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African Tourism Board President St.Ange: African Tourism is together here

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The new president of the African Tourism Board is not a newcomer in the African travel and tourism industry. Alain St. Ange was the minister of Tourism for Seychelles and prior to that the head of the Seychelles Tourism Board.
He had made a name for all of Africa when he started the Victoria Carnival for Africa and the world.
Commenting on his new position he stated: “When I took up the position of President of the African Tourism Board, this brought the world of African Tourism together as I received calls from so many tourism ministers and heads of tourism-related bodies from across Africa, and it clearly showed the importance of tourism for the continent.
Even the Seychelles President, Mr. Danny Faure, sent words of congratulations after I assumed my role as President of the African Tourism Board, as did the island’s former President Mr. James Michel.
For Seychelles, the importance of tourism as the industry respected as the pillar of the economy, is known and accepted.
But Seychelles is no different to the rest of Africa because a buoyant tourism industry can only help consolidate the economies of so many countries on the continent.
We are now planning the next meeting where together we can look at the challenges we are facing and share success stories and learnings.
The newly-appointed CEO of the African Tourism Board, Doris Woerfel, who is based in Pretoria, South Africa, sees huge potential for Africa from China and is already concentrating to build a broad membership base in Africa for ATB.
She is now moving to contact industry players across Africa to plan the next meeting which will probably be held in August of this year.
The press from across Africa will be invited to attend because success for the African Tourism Board is so dependent on them.”
He concluded in saying: May I urge everyone in the public and private sector to rally behind African Tourism Board to make Africa one Tourist Destination and join.

More information on the African Tourism Board and to join visit www.africantourismboard.com 

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Beach and Sea Safety guide now available for Seychelles visitors

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The Tourism Department proudly released the second edition of its Beach and Sea Safety guide during a Launch ceremony Officiated by Minister Didier Dogley, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine on Monday April 15, 2019 at Botanical House.

The launch of the publication saw the presence of Principal Secretary for Tourism Mrs. Anne Lafortune and Ms. Philomena Hollanda, Director for Risk Management at the Ministry for Tourism.

During his address to the press, Minister Dogley commended the efforts of the Tourism department for the initiative.

He also extended his compliments to the Seychelles Police, Seychelles Lifeguard, Seychelles Maritime and Safety Administration and the Seychelles Tourism Board who have contributed towards the publication the for their assistance.

“As a destination it is our obligation to provide our visitors with correct and concise information, more often than not our guests feel like they are in paradise and there are no risks. They forget that anywhere they go around the world they need to take precautionary measures to keep themselves safe,” said Minister Dogley.

The Beach and Sea Safety guide is an updated version of a similar publication released in 2014 by the department.

The booklet, which will be shared with all tourism establishments and visitors through the STB Visitors Office on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, seeks to educate the visitors on safety measures that they should undertake whilst on their holiday.

Taking about the guide, Ms. Philomena Hollanda mentioned that the content has been updated in view of the developments that have occurred in the past 5 years in Seychelles.

She also pointed out the new features of the booklet including indications of warning signs, additional information on marine fauna.

“In view of the sudden increase of visitor’s arrivals there is a pressing need for our department to find a way to inform our visitors about safety for their own good. The booklet is a user-friendly publication, which has been designed with beautiful pictures of the Seychelles. It provides information and can also be kept as a souvenir,” Said Ms. Hollanda.

Some 10,000 copies of the booklet has been printed and a digital copy of the same is available on the department’s website.

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Air Mauritius confirms it will resume flights to Seychelles after 15 years

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The Mauritian press has confirmed that Air Mauritius will return to Mahé the main island of Seychelles. It was several weeks since the rumor has been circulating, and finally the news site of the MBC (Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation) confirmed the news.

“Prem Sewpaul, head of communication at Air Mauritius has, confirmed the news.”

The Seychelles News Agency (SNA) has contacted Air Mauritius to find out when the Air Mauritius planes will begin to fly but was been told that for the moment sales are not yet available.

SNA contacted Seychelles’ civil aviation, which also confirmed the arrival of Air Mauritius, which would be the two days that Air Seychelles did not link the two islands.

“Air Mauritius has informed us of their intention to resume liaison with Seychelles in July, but we did not have confirmation,” said Florence Marengo, head of the transport department at the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA).

However, on the Seychellois side the Minister of Civil Aviation, Didier Dogley said last week that he had nothing official, but recognized that a Mauritian delegation was in the country.

He said at a press conference that if it were to be confirmed that this would not be good news for Air Seychelles.

The arrival of Air Mauritius will please travelers, who hope for a drop in the price of air tickets.

The Seychellois company Air Seychelles was the only airline doing this link and may now have to review its prices which are currently 400 € for two thirty hours of flight.

