ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive July 2000 Lufthansa Withdraws Harare Service, July 2 2000 German airline Lufthansa will discontinue its service between Zimbabwe and Germany from November 2000 citing a decline in revenue from the route. "It is very unfortunate that after serving Harare for over 10 years we are forced to take this drastic measure," Lufthansa’s vice- president, sales and services, Uwe Mueller, said in a statement. Mueller said a feasibility study had revealed that the route was no longer viable and the only way the airline could cut losses from the route was to withdraw its flights to the capital completely. "The Zimbabwean market remains important to Lufthansa and we will continue investigating various options to provide our customers with alternative links," said Mueller. He said customers already holding a booking for Lufthansa flights from Harare after October 30 would be contacted by the airline or travel agents for suitable alternative travel arrangements. Lufthansa operated three weekly direct flights between Harare and Frankfurt on long-range four-engine Airbus A340 aircraft. Robben Island Closed, July 2 2000 Thousands of tourists are being disappointment as Cape Town’s Robben Island is closed indefinitely due to a major oil spill which has cut-off Table Bay harbor. Robben Island spokesperson, Leslie Mkaza, says the island is likely to stay closed for days if the spill worsens, as expected. No traffic is allowed in or out of the harbor until the oil is cleared except the boats taking people to clean some of the 6,000 penguins on the island, he said. A Chinese-owned bulk carrier which was holed last week finally sank on Friday morning spilling tons of fuel and threatening wildlife and commerce in what is feared the worst environmental disaster in the Cape since a similar oil spill in 1994. S.O.S. Please Help a Penguin!, July 2 2000 The South African National Council for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) is making an urgent appeal to the public, asking them to open their hearts and purses in aid of the African penguin. About 40% of the African penguin population is in danger after the massive oil spill from the sunken iron ore carrier, Treasure, off the Cape’s West Coast a week ago. People wishing to make a donation, can use Sanccob’s banking details below: SOUTH
AFRICA OTHER
COUNTRIES First
National Bank Sanccob
would appreciate it if donors could fax through details
of the donation made - name, address, contact details. Surfs Up, Dude! July 2 2000 With prizes in excess of 1 million Rand top surfers from around the world have descended on Jeffreys Bay in South Africa’s Eastern Cape to take part in the prestigious Billabong Surfing Championships from June 29 to July 9. South Africa’s most famous surfing village is holding the competition at the famous Supertubes Beach. Friends of the Mountain Gorilla Society Launched in Uganda, July 2 2000 The Friends of the Mountain Gorilla Society was launched in Kampala, Uganda, on June 22, 2000. The aim of the Friends is to help preserve the highly endangered mountain gorilla. More than half of the world’s remaining 650 mountain gorillas occur in Uganda’s Bwindi forest and in Mgahinga National Park in western Uganda. The new NGO will be housed at the International Conference Center in Kampala. Kruger Park Tourists Targeted by Hijackers, July 2 2000 South African police believe a gang of hijackers is specifically targeting tourists near the Kruger National Park. This follows the hijacking of a newlywed US couple on Saturday and the hijacking of an Englishwoman and four Irish relatives on Wednesday last week. In both cases, the tourists were attacked soon after leaving Kruger. New Mozambican Port Would Prevent Elephant Migration, July 9 2000 Plans by Mozambique and a British company to build a new deep-water port on the country's south coast would pose a threat to the area's unique ecology according to environmental activists. It is reported that a spokesperson for the Natural History Museum of Mozambique's Eduardo Mondlane University said the port project would also threaten the regular migration of elephants from South Africa to the Maputoland elephant reserve in Mozambique. Penguin Rescue Continues in South Africa, July 9 2000 Since June 29, 2000, close to 13,000 adult penguins from Dassen Island had been transported from Cape Town, South Africa and released into the sea at Cape Recife near Port Elizabeth, South Africa. According to Port Elizabeth chief marine and coastal inspector, Harry Watts, only 92 penguins died out of the total of 13,000. Watts praised Bayworld Aquarium, the South African Defense Force, Port Elizabeth Fire Brigade and Commandos and Western Cape Nature Conservation Board for their tremendous support in the penguin rescue operation. There are currently 18,500 oiled penguins at Salt River in Cape Town, where the South African National Council for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) set up a satellite rehabilitation station. Conservationists continue collecting penguin chicks off Dassen Island. Internet Coverage of Penguin Rescue Operation, July 9 2000 Two weeks ago, the Treasure, a giant bulk-ore carrier sank off the coast of Cape Town, spilling several tons of oil. Thousands of oil-coated penguins have been rescued in the biggest clean-up operation of its