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Tourism boost: Qatar Airways launches direct flights to Mombasa
Dec. 09, 2018, 12:00 pm
By CHARLES MGHENYI
Tourists are entertained by traditional dancers after arriving with inaugural Qatar Airways flight at Moi International Airport Mombasa on Sunday. ANDREW KASUKU
Tourism stakeholders at the Coast are upbeat that 2019 will a good year in terms of international visitors after the arrival of inaugural Qatar-Mombasa direct flight.
Qatar, a peninsular Arabian Gulf country, launched its first-ever direct flight from its Capital Doha to Mombasa, Kenya second big city after Nairobi.
The airline, which will be operating an Airbus A320 aircraft to Mombasa, which features 12 Business Class seats and 120 seats in Economy Class, will be making four flights to the region every week.
The 150-passenger capacity plane will be coming to Moi International Airport Mombasa on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, according to the Kenya Tourism Board.
Speaking during the arrival of Qatar Airways direct inaugural flight to Moi International Airport Mombasa, KTB Chief Executive Officer Dr Betty Radier said the direct flight was an endorsement of the destination Mombasa.
“This is good news for the sector and together with the private sector, KTB will look into ways of partnering with Qatar Airways as well as other aircrafts to increase passenger numbers into the route,” she said.
According to Radier, with Qatar inaugural flight to Mombasa, Kenya’s coast is set to receive visitors mainly from her key European tourist source markets such as Italy, Germany, UK, and France.
The US is also key to this airline and other markets include Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria.
Mombasa Deputy Governor Dr William Kingi, who was also present to receive the guests on board the flight said the prospects for Mombasa tourism sector are good.
“The new flight heralds a new chapter for the leisure and business sector. It opens new possibilities for the tourism sector and it is a vote of confidence for Mombasa, especially coming on the heels of the resumption of charter flights from Belgium, Netherlands and Poland,” said Kingi.
Mohammed Hersi, the chairperson of the Kenya Tourists Federation, said they are delighted as Mombasa residents to receive the Qatar Airways.
“It has been long. We started the process four years ago. We are happy that Qatar Airways will be opening and connecting Mombasa to over 120 cities of the world,” he said.
According to data from Kenya Airports Authority, Mombasa receives about 300,000 visitors against the capacity of over two million passengers.
Jimmy Kibati, the General Manager Marketing at Kenya Airports Authority, said the Mombasa Airport used to receive only three scheduled flights; Rwanda Air, Turkish Airline and Ethiopia Airline.
He said with coming of the Qatar Airways and additional charter flights, they are hopeful the number of arrivals will increase gradually.
Mombasa is currently receiving 15 charter flights after the resumption of Tui Travel charters from Belgium, Poland and Netherlands in the last two months.
Kenya is now fighting for Tui Travel to also relaunch its UK charter flights to Mombasa by next year.
Tui Travel, one of the biggest travel group in the world had pulled out of Mombasa in 2014 after the increased cases of terror attacks at the Coast.
Read: Tourist numbers soar as Tui charter flight lands in Mombasa with 120 visitors
According to KTB, 2018 has been good for the sector, compared to last year, which was a year of the general election.
For the past nine months, the tourism sector has recorded 7.8 per cent growth in arrivals of by air and sea for the period indicating 777,791 arrivals up from 723,174 visitors the same period in 2017.
Also read: Kenya net
Tourism boost: Qatar Airways launches direct flights to Mombasa
Meanwhile
Nairobi
PS: Kisumu and Eldoret airports are under-utilised
By Moses Njagih
Published: Nov 18th 2016 at 21:49, Updated: November 18th 2016 at 21:49
The Government has expressed concerns over under-utilisation of two international airports, where it pumped billions of shillings, but there seem to be no value for the investments.
Transport Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera yesterday told a parliamentary committee that Kisumu and Eldoret airports were under-utilised, after billions of shillings were used to improve their status.
Mr Nyakera said the ministry will open the new Isiolo Airport mid next month and was also undertaking major infrastructural expansion of Kakamega and Ukunda airstrips.
The PS told the National Assembly Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing that the mega investments were not making economic sense because they are under-utilised, even as the legislators lobbied for improvement of airstrips across the country.
Nyakera said Kisumu Airport only attracts eight flight landings a day and a similar number of take-offs, which he said was way below its capacity.
"We have to ensure that national resources are well spent. The utilisation of these facilities is wanting. When you consider that only eight flights land in a day at the Kisumu airport, yet Sh3 billion was spent on the facility, then you realise the benefits of the government investment are not being realised," he said.
Nyakera told the committee chaired by Starehe MP Maina Kamanda that the utilisation rate of the Eldoret Airport, which was to help handle cargo flights, was only at 15 per cent.
The PS said works on the Sh2.7 billion Isiolo International Airport were almost complete. The airport was expected to start receiving its scheduled flights this month.
The airport, boasting a 5,000-square-metre terminal, which can handle up to 125,000 passengers, is part of Vision 2030 flagship projects intended to promote growth and unlock the economic potential of northern Kenya and neighbouring counties.
Nyakera said they will seek additional funds in the next financial year to improve its 1.4km runway and expand it to 2.5km.
PS: Kisumu and Eldoret airports are under-utilised
MY TAKE
Those figures released for Kenya r disheartening! On one hand while Tourists to Tanzania r to cross a 2 mln mark this year that means Tanzania receives 2 times the Tourists Kenya receives. 😅☝
On the other hand the PAX numbers at Moi means Mwanza Airport that is not international and received over 444,000 PAX in 2015 receives way more PAX than Moi. Moi Airport should be competing with Dodoma, Mbeya or Arusha airports.
