This archive report was first published on 26 July 2021.
On July 26, 2021, the tourism industry in the coast region of Kenya recorded a significant boost with the arrival of Eurowings Discover, a sister company of the Lufthansa Group, marking its maiden flight into the country.
The inaugural flight from Frankfurt in Germany, which took nine hours to arrive, brought business at the busy Moi International Airport in Mombasa County to a standstill. Airport staff were seen struggling to take photos of themselves on their mobile phones and to get a glimpse of the aircraft.
Local traditional dancers from the Bombolulu Cultural Centre were on hand to entertain the tourists as they arrived at the wee hours of the morning.
Department of Tourism Principal Secretary Safina Kwekwe led top government officials to receive the visitors, who arrived after nine hours of a direct flight from Germany despite the chilly morning weather.
Speaking during the arrival of the tourists, Kwekwe said, 'This arrival of the aircraft makes Kenya the first to receive an inaugural flight by an airline.'
She lauded the airline for choosing Kenya for the inaugural flight, which was also destined for Zanzibar, adding that this was a pointer to a brighter future in the tourism industry.
The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kenya, Mrs Annett Günther, described the arrival of the international flight as a historical event, despite the global challenges posed by the outbreak of the pandemic.
She pointed out that the inaugural direct flight was a testament to the good economic relations between the two countries, apart from the arrival of the tourists.
Kenya Airport Authority Managing Director Alex Gitari applauded the arrival of the inaugural flight, saying the government was delighted to receive the airline in the country.
Eurowings Discover commercial company officer Helmut Woelfel told journalists that it was the first time for the airline to jet into the country, and they had plans to increase more scheduled flights due to government efforts to recover after the outbreak of the pandemic.
