KENYA: Ethiopian Airlines To Fly Twice Daily To Mombasa, Plans To Order 13 Additional Boeing 787 Jets And 6 More Airbus A350s

Ethiopian Airlines has been allowed more flights on the Mombasa route in an agreement between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

The airline will now fly to Mombasa twice a day as Ethiopia and Kenya seek to deepen their trade ties.

The Kenyan side agreed to grant Ethiopian Airlines a second frequency flight to Mombasa, said a joint communique from State House after Mr Kenyatta met Dr Ali in Nairobi.

The extra flight given to Ethiopian Airlines will be a boost to coastal tourism which has been heavily dependent on charter flights from Europe.

Only two regional airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir operate scheduled flights to Mombasa from Addis Ababa and Kigali respectively.

Turkish Airlines is the only one from Europe operating scheduled flights between Istanbul and Mombasa.

Government owned Ethiopian Airlines is ahead of other African airlines like Kenya Airways and South African Airways to become Africa’s largest airline by revenue and profit.

Its plan was to more than double its fleet to 120 and become Africa’s biggest airline by 2025,

Ethiopian Airlines has more than 100 aircrafts flying to various destinations in Africa, Asia to South America, and four US cities.

Kenya Airways plans its first direct flight to the US in October.

Hoteliers at the Coast have been lobbying for more international direct flights to Mombasa to ease air transport through Moi International Airport and attract more tourists.

As of now tourists visiting Kenya using other airlines must first land at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before connecting to Mombasa.

Ethiopian Airlines’ recent growth has been supersonic that it revised the ambitious 15-year strategy set in 2010 and plans to buy more planes to step up its expansion.

Its plan had been to more than double its fleet to 120 and become Africa’s biggest airline by 2025, but it already has 100 planes flying to dozens of destinations from Africa, Europe, Asia to South America, including four US cities.

The State-owned carrier has also outpaced regional competitors Kenya Airways and South African Airways to become Africa’s largest airline by revenue and profit, according to the International Air Transport Association.

We have expanded more than we planned, said Chief Executive Tewolde Gebremariam. We had to revise the objective to make it 150 airplanes or more by 2025.

It now plans to place orders this year for 13 additional Boeing 787 jets and six more Airbus A350s, he said.

The airline has come a long way from when it was established in 1945 as a joint venture with now-defunct U.S. carrier Trans World Airlines (TWA).

In its 2016/17 financial year Ethiopian Airlines generated $2.7 billion in revenue, Tewolde said, up more than 11 percent from the previous year.

Passenger numbers climbed by more than 18 percent to 9 million while net profit was $233 million, up from a little more than $220 million.

In 2013 Ethiopian Airlines acquired a minority stake in Malawi Airlines to serve as a base for its southern Africa operations.

That kicked off a series of deals including January’s agreement with Zambia’s government to relaunch that country’s national carrier, shut down more than two decades ago.

The strategy is aimed at gaining a competitive advantage against rivals such as those in the Gulf, Tewolde said.

With Africa’s aviation industry still hampered by government protectionism and high taxes, Tewolde said that setting up or taking stakes in small carriers is a way around the restrictions.

Ethiopian Airlines aims to create a new airline in Mozambique that it will fully own, he said, adding that it is also in talks with Chad, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea to set up carriers through joint ventures.

Going forward, it will be difficult for us to compete with only one hub in Addis Ababa.

Although it isn’t all clear skies for the fast-growing carrier.

The economic downturn in Africa caused by the collapse of oil prices in 2014 has indirectly hit the continent’s airlines, and Ethiopian is unable to repatriate more than $145 million in profits from Angola, Sudan and Zimbabwe because of foreign exchange shortages, Tewolde said.

Running a business needs cash flow, he said. Here in Africa, we have a huge problem with this, Tewolde Gebremariam says.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Favourite Transiting Hub

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) registered a growth of transit passengers last year, highlighting it as a favourite transiting hub for international travellers.

Data by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics indicate that the number of international passengers in transit increased by 2.7 per cent from 1.2 million in 2016 to 1.25 million last year.

JKIA is a major hub for passengers connecting to Europe, US or even the Middle East.

Overall, Kenya’s major airports recorded an increase on the number of passengers who used different ports in the period under review.

The total number of passengers increased by 3.5 per cent from 9.8 million in 2016 to 10.1 million last year, says the KNBS in a new released Economic Survey.

The number of passengers handled at the JKIA increased by 2.2 per cent to 7.3 million while those handled at the Moi International Airport (MIA) remained at 1.2 million during the review period.

The Moi International Airport handles aircraft coming from outside the country because of its tourism status, unlike some airports that only handle domestic airlines.

Commercial cargo handled at the JKIA increased by 18 per cent to 273,000 tonnes with MIA recording an increase of 20 per cent to 3,500 tonnes.

According to the KNBS, domestic landings and takeoffs increased by 1.5 per cent to 207,831 in 2017, as more airlines moved in to tap the high demand for flying.

Local airlines have been expanding to new routes as demand for air travel in parts of the country that do not have a developed air transport takes root.

This is a boost to Kenyans who are now enjoying low fares due to increased competition.

In the last couple of months, airlines have launched new routes that include the far flung Wajir region that have been lagging behind in air transport.

Jambojet is currently flying to Wajir and it charges Sh4,200 for one way ticket.

This is the latest local route that they have introduced in their schedule.

Local airline Silverstone Air Services introduced Kisumu and Mombasa routes last year, targeting tourists on the Western and Coastal circuit.

The airline launched commercial flights from Nairobi to Kisumu and Ukunda, having previously operated as a charter-only carrier.

Silverstone is currently operating five planes on its local routes, consisting of two Dash-8 planes and three Fokker 50 aircraft.

The airline launched daily flights to Lodwar in January, increasing the competition for customers on the route that is also served by Fly540, Safarilink and several other carriers.

Silverstone is charging Sh8,500 for one way ticket to Lodwar, the same amount that Skyward Express ticket costs on the same route.

The plans to put up a second runway at JKIA are underway after the country secured funding from African Development Bank (AFDB).

This marks a major starting point for the expansion of the airport that has for a long time been operating with a single runway.

The single runway has been blamed for delays in takeoffs and landing of the aircrafts at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The project is expected to commence in the second half of 2018 and is expected to ease delays at once it is commissioned.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Increased Tourist Arrivals Up To 723,000 , Kenya Ranked Among Top Tourist Destinations

International tourist arrivals around the world has hit 1.1 billion mark in 10 months to October this year, according to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

The figure is a seven per cent increase compared to similar period last year.

International tourist arrivals to Kenya rose 10 per cent to 723,000 visitors between January and September.

The rise in tourist numbers had been partly bolstered by international airlines that had increased flights to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa between June and August.

The surge in visitor numbers was also as a result of increased visits to Maasai Mara Game Reserve for the annual spectacle of wildebeest migration.

Last year, Kenya got 1.3 million tourists, who spent Sh100 billion, a 17 per cent increase from Sh85 billion spent in 2015.

The strong tourism demand of the earlier months of 2017, including Northern Hemisphere summer peak season, was maintained through October.

Destinations worldwide received a total of 1,127 million international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) in the first 10 months of the year, 70 million more than in the same period of 2016.

Results were driven by sustained growth in many destinations and a firm recovery in places that experienced a decline last year.

In particular, destinations in Southern and Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and the Middle East showed extraordinary rise.

Growth in international arrivals exceeded seven per cent in all destinations of Southern and Mediterranean Europe, with a rapid recovery seen in Turkey, and double-digit increases for most of the region’s other destinations.

In North Africa and the Middle East, Egypt, Tunisia and Palestine rebounded strongly from previous years’ declines, while Morocco, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates all continued to report sustained growth.

These robust results, the best we have seen in many years, reflect the sustained demand for travel around the world, in line with the improved global economy and the rebound of destinations that suffered declines in previous years, said UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai at the second UNWTO/Unesco meet in Oman.

North American destinations experts Goway Travel have declared Kenya s one of the top and upcoming must-visit locations in the world this year.

Releasing its list of most-sought after destinations by avid globetrotters, Goway Travel said they publicised the list after receiving favourable feedback from individuals, families and groups who agreed with the selection that Kenya was among top seven most favoured location on Goway Travel’s exotic destinations selections.

Repeat visitors described Kenyans as charming and the country as a home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth — the wildebeest migration, dubbed as the Eighth Wonder of the world that attracts global television viewership annually.

Kenya is a perennial favourite and very ideal for a first-time safari, but also sees its share of repeat visitors, as there is so much to see. Right now, there are many never to be repeated offers on Kenya, including Goway’s Jambo Kenya Safari Sale, it said.

The advance bookings have been confirmed despite the jitters related to the next General Election set for August.

Goway Travel’s disclosure of its early bookings’ register come amid the planned February 23-26 global meet for American Society of Travel Agents — ASTA Destination Expo 2017 — to be held in Nairobi where 2,000 travel agents from America and another 1,000 ASTA agents from other parts of the world are expected to attend.

Goway Travel has been in business since 1970 providing select on select travel destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Central and South America and Europe.

Its services targeting individuals, families and groups are offered from its Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Sydney offices as well as online portal.

Other locations in the selection of top destinations include Iceland’s city of Reykjavik, Sydney in Australia, Colombia in South America, Italy’s ancient city of Tuscany, The Islands of Tahiti — French Polynesia — as well as Conrad Bora Bora Nui region in French Polynesia.

