Tanzania and Uganda were even named as among the top 45 places to visit in the world in 2012 whereas Kenya was missing from the ranking despite having almost similar attractions. The country's war on the al Shabaab which was sparked by tourist kidnap cases at the Coast has freed several towns in Somalia from the terror group's raid with reports of normalcy returning to some parts of Somalia.

Uganda: Nation's Oldest Gorilla Dies At 50

2012-07-05T11:35:00.003+02:00

Ruhondeza, one of the oldest silverbacks in Bwindi national park has died. It was also the leader of the first group that kick-started habituated gorilla tourism in Uganda.

Believed to have been over 50 years old, Ruhonza was until recently the leader of the reknown Mubare gorilla family whose successful habituation in 1991 kick-started gorilla tourism in Uganda.

Over 50 community members converged to attend Ruhondeza's burial in Buhoma. He died on Friday last week and preliminary findings from a postmortem done by the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) suggest that he died of old age.

Lillian Nsubuga, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) spokesperson, said a comprehensive postmortem report would be released later.

"His body had no injuries but the teeth were completely worn out up to the gums which meant he could not feed properly. He was also very thin and his muscles had greatly weakened," Nsubuga explained.

UWA staff in Bwindi for several weeks were monitoring the health and movements of Ruhondeza together with community members and veterinary doctors.

Nsubuga said UWA would construct a monument at Ruhondeza's burial site and provide wide literature about his life and times in recognition of his contribution to the country's tourism industry.

"His life will always be celebrated for having contributed to the birth of gorilla tourism in Uganda," Nsubuga stated.

"Although we are saddened by Ruhondeza's death, we are at the same time happy that he was able to live to a ripe old age in the face of the numerous challenges facing gorilla conservation today."

Ruhondeza's Mubare group has enabled gorilla eco-tourism to grow and flourish in Uganda. Currently Uganda has eight habituated mountain gorilla families, receiving between 55 and 64 tourists daily and yielding over $11m (about sh26.7b) annually.

UWA charges $500 (about sh1.2m) per foreign non-resident tourist and sh250,000 from east Africans for gorilla tracking.

Early this year, Ruhondeza's family (Mubare) had a fight with a wild unhabituated group, which caused the Mubare family members to scatter. Ruhondeza remained alone while his son Kanyonyi escaped with three family members.

The number of children Ruhondeza fathered in his lifetime is not known but at the time of his family's habituation in 1991, it consisted of 17 family members.

The Mubare family is now headed by Kanyonyi and has seven members including one juvenile, three sub-adults and two adult females.

Africa: Balancing the Narrative On Africa

2012-05-23T18:47:00.001+02:00

The 2012 Africa Progress Report, 'Jobs, Justice and Equity: Seizing opportunities in times of global change', frames a new narrative on Africa, which balances the extreme pessimism surrounding Africa a decade ago against the current wave of blinkered optimism.

At the launch of the report last week at the World Economic Forum in Addis, Africa Progress Panel Chair, Kofi Annan, acknowledged both sides of this balance sheet in introducing the new report. Mr. Annan noted that Africa is making remarkable progress on growth, human development, and democracy. Innovation, creativity and energy are sweeping though the continent, he added. However, Mr. Annan also stressed, "We cannot talk of growth when millions of people are left behind. We need equal opportunities for everyone in our population".

Panel members launching the report with Kofi Annan included Peter Eigen, Bob Geldof, Olusegun Obasanjo and Tidjane Thiam.

The call for Jobs, Justice and Equity in the 2012 report has resounded widely among African leadership, institutions and the private sector. "We should not confuse economic growth with economic transformation," cautioned President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka at the WEF opening plenary in Addis on 10 May, 2012.

Among those joining the APP event were Mr. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Abdoulaye Janneh, outgoing Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Coordinating Minister for the Nigerian Economy, Mr. Strive Masiyiwa of ECONET Wireless, and Mr. Aliko Dangote of Nigeria, a leading entrepreneur.

The overwhelming interest in the Africa Progress Report 2012 by African policy makers, international development partners and the global media should come as no surprise, given the timeliness and relevance of the themes in the report, including the call for a focus on equitable growth, smallholder farming and the need to reduce land grabs across the continent, meeting the MDG targets and setting MDG equity goals, and improving leadership and governance in the public and private sector globally.

