Trip to Burg Eltz Castle in Germany !

Burg Eltz Castle Germany

I recently went on a trip to Frankfurt , Germany and first stop was a trip to Burg Eltz Castle more like 2 hours drive from Frankfurt Airport.

We arrived at around 12 o'clock in the morning on Sunday and the place was just opening up in fact ,we were the first guests to arrive but shortly thereafter the place was teeming with tourists and visitors from all around the world! That speaks for it's popularity. There are guided tours in English and German .

The Place is Epic and reminds all humans of the need to conserve your Heritage! Burg Eltz castle is reputed to be over 850 years and yet it is till in good shape thanks to the maintenance of the  castle by the Eltz family through the centuries!

antique tap

 I know i have not written a post for quite a while but this place certainly deserved my hitting the computer Keyboard again. The experience was just memorable and the photo's epic!


The castle is located on a picturesque /scenic hill just after a hike on the woods. I would suggest hiking the  nature trail rather than taking the shuttle. The weather in late August  at around 16 to 20° degrees centigrade, was very accommodating for the hike and the scenery was beautiful !The Castle has an adjacent restaurant and a souvenir store! If you can this place is worth a visit !


Well here i share just some of the  the photos , hope you enjoy a Nairobians trip to Burg Eltz Castle in  Germany!

Ways Technology-inspired Trends Have Shaped the Travel Sector

Different sectors have experienced the reign of technological innovations in different ways, but perhaps it’s the travel sector that has gained more than any other. From search, to bookings, transport, payment, in-room entertainment and even itineraries; the sector continues to enjoy fresh discoveries that would have been passed as wishes not so long ago. Here are five of the current tech-inspired trends taking over the travel and tourism sector.

Rise of the DIY Traveler

The do-it-yourself customer is definitely on the rise. This trend is catapulted by technology, and a tech-savvy Millennial community that seem to prefer clicking to speaking. Travelers are becoming more and more independent, aided by technology that virtually covers all aspects of travel. It’s however important for travel companies to be careful not to lose their human touch, which possibly will be the only thing separating them from a myriad others offering similar service.

Multi-device operations

Cross-device use during the search and booking process has become the norm more than the exception. Travelers now rely on desktop, tablets, and smartphones to aid in their decision making process. For instance, a study by travel.jumia.com on internal booking trends reveals that, while short stay customers will have no qualms going through the whole process of pre-search and actual booking on a mobile devise, long stay customers are more likely to take their research on a desktop device (bigger screen), while completing their payments via mobile option. The use of cross-device while booking is also supported by the rise in smartphone penetration, mobile payment options and the characteristic convenience book-as-you-go.

Wearable Technology

Wearable technology is basically pieces of hi-tec solutions that you literally wear around your sleeve, neck, wrist, eyes and the like. The most common of this is perhaps the smartwatch and Google Glass. This advancement in technology allows travelers to perform digital tasks without reaching for their smartphones therefore enriching the whole experience and adventure. It’s now common to spot wrist bands that double up as storage gadgets, bracelets that can monitor heart rate and body activity as well as the futuristic forecast of smart shoes supposed to guide travelers in new cities.

Trending: The Sharing economy

The emergence of ride sharing services, accommodation and even workspace is a high impact trend in the travel sector. Travelers now have the option of booking a hotel, or lodging up with locals who give up some of their extra space to accommodate a ‘stranger’ at an agreed fee. The idea of airbnb.com, couchsurfing.com, Uber ride share and such are great examples of this rapidly rising trend. Travelers also find it useful to pop into shared workspaces that allow per day usage fee if they want to work while on the road. Away from that, it’s now common to find online travel communities formed by members looking to cut on costs by traveling together or taking advantage of group fees.

The Mobile-first Market

Mobile has become the first point of online contact for the larger fraction of the traveling population. It’s convenience also gives a boost to the rising prevalence of mobile bookings. Therefore, adoption of mobile apps by travel companies is vital for both marketing and positioning purposes. Booking apps should be designed with an impressive user experience to enable a hassle-free process when accessing and navigating a company’s website.

Jovago Now in Somalia; Industry Finally Taps into the Online Market

: NAIROBI, 2015-4-11 – Jovago.com has signed up the first of Somali hotels to Africa’s leading online booking platform. This milestone comes at a time when the global hospitality industry is shifting gear in response to the e-Commerce wave sweeping through the sector.

