Kenya in bid to woo back Europe’s charter airlines
Tourists arrive at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa. The government is negotiating with European charter airlines to resume flights to Mombasa. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
There is currently no single charter flight from the United Kingdom to Mombasa yet the UK is the leading tourist source market for the country.
The national government is negotiating with European charter airlines to resume flights to Mombasa to help revive the tourism sector. Some of these airlines withdrew their flights to the coastal town several months ago due to terrorism attacks and rising insecurity in Lamu.
According to tourism players, charter flights have plummeted to below 10 a week this year, compared to over 20 a week in the same period last year, almost bringing the industry to its knees.
Hoteliers in Mombasa say international guests’ occupancy stands at between 10 per cent and 15 per cent compared to between 30 and 40 per cent in the same period last year due to low international visitor arrivals although it is now a high tourism season.
There is currently no single charter flight from the United Kingdom to Mombasa yet the UK is the leading tourist source market for the country.
Yesterday, East Africa Affairs, Commerce and Tourism cabinet secretary Phyllis Kandie said the government has contained insecurity at the Coast, a factor which contributed to the tourism slump. She said calm had returned to Mombasa and Lamu and that the government was holding talks with the airlines to return.
“The charter airlines pulled out of the route because of the challenges of insecurity in Mombasa and other parts of the region,” she said. “But we are glad that the government has addressed the matter and we are negotiating with the airlines to fly back to Mombasa,” she added.
She said the government had reduced landing fees to win back the airlines, adding that the State would also hold talks with Kenya Airways management for the introduction of direct flights from European cities like London to Mombasa to boost international tourist arrivals.
“Kenya Airways is in the taskforce which was set up by the government to help revamp the sector. We are looking into the possibility of our flag carrier introducing direct flights from our major source markets in Europe to Mombasa to help uplift international tourist arrivals at the Coast,” she said.
Ms Kandie however said Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines which have direct flights from Addis Ababa and Istanbul to Mombasa respectively were still bringing in some tourists from Europe. She assured that the government would prioritise domestic tourism to boost hotel occupancy.
She noted that the government was encouraging conference tourism organisers to hold such events at the Coast to cushion hotels against the international tourism drought. Ms Kandie said the government was also working with counties to hold cultural and music festivals to woo locals.
