Kenya begins rebuilding of international airport

President Uhuru Kenyatta has commissioned the construction of a new 55.5 billion Kenya Shillings terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport that will give the airport an extra handling capacity of 20 million passengers annually and enhance its status as a world-class regional hub.
Construction of the state-of-the-art facility will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by 2017.
JKIA was built to handle 2.5 million passengers annually but over 6.5 million passengers use the airport each year.
The location was significantly damaged by fire earlier this year when an electrical fault caused a blaze in the international terminal. 
The new terminal will be able to accommodate 3,133 international passengers, 2,403 transiting passengers and 845 domestic passengers in a typical peak hour, boosting the airport’s capacity to 20 million a year.
Speaking at the ceremony Kenyatta said that the terminal will usher in a new era in African aviation.
“This facility will enhance our efforts to uplift the living standards of the Kenyan people through business opportunities and foster national and regional socio-economic integration and development. It will open up Kenya to the world and stand as a testament of our openness to global partnerships,” he said.
Spanning 178,000 square meters, the terminal will feature 50 international and ten domestic check-in points, 32 contact and eight remote gates, an associated apron with 45 stands and linking taxiways, a railway terminal, a bus park and street lighting.
The terminal design will be environmentally sustainable and certified by the World Green Building Council.
Construction of the new terminal will be jointly carried out by two Chinese companies, Anhui Civil Engineering Group and China Aero-Technology Engineering International Engineering Corporation.
The new terminal is part of long term plans to expand and modernise JKIA.
Future developments include the construction of terminal four, an interim terminal, the redesign of terminals one, two and three, a second runway and remote bussing gates.

Anantara opens in Africa with Mozambique property

Thirty kilometres east of mainland Mozambique on Africa’s east coast, the Bazaruto Archipelago of protected national park islands lie scattered across the turquoise Indian Ocean.
On the largest of these tropical islands, covering 12,000 hectares, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa has just become the brand’s first property in Africa and Mozambique Anantara’s eighth country.
The resort formerly operated as the award-winning Indigo Bay Resort & Spa, which Minor Hotel Group, Anantara’s owning company, took over management of earlier this year, with the intention to rebrand to Anantara.
Anantara Bazaruto Island is located a 15 minute flight from Vilanculos Airport on the mainland, which connects to Johannesburg with a direct two hour flight. This short flight provides Anantara guests with their first glimpse of the breath taking scenery that awaits.
Designed in natural harmony with surroundings of lush vegetation and translucent ocean, the resort offers a boutique collection of 44 villas, ranging in size from 90 to 330 sqm, with a choice of garden and shoreline panoramas. 
Made from indigenous reed, soft fringed thatch and wood, the rustic appeal is balanced by understated luxury and seamlessly integrated modern amenities. 
Four poster beds are dressed with white mosquito drapes, luxurious bathrooms feature sunken tubs and exotic outdoor showers, and living spaces offer comfy elegance.
Outside, some villas offer a living sala complete with hammock to relax in, along with a plunge pool and a veranda where guests can enjoy the sunshine or dine alfresco.
Offering the pinnacle of island indulgence, the Anantara Pool Villa affords exclusive seclusion and unrivalled ocean views, and is the perfect sanctuary for families and friends to share, thanks to a private driveway and entrance, two generously sized en-suite bedrooms, spacious lounge and dining areas both inside and out, as well as a pool and Jacuzzi.
Dillip Rajakarier, chief executive of Anantara owner Minor Hotel Group, commented: “The addition of Anantara Bazaruto Island as our first Anantara in Africa is a significant milestone for the brand and one that we are very excited about.
“We are currently exploring other opportunities in Africa, both with our partners and independently, and for sure we are looking to further develop the Anantara brand on the continent.”
Days at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa can be lazy and relaxing or adventurous. 
With a dedicated family pool, younger guests may splash about to their heart’s content, and couples seeking peace and tranquillity can retreat to the adults-only pool.
A children’s entertainment room, fitness centre, tennis, volleyball and golf course extend the leisure possibilities. 
The 1,300 square metre Anantara Spa features five treatment rooms, relaxation areas and a health bar, as well as specialist hydro facilities including a wet room, hydrotherapy pool and rhassoul chamber. 
The diverse menu offers western treatments and ancient rituals from across Africa and Asia, as well as extended spa journeys, all performed by expert therapists.

