OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
US Ambassador to Kenya encourages US travellers to visit Kenya
The US ambassador to Kenya , Michael E.Ranneberger, has taken the unusual step of writing an open letter to American travelers and businesspeople throughout the United States urging them to consider a visit to Kenya following the establishment of the new “Grand Coalition” government. According to the US ambassador, Kenyan President Kibaki and Kenyan Prime MinisterRaila Odinga are working closely together to forge this new coalition of parties in a new spirit of goodwill and unity. He also said: “I urge you to look again at Kenya as an exciting destination for tourism and for doing business, be it trade or investment. In 2007, a record 102,000 Americans visited Kenya , many to enjoy the richness of the country's culture and the majesty of its landscapes and unparalleled wildlife.” He added: “I hope you'll consider visiting Kenya as a tourist or businessperson in 2008. The country is very much back in business and this is an exciting time to be here. There is a tangible spirit of renewed hope and opportunity. You'll find Kenyans to be welcoming and warm." “I hope to see you here soon,” the US ambassador concluded.
Singita Grumeti Reserves' Faru Faru Lodge in Tanzania
Faru Faru Lodge has been built in the style of a classic East African safari camp and overlooks a watering hole and the Grumeti River . The elevated decks over the watering hole allow game viewing even leaving the lodge. Singita Grumeti Reserves is located adjacent to the Western Corridor of the Serengeti and encompasses over 350 000 acres of unrivalled wilderness. Grumeti Reserves are part of the great annual wildebeest migration route and even when it's not migration season, herds of gazelle, zebra and giraffe can be found across the plains. Singita boasts three exclusive properties in Grumeti Reserves, namely Sasakwa Lodge, Faru Faru Lodge and Sabora Tented Camp.
Tribe, The Village Market Hotel in Nairobi
Tribe - The Village Market Hotel is adjacent to the The Village Market Shopping complex and is also located near the United Nations and the US Embassy in Nairobi.It has an onsite gym in the Village Market as well as cinema, ten pin bowling alley, minigolf and great children facilities. The conferencing facilities consist of four boardrooms which can cater for up to 35 delegates, with quality equipment on hand.
Mara Intrepids Camp renovations complete
Heritage Hotels has completed the renovations at Mara Intrepids Camp in Kenya's Maasai Mara, home of the Great Wildebeest Migration each summer. Mara Intrepids, along with sister-property Samburu Intrepids, now has three Family Tents available at each property. These new Family Tents are two traditional permanent tented safari tents joined by a common sitting area in between. Additionally, both Mara Intrepids and Samburu Intrepids also now offer Honeymoon Tents. These new tents include all the lovely amenities as the traditional safari tents, but are secluded to ensure the utmost privacy and luxury for honeymooners while on safari in Kenya .
Virgin Atlantic dials up Kenya Promotions
Virgin Atlantic which has started daily services from London to Nairobi a year ago will spend some 250,000 UK pounds in promoting their flights to Nairobi . Virgin suffered a sharp drop continued in ticket sales after the disputed elections in Kenya end of December 2007. The promotions are aimed to increase the sales and to help bringing back the Tourism sector to normality. Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, recently visited Kenya together with a group of journalists and travel writers. To underline his commitment Branson announced his intention to build a camp in Masai Mara.
Poachers still a threat to Kenya 's safari tourism
Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) in its Annual Report informed the public that it recovered more than 1,200 illegal trophies from poachers. They included skins, ivory, rhino horns and live animals. KWS made 2,134 arrests in connection with wildlife related offences. Three game rangers were killed in line of duty and three others were seriously injured. Illegal logging of African sandalwood is another threat. KWS calls for stiffer penalties for people caught wildlife carcasses. Despite all this conservation efforts are successful and wildlife numbers are steadily rising. The number of black rhinos has reached 560 up from 234 a few years ago while the elephant population has recovered from an all time low of 16,000 at the peak of poaching to the current 33,000. The lions are now 2,500. However, three types of antelopes in the country have become endangered species and their numbers are dwindling due to loss of habitats and poaching. These include the remaining 120 Sable antelopes in Shimba Hills, 90 Hirola antelopes in Garissa and 34 Roan antelopes in Suba.
