Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s aviation sector can’t find its wings even as the truth is once it takes off only the sky will be the limit. Tanzania’s aviation sector has been tied to the same challenges since the collapse of the East African Community in 1977.

Up till then the sector was under the auspices of the EAC, starting with the East African Common Services organization and then the East African Directorate of Civil Aviation. The three countries–Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda–also formed and jointly ran the East African Airways. The directorate had an oversight role on civil aviation technical activities and air transport economic issues including market access matters, provision of air navigation services. The only responsibilities left to individual states were aerodromes management and maintenance work. But the area control centre for air navigation services and air traffic control for aerodrome control was in Nairobi.

The collapse of the EAC damaged Tanzania’s aviation sector. The government had to start from zero in everything except the airports and aerodromes. To get the feel of this one has to understand that Tanzania had to depend on the Nairobi area control centre until 1998 when the government established its own in Dar es Salaam. The problems that still bedevil the sector now include inadequate investment in hard and soft infrastructure, shortage of skilled labour, inefficient regulation as well as unfavourable and rigid policy. Operators are also concerned with multiple, exorbitant fees and charges that make operational costs extremely high.

Domestic aviation holds the key

The aviation sector is sophisticated, capital and technology intensive, characterized by too much competition and slow return on investment. This is why government efforts to improve the infrastructure in the aviation sector are commendable taking into consideration the state of the sector post-1977 and the fact that the state has many priorities and limited financial resources, stakeholders say.

The importance of the sector in bringing into the country the coveted foreign currency and in its potential to transform both tourism and pan-territorial transport, however, makes it worth every dime invested in it, stakeholders add.

To enable the growth of the sector in a manner that can ensure quick benefits to the economy, Tanzania must focus on the domestic aviation industry. While investing in the international air transport is necessary to provide travellers direct access to the country, still Tanzania, like the US, is lucky in that it doesn’t have to depend on the international routes to reap the full benefit of air transport. Domestic aviation is already dynamic.

As Tanzania embarks on the journey towards the next 60 years the government must put forward both long term and short-term strategies to develop the local aviation market.

The government is clear on what is to be done in the long term, which includes construction of new airports in strategic locations, expanding and deepening aviation training centres and attracting as many operators as possible in the domestic market to increase efficiency and slash airfares.

It is in the short-term strategies where the government seems hesitant to take bold and immediate steps due unknown reasons. Stakeholders say that taking immediate actions to rescue the domestic aviation industry is important to save it from total collapse due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, stakeholders say. Foreign tourists depend on domestic airlines to move around the various destinations. Saving the domestic market from collapsing is tantamount to saving the tourism industry that is trying to shake off the effects of the Corona virus-induced slowdown in air travel.

Tanzania Air Operators’ Association (Taoa) executive secretary Lathifa Sykes says what the industry needs is short term low interest loans to assist companies to bring up their operation capacity back to preCovid-19 period as well as waiver of not only fines and penalties by the Tanzania Revenue Authority.

“Banks should also waive interest rates accumulated during the pandemic when members couldn’t service their loans,” Ms Sykes says.

Swissport CEO Mrisho Yassin says the government should foster the country economic growth in order to increase number of Tanzanians using air transport; investing in airport infrastructure; invest in technology to lower operating costs such as in self-checking systems and self-boarding; enhance regulatory framework; invest in training of pilots and aircraft engineers; and making flying cheaper to accelerate mass flying. “If we do all this, the potential of the domestic aviation market is so huge,” he says.

Taoa further says that the government needs to relook into the multiple fees that hinder the growth of the sector. Some of these fees include the radio frequency licenses ($75 per frequency for Aviation and $500 per frequency for aircraft operators). “These rates are uncompetitive with the rest of the region and duplicative in nature. Thus, the reform proposed was that the radio fee be amended to mirror the regional average while also recommending that the aviation fees be reformed into an annual registration fee for aircrafts,” Ms Sykes says.

The taxes are also prohibitive, especially the direct taxes. They include: withholding tax (at 10%) on non-resident aircraft rentals; withholding tax (at 10%) on non-resident loan repayments. indirect taxes include value added tax of 18 per cent on aircraft sale, value added tax of 18 per cent on aircraft maintenance, value added tax of 18 per cent on sale of aircraft parts among local firms, payroll taxes, skills development levy of 4 per cent.