kind. In response to Cape Town's penguin disaster, a South African internet site, www.ca2000.co.za, has teamed up with the South African National Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob), to provide live Internet pictures of the clean- up operation. This is the first time webcams have been used to monitor an environmental disaster in Africa on the Internet. The Internet site also features a map showing the progress of the three penguins named 'Peter, Percy and Pamela' with satellite transmitters on their backs after being rescued and transported to Port Elizabeth before being released to swim back to Cape Town. In a further technological innovation, the website has enabled the first online donation process for concerned international or domestic individuals and enterprises to pledge money for the penguins. The charitable donations will be taken on the Internet through www.CA2000.co.za/sanccob creating a global support opportunity, which was not previously available to international donors. For detailed information, the site has posted an additional library of digital pictures of the operation, links to the latest news on the oil spill and a daily diary written by a volunteer at the Sanccob site relating the progress made and work involved. Tanzania Moves To Control Nile Crocodile Population, July 9 2000 Tanzania expects to reduce its increasing Nile crocodile population by 1,500 reptiles. The reptiles continue to pose serious problems to human life and the control is intended to put their ever-growing population in check. Statistics obtained from the Tanzania wildlife department suggest that human deaths caused by crocodile attacks has grown to over 400 in the period 1985-2000, with 462 casualties escaping death by a hair's breath. Kenya Faces Increasing Competition from Tanzania for Tourists, July 9 2000 Kenya's tourism industry is bracing itself for stiff competition from Tanzania, which has embarked on an ambitious privatization program. The Tanzanian government is putting all state owned hotels up for sale. Last week, bids for six of the hotels, previously run by Tanzania Hotels Investments Ltd (TAHI ), were opened by the Presidential Parastatal Sector Reform Commission. The top bid was by a Mauritius-based hotel chain, Hotels and Lodges Ltd., and valued the six properties on Tanzania's main tourist circuit at 2.2 billion Tanzanian shillings or US $28 million. Several Kenyan-based hotel management groups, which were among the 68 that expressed an interest in the lodges, were eliminated before the prequalification stage, leaving only five competitors. Among them were Tourist Promotion Services, which owns the Serena Group of Companies. Announcing the final five, Mr. John C. Rubambe, the chairman of the Reform Commission, said the bids would now await the government's approval. The other bidders were Sopa Management Ltd., with a bid of US $9.2 million for four properties, Coastal Travels US $1.2 million, World Wide Leisure Group US $2 million for two properties and East African Holdings Ltd., associated with the Madhvani Group of Uganda at US $9.85 million for four properties. The properties have a bed capacity of 1,500, giving the new owners a 90% market-share of the growing upmarket Tanzanian tourism industry. They include the Mt Meru Hotel in Arusha, Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, Seronera Wildlife Lodge, Lobo Wildlife Lodge in the Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara Lodge and Mafia Island Lodge in Chole Bay. The lodges were previously managed by Accor Group of France, which also made bids but was knocked out in the initial stages. The takeover of the lodges by the private investor comes at a time when Kenyan tourism is still reeling from a huge slump, which has turned the country into a dumping ground for cheap tourists. Tanzania on the other hand has maintained a controlled development program in which the expansion of bed space went hand in hand with the market possibilities thus allowing them to maintain a lucrative up-market industry which is now threatening Kenya’s ailing tourism sector. Many hotels in the Kenyan circuit have closed while many others are faced with financial problems. Zimbabwe Tourism Recovering After Elections, July 16 2000 Zimbabwe's tourism industry officials say the sector is slowly recovering now that elections are over. The peaceful polling in June has rejuvenated confidence abroad in the country's safety. "We are happy with what is happening now" chief executive of Zimbabwe Council for Tourism, said. Japan recently removed Zimbabwe from the list of countries it advised its citizens against travelling to, and British Airways shifted back operations to the country from neighbouring Zambia where it had re-located in the run-up to the elections fearing violence. Tourism has been for the last few years Zimbabwe's fastest growing industry, and a major source of the country's foreign exchange. More Tourists Expected to Visit Zimbabwe, July 16 2000 Zimbabwe's Mines, Environment and Tourism Minister Simon Moyo said last Monday that the volume of tourists to Zimbabwe is expected to improve now that the parliamentary elections are over. Thousands of potential visitors were reluctant to come to Zimbabwe because of the uncertainty of the political situation just before the election held two weeks ago, he said. "We are