German air charter adds Mombasa to its destinations

By Philip Mwakio

Excitement has set in at the Kenyan Coast following an announcement that a German air charter company has included Mombasa as its newest destination in its winter timetable.

Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association Vice chairman Mohamed Hersi said Air Berlin’s entry into the Kenyan route will be a big boost to tourism.

"We are upbeat that an additional charter flight from one of the key source markets is headed to Mombasa," Hersi, who is also the Regional General Manager for Sarova Coast, said.

Air Berlin announced it would offer three long haul routes from Berlin’s Tegel airport to Mombasa, Dubai and Miami in the US.

Hersi said Moi International airport remains a purely charter hub and the new entrant would help a great deal as hoteliers seek to fill up the 30,000 plus coastal beds.

Hersi was optimistic that the winter season was promising and that flight rotations from key source markets in Europe into Mombasa could average 30 per week.

And on the forthcoming national referendum, the hotelier said it was the hope of hoteliers and Kenyans that the exercise would be peaceful.

"We do not expect any chaos and hope that Kenyans will conduct themselves in a civilised manner,’’ he said.

At the same time, a hotelier in the North Coast is forecasting increased business following the regional integration process .

Mr Alfayo Onyango, General Manager of Plaza Beach hotel said Kenyan beach hotels were better suited to reap from benefits of the integration.