Travel

Those expecting Nigeria to float a national carrier before the end of this year have to wait a little longer. The project – Nigeria Air – has been suspended indefinitely. Minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika said the decision to put the project on hold was taken on Wednesday at the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. Sirika said …

Nigeria’s aviation minister announced at the Farnborough Airshow International, a biennial major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries with a public airshow in the UK, that the country’s new national airline will be called Nigeria Air and will launch in December. He also explains how the country is planning against the failure of the new carrier. Minister of …

Ethiopia has appointed an ambassador to Eritrea for the first time in 20 years, the latest in a series of peace moves between the neighbours. “Redwan Hussein has been appointed as Ethiopia’s ambassador to Eritrea — the first for 20 years, the foreign ministry said,” according to Ethiopia’s state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation. The announcement on Thursday follows a flurry of …

Nigeria has commenced negotiation with aircraft manufacturers preparatory to the unveiling of a new national carrier, many years after Nigerian Airways was liquidated. The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, said that the Federal Government was also negotiating with investors at the ongoing Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom. Mr James Odaudu, Deputy Director, Media and …

Ethiopia has started issuing visa online for tourists and other visitors across the world effective today (1 June 2018). The news was released by Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Fitsum Arega. According to him, the move coupled with a relaxed visa regime will enhance the country’s openness and also entrench the leading reputation of its national carrier, Ethiopian …

The three-year deal will also see ‘Visit Rwanda’ become Arsenal’s official Tourism Partner. The Rwanda Development Board, through its subsidiary, the Rwandan Convention Bureau, has become Arsenal’s first official sleeve partner as part of the country’s drive to become a leading global tourist destination. The three-year deal will also see ‘Visit Rwanda’ become Arsenal’s official Tourism Partner. The ‘Visit Rwanda’ …

The opening of the Accra Marriott Hotel near the Ghanaian capital marks the Marriot hotel group’s debut in West Africa. The hotel is located opposite the Kotoka International Airport, and just a few kilometres outside of Accra’s central business district providing easy access to major corporate businesses, government entities and well known city landmarks. With 208 well-appointed rooms, three dining …

Tens of thousands of air passengers were stranded Tuesday as workers at Lufthansa and Air France staged strikes that crippled traffic at several major European airports. Germany’s biggest carrier Lufthansa was forced to cancel 800 out of 1,600 scheduled flights, including 58 long-haul flights. German public sector workers including ground crew and airport fire-fighters walked out at 5:00 am with …

Botswana’s President Ian Khama has accused the US government of encouraging elephant poaching following its recent decision to reverse a ban on imports of sport-hunted trophies. Khama was speaking on Friday at an African elephant conservation conference in Botswana. “I want to take this moment to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the decision taken by… the (Donald) Trump administration …

Gambia’s minister of tourism, Hamat Bah, has declared sex tourists unwanted in the country. “We are not a sex destination. If you want a sex destination, you go to Thailand. The Gambia is not a sex destination. We are not, we are not and please every Gambian must sing that song,” Bah said in an interview in January. He went …

Morocco recorded a bumper year for tourist arrivals in 2017, breaking through the 11-million barrier for the first time, the tourism ministry announced on Monday. Visitor arrivals numbered some 11.4 million, a 10% increase over 2016, with tourists from “emerging markets” such as China and Brazil joining those from France, Spain and Germany. Revenues from the sector jumped to 69.7 …

Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA) Addis Ababa has been ranked among the top World Aviation Training Centres by Aviation Voice, a global aviation news provider engaged in the ranking of global aviation training centres. The ranking is against 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced ranking covering the full range of a training centre’s areas of …

Rapid scanning of passports will mean shorter border control queues for travellers at Africa’s second busiest airport, enhancing border crossing experience for millions of visitors. Gemalto, the world leader in digital security, is supplying Cairo International, the second busiest airport in Africa, with automated document readers that will enable faster border crossings for millions of travellers, whilst ensuring rigorous security …

Lufthansa has overhauled its livery, changing the background of its iconic century-old logo from yellow to blue. The crane, remains the airline’s iconic symbol, but it has been slimmed down in this incarnation and is surrounded by a thinner ring giving it more space. The German airline officially unveiled its new brand image on Wednesday (7 February) at company events …

German airline group Lufthansa said Monday it plans to hire more than 8,000 people in 2018, the latest step in a relentless push for growth at one of Europe’s largest carriers. Taking into account workers leaving the company, a Lufthansa spokesman told AFP that the net effect of the hiring spree would be “several thousand” new jobs — an increase …

China has announced a new visa waiver policy for visitors from 53 countries to Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei for up to six days. The measure, which takes effect from 28 December, applies to visitors from Germany and other members of the European Union’s Schengen area, as well as the US, Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Argentina, the official People’s Daily reported …

A British woman has been convicted of smuggling 300 painkiller tablets into Egypt and jailed for three years and fined the equivalent of $5,611. Laura Plummer, 33, was arrested on 9 October at Hurghada International Airport on the Red Sea after police reportedly found 290 tablets of tramadol in her suitcase. Tramadol is a strong painkiller used to treat moderate …

Senegal has a new airport as the West African country seeks to underline its status as an airline hub in the sub-region. The Blaise Diagne International Airport was officially opened on 7 December by President Macky Sall. He called it a “source of satisfaction and legitimate pride” for the country. The airport is named after the first African to be …

Nationals of African countries travelling to Kenya will no longer be required to apply for a visa before leaving for the East African country. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the abolition of the pre-visa requirement when he took the oath of office for a second and final term on 28 November in Nairobi. “Today, I am directing that any African wishing …

After removing visa requirements for African nationals, Rwanda has announced a new visa system that will issue a 30-day visa to citizens of all countries upon arrival without prior application. Rwanda has announced a new visa regime that allows travellers from across the world to be issued a 30-day visa on arrival in Kigali, beginning 1 January 2018. The first …