still assessing how best we can improve the volume of tourists to Zimbabwe, but we hope more people will start visiting our beautiful country," he said. The tourism industry is Zimbabwe's third biggest foreign currency earner after agriculture and mining. Balloon Tragedy in Kenya’s Masai Mara, July 16 2000 Three persons, two of them foreign tourists, were killed last Wednesday and eight others seriously injured in a hot air balloon crash in southern Kenya's famous Masai Mara game reserve. Police in Nairobi Thursday confirmed the accident, saying authorities had dispatched a team of experts and investigators from the Directorate of Civil Aviation and the tourism ministry to inquire into the cause of the tragedy. Reports from Narok police station, 140 km south of Nairobi, said initial investigation indicated that the accident occurred when the hot air balloon, with Kenya registration number 5Y-BLK, caught fire shortly after take-off. The tourists were flying the balloon. The fire forced its crash-landing, claiming the life of its British pilot, Mark Lissimore, 54. The identity of the other victims could not be disclosed until their next of kin were informed. But among the injured passengers were three American tourists and four Kenyan employees of the balloon owners. The three tourists, an 11-year-old boy, his father and another adult male, as well as two of the Kenyan crew, were evacuated from the scene of the crash by the Flying Doctor Service and flown to Nairobi were they were admitted to a Nairobi hospital for treatment. All victims Kenya Tourism Federation Chairman Jan Mohammed said the victims suffered burns on their upper limbs and faces. Hospital sources confirmed that all were in stable condition. Mohammed said it was the first hot air balloon accident in Masai Mara game reserve. Such balloons have been a favorable means of transport used by tourists on game viewing trips in East African game parks. "They (tourists) were airborne viewing the wild game when the incident occurred shortly after six in the morning (0300 GMT). The cause of the fire, which gutted the balloon, was not immediately established," Mohammed said. The accident took place when the tourist season was getting to its peak, with herds of wildebeest on their annual migration from the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania to the Masai Mara. Mohammed remained optimistic that the accident would not mar business or force cancellation of visits to the game reserve. "It was an accident and we should not start speculations before investigations are complete," he said. "Over 2,000 hot air balloon excursion flights take place in Masai Mara every year and safety regulations and maintenance schedules are strictly adhered to." Balloon Crash Kills Pilot, Injures Nine, July 16 2000 A balloon flying tourists on a safari over a Kenyan game reserve caught fire in mid-air and crashed last Wednesday, killing the British pilot and injuring nine passengers, including three Americans, police said. The balloon had embarked in the early morning to view the sunrise over the vast Masai Mara game reserve, said police spokesman Abraham Koech. The Americans were flown to a hospital in the capital, Nairobi. A hospital spokeswoman said they were in "stable" condition. They were identified as Robert Mozelewski, Ben Mozelewski and Terry Newton, all from Texas. No hometowns were provided. The injured Kenyan crewmembers and the body of Mark Lesimore, the British pilot, were taken to a local hospital. There was no information provided about the cause of the fire. The balloon, operated by Transworld Safaris of Nairobi, took off from the Mara Sarova Lodge in the southeastern section of the reserve, said the company's assistant manager, David Njogu. Several safari firms offer early morning balloon rides over the reserve. The trips normally end with a champagne breakfast under a thorn tree in the vast savanna. SADC Plans to Regional Integration of Game Parks, July 16 2000 As part of its efforts to boost tourism and improve natural resource management, the South African Development Community (SADC) is moving forward with a plan to create four new trans-frontier game parks in southern Africa. The US government is supporting these efforts with a grant to SADC of US $5.81 million for a three-year wildlife management program. Trans-frontier game parks are wildlife reserves that span country borders. The first trans-frontier park in the region, the Kgalagadi Trans-Frontier Park that extends between the borders of South Africa and Botswana, was inaugurated in May, 2000. The park is jointly managed by both countries and both share equally the proceeds of the tourist trade from the park. One of the new proposed parks covers the Okavango/upper Zambezi River area, and would span the borders of the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. According to the acting SADC Secretary General, Prega Ramsamy, the park could attract about 1 million tourists a year, a substantial increase from the current 300,000 that visit the area now. Work on the trans-frontier park is expected to begin by the end of this year. "We think that the common management of the area will create 45,000 new jobs in 10 years and an additional 3,000 accommodations rooms," said Mr. Ramsamy. Other trans-frontier projects being considered including combining Kruger Park in South