Commenting on the new entry, Estelle Verdier, Managing Director for Jovago.com East and Southern Africa expressed her optimism in the country’s rebirth process  quoting that, “Jovago transcends every border, as being in Somalia means being everywhere in Africa. She went on to note that, “the country has attracted new attention from Africa and beyond owing to the many aspects put in place for its reconstruction. Jovago therefore is seeking to align Somalia’s hotel sector proportionately with the new age customer trends and purchasing decisions” Analysis by market leaders such as World Travel Market and Euromonitor indicate ever increasing numbers with a market moving 96% of primary travel searches taking place online.

The threat of piracy and Al-Shabab attacks in Somalia’s waters for a long time consequently restricted the country’s internet connection to satellites and Dial up services. This was until late in 2013, when Liquid Telecom introduced the country’s first fiber optic broadband link in capital Mogadishu; finally marking the first phase of opening up Somali to the world of opportunities on the World Wide Web.

Part of this, as Shiraar Hared Rage the CEO for Idman Ocean View Camp in Mogadishu cites is ensuring that Somalia’s hotel sector also benefits from this new culture. His hotel, which has been operational since 2004 has embraced social media as part of its strategy to remain visible in the market. According to the entrepreneur, internet marketing not only paves way for building relations with previous and potential customers, but also helps businesses in cutting costs incurred through communication.

Mogadishu, has seen a new awakening and rise from years of anarchy with long closed embassies re-opening and hitherto abandoned government offices springing back to life. It’s also home to diplomatic organizations as well as institutions of higher learning with a tech-hungry youth population that will benefit majorly from reliable internet connection.

Owing to the recent progress in fighting the Islamist militias and the establishment of the African Union, United Nations and US backed Federal Government, Somalia may finally be on her way to leaping benefits from a well-established telecoms industry. According  to BuddeComm, a global independent telecommunications research and consultancy company, the country is on to a better connected future with a 58% penetration in mobile and 2.1% internet penetration rate forecasted by the end of 2015. Security remains the key to the country’s stability that will pave way for infrastructure and development. As for now, the population will have to trust in the country’s rebirth process.

Explore the World with one of Emirates’ Best Offers of the Year

Nairobi – 1 September 2013 – Emirates, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, is offering travellers in Kenya the chance to visit exciting destinations around the world for less, in a week-long promotion that ranks as one of its best offers of the year.

Whether to visit friends, family, or to experience a new destination or for business, the Economy Class and Business Class offer runs from the September 2-9 for travel between 15 September 2013 and 10 April 2014. 

Travellers seeking to bag a good deal can take advantage of these attractive offers to selected destinations on certain flights, with tickets prices starting from USD668 including taxes for return travel to Dubai, to Mumbai from USD620, to New Delhi from USD1, 087, to Guangzhou from USD1, 132, to Beijing from USD1, 435, to Kuala Lumpur from USD1, 556 and to JF Kennedy from USD1, 199. Emirates is also offering discounted Business Class return fares from USD 2,472 to Bangkok; USD2,774 to Haneda and USD3,951 to Beijing. 

Announcing the new promotional fares, Emirates Sales Manager Stephen Kisaka said: “We would like to make it as easy and convenient as possible for our customers to spend precious time with family and friends, or to enjoy well-deserved and affordable vocational or business trips. These offers provide an opportunity to travel to a wide number of popular destinations at greatly discounted fares and we invite all our customers in Kenya to take advantage of these fantastic value-for-money deals.”

“In addition to the value fares our customers will be able to experience the Emirates’ award-winning ice in-flight entertainment system with a choice of over 1,400 channels on-demand as well as meals prepared by gourmet chefs and award-winning service,” Kisaka added.

The offer has some restrictions and is available only on particular flights. It is not valid for travel during the Canton Fair (12-31 October), Christmas period (05 to 23 December), New Year (01-12 January 2014), and the Chinese New Year (08-15 February 2014). Check with your local Emirates sales office or travel agent for full terms and conditions.