UK’s travel magazine Rough Guide also named Kenya as the third most favoured holiday destination by UK tourists.




Tourism Observer

KENYA: Tourists Pouring In Maasai Mara National Reserve Despite Supreme Court Ruling

Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) has endeavored to calm anxiety international visitors after the Supreme Court prolonged the electoral process last Friday.

KTF chairman Mohamed Hersi on Monday informed tour operators and travel agents based in overseas markets that Kenya remained receptive to tourists.

All is well in Kenya, and we call on holidaymakers who were planning to visit the country to come and have fun,he said.
Kenya will remain peaceful during a repeat of the presidential election to take place within 60 days.

Mr Hersi said normal life continues in Nairobi and all the tourist circuits including the national parks, game reserves and the beach resorts at the Coast.

It is still a peak season for the safari circuit as international visitors are still pouring in the Maasai Mara National Reserve for game drives and other parks across the country, said Mr Hersi who is also the chief executive at Sun Africa Hotels.

He said he expects more tourists to visit the Coast as the winter season approaches in Europe.Lodges and tented camps in the Mara have since July been busy, thanks to the wildebeest migration spectacle.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye said hotel occupancy in Mombasa had improved following the calm enjoyed after the Supreme Court verdict.

He said hotel guest numbers had jumped to 60 per cent up from 50 per cent last month due peace in the region.At the Coast, international arrivals are on the increase following resumption of charter flights from Europe to Mombasa two months ago.

A repeat of the presidential election will not affect the industry given that the country enjoyed peace during the General Election last month.

Visitor numbers are expected to hit the 1.5 million mark by the end of this year, according to Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) officials.

Last year, international arrivals to the country rose by 16.7 per cent to 877,602 up from 752,073 in 2015.

The country also received 429,749 cross border visitors, putting the total combined arrivals during the period to 1.3 million, a 10 per cent growth from the previous year.

KTB chairman Jimi Kariuki and KTB chief executive officer Betty Radier said they are counting on international arrivals to hit their target.

Mr Kariuki attributed the tourism fortunes to a reduction of park entry fees, visa waiver for children under 16 and charter incentive programmes as well as a waiver of landing fees for Moi and Malindi international airports.

A number of international airlines have increased flights to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa following a surge in tourists visiting the country for holidays.

Airlines that have increased flights from Europe to Nairobi include Lufthansa and Swiss international carriers.Mr Kariuki and Ms Radier said visitors from across the globe had since July been flocking to the Masai Mara National Reserve to watch the wildebeest migration.

In the past two months, wildlife enthusiasts have been pouring into the Mara in droves to witness the migration of wildebeests from Tanzania to Kenya, Mr Kariuki said.

Charter airlines that have resumed flights from Italy to Mombasa include Neos Air, Meridiana Fly and Blue Panaroma.

A polish carrier Enter Air is also operating flights between Warsaw and Mombasa while Condor serves the Frankfurt-Munich-Mombasa route.

Hotels in the coastal resort towns are at the moment receiving more international tourists following the return of charter airlines, said Mr Kariuki.

According to Ms Radier, the industry’s growth has been bolstered by yielding markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India and China.

The KTB chief executive attributed the growth to the government’s tourism recovery campaigns carried out locally and internationally.

In the past five years, KTB has been focusing on tourism recovery by convincing the international markets that Kenya is a safe holiday destination in a bid to overcome perceptions of insecurity, she said.

She added: Security improvement and positive image building campaigns have paid off as the international markets now have confidence in Kenya.

To increase international tourist numbers, Ms Radier said KTB would focus more on markets which yield good results.She added that the marketing agency was working towards promoting the country in new markets.

Ms Radier said this financial year, the government allocated the agency Sh2 billion, with 80 per cent of the funds to be spent on marketing activities.

We have been aggressively marketing the country in traditional markets of the United Kingdom, US, Germany, Italy and France. Our efforts are paying off, she added.

The marketing agency, she said, has also carried out tourism promotion in emerging markets of India and China, adding that tourist numbers from the two markets have been on the rise.

Last year, the US was our top market in terms of arrivals, followed by the UK, India and China. Uganda was our top market in Africa, she explained.

Apart from traditional and emerging markets from Europe and Asia, Ms Radier said KTB is also wooing more tourists from South Africa, West Africa and North Africa.

Through the Tembea Kenya campaign, we are also doing domestic tourism drives to encourage Kenyans to travel across the country for holidays, she said.

The marketing agency, she added, targets to woo more tourists from neighbouring countries of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia.

Since July, lodges and camps in the Mara have been receiving international visitors from the US, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, Japan, China, Switzerland and Austria.

Following the calm enjoyed in the country, hotels, lodges and camps are expected to register high guest numbers between this month and December.

Kenya’s tourism industry had two positive things going for it in the last one week despite jitters over elections.

First, the decision by the Opposition Nasa to seek legal redress at the Supreme Court has significantly reduced political tension. Second, the travel advisory issued by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not include Safari destinations and beach resorts at the Coast.

The FCO had on August 13 updated its travel advice against Kenya, citing protests that had erupted in a number of areas following the disputed presidential election results.

The hoteliers quickly took note of the bright spots. The key magnet for tourists: the national parks, game reserves and wildlife conservancies as well as coastal resort towns were not covered by the warning.

The hoteliers noted that the FCO warning affects part of Lamu County where the Kenya Defence Forces is currently leading an air campaign against Somali-based Al-Shabaab terrorists but excludes its islands including Manda which foreign visitors flock to.

Mr Sam Ikwaye, the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast Branch Executive Officer, says the travel advice will not deter British holidaymakers from visiting Kenya in the remaining part of the year.

Mr Ikwaye said the UK is a key market for Kenya with tourists flocking to our beaches, parks, and wildlife conservancies.

Since security has significantly improved at the coast, the KAHC official called on operators of chartered airlines in the UK to resume flights to Mombasa to boast tourist arrivals.

Charter airlines from the UK market pulled out of the Mombasa route in 2014 over security concerns. That all tourist hotspots in the country are not affected by the UK travel advice is a major indicator that the country is safe for holidays, Mr Ikwaye said.

In Lamu, county tourism director Ali Ahmed applauded the UK for excluding Lamu and Manda islands from the travel advisory. Previously, he said, UK advisories included the Lamu archipelago impacting negatively on tourism.

Following peaceful elections, Mr Ahmed said more local and international tourists were expected to visit the archipelago.

It is worth noting that the entire Lamu County remained peaceful during and after the General Election, bringing hope to efforts by the government to revive tourism on the archipelago, he said.

Lamu is expected to receive more international tourists from the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Scandinavian countries, he said.



Tourism Observer

KENYA: Piles Of Garbage In Mombasa Become Tourist Attractions

Tourism city of Mombasa is stepping up efforts to get rid of heaps of garbage with planned employment of 65 cleaners.
The county government said in an advert it is looking to employ cleaners to supplement efforts by the department of environment to deal with the menace.

Governor Hassan Joho has been on the spot for failing to deal with the piling garbage in the county.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, have also criticised the governor for failing to get rid of the waste.

Over time, uncollected garbage has littered almost every space, including road reserves as well as residential and public areas in Mombasa.

The County Service Board has advertised vacancies for five cleansing supervisors and 60 general cleaners on a three-month non-renewable contract.

Garbage has been our main challenge. High season is setting in and we need to have our town clean, county communication director Richard Chacha said.

We have been criticised by many people mainly because of garbage. We want to address it once and for all and there are many other efforts we are taking to deal with it, he said.

The garbage menace was massively used as a campaign tool by Mr Joho’s rivals, Hassan Sarai, Hezron Awiti and Suleiman Shahbal who accused the governor of failing to clean the tourist city.

In June, the Mombasa County Assembly passed a Bill on waste management. The Bill came on the heels of an outcry from hoteliers, the business community and residents over the mounting waste.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye termed the uncollected garbage an eyesore to locals and tourists.

He said tourists travelling by road from Moi International Airport to they city centre have to endure an intolerable stench from the Kibarani dumpsite.

Mr Chacha warned residents against littering. Anyone found littering faces an instant fine of Sh5,000 for failing to pay garbage collectors or dumping waste at non-designated places, states a proposed by-law.

The county has spent Sh2.3 million on building garbage collection points after phasing out the previous waste management system.

Hoteliers have asked the Mombasa and Kilifi county governments to collect rotting garbage and keep the resort towns clean ahead of the tourism high season.

Sam Ikwaye, the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch executive said Mombasa, which is the country’s tourism hub, is filthy due to piles of uncollected garbage.

Mounds of garbage dumped on road reserves and public areas are emitting overpowering stench, making life miserable for locals and visitors, he said.

The KAHC official said the refuse in the town is an eyesore to both locals and international tourists visiting Mombasa for holidays.
In every corner of the town you travel, you are hit by sickening smell of rotting garbage or sewage emptied into storm-water drainage system, he said.

Mr Ikwaye said tourists travelling by road from the Moi International Airport have to endure an intolerable stench emanating from the Kibarani dumpsite.

For Mombasa to attract more holidaymakers, the city must be kept clean. The high season is just the corner and it is our wish that the county chiefs address the solid waste challenge, he said.

In Malindi, Ocean Beach Resort Managing Director Roberto Marini said the tourist town was choking with garbage due to non-collection of waste.
The hotelier added that the untidiness of the town is among the challenges crippling tourism in Malindi.