Africa and some parts of Mozambique and Zimbabwe; the Lake Malawi trans-boundary park which will border Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi; and the Limpopo Basin, which includes tracts of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana. Speeding on Robben Island Leads to Animal Deaths, July 16 2000 The increased number of animals being killed by drivers on South Africa’s Robben Island is causing concern. According to Shaun Davis, environmental unit co-ordinator on the island, 15 animals were killed on a 1.5 kilometer stretch called Murray's Road between February 2 and April 3 this year. This is the main access road between the residential area and Murray's Bay harbor and is regularly used by the islanders. The paper reports that the island has become a popular tourist destination, both as the prison where former president Nelson Mandela was held and because of the many penguins on the island. In 1994 Robben Island was declared a world heritage site and national museum. About 150 people now live there permanently. Mr. Davis said most of the accidents could be attributed to reckless driving and speeding. The speed limit on the island is 40km/h. Options to overcome the problem include the construction of speed humps and deploying traffic officials from Cape Town to track down the culprits. Zimbabwe: A story of African Success, July 23 2000 Now that the furore over Zimbabwe's election has abated, let's draw a deep breath and admit it: Zimbabwe is an African good-news story. Please find an article written by Jonathan Steele below: At about 90% the country has one of the highest literacy rates on the continent. Its race relations are excellent. The attempt to fan black hostility against white farmers during the election campaign was a failure. The political tension that once divided the country's two main ethnic groups, the Shona and the Ndebele, has almost disappeared. Zimbabwe's civil society is vibrant. A plethora of civic groups deal with issues from gender equality and human rights to job creation and poverty reduction. Zimbabwe's judiciary is as firm and unbowed as it was during the colonial era. There are powerful trade unions and, though the ruling party maintains iron control over broadcasting and rejects licenses for independent radio stations, there is a thriving independent press. The elections have given the country a two-party system with a strong opposition for the first time in its history. Zanu-PF's terminology may have an antiquated feel with its politburo, central committee and comrades, but a series of government ministers and officials are welcoming the arrival of pluralism. Nathan Shamuyarira, Zanu-PF's secretary for information, expects it to "produce lively debates in Parliament". This change of official tone has already had an effect on the state-owned media with unprecedented space suddenly being given to opposition views and criticism of the government. Few other African states can rival Zimbabwe's natural advantages. It has a tourist potential that is bound to revive as the election images of intimidation fade. The dams are full and the country is not going to starve. Still, there is a downside. Zimbabwe faces three serious problems, and only one can plausibly be blamed on President Robert Mugabe. It is suffering from the Aids crisis. Controlling the disease is not helped by Zimbabwe's second strategic problem. It is an overwhelmingly patriarchal society, where women still curtsy to men. HIV-positive men go home to their villages and soon infect their wives. Only a massive expansion of sex education in schools and a shift in gender relations will have an effect. The third difficulty is the weakness of the economy in the face of global tendencies, including the ideological havoc caused by the first wave of neo-liberal thinking in the 1990s. Zimbabwe began life as an independent state a decade earlier. The massive spending on health and education in the 1980s resulted in a high budget deficit, which was not helped by lower-than-expected foreign investment and poor prices for export commodities. This was not a case of government mismanagement but of adverse factors beyond its control. In 1991 the government accepted an International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment program that devalued the Zimbabwean dollar, opened the way to more imports, and cut the government deficit by charging for welfare services, including schools and medicine. The infant mortality rate in Harare shot up. The economy's liberalization did not attract the investment the IMF predicted. In the mid-1990s, the IMF and World Bank shifted their emphasis to poverty reduction and sustainability. But in Zimbabwe the damage was done and the Zanu-PF government reacted with a volatile love-hate approach to the international financial institutions. The crisis over white-owned land is the climax of these frustrations. But, as many Zimbabwean NGO experts on land reform point out, the government's plans are dominated by statist thinking. Therein lies Zimbabwe's current tragedy. It is run by a generation of elderly men who have not been able to move on from the liberation struggle. Challenged for power, they fall back on a single issue, and increasingly on racism. The intimidation in the latest elections was the reflex defense of people threatened by loss of power and too