The CEO of Africa Innovation Network, Flemming Sørensen, reached out recently, asking if I could do a video appearance at a seminar, telling the story of HotelOnline. Sure, I love telling about how Endre and…
Nyege Nyege Festival: Jinja on fire!
The quiet town of Jinja, commonly known as the source of the Nile, has has become home to new attraction which keeps increasing in popularity. Launched in 2015, the Nyege Nyege festival has become a…
Tiwi – off the beaten track in Kenya
Kenya is a top tourist destination in Africa, for a good reason. The country simply has a lot to offer! If you are a seasoned traveler, you may feel that Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu are…
[Ventureburn] Norwegian Håvar Bauck’s Kenyan startup HotelOnline announces it’s raised $320k
Håvar Bauck, the Norwegian entrepreneur who hit the news earlier this year over his dealings with controversial Polish tech entrepreneur Marek Zmyslowski announced yesterday that his Kenyan travel tech startup HotelOnline had raised $320 000. The company provides solutions…
[BW Hotelier] Shravan Shroff Joins HotelOnline Board of Directors
http://bwhotelier.businessworld.in/article/Shravan-Shroff-Joins-HotelOnline-Board-of-Directors/10-07-2019-173144/ HotelOnline is a travel tech scale-up, started by Norwegian entrepreneurs Håvar Bauck and Endre Opdal, both living in Kenya. HotelOnline, with an aim to strengthen its position in current core markets, delivering outstanding quality…
Kenya – a Coffee Exporter Growing a Coffee Culture
When I came to Kenya in 2002, coffee was an odd drink enjoyed by expats like me. Most restaurants would serve you the kind of dishwater commonly referred to by the misnomer instant “coffee”. The…
Kaleidoscope Africa Launched in Nairobi
On January 17th, 2019, we kicked off the inaugural event for Kaleidoscope Africa, at Nailab in Nairobi with a catchy topic: Launch to Scale: How Successful Startups Scale into Global Enterprises. Only two day after…
Al Ain – a Green Haven in the Desert
Al Ain is an oasis city, quite off the beaten track in the Emirates. The Al Ain Oasis and Jebel Hafeet are among the best-known landmarks
El Acebuchal
El Acebuchal, a hidden little village in a narrow valley, with a unqiue Andalucian fusion restaurant as its main attraction
HotelOnline / Teranga merger in the press
https://techmoran.com/hotelonline-acquires-senegalese-teranga-solutions-to-bolster-its-hotel-booking-business-in-africa/ The Lesson from Teranga and HotelOnline Merger https://kenyannews.co.ke/technology/hotelonline-acquires-senegalese-teranga-solutions-to-bolster-its-hotel-booking-business-in-africa/
Cedars – A Legend in Kilimani
Very few restaurants in Nairobi have managed the art of staying relevant for decades. Cedars is an – perhaps the – exception. Back in the Moi era, this Lebanese restaurant was a hangout place for…
Kilimani – From a leafy suburb, to a concrete jungle
When I first moved to Kenya, in 2002, Kilimani was was an idyllic, leafy suburb, dotted with tall, green trees sourrounding the colonial-era bungalows with lush spacious 1-acre gardens. The area surrounds State House, so…
[Techweez] Founder Håvar Bauck on building HotelOnline to become a booking stalwart
Founder Havar Bauck, on Building HotelOnline to Become a Hotel Booking Stalwart
Nairobi – The post-election silence
Friday August 11th. Kenya voted on Tuesday. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is expected to announce the winner of the Presidential tally anytime soon, but keeps postponing the moment everyone is waiting for….
2017 – Kenya voting
Throughout most of 2017, Kenya has been in an election fever mode. Being here while it happens, is a peculiar experience, as all activity grinds to a standstill, while all eyes are on the campaigning….
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) – future hub for Africa?
JKIA in an advantageous position When Kenya (or the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, to be precise) finally gained the coveted Category One status in February, it was a game-changer. With Kenya Airways recently obtaining air…
Lunatic Express – New life as a tourist attraction?
Kenya is doubtlessly the only country in history to have been built around a railway line. When construction on the “Lunatic Express” (its official name being the Uganda Railway) began in 1896, the project was…