This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
Published on September 18, 2019, a report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlights the significant contribution of the air transport sector to Kenya's economy.
According to the report, the sector supports a total of 410,000 jobs in Kenya, with airlines, airport operators, airport on-site restaurants, aircraft manufacturers, and air navigation service providers employing 15,000 people directly.
Additionally, the sector supports another 96,000 jobs through its purchases from local suppliers and 43,000 jobs through the wages paid to its employees, which are subsequently spent on consumer goods and services.
Foreign tourists arriving by air also support an additional 257,000 jobs, bringing the total to over 410,000 jobs supported by the air transport sector and tourists arriving by air.
"Air transport has been a major driver in Kenya's economy, boosting tourism, attracting regional headquarters of multinational companies, and fostering trade, logistics, and foreign investment in the country," said Muhammad Ali Albakri, IATA's Regional Vice President for the Middle East & Africa.
The report also predicts that the air transport market will grow by 249 percent in the next 20 years, resulting in an additional 11.8 million passenger journeys by 2037 and supporting approximately US$11.3 billion of GDP and almost 859,000 jobs.