“The main concern surrounding the incidence of taxation is that it is primarily centered on the usage of aircrafts. This strikes at the heart of many of the core operations of actors in the aviation industry and adds an extremely high-cost burden to an already costly industry,” she says.

Source: The Citizen

India-based IT and business solution company, Cargo Flash Infotech will be replacing Kenya Airways’ manifold of operations and management systems that were either have limited connectivity options or systems working in silos, in which information sharing is restricted due to systems’ limitations.

Kenya Airways’ numerous operations and management systems are currently being substituted by Cargo Flash’s single, next-generation ‘nGen’ system that includes Cargo Reservations (RES) System, Cargo Revenue Accounting (CRA) System, Cargo Handling and Warehouse Management, ULD Management Solution, and Customer Portal.

Furthermore, the new and additional systems included as a part of this single ‘nGen’ system are Mail Booking and Handling System, E-commerce (Door-to-Door) System, Target Planning System, in addition to Complaint and Claim Management System. The web-based solutions will further bolster the airline’s scope to reap a seamless, error-free and spontaneous management, accumulating several processes under one roof.

“Not only will Cargo Flash’s next-generation systems automate documentation and other cargo management processes but will also streamline Kenya Airway’s operational requirements along with boosting their efficiency and increasing revenue,” added Gautam Mandal, director – products, Cargo Flash Infotech. “We are pleased to have joined hands with Kenya Airways and deliver such an integrated solution to tackle the crucial concerns of cargo operation and administration,” he further adds.

Both Cargo Flash and Kenya Airways further see several big opportunities by coming together to discover the advanced-level experience with the new-age technology system in the cargo aviation industry.

Source: Logistics Update Africa

Kenya is among ten countries that have been invited in the formation of the Sustainable Tourism Global Centre (STGC) that will accelerate the industry’s transition to net zero.

Tourism ministers from various countries and leaders from international organizations have backed the formation of the centre which will seek greater collaboration between public and private tourism sectors to help reach net-zero – act of balancing greenhouses emission and elimination from the atmosphere, advance nature protection and support communities who depend on tourism.

Speakers at the COP26 Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland noted that tourism industry is highly fragmented, with developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) being most reliant on tourism for their economies.

“As one of Africa’s most popular destinations for international visitors, Kenya has felt the full impact of the global tourism downturn as a result of the pandemic. We therefore agree that there is an urgent need for a new sustainable approach to global tourism. Along with our recently launched Wildlife Strategy 2030 which will ensure a thriving natural ecosystem under pressure from climate change, we are strong supporters of the Sustainable Tourism Global Center,” said Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary of Tourism and Wildlife.

Statistics indicate that at least 40 million tourism businesses or 80% of the whole industry are small or medium sized.

The STGC which will be headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with plans to open regional offices in other countries, aims to support people and the planet by reforming tourism’s contribution to climate change, in a bid to protect the environment and support those who need it most.

“At a time where leadership is most needed to address the climate emergency, we commend Saudi Arabia’s initiative that will support the sector to achieve the global goals and ensure a sustainable future. WTTC is delighted to contribute to the Center through its unique data, research and expertise from businesses across the globe,” said Julia Simpson, World Travel & Tourism Council President and CEO.

The Centre’s strategy will be shaped by a coalition of governments, international organizations, academia, multilateral and financing institutions and industry associations.

STGC is also expected to deliver services and products across three core pillars, including knowledge creation and sharing, measurement and monitoring, and industry enablement.

Under the pillars, STGC will focus on at least in nine areas of industry support, including developing standards and resource provision for the tourism sector, capability building, and project funding and investment.

Other countries who have been invited in phase one include the UK, USA, France, Japan, Germany, Jamaica, Morocco, Spain, and Saudi Arabia who have prioritized climate, tourism and SMEs which will allow for synergies for initiative.

Other organizations which join the centre include World Resource Institute (WRI), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Internalization Chamber of Commerce (ICC), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Bank, and SYSTEMIQ.

Harvard University will provide support to the STGC through research and capacity-building, while the UNFCCC will guide the Center to accelerate industry action on climate neutrality.

Source: KBC

The Steering Committee of the College of Commissioner Generals of Expo 2020 Dubai has held its first event-time meeting, where it applauded the UAE leadership and Expo organisers for the strong delivery and exceptional start to Expo 2020 Dubai.

The meeting of the committee, which represents Expo’s 192 participating nations, was attended by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai and Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the governing body of World Expos.