Toona Tree Restaurant, Nairobi re-opened
The formerly popular Toona Tree Restaurant on Museum Hill close to the refurbished National Museum , and overlooking the city centre has been and reopened. The cuisine is inspired by the Mediterranean region cooking and a fusion of World flavours. Next to the restaurant there is a lounge bar with live/DJ played music and Blue Times for after dinner entertainment.
Kenya Wildlife Service to build more tourism facilities
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) plans to increase the number of lodges and tented camps in National Parks to boost also domestic tourism by making accommodation more affordable. Currently, there are up to 30 lodges in various parks and reserves managed by KWS. Tsavo East has the highest number of accommodation facilities with one lodge and nine tented camps. The latter are smaller with between 30 and 40 beds. The lodges and camps are managed and operated by private companies. KWS Director, Dr Julius Kipng'etich, said the institution would soon advertise for the construction of more lodges in different parks and reserves, to be completed in the next five years. KWS will advertise sites for hotels at Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Chyullu, the Aberdares, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru , Mt Kenya , Mt Elgon, Nairobi , Sigiloi, Hells Gate, Mwea, Kakamega and Saiwa parks. In the last three years KWS has established guesthouses in Ol Donyo Sabuk, Kakamega, Mt Elgon, Kitale, Kiboko and Hells Gate. New lodges in Meru, Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks are nearing completion.
Threat to major Kenyan wetland from biofuels
The plan to grow biofuel crops on the idyllic Tana River Delta in Kenya prompting outrage amongst local people, conservationists and farmers. Consultants, commissioned by Nature Kenya and the RSPB, highlight the "irreversible loss of ecosystem services" the scheme will cause and say that some of its costs "defy valuation". They conclude: "In the light of expected negative impacts of the project, it should be suspended. Instead, the ecologically friendly activities such as pastoralism, fishing, small-scale farming, timber harvesting, honey production, medicine and tourism should be encouraged." The Delta, on Kenya 's northern coast, is invaluable to numerous farming and fishing communities because it is less affected by droughts. It draws livestock farmers from as far as Somali and Ethiopian borders where the dry season is harsh. It is home to lions, hippos and nesting turtles, more than 345 species of bird and the Tana red colobus, one of 25 primates facing extinction worldwide. The area's thick vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide and its waters teem with fish.
EU releases US $ 10m for marketing Kenya's Tourism Sector
The European Union has finally released the money it had withheld last year in a bid to help marketing bodies promote the tourism sector following a slump caused by post-election violence. The Minister for Tourism, Mr Najib Balala, said US$ 10m (€6.2 million) from the EU will help cater for marketing activities like an upcoming campaign in Europe . The money, which had been negotiated and allocated for different programmes, will see Kenya Tourism Board have a larger kitty to carry out its marketing mandate. The Kenyan government contributed over US$ 3m. As part of marketing efforts organised by the sector, the minister will be touring Germany , Italy , Sweden and the UK in the next few weeks meeting with major tour operators. The four countries are key markets. The Tourism minister along with the US ambassador to Kenya , Mr Michael Ranneberger, have also unveiled a committee comprising senior officers to look into issues of bureaucracies affecting growth in the US market.
The Manor at Ngorongoro , Tanzania
Elewana has commenced the total restoration of one of the first German-Dutch-settler farm homes in the Ngorongoro Highlands, with planned completion in the summer of 2008. The addition of The Ngorongoro Manor will be an exiting addition in the Tanzania Northern Circuit Safari.
East African Investment Conference will be held in Kigali, Rwanda
The first ever East African Investment Conference will be held in Kigali from 26th to 28th June 2008. This conference is expected to attract over 700 leading business executives from around the world and is designed to showcase “Leveraging the East African Market through Trade and Investment” as well as highlight the region's potential as a commercial platform for servicing the continent.
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