Adeola Victor

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has announced the inauguration of twice-weekly flights from Lagos to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The statement by the company said the service, commencing on December 2, 2014, would mark the next stage of growth in the airline’s regional strategy. The statement said that the Tanzanian capital would become the third destination in Air Seychelles’ Indian Ocean and African network, after Mauritius and Johannesburg. It added that the route would be operated using a two-class Airbus A320 aircraft with 16 Business Class and 120 Economy Class seats. The Chief Executive Officer, Air Seychelles, Mr. Manoj Papa, said, “We continue to build strength and depth in our global network, and the addition of Dar es Salaam, one of Africa’s fastest-growing business and tourism destinations, will enhance traffic flow to the Seychelles and beyond, fulfilling our mandate to be a key economic enabler for the Seychelles, supporting tourism a

Sakhumzi’s Restaurant is a must-do  stop  for hundreds of foreign and domestic tourists visiting Soweto. It’s also a popular watering hole and dining spot for locals. This is the remarkable story of Sakhumzi Maqubela, an inspirational  entrepreneur  who traded in his lucrative job to become the owner of a restaurant in the world-famous Vilakazi Street in Orlando West, Soweto. Sakhumzi had been working in the banking industry for 13 years with First National Bank, repairing their ATMs and  computers . Because he was so good at what he was doing, the repairs that he carried out lasted and so he found himself with a fair amount of free time on his hands. The inspiration for a restaurant came with him and his friends relaxing in the house that he had inherited from his parents. The story continues with friends dropping in after finishing their day at work for a beer and food prepared by his wife Bukelwa, who was a dab hand in the kitchen. Later, passing tourist groups en route

Future Group,the publishers of Business Traveller Africa magazine – in association with its Lagos-based affiliate, Tradeblazers, TNS South Africa and partner South African Tourism will be hosting the inaugural Business Traveller Africa Nigeria Awards this year. The event is set to take place at the InterContinental Hotel Lagos on 18 September. The objective is to reward excellence in Nigerian business travel and to acknowledge those brands that have performed with excellence over the past year. The function is both a networking platform and an awards event covering all aspects of business travel, including the four main areas of hotels, airlines, car rental and travel management, along with related categories such as foreign exchange, visas etc. South African Tourism’s Regional Director: Africa, Evelyn Mahlaba, says “South African Tourism sees the potential in the Business Traveller Nigeria Awards because for us, this provides a wonderful opportunity to recognize the immense contrib

Kenya Airways did the country proud as the national airline took delivery of the third B787-8 Dreamliner. The handover of the latest brand new aircraft is part of an ongoing fleet renewal exercise under which initially 9 Dreamliners were ordered. With a fuel consumption of more than 20 percent less than the B767-300ERs presently used by Kenya Airways, a longer range and a higher payload for passengers and cargo, these state-of-the-art planes will progressively replace the aged B767s and then add to the overall fleet size, catering to the two new destinations in China coming online later this year, Beijing and Shanghai. This year alone, Kenya Airways will take delivery of 6 B787-8 Dreamliners, 2 additional B777-300ERs and next generation B737-800s before next year a further 3 Dreamliners and a yet to be confirmed number of other aircraft will join the fleet in Nairobi. The recent soft opening of the new Terminal 1A, formerly known as Terminal 4, where Kenya Airways is conducting t

So, you’re heading to South Africa for a meeting or a conference, perhaps on short notice, and are unsure about what to expect when you get here, or how to get around? Well, luckily, there’s a piece of technology you probably have already that can help you – your smartphone. Armed with a set of handy apps and other useful resources, you'll find your stay in South Africa to be nothing short of lekker (Afrikaans for nice/great). Below is a list of useful technologies to take advantage of on your next business trip or holiday to South Africa: Getting here Seat Guru is a website that'll help you find out what seats are available for your flight, and help you choose the best one. It works for a number of international airlines, including South African Airways. If you have a domestic flight lined up on one of South Africa's low-cost airlines, make life easier and check in on your phone. Mango has a dedicated app, while Kulula has a mobisite. Getting around You've la

Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd MP today launches a major new travel initiative which is designed by young people for young people. At an event at London’s Transport Museum, The Minister is set to unveil The National Express Youth Promise, an industry-leading package of commitments by the UK’s largest coach operator which has been shaped by members of The Youth Parliament to the benefit of their peers. Developed in partnership with The British Youth Council, The National Express Youth Promise is built around five core pledges made by the national coach operator. These include: -  An ongoing commitment to deliver value travel -  Working on a grassroots level with young people in the communities across the UK -  -  Supporting young people into work and education -  Delivering the most accessible public transport network possible -  Providing platforms on which to showcase youth talent. CONTINUES BELOW Young people from the Youth Parliament including those who advised on