The 2012 Report's call to place smallholder farmers and agriculture productivity at the centre of national food security and nutrition was underscored by UNDP's first ever Human Development Report for Africa, titled "Towards a Food Secure Future", and unveiled three days after the APR launch. Since then, the G8 has announced new commitments for sustainable agriculture investments in Africa through the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition initiative. The initiative includes previous commitments made under the l'Aquila agreement. However, it remains to be seen how additional resources will be mobilised and the APP calls for greater transparency in such commitments. The APP will be following this process through an on-going global dialogue on the themes raised in 2012 APR.

The report's key message that ethically indefensible and economically unsustainable inequalities slow down Africa's development progress and create political destabilisation, has been picked up widely by a range of media outlets including the Guardian UK, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, This is Africa, the Mail and Guardian and the Oxfam blog from Poverty to Power , among others.

Full coverage of the 2012 APR launch, the report itself and related documents can be viewed on the APP website at http://www.africaprogresspanel.org/. Follow discussion of the report on Twitter, #apr2012 and on theAPP Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/africaprogresspanel.

Caroline Kende-Robb is the Executive Director of the Africa Progress Panel, a group of distinguished individuals, chaired by Kofi Annan, dedicated to encouraging progress in Africa.

East Africa: Aviation Chiefs Push for Single Regional Tourist Visa

2012-05-12T18:02:00.000+02:00

Civil aviation authorities from East African Community (EAC) member states want the bloc to expedite the introduction and implementation of a common passport to reduce barriers that still exist at the entry points.

The call was made during a consultative meeting on facilitation of air transport which brought together civil aviation chiefs and tourist agencies from the five EAC partner states.

According to the civil aviation authorities, issuance of a single EAC visa and EAC passport would ease movement across the EAC region without need for a national visa, an initiative they say would greatly boost regional integration and tourism sector.

It was cited in the meeting that bureaucracies and barriers at the member countries' entry points are still a challenge to the citizens of EAC.

The Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA), Dr Richard Masozera, said there was need for better facilitation, especially for tourists, saying tourism is currently a major factor among partner states.

"It's our time as technocrats to begin laying strategies on how the issuance of the single visa can be implemented as soon as possible," he said.

EAC secretariat plans to implement a single tourist visa, the internationalisation of the East African Passport, the use of national identity cards for movement within across EAC states and liberalisation and domestication of the region's airspace.

"This whole integration process should stop being on paper and be implemented for the good of the EAC citizens," said Uganda's Kalumba Kagawa, Assistant Commissioner in charge of air transport in the Ministry of Works and Transport.

Lack of common database at the entry points also affects the issuance of EAC passports, the officials observed.

Eng. Ladslas Matindi, the Principal Officer in charge of aviation sector in the EAC Secretariat, said his office was working on harmonisation among the EAC immigration offices to see to it that tourists or citizens are recognised in all partner states.

Eritrea: Newly Discovered Archaeological Relics in Adulis

2012-05-06T09:52:00.000+02:00

Adi-Keih — Students from the College of Arts and Social Science explained that newly described archaeological relics in line with the second phase excavation program regarding Adulis are remarkable in developing the nation's tourism industry.

The students who made a tour of the site and observed the excavation activities being carried out by Eritrean and Italian experts explained that the historical interpretations of the findings are significant, and asserted that such findings are vital in supplementing their academy with practical knowledge.

Alem Woldegabir, student of Archaeology, said that the tour was a basis for a down-to-earth learning, and that the relics revealing the secrets of the ancient port of Adulis constitute a vital legacy for the next generation.

Fasil Ashenafi on his part commended the role of the inhabitants in the area in relaying information apart from their hospitability.

The Administration of the National Museum of Eritrea pointed out that the second phase excavation program regarding Adulis, which is in progress in 4 sites and classified in 5 stages, is aimed at launching the required research activities on the ancient port, besides scientifically rectifying some previous works of excavation

Zimbabwe: Matusadonha - the Verdant Jungle

2012-05-05T12:27:00.003+02:00

A WELL-FED monster of a crocodile snaps to life, startled from its nap. It stampedes through the crunchy undergrowth, crashing into the water and becomes invisible except for a pair of sentry-post eyes that peek menacingly above the surface to monitor outside movement.

As if nothing has happened, a huge bull elephant, grazes on the shoreline vegetation, its body half-submerged in water, chewing and munching.

