KATA Members Explore New Revenue Opportunities at Vipingo Model City Property Tour

Members of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) on 10 December participated in a familiarisation tour of Vipingo Model City and Baobab Golf, Vipingo, aimed at opening new revenue streams within Kenya’s growing coastal property market.

The curated site visit, organised by Vipingo Development PLC in partnership with KATA, brought together certified KATA member agents seeking to diversify their offerings beyond traditional travel services. The tour focused on opportunities in short-term accommodation, rental management and property sales within the integrated Vipingo development.

The engagement commenced at the Market & Beyond precinct with welcome remarks and presentations outlining Vipingo’s development vision, rental business model and long-term strategic outlook. Speakers highlighted how structured partnerships with travel agents can create sustainable income opportunities while responding to changing traveller preferences.

Agents were taken through key components of the Vipingo Special Economic Zone, gaining insight into infrastructure investments supporting the city’s growth. Highlights included the on-site desalination plant, reflecting the project’s sustainability focus, and Kingswood Park, which anchors lifestyle and recreational living within the development.

The familiarisation tour further showcased completed residential offerings at Palm Ridge and Awali estates, including finished apartments configured for Airbnb use, as well as fully furnished standalone homes, bungalows and maisonettes available for sale and rental.

A lifestyle tour of the Vipingo Ridge PGA Golf Course and associated leisure amenities, including pickleball and tennis facilities and the clubhouse, demonstrated how sports and recreation complement the Vipingo living experience.

The tour concluded with a networking lunch at Awali Estate, allowing KATA members and the development team to discuss collaboration opportunities and practical ways agents can integrate property and lifestyle products into their business portfolios.

The engagement underscores KATA’s continued efforts to support its members by creating access to new partnerships and diversified income streams, while strengthening collaboration between the travel and real estate sectors.

Industry Shines at KeTIBA 2025 Gala as Kenya’s Travel Leaders Celebrate a Year of Transformation

The second edition of the Kenya Travel Industry Business Awards (KeTIBA), organised by the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), brought together more than 350 stakeholders at Emara Ole Sereni for an evening that blended glamour with recognition of the country’s top performers in travel and hospitality.

As the sun dipped behind the acacia line of Nairobi National Park, guests arrived to a terrace glowing with gold light—a fitting backdrop for an industry celebrating resilience, innovation, and measurable progress. Tailored suits, evening gowns, and the soft hum of reunions set the tone for what has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in Kenya’s travel calendar.

Inside the ballroom, a carefully curated programme guided attendees from opening remarks to reflections on the year, culminating in a dinner that sparked animated discussions at every table. Delegates debated which airlines had improved most, which travel-tech firms had reshaped agency operations, and which hotels had outperformed expectations. The mood was equal parts festive and anticipatory as the ceremony prepared to unveil this year’s winners.

When the lights dimmed and the awards segment began, the focus shifted sharply to performance and impact. A total of 57 organisations, including airlines, hotels, resorts, travel agencies, insurance providers, digital platforms, and payment networks, were honoured for raising operational standards across Kenya’s evolving travel ecosystem. The awards underscored the sector’s continued transformation, driven by digitalisation, improved customer experience, operational efficiency, and expanding regional collaboration.

Kenya Airways emerged as one of the night’s most celebrated winners, securing Best International Airline and Best Regional Airline, affirming its strengthened reliability, customer service, and connectivity strategy across East Africa.


At the coast, PrideInn Hotels & Resorts recorded two major wins: PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort & Spa was named Best Conference Hotel, while PrideInn Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa took home Best Family Resort, highlighting the group’s growing foothold in both business and leisure travel.

In the travel management category, Hemingways Travel was crowned Best Travel Management Company, a recognition of its leadership in compliance, customer service excellence, and operational effectiveness, qualities increasingly vital in a competitive, technology-driven marketplace.

Yet amid corporate achievements, the evening’s most emotional moment came with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Shafi Grewal Kaka (SG Kaka), honoured for more than three decades of service to Kenya’s travel and tourism industry. The standing ovation that followed spoke to the deep respect held for leaders whose careers have shaped the sector’s growth and professionalism.

This year’s ceremony also reflected Kenya’s expanding regional presence, with delegates from Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Dubai, and neighbouring markets in attendance, an indicator of the country’s growing influence in regional travel dynamics.

KeTIBA’s credibility continues to rest on its rigorous, four-stage process: self-nomination, peer evaluation, public voting, and independent auditing. KATA emphasised that this transparency not only strengthens industry trust but also encourages accountability and benchmarking against global best practices.

The diversity of this year’s categories offered a clear message: Kenya’s travel industry has grown into an interconnected ecosystem where airlines, agents, technology providers, hotels, financial services, and insurers all play indispensable roles in shaping customer journeys.

As the final winners were announced and celebrations spilled into the after-party, a quiet pride settled in the room—a shared acknowledgment of how far the sector has come and how determined it remains to keep rising. Despite the turbulence that global travel continues to face, industry leaders described KeTIBA 2025 as a barometer of transformation and a reminder that Kenya’s travel future is bright.

