German leisure airline makes comeback to Mombasa signaling bookings frenzy
German tourists Karlheinz Stumbitz (left) and Manuela Stumbitz relax at the Severin Sea Lodge in Mombasa on October 3, 2022.
German international leisure airline Condor has resumed its operations in Kenya after a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, boosting the Coast region’s tourism sector.
The airline stopped flying to Kenya at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 due to travel restrictions with most countries shutting their skies.
This week, 88 German tourists flew into Mombasa through the Moi International Airport while another 122 were on transit to Zanzibar.
The resumption of the flights has been welcomed by hoteliers.
“The resumption of the Condor operations is a good sign of recovery and confidence. Germany has been one of our key source markets and the exit of the condor was such a challenge in servicing beach destinations. We hope to regain our international market faster,” said Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch Executive officer Dr Sam Ikwaye.
Dr Ikwaye said international airlines have been waiting to see how Kenya’s August 9 General Elections turned out before resumption of operations.
“But we handled our internal affairs very well. We are hoping more scheduled flights will be back on this route faster than expected. It is a good move to have Condor back on the Mombasa route.We are hoping for reasonable business between now and December. We hope more airlines will resume their frequencies to Kenya,” added Dr Ikwaye.
The official further stated that the flight’s resumption will boost the sector during the low season. The bed occupancy is currently at 60 percent with the majority of tourists being domestic ones.
Severin Sea Lodge General Manager Tuva Mwahunga stated many tourists wanting to visit Kenya for holidays are, however, facing challenges in terms of lack of direct connectivity from Europe to Mombasa.
Kenya Coast Tourist Association (KCTA) official Victor Shitakha said Kenya should continue to convince leading tour operators and agents in overseas markets that the country is safe.