Al Hashemy said: “We are already witnessing the potential for positive change that comes with gathering 192 nations in one place, in pursuit of partnership, impact and legacy. This is global cooperation to inspire life: an opportunity to learn more about one another, and ourselves, so that we might build a brighter tomorrow.”

Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE said: “The UAE, Expo 2020 Dubai and all International Participants are together delivering an exceptional experience for visitors from all over the world. I am delighted and reassured by the way in which the Organiser has hosted and managed the event so far, and I am excited by the huge promise of the weeks and months to come.”

Chaired by Manuel Salchli, Chair of the Expo 2020 Dubai Steering Committee and Commissioner General for Switzerland at Expo 2020, the committee which comprises Commissioners General from 34 countries, praised Expo 2020’s spectacular Opening Ceremony and congratulated the UAE and event organisers for a successful opening period, particularly in light of the challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Committee members stressed that the security and wellbeing of all visitors and participants remained the first responsibility, with everyone bearing a collective responsibility for ensuring safety.

Given the size of the Expo site, internal transportation for visitors and staff remains an important priority and efforts will intensify to guide visitors towards the People Mover system (Expo Explorer and buggies). Organisers and countries have also agreed that all buggies on the Expo site will be prioritised for those visitors in need in of transport assistance to facilitate movement across the site.

The committee will continue to review operational capabilities on the Expo site, and consider further enhancements to ensure that visitors from all over the world continue to explore and enjoy the Expo experience.

The committee recognised the success of the cultural events of countries celebrating their National Day at Expo, while the music and dance performances, which take place in the iconic Al Wasl Plaza at the heart of the site, were highlighted for bringing to life the Expo theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

It also commended the first two Theme Weeks. Climate and Biodiversity Week and Space Week were attended by more than 5,000 visitors, with global experts, political and business leaders, civil society activists and many others contributing to more than 40 events designed to address and find solutions to some of the most urgent problems of our time.

Source: Khaleej Times

The CEO of Delta Air Lines expects an ‘onslaught of travel all at once’ in less than two weeks, when the US government will lift COVID-19 restrictions on travelers from 33 countries who show proof of vaccination.  

‘There will be lines, unfortunately,’ said Delta head Ed Bastian at a travel conference hosted by the US Travel Association on Tuesday, adding that things are going to be ‘a bit sloppy at first.’

On November 8, non-US citizen travelers from 33 countries – including the UK, India, China, Brazil, Ireland, Iran and South Africa – will be allowed entry in to the US with proof of vaccination.

Previously, only US citizens were allowed to enter the US from those countries. 

It’s not clear how much travel volume will rise. The number of people passing through TSA has already been inching closer to pre-pandemic levels in recent months. 

President Biden announced the travel reopening on Oct. 15, citing the rising availability of vaccines and US efforts to distribute them globally, but provided more official guidelines Monday.

Airline staff will be responsible for matching the name and date of birth to confirm the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination, according to the White House.

They’ll also have to determine that the record was issued by an official source and review that the vaccine received meets the CDC’s standards.

Children under 18 will not need to show proof of vaccination, but children ages 2 to 17 will need a negative test to enter.  

The test will have to be taken within three days of departure if traveling with a fully vaccinated adult or within one day if traveling with an unvaccinated adult.

A small amount of unvaccinated, non-US citizen adults will be allowed to enter the US, including those who are granted medical, humanitarian or emergency exceptions and those who are participating in COVID-19 clinical trials.

Unvaccinated US citizens will now have to provide a negative test taken within one day of departure.

The US will accept the three vaccines used in the US – Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, along with China’s Sinovac and Oxford University’s AstraZeneca.

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine will not be accepted because it hasn’t been approved by the WHO, which cited concerns over its manufacturing practices at production plants in Russia and whether the vaccine can be produced at a consistent standard, according to the Washington Post.

Travel is up substantially compared to the beginning of the year, when it was down by more than 50 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

On Tuesday, 1,503,587 people passed through security checkpoints at US airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration, up from just 648,517 in 2020 and inching closer to the pre-pandemic number of 1,910,506 on October 26, 2019.

COVID-19 cases in the US continue to fall after a late summer spike due to the highly contagious Delta variant. The US had a seven-day average of 68, 151 cases on October 26, compared to a summer high of 161,864 on September 1. 

Biden’s proclamation will undo some of the earliest COVID-19 travel bans, including the ban from China, instituted by President Donald Trump on January 31, 2020, before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic in March. 