The shoreline vegetation is juxtaposed with a cloak of virgin forest, where dappled bushbuck move in fleet yet silent through the thicket.

Shaggy water buck, buffalo and other grazers invade the shoreline for a sip of the life-saving water, forever, stalked by predators.

That Matusadonha National Park situated on the south-eastern shores of Lake Kariba.

Matusadonha National Park is situated on the shores of Lake Kariba but was proclaimed a non-hunting area on November 7 1958 before the dam was built.

It became a Game Reserve in 1963, and in 1975, in terms of the Parks and Wildlife Act, it became a national park. The park comprises some 1 400 square kilometres of diverse flora and fauna. Before the lake was built, Matusadonha was a vast, rugged wilderness with limited access. With the lake came ecological changes. One in particular, the lakeshore contributed greatly to the increase of large mammal populations in the area, especially elephant and buffalo. The grass found on the shoreline is Panicum ripens and is a rejuvenating grass -- needing only fluctuating lake levels to replenish its nutrients. With this ready food source, buffalo, waterbuck, zebra, and even impala have thrived and with them the predators. Matusadonha is an Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) and home to several relocated rhinoceros.

The southern boundary of the park is the Omay communal land and the northern boundary is the lakeshore. The eastern side of Sanyati Gorge and the middle of the Ume River provide the east and west boundaries respectively.

Matusadonha has three distinct ecological areas. First is the lake and shoreline grassland; second, the Zambezi Valley floor, a mass of thick jesse and mopane woodland, and; third, the escarpment area of Julbernadia and Brachystegia woodlands.

The Jesse/Mopani area is sparsely grassed, but provides habitat for browsers, most notably the black rhino. Elephants range throughout the park, seeking the shade of the Jesse in the heat of the day.

The Zambezi Escarpment rises some 700 metres above the valley floor and is extremely rugged. Over the years, elephant and fire depredations have caused the once substantial woodlands to dwindle, and in parts, grasslands have taken over.

It became necessary to take control measures to reduce the elephant population to a manageable size

It also became necessary to carry out early burning programmes in the upper escarpment, to prevent later, hot fires from raging through and causing serious damage to tree growth.

The effectiveness of the programmes can now be seen by the tremendous re-growth apparent in the escarpment area. Animal species that are found in abundance include elephant and buffalo. Other common species are those of: night ape, honey badger, civet, small spotted genet, slender mongoose, banded mongoose, spotted hyaena, wild cat, lion, leopard, yellow spotted dassie, black rhinoceros, zebra, warthog, common duiker, grysbok, klipspringer, waterbuck, bushbuck, scrub hare, porcupine, vervet monkey, chacma baboon, side-striped jackal, hippopotamus, roan antelope, kudu and bush squirrel. Some of the more elusive species include: clawless otter, white-tailed mongoose, reedbuck, sable antelope, eland, civet, rusty spotted genet, caracal and bush pig. Animals that are present but only sighted on rare occasions include wild dog, cheetah, roan and pangolin.

The park has a camping site at Tashinga on the lake shore. There is an ablution block with hot and cold water, showers, toilets, wash basins and baths. Firewood and braai facilities are available. Some of the camping sites have sleeping shelters.

There is a smaller camping site at Sanyati consisting of six sites, each with a braai stand. There is an ablution block with hot and cold water and laundry trough.

Changachirere Camping Site is an exclusive camping site that caters for one party of a maximum of 10 persons. The facility has a mini-ablution block and shelter.

There are also two totally undeveloped bush camping sites at Jenje and Kanjedza for up to a maximum of 10 persons per camp. Visitors must be fully equipped and have a four-wheel-drive vehicle for this section.

Situated close to Tashinga Airstrip on the east bank of the Bumi River, 55 kilometres from Kariba by boat.

Situated at Elephant Point, 44 kilometres from Kariba by boat. Also situated on the Bumi River upstream around 300 metres beyond Ume Camp.

Other exclusive camp sites can be found at Maronga close to the Chifudzi substation and Kautsiga sited on the escarpment which is ideal for hikers and climbers.

The closest convenience shops are found in Kariba town, therefore, visitors are advised to thoroughly pack for the trip. Petrol, diesel and oil are sometimes available at Bumi Harbour but supplies are not always reliable.

