This archive report was first published on 26 July 2019.
Kenya's hospitality industry is set to benefit from Air India's decision to resume direct flights between Mumbai and Nairobi, starting in September. This development is a welcome boost for local hotels, particularly those catering to business guests from Asia.
According to Hasnain Noorani, Group Managing Director of PrideInn Group of Hotels, the shortened flight hours will bring added benefits to the tourism industry. 'This direct flight is sure to boost tourism and trade in East Africa,' he said.
Figures from the Tourism Research Institute indicate that tourists from India accounted for 6.17% market share, represented by 125,032 travelers between January and December 2018. These numbers are expected to increase this year, driven by increased confidence from foreign visitors, growth in domestic tourism, and the planned direct flights to Nairobi.
With the reduction in flight times, South Asia leisure travelers will have more time to experience all that Kenya and East Africa has to offer. 'Currently, many visitors from South Asia spend very little time in Nairobi and miss out on some of our country's fantastic attractions and culture,' said Hasnain.
The World Travel and Tourism Council forecasts business and leisure spending in Kenya to grow at an average rate of five percent annually, with business tourism spending projected to reach Sh252bn by 2025 and leisure spending expected to reach Sh400.6bn over the same period.