inflexible to find ways of achieving consent through dialogue and compromise. But Zimbabwe is in transition to a new generation, a new style of government, and perhaps to a president from a new party. Coupled with its many inherent advantages, this is a story of African success. Boost to Zambezi Valley Anti-Poaching, July 23 2000 The people of Chiriwo ward in northern Zimbabwe on the border with Mozambique who in the past have struggled to protect their valuable elephant resource from illegal hunting have received a welcome boost from the Zambezi Society in the form of $50,000 worth of anti-poaching equipment. The donation from the Zambezi Society was made by the Zambezi Society to community representatives in the Guruve District follows an earlier gift by the society of a Land Rover to Guruve District Council for wildlife conservation work. "The people of this area have great riches in the forests and in their elephant resources but they need to benefit from them in terms of cash," said the society’s director, Dick Pitman, at the handover ceremony. "The Zambezi Society recognizes that life is hard in remote Zambezi Valley areas like this. "We would like to kelp the people of Chiriwo to conserve these valuable resources for their future by using them in a sustainable way. We will provide not only equipment but also information, practical support and logistical assistance where necessary." The money used to purchase the anti-poaching equipment was raised in the UK by the Zambezi Society’s British branch. Since this branch was formed in 1993 it has provided funding for practical support to Zambezi valley anti-poaching patrols within National parks and in communal areas. Save Valley Conservancy Plans Major Ecotourism Project, July 23 2000 The Save Valley Conservancy, celebrated as one of Zimbabwe’s success stories in black rhino conservation, is banking on the resolution of the current political and economic crisis to launch a major campaign as a model of an ecotourism project. Conceding that the entire tourism industry has been affected by the bad publicity outside the country, founder chairman of the Save Valley Conservancy, Clive Stockil, said a joint effort was needed to rebuilt the country’s image as a prime tourism destination. "This year we launched a very aggressive marketing program and regrettably, the current situation with the international media has undermined our attempts," said Stockil. "Tourism depends on the visitors. We are looking at rebuilding confidence publicly. An enabling environment needs to be created by government and other stakeholders. We need to create a safe environment for tourists to come into this country." Established in 1991, the 1 million-acre conservancy, to date, represents an investment of more than $25 million, which has been spent on restocking the area with wildlife and on infrastructural development. The conservancy’s goals include environmental protection, restoration of biodiversity, maximizing social benefits and implementing high quality, low impact tourism. As a result, the conservancy has been rated one of the best conservation initiatives by the IUCN Southern Africa Black Rhino Committee since it introduced there, 20 black rhinos in the mid-80s from the Zambezi Valley. To complement conservancy’s efforts, the Senuko safari lodge was opened four years ago. Consisting of 16 beds, Senuko is the first lodge of its size in the conservancy, and has taken a leading role in the development of the ecotourism product in the area. The Save Valley Conservancy, recognized today as a good example of the potential of ecotourism, has promoted the development of the surrounding Mahenye and Shangaan communities. To date, there are 12 lodges in the conservancy, catering for hunting and non-hunting excursions. A memorandum of agreement is expected to be signed soon between the conservancy and the Save Valley Conservancy Trust made up of representatives from the rural district councils of Chiredzi, Zaka, Buhera, Bikita and Chipinge. "We have had to postpone the date of the signing due to the confusion as a result of the invasions. We have decided to wait until the dust settles," said Stockil. The Save Valley Conservancy Trust, was a philanthropic trust set up to attract and administer the donor funding that was seen as necessary to finance the involvement of the communities in the economy created by the conservancy. The trust was launched last August with the commitment from the conservancy that it would donate $2 million as seed capital. Developed under a three-phase program, the conservancy was set up so it could become a model for sustainable land use in the country and in southern Africa in general. Prior to its inception, cattle had overgrazed the land, exposing it to serious erosion. Cattle raising became increasingly unviable and a downward spiral of environmental degradation set in. Besides, the developers of the conservancy had to initiate an economically viable sanctuary in an arid Region 5 area with major water problems. "What we proposed was to return to nature’s own system for this area," said Stockil. "The area had once been productive, but man’s land use strategy failed, so we decided to go back to nature. The catalyst was the need for a sanctuary for black rhino, under severe pressure from poachers in the Zambezi Valley." Separate ranches in the Save Valley