About 90 percent of Delta Air Lines workers are vaccinated, Bastian told CNBC earlier this month. In August, the airline imposed a $200-a-month insurance premium on unvaccinated staff.

‘We haven’t done it with a mandate,’ Bastian said on the network’s Squawk Box show.

‘We have done it working collaboratively with our people, trusting our people to make the right decisions for themselves, respecting their decisions, but at the same time avoiding the divisiveness of what the mandate is posing to society.’ 

Source: Dailymail

Air Tanzania will have to repay TZS896 billion shillings (USD388.8 million) illegally received from government coffers without prior approval from the country’s Ministry of Finance and Planning, according to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC).

Committee Vice-Chairman Japhet Hasunga told The Citizen newspaper the unauthorised disbursement has emerged from the Controller and Auditor-General’s (CAG) 2019/20 report, which had uncovered that there had been no proper record keeping of the national debt, with some debt either not recorded, while other records were inaccurate.

Hasunga said the airline will be required to repay the money. “All institutions that borrowed money without the ministry’s approval are required to repay the debts because we have identified they were not approved by the Finance and Planning Ministry,” he said.

The Auditor-General reported that Air Tanzania had incurred TZS150 billion (USD65 million) in losses in the past five years.

As reported, Transport Minister Leonard Chamuriho, during his budget forecasts for the 2021/22 fiscal year on May 17, 2021, announced a TZS450 billion (USD194 million) state bailout that would allow the struggling flag carrier to continue operations and pay for the expansion of its fleet as set out in the airline’s five-year strategic plan ending 2021/22. This was in addition to the disbursement of TZS56.61 billion (USD24.4 million) from the company’s internal resources.

He said the money would be used to pay for two new 160-180 seater aircraft (type unspecified although likely A320-200N or B737-8); one B787-8; one B767-300F freighter; and to complete the purchase of one new DHC-8-Q400, and two more A220-300s.

The EastAfrican newspaper, quoting unnamed aviation sources, reported Air Tanzania would take delivery of five new aircraft, including the freighter, by the end of 2023, after Dodoma made a down payment of TZS596.3 billion (USD258.7 million) for the aircraft, a move that will increase the carrier’s current fleet size to 16.

The airline on October 7 and September 24 respectively welcomed two A220-300s – 5H-TCL (msn 55130) and 5H-TCM (msn 55135) – its fleet now numbering four of the type.

It also owns two B787-8s and five DHC-8-Q400s, which are in service, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows. In addition, it owns one DHC-8-300, one F28-3000, and one F50.

Meanwhile, Air Tanzania has announced four new regional routes to be launched next month from Dar es Salaam to Bujumbura (Burundi) starting November 8; Ndola (Zambia) and Lubumbashi (DRC) launching on November 18; and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya) on November 26, 2021.

The airline currently provides regional flights to Entebbe/Kampala (Uganda) Harare Int’l (Zimbabwe), and Lusaka (Zambia) and weekly cargo flights to Guangzhou, China.

It suspended its flights to Mumbai Int’l in May due to concerns over a spike in COVID-19 infections in India, but resumed the service at the end of August.

Flights to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, South Africa have been on hold ever since one Airbus was impounded by court order in Johannesburg two years ago.

Air Tanzania spokesman Josephat Kagirwa said domestic flight frequencies would be increased to busy destinations such as the Tanzanian capital Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, and Mwanza, while flights to Mtwara in southern Tanzania would resume after being suspended to allow for airport facility improvements.

Sourch: Ch-aviation

African aviation is going through a period of notable transition. With this shift, analysts have been looking at the market’s pricing. As a result, a report has shown that in Africa, Kenya Airways charges the most for its tickets.

The top of the crop

The African Competition Forum (ACF) has shared a report that studied the aviation industries of 24 countries in Africa. The study looked at which airlines charged the highest average fares on domestic and international operations.

The conclusion was that Kenya Airways charged the highest on most routes where it has competition. In the vast majority of cases, it charged higher than the likes of South African Airways, Ethiopian Airways, and Air France.

Kenya Airways held the highest average passenger price per kilometer (APPK) for all its national, regional, and international routes. Moreover, Tanzanian routes had higher APPK than services routes, which traveled farther.

