Statement on the TANAPA Concession Fees Issue

Dear All,

We hugely regret the inconvenience that some of our guests have been caused since the 1st August at points of entry to Serengeti, Mahale and Katavi National Parks.

To better understand the situation, here is the background:

Following 5 years of negotiations between permanent lodge and camp owners in National Parks and Tanzania National Parks Authority, a Standardised Licence Agreement was agreed and signed by all parties on 27th October 2010.  Amongst many things, this agreement stipulated that the Concession Fees were payable by the lodge/camp owners on the basis of 10% of half board at the month-end, this is also enshrined in current law. Licence Agreements for individual lodges and permanent camps were then replicated from this standard agreement.  Nomad's three involved properties, Greystoke Mahale, Chada Katavi and Lamai Serengeti had their Licences signed on 15th March 2011.

TANAPA wrote to all lodge and permanent camp owners in July, stating that from 01st August 2011, Concession Fees were payable by tour operators in advance and the rates were unilaterally set.This was in total contravention to all previously signed agreements and was not acceptable to us or our guests.

We, through the Tourism Confederation Tanzania (TCT), the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) and the Hotels Association of Tanzania (HAT) have made various appeals to the authorities during the past few weeks to prevent this crisis and have now initiated a dialogue with TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to resolve the matter. We sincerely hope that further inconvenience to our guests can be avoided.

We want to thank everybody for their cooperation, patience and understanding during these very unfortunate events, which we trust will not reoccur. We are committed to the continued development of Tanzania as a quality tourism destination.

Kind regards
John

John Corse
Managing Director
Nomad Tanzania

Important news re Kempinski Hotels

To Partners of Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski & Bilila Lodge Kempinski
 

From Daniel Ebo, Area Director of Sales and Marketing- Southern Africa
 

Date 6thJuly 2011
 

Subject Memorandum – Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski & Bilila Lodge Kempinski
 

Dear Partner,
This letter serves as official notification that as of 31st July 2011, Kempinski Hotels will no longer be functioning as the operator of what is now called “Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski” and “Bilila Lodge Kempinski”.

Effective that date, the operation of the hotel will be assumed by ASB Investments Tanzania. Kempinski Hotels will no longer have connection with the property.

Existing contracts in connection to the hotel will have to be discussed with the new operator. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely yours,
(sent via email)

Daniel Ebo
Area Director of Sales and Marketing – Southern Africa

Kilimanjaro Hotel Kempinski T +255 764 704 704
Kivukoni Street, P.O.Box 9574 F +255 22 2120777
www.kempinski.comdaniel.ebo@kempinski.com

New Coastal flight times

Coastal's new flight schedule shows all their flights OUT of the Serengeti will be departing 30 minutes earlier than previously scheduled. Their afternoon flights FROM Arusha will now be departing 30 minutes later (13h00) to the Serengeti.

For more information, visit their website. www.coastal.cc

Selous Walks - Sunday Times coverage

Great new article on our Selous walks in the Sunday Times, with thanks to Expert Africa.

Read it here

Regional Air fuel surcharge from 1 June 11

Regional Air is introducing a $5 fuel surcharge per flight effective 1 June 2011.

Nomad wins Good Safari Guide Award

We're thrilled to announce that we've just won Best Mobile Safari Operator in Africa 2011 at the recent Good Safari Guide Awards. Thanks to everyone who voted for us, we really appreciate the support.

You can find out more via their website - www.goodsafariguide.com

Fuel Costs - Increases in flight costs

Dear All

The Tanzanian  air operators have briefed us on their intended rate increase on both existing and new bookings due to escalating fuel costs, which we have no alternative but to pass on. In an attempt to minimize disruption we are adopting the policy below. I hope this will help.

Confirmed safaris - if you prepay now, we can avoid passing on any rate increase.

Quoted but unconfirmed safaris - I’m afraid we will have to add prevailing surcharges to the confirmation invoice. Please ensure you warn your clients of this small increase before you accept their confirmation.

New enquiries - We will automatically add any extra supplements & surcharges that prevail at time of enquiry. This is constantly changing but currently we are aware of TFC ($7 per standard sector) with Western schedule flights to Chada & Greystoke $30 per person one way; Coastal (7% surcharge from 1 May); Regional & Air Excel (no increases as yet); Precision have imposed fuel surcharges from $36 to $73 one way (don’t we all love them?).

We will keep you updated on changes and will continue to do our utmost to minimize disruption and extra cost

Child Policy changing at Sanctuary Swala and Sanctuary Kusini

The child policy at our camps in Tanzania will be changing with immediate effect with Sanctuary Kusini and Sanctuary Swala no longer accepting children under the age of 12.

