Kenya is banking on the inauguration of a direct flight between Nairobi and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to grow its tourist source market in Asia. 

According to Cabinet Secretary for Tourism Rebecca Miano, the direct flight by Air Asia between East Africa's largest economy and Malaysia is poised to enhance ongoing plans to diversify the source markets for holidaymakers and help shield Kenya from uncertainties experienced in traditional source markets such as the Eurozone and the USA.

On Saturday, Malaysia's budget carrier AirAsia X made its maiden flight between Kuala Lumpur and Nairobi, bringing in a total of 377 travellers drawn from Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, and China.

While welcoming the travellers into Kenya, Miano noted that her ministry is keen on enhancing air travel with SouthEast Asian countries and promoting trade, cultural exchange, and tourism.

"We are delighted to have AirAsia X choose Kenya as a partner for its expansion into Africa. This aligns with our target of increasing tourist numbers to five million by 2027," explained Miano.

Last year, Kenya received 120,000 people keen on leisure and business activities drawn from several Southeast Asian nations. According to the Kenya Tourism Board chief executive June Chepkemei said that Kenya is projected to experience a 63 percent annual increase in tourists from Southeast nation countries including the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and China.

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Connectivity between Asia Pacific and East Africa

In an earlier statement, AirAsia X said it plans to operate a total of four flights every week between Nairobi and Kuala Lumpur cities. This route is tailored to provide travellers with stopovers that can connect them to over 130 destinations spread across the Asia Pacific area.

AirAsia X CEO Benjamin Ismail said the inaugural flight underscores the airline's commitment to strengthening connectivity between Asia Pacific and East Africa and powering commercial and cultural relationships between people of the two zones.

He added that airlines in the Asia Pacific region are increasingly expanding their presence in Africa as the two areas grow as essential trading and diplomatic allies.

Last year, tourist arrivals crossed pre-pandemic levels, with official statistics showing that the country welcomed 2,086,600 travellers. 

According to the Economic Survey 2024, this was a 35.4 percent increase in international visitor arrivals. "This translates to a 102.5 percent recovery rate, a testament to the effectiveness of the BETA Plan's strategic focus on revitalizing this crucial industry," the report notes in part.

"In 2023, we hosted 977 international conferences, a 9 percent increase from the previous year. This is a clear indication that Kenya is increasingly recognized as a hub for business, knowledge exchange, and cultural events," the survey adds.

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