Arik Air, West and Central Africa’s largest airline, now offers excellent connections and
through-fares directly from New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport to
West and Central Africa satisfying the growing demand from its
passengers and travel agents.

Arik Air is the only African airline to fly directly to West Africa
from JFK. These new travel options now firmly position the airline as
one of the fastest and most effective ways for US passengers to connect
to West and Central Africa, via Murtala Muhammad International Airport
in Lagos, Nigeria.

“In addition to placing safety and security as our top priorities, Arik
Air is also passionately dedicated to enhancing its customer service.
This latest addition provides passengers with an efficient and smooth
transit experience. We are very excited about these new connections and
our highly competitive fares, especially as American travelers are
increasingly flying to Africa for both business and pleasure. As these
markets continue to open up, Arik Air is perfectly positioned to
provide passengers with an enjoyable and seamless travel experience”
said Robert Brunner, VP America’s Arik Air.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seven African
countries are in the top 10 fastest growing economies in the world.
This robust economic growth fuels the development of tourism and opens
up a vast array of business opportunities for corporate America across
diverse industries. To cater to this growing demand, Arik Air provides
greater accessibility and ease of travel to the following West and
Central African destinations:

- Accra, Ghana- Monrovia, Liberia- Freetown, Sierra Leone – Banjul,
Gambia- Dakar, Senegal- Douala, Cameroon- Kinshasa, DR Congo

In addition to the above international destinations, Arik Air also
provides domestic connections across Nigeria including Abuja, Port
Harcourt , Calabar and many more.

In 2011 Arik Air became an official member of IATA. The airline is the
only West African airline with USA/Federal Aviation Administration
accreditation allowing it to operate its own flights directly into the
US.

“We are extremely proud to be marking five years of flying to Nigeria and, thanks to the support of the airport, government authorities and the local community, our service from Lagos to Atlanta has gone from strength to strength,” said Bobby Bryan, Delta’s commercial manager for West and East Africa.

“Nigeria continues to be one of the most important business markets in Delta’s international network and we are committed to serving Lagos for many years to come.”

More than 570,000 passengers have flown on Delta’s flights between Nigeria and the United States since 2007 and this year Delta has seen strong load factors of over 80 percent.

Additionally, over the last five years, Delta has transported around 6,500 tons of cargo between Nigeria and the U.S., facilitating trade and commerce between the two nations.

In September, Delta introduced full flat-bed seats in its BusinessElite cabin on its Lagos flights.

Each seat is forward facing and converts to a 180-degree fully flatbed offering direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 configuration.

“In every market where we’ve introduced flat bed seats, customer satisfaction ratings have increased significantly and Nigeria has been no exception,” said Bryan. “Delta is offering more than 500 flat-bed seats each week on this route and an unrivaled network.

Customers traveling from Lagos benefit from convenient connections to more than 160 destinations via our leading gateway at Atlanta to cities such as Washington, Houston and Los Angeles.”

Delta flights from Nigeria also feature Economy Comfort, Delta’s premium economy cabin product. Customers flying in Economy Comfort benefit from up to four additional inches of legroom for 35 full inches of seat pitch and 50 percent more recline than Delta’s standard Economy class seat.

In early 2013, Delta will begin rolling out Wi-Fi on its international fleet.

The introduction of Wi-Fi on flights between Lagos and Atlanta will enable customers to access the Internet at 30,000 feet.

BusinessElite passengers traveling to and from Lagos may take advantage of Delta’s Protocol service, which was introduced at Murtala Muhammed International Airport this year.

This provides a personalized escort through every step of the airport experience, from checking in, security clearance and lounge pick-up, to arrival and baggage collection.

Delta’s Protocol service is offered in addition to SkyPriority, a series of priority airport services offered to premium passengers by SkyTeam airlines serving Lagos.

Delta has transported almost 3 million passengers on its Africa services since the airline launched its first flights from the continent in December 2006. The airline flies to five cities in five African countries — Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and Monrovia, Liberia. Delta operates a one-year Business Internship Program in five African nations including Nigeria, offering African students valuable work experience gained within a global organization.

United also announced new daily service between Los Angeles and Shanghai, beginning March 30. The new routes are in addition to previously announced service from Denver to Tokyo-Narita, starting March 31.

United will also operate daily, nonstop 787 service from Houston to Amsterdam and London Heathrow on a temporary basis. Houston-Amsterdam service begins Dec. 4 and Houston-Heathrow service begins Feb. 4.