It saddening that a town which depends solely on tourism has been left untidy due to the laxity of the Kilifi county government in getting rid of the filth in the holiday destination,” he said.

Mr Marini called on the county authorities to clean the town for residents and visitors to live in a clean environment.

When reached for comment, Tendai Lewa, Mombasa's county executive in charge of health, said the county was grappling with the challenge of community garbage collectors who recklessly dump garbage in the streets.

He said the community garbage collectors throw waste on road reserves instead of placing it on designated stations where trucks can collect it.
We have more than 700 community garbage collectors who collect garbage from residential and business premises across the town, he said.

Sadly, instead of transporting the garbage to dumpsites, they carelessly pour the waste in the streets thereby making the city unclean, he added.
To address the issue, Mr Lewa said the county’s inspectorate department was cracking down on the collectors messing the town and would face the law.

We arrest between seven and eight irresponsible collectors and take them to court. The sentences meted on them will deter them from reckless throwing of litter in the town, he warned.

Mr Lewa assured Mombasa residents and hoteliers that the county would redouble its efforts to make the town clean.

In Kilifi, environment executive Mwachitu Kiringi said the county was addressing the matter.

Last week, we faced a garbage collection crisis in Malindi town after the contractor withdrew his services due to a payment delay, he said.
In order to rid the town of filth, Mr Kiringi said the county had hired a truck to collect the garbage that had piled up on road reserves.
He added that the county had repaired its trucks that were now working to keep the seaside resort town clean.

The county government has added six more garbage collection trucks as part of efforts to rid the city of filth.
The move came after hoteliers expressed concern over the piling up of garbage in the city at a time when the high tourist season begins next month.

Communications director Richard Chacha said the county had hired six more trucks to supplement the cleaning department in the collection of garbage across the city.

Apart from the trucks which collect garbage daily in the town, each of the six constituencies will receive one more truck each to assist in the collection of waste, he said.

Mr Chacha assured Mombasa residents, hoteliers and the business community that the county would keep the town clean.
However, he called on town dwellers and community collectors to place the garbage at designated areas for collection and disposal at the Mwakirunge dumpsite.

Mr Chacha warned against littering the city.

It is an irresponsible behaviour for town dwellers to dump waste on road reserves and public areas. Those messing up the town will be prosecuted, he said.

While it’s the responsibility of the county to collect garbage, motorists and pedestrians should stop throwing empty bottles and polythene bags in the streets.

Last week, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye said Mombasa, a tourism hub, was filthy due to piles of uncollected garbage.

He said the mounds of garbage dumped on the road reserves and public areas in the town were an eyesore and was making life miserable for locals and visitors.

In every corner of the town you travel, you are hit by the sickening smell of rotting garbage or sewage emptied into the storm-water drainage system, he said.



Tourism Observer

KENYA: IATA Rates Kenya 10th Out Of 37 Countries For Visa Openness

Kenya is among the top 10 African countries for visa openness, a survey by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has shown.

The country is ranked 10 out of 37 countries for visa openness and 31st for cost competitiveness in the continent.

The findings are among highlights of The Importance of Air Transport to Kenya, a study by Oxford Economics on behalf of IATA.

IATA Regional Vice President for the Middle East & Africa Muhammad Ali Albakri said Kenya could reap greater dividends from aviation by adopting policies that ensure a competitive operating environment for airlines.

While Kenya’s air transport infrastructure ranks highly among African states, it is important that heavy fees, taxes and charges do not hold aviation back, he said.

About a fortnight ago, Kenya granted South Africans additional time to visit without visas, pointing to a thawing of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Kenya is also set to commence the issuance of four-day transit visas from January which will allow foreign passengers on Kenya Airways awaiting connection flights at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to exit for shopping and sightseeing.

Passengers on layovers, a break between two flights taking passengers to their final destination, will receive a 96-hour transit visa, up from the current 72.

The move is expected to boost KQ’s income and the local travel industry as well as increase the attractiveness of JKIA as a transit port.

The IATA survey showed that an estimated 130,000 aircraft land and take off annually from the JKIA which is the key gateway to the rest of the world.

In 2014, JKIA handled over 5.8 million passengers, the Moi International Airport in Mombasa handled 950,000 passengers while the Wilson Airport handled 310,000 passengers.

The study found that air transport sector’s ability to connect Kenya to emerging countries and fast growing cities can help drive economic growth.

There are 6 direct flight destinations among the ten fastest growing countries in the world as measured by GDP growth and 9 direct flight destinations among the 20 fastest growing countries.

The data shows there are 20 direct weekly flights among the ten fastest growing cities in the world as measured by GDP growth and 41 direct weekly flights among the 100 fastest growing cities.

Albakri said the study confirms the vital role that air transport plays in supporting the country’s economy.

The data showing that the air transport sector in Kenya supports some 620,000 jobs including tourism-related employment, while contributing Sh329.6 billion (US$3.2 billion) or 5.1 per cent of the East African nation’s GDP.

KENYA: Tourism Incentives Not Effective

Kenya has for the last four years gifted tourism industry with major incentives to aid its recovery, following a sustained poor performance. This was due to a mix of factors that included insecurity arising from terror attacks.

The industry has been on turnaround strategy from last year with the number of international arrivals by air growing 16 per cent.

This reversed a decline that it had been experiencing since 2012. It is however unlikely that the incentives by Treasury have had a major impact on the industry.

Tourist arrivals reached 874,000 last year, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), from 748 000 in 2015.

It is the first time that the industry has experienced growth in numbers in five years but still way below the 1.8 million tourists seen in 2011.

It is against this background that the Government and in particular the National Treasury has for a number of years now been giving incentives to the industry in a bid to resuscitate the crucial foreign exchange earner.

In his March 30 budget speech, Henry Rotich Cabinet Secretary Treasury announced plans to exempt locally assembled tourist vans from paying value added tax.

There have been a myriad of such in the recent years that included reduction in visa fees, exemption of VAT from park fees and reduction of passenger fees charged by Mombasa and Malindi airports.

The boldest of these incentives was in 2014, when the Government offered to pay for Kenyans to take holidays in a bid to aid the recovery of the industry.

This would be executed through employers paying holidays for their employees and deduct the expenditure incurred from taxes due to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Bouncing back However, Institute of Economic Affairs Chief Executive Kwame Owino noted that while the industry is growing, it is unlikely that the numerous token reduction in fees has played a critical factor in its return to the growth path.

Tourism is bouncing back. Whether because it is because of snippets of policies that the Government has put in place or not is a different matter altogether. He noted that while cost might be a factor especially take into consideration growing competition from neighbouring countries, the country needed a well thought out approach to ensure continued industry growth.

There is need for a more sophisticated approach. I do not think that a tourist who comes to Kenya and on average spends between Sh50,000 and Sh60,000 would care whether a visa into the country is Sh2000 cheaper, said Mr Owino.

Increasingly, there is competition from Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. The product in East Africa is getting diversified and I think that it is business response is required for new products, more competitive products. But I do not think there is one super move to solving that,he said.

This year, the Government plans to exempt from VAT tourist vans assembled in Kenya. According to Rotich, this will promote tourism further and to make Kenya a tourism hub.

While tour operators have in the past argued it is costly to modify vehicles locally, with a number of them preferring doing it in Tanzania, Treasury’s move is more likely to benefit the vehicle assembly industry.

In 2014, the Government amended the Income Tax Act allowing companies to pay for employee vacations within the country and deduct this expenditure from taxes due to the Government.

The move was expected to breath some life into the industry that was undergoing challenges due to rise in insecurity that had seen decline in the number of tourists from traditional source markets.

This was in place for the 2014/15 financial year. There was little uptake of the holiday offer by Government among corporates, with analysts noting that while it offered employees benefits, there were almost no direct benefits for the employers and the process of paying for the holidays and recouping through the deductions appeared complex.

I do not think that worked very well, said Owino. Between 2014 and 2015, industry earnings sustained a declining trend, with revenues in 2014 going down to Sh87 billion from Sh93.9 billion in 2013. In the following year, revenue dropped three per cent to Sh84.6 billion.

Another measure aimed at growing tourism at the Coast was reduction of passenger landing charges by 40 per cent at Moi International Airport and Malindi Airport. This was to pull more carriers to fly to the coast.

This however did not translate in increased tourists to Mombasa. KNBS statistics show the number of tourists who arrived through Moi International Airport in Mombasa went down 39.2 per cent from 194,200 in 2013 to 118, 000 in 2014.

KENYA: Mombasa City

Mombasa is a city on the coast of Kenya. It is the country's second-largest city,after the capital Nairobi, with an estimated population of about 1.2 million people in 2016. Its metropolitan region is the second largest in the country and has a population of approximately two million people.Administratively, Mombasa is the capital of Mombasa County.

A regional cultural and economic hub, Mombasa has an extra-large port and an international airport, and is an important regional tourism centre. Located on the east coast of Kenya, in Mombasa County and the former Coast Province, Mombasa's situation on the Indian Ocean made it a historical trading centre, and it has been controlled by many countries because of its strategic location.

It is located on Mombasa Island and sprawls to the surrounding mainlands. The island is separated from the mainland by two creeks: Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbour. It is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge, to the south by the Likoni Ferry, and to the west by the Makupa Causeway, alongside which runs the Kenya-Uganda Railway. The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the ocean. The city is served by Moi International Airport located in the northwest mainland suburb of Chaani.