were combined into an area large enough to hold a viable population of rhino. In 1991, the 21 members of the conservancy formalized their relationship with the signing of the first constitution, creating the largest privately owned-wildlife sanctuary in Africa, if not in the world. Stockil said over the years, all internal fencing in an area of nearly a million acres was removed and a perimeter fence was erected to the specifications of the Department of Veterinary Services for disease control purposes. Apart from the introduction of wildlife, the conservancy received international recognition for the saving of elephants from Gonarezhou National Park during the 1992 drought period. Adult elephants were for the first time moved as whole family units, into the wild. With the considerable build up of expertise, the conservancy has been able to translocate other wildlife species. Almost 600 elephant were reintroduced to the Save Valley during this operation and many more since then. The dearth in tourism receipts, attributed to bad publicity, has slashed visits to the conservancy. The situation has been worsened by the farm invasions, which have also interrupted maintenance work at the conservancy. Last week, a local taskforce comprising representatives from the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) and the government, were in Chiredzi to resolve the issue. It was agreed that repair activities should continue without interference. Stockil said repair teams were being assembled and about 20 teams would be needed for the 340km fence. "Funding is one of the issues that has not been resolved," Stockil said. "Under the conditions set with the vet department, we are to maintain the fences but we run the risk of revenue drying up due to lack of business from the tourism industry." The Conservancy will need up to $1,5 million to repair damaged fences which separate the wildlife from the livestock if it is to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease. KLM to Use Larger Aircraft on Nairobi Route, July 23 2000 Dutch airline KLM has introduced a bigger aircraft on the Nairobi- Amsterdam route to meet increased demand. Ms Katy Fisher-Freullet, the airline's East African manager, said the expansion would increase available capacity on the route by about 30%. "The change from the 226-seater Boeing 767 to the 297-seater MD11 is a reaction to greater demand for our service on this route. It will see the creation of an additional 500 seats per week for passengers, with improvements in space, comfort and entertainment services," she said. The new flights, she noted, will be operated under the firm's code-sharing arrangements with Kenya Airways, and stressed that the increased volume of operations would enhance Nairobi's position as a major hub of airline traffic in Africa. The "hub concept" is a major plank of Kenya Airways' marketing strategy - in which the Dutch carrier has a 26% strategic partnership stake acquired in 1996. KLM's decision to increase capacity comes in the wake of the traditional peak tourism season which starts next month. $20 Million Required to Upgrade Six Tanzania Lodges, July 23 2000 A substantial investment estimated at $20 million will be required to upgrade six Tanzanian leisure lodges, which were privatized recently, to world class standards. Industry sources say the sum is needed following years of neglect by the government-owned Tanzania Hotels Investment Ltd (TAHI), on whose behalf the hotels were being managed by the Accor Group of France. The lodges were last week awarded to Mauritius-based Hotels and Lodges Ltd, which placed a top bid of $28 million, ahead of other leading international hotel groups. The Presidential Parastatal Sector Reform Commission chairman, Mr. John Rubambe, has confirmed the offer to Hotels and Lodges on behalf of the Tanzanian government. The six hotels - Mt Meru, Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, Seronera Wildlife Lodge, Lobo Wildlife Lodge, Lake Manyara Lodge and Mafia Island Lodge - have a total bed capacity of 1,500. They will give the new owners a 90% market share of Tanzania's growing upmarket tourism sector. Police Issue Alert After Hyenas Eat American Boy, July 23 2000 Botswana Safari tour operators have been asked to warn tourists about the dangers of wild animals, after hyenas killed and ate an 11-year old American boy camping at a northern game reserve. The boy was sleeping in a tent alone at the Xakasa Safari Camp in the Moremi Game Reserve in Ngamiland district when the hyenas attacked and mauled him to death. His mother who was sleeping in another tent at the same camp did not hear the attack. According to the police, some workers raised the alarm after they saw the hyenas dragging the boy's body from the tent to a nearby bush. The boy's body has been taken to the district hospital at Maun. According to the Maun police this incident follows that in which a lion recently killed and ate a 20-year-old local man. Landela Safaris Grows, July 23 2000 Landela Safaris have purchased Star of Africa’s Elephant Valley Lodge near Chobe, Botswana. Minor renovations have already taken place. The lodge has eight twin-bedded en-suite Meru tents. Meanwhile Landela says that Bumi Hills and Fothergill will both re-open on August 1, 2000. Jonathan Ellway, well known Landela manager in Victoria Falls will take up a