The 787 aircraft will display for sale for these routes beginning Aug. 25, while Denver-to-Narita service is available for sale now. In the near future, United will announce plans for initial domestic flying for the 787, which will precede the launch of international flights. The Dreamliner is configured with 36 seats in United BusinessFirst, 72 seats in United Economy Plus and 111 seats in United Economy. The planes will have improved lighting, bigger windows, larger overhead bins and enhanced ventilation systems

Delta now flies to six cities in five African countries. Last week, it expanded its African network to offer nonstop service between Accra, Ghana, and Abuja, Nigeria, in partnership with Air Nigeria. The service operates twice weekly.

United Continental Holdings, Inc. has begun daily scheduled passenger service between Texas and Africa with new nonstop flights between Houston and Lagos, Nigeria. The service, operated by Continental Airlines, links the two energy capitals on a route which no other airline currently serves.

The flights will operate using Boeing 777 aircraft with a total of 276 seats — 50 in BusinessFirst and 226 in Economy. The 777 aircraft feature new, flat-bed seats in the BusinessFirst cabin. The seat, reclining 180 degrees and providing 6 feet 6 inches of sleeping space in the fully extended position, is one of the widest business-class seats in the air, measuring up to 27 inches when the adjustable armrest is positioned flush with the seat cushion.

This unique cruise combines African coastal cruising along the coast of Senegal and Gambia, with exploration of the Saloun Delta and the Gambia River.

The very reasonably priced optional excursion programme gives passengers the opportunity to discover the diverse flora and fauna of this wonderful area as well as the fascinating culture and history of the local inhabitants.

Seafarer Managing Director, Chris Lorenzo said “This superb and quite unique cruise is a repeat of the very successful cruise series operated here last winter, whilst the 23 cabin mega yacht Pegasus, is the only European owned and crewed cruises vessel operating in this area”.

Facilities on board the Pegasus include ample sun decks, a spacious and comfortable lounge and bar, a restaurant and well appointed outside cabins with air conditioning and en suite facilities. Pegasus is fully SOLAS compliant, and cruises the Mediterranean and Black Sea during the summer months.

Early booking prices for a 7 night cruise from Senegal start at £1225pp cruise only, or from £1,888 with flights and transfers. A 2 night extension in Dakar, Senegal with excursions costs £395

For More info Contact Chris Lorenzo at
Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays
On 0208 324 3117 or email on info@seafarercruises.com

Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat Khaki, L – With no-see-um netting to hold off the bugs, the Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat is an ideal choice for mosquito protection when you’re camping in buggy environments. The netting on the Bug Bucket Hat seals around your neck with a drawcord and stuffs into the crown when not in use. Made with UPF 30+ SolarSheild fabric, this Outdoor Research hat also keeps the sun from burning your head and neck. The Bug Bucket hat stuffs into a hidden pocket, allowing it to stow easily when not in use.

Small ship and yachting specialist Seafarer has announced some early booking discounts with savings of up to £720 per cabin on the unique Rivers of West Africa cruise, operated by Variety Cruises on the 46 passenger MY Pegasus.

This unique cruise combines African coastal cruising along the coast of Senegal and Gambia, with exploration of the Saloun Delta and the Gambia River.

The very reasonably priced optional excursion programme gives passengers the opportunity to discover the diverse flora and fauna of this wonderful area as well as the fascinating culture and history of the local inhabitants.

Seafarer Managing Director, Chris Lorenzo said “This superb and quite unique cruise is a repeat of the very successful cruise series operated here last winter, whilst the 23 cabin mega yacht Pegasus, is the only European owned and crewed cruises vessel operating in this area”.

Facilities on board the Pegasus include ample sun decks, a spacious and comfortable lounge and bar, a restaurant and well appointed outside cabins with air conditioning and en suite facilities. Pegasus is fully SOLAS compliant, and cruises the Mediterranean and Black Sea during the summer months.

Early booking prices for a 7 night cruise from Senegal start at £1225pp cruise only, or from £1,888 with flights and transfers. A 2 night extension in Dakar, Senegal with excursions costs £395

For More info Contact Chris Lorenzo at
Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays
On 0208 324 3117 or email on info@seafarercruises.com

Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat Khaki, L – With no-see-um netting to hold off the bugs, the Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat is an ideal choice for mosquito protection when you’re camping in buggy environments. The netting on the Bug Bucket Hat seals around your neck with a drawcord and stuffs into the crown when not in use. Made with UPF 30+ SolarSheild fabric, this Outdoor Research hat also keeps the sun from burning your head and neck. The Bug Bucket hat stuffs into a hidden pocket, allowing it to stow easily when not in use.

“Nigeria is one of our key markets in Africa and extremely suitable for our dynamic mid-market brand Park Inn by Radisson. We are already developing a Park Inn in Lagos, Ikeja and have also established the brand in Abuja and Abeokuta,” said Kurt Ritter, president & CEO of Rezidor.

Lagos is one of the most dynamic hotel markets in Africa – but still lacking internationally branded hotel rooms as a result of a surging economy buoyed by high oil prices and high barriers to entry limiting hotel development. Apapa is the major port of the city of Lagos and has a high concentration of businesses related to shipping and petroleum.