Looking at the figures

Taking a route as an example, the average price per kilometer on the Nairobi-Johannesburg route was Sh23.8. Meanwhile, South African Airways (SAA) charged Sh22. (1 Kenyan Shilling is 0.0090 US Dollar)

“Prices charged by two operators on this route are visibly different for both economy and business class categories. Kenya Airways prices are 21 percent higher than SAA prices for economy class tickets,” ACF’s report highlights, as shared by Business Daily.

“The Nairobi-Paris route is served by Air France and Kenya Airways, their prices have a difference of Sh5,000, Kenya Airways price being more. KQ charged Sh15.6 per kilometer on the Nairobi-Addis Ababa route, higher than Ethiopian Airlines’ Sh13.2.”

All eyes on Africa

Kenya Airways has been showing its intention of expanding its presence in fellow African nations in recent months. For instance, Congo Airways has begun wet leasing two Embraer E190 aircraft. Kenya Airways has also been in talks with South African Airways about forming a pan-African carrier.

The likes of British Airways have been ramping up collaborations with the carrier. The flag carrier of the United Kingdom signed a codeshare agreement with the airline last week, in a bid to boost travel and tourism between destinations in Africa and Europe.

Central and East African aviation is heating up across the board, with the likes of Air Congo being launched. This carrier holds a large investment from Ethiopian Airlines. Overall, several key players recognize the potential of African aviation, including big names outside of the continent such as Boeing and Qatar Airways.

There are several prospects in Africa, with a new middle-class growing and new passenger segments emerging. Therefore, carriers could continue to change their ticket prices this decade.

Source: Simple Flying

In November 1999, a group of African aviation movers and shakers met in Côte d’Ivoire to thrash out an agreement on integrating commercial aviation across Africa. The outcome was the Yamoussoukro Decision, a document supporting the liberalization of commercial aviation in Africa.

Single African Air Transport Market a work in progress

Twenty-two years later, there remains a way to go. One of the more recent outcomes was the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a harmonized regulatory framework providing a unified air transport market in Africa.

SAATM also remains a work in progress since its launch in early 2018. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 34 of Africa’s 54 countries have signed up to SAATM. Nonetheless, the framework remains a flagship project of the African Union Agenda 2063 – a set of African Union initiatives to progress Africa’s development.

SAATM has four main goals. Firstly, to lift market access restrictions for airlines from signatory countries. Second, remove restrictions on airline ownership. Third, grant extended air traffic rights such as fifth freedom rights. Fourth, open up flight frequency and passenger capacity limits. Importantly, SAATM would see safety and security rules harmonized in line with ICAO standards.

“The SAATM has the potential for remarkable transformation that will build prosperity while connecting the African continent,” said IATA’s Vice President for Africa, Raphael Kuuchi, three years ago. “Every open air service arrangement has boosted traffic, lifted economies, and created jobs. And we expect no less in Africa.”

IATA’s man in Africa says that if just 12 key African countries opened their markets and increased connectivity, an extra 155,000 jobs and US$1.3 billion in annual GDP would be created in those countries.

Before COVID-19 struck, IATA also forecasted 5.95% annual growth in African aviation over the next two decades. Passenger numbers are expected to increase from 100 million to more than 300 million by 2026.

Over one-third of Africa yet to sign up to SAATM

Back in 2018, the Africa Union wanted to have all of Africa’s 54 countries onboard by the end of this year. With three months to go, that target looks unachievable. Further, by the end of 2020, only 18 of the countries signed up to SAATM had modified their bilateral air services agreement accordingly.

You could blame COVID-19 and the destruction it wrought on the aviation industry, but there is a strong argument that destruction would incentivize slow-to-move countries to get onboard.

Even before COVID-19, the world’s second-biggest continent and home to an estimated 1.3 billion people was a troublesome environment for airlines to fly in. OAG data says there were 9,666,556 airline seats available across Africa in September or 2.8% of the global total. In February 2020, just before the global travel downturn, the figure was 3.0%

Before the pandemic, the continent was long characterized by sparse connectivity, and this remains the case. Most of Africa’s airlines were losing money before COVID-19 and didn’t have the financial ballast to ride out the crisis successfully. Now, as the vaccination rollout continues and aviation starts to reboot elsewhere, Africa’s airlines are mostly out of money

But these factors all support the case for signing up to SAATM – anything that helps reboot African aviation has to be a good thing, right?

Not everyone in Africa loves SAATM

While there’s a general consensus that SAATM will lead to cheaper flights, greater passenger volumes, and economic benefits, there are also fears the spoils will not get evenly distributed. Some smaller African airlines and smaller countries say they’ll miss out while wealthier countries like South Africa and bigger airlines like Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airlines get the rewards.