The road to Matusadonha from Magunje Growth Point in Karoi serpents through communal in Zvipane, giving way to a dirty road to Msampakaruma before giving way to Matusadonga National Park.

The road to the park is strictly a four by four affair but the experience is excellent.

Africa: U.S., Africa Partnership Discussed At ATA Seminar

2012-04-22T14:12:00.000+02:00

Leaders in travel and tourism sector across the globe recently converged in Washington D.C. to discuss US and Africa Partnerships, New Media Marketing Channels for Africa, and Tourism Product Development, such as the need to set up a West Africa Tourism Radio program that will market Africa's tourism products to audiences in Africa and the USA; engage African Diaspora in tourism promotion in Africa as well as to shift focus on Africa's culinary products development.

The synergy also availed the two continents' tourism leaders to focus on new strategies that will increase arrivals, tourism revenues, and tourism partnerships between USA and Africa marketplaces.

In an interview with Tourisphere after her return from the seminar, the Minister of Tourism and Culture Fatou Mass Jobe-Njie, who doubles as the President of the Africa Travel Association (ATA), said the seminar which is the fifth one held in Washington has brought together some government officials and dignitaries in tourism industry to discuss device means of how to expose Africa's tourism market potential in the USA. She said the forum accorded her the opportunity to address the delegates as she used the medium to call on all African diplomatic representatives at the event to work with ATA in order to promote and advance Destination Africa.

Reference to her speech delivered at the seminar, minister Jobe-Njie made it clear that "ATA has connected us with key industry leaders and provided us with tools to overcome the challenges Africa faces as a continental destination. It is up to us now to take action and work together to increase tourism arrivals and revenue to our continent."

The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Dr. Reuben E. Brigety, II, Bureau of African Affairs, US Department of State, spoke about the importance of investing in the growth of Africa's economic development and in engaging the US private sector in the process.

Dr Reuben who was quoted as per his statement delivered at the event said: "Strong growing economies help stabilize democracies, promote peace and improve social and health conditions" adding that many countries in Africa are transitioning into a new phase of economic opportunity that, if managed well, could solidly launch individual economies on a path towards prosperity, peace and open up new areas for US business.

At the plenary opening, according to minister Jobe-Njie, Edward Bergman, ATA Executive Director, reflected on the current climate for tourism promotion to Africa from the US.

He said: "With President Barack Obama's announcement on the role tourism can play in driving economic growth and job creation in the USA and Africa's they will continue growth as a travel destination of choice among US travelers, the momentum of the tourism industry as an economic driver and the pace of US travel to Africa are clear," adding that, the knowledge of the power of tourism as an economic driver exists and the demand for product and service in Africa is there, which is where ATA has a critical role to play by ensuring that the supply meets the demand.

According to Minister Jobe-Njie, ambassador Amina Ali, African Union Permanent Representative to the USA, participated in the opening and highlighted on Africa's impressive economic performance over the last decade and its future potential. "She noted 'Africa's economic growth could have been even more pronounced and impressive if it had vigorously harnessed its inherent tourism potential. The world tourism industry is booming and tourism, to quote the recent Brent Hurst Foundation discussion paper, tourism has gone global in the 21st century, no continent stands to benefit more from the 21st century tourism boom than Africa notwithstanding the global economic crisis" Minister Jobe quoted ambassador Ali.

It was however confirmed by minister Jobe-Njie that 2012 event in US attracted the highest number of African country's representatives to date. "Almost twenty countries were present," she revealed. And the list of the present Africa country's representatives include Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe among others. According to her, a record number of 150 participants attended the event, and The Gambia was highly represented and respected at the high-level tourism seminar.

Peter Tichansky, President and CEO of the Business Council joined Minister Jobe-Njie, Dr. Brigety and Mr. Bergman at the opening session for International Understanding (BCIU) and Steven Hayes, President of the Corporate Council on Africa, as well as John Goliath, CEO of UNICOMM Travel & Adventure Show.

About ATA

The Africa Travel Association (ATA) is the leading global trade association promoting travel and tourism to Africa and strengthening intra-Africa partnerships. It also serves both the public and private sectors of the international travel and tourism industry, with membership comprising African governments, their tourism ministers, tourism bureaus and boards, airlines, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, front-line travel sellers and providers, tour operators and travel agents, and affiliate industries.