Besides 125 guest rooms, the new Park Inn will comprise an all-day dining restaurant, a sports bar, 330 m2 of meeting space, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre. The surrounding area is heavily landscaped and park-like, which a major advantage in Lagos.

Rezidor has identified the emerging markets of Africa as a focus area for future business development; the group currently has the largest pipeline in Sub-Saharan Africa and develops its core brands Radisson Blu (upscale) and Park Inn by Radisson (mid market) across the continent. Future openings include hotels in Addis Ababa/Ethiopia, Lusaka/Zambia, Kigali/Rwanda and Tete/Mozambique.

About The Rezidor Hotel Group:

The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The group features a portfolio of more than 400 hotels in operation and under development with 86,300 rooms in over 60 countries, including a wide range of hotels in Lagos, Cape Town hotels, hotels in Rome and hotels in Stockholm.

Rezidor operates the brands Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites in Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with the goldpoints plusSM loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Under a worldwide licence agreement with the iconic Italian fashion house Missoni, Rezidor also operates and develops the new lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni.

In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Carlson, a privately held, global hospitality and travel company, based in Minneapolis (USA), is the majority shareholder.

The Corporate office of the Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium.

Website: http://www.radissonblu.com

The Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Lagos VI is located along the Lagos Lagoon waterfront area of Victoria Island in the heart of the business district and close to the Mega Plaza shopping center, consulates and the banking district.

Bar Beach, the National Museum, the Eko Expo Centre and the Lekki Conservation Centre are also all within easy reach.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport is less than 40 kilometers away.

The hotel has been designed by the Swedish hospitality designer Christian Lundwall, who decorated the 170 guest rooms in two unique styles.

All rooms offer views of Lagos Lagoon or the city, have both bathtub and walk-in shower, and guests benefit from Radisson Blu signature services such as free high speed internet access.

The all-day-dining Voyage Restaurant with own terrace serves an international buffet with a choice of Nigerian and continental dishes, in addition to an a la carte menu with dishes from the region and Europe.

The Surface Bar & Grill on the terrace offers al fresco dining and views over the lagoon, with jetty access for dining cruises.

And the View bar lounge promises a stunning lagoon panorama, light snacks and drinks.

The hotel feature a top-floor Business Lounge, four meeting rooms and two boardrooms.

Three of the conference rooms are located on the ground floor and provide access to the veranda, which overlooks the lagoon and can be reserved for special events.

The new property includes a fitness and wellness area with gym, massage rooms, outdoor infinity swimming pool and children’s pool.

In Vietnam and Cambodia, Lindblad is offering a cruise along the Mekong River, including Angkor and Saigon, aboard the new, 48-passenger Jahan.

The 14-day itinerary takes in the temples of Angkor; the floating villages, markets and small communities along the Mekong; and the cities of Phnom Penh and Saigon.

Rates start at $7,980 per person, double.

In Turkey and Greece, Lindblad is offering a new itinerary and a new expedition environment aboard the 58-passenger, four-masted Sea Cloud. “Exploring Turkey & Greece: A Sailing Odyssey” is a journey to the home of Western civilization along the Turkish coast and the Greek isles.

The 10-day itinerary includes visits to Istanbul, a bridge between East and West; Ephesus, one of the great centers of the Greek world; Didyma, home to one of Apollo’s oracles; and Greece’s Cycladic islands of Santorini, Folégandros and sacred Delos, home to some of the greatest works created by the ancients. Rates start at $7,990 per person, double.

The “West African Odyssey: Exploring from South Africa to Morocco” cruise spans 16 countries.

The 37-day itinerary explores the entire west coast of Africa from Cape Town, South Africa, to Morocco, offering an array of cultures, scenery and wildlife. Guests will experience daily life in Africa through its markets and music and encounter a great sweep of geography, including the maritime climate of South Africa, the deserts of Namibia, the tropics and savannas of the coast, the desert of the Western Sahara and the city of Marrakech.

The adventure takes place aboard the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer with rates from $28,480 per person, double.

“Exploring the Cultures and Wildlife of Papua New Guinea” is a 16-day itinerary that explores the country’s natural splendor and cultures aboard the 68-guest Oceanic Discoverer.

Guests will observe the active volcano Tavurvur; visit the villagers’ traditional homes and yam huts in the Trobriands, whose cultures were famously studied by anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski; and view art along the Sepik River and the remains of a ship stored in a cave by the Japanese during World War II at Rabaul.

Throughout the voyage, guests can beach comb, swim and snorkel on some of the finest coral reefs in the world. Rates start at $14,790 per person, double.

For more information, call 800-397-3348 or visit www.expeditions.com