Mombasa has a cosmopolitan population, with the Swahili people and Mijikenda predominant. Other communities include the Akamba and Taita Bantus as well as a significant population of Luo and Luhya peoples from Western Kenya. The major religions practised in the city are Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. Over the centuries, many immigrants and traders have settled in Mombasa, particularly from the Middle East, Somalia, and the Indian sub-continent, who came mainly as traders and skilled craftsmen.

The founding of Mombasa is associated with two rulers: Mwana Mkisi (female) and Shehe Mvita. According to oral history and medieval commentaries, Shehe Mvita superseded the dynasty of Mwana Mkisi and established his own town on Mombasa Island. Shehe Mvita is remembered as a Muslim of great learning and so is connected more directly with the present ideals of Swahili culture that people identify with Mombasa.

The ancient history associated with Shehe Mvita and the founding of an urban settlement on Mombasa Island is still linked to present-day peoples living in Mombasa. The Thenashara Taifa or Twelve Nations Swahili lineages recount this ancient history today and are the keepers of local Swahili traditions. Even though today Mombasa is a very heterogeneous cultural mix, families associated with the Twelve Nations are still considered the original inhabitants of the city.

Being a coastal town, Mombasa is characterised by a flat topography. The town of Mombasa is centred on Mombasa Island, but extends to the mainland. The island is separated from the mainland by two creeks, Port Reitz in the south and Tudor Creek in the north.

Surburbs Of Mombasa

Mombasa Island

Kizingo: Considered the prime residential area of Mombasa. The State House of Mombasa, Provincial Headquarters, The Mombasa Law Courts, and the Municipal Council are located in Kizingo. The Aga Khan Academy, Aga Khan High School, Serani Primary School, Serani High School, Santokben Nursery School, Coast Academy, Jaffery Academy, Mombasa Primary School, Loreto Convent, Mama Ngina Girls' High School and the Government Training Institute (GTI) Mombasa are all in Kizingo as well.

Kibokoni: Part of Old Town with Swahili architecture. Fort Jesus is in Baghani.

Englani:Part of Old town between Kibokoni and Makadara.

Kuze: Part of Old Town with Swahili culture and architecture. Originally flourishing with Swahili people but currently becoming a more cosmopolitan neighbourhood.

Makadara: Part of Old Town consisting of a high number of descendants of Baluchi former soldiers who settled within this area before it developed into a town. The name is derived from the Arabic word Qadr-ur-Rahman meaning fate of God.

Ganjoni: Primarily a middle class residential, home of second biggest dry dock of Africa after the one in South Africa.

Tudor: Another middle class residential area with homes and shops. The Technical University of Mombasa (TUM)is situated in this neighbourhood.

North Coast

Nyali: Also considered a prime and up-market residential area, it is on the mainland north of the island and is linked by the New Nyali Bridge. It has numerous beach front hotels in the area known as the "North Coast". Nyali has two distinct sections – the posh Old Nyali and the upcoming New Nyali. For many residents, Nyali has now become a self-contained residential area, with two Nakumatts, a multiplex cinema, shopping malls, banks, schools and post offices. This often eliminates the need for residents to cross the bridge and to go into the congested Mombasa city centre. Nyali is home for the Nyali Cinemax complex, Mamba Village, the Nyali Golf Club, and some of the most prestigious academic institutions of the Coast Province.

Kongowea: is a densely populated area with 15 villages, two sub-locations and an estimated population of 106,180 residents.Kongowea is a cosmopolitan settlement mainly inhabited by people from mainland who migrated into the city in search of employment, mainly in service and manufacturing sector. The area is adjacent to the rich suburb of Nyali which employs a portion of the village residents. They are mainly hired as cheap labour as watchmen, gardeners, masons for up coming houses and house help. The most well known villages inside Kongowea include Kisumu Ndogo, Shauri Yako and Mnazi Mmoja, despite being located in this prime area, many residents live under extreme conditions – poor sanitation, high crime rate and lack of basic essential amenities like schools, hospitals and tap water. Kongowea is also home to one of the largest open-air markets in the African Great Lakes.

Bamburi: also an outlying township (fifteen minutes drive) along the Malindi road. Bamburi is the location of Bamburi Portland Cement Company. Other notable features in the area are the Mijikenda public beach, commonly known as Pirates, and Haller Park, a nature trail and wildlife conservatory. Kiembeni Estate, also in the Bamburi area, hosts around 100,000 residents. The estate has its own supermarket, several retail shops, salons and boutiques, and a number of licensed drinking dens. The establishments include The Shilla Bar, Turkey Base, Stars Garden and Sensera pub. Kiembeni is arguably the largest estate in Mombasa, and growing even faster.

Other areas include, Shanzu, Mkomani, Bombolulu, Kisauni and, across the Mtwapa creek, the popular area of Mtwapa, which is already located in Kilifi county.

The North Coast is famous for its broad entertainment industry which attracts locals and tourists as well.

South Coast

Likoni: is a lower income and lower-middle-class neighbourhood connected to Mombasa Island by ferry. It is south of Mombasa Island and made up of mostly non-Swahili Bantu tribes. The ferry was the target of the Likoni Riots of 1997.

Diani Beach: a beach resort area situated over the Likoni Ferry on the south coast of Mombasa. It is located some 36 km (22 mi) south of Mombasa city on the mainland coast and is a prime resort for many local and international tourists. Diani Beach has an airport at Ukunda town to cater for tourists who fly there directly from Nairobi Wilson or any other airports and airfields in the country.

Mombasa Mainland
Magongo: is an outlying township 20 minutes driving distance northwest of Mombasa Island, situated on the Nairobi Highway. This fringe community lacks any effective electricity, water or sewer systems, with a general lack of infrastructure. Poverty, lack of sanitation, and unemployment continue to be the greatest issues for the Mikindani Township, which have ensured low health and safety standards for its residents. Poor, lower class housing is widespread, ranging from simple stone, two-storey structures to mud and earth homes fitted with corrugated iron roofs.

Much of the community works outside of the township, within Mombasa Island itself as there is a lack of employment and industry. There are number of small health clinics, shops, and a few public primary schools: Nazarene primary is one school, which is known in particular as being staffed by a revolving volunteer teacher base from Western, and predominately English speaking nations. This small town serves as a link between the city and Moi International Airport. Magongo is also home to the Akamba Handicraft Cooperative.

Mikindani, a suburban area: This is an outlying township on the mainland along the Nairobi Highway. It is built in the heavy industrial sections of Changamwe and mainly accommodate the working class who either work in the industries, the town centre on the Island and the Port at Kilindini harbour.

Miritini: outlying township on the Mombasa Nairobi Highway which is first growing as a suburban area.

Changamwe: Industrial area which contains the Kipevu power generation projects, the Kenya Oil Refinery Company facility and housing estates such as Chaani and is the gateway to the Moi International Airport. The area has administrative offices of the D.O and the chiefs who serve the administrative division.

Migadini & Chaani: They are two adjacent estate that are located east of Airport road and east of Kenya Port Authority. They are bordered by Port Reitz, Magongo and KPA

Port Reitz: Is a suburb on the mainland which contains a beach, oil refineries, housing estates etc. Moi International Airport and the Port Reitz District Hospital are in Port Reitz.

Culture

A major cultural hub in Kenya and the African Great Lakes, Mombasa's proximity to Zanzibar, Nairobi and the Indian subcontinent, as well as its large shipping and maritime industries gives it a diverse mosaic of cultures. Music is a main feature of Mombasa's culture.

Religion
The majority of Mombasa's population is Muslim.This large population has recently adapted Arab immigrant practices into Swahili New Year. The celebrations of maulidi, a celebration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birth, and shirk, the Mombasa adopted name for the Swahili New Year, have witnessed an increasing overlap of cultures within the city. This parallels increased migration of Muslim Arab immigrants in the region.

The Catholics are pastorally served by the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.

Music and nightlife
Taarab music, which originates from Zanzibar, has a prominent local presence. Styles of music native to Mombasa include the smooth and mellow Bango, fast-paced Chakacha and traditional Mwanzele.

Musicians of note are Mombasa Roots, Safari Sounds, Them Mushrooms, Anwar Juma Bhalo and Princess Farida. Mombasa has been the home or base for former greats like Fundi Konde, known for his song "Tausi"; Fadhili Williams and Grand Charo, famous for the song "Malaika"; Sal Davies; Malika Mohammed; Stara Butte; Juma Bhalo. Contemporary hip-hop fusion artistes are Susumila, Majizee, Nyota Ndogo, Cannibal (musician), Sharama and Ukoo Flani super group which once could boast up to 40 rappers.

Recently, hip hop, reggae, soul, blues, salsa and among the Indian community, bhangra have become popular, especially amongst the youth. Mombasa is mainly a tourism centre populated by hundreds of entertainment spots of all categories from night clubs, bars, hotels, fancy restaurants and many more. It has the most vibrant night life in Kenya catering to the mainly tourist population.

Sports

Currently, Mombasa is represented in the Kenyan Premier League by Bandari F.C, which plays at the Mbaraki Sports Grounds. Also, the Congo United FC, Promoted and dropped in 2011, are in the second tier Nationwide Super League with 4 other hometown clubs – Admiral F.C.; Magongo Rangers; Sparki Youth and Coast United.Derbies between Mombasa teams have become intriguing affairs recently.

