Rosy outlook for Coast tourism as airlines, ships up activities

Tourists alighting from Bolette cruise ship at the Port of Mombasa on December 28, 2023. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Things are looking good for the tourism sector in the Coast as airlines increase charter flights to the region. More cruise ships are also extending calls to the port in the new year.

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) confirmed that between January and March 2024, four cruise ships will call at the port of Mombasa.

For the first time in the history of Mombasa Port, a cruise ship with a capacity of over 2,500 passengers plus a nearly similar number of ship crew will dock at the modern cruise terminal for a full-day visit.

MSC Poesia, owned and operated by the world’s largest family-owned cruise ship company MSC Cruises will be making its maiden port call at the end of this month.

Veteran hotelier and former Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) Chairman Mohamed Hersi said the visit signals Mombasa port’s growing popularity as a cruise destination of choice

 MSC Cruises in its brief noted that MSC Poesia will be on a world tour when its vessel calls at the Port of Mombasa.

“MSC Poesia will be visiting 52 destinations in 31 different countries after starting its global tour from Civitavecchia, Rome in Italy,” MSC Cruises stated in its brief.

 Security concerns

 The price per person travelling on the cruise ship is $14,699 (about Sh2.35 million).

 MSC Cruises in its latest update indicated its visits to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia through the Suez Canal have been cancelled due to security concerns in the Red Sea region.

 MSC Cruises stated that the vessel departed Genoa, Italy last week and will travel west of the Mediterranean and South along the West Coast of Africa.  The itinerary will include sailing to the Cape of Good Hope and North along the African East Coast to the north and then to its planned call in Kenya next month.

Hersi said last week that a charter flight from Prague in the Czech Republic touched down at the Moi International Airport after a 10-year hiatus. “This is very good news coming at a time when our tourism is on the path to recovery,” he said.

 In the same first week of the year, three Dreamliners arrived from Italy, one of the key source markets for Kenyan tourism.

 Hersi said that each week since October last year, there have been six flights from Italy, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Romania, and the Netherlands.  He is optimistic that there will be flights from the United Kingdom (UK).

 He said another boost feeding the Coast comes from Ethiopian Airlines with its vast global network operating 14 flights per week.

 Other air services feeding into Mombasa include Discover Airlines by Lufthansa which has five flights per week. “Our national carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ) is handling nine to 12 flights a day from its Nairobi hub-Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

 Hersi said from January 14, Fly Dubai will be making its debut trip to Mombasa with four flights a week.  Low-cost carriers led by Jambojet, a subsidiary of KQ have been flying hundreds of passengers between Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani, Malindi and Lamu.

“Those flights not only support the beach resorts they also benefit camps in Amboseli in Kajiado County and even Mara in Narok including Taita Taveta,” he said. Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir has been vocal in supporting the open sky policy.

Newly elected Skal Club Kenya Coast Ms Janet Chamia, while lauding the sector for being resilient, urged the government to fast-track projects meant to provide easy movement within the Coastal tourism circuit.

“Yes, we are indeed seeing a remarkable surge in charter flight rotations from our key source markets into the Kenyan Coast via the Moi International Airport, Mombasa,” said Chamia, who is also the proprietor of Jacyjoka Holiday Apartments in Nyali.

General Manager of Hotel Saphire John Yegon, said they are witnessing a rebound in tourism growth after a slump occasioned by Covid.

“Airline crew and those from ships calling at the port of Mombasa have continued to patronise our hotel. With more charters, everyone will benefit from the tourist dollar,” he said.

Tourism Professional Association National Secretary Dr Sam Ikwaye urged the State to fast-track policies that will boost tourism growth. Dr Ikwaye also asked the government to complete Ronald Ngala Utalii College.