Industry group Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) is an example of a stakeholder unimpressed with its own country signing up to SAATM. The industry group questions whether Nigeria is ready for a pan-Africa open skies agreement. When Nigeria signed up to SAATM, AON said they hadn’t been consulted. AON also cited a lack of “assistance” to help Nigeria’s airlines compete.

“Our position is that we are not comfortable with the decision by the Nigerian government because we cannot compete favorably with the African airlines if our skies are fully opened,’’ said AON Chairman Captain Nogie Meggison at the time.

Nigerian officials rejected the argument, a government spokesman saying; “The Nigerian airlines are not yet able to see the benefits of SAATM as their government does.”

Protectionism, high airport charges, taxes, and some less than stellar management from governments, their agencies, and various airlines all lead to the argument that SAATM will not guarantee a level playing field.

Uganda remains one of the SAATM holdouts. When declining to sign, Ugandan president Yoweri Musevini said he thought Africa’s dominant airlines would become even stronger as a result of the agreement. He said he wanted to see countries like Uganda get strong regional airlines up and flying before committing to the open-access agreement.

“Few airlines are going to dominate and that is not good,” President Musevini said.

Still plenty of people onboard

The people promoting SAATM say this won’t be the case. They say the improved connectivity, increased passenger numbers, uniform regulations, and open access will benefit every airline. One of the driving forces behind SAATM is Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda.

Rwanda has been a big player in air traffic liberalization in the last decade, and this is one reason why airline traffic in and out of Rwanda has grown so strongly. Air traffic in Rwanda is forecasted to grow 7.3% annually between now and 2038. Aviation directly contributes US$100 million annually to Rwanda’s economy and another $850 million indirectly.

Paul Kagame calls SAATM “a major step forward for transportation.” In a speech made in 2018 as Chairman of the African Union, he said about the proposed open skies agreement:

“Scale is essential. We must create a single continental market, integrate our infrastructure, and infuse our economies with technology. No country or region can manage on its own. We have to be functional, and we have to stay together.”

In the three years since, some more countries have signed up to SAATM. However, many still have not. Among those who have, regulatory changes within the various countries to meet SAATM requirements remain mostly incomplete.

Opening up Africa’s skies stands to benefit more than airlines and their owners, governments or otherwise. Aviation in Africa tips US$55.8 billion annually into Africa and provides 7.5 million jobs. That’s money funneled into households and supporting families. That reason alone is why SAATM needs to big push along.

Source: Simple Flying

Tourism and hospitality industry players have suffered a major blow after the government declined to review its PCR rules for fully vaccinated international tourists.

Kenya requires tourists to show a negative Covid-19 PCR certificate when entering and departing.

Sector players have been urging officials to review these rules for fully vaccinated international visitors so as to boost the ailing industry, which was hurt by the pandemic, leading to job losses and the temporary closure of almost all beach hotels.

But Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said Kenya will only allow in vaccinated international tourists on a reciprocal basis.

“In other words, if other countries are allowing Kenyans who are vaccinated to (enter) without further tests, we will reciprocate. What we are doing is holding bilateral discussions with various countries,” he said.

Speaking at a scientific conference in Mombasa, Mr Kagwe said that the future of international travel will be entirely dependent on vaccinated travellers and Covid-19 passports.

“Countries across the world will not allow people who have not been fully vaccinated to enter those states and Kenya is going to be the same,” he said.

“We want people coming to Kenya to be fully vaccinated and depending on the global trends and World Health Organization advice, we will make up our minds as we go along,” he added.

Tourists coming to Kenya must be safe to protect Kenyans.

He said Kenya had reached bilateral agreements with the UK and Qatar under which fully vaccinated citizens will not be quarantined or tested.

“We must ensure tourists cannot contract the virus here and will further not bring the virus. Covid-19 passports will be a must just like a yellow fever card,” he said.

“At the moment, for instance, that’s the rule we have agreed with the UK and Qatar. This is something that is developing in various countries in the world.”

He defended Kenya’s stand, saying the policy will not affect the tourism sector and that the country’s key source markets are fully vaccinating their populations.

“It is in the interest of the tourists to want to be vaccinated before they start travelling. Our decision will boost tourism because travellers will be secured. People will fear to travel if they don’t think they are safe,” he added.

Mr Kagwe assured industry players that Kenya will intensify its mass vaccination to instil confidