The currently released Figures eventually proved to the public the upward trend in Kenya’s Tourism industry. Throughout the first 6 months of 2016, the number of arrivals rose from compared to 2015’s 347.458 to this year’s 395.298, registering approximately a 14 %. Likewise the tourism revenues increased from 39.6billion Kenya Shillings to almost 47billion Kenya Shillings.
Its said that this trend managed to shoot high mainly because of the increased number of arrivals within Nairobi, that included several high-profile conferences and just week, the TICAD VI alone drought in about ten thousand visitors from different parts of the globe.
Fortunes however when it comes to the Kenyan coast, it is a different story – it receives more visitors during the school holidays and long weekends receiving high numbers of local people to come to enjoy the airy beaches along the coast.
on the other hand, the turn up of International arrivals is not yet very good since a number of major charters from mainly the UK haven’t started again operations, and presently there are just 3 foreign timetabled airlines serving the second largest city in Kenya, among which is RwandAir plus Turkish Airlines.
Efforts to have other types of airlines such as Qatar Airways begin flights into Kenya-Mombasa have previously been turned away by rigid authorities as well as government officials, that declined to allow the airline fifth-freedom rights that are required to make this operation an economic achievement.
Although FlyDubai (a low-priced Carrier based in Dubai) was recently given traffic rights, it is already flying to Zanzibar the number one competitor to Mombasa. As of today, the concerned authorities have not yet stated the day when FlyDubai should start operations to Mombasa.
Ingreat contrast Mauritius receives two flights every day by Emirates served by a A380 Airbus aircraft whereas Seychelles gets two flights each day by Emirates served by a B777 Boeing aircraft as well as Qatar Airways which serves Zanzibar as well in addition to their twice a day to Dar es Salaam.
Their primary challenges today are unfinished infrastructure within Mombasa as well as the eternal huge traffic getting in and out if this the city. Safaris in Tanzania are often delayed due to the trucks blocking the road from Mombasa into Nairobi.
The Likoni ferry is an additional similar challenge. Then the airfares are extremely high connecting to Mombasa from Nairobi and a number of the other destinations on the coast. Majority of the resorts, are tired and require extensive rehabilitation however considering the past couple of years of terrible business honestly where are they supposed to acquire the money from!
Just yesterday auctioneers raided a hotel located in Diani because of not paying salaries. Occupancy in Resorts requires to increase yet again by more than 60 % on average each year, more so rise to 70%, to start paying up for the several losses they made during the 2012/2013 financial year. Generally, the Utility costs are high and there isn’t any liberation from the tax-man as well. A number of the incentive measures declared at the start of this year haven’t yet produced the desired results, which is rather slower in coming.
A number of challenges continue to go on, and with the elections coming up in 2017, the industry is extremely watchful about the effect that will have. Actually in the previous elections as well as the ones before those as well as tour operators can make backup plans out of Kenya based on the experiences they have got. This implies that all endeavors should be doubled now to prevent tourists from diverting to other destinations other than Kenya the following year as the country starts in polls.
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