Another team, Coast Stars, was relegated several years ago from the league. The only Mombasa-based team to win the league is Feisal F.C., the 1965 champions. Kiziwi leopards was a popular team in the 1980s as was Mombasa Wanderers decades before. There are several cricket teams in Mombasa. One of them is Mombasa Sports Club (MSC), whose ground was given ODI status in 2006. MSC has also a rugby union team playing in the Kenya Cup League, the premier rugby competition in Kenya. Mvita XI men and MSC ladies represent Mombasa in Kenyan field hockey leagues.

The 2007 World Cross Country Championships were held in Mombasa. Mombasa Marathon is competed annually in Mombasa. The town also hosts the biennial classic edition of Safari Rally and annually a Kenya National Rally Championship round.

Scuba diving takes place mostly within the Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve, which is managed and maintained by Kenya Wildlife Service. The park has a length of about 8 km (5.0 mi).

Business

Biashara Street, Mombasa
Mombasa is a major trade centre and home to Kenya's only large seaport, the Kilindini Harbour.Kilindini is an old Swahili term meaning "deep". The port is so-called because the channel is naturally very deep. Kilindini Harbor is an example of a natural geographic phenomenon called a ria, formed at the end of the last glacial period when the sea level rose and engulfed a river that was flowing from the mainland.

Mombasa is a centre of coastal tourism in Kenya. Mombasa Island itself is not a main attraction, although many people visit the Old Town and Fort Jesus. The Nyali, Bamburi, and Shanzu beaches are located north of the city. The Shelly, Tiwi, and Diani beaches are located south of Mombasa. Several luxury hotels exist on these beaches, while the less expensive hotels are located further away.

Mombasa's northern shoreline is renowned for its vibrant 24-hour entertainment offers, including both family entertainment (water parks, cinemas, bowling, etc.), sports (watersports, mountain biking and gokarting), culinary offers (restaurants offering a wide range of specialties from Kenya, China, Japan, India, Italy, Germany and other countries) and nightlife (bars, pubs, clubs, discothèques, etc.).

Other local industries include an oil refinery with a capacity of 80,000 barrels a day, and a cement factory capable of producing over 1.1 million tons per year. The major intercontinental undersea telecom cables reach shore next to Mombasa, connecting the African Great Lakes to the rest of the world and supporting a fast-growing call centre business in the area. The estimated real GDP growth for Kenya in 2016 is 5.7-6.0%. This growth will be in response to the construction of a railway system from Nairobi to Mombasa which will aid in trade and transportation between Kenya’s two major cities.

Mombasa will become a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in which certain industries such as tea, garments, and footwear will be exempt from certain taxes to promote domestic growth. This is in response to the deficiencies in Export Processing Zones (EPZ).

The Kenyan Dock Worker’s Union is situated in Mombasa and has roughly 5,000 members.

President Kenyatta has made it a priority to deepen economic ties with Asia at the onset of his presidency. Japan has played a role in financially sponsoring the expansion of the Mombasa port in phase one and two of the expansion project.

At 44%, the rate of youth unemployment in Mombasa is more than double the national average of 21% (2016).

Climate

Mombasa has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen: As). The amount of rainfall essentially depends on the season. The rainiest months are April and May, while rainfall is minimal between January and February.

As a sea port, Mombasa is subject to detrimental consequences of a fluctuating climate. In October 2006, Mombasa experienced a large flood that affected 60,000 people.

Costal erosion has become a problem for Mombasa infrastructure. Due to rising sea levels, the coastline has been eroding at 2.5–20 cm per year. This has increased the number of annual floods.


Air Transport

Moi International Airport serves the city of Mombasa. It is located in Port Reitz area, also known locally as Chaani area on the mainland metropolitan area. Flights to Nairobi and other Kenyan, European and Middle Eastern destinations depart from the airport. Besides Mombasa and Nairobi is well connected by chartered flights operated via Wilson airport.

Train Transport
Mombasa has a railway station. Kenya Railways operates overnight passenger trains from Mombasa to Nairobi, though the service is less extensive than it used to be.

Road Transport

Driving in Mombasa is straightforward and the majority of the roads are tarmacked. Main roads include Jomo Kenyatta Avenue, Digo Road, Nyerere Road, Nkurumah Road, Moi Avenue, Mama Ngina Drive, Barack Obama Road, Nairobi Highway and Nyali Road.

Highways connect Mombasa to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam while northward road link to Malindi and Lamu, which also extends towards the border with Somalia.

Within Mombasa, most local people use matatus or mini-buses which are extremely common in Kenya, to move around the city and its suburbs. The tuk-tuk—a motor vehicle with three wheels—is widely used as transport around the city and its suburbs. No more than three passengers may be carried. A boda-boda is originally a bicycle taxi but now a motor cycle taxi. Especially in cities, the bicycles are more and more replaced by motorbikes.

Sea Transport

Mombasa's port is the largest in Kenya, with 19 deep water berths with two additional berths nearing completion and two oil terminals.Rail connects the port to the interior.There is little or no scheduled passenger service. International cruise ships frequent the port.

Ferry Transport
There is no bridge between Mombasa Island and south coast, instead the distance is served by ferries operated by the Kenya Ferry Service from Kilindini and Mtongwe to Likoni in the south coast of Mombasa. In 1994, a ferry serving Mtongwe route sank and 270 or more perished.

As a result of the major build-up of more luxurious hotels in South Coast and a lack of a direct bridge linking the South Coast to the North Coast, visiting tourists have the option of flying directly into the South Coast airstrip using the domestic airline, Air Kenya.

Tourism

Mombasa is Kenya's main tourist destination. It is located on the Eastern coastline of Kenya bordering the Indian Ocean which has made it a popular destination for its beaches. Mombasa offers diverse marine life, world-class hotels and a friendly atmosphere. There is a tropical climate all year; it is a great destination filled with activities for all ages.

Mombasa is a Swahili founded and ruled city. It was founded between the 1st and 5th century. At certain times it was occupied by the Portuguese, Arabs and British and originated back in the 16th century. Mombasa's culture today still exhibits that of its past. Historical ruins like Forte Jesus de Mombaça (Fort Jesus), an historic Portugese fort, and the Old Town are attractions influenced by Mombasa's trade culture, with many examples of Portuguese and Islamic architecture

Entering Mombasa

By Air
The airport in Mombasa has been newly renovated and has increased the frequency of flights in and out of Mombasa from European cities. Kenya Airways offers the most as far as options for traveling to/from Mombasa.

By train
Train service is mainly provided between Nairobi and Mombasa. The advantage of traveling by railway is the ability to see wildlife up close. The train ride from Nairobi to Mombasa is estimated at 13 hours. There are meal accommodations and options of purchasing first or second class seats.

By Coach
Buses, while not a major mode of transportation within the city, are mostly used for traveling outside the city. The major provider of transportation in Mombasa is Matatu; the fleet consists mostly of fourteen-seater minibuses. Matatu is quite popular with the residents.

Touring
By taxi from center: to south beaches ; ca 30-35 dollar. To airport:10-12 dollar Matatu (minibus) in city Ksh 50 (0,65)

Travel by the local bus-taxis (Matatus)-they are mini-buses that are usually full of people to maximum capacity. They're cheap. The name derives from a Swahili term that refers to 'ma'penny - the original matatu cost three cents many years ago. They are all over and in huge numbers, and they're licensed stickers on the windshields. They are privately owned mini-buses regulated by the government. They are subject to extensive regulatory controls; a driver and bus can be pulled for the driver wearing a loud shirt. Taxis don't have taxi-signs on the roof, but license papers stuck to the windshields.

One can also travel using auto rickshaw's locally called tuk-tuks, which are three wheeled private taxis. They cost about the same as Matatus. Moving from one part to the city to another is quick with these "bikes". Ideally use them for distances below 20km as they can be noisy. On the plus side they are quite airy and allow you to take in the scenary as you go by.

Visit
Bombolulu Workshops. Bombolulu Workshops was founded in 1969 and is a project of the Association for the Physically Disabled in Kenya (APDK). This center is a popular attraction for tourists and has 150 disabled employees who create jewelry, textiles, wood and leather crafts. It is the largest rehabilitation center in Kenya.

Hindu Temples. Attributes to Mombasa cultural diversity. Tourist/visitors are able to go inside the Temple accompanied by a guide from the Temple. Inside you will be able to see artifacts, idols and cultural pictures/paintings.

Mombasa Tusks. On Moi Avenue. The tusks were built in 1956 to celebrate Princess Margaret's visit to Mombasa town. They are located at the entrance to the city; they are not made of ivory as is sometimes thought, but of aluminum. An interesting thing to note is that the tusks form dual archways over each side of the road creating the shape in entirety of an 'M' for Mombasa or Margaret!

Old Town. Located around Ft. Jesus, this historic district has mostly been converted into souvenir shops and restaurants. A nice place to explore on a Sunday when much of the city is closed down.

Colobus Trust nature walks and conservation volunteering at Diani Beach.

Mtwapa Creek is a place to visit on Mombasa's North Coast. An Indian Ocean inlet with some small marinas and beautiful tropical vegetation. Very famous for bird watching, mountain bike tours around the creek, and starting point for deep sea fishing trips. Mtwapa is also famous in Mombasa for its clubs and active nightlife. To get here from the city center, take a matatu from Digo road.

