Kenya tourism news – First charter from Korea arrives in Nairobi

KOREAN FLIES IN 120 TOURISTS
In another first has Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday received a plane load of Korean tourists, flown into the country by Korean Airlines.
Korea, as are other Far and South Asian countries, have been identified by the Kenya Tourist Board as a potentially rich emerging market but has been lacking nonstop flights to make visits to Kenya, and East Africa for that matter, more attractive.
It is understood that talks on bilateral air services agreements are ongoing, between Kenya and countries in the East, to encourage the setting up of direct airlinks. The series of charters now underway will undoubtedly raise Kenyas profile in Korea and it is understood that Korean media will also cover the destination, which alongside hopefully rave reviews by travelers, when they get back home, will encourage more to book a vacation to Magical Kenya.
The KTB Chief Executive Muriithi Ndegwa was at hand with other officials to welcome the charter flight at JKIA where he also used the opportunity to brief the media on the tourist boards efforts to increase visitor numbers from new and emerging markets, and what measures KTB had taken in past months to make this event happen.
Presently visitors have to use Gulf based airlines to connect via their hubs to Nairobi or else link up with Kenya Airways nonstop flights from Hong Kong or Bangkok, which however drives the cost of the air fares up and limits a greater market penetration due to the relatively higher cost.
Watch this space as 2012 gathers momentum and important tourism news can be reported right here.