new post with Conservation Corporation at Matetsi, also from August 1, 2000. Sun International Follows Environmental Rules, July 23 2000 Sun International Resorts has said the group's development of The Victoria Falls resort in Zambia would meet and exceed self-imposed guidelines that would eventually enhance the status of the World Heritage Site on which it is situated. According to a spokesperson for Sun International, Zambia's legislation on the environment is highly prescriptive and the project would not undertake any construction within 50 meters of the Zambezi River. An exhaustive Environmental Impact Assessment has resulted in an environmental management program, which will ensure careful preservation and rehabilitation of existing ecosystems in the area surrounding the proposed resort. Plans to Rename Pretoria, July 23 2000 Local authorities in South Africa are considering a proposal to change the name of the capital, Pretoria. The plan is to alter the city boundaries to include nearby towns and suburbs and to give the enlarged metropolitan area the name Tshwane, meaning we are one. The official appointed to look into the idea, Kika David Kenaka, noted that Tshwane was a name with which local people could identify and that the proposed change was part of the transformation process taking place in South Africa. Public opinion is being canvassed and a final decision is expected within the next few months. Namibia Warned Against Seal Culling, July 23 2000 Animal welfare organizations have warned the Namibian government that its plan to cull 7,000 Cape fur seal bulls and 60,000 seal pups will damage its tourism industry. Spokespersons from these organizations said that it is common knowledge that there is currently no market for seal products, and that the cull is therefore pointless. The Namibian fisheries ministry maintains that the seals are threatening the country's fishing industry because of the huge quantities of fish they consume. Lufthansa Terminates Windhoek Services, July 23 2000 Lufthansa has announced that it is to withdraw its services to Namibia with effect from the end of October, saying that the Frankfurt- Windhoek route was ‘uneconomical’. Announcing the decision Uwe Mueller, the airline’s vice-president for sales in southeast Europe, Africa and Middle East, stated that an in-depth feasibility study had revealed that the route had shown a decline in yields. "Despite all our best efforts, we have not been able to redress this situation and have no other choice than to withdraw the flight completely. As a fully privatized airline we can no longer permit ourselves to operate loss-making routes for an extended period of time." Lufthansa currently operates three weekly non-stop flights between Windhoek and Frankfurt on the long range Airbus A 340. In the meantime, Air Namibia has stated that it will be increasing its flight frequency between the two countries. "We would like to assure our agents and customers that we are not pulling out," an Air Namibia spokesman confirmed. " We will continue to fly to Germany and we will increase the frequency of our flights with an additional direct flight to Munich every week from October 28." The Lufthansa decision to terminate services to Windhoek coincides with the airline’s decision to drop Harare as a destination. South Africa Donates Black Rhino Pair to Malawi, July 23 2000 Liwonde National Park in Malawi is boasting a brand new black rhino pair, a joint donation from North West Parks and Tourism Board, and South African National Parks (SANP). The rhino bull was captured in Pilanesberg National Park and the cow in the Kruger National Park. The donation is part of a joint project between North West Parks and Tourism Board and SANP to establish satellite populations of the endangered black rhino in southern Africa. Malawi Turns from Tobacco to Tourism, July 23 2000 Poverty stricken Malawi has begun to give up tobacco in favor of tourism, since its main foreign currency earner has been hard-hit by low prices and the powerful international anti-smoking lobby. With its stunning national parks, game reserves and Lake Malawi, Africa's third largest freshwater lake, Malawi is far from lacking in potential for foreign tourists, says one local professional. "We have the basic attractions. All we just need to do is give tourism the priority it deserves," Charles Merrick, who runs Malawi's only hotel training school, said. Malawi used to depend on tobacco for up to 70% of its foreign exchange earnings. But low prices for what locals affectionately call "green gold," with the anti-smoking lobby, have massively diminished such income. "We now want to make a deliberate effort to promote tourism in Malawi," Finance Minister Mathews Chikaonda said. A government masterplan to promote tourism by giving incentives to investors is to come under review starting this year, Chikaonda said. Only 220,000 tourists visited Malawi last year, according to the latest government figures. That was a 3.5% rise on 1993. Until 1993, tourists were put off by the country's strict dress code. Women were banned from wearing mini-skirts or trousers, while men were not allowed to have long hair. Casinos were outlawed and even backpackers were closely monitored by the secret service of late dictator Kamuzu Banda. Few tourists meant little attention was paid to developing