Nyali Theatre featuring Hollywood and Bollywood new releases (500 KSH), with bowling alley, casino, and Italian Restaurant. Have some Indian bhelpuri, a type of chaat (hot puffed rice, vegetables and tangy tamarind sauce) while you're there. Taxi from centre - 800 KSH, Tuk Tuk- 300 KSH. Matatus plying the Mkomani or Nyali routes - 30 ksh (Ask to alight at "Cinemax").

Kinazini Funzi Dhow Safaris, (1 hr south of Mombasa off main Tanzania Rd, bus transport from all beach hotels included), Every day.

Funzi Island via Dhow a traditional Arab sailing ship), explore Ramisi River Mangroves by canoe for crocs and lots of bird life up close, bathe on a magical sandbank in the Indian Ocean, feast on a lobster and seafood BBQ on Robinson Crusoe Island. $105.

Haller Park (Bamburi Nature Trail), East Side of Links Road just North of Nyali (North on Links Road to Nyali. Look for entrance on left or ask a local). 8:30 - 5:30. Small zoo that feels like a park. Animals include giraffes, hippos , monkeys, and a reptile house. Guides speak English, Spanish, French and other languages. Watch out for the monkeys. They are numerous and appear friendly but do occasionally bite. 1400.

Avicennia Island, info@kayakingkenya.com For South Coast adventures, Avicennia Island is unbeatable. Kayak silently through submerged mangrove forests; swim & sunbathe in the emerald waters of the Funzi Sandbar, enjoy a sumptuous seafood barbeque meal served at a delightful wooden banda (open structure, beach house, or shelter, sheltered from the elements). $90.

Go-Kart, (Shanzu, near Haller Park),Mombasa's motor sport arena – a place to chill with your friends and thrill with your kids. Whether you’re a budding Schumacher or a first-time driver, Mombasa Go-Karting has the experience and technical know-how to put you on the right track.There is a viewing veranda located in the bar and you can order food from the bar whilst you are watching the action on the track.

Shimba Hills National Park: the approximately 30km south of Mombasa situated National Park is mountainous with lush tropical vegetation. This makes it particularly attractive as most other well-known national parks of Kenya have steppe-like vegetation. The main attractions include the elephant habitat, the stocks of antelopes, the waterfall, the Mwaluganje forest and the many vantage points of the fabulous landscape.

Enjoy the famous night life of Mombasa. The night life and entertainment in Mombasa is broad and offers something for every taste. Many bars, pubs and nightclubs in many price ranges offer something for every taste and budget. From local bars to exclusive lounge bar, everything is available.

In the city center there are numerous coffee shops, small pubs and bars as well as some small to medium sized clubs. Nightlife "special kind" is mainly found in the village Mtwapa, north of Mombasa. Its called "the village that never sleeps".
Beaches of the North Coast

English point: Tiny sandy beach at Mkomani with view over the old town. Its a nice place to go but less for swimming than to enjoy the view.

Nyali Beaches: nice sandy beaches but due to the close distance to the town the water quality is poor and polluted. Its nice to walk along the shore when when you get tired of the hotel pools.

Bamburi Beach: Very nice beach with white sand and palm trees. Water quality is much better than at Nyali beach. Restaurants along the beach invite to sit under palm trees drinking a cold beer while watching people pass by. Due to the closeness to the town the beach is overcrowded on weekends or holidays.

Shanzu Beach: Very nice beach with white sand and palm trees. Less crowded than Bamburi beach.
Beaches of the South Coast

Tiwi Beach is a place to visit on Mombasa's South Coast. Quiet beach not spoiled by mass tourism. At low tide, you can swim in a tidal pool where tropical fish are trapped until the next tide comes in. Be careful to avoid the many sea urchins. Though there are relatively few people, there is a small cafe serving food and drinks.

To get to Tiwi from Mombasa, take the Likona ferry to the south by taxi (ca $ 50,00) from Mombasa city center. Alternatively, take public transportation from the city center by catching a matatu on Digo Road across from the post office. The matatu route is aptly named "Ferry" and the matatu touts will be happy to point out the correct vehicle.

The matatu drops passengers just outside the ferry, which is free for pedestrians. Take a another matatu going to Diani, but alight early at "Tiwi Spot". Hire one of the many motorbikes plying the main road to carry you the relatively short distance to the beach, since muggings have previously occurred on this stretch of road.

Diani Beach is the place to go. A fantastic long white beach with loads of watersports and primates to see. A night at '40 Thieves' beach bar is a great place to hang out with a few tuskers (beers). If you want to see one of the six primate species in South Coast Kenya visit the Colobus Trust, dedicated to primate rescue, research and conservation, for an informative walk and you may spot one of the many wild primates.

Shopping
Kenya Shillings is the form of currency. However Euros and USDs are accepted. $25 USD = 20 Euros = 2000 Shillings. Credit Card and Debit Card uses are ok, however it is highly suggested to alert your bank that you will be traveling and using your card. This will avoid them from thinking that your card has been stolen and fraudulent charges are being made.

Mombasa Sandals, Located in most souvenir shops and from street merchants. Hand made sandals made from leather and old tires (for the soles), these stylish shoes are a great souvenir from Mombasa. Local craftsman use colorful beads and pieces of leather to create a vast variety of shapes and decorations. No two pairs are alike. 500 ksh.

African Fabrics, Available in curio shops and markets throughout the city. Mombasa is one of the best place in Kenya to buy lesos (khangas) and kikois. Lesos are colorful printed fabrics that come in pairs and are traditionally worn by Swahili women. Kikois are typically striped or plaid and are typically worn as shawls.

Lesos are sold at around 350 ksh, while Kikois are around 500 ksh. Prices vary with quality and may be higher in areas with lots of foot traffic from tourists,notably in Mombasa Old Town outside Fort Jesus.

Dining
Mombasa is known for their diverse cuisines from Swahili, Indian, Chinese, Korean, and Italian cultures. They offer an abundance of resturants and eateries to choose from including establishments with freshly caught seafood.

Mikaye Restaurant - Fort Jesus, Sir Mbarak Hinawy Road.Mikaye is an authentic fusion restaurant. Mikaye a honorable woman in dholuo sets the guideline for the restaurant- entailing good food, admirable service, great ambience hence a formidable culinary experience. With a scenic view of Fort Jesus, the decor of the restaurant is modern with strong African influences. . The food is essentially a fusion of African food with touches of international cuisine. Biriani, Pilau , Kuku Kienyeji, Tilapia , Mataha Ksh 500.

Chinese Restaurants

Chinese Galaxy - is the most visited Chinese cuisine attraction. They offer fine dining, and a wide range of selections including house specials.

Seafood

Tamarind - On the island. It is the most popular with tourists. It overlooks Old Harbour and offers freshly caught seafood, exotic menus, nightlife and entertainment.

Variety

POA Restaurant & Grill - Tembo Entertainment Plaza on the North Coast, near the Nakumatt Nyali Shopping Centre. Large menu ranging from snacks, burgers to specialties from Germany, Italy, India, China, Thailand, as well as seafood. Open throughout the night, from 6pm to 6am.

Blue Room - which offers a self-serve cuisine ranging from 'Indian Bites' to other items like burgers, pizza, and ice cream.

Drinks
There are quite a number of good bars, pubs and Entertainment Spots in Mombasa Town and the North Coast. Night Life is very vibrant in Mombasa.

Bob's Bar, Nyali. Lively and popular bar located near Tembo. This bar and grilll is where a lot of great nights out get started.

Fontanella Beer Garden, (Moi Avenue/Digo road Junction). Relaxed atmosphere right in the middle of the city affordable meals and drinks.

Club Lambada- Mtwapa, (Mtwapa Town). 24Hrs. Located in the north coast with offering all night disco and cabaret shows food drinks and accomodation

Sheba Lounge, (City Mall Nyali). Rooftop Bar Great Music and atmosphere

Tulia House and Camp, Off links road, Nyali, Mombasa. Based in the heart of the entertainment area of Nyali in Mombasa, Tulia House and Camp offers a range of accommodation to suit every individual and every budget.

Mikaye Restaurant Nyali, Links Road Nyali (First roundabout from the Shell Petrol Station Nyali), 7am -1am. The best Whisky Roof Top Bar in Mombasa. Mature Clientele great for a romantic evening or a night out with friends. Ksh 500.

Accomodation

There are many accommodations to choose from when visiting Mombasa.

Budget
Tulia Backpackers, Mombasa Nyali, Tulia Backpackers has become the best alternative for Backpackers coming to the Kenyan Coast.

Karama hotel. 1000KSH inc. breakfast. Mwembe Tayari Rd. nr Coast bus office....its on google maps. clean, quiet.

Mid-range

Lambada Holiday Resort at Mtwapa Creek, on Mombasa's north coast. The resort consists of 60 spacious rooms, entertainment area, restaurant, hair salon, health bar, swimming pool, sports bar and modern conference facilities. Rates from $25 low season-$50 high season per person/night.

Villa Annchen,at Mtwapa Creek, on Mombasa's north coast. Very private atmosphere and huge natural stone pool. 4 guest room with king size beds and en suite bathrooms. Rates from $40 low season-$80 high season per person/night.

Hotel Sapphireat $20 per person you can stay at this hotel which offers 110 rooms and suites, catering providing food from various traditions and cultures, health club and gym.

Sun N Sand Beach Cluball inclusive resort providing accommodations for 298 guest rooms, Health Club, Pool, nightlife, and various activities. This resort is also children friendly.