England land tough group in FIFA World Cup 2012 draw

England face a daunting start to their FIFA World Cup campaign having been drawn in Group D alongside Uruguay, Costa Rica and Italy.
Holders Spain have been drawn in Group B against beaten finalists from 2010 the Netherlands, with Chile, Australia completing the line-up.
The draw took plane in the upmarket coastal resort town of Costa do Sauipe in the province of Bahia, Brazil, approximately 56 miles from the host city of Salvador.
The balls were drawn by famous players from previous tournament, including England’s 1966 hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst, France’s Zinedine Zidane, Brazil’s Cafu and Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro.
Zidane was kind to France, with his national side drawn alongside Switzerland, Ecuador, and Honduras in Group E.
Group F is composed of Argentina, Bosnia, Iran and Nigeria, while Germany, Ghana, Portugal and USA complete Group G.
There are 12 stadiums pencilled in to host matches next summer, with locations from the Amazon basin in the north to the banks of the River Guaiba in the south gearing up for the arrival of the world’s best players and hundreds of thousands of supporters.
Hosts Brazil will open the tournament and have been drawn alongside Mexico, Croatia and Cameroon in Group A.
Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan meanwhile make up Group C.
The draw is completed by Belgium, Algeria, Russia and South Korea in Group H.
England’s first game is against Italy in Manaus on June 14th, with kick-off at 02:00, while the tournament kicks off on June 12th with hosts Brazil against Croatia.

Avis expands network in Laos and Cambodia

Avis Car Rental has selected a licensee to launch car rental operations in Laos and Cambodia. Avis Car Rental will officially enter both markets with the opening of airport and city facilities in Luang Prabang, Pakse and Vientiane in Laos; and Phnom Penh and Siam Reap in Cambodia.
“Strengthening our global position remains a high priority as we seek to drive sustained, profitable growth,” said Patric Siniscalchi, president, Latin America/Asia-Pacific, Avis Budget Group. “Our licensee agreement with RMA Group will allow us to expand our global footprint and help to ensure that we are well-positioned to realize the growth potential of the Avis brand in each country.”
The new Avis facilities will serve local and international customers with a “one-stop” mobility solution. Residents and visitors will benefit from Avis’ world-class products and services, including a wide range of well-maintained, late-model vehicles, short- and long-term rentals, personal and corporate car leasing programs, premium chauffeur and transfer services and outstanding customer service. Customers will be able to book reservations at http://www.avis.com over the course of this month as locations open.
“RMA is uniquely positioned to facilitate Avis Car Rental’s plan for growth,” Kevin Whitcraft, chief executive officer, RMA Group. “We have long-established vehicle sales and distribution infrastructures in Cambodia and Laos, and we are the partner of choice to some of the world’s largest retail franchises in the Asia-Pacific region. RMA is ready to support the enhancement of Avis’ global position as a leader in its sector, and will do so by providing best-in-class service in these two countries.”
Avis’ legacy in Asia can be traced back to 1970, when the Company opened its first location in Hong Kong. Operations in Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan followed. Operations have grown steadily throughout the region ever since, including Avis’ leading presence in China, which began in 2002. Avis now has approximately 300 rental locations in Asia.

New appointment for Travelport

Travelport has appointed Michael van der Ende as Head of OTA for the Middle East, Africa and India, further reinforcing the Company’s commitment to the region’s booming online travel trade.
Michael joins Travelport from dnata Travel (part of the Emirates Group) where he held the position of B2C Manager. He brings a wealth of experience from the OTA sector having held senior positions in Europe with lastminute.com and Opodo. In his new role, Michael takes on the responsibility of overseeing and driving Travelport’s online business across the region, as the local travel industry increasingly seeks to establish its online presence. 
“The online travel industry in the Middle East, Africa and India is growing at an unprecedented rate which presents a major opportunity for an innovative, technologically advanced and future-focussed company such as Travelport,” said Michael. “With our global expertise and customer-focussed technology solutions, Travelport has a lot to offer both traditional travel agencies looking to take their next step into the online space and the global and regional online travel agencies looking to increase their footprints in these emerging economies. I look forward to leading this transformation in my new role.”
In 2014, Michael’s key focus will be on delivering Travelport’s robust online strategy, which is based on increasing revenue from OTA business in MEA and in India and on championing regional online customer agenda. In order to achieve this, Travelport will next year further strengthen its OTA-focussed management structure and continue to provide consultancy and hands-on support to online agencies to support their individual growth plans.