1Time sells 70million shares to black economic empowerment BEE

Low-priced airline 1Time has sold 70 million shares to a black economic empowerment (BEE) consortium headed by its chairman, Sipho Twala, and plans to use the equity capital of R49 million to grow the airline and its maintenance and charter business.

Glenn Orsmond, the 1Time group chief executive, said the funding would “give impetus to our growth plans for the airline by introducing new routes into Africa, as well as facilitate the growth of the airline maintenance business”.

1Time was looking for opportunities anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa and hoped to form partnerships with local airlines. Its competitiveness would be increased by being able to fly from Lanseria Airport, as well as from OR Tambo International Airport. Until now rival kulula.com has had exclusive use of Lanseria.

Twala said 1Time hoped to obtain air traffic rights to flights to Victoria falls, Zimbabwe and to Lusaka in Zambia in addition to its route to Livingstone on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. It would also like to fly to Lubumbashi and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The members of the BEE consortium have experience in the aviation or travel business.

In addition to Twala, Busiwe Magongo, the managing director of Mtha Aviation, has been appointed an executive director of 1Time Holdings. Blacky Komani, the chairman of Mtha Aviation, will serve as a non-executive director.

1Time shares fell 5.71 percent to close at 66c yesterday, while the JSE’s travel and leisure sector rose 0.06 percent. - Audrey D’Angelo

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) still pay to soccer stars

The 2010 Premier Soccer League (PSL) soccer stars of the year are still to receive their prize money from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) more than a month after the awards banquet.
The banquet, initially scheduled for December, was eventually held in January as the organizers hunted for financial support to hold the function. The corporate world was shunning the event over controversies in the selection process.
Soccer Star of the Year Charles Sibanda was promised US$3 000 by ZTA chief executive officer, Karikoga Kaseke on the night, while his first and second runner-ups Joel Ngodzo and Benjamin Marere are still awaiting their promised US$ 2000 and US$ 1000 respectively.
The other eight finalists were promised US$ 500 each, with all 11 set for a holiday at Great Zimbabwe monuments.
However since the day the promises were made in front of guest of honour, Zambian soccer legend Kalusha Bwalya, the players have neither heard from ZTA nor the Sports Writers Association of Zimbabwe (Swaz), the custodians of the event.
ZTA spokesman Sugar Chagonda - who was also present at the event - confirmed that they were yet to pay the players saying that his organisation was awaiting communication from Swaz.
"We are supposed to meet Swaz to arrange a date that we can hand over the money to the players," said Chagonda. "We will wait for Swaz to advise us on the next step; it is their event so we follow what they say."
ZTA came on board at the last minute to save a potentially embarrassing scenario after Kalusha Bwalya had confirmed his presence at the banquet yet there was no money to bankroll the event.

Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, Malaika Mushandu, in Germany!

Miss Zimbabwe, Malaika Mushandu left for Germany on Monday to attend the International Tourism Base (ITB) together with local tourism officials.

Also on the trip is Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, Rumbidzayi Mudzengerere, and the models are expected to showcase and market the country’s tourism activities and destinations to try and lure tourists to visit the country.

Mushandu said it was her first time to tour Germany and she was looking forward to marketing the country in a way that would bring results.

“This international tour is a great privilege for me to represent my country. I want to get there and advertise our country on areas I feel have been under advertised or been wrongly publicised,” said Mushandu.

Mudzengerere said she was also excited about the tour as she was looking forward to getting a feel of the outside world and exchange notes with different people.

“I want to learn more about other people’s countries and cultures and teach them about our country and invite them to come to Zimbabwe,” said Mudzengerere.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) public relations and corporate communications manager, Sugar Chagonda said this was a platform for the girls to be ambassadors of the country and also showcase Zimbabwe’s beauty.

The models have a tight schedule this month and this has seen the Miss Zimbabwe prize giving ceremony which was meant to be held on March 17 being moved to a later date.

“The girls who are meant to be crowned will not be present on the 17th as they have a series of events.
They also have to tour Malawi where they have been invited to attend a Miss Malawi event so we decided to move the event to a later date,” said Chagonda.

The Africa Travel Association (ATA) Unveils program and presenting sponsors for 2011 US-Africa Tourism Seminar