Royal Reserve Safari and Beach Club offers accommodations for all, including RCI timeshare members. The resort is right off the coast with enjoyable nightlife, multiple restaurant selection with diverse cuisines, gym, pools, and friendly staff.

Safety
Several countries have issued warnings that the city centre is not safe during the night, that car-jacking is widespread and that robberies after sunset at the beaches can occur. Use common sense and a healthy dose of skepticism regarding your surroundings.

Health
For precaution don't drink tap water and be carefull with ice cubes. Its always wise to follow the old british role for the tropics:"Peel it, cook it or forget it". Mombasa has 3 major well equipped private hospitals with high standards: the Aga Khan Hospital, the Pandhia Memorial Hospital and the Mombasa Hospital. Many smaller hospitals and clinics are spread out all over Mombasa and the North Coast.

Moving Out
Transport to get out of Mombasa include regional flights and Bus coaches. Apart from Mombasa beaches, other tourist destinations in East Africa are Tanzania Game parks and beach resorts in Mombasa Island. Tanzania game parks are rich in wildlife species and beauty scenery on its wilderness savanna. This game parks are National parks,game reserves and conservation areas.

Some famous National parks are Serengeti,Tarangire,Lake Manyara,mount Kilimanjaro,Ruaha, Selous game reserve,mikumi and Ngorongoro conservation area.These are among wildlife safari destinations recommended in Africa. Mountain climbing,walking safaris, bird watching and photographic safaris.

Get out of Mombasa is through bus transport and regional flights. Bus from Mombasa to Moshi Tanzania and Arusha are available and organized.

Get out of Mombasa by flight is through Kenya airways,Precision Air and Regional Air. Booking flight tickets is easier and flight tickets are also cheap.

Most wildlife safaris are organized in Arusha and begin in Arusha city while Mount kilimanjaro climbing trips begin in Moshi, Tanzania. Moshi is a tourist town located at Kilimanjaro slopes and kilimanjaro trekking adventures begin here.

After enjoying Mombasa beach holidays, some travelers want to experience to climb highest mountain in Africa with 5 ecological climatic zones.

KENYA: Tourism Arrivals Increase

Improved performance of the tourism sector helped narrow the gap between the value imports and exports in the third quarter, fresh data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows.

The state-owned statistician says that earnings from the travel account more than doubled to Sh25.86 billion compared with Sh12.28 billion in the corresponding period last year. This is captured in the KNBS' Balance of Payments report for July to September period.

The 110.6 per cent growth in travel receipts helped cut trade deficit, which narrowed by 10.4 per cent from Sh112.37 billion in the third quarter of 2015 to Sh100.68 billion in the corresponding quarter of 2016.

A trade deficit, which is also known as the current account deficit, means the value of imports is greater than the value of exports.

“The improvement in the services account during the quarter under review contributed to the narrowing of the current account deficit,” KNBS said in the report published last Friday.

Net income from international trade in services increased by 69.8 per cent to Sh34.74 billion, the KNBS says, adding: “The increase was on account of increased travel receipts boosted by conference tourism during the third quarter of 2016.”

The rebounding tourism sector a strong growth of 13.8 per cent in the quarter under review (July to September) compared to a contraction of 6.5 per cent during a similar period of 2015.

“The upturn in the sector was mainly supported by the hosting of high profile meetings in the country during the review quarter as well as improved security situation,” KNBS says in the Gross Domestic Product report for third quarter, simultaneously released with the BOP report.

The significantly improved performance was also boosted by downgrading of travel advisories and measures such as the charter incentive programmes, visa fee waiver and, facilitation of inbound tourist travel.

The official data shows visitor arrivals through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Moi International Airport stood at 262,149 between July and September 2016 compared to 208,397 in the same period last year.

Kenya Tourism Board, the marketing agency which records the visitors arrivals data, recently said the recovery of the sector will not be slowed down by August 2017’s general election.

KNBS said difference between in value of imported goods and exports – technically called merchandise trade balance and which significantly influence the current account balance – expanded by 2.324 per cent from a deficit of Sh213.21 billion in July to September period of 2015 to Sh217.99 billion this year.

This, KNBS said, reflects a faster decrease in exports compared to the decrease in imports on a free on board basis.

The data shows remittance inflows from Kenyans living abroad grew during the quarter under review to Sh43.56 billion from Sh40.62 billion in the third quarter of 2015.

Net financial inflows went up by 3.2 per cent from Sh157.61 billion in the third quarter of 2015 to Sh162.57 billion in the third quarter of 2016.

KNBS said this was partly as a result of disbursements towards the Standard Gauge Railway.

The data shows gross official reserves increased to Sh830.6 billion as at the end of third quarter of 2016 from Sh706.7 billion recorded as at the end of the third quarter of 2015.

KENYA: Jambojet Apologises To Passengers After Delayed And Cancelled Flights

Jambojet has apologised to thousands of holidaymakers who were stranded for three days at various airports after its flights to various holiday destinations in the Coast region were delayed and cancelled at the eleventh hour.

The domestic carrier conceded that the flight crisis was caused by excess booking of passengers and its failure to lease additional flights the current festive season.

In a statement, Jambojet customer service manager Mary Mwangi said the carrier's existing smaller aircraft could not accommodate the high volume of booked passengers.

“We apologize to all concerned for the unpleasant nature of this entire experience and assure all that we are doing our utmost to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” said Ms Mwangi.
She added: “We, at Jambojet, have had some unexpected technical challenges on our Q400 fleet that operates most of our coastal routes. Additionally, the delivery of our newly leased aircraft initially scheduled for introduction during the peak season was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances and will only be delivered in early 2017,”.

“As a result of the combination of these factors as well as the unavailability of aircraft of the same capacity, we have had to reschedule flights and carry passengers on smaller aircraft. This being high season, we have a high volume of booked passengers all of whom cannot be accommodated on these smaller aircraft,”

“We have therefore [endeavoured] to fly more frequencies with these smaller capacity aircraft and also re-route remaining passengers via Mombasa and put other passengers on Kenya Airways flights, where seats are available, to get them to their destinations,”

On Tuesday, hundreds of passengers flying to Lamu for this year’s Maulid festival were stranded for two days at Malindi Airport.

Most of affected passengers were travelling from Mombasa, Malindi and other coastal towns to the archipelago for the annual Islamic festival, which is scheduled to end this weekend.

The Kenya Airways-owned firm booked the stranded passengers in some of hotels in Malindi town before putting them on early morning flights on Wednesday and Thursday.

Others opted to forfeit their flights and travelled by public service vehicles plying between Mombasa and Lamu, a journey that takes almost nine hours due to security checkpoints mounted between Garsen in Tana River and Mokowe in Lamu County.

Some of passengers who were to fly from Malindi to Nairobi were ferried by road to Mombasa before boarding flights at Moi International Airport.

Similarly, scores of passengers who were to travel directly to Ukunda airstrip to enjoy their holidays in various hotels in South Coast were instead flown to Mombasa airport and transferred by road to reach their destinations.

Kenya Coast Tourism Association (KCTA) chairman Mohammed Hersi expressed his dismay over why Jambojet had booked passengers heading to Ukunda on a bigger aircraft that could land at Ukunda airstrip before diverting the plane to Moi International Airport, Mombasa.

“Why would you sell more tickets than you can handle then you take a bigger aircraft that cannot land in Ukunda. Passengers heading to Ukunda chose a direct flight to avoid the pain at the ferry and you go ahead to subject them to the same pain again without any qualms,” stated the KCTA chairman.

Two months ago, Jambojet announced additional flights to all destinations within the country including Lamu ahead of the festive season.

Jambojet Chief Executive Officer Willem Hondius said: “We are cognizant of the increased demand for flights during the festive season as people go on holiday or travel back home. We want to ensure that we provide our customers with value for money, greater choice as well as flexibility with the additional frequencies.”

He announced the carrier would increase flights to Mombasa from 22 weekly to 31 and 20 flights per week to Kisumu, Eldoret and Ukunda and 16 weekly flights to Malindi from 13.

KENYA: Jambojet Dissapoints Passengers, With Delays, Cancellations And Negligence

'They should be sued for the damage they caused to our travel plans' shouted a passenger from Kenya, who had been booked to travel to Lamu on Jambojet but was offloaded at Malindi's Airport and left to fend for himself and his family.

Jambojet, one of Kenya's low cost airlines, had over the past days, according to affected passengers, set new lows for dealing with delayed and canceled flights, in particular vis a vis response times of emails and social media queries, where, if at all, template replies appear to have been copied and pasted by Jambojet staff.

Only days after the full impact of the delays became public did the airline finally admit what aviation pundits had already established, that technical issues with one of the airline's leased Q400's saw the entire schedule literally fall apart, with travelers booked to the Ukunda airfield close to the Diani beaches being dumped at the main airport in Mombasa, having to make their own way to their resorts.

'I booked my flight to Ukunda because I want to avoid the dreadful drive through Mombasa and then the agonizing wait at the ferry. Flying directly saves many hours each way and Jambojet stole those precious vacation hours from us. How can an airline just dump us in Mombasa when our ticket says Ukunda. To make it worse, where was the station manager and duty manager of the airline? This will have consequences, that is all I can tell you right now' ranted another Nairobi based regular reader, fuming with anger.

Meanwhile, Tourists at Diani airstrip Kwale county welcomed by Miss tourism drawn from all 47 counties on Mar 28th 2015, Jumbojet a KQ product made its first stop in Diani Kwale County.