Air Seychelles, recovering from losses, which the Seychelles government had to reinvest, relied heavily on this link in its economic recovery plans.

Air Mauritius, which was already linking with Seychelles, decided more than 15 years ago to stop, for economic reasons.

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Turkish Airlines adds Marrakech to flight schedule

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Starting on April 15, Istanbul – Marrakech – Istanbul direct flights will be commenced five days of a week as Turkish Airlines reinforces its title of flying to more international destinations than any other airline.

Successfully completing its “Great Move” process and transferring all of its passenger operations to its new hub, Istanbul Airport, Turkish Airlines now adds Marrakech, tourist city of Morocco, to its flight network. As the national flag carrier’s first inaugural flight from its new home, Marrakech became Turkish Airlines’ the second destination in Morocco while becoming its 308th destination globally.

The inaugural flight from Istanbul Airport, landed in Marrakech Menara Airport, was welcomed by the customary water cannon salute in a formal ceremony, to which attended by the executives both from the global carrier and Marrakech Menara Airport, and press members as well.

Commenting on this inaugural flight, Turkish Airlines Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Ahmet Olmuştur stated that; “With Istanbul Airport, a new era has begun in the global aviation. Our new operation center offers an important opportunity for us to develop our globally unparalleled flight network performance even further. Thus, we are working on new strategies to capitalize on this opportunity. Marrakech will always hold a special place for us as it is the first destination we added from our new home. We are happy to carry our passengers to this crimson city with our privileged travel experience.”

Known as the “Crimson City” due to the color of its soil, Marrakech offers tourists and travelers the opportunity to experience the entire allure of North Africa in a single location. Bringing historical buildings, famous mosques and colorful flower gardens together at the foothills of Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is well on its way to become one of the favorite tourism centers of the world. As the first capital of Morocco, whose name means “Land of God” in the Berber language, Marrakech’s streets are teeming with the historical heritage of various cultures.

Passengers, travelling to Marrakech with the privileged travel experience of Turkish Airlines, will be able to visit various significant locations for cultural tourism while experiencing different activities such as nature and wildlife tours.

Istanbul – Marrakech – Istanbul scheduled flight times beginning from 15th April 2019;

Flight No. Days Departure Arrival
TK 619 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday IST 11:30 RAK 14:30
TK 620 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday RAK 15:25 IST 22:05

All times are in LMT.

To view the flight schedules, please visit turkishairlines.com or contact the call center at +90 212 444 0849 or visit any TK sales office.

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Qatar Airways: Investment in Air Italy fully compliant with US-Qatar Open Skies Agreement

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Following recent false accusations relating to Qatar Airways’ shareholding in Air Italy, such baseless statements and consistent inaccuracies need addressing as a matter of urgency.

Qatar Airways holds a 49 percent stake in Air Italy’s parent company, AQA. This minority investment is at the same level that Delta holds in both Virgin Atlantic and Aeromexico, and that Etihad held in Alitalia.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy, and operations to the United States, are fully compliant with the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement, the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings, and a side letter that accompanied the discussions.

Unfounded claims that Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy violates the Understandings are entirely false.

As a factual matter, the investment preceded the January 2018 U.S.-Qatar Understandings.

· The investment was announced in a July 2016 press release and was approved in writing by the European Commission (DG Competition) in March 2017.

· The transaction was closed in September 2017.

· The discussions surrounding the Understandings took place in December 2017 and January 2018.

Qatar Airways’ investment in Air Italy was a matter of public knowledge (as were Qatar Airways’ investments in other airlines) at the time of the U.S.-Qatar discussions; airline investments were not raised as a point of concern during those talks. The Understandings do not mention or prohibit cross-border investments of any type.

Furthermore, Qatar Airways does not codeshare on any of Air Italy’s flights to the United States, and has no plans to do so. Qatar Airways is not operating any Fifth Freedom scheduled air services to the U.S.

The “Big 3” U.S. carriers have consistently demonstrated their hostility to new entrants into the U.S.-Europe market, and their attacks on Air Italy based on the identity of its minority shareholder are just another manifestation of this hostility. Air Italy, the carrier the “Big 3” cite as a major “threat” to their survival, has a fleet of just 15 aircraft and only serves one U.S. city – New York – with a daily service while other routes, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco are operated at a lower frequency.

The U.S.-Qatar Open Skies Agreement has brought enormous benefits to U.S. and Qatari consumers, businesses and communities. Qatar Airways’ services to the United States contribute to U.S. tourism and business. Qatar Airways is a long-term and loyal customer of Boeing, Gulfstream and General Electric, helping to secure tens of thousands of U.S. jobs through our continued investment in their products and is a valued partner to many other U.S. businesses.

