Tourism gets boost as charter flights to Mombasa increase

Two officials, one from Moi International Airport and the other from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, will be sent to the World Tourism Center (WTC) to market Kenya as a prime destination.

Following the post election violence, triggered by the 2007 disputed presidential election, most tourist operators either cancelled flights or diverted bookings to other neighbouring destinations, with Zanzibar emerging as the biggest beneficiary, Mr Kangugo said.

Tourists to Kenya are largely Europeans, with Londoners leading the pack.

The Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) estimates that tourist arrivals between January and October 2008 dropped by 34.7 per cent, from 873,000 to 565,000, due to the political unrest that jolted the country and a weakened global economy.

Recovery signs

Current data from the Kenya Bureau of Statistics shows that the tourism sector declined by 34.7 per cent last year. 

Hoteliers in Mombasa have started seeing signs of recovery. Most have recorded over 50 per cent booking with the percentage expected to reach 100 by close of the year.

This is largely attributed to marketing campaigns carried out by KTB since last year.

Kenya is now stable and international tourists are eyeing the destination.

The country has been a popular destinations in Africa, drawing two million international arrivals in 2007. 

Kenya’s Tourism Strategic Plan includes raising tourism earnings to Sh200 billion, increasing international tourist arrivals to three million, and hotel bed capacity to 65,000 by 2012.