Qatar Airlines to increase flight frequency to Nairobi, Kenya

Qatar Airlines, a major international airline, is planning on increasing its number of flights to Nairobi, Kenya.  According to Qatar Airlines, the demand for transport to Nairobi has increased dramatically.  This is excellent news for one of the world’s blooming tourist destinations.  Kenya attracts well over a million tourists annually, and with new flights from major international airlines coupled with the country’s tourism plans, this number very well reach the expected 1.6 million tourists by 2017.     

From September, Qatar Airlines will add an additional four flights from Doha to Nairobi per week, bringing the total direct flights between Doha and Nairobi to 18 flights per week. The duration of these direct flights between Doha and Nairobi is just over five hours.  For Kenya, this means more opportunities for travelers to reach Kenya from major international destinations.  Nairobi serves as an important tourism access point for the entire Eastern Africa – hence why the added international flights excite Kenyan tourism officials.  From Nairobi, tourists can either connect to other main airports, although many safari and tourism activities can be started in Nairobi and surrounding area.

With a steady economic and tourism growth, despite violence tensions at times, Kenya is said to be on its way to achieve their National Tourism Strategy.  This development strategy also provides for domestic infrastructure and services improvement, boosting the country’s tourism.   Thus although the additional flights will serve Kenya’s tourism very well, it is also expected to support business in general.

Kenya is well-loved and respected for its safari experiences.  In fact, the majority of tourists arriving in Kenya have one key expectation: to experience at least one of Kenya’s 19 national parks, or to experience the Great Rift Valley, Mount Kenya or catch a glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro.  But Kenya’s Tourism Board has another point of view: they want to showcase to the international world more than Kenya’s safaris and wild outdoors.  As part of the National Tourism Strategy, Kenya is aiming to introduce and expand the country’s offerings on other popular tourism products such as golfing, water and action sports.  The tourism sector is also said to continue developing the country’s ecotourism opportunities, linking community development, sustainability and conservation.  Although commonly considered a safari destination, Kenya is hoping that by developing and expanding their sports and ecotourism activities, not only will tourists stay longer, but hopefully more people will be attracted to the country.       

Kenya’s National Tourism Strategy forms part of a greater goal - the country’s aim to become a newly industrialized country by 2030.  And with Qatar Airline’s latest announcement, more tourists from across the world will have the opportunity to visit Kenya, its savannas, wildlife, and more recent resort luxuries and sport activities.