Tourists in Mombasa: The rosy numbers are linked to political calm. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Summary
- Arrivals at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Moi International Airport increased to 776,376 in nine months last year up from 722, 268 in similar period in 2017.
- Industry players attributed the rise to the political calm tied to the famous ‘handshake’ between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga.
Tourist arrivals grew by 7.4 per cent in nine months to
September last year as the industry benefited from the political calm
and resumption of chartered flights to coastal Kenya.
Data
by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that arrivals at the
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Moi International Airport
increased to 776,376 in nine months last year up from 722, 268 in
similar period in 2017.
Arrivals at Moi in Mombasa rose by 40 per cent to 93,930.
Industry
players attributed the rise, which is the highest in similar period
since 2014, to the political calm tied to the famous ‘handshake’ between
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga.
“The
political handshake and resumption of chartered aircraft and incentives
have led to the boom. It can only get better,” said Kenya Tourism
Federation chairman Mohammed Hersi.
Kenya earned Sh120 billion in 2017. Direct flights to New York from Nairobi are also expected to boost numbers.
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