Rents in Abu Dhabi will increase by as much as 50 percent, according to a report in The National. Some tenants in the city have received notices posted at their building’s entrance from landlords outlining rent increases of anywhere between 10 and 50 percent. The rents, according to the notices, are being increased to a uniform value. The most recent Asteco report said average apartment rental rates ran in parallel with villas, recording modest Q2 growth rates of up to eight percent. The report also noted that Abu Dhabi plans to launch its own rental index this year, which is designed to create a more transparent market for UAE national investors and regulating maximum rental increases. www.arabianbusiness.com

South African Airways (SAA) has been named Best Airline Africa for the twelfth consecutive year. Feedback from SAA’s customers also ensured that SAA walks away with the Best Airline Staff Service Africa award for the third time. The awards were presented at the Skytrax World Airline Awards ceremony in London, today. “The fact that these awards are directly based on customer surveys makes them the benchmarks of airline excellence,” says Monwabisi Kalawe, CEO of SAA. “Customers are undoubtedly the heartbeat of any business, and Excellent Customer Service is one of the five strategic objectives of our long-term turnaround strategy, Gaining Altitude: to be rated so highly by our customers testifies that we are on the right flight path.” The awards are based on a consumer satisfaction survey conducted each year by Skytrax, an independent aviation research organisation. This year, the survey elicited responses from 18-million business and leisure air travellers from 160 countries, cover

To give a true overview of Nelson Mandela in all phases of his life, from his youth in Qunu to his role as statesman, the museum built in his honour comprises three separate structures: the Bhunga Building in Mthatha, the Qunu component and an open-air museum at Mvezo, where Madiba was born. The Nelson Mandela Museum is situated on the N2 highway in Mthatha in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. It promises visitors a memorable cultural experience and insight into the life of Nelson Mandela, with guided tours and a heritage trail that follows his in his footsteps. Comprising three separate locations, the Nelson R. Mandela Museum consists of the Bhunga Building in Mthatha, the Qunu component and an open-air museum at Mvezo. The historic Bhunga (translated loosely as council or caucus) building accommodates an exhibition tracing Nelson Mandela’s journey, as told in his own words, and narrated in part from his acclaimed biography A Long Walk to Freedom. It also showcases a dive

Nigerians travelling within Nigeria spend at least $2 billion, about N320 billion every year on hotel accommodation. Travellers at the arrival wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport II Ikeja in Lagos. Founder/ Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria's Online Hotels Booking Limited, Hotels.ng, Mr. Mark Essien disclosed this when speaking to Vanguard on the operations of the hotel booking portal and the potential of online hotel booking business in Nigeria. Hotel.ng, an online hotel booker officially launched in January 2013 and has over 4, 000 hotels listed on its website and currently process over 400 bookings daily. "Hotel booking or travel in general is always a massive part of every economy. Hotel booking in Nigeria alone is $2 billion worth annually. This means that every year, Nigerians traveling within Nigeria spend at least $2 billion, about N300 billion in hotel accommodation. This is a result of an independent verifiable survey conducted by Euro Monitor. So all we are

VOILÀ Hotel Rewards, the world’s number one independent hotel loyalty program, today announced the recent addition of Swiss International Hotels & Resorts. Swiss International Hotels and Resorts, registered in Baar, Switzerland and headquartered in Ras al Khaimah, UAE, is known for offering guests “Swiss Quality” a term that encompasses the brand’s enduring passion for hospitality, quality and luxury for more than 30 years. Swiss International Hotels and Resorts currently is operating over 20 hotels in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. “We’ve recognized that within the loyalty program industry, VOILÀ’s growth is unprecedented,” said Hans (Henri) Kennedie, CEO and MD of Swiss International. “From the highest levels of customer service to its robust marketing strategies, VOILÀ is highly respected and the first choice to create our hotel’s first international loyalty program. We are thrilled to be working with VOILÀ to launch SWISS-SELECT, a co-branded program that w

Singapore  has dethroned the Japanese capital to become the world's most expensive city in 2014, according to the  Economist Intelligence Unit 's latest Worldwide Cost of Living survey. The bi-annual report, which ranks 131 global cities, credits currency appreciation, solid price inflation and high costs of living for Singapore's dubious new distinction.  "Car costs have very high related certificate of entitlement fees attached to them, which makes Singapore significantly more expensive than any other location when it comes to running a car," says the report. "As a result, transport costs in Singapore are almost three times higher than in New York. In addition, as a city-state with very few natural resources to speak of, Singapore is reliant on other countries for energy and water supplies, making it the third most expensive destination for utility costs."  Singapore is also the priciest place in the world to buy clothes.  Last year's title holde

