MOMBASA TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS ASK ‘WHY TENERIFE AND NOT MOMBASA’
(Posted 12th May 2015)
When news broke yesterday that Brussels Airlines, which in Eastern Africa serves Nairobi besides Entebbe, Kigali and Bujumbura, was adding a weekly service to the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife, did reactions not take long to come in from the Kenya coast.
The media release published on this author’s social media sites, which caught the eyes of Kenyan friends, read as follows:
Start quote:
Brussels Airlines will commence a new weekly service in October 2015from Brussels Airport to Tenerife South.
ASM, the world route development consultants, has been working in partnership with Turismo de Tenerife and Brussels Airlines over the past year to contribute in the network decision making process of the airline to add this new non-stop service. Flights will be operated with the A320 aircraft and offer travellers a choice of four different travel classes: “Check&Go”, “Light&Relax”, “Flex&Fast” and “Bizz&Class” (see www.brusselsairlines.com for more information) to meet the differing needs of the visitors to the Island.
Marnix Wouters, Manager Network Planning at Brussels Airlines commented: “Turismo de Tenerife were extremely proactive in demonstrating the market potential and demand for this new service, supported by detailed analysis from ASM which assisted in our own analysis and decision making.”
Stephanie Wear Pintado, External Advisor, Economic Promotion at Turismo de Tenerife said: “We are delight to welcome this new service with Brussels Airlines that not only acknowledges the demand for Tenerife but also the demand for a premium cabin offering on this route, serving not only the local business and leisure markets but also the connecting traffic from the Brussels Airlines network. Being able to demonstrate this market helped build our case with Brussels Airlines and gave more focus to our discussions for this new flight.”
Aidan Mooney, Vice President Consulting at ASM added: “We have worked closely with Turismo de Tenerifeto assist them in building their portfolio of airlines serving the Island and offeringthe differential on board product that the market demands. We are delighted to have been involved in another success for the Island as they continue to build their air service offering.”
End quote
Several regular contributors from the Kenya coast were quick to then ask about plans by Brussels Airlines some years ago to launch a nonstop flight from Brussels to Mombasa, the planning for which had advanced quite well before the airline then decided that the figures after all did not add up to make the flight an economic success and sustainable for the long run.
As shown in the media release above did several parties work closely together, most notably the Tenerife Tourism Office, to eventually make a flight from Brussels to the island a reality and when sharing this information and discussing other relevant issues with two of the individuals, recognition started to set in why Tenerife succeeded where Kenya failed.
On strict condition of anonymity did one source eventually conclude: ‘From all there is to know now it seems that Kenya did very little to make flights by Brussels Airlines to Mombasa become a reality. In those days KCAA was just sitting back waiting. Reality then was and remains until today, that unless we market our destination, our airports, we cannot succeed. Qatar Airways is another case, they shelved Mombasa almost at the same time over lack of traffic rights. We must decide in Kenya what is more important, to protect our airlines at home or open the skies for others to come here. And because right now it is a tough financial call to make, we should offer as a country incentives to have airlines come to the coast. If it takes fifth freedom rights from say Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar or even Entebbe, so be it. If we can only bag one more flight the benefits would be substantial. The psychological effect of confidence building in the destination could jumpstart our industry. But it goes to show that as you keep pointing out, there is no holistic view on the entire value chain starting from the travel agents abroad selling, the airlines transporting and the local industry accommodating tourists. KCAA, KAA, KTB and others must sit down and evaluate the cost of supporting new flights for say 12 to 18 months to boost arrivals. I envy how Tenerife has done it and I hope we can do something similar for Mombasa’.
There is wide consensus even among tour operators from Europe, even from those in the UK that Kenya still got what it takes to make a successful tourism destination. While there are hints about refurbishments and upgrading of resorts it should be noted that some, like the Mombasa Serena, the Whitesands, Hemingways in Watamu or the Driftwood in Malindi have kept the pace and do live up to such expectations. More generally speaking are the beaches of Kenya from Malindi over Watamu to Shanzu, Bamburi, Nyali to the South Coast and Diani among the best in the world while the nearby safari parks, some only an hour from the nearest beach resort – like the Shimba Hills National Park – offer some spectacular game viewing experience all making Kenya a destination worth visiting rather than ditching.
Perhaps in view of how Tenerife has worked hand in hand with partners to get Brussels Airlines to start a service later this year, so could Kenya seek out similar partnerships to entice airlines from Europe, the Gulf and beyond to do likewise. Fodder for thought no doubt but brainstorming is by and large for free and no idea or suggestion should be tossed out for simply being novel but looked as on its merit and the potential gains for the Kenya coast in particular.