Dec. 09, 2018, 12:00 pm
By CHARLES MGHENYI
Tourists are entertained by traditional dancers after arriving with inaugural Qatar Airways flight at Moi International Airport Mombasa on Sunday. ANDREW KASUKUTourism stakeholders at the Coast are upbeat that 2019 will a good year in terms of international visitors after the arrival of inaugural Qatar-Mombasa direct flight.
Qatar, a peninsular Arabian Gulf country, launched its first-ever direct flight from its Capital Doha to Mombasa, Kenya second big city after Nairobi.
The airline, which will be operating an Airbus A320 aircraft to Mombasa, which features 12 Business Class seats and 120 seats in Economy Class, will be making four flights to the region every week.
The 150-passenger capacity plane will be coming to Moi International Airport Mombasa on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, according to the Kenya Tourism Board.
Speaking during the arrival of Qatar Airways direct inaugural flight to Moi International Airport Mombasa, KTB Chief Executive Officer Dr Betty Radier said the direct flight was an endorsement of the destination Mombasa.
“This is good news for the sector and together with the private sector, KTB will look into ways of partnering with Qatar Airways as well as other aircrafts to increase passenger numbers into the route,” she said.
According to Radier, with Qatar inaugural flight to Mombasa, Kenya’s coast is set to receive visitors mainly from her key European tourist source markets such as Italy, Germany, UK, and France.
The US is also key to this airline and other markets include Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria.
Mombasa Deputy Governor Dr William Kingi, who was also present to receive the guests on board the flight said the prospects for Mombasa tourism sector are good.
“The new flight heralds a new chapter for the leisure and business sector. It opens new possibilities for the tourism sector and it is a vote of confidence for Mombasa, especially coming on the heels of the resumption of charter flights from Belgium, Netherlands and Poland,” said Kingi.
Mohammed Hersi, the chairperson of the Kenya Tourists Federation, said they are delighted as Mombasa residents to receive the Qatar Airways.
“It has been long. We started the process four years ago. We are happy that Qatar Airways will be opening and connecting Mombasa to over 120 cities of the world,” he said.
According to data from Kenya Airports Authority, Mombasa receives about 300,000 visitors against the capacity of over two million passengers.
Jimmy Kibati, the General Manager Marketing at Kenya Airports Authority, said the Mombasa Airport used to receive only three scheduled flights; Rwanda Air, Turkish Airline and Ethiopia Airline.
He said with coming of the Qatar Airways and additional charter flights, they are hopeful the number of arrivals will increase gradually.
Mombasa is currently receiving 15 charter flights after the resumption of Tui Travel charters from Belgium, Poland and Netherlands in the last two months.
Kenya is now fighting for Tui Travel to also relaunch its UK charter flights to Mombasa by next year.
Tui Travel, one of the biggest travel group in the world had pulled out of Mombasa in 2014 after the increased cases of terror attacks at the Coast.
Read: Tourist numbers soar as Tui charter flight lands in Mombasa with 120 visitors
According to KTB, 2018 has been good for the sector, compared to last year, which was a year of the general election.
For the past nine months, the tourism sector has recorded 7.8 per cent growth in arrivals of by air and sea for the period indicating 777,791 arrivals up from 723,174 visitors the same period in 2017.
Also read: Kenya net
Tourism boost: Qatar Airways launches direct flights to Mombasa
Meanwhile
Nairobi
PS: Kisumu and Eldoret airports are under-utilised
By Moses Njagih
Published: Nov 18th 2016 at 21:49, Updated: November 18th 2016 at 21:49
The Government has expressed concerns over under-utilisation of two international airports, where it pumped billions of shillings, but there seem to be no value for the investments.
Transport Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera yesterday told a parliamentary committee that Kisumu and Eldoret airports were under-utilised, after billions of shillings were used to improve their status.
Mr Nyakera said the ministry will open the new Isiolo Airport mid next month and was also undertaking major infrastructural expansion of Kakamega and Ukunda airstrips.
The PS told the National Assembly Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Housing that the mega investments were not making economic sense because they are under-utilised, even as the legislators lobbied for improvement of airstrips across the country.
Nyakera said Kisumu Airport only attracts eight flight landings a day and a similar number of take-offs, which he said was way below its capacity.
"We have to ensure that national resources are well spent. The utilisation of these facilities is wanting. When you consider that only eight flights land in a day at the Kisumu airport, yet Sh3 billion was spent on the facility, then you realise the benefits of the government investment are not being realised," he said.
Nyakera told the committee chaired by Starehe MP Maina Kamanda that the utilisation rate of the Eldoret Airport, which was to help handle cargo flights, was only at 15 per cent.
The PS said works on the Sh2.7 billion Isiolo International Airport were almost complete. The airport was expected to start receiving its scheduled flights this month.
The airport, boasting a 5,000-square-metre terminal, which can handle up to 125,000 passengers, is part of Vision 2030 flagship projects intended to promote growth and unlock the economic potential of northern Kenya and neighbouring counties.
Nyakera said they will seek additional funds in the next financial year to improve its 1.4km runway and expand it to 2.5km.
PS: Kisumu and Eldoret airports are under-utilised
MY TAKE
Those figures released for Kenya r disheartening! On one hand while Tourists to Tanzania r to cross a 2 mln mark this year that means Tanzania receives 2 times the Tourists Kenya receives. 😅☝
On the other hand the PAX numbers at Moi means Mwanza Airport that is not international and received over 444,000 PAX in 2015 receives way more PAX than Moi. Moi Airport should be competing with Dodoma, Mbeya or Arusha airports.