The Africa Travel Association (ATA) will host the Fourth Annual U.S.-Africa Seminar on Tourism, with South African Airways (SAA) as the presenting sponsor.
As a longtime member and supporter of ATA, SAA has participated in the U.S.-Africa Tourism Seminar since 2006, when it was first launched.
Since then, ATA’s U.S.-Africa Tourism Seminar has become a leading platform for bringing together leaders and professionals from the tourism industry. The 2011 event includes travel agents and tour operators who market, sell and specialize in Africa travel; media and participants from the non-profit and academic sectors – all convening to explore industry opportunities and challenges, and to develop business partnerships. Representatives will attend from more than twenty African countries, including Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, The Gambia, Lesotho, Lib! ya, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Sudan and Uganda. Tourism board representatives from Egypt, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia will also attend.
Ambassador Amina Ali, African Union Permanent Representative to the USA, and William Fitzgerald, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the Bureau of African Affairs, will deliver the keynote addresses at the opening plenary session. The session will frame the agenda for the day, identifying how the African Union and the US Administration can collaborate with the travel trade industry to promote Africa’s economic growth.
The 2011 event, organized in cooperation with the African Union and Washington Travel & Adventure Show, kicks off with an evening networking reception on Thursday, March 10th at the Embassy of Zambia, followed by a day of tourism and Africa specialist-led workshops and strategy sessions at the Convention Center on Friday, March 11, 2011. A full schedule is available here.
Presenting sponsor South African Airways will host a media briefing during lunch from 12:30–1:30 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011. The airline will update attendees on its latest news, including route changes and enhanced partnerships. Media must pre-register on-line or directly with ATA before March 8, 2011 to attend the briefing.
The following are among those who have confirmed their attendance at the 2011 seminar: Edward Bergman (Africa Travel Association), Ambassador Alieu Momodou Ngum (The Gambia), John Golicz (UNICOMM, Washington DC, Travel & Adventure Show), Dr. Ada Adler (Bureau for African Affairs, US Department of State), Dr. Hannah R. Messerli (Africa Region, World Bank), Karen Hoffman (The Bradford Group, Tanzania Tourist Board USA), Richard Bangs (Sobek Expeditions), Deborah Traussi (SITA World Tours), Constantine Venetopoulos (Variety Cruises), Scott Wayne (Sustainable Development through Tourism), Gregg Truman (South African Airways), Kagnew F. Asfaw (Ethiopian Airlines, USA), Achma Asokan (Group Systems America), Robert Brunner (Arik Air), Deirdre White (CDC Development Solutions), George Cooley (Destination DC), El Hadji Aziz Gueye (Senegal Tourist Authority), ElSayed Khalifa (Egyptian Tourist Authority), Margaret Makungo (Zambia Tourism Board), Jorge Eduardo Castillo (P! assport Health), Danny BenDebba (DAASN), Shane Ostrowski (Reach Local Inc.), Diego J. Lofeudo (Expedia Travel), Ron Erdmann (Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, International Trade Administration), Doris Wooten (Africa-Tour-Rific), Steve Richer (National Tour Association), David Parry (Academic Travel Abroad & Chair of the American Tourism Society), Obiageli Ezekwesili (Africa Region, World Bank).
Additional seminar sponsors include the Tanzania Tourist Board and Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority; the ATA Mid-Atlantic Chapter; the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, Liaison with the Private Sector and Small Businesses, Republic of Senegal; South African Tourism (SAT); the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia; Afrique Expansion; Howard University African Business Club; and CDC Development Solutions.

Air Nigeria Introduces N6,000 fare on Kano, Owerri and Benin!

Air Nigeria has introduced an exciting advanced purchase fare of N6,000. The fare which is available to passengers travelling between Abuja and Kano, Lagos and Owerri as well as Lagos and Benin routes, delivers outstanding value to the airlines teeming customers.
With the introduction of this superb offer, passengers travelling on the selected routes will be able to fly for as low as N6,000 when they make advance bookings, online or at any Air Nigeria sales office, at least 14 days before intended date of travel.
The introduction of the special fare is part of Air Nigeria’s commitment to make air travel affordable to the traveling public.
Air Nigeria is continuously in search of new avenues to offer various forms of incentives in order to promote seamless travel options in Nigeria, especially as air travel remains the fastest and safest way to travel across the world. The airline has built a strong and effective route network that offers ease of connections cutting across domestic and regional routes.
The fares are already available and terms and conditions apply.
Air Nigeria is one of the fastest growing airlines in West Africa. From its operational base at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, Air Nigeria currently operates to Benin City, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Sokoto and Enugu on the domestic routes while it also operates to Brazzaville, Accra, Douala, Dakar, Monrovia, Cotonou, Banjul, Libreville and Abidjan with further plans to extend services to more African destinations, Europe, Asia and America.

Cameroon based Camair-Co airlines inaugral flights on march 28, 2011

Yaounde, Cameroon, - The new Cameroon based Camair-Co airlines, which will start operation by 28th of March, 2011, from Yaoundé via Douala to Paris, the new airline. Two aircraft that will operate with 'the Camair Co: a Boeing 767-300 ER, inherited from the disastrous Cameroon Airlines, and a second-hand Boeing 737-700. By May, the fleet will be reinforced by two other planes. With a staff of 330 employees, including 24 pilots, will Camair Co 'flights to two cities' of northern Cameroon (Maroua and Garoua) and the Chadian capital, Ndjamena, the only foreign destination. Qualified sources have indicated that 'short' the company will 'be able to enable flights to Benin, Congo Brazzaville, Côte d'Ivoire, Gaborone, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Dubai and China.

Egypt U-20 prepare in UAE for African Championship!

The Egyptian under-20 national team will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday to launch their closed camp training in preparation for the African Championship.
Egypt will take part in the African under-20 championship that was scheduled to be played in Libya from 18 March to 1 April, but which is now in doubt, given the protests that have swept Libyan cities.
The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is close to holding a meeting to make a final decision on naming a country to replace Libya in hosting the tournament.
Earlier this month, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Algeria declared their interest in hosting the African U-20 Championship and are on stand-by waiting for the CAF decision.
The U-20 national team coach, Diyaa El-Sayed, declared that the team will play friendlies against Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Douala, Cameroon on 9, 12 and 14 March respectively.
“We will play three friendlies ... during the Emirates camp to [assess] the players fitness for the African Championship,” El-Sayed told Reuters.