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WTTC Global Summit: President Obama was a disappointment for many

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U.S. President Barak Obama was the most expected speaker at the ongoing World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) summit in Seville today.

More than 1500 CEOs, association presidents, ministers of tourism, and heads of state were attending the summit, and hundreds of viewers from around the world were watching the live video stream of the summit, also announced by this publication. Many who saw the eTN announcement in Hawaii were up at 2:00 am in the morning to listen in.

A loyal group of fans of the former president was in for a big disappointment when without prior warning the video live stream was stopped during the president’s address.

The feedback eTN received from people in the audience listening to Obama’s conversation was not really great. The money spent by WTTC to get some advice from the most popular head of state was disappointing.

There was no substance in the presidents’ talk was some feedback. His talk about his love for hiking when he was young was not relevant to the needs top executives were hoping to hear.

The challenges, needs of the second largest industry was not mentioned. There was no word about equality and dangers LGBT tourists face in countries like Brunei.

Mr. Obama talked about the advice he gave to his daughters: “Be kind, be useful.”

After the microphones and cameras were turned on again moderator Nick Ross praised Obama as the most popular president in generations, saying “lack of power reveals.”

President Obama arrived in Seville at midnight before the event and spent the night at Hotel Alfonso XIII, drawing attention from local residents and the press. In 2016, a scheduled visit by Obama to the Andalusian capital was canceled due to a shooting in Dallas.

He visited Reales Alcázares, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the morning before returning to his hotel.

He left again at 2 pm for Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos, which is hosting the international event on April 3 and 4.

After meeting privately with around 50 summit attendees, Obama delivered his short address to WTTC delegates.

After his speech, Obama was scheduled to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for around 20 minutes inside one of the center’s private rooms. It will be their second one-on-one after their meeting last year in Madrid.

Although this is Obama’s first trip to Seville, he has ties to the city because his daughter Malia lived there for a few months.

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VoyagesAfriq CEO appointed UNWTO Senior Expert for Communications in Africa

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The Managing Editor and CEO of VoyagesAfriq Media Limited, Mr. Kojo Bentum-Williams, has been appointed as the UN World Tourism Organization‘s Senior Expert for Communications in Africa.

This appointment will see him lead communications of the organization’s activities and events in Africa. This new appointment took effect in March 2019 and part of his core mandates is to grow the UNWTO’s ten points agenda in Africa under the Zurab Pololikashvili-led administration.

He is also expected to coordinate with the Africa Department at UNWTO to reach out to members of the African media and hold clinics to further train and inform travel media on the continent.

Kojo is the founder and managing editor of VoyagesAfriq Media Limited, a pan African travel media company which publishes VoyagesAfriq Travel Magazine Quartely and operates the online portal VoyagesAfriq.com.

He previously worked as the press secretary to Ghana’s former ministry of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts until 2014 and also worked a press officer at the Ghana Tourism Authority.

He has covered a wide range of global travel and tourism conferences and he is seen by many as one of the authorities in the affairs of the UN Tourism Agency.

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Ghana Tourism over Mining? Should Atewa Forest Reserve be a National Park?

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In Ghana, a Rocha Ghana and Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCLA), both non-governmental organizations (NGOs), have urged the government to designate the Atewa Forest Reserve as a national park, to generate additional income for the country.

The NGOs asked the government to review its stance of allowing mining in the Atewa Forest, considering its importance to the livelihood of humans and biodiversity.

Mr. Oteng Adjei, the Public Relations Officer, CCAL, made the call at a press conference on Friday in Accra.

Mr. Adjei said that Atewa Forest is the source of three rivers, Densu, Ayensu and Birim, and there was the need to protect the reserve from any activity that could put these rivers at risk.

He asked the government to consider the environmental impact above temporary economic conditions, regarding mining in the forest reserve.

Mr. Adjei noted that activities in forest reserves in the Eastern and Western regions of the country are creating serious environmental problems.

He said it was difficult to deal with miners because they operated in thick forest reserves.

Mr. Adjei cautioned government against allocating forest reserves for mining activities because it contributed to the depletion of Ghana’s forest cover.

“We must relinquish the stranglehold on the Atewa Forest and allow for development partners waiting anxiously to turn the reserve into an eco-tourism attraction that will rake in the quantum of money the government is claiming bauxite mining will bring and even bring more in a sustainable way,” he said.

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UNESCO, African Union and Ethiopia Role Model on World Press Freedom?

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Ethiopian Airlines, has been chosen as the Official Carrier for the 2019 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference to be held in Addis Ababa from May 1-3, 2019.

