By Irene Atieno
In summary:
- Partnership targets tourists taking package trips to Kenya’s various top destinations including the coastal towns of Mombasa and Diani as well as the Maasai Mara
- Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 53 destinations worldwide, 42 of which are in Africa and carries over four million passengers annually
- TUI returns to the Kenyan market three years after suspending its operations in the country. It previously operated its own charter plane into Mombasa
- TUI operates out of Netherlands’ main airport Schipol International, has cut a niche for itself in the airline industry by organising package trips that handle clients flight bookings, transfers and hotel bookings
- Kenya Airways takes pride for being in the forefront of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa
Kenya Airways and KLM have partnered with one of the largest charter airline operator in Europe – TUI to boost tourism numbers in Kenya. Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 53 destinations worldwide, 42 of which are in Africa and carries over four million passengers annually
The partnership targets tourists taking package trips to Kenya’s various top destinations including the coastal towns of Mombasa and Diani as well as the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Under the partnership, TUI (formerly known as Thompson) will book its Kenya-bound customers on Kenya Airways and KLM flights. Customers will be connected to their tourist destination through Kenya Airways hub, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), in Nairobi.
Kenya Airways Head of Global Marketing Jacque Muhati said: “Kenya Airways is excited to partner with TUI, one of the leading global tour operators. This partnership will underscore the important role that Kenya Airways plays in the growth of tourism, specifically creating vital linkages between Kenya and the international tourism source market.”
TUI returns to the Kenyan market three years after suspending its operations in the country. It previously operated its own charter plane into Mombasa.
TUI, which operates out of Netherlands’ main airport Schipol International, has cut a niche for itself in the airline industry by organising package trips that handle clients flight bookings, transfers and hotel bookings.
KQ continues to modernize its fleet with its 36 aircraft being some of the youngest in Africa. This includes its flagship B787 Dreamliner aircrafts. The on-board service is renowned and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is consistently voted among the world’s top 10.
Kenya Airways takes pride for being in the forefront of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa through its hub at the new ultra -modern Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Kenya Airways celebrated 40 years of operations in January 2017 while KQ Cargo was named African Cargo Airline of the year 2017.
It is estimated that with this partnership, tourism in Kenya and tourists numbers are set to be boosted by up to 28 percent.
