Tourism gets boost as charter flights to Mombasa increase

Traffic of charter airlines at the Mombasa-based Moi International Airport has risen in the past few weeks, a sign that the tourism industry is getting back on its feet, according to industry players.

A Belgian chartered airline from Brussels has called at the airport for the first time.

The airline will fly in tourists weekly until the end of winter in Europe early next year.

This will open up the huge Belgian market, according to Ms Sharon Davies, an operations manager at Thomson Airline, an affiliate of Tui Airline Belgium which is operating the airline.

There are high expectations that Kenya will receive a Turkey charter plane this year, Moi International Airport manager Yatich Kangugo said.

Another airline from Amsterdam is expected to resume weekly flights on Wednesday this week.

The airline withdrew flights to Mombasa airport last year following the post election violence.

Other charters being operated by Tui Airline are direct flights from Paris, Amsterdam and Gatwick.  

“The new flight will for the first time operate from Brussels to Mombasa during summer and winter,” Sharon said, adding that the charter has been launched to cater for Belgians’ growing demand for the local and Tanzania destinations.

Mr Kangugo said passengers traffic through the airport had also picked up.

In September the airport received 82,045 passengers compared to 67,393 passengers received the same month last year.

Airline movement

Airline movement through the airport during September was 1,810 this year compared to 1,651 recorded in the same month last year.

Passenger traffic is expected to grow to 120,000 by December, Mr Kangugo said, adding that impressive numbers will be recorded in months to come. 

“The number will slightly go down in December due to the holidays, but it will peak again in the month of January,” Mr Kangugo said.