Domestic airline Skyward Express has increased flights on its coastal routes to ride on demand for air travel following the restriction of air travel to or from Nairobi due to the Covid-19 surge.
Skyward will operate four weekly flights on the Mombasa-Malindi-Lamu route from Wednesday, the airline said.
Business and holiday travellers on the North Coast often prefer air travel as it takes only about 30 minutes compared to about four to five hours on the Mombasa- Lamu road.
In a press statement, Skyward Express said flights will be operating on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Moi International Airport in Mombasa to Lamu via Malindi.
Maureen Awuor, the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers (KAHC) Kilifi chairperson, who is also the general manager at the Ocean Beach Resort in Malindi said they are optimistic that the additional flights would attract more domestic tourists to visit the region.
“Domestic tourism was picking up well until it was disrupted by the third wave of Covid-19 that prompted the government to put in place further restrictions to stop the spread of the virus,” she said.
Ms Awuor said tourism players suffered a blow during the highly anticipated Easter holiday, which ends on Monday, after 90 per cent of bookings were cancelled.
There has been a low turn up of revellers along the beaches at Bunthwani, Oasis, Silver Sand, Marine Park in Malindi and Watamu compared to previous Easter holidays.
Last month, the government banned movement – by road, air or rail – into and out of Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu, and Nakuru in a fresh bid to curb a spike in coronavirus infections.
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