Hoteliers at the Coast have accused low-cost carrier Jambojet of “dumping passengers” midway their journeys and delaying flights. Through their lobby group – the Kenya Coast Tourism Association – the hoteliers said the carrier has been dumping passengers destined for Ukunda and Malindi at the Moi International Airport (Mombasa).

“Passengers heading to Ukunda chose a direct flight to avoid the pain at the ferry, and you go ahead to subject them to the same pain again without any qualms. Why don’t you just sell what you can handle instead of giving a false promise of having the capacity to land in Ukunda or Malindi,” KCTA chairman Mohammed Hersi said. He said the inconveniences are hurting domestic tourism , a blow to hotels. However, Jambojet said it has had “unexpected technical challenges” on its fleet that operates most of its coastal routes.

“Additionally, the delivery of our newly leased aircrafts initially schedules for introduction during the peak season was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, and will only be delivered in early 2017,” the management said in a statement yesterday.

This, it said, has forced the carrier to reschedule flights and carry passengers on smaller aircrafts, while re-routing others via Mombasa using Kenya Airways flights. “We apologise to all concerned for the unpleasant nature of this entire experience and we will resolve the issue,” the management said.

Kenya Airways Pilots Strike

Kenya Airways (KQ) faces further turbulent times.Airline finally resumes cancelled flights but pilots insist strike still on from tomorrow Yesterday, the airline had cancelled five flights to various African countries as go-slow by its outsourced staff begun to weigh on its operations.

And last evening, the airline announced that operations had returned to normalcy adding that 67 flights had taken off “from the around the network as at 4pm Kenyan time.”

The flight cancellations were occasioned by a strike by at least 500 employees outsourced by KQ through Career Direction Ltd (CDL) who began work boycott last Friday.

Flights 600 to Mombasa, 432 to Kilimajaro, 350 to Juba, 706 to Lusaka/Harare and 740 to Maputo were cancelled after their crew failed to report to work. Flight 782 to Livingston/Cape Town was also delayed, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded.

This month alone, the airline has cancelled or delayed flights twice, putting the ‘Pride of Africa’ into more troubles.

On October 2, KQ delayed flights at Moi International Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The contracted employees have decried poor remuneration, which they want addressed by the airline that has continued to post huge losses despite its efforts to cut down on its wage bill by outsourcing crew and other low cadre employees.

“Some of our outsourced staff including cabin crew have stayed away from work from Friday and we are working with their employer to resolve any issues they may have,” KQ said in a statement.

“Despite our effort to solve the problem by combining several flights, we have made the difficult decision to cancel some as the safety of our guests is paramount,” it added.

Further chaos is expected as the pilots, despite a court order, have insisted that their strike notice that expires early tomorrow morning is on.

Yesterday, the Ministry of East Africa Community, Social Protection and Labor announced that it had convened a conciliation meeting today between various parties to seek an amicable settlement on the issues that have given rise to the pilot’s strike notice.

“The separate meetings involving conciliation committee members, staff union representatives, KQ management as well as Cotu and FKE will take place at the ministry’s boardroom from 9am,” said the ministry’s Director of communications, Kaplich Barsito.

Kenya Airways has announced that operations have resumed and that there will be no interruptions.

In a press statement posted on its Twitter page, KQ said that 67 flights have taken off since 4pm and that scheduled evening flights will leave as planned.

Earlier, Kenya Airways had cancelled several fights scheduled for Sunday morning and delayed another after several outsourced crew failed to report to work.

In a statement issued Sunday morning, the national carrier said the staff, including cabin crew had stayed away from work since Friday due to issues with their employer.

“As per the safety regulations that the airline abides to, minimum number of cabin staff per aircraft type is require and on some of our flights we were unable to reach these levels,” the statement said.

The cancelled flights were KQ 600 to Mombasa, KQ 432 to Kilimanjaro, KQ 350 to Juba KQ 706 to Lusaka/Harare, KQ 740 to Maputo, KQ252 to Dzaoudzi and Moroni, while flight KQ 782 to Livingston/Cape Town was delayed.

The statement added that travellers in the affected flights would be re-booked on other flights or airlines.

The airline is grappling with a strike threat by members of the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa), who have said they will down their tools on Tuesday despite a court order barring the industrial action.

Should the pilots go ahead with the strike, this could be a financially costly standoff for the troubled airline that is trying to fly out of turbulence.

However, despite the staff hitches, the airline said on its twitter page that it "operated 60 flights out 72 scheduled today".

Kenya Airways, already facing financial difficulties and a threatened pilots' strike, cancelled five flights on Sunday after outsourced cabin crew walked off the job.

While the stoppage only involved a small number of workers, it coincides with a deep malaise at the airline, which in July posted a net annual loss of 26.22 billion shillings ($250 million/230 million euros) -- the worst ever since its privatisation in 1995.

The losses follow a series of disastrous strategic decisions touching on maintenance costs, a hedge on fuel prices and rising dollar-denominated loans.

"Some of our outsourced staff including cabin crew have stayed away from work from Friday and we are working with their employer to resolve any issues they may have," Kenya Airways said in a statement on Twitter.

"As per the safety regulations that the airline abides to, minimum number of cabin staff per aircraft type is required and on some of our flights we are unable reach these levels," it said.

The dispute forced the carrier to scrap flights to the Kenyan city of Mombasa, Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Juba (South Sudan), Maputo (Mozambique), and a further flight to Harare, Zimbabwe, via Lusaka, Zambia. No intercontinental flights were affected.

On Friday, some 700 outsourced workers employed by Career Directions Limited complained they had spent six years being retained on one-year contracts and demanded their wages be aligned with those of Kenya Airways' staff.

Kenya Airways faces a strike on Tuesday by disgruntled pilots who have for months been expressing a lack of confidence in the managerial team.

The pilots' union KALPA said last week they would stop work for a week if management did not step down.

The airline, which later this month will release half-year results, responded by obtaining a court order to bar industrial action.

On Thursday, Transport Minister James Macharia said a strike would amount to "national sabotage."

Loss-making national carrier Kenya Airways canceled several flights on Sunday after some crew members failed to turn up for work, the latest blow as the airline struggles to avert a strike called by its pilots.

"Some of our outsourced staff, including cabin crew, have stayed away from work from Friday and we are working with their employer to resolve any issues they may have," the airline said in a statement.

Flights to the Kenyan city of Mombasa, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Juba in South Sudan, Lusaka in Zambia, Harare in Zimbabwe and Maputo in Mozambique were canceled because there were not enough crew members to fly safely.

Kenya Airways later said that normal service had resumed but offered no further details.

Pilots union KALPA has called an indefinite strike, scheduled to start on Tuesday, to protest against the management of the airline, which is part owned by the government and Air France KLM.

The union said its members had lost confidence in the ability of the airline's chief executive and chairman to end years of losses. On Friday, a court ruled the strike was illegal and the government had said it would be "economic sabotage". On Thursday, the airline said it had halved its pre-tax loss to 5 billion shillings ($49.4 million) in the past six months thanks to a recovery in passenger numbers.

KENYA: Air France Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Mombasa, Suspicious Object Found In Toilet

An Air France flight from Mauritius diverted and safely made an emergency landing at Kenya's port city of Mombasa after its crew alerted its captain to a suspicious device in one of its toilets, Kenya's head of police said on Sunday.

Police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet said on his Twitter account that the Boeing 777 aircraft - headed to Paris - with 459 passengers and 14 crew was safely evacuated after it landed at Moi International Airport at 12:37 a.m. on Sunday (2137 GMT Saturday).

"Bomb experts from the Navy and DCI (Directorate of Criminal Investigations) have retrieved the device and are determining whether the components contained explosives," Boinnet said.

KENYA: Ferry Crisis Hurting Tourism

The ferry crisis at the Likoni channel has dealt a blow to tourism in Diani.

The ferry crisis at the Likoni channel has dealt a blow to tourism in Diani.

According to Kenya Association of Tour Operators Coast branch Chairperson Monika Solanki, some tourists in the resort town have missed their flights after being delayed at the crossing for hours.

She said since last Friday, tourists in Diani have been facing difficulties in reaching the Moi International Airport in time for their flights home.

Ms Solanki said the visitors faced delays of between two and three hours.

The official said international tourists heading to Diani for holidays are being frustrated by the frequent delays at the channel.

“After the just concluded Magical Kenya Travel Expo, many tourists were interested in going to Diani for leisure,” she Ms Solanki.

“Sadly, the ferry crisis is making both local and international visitors avoid travelling to the South Coast due to the delay nightmare,” she said.

Ms Solanki said the delays at the channel have also adversely affected safaris to Shimba Hills Game Reserve.

She said wildlife enthusiasts heading for game drives lose precious hours of watching animals after being held up at the crossing for hours.

ECONOMY AFFECTED
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast Chief Executive Officer Sam Ikwaye said the transport crisis at Likoni is a setback to Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (Mice) tourism in Diani.

He said the delays are slowing down both the government’s and the private sector’s efforts to revive the tourism industry in the South Coast.

“The government spent a lot of money in bringing international tour operators and travel agents to Diani during the recent travel show,” he said.

Mr Ikwaye said conference organisers are avoiding Diani because of transport woes at the Likoni crossing.

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mombasa Chief Executive officer James Kitavi said the ferry crisis had affected economic activities in the South Coast.

When reached for comment, the ferry boss, Mr Musa Hassan Musa said the ferries are worn out.