This offer gives travellers the opportunity to experience Emirates award-winning service from its international cabin crew from more than 100 countries, gourmet cuisine and its renowned ice inflight entertainment system, which offers passengers hundreds of audio and visual entertainment. Customers travelling with Emirates benefit from a generous baggage allowance 30kg in Economy Class, 40 kg in Business Class and 50 kg in First Class.

Emirates operates double daily flights (14 weekly flights) between Nairobi and Dubai and onward to more than 130 destinations.

EK 719 departs Dubai International Airport every day at 1045hrs and arrives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 1445hrs. The return flight, EK720, leaves JKIA at 1640hrs and lands in Dubai at 1040hrs.  Second flight EK 721 departs Dubai International Airport every day at 1505hrs and arrives at JKIA at 1905hrs. The return flight, EK722, leaves JKIA at 2250hrs and lands in Dubai at 0450hrs.

For more information on the offers, conditions and bookings customers can log onto http://www.emirates.com/ke 

Emirates’ travel distribution arm, EmQuest opens office in Kenya

Nairobi: 28 April 2013: EmQuest, travel distribution of Emirates Airline and distributer of Sabre products in the UAE, Africa and the Indian Ocean, further expands its operations across Africa by opening a new office in Nairobi, Kenya, in partnership with Safari Holdings; providing Sabre solutions, sales and services to Kenyan travel agents across the country.

The Sabre Travel Network Kenya office will enable travel agents in Kenya to use Sabre to access a wide range of content, innovative travel solutions and help them manage their customers and grow their business further.

“Our presence in Nairobi demonstrates our significant investment in the African continent which is constantly evolving and is expected to be one of the fastest growing regions in the world in terms of travel and tourism,” said Naz Nizari, Senior Vice-President of EmQuest. “EmQuest is determined to support African growth and be part of the continent’s economic expansion by providing agents across East Africa with an excellent GDS (Global Distribution System) and innovative travel-related services that add value to their business.”
Customers of Sabre will be supported by a local support team, located in the region and benefit from the out-of-hours support provided by EmQuest’s network.

Sabre team led by Nazma Jamal, Managing Director for Sabre East Africa  (4th left) when they met travel agents in Nairobi.

“With the combined support of our partners, dedicated teams and strength of our local infrastructure, we are confident that Sabre operations will grow and prosper across East Africa.  This new expansion reflects our excitement and commitment to expand and explore new dimensions with the agents in this fast-growing region,” said Nazma Jamal, Managing Director for Sabre East Africa, who will be responsible for both the distribution of Sabre and the management of teams in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. 

Agents were able to experience the Sabre products and speak to representatives of EmQuest and Sabre Kenya on Friday, 26 April, at a special industry event called Karibuni Sabre at the Best Western Premier Nairobi.

Sabre enters the market with its award-winning Sabre Red total travel solution, designed for corporate and leisure travel agencies to manage every part of their business. At the heart of this is the Sabre Red Workspace, a highly configurable platform for travel agencies to shop, book and manage travel, while delivering excellent customer service.

Sabre’s new graphical view in the Sabre Red Workspace provides agents the option to shop, book and manage travel in a graphical setting. Using this, agents will be able to book air, car and hotel using format-free, point-and-click functionality, making training on the Sabre system, whether for a novice or seasoned agent, simple and easy. More experienced agents can speed through bookings using both the new graphical view and traditional ’classic view’ format. The company will also launch a range of mobile, social media, business intelligence, travel security, and efficiency tools for agencies.

Committed to the highest standards of excellence, EmQuest, a division of the Emirates Group, is the sole distributer of Sabre products in the United Arab Emirates, increasing its Sabre market share from 14 to 40% in in a three year span. In addition to extending the products to agencies, EmQuest is investing in regional distribution solutions to provide content such as tour holidays, travel insurance, mid-back office solutions and online booking solutions to provide agencies with a single, powerful platform to help serve their clients. EmQuest and Sabre have continuously reinforced their commitment to continuously invest and grow in the Middle East and African markets.
 

Emirates launches as-it-happens television viewing ‘ice TV’

19 February, 2013 – Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, has launched ‘ice TV Live’ as part of its on-going efforts to provide the latest in on-board entertainment. Emirates will now offer up to four channels of as-it-happens television viewing. 

ice TV Live offers passengers four TV channels to select from: BBC World News in English, BBC Arabic, Euronews and, for sports fans, Sport24 - a channel dedicated to major sports events around the world.