THE SINGLE East Africa Tourist Visa was officially launched by Heads of State of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda in Kampala, yesterday, completing one of the major integration projects jointly undertaken by the three countries over the last nine months. At the ceremony, the Presidents gave out three dummy Tourist Visas to three tourists from Canada, UK and Spain. The tourist visa, which makes the three partner states a single tourist destination, was introduced on January 1. President Paul Kagame, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, and their host, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, also launched use of national Identity Cards, student cards and voter’s cards by the citizens to travel across the participating countries. Rica Rwigamba, the head of tourism department at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), said the single tourist visa will make East Africa compete with other top tourist destinations across the world.  “With this Visa, tourists have many choices of getting value for their money by seein

Passengers at Heathrow can now enjoy some plane spotting as they wait for their own flight to depart. The new ‘View Heathrow’ platform at Terminal 4 is the first of its kind at Heathrow since the old Terminal 2’s viewing platform was closed along with the building itself. The new 270 degree observation deck has a view of the southern runway, the control tower and British Airways’ Concorde. Fixed ipads on the platform show live flight radars so that visitors can identify the aircraft movements in front of them as well as binoculars to get a better view. Kathryn Leahy, Terminal 4 Director said, ‘We are proud to be opening this viewing facility for passengers. We know that many travellers enjoy plane spotting and we are pleased to be able to provide them with the opportunity to do so once again.’ The deck, located next to gates 15 and 16 was converted from an unused former airline lounge. The observation deck is open to all departing and connecting passengers in Terminal Four du

As scarcity of fuel spread to the Oyo State capital, Ibadan, the pump price of the essential commodity now sells for between N100 and N110 per litre. Across the metropolis, some petrol stations have been witnessing long queues of vehicles, while others have closed down their shops for some days now. LEADERSHIP  investigation revealed that most filling stations have arbitrarily increased the pump price from the official N97 to N110. Most of the filling stations along Oyo/Ibadan road have their shops closed to motorists, while those who opened to motorists sold for N100 and N110. At T Square, it was N105, while at TOKAS, Iroko along the same road, it was sold for N100. The price was however varied in other outlets visited by our correspondent. Most of the motorists, who commented on the development  called on the federal government to come out and explain to Nigerians the reason  for the latest scarcity as the hike in the price of the commodity was uncalled for. From Lead

Tour Brokers International (TBI), Nigeria’s leading tour packages and holiday travel services providers brings you an incredible cruise packages experience that is tailored for your comfort. Tour Brokers International cruise packages offer business conferencing, out of this world on-board experiences and best value for money. Tour Brokers International takes you on a world of exotic cruise experience across Alaska; Antarctica; Asia; European Mediterranean and Scandinavia; Hawaii; South America; South Pacific and New Zealand. http://www.tourbrokersinternational.com/cruise.php

Tiwa Savage, has been arrested by the police for allegedly humiliating a policeman who apprehended her for violating some provisions of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law. Savage, often referred to as Mavin First Lady, was said to have argued with the policeman, who flagged her down for flouting traffic rules in front of Eko Hotels and Suites Victoria Island, on Saturday. Savage, who was recently signed a brand ambassador deal with Forte Oil, allegedly came down from the vehicle she was driving in and confronted the policeman. During the ensuing argument with the cop, Savage, who was said to have been infuriated by the development, allegedly removed the cap of the policeman. The first African female Pepsi ambassador, was reportedly whisked away to the Victoria Island Police Division for humiliating and assaulting the policeman. A policeman at the station, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said Savage was released shortly after. He said, “Tiwa Sa

Fishing enthusiasts from all over the world keen to reel in a tiger are gearing up to take on one of Africa's most aggressive predatory game fish in the annual Kariba Invitation Tiger Fish Tournament (KITFT) at Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe. The biggest tiger fish ever caught in this competition weighed more than 12.735 kilograms, and the 2009 record holder, Martinhus Van Rensburg, has still not been beaten. However, visitors from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Zambia, Namibia, England, Canada, and the Middle East are hoping to whip the title away from Zimbabwean van Rensburg at the lake on the northern Zimbabwe-Zambia border. The KITFT was recognized by the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) in 2000 as one of the greatest game fish tournaments in the world and was made a qualifying round of the IGFA Inshore World Game Fish Championships. Lake Kariba known for its abundant shoreline wildlife, unique weather patterns, and spectacular scenery, is more than 220 ki

Kenya’s North is desert country- hot, parched and broken by volcanic activity, where ancient blackened lava flows and endless thorn trees stretch from horizon to horizon. Getting to Turkana overland is no mean feat. While it is possible to fly to the Lake in a Chartered aircraft (and indeed flying is recommended for the furthest Northern reaches) it must be said that flying to Turkana some what distills the adventure. This is place where the journey is very much part of the destination- and it is only by taking the long difficult road that a real sense of remoteness is gained. However, the flight itself is quite an experience, taking in wonderful vistas across the Suguta Valley and providing a birds eye view of the Lake itself. Most visitors make the longtrip from Nairobi over a 2 or 3-day period, stopping en route at Maralal, Samburu, or Marsabit. The trip winds through some beautiful country, and travelers invariably encounter Rendille camel trains, and pass by tiny villa