RwandAir Resumes New Direct Flights to Mombasa After Five Years, Boosting its East African Travel, Tourism Growth, and Strengthening Regional Business Connectivity

RwandAir has officially restarted its direct flights to Mombasa, marking a milestone for East African aviation and boosting regional travel growth. The service resumed on 1 December, returning after a five-year break following its last operation in 2019. Celebrations for the relaunch took place at Moi International Airport and marked the renewed air connectivity as important for both Rwanda and Kenya’s coastal region.

The reopened route will fly four times a week, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, to help meet the growing demand from business travelers, holidaymakers, and regional traders looking for dependable access to Kenya’s dynamic coastline.

Strengthening Kenya’s Coast as a Regional Tourism Hub

The resumption of flights serves as a strong endorsement for Mombasa as a leading coastal tourism destination, especially as the region enters a busy festive season. With its beaches, marine attractions, and cultural heritage sites, Mombasa remains one of East Africa’s most visited holiday locations. By restoring direct flights, RwandAir enhances Mombasa’s visibility and accessibility, allowing more travellers from Rwanda and neighbouring regions to reach the city without transiting through Nairobi.

This improvement encourages longer stays, higher tourist spending, and greater interest in coastal experiences such as water sports, cultural tours, and marine safaris. The Kenya Airports Authority welcomed the return of the airline as a reflection of confidence in the country’s airport infrastructure, coastal tourism potential, and the broader aviation environment.

 

Boosting East African Connectivity and Regional Integration

With Mombasa now added back onto its network, the city becomes RwandAir’s second destination in Kenya, joining the capital, Nairobi. This expansion strengthens the East African travel corridor, enabling smoother movement of people and goods between two key economies in the region.

Improved air connectivity supports the shared goals of enhancing intra-African travel, deepening economic integration, and promoting seamless business operations between partner states. The resumed flights also allow travellers from Rwanda to connect easily to major sea-port logistics in Mombasa, further supporting cross-border commerce.

Improving Opportunities for Business and Trade

The renewed route is expected to play an important role in improving business travel and intra-regional trade, especially for sectors linked to hospitality, manufacturing, wholesale distribution and maritime operations. Mombasa serves as the main gateway port for East Africa, attracting professionals and investors heading to the coastal city for trade, shipping services, tourism development, and conference activities.

By providing regular and reliable flights, RwandAir positions itself as a key facilitator of commercial exchange, enabling executives, entrepreneurs and government delegations to travel more efficiently between Kigali and Mombasa.

Supporting Local Economies and Community-Based Tourism

The return of RwandAir flights is expected to generate substantial benefits for small businesses and communities that rely heavily on coastal tourism. Increased visitors boost demand for hotels, restaurants, transport services, local markets, and tour guides, creating income opportunities for many residents.

From beach resorts to heritage sites, the extended flow of travellers supports sustainable growth in the local tourism supply chain. It also stimulates job creation for youth and women working in tourism-dependent sectors across the coastal corridor.

Festive Season Demand Signals Strong Tourism Recovery

The timing of the reinstated service aligns with one of the busiest holiday travel periods in Kenya. The airline expects strong passenger numbers as leisure travellers head to the coast for end-of-year vacations. With increased flights, visitors can conveniently explore the region’s beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, culinary offerings, and cultural landmarks.

This surge in arrivals contributes significantly to Kenya’s coastal tourism revenue, helping the region rebound amid global recovery in the tourism industry.

Enhancing Intra-Regional Tourism Experiences

The renewed route opens opportunities for travellers to combine Rwanda’s natural attractions—including mountains, national parks, and unique wildlife experiences—with Kenya’s coastal beauty, creating multi-destination holiday itineraries. Such combinations are increasingly popular among international visitors seeking diverse experiences within a single trip.

This enhanced connectivity encourages travellers to extend their stays across multiple East African countries, supporting the broader vision of promoting a more integrated and cooperative regional tourism market.

A Strategic Step for East African Aviation Growth

RwandAir’s decision to reinstate the Mombasa service underlines the growing role of air transport in driving economic expansion across East Africa. More flight options mean improved mobility, greater ease of doing business and stronger partnerships between neighbouring nations. The frequent schedule and expanded network reflect the airline’s confidence in regional market growth and the long-term potential of East African tourism.

Renewed Flights Bring New Momentum to East Africa’s Tourism and Trade

The resumption of RwandAir’s direct flights to Mombasa represents more than a reinstated route that was in abeyance but symbolizes a serious thrust aimed at substantially shoring up regional travel, tourism development, and economic cooperation in greater East Africa. With Kenya’s coastline now more accessible to travellers and businessmen, the renewed service offers real benefits for the two countries.

With consistent operations, festive-season demand, and a growing regional tourism corridor, RwandAir’s reinstated route is set to play an essential role in energizing coastal tourism and fostering stronger intra-African connectivity over the coming years.

Source: travelandtourworld.com