TOURISM

Paris, France | AFP | UNESCO’s new chief on Monday brushed aside the United States’ decision to walk out of the UN cultural body, saying the organisation had survived long periods without Washington before. Former French culture minister Audrey Azoulay, elected on Friday to head UNESCO, said the US was “not …

Lusaka, Zambia | AFP | A Dutch and a Belgian tourist were trampled to death by an elephant in Zambia as they got too close to the animal when trying to take pictures, police said on Sunday. The holidaymakers, whose identities have not been released, were killed on Saturday while on …

Kampala, Uganda | INTERVIEW | David Gonahasa is the founder and director of Roundbob.com, an online travel agency. He spoke to The Independent’s Agnes E Nantaba about revolutionalising travel in Africa and beyond What are the key elements in your management style as a manager? My role is to bring …

London, UK | THE INDEPENDENT | Rwanda President Paul Kagame has recieved the 2017 World Tourism Award for visionary leadership. The award was presented to Kagame on the opening day of World Travel Market London on Monday. Inaugurated in 1997, the World Tourism Awards recognises individuals, companies, organisations, destinations and attractions for …

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabia plans to start issuing tourist visas “soon”, authorities said Tuesday, as the ultra-conservative kingdom seeks to attract international visitors in a radical overhaul of its oil-dependent economy. Tourism is seen as a major driver of growth as the kingdom attempts to wean itself …

The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | Amsterdam will enforce a new ban on ‘beer-bikes’ this week after years of complaints by locals about rowdy tourists getting drunk and disorderly while pedalling along its famous canals. As from Wednesday “the beer bicycle may be banned from the city centre to stop it …

Kigali, Rwanda | THE INDEPENDENT | Rwanda President Paul Kagame is to be honored with The World Tourism Award 2017 for Visionary Leadership. He will be awarded the honour on Nov. 06 on the opening day of World Travel Market London, at the Excel Center in London. This year, the …

Paris, France | AFP | Hundreds of flower species have evolved the ability to project ethereal halos of blue light invisible to humans in order to lure pollinating bees, researchers revealed Wednesday. In laboratory experiments, bumblebees were drawn to synthetic flowers designed to generate the same kind of ultraviolent rings, they …

Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE |  Emirates Airlines is focusing on making its brand in Uganda more vibrant in an effort to woo more travelers to its planes. Speaking to journalists in Kampala on Oct. 12, the Airline’s Country Manager for Uganda, Puneet Kohli said that they recently introduced new products …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  A week after the Pearl of Africa Hotel Kampala officially opened its doors with fireworks, President Yoweri Museveni launched the 5-star facility at a colourful ceremony on Tuesday night. Museveni thanked the Aya Brothers for the investment that will create jobs for Ugandans and boost …