This conference is not without controversy, however.  According to Journalists without Border, terrorism charges have been systematically used against journalists ever since the 2009 terrorism law took effect. The charges carry long jail sentences and allow the authorities to hold journalists without trial for extended periods. There has been no significant improvement since the purges that led to the closure of six newspapers in 2014 and drove around 30 journalists into exile. On the contrary, another six-month state of emergency was proclaimed in February 2018, which the government could again use to arrest critical journalists and ban the public from watching or listening to certain broadcast media. The Internet and social networks are often disconnected while physical and verbal threats, arbitrary trials, and convictions are all used to silence the media.

The conference is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union and the Government of Ethiopia under the theme ‘Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation’.

UNESCO Spokesperson Roni Amerlan said: ” The offer by countries to host World Press Freedom Day marks their recognition of the value of the right to press freedom and freedom of expression.

We have often held World Press Freedom Day celebrations in countries in transition and we do not think that we should restrict our support for the recognition of press freedom and their participation in this awareness-raising event to countries which rank at the top of NGOs’ rankings.

Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration(link is external) on media pluralism and independence.

At the core of UNESCO’s mandate is freedom of the press and freedom of expression. UNESCO believes that these freedoms allow for mutual understanding to build a sustainable peace.

It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

It is a date to encourage and develop initiatives in favour of press freedom, and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide.

3 May acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the pursuit of a story.

The 26th celebration of World Press Freedom Day is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union Commission and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The main event will take place in Addis Ababa, on 1 – 3 May at the African Union Headquarters. This year’s theme“Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”  discusses current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media’s potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes.

World Press Freedom Day will also be celebrated worldwide. Events will be organized in several countries to raise awareness about the importance of press freedom and journalists’  safety. More information of events will be available in the Events Map soon.

As the United Nations agency with a specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image”, UNESCO works to foster a free, independent and pluralistic media and the safety of journalists.

As the official carrier, Ethiopian will provide air transport service to the 1000-1500 participants who will be coming to Addis Ababa from around the globe.

Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked, “We are honored to have been chosen to serve as the official carrier for this year’s World Press Freedom Day Global Conference. We are all the more delighted to be part of this noble cause which seeks to advance press freedom around the world.

Global, regional and national media stakeholders, high-level government officials, and journalists from across the globe will take part in the conference which will be held at the African Union Commission headquarters.

https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldpressfreedomday

 

Travel News | eTurboNews

Facing the Demographic Challenge through Tourism and Innovation

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Facing the Demographic Challenge through Tourism and Innovation”, opening event today was attended by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez; Spain’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, María Reyes Maroto; the President of the Junta de Castilla y León, Juan Vicente Herrera; the Mayor of Segovia, Clara Isabel Luquero; and UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili.  The forum was held in Segovia Spain by the World Tourism Organization.

Tourism and innovation were highlighted as key solutions to address the depopulation being suffered by the rural environment at the forum entitled “Facing the Demographic Challenge through Tourism and Innovation” in Segovia, which gathered together more than one hundred people with the objective of finding solutions from the tourism sector to combat this phenomenon.

“The UNWTO wants to work alongside Spain to turn the discussion on the challenge of rural depopulation into a conversation about the opportunities that the rural environment represents,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, showing the United Nations agency’s  support in searching for solutions through tourism. He added: “The 2030 Agenda is committed to leaving no one behind, including rural areas and their inhabitants.”

Likewise, he pointed out that as a sector that represents one of every ten jobs in the world—in 2019, the UNWTO is dedicating the year especially to education, the development of professional skills and employment—quality training in tourism and innovation are very necessary to face these challenges and ensure the survival of the rural environment.

The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, highlighted the efforts being made by the UNWTO and advocated the creation of opportunities in the interior regions of Spain through rural tourism, digital transformation and new models of economic activity. He announced that the Government would review the guidelines of the National Strategy to address the demographic challenge. He said that in the Strategy, “the tourism sector is a key driver”, adding that Spain is “a global power with a large margin for improvement in the interior of the country”, said Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain.

During the event, leading figures from the political, business and cultural spheres addressed the challenges posed by the gradual loss of population in rural areas. In addition, many experts in the field discussed the role of rural tourism as a tool for socio-economic revitalization, sustainability and territorial rebalancing.

Thus, the first round table, moderated by Asís Martín de Cabiedes, President of Europa Press, discussed on the challenges of overcoming the depopulation of rural areas in developed countries. For her part, Spain’s High Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda, Cristina Gallach, moderated a second panel of experts focused on the relevance of the tourism sector for sustainability and territorial rebalancing.

Furthermore, various successful cases of public-private collaboration were analysed, with SEGITTUR providing insights into the field of smart destinations.

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