MOMBASA, KENYA: A number of Arabian Gulf states airlines have shown willingness to start flights into Mombasa, tourism officials in the coastal city have announced.
Addressing a tourism consultative forum organised by the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers & Caterers (Kahc) Coast branch at the Voyager Beach Resort& Spa, Heritage Group of Hotels CEO, Mr Mohamed Hersi said that low cost carrier Fly Dubai has received a licence to start flights to Mombasa.
''This news cannot have come at such an opportune time when Kenyan tourism is at the recovery phase. We hope to see traffic loads from the potential rich Gulf region with flights operated by Fly Dubai,'' Hersi said.
He said that other airlines which could make Mombasa their next stop include award winning Emirates Airlines whose top management chiefs and decision makers were in Mombasa recently at the invitation of Mombasa Governor, Hassan Ali Joho, Air Arabia and others from Oman.
''We will not sit pretty but will continue lobbying for more scheduled flights to touch down in Mombasa as we seek to grow our tourism numbers,'' Hersi who is also chairman of the Kenya Coast Tourist Association (Kcta) said.
He said that the Kenyan Coast has remained afloat owing to support from Africa's largest airline, Ethiopian Airlines (ET), Turkish Airline and Rwandair Air.
He said that it was high time Kenyan Coast tourism focuses its energies towards tapping the Ethiopian market which is popularly known as Africa's diplomatic capital owing to the presence of the African Union (AU) headquarters.
'' There are over 5000 foreign diplomats in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital who provide a ready clientele market that could easily be tapped with efficient air connectivity offered by Ethiopian Airlines which flies into Mombasa 14 times a week.
In the meantime, Kenya has opened fresh bids to lobby for hosting rights for the 2018 Skal International World Congress in Mombasa .
''We have had all that behind us. Travel advisories have been lifted and the government has put into place tight security. We shall be making two trips to Monaco to bid for rights to host,'' he said.
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