Tourism stakeholders have expressed concern over reports that Turkish Airlines has been denied rights to land in Mombasa.
Turkish Airlines cancelled its Mombasa flights from October 28, 2023, until the end of March 2024.
Sources confided to The Standard that the cancellation arose as a result of Kenyan authorities failing to give a flight permit to Turkish Airlines.
"While we continue to self-sabotage, Turkish Airlines are now flying to three cities in South Africa - Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban," said hotelier Mohamed Hersi.
"Emirates Airlines also flies to these three cities. It has three flights to Johannesburg daily, Cape Town twice daily and Durban once every day."
They also fly to three cities next door to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Kilimanjaro (Arusha) and Zanzibar.
In Egypt, they fly to Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.
Hersi said the airline flies to two key cities in UAE of Abu Dhabi and Dubai and has been allowed to fly five times a day into Dubai, the home to Emirates Airlines. He said Turkish Airlines is the only airline that flies to more than 320 cities globally.
"In Germany alone, 15 and 10 in the US, five in the UK which means you can come to Mombasa from virtually every corner of the world."
"When you allow these flights into Mombasa, you are also supporting Diani in Kwale County, Malindi Watamu in Kilifi County, Lamu, Tsavo in Taita Taveta County and Amboseli in Kajiado County," he said.
Hersi called on the State to move with speed and ensure more airlines are allowed to fly into Mombasa to help open up the destination fully as it eyes full recovery after Covid-19.
Hersi, who is also the chairman of the Diani Hospitality Owners Association reiterated that tourism remains the lifeline of the Coast region.
He noted that other countries are fighting for the sectors that help their local economies to grow.
"You should equally speak up and do it in an assertive way," he said.
Diani Beach Resort and Spa Managing Director Bobby Kamani said the lack of accessibility to a destination will lead to lower tourism numbers in the region.
"This will affect employment levels in the hospitality industry and therefore such a decision is likely to impact the livelihood of thousands of Kenyans who depend directly or indirectly on tourism," he said.