infrastructure. Many potential sites attractions are out of reach during the rainy season, and even in the dry season access remains difficult with notoriously potholed roads. Meanwhile many hotels are below standard, with only 1,300 beds of a quality suitable for international visitors. Chikaonda says the government wants to improve airports, the road network to major attractions and the number of facilities for accommodation and conferences. The development will, the minister confirmed, now be regarded as one way of diversifying from too much reliance on tobacco. Merrick believes Malawi has the potential to attract half a million tourists, who could generate up to 600 million kwacha (US $10.7 million dollars) each year in foreign exchange. Last year tourists brought in 258 million kwacha. British Airways Upgrade, July 23 2000 Responding to an extensive survey among regular travelers BA has introduced a completely flat bed in its business class. In fact, business class has undergone a complete refurbishment which includes a newly configured cabin with arm-chair style eats that convert at the touch of a button into a six foot fully flat bed. The seats are configured in such a way as to give passengers complete privacy whilst sleeping. In addition the meal service has been upgraded and entertainment vastly improved. Club World passengers can now choose from 18 channels of film and TV, including many first rate movies laptop power points and phones allow business passengers to continue working if necessary. An 18kg hand luggage allowance means that business passengers may not need to check any luggage. Harare’s Meikles Hotel To Upgrade Rooms, July 30 2000 Zimbabwe’s Meikles Hotel has registered its faith in Zimbabwe’s future by announcing a US $500,000 project to refurbish the hotel’s luxury Imperial and Park View suites overlooking Harare’s African Unity Square. Work begins on 1 August and is due to be completed at the end of October. The refurbishment, directed by Tamara Wright of Fabrics International Interiors, gathers together Victorian-style furniture, brass-cornered military Kist’s, wall prints of birds and animals, old maps and leather-bound books reflecting a vanished era. South African Journalists give Zimbabwe Thumbs-Up, July 30 2000 A group of South African media representatives brought to Zimbabwe under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority have pledged to do their bit to get Zimbabwe back where it belongs as a leading tourist destination in southern Africa. The group, representing the trade medium GSA, influential financial paper Business Day, popular consumer travel magazine Getaway and the weekly Saturday Star, were unanimous that what they saw of Zimbabwe (Harare, Victoria Falls and Hwange) was beyond their expectations and that it was sad that the country had taken such a knock as a result of pre-election violence and the negative publicity associated with it. Fay Vermaak, addressing a trade and media debrief in Harare on the eve of the group’s departure, said the Zimbabwean tourism product was still of excellent quality, and there was no evidence of the destination being unsafe. "At no point during our stay did we feel threatened or unsafe. Everyone we encountered was friendly, and the few other visitors we met had only good to say about Zimbabwe." Andrew Austin, news editor of Business Day noted that hotel, lodge owners and tour operators had an attitude of optimism and a strong resolve to bounce back. "I was particularly surprised to see how the private sector has embraced the national tourism recovery plan. "I expected an air of resignation, but everywhere people were up-beat." He noted that operators were adapting to the hard times by cutting deals with each other to offer consumers incredible packages. Ferouz Parker of Getaway noted the tourism product (in Zimbabwe) is still excellent and standards are high enough to compete with the world’s best." Breakthrough on Ebola, July 30 2000 Scientists have made a discovery, which could pave the way for treatments for the deadly Ebola disease. The researchers have uncovered a protein manufactured by the Ebola virus that disrupts the cells that line the blood vessel walls. They believe this protein could be responsible for the severe, and often deadly bleeding experienced by patients who are infected by Ebola. The researchers, from the US National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, believe that blocking the action of the protein might be one way to treat Ebola infection. Ebola, found in several African countries, is marked by fever and bleeding in the eyes and gums. It is fatal in up to 90% of cases. A 1995 outbreak of Ebola in Kikwit, Congo, killed 245 people. At present, there is no cure and no treatment, and researchers are trying to find out where the fever, named after the region in Zaire where it was first identified, came from. They have also been trying to find out why the virus causes such devastating effects. The research is published in the journal Nature Medicine. Namibia Imports Impala from Botswana, July 30 2000 More than 200 impala from the Tuli Block in Botswana will be translocated to Salambala Conservancy in Namibia by the end of this month. The animals were purchased by the World Wide Fund for Nature of Namibia on behalf of Salambala. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
