Balala upbeat on tourism as European charter planes resume flights
Tourism secretary Najib Balala said a charter airline from Poland would introduce flights between Warsaw and Mombasa beginning July. PHOTO | FILE
A number of European charter airlines, including those from Italy, will resume flights to Mombasa next month as source markets respond to improved security in the region, Tourism ministry has said.
Tourism secretary Najib Balala said a charter airline from Poland would introduce flights between Warsaw and Mombasa beginning July.
“We expect tourism at the Coast to rebound next month when more charter airlines resume flights to Mombasa,” he said Thursday during the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers’ annual symposium at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa.
Kenya has invested Sh300 billion in defence of its borders and internal security, boosting its profile. The money has gone into equipping the police and the Kenya Defence Force to handle terrorism threats, especially from the Somalia-based militants.
On Thursday, German holiday airline, Condor, reintroduced charter flights between Munich and Mombasa, expected to boost tourism at the Coast.
Mr Balala said he expects more international tourists to visit the country from Germany, UK, France, Italy and Spain following marketing campaigns by the ministry and the Kenya Tourism Board.
British High Commissioner Nic Hailey and French ambassador Rémi Maréchaux said they were impressed by efforts to address security concerns.
“We want to see more British tourists coming to Kenya to help create jobs, economic growth and alleviating poverty in local tourist circuits,” said Mr Hailey.
Mr Maréchaux said France would back Kenya’s efforts to woo holidaymakers from the European country.
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