We have decided to instead focus on Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara, Kenya as our key camp in East Africa for “younger” families due to the wide range of child-friendly activities available that are not possible in Tanzania. Due to their more remote locations in wilderness areas, Sanctuary Kusini and Sanctuary Swala are better tailored as safari destinations for guests 12 and over.

We will honor all existing confirmed and provisional bookings but will not take any new bookings for families with young children.  

Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please would you let me know if you have received this notification and if you can be so kind to pass this notification on to people in your sales  department.

Once again we apologize for the inconvenience.

Kindest regards

Sanctuary Retreats Tanzania

Email: bredding@sanctuaryretreats.com
Website: www.sanctuaryretreats.com

TFC Fuel surcharge & Kleins Airstrip remain closed

Tanganyika Flying Company introduce $7.5 fuel surcharge per person per sector from 1 June 2011.

Kleins airstrip remains closed & unlikely to be re-opened in the near future.

Singa Grumeti - New offer

Book 6 nights, pay for 5

Book 6 nights at either Sasakwa, Faru Faru or Sabora Tented Camp and only pay
for 5.

Plan the trip of a lifetime to Singita Grumeti Reserves, 350 000 acres of untouched and breathtaking wilderness; completely private, utterly exclusive with three unique lodges and front-row migration viewing.

- 6 nights luxurious all suite accomodation

- All daily meals, teas and coffees, all drinks including premium wines

- Two open Land Rover safaris per day with an experienced guide

- Daily out-rides from Sasakwa Lodge for skilled horse riders

- Laundry and valet services.

For more info contact enquiries@singita.com

Updated Nomad Discount Summary

Nomad's new updated discount summary for all bookings made before 31 May 2011

15% discount on normal nett rates for 2011 and 2012 LOW SEASON bookings made before 31 May 2011 at the following Nomad camps:

Sand Rivers Selous, Kiba Point, Greystoke Mahale, Chada Katavi, Lamai Serengeti, Serengeti Safari Camp, Nduara Loliondo and Wilderness Mobile Camp.

Please note LOW SEASON dates as below:

Sand Rivers, Kiba Point, Greystoke Mahale, Chada Katavi, Lamai Serengeti

01 Nov to 19 Dec 2011
07 Jan to 25 Mar 2012
01 Nov to 19 Dec 2012

Serengeti Safari Camp, Nduara Loliondo, Wilderness Mobile Camp

01 Nov to 19 Dec 2011
15 Mar to 31 May 2012
01 Nov to 19 Dec 2012


YEAR ROUND discounts still apply to our western shared charter flights and child discounts as below:

40% reduction on the Nomad shared charter rate between Arusha and western Tanzania AND free flights between Katavi & Mahale - when combining BOTH Chada  Katavi and Greystoke Mahale.

20% reduction on the Nomad shared charter rate between Arusha and western Tanzania when staying in one camp only, either Chada Katavi or Greystoke Mahale (we're unable to apply these discounts to our northern pick-up/drop-off divert charges).

Child rate (at 60% of adult rate) still extended to include young adults under-21 years old.

DOWNLOAD OUR DISCOUNT SUMMARY HERE

The Residence, Zanzibar opens

The Residence, Zanzibar officially opens on Saturday 2nd April 2011. The villa resort, each with private pool and personal butler service, is an ideal escape after a safari.

For more information -

The Residence Zanzibar [sales-zanzibar@theresidence.com]

Serengeti Migration Update

Monday morning, this week, we watched the first of the migratory herds arriving back into the Ndutu area after several days of heavy rain. They had started to go north-west towards Moru and Maswa, as the southern grass plains were drying up. Now, with all this rain and the area greeing up nicely, they are heading back. 

By Tuesday morning the plains were filling up: lots of wildebeest and zebra and plenty of cats. We spent a good hour with a small pride, a beautifull dark-maned lion and his three lionesses; fat and happy after a recent wildebeest kill. The next morning, our guide Jacob, out even earlier than us, saw three cheetah take down an adult wildebeest. By the time we got there, the cheetah were sprawled in the mud (had been very rainy Monday night) next to the kill. Fantastic to see the southern grass plains teeming with activity.

Nomad Trust - newsletter

Download the Nomad Trust's latest newsletter with updates on all it's projects here

New Coastal Zanzibar / Pemba flight announced

Coastal have recently introduced an additional scheduled flight on the Dar – Zanzibar - Pemba route as per details below:

Dar – Zanzibar – Pemba:
ETD: 1030hrs
ETA: 1150hrs

Pemba – Zanzibar – Dar:
ETD: 1200hrs
ETA: 1320hrs

Contact safari@coastal.cc for more information