A major sponsor of renowned global sporting events, Emirates recognizes the power of sport and its ability to connect people from around the world. A dedicated channel which provides coverage of major sporting events is a key part of the TV channel line-up. February’s Sport24 highlights include English Premier League and Bundesliga football matches. Coverage of more events will be announced soon, but 2013 will feature coverage of the Australian Open, Wimbledon, US Open Tennis, ATP Tour Masters 1000 Series, ATP World Tour Finals, US Open Golf, and the British and Irish Lions Tour. In line with this week’s announcement of a five year agreement appointing Emirates as a Global Partner of Formula 1® starting with the imminent 2013 season, ice TV Live will also include coverage of Formula 1; ensuring sports fans on Emirates miss none of the action.

“Installing the type of satellite communication that allows live TV on an aircraft is no easy feat,” explained Adel Al Redha, Emirates Executive Vice-President of Engineering and Operations. “Emirates continues to enhance the features of its inflight entertainment system with its partner Panasonic.” 

The ice TV Live channels will also complement the full range of Emirates entertainment and communications options. Emirates was the first airline to introduce usage of GSM telephone on its aircraft and expanded this to the use of Wi-Fi and now live TV channels. With this latest addition, Emirates now offers Wi-Fi on 32 aircraft including all A380s, plus mobile phone use on 98 Boeing 777, Airbus A330-200, A340-300/500 and A380 aircraft.

Emirates is committed to providing the most connectivity, maximum comfort and most engaging in-flight entertainment in the skies. The ice TV Live news channels enhance Emirates existing live BBC text news headlines introduced in 2003 - which made Emirates the first airline in the world to offer such live news updates.

The new ice TV Live follows an incredible year of Emirates ‘firsts’ for inflight entertainment and communications. In 2012 alone, Emirates introduced touch TV screens similar to that found on tablets, bigger personal TV screens (27-inch in First Class, 20-inch in Business Class and 12.1 inch in Economy Class – with high definition (HD) resolution), and the introduction of mobile phone use for the first time on A380 aircraft.

2013 will build upon Emirates’ reputation for equipment and content innovation. In addition to ice TV Live, mobile phone use and Wi-Fi to Boeing 777s, the entire ice-equipped fleet will see improvements in the first few months of the year that include more music and more types of music than ever before, more Arabic TV and films on-board, the introduction of African movies, and a dedicated CBeebies channel for younger flyers.

Little Known Facts About The Largest Cruise Ships Ever Built

 

If you are like me you probably operate under the mistaken belief that the Titanic was and is still the largest passenger ship ever built.You are mistaken-there are two new kids on the block -The Oasis and The Allure of The Seas  which when compared to the Titanic both in matters of size,performance and comfort  basically pale it out!

If you are a cruise enthusiast and interested in cruises like i am then the link provided:Cruises may benefit you a lot  when it comes to cruise deals. However without digressing let me list the Dimensions of the three ships for your comparison:

•   Titanic :  269.06 meters in length by 28.19 meters width/beam by 32 metres height, she measured 46,328 register tonnes

• Oasis of The Sea: 360 meters in length by 47 metres width/beam waterline extreme 60.5 metres and height 72 meters , Tonnage 225,282.
• Allure of The Seas: 360 metres in length by  47 metres width/beam waterline extreme 60.5 metres and height 72 metres, Tonnage  225, 282

  Allure of the Seas is like a miniature city offering the best service and entertainment at sea, with the ship travelling at a comfortable speed of 22 knots leaving you with one of the most enjoyable and memorable cruises you have ever had.  

The ship which travels from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale to Florida, then to marquee destinations through Caribbean, offers a captivating adventure like the first ever Starbucks outlet at sea- not present in the Oasis of the Seas. The Allure of the Seas allows you to enjoy your cruise experience with the Mexican-fare favourites at Rita’s Cantina, prime cuts straight from the skewer and the best margaritas.  

The Allure of the Seas offers its guest with a unique experience along the Coast of Hispaniola and the Royal Caribbean’s pristine beaches. With amazing accommodation of different categories the guest are able to relax and enjoy as their kids are savoured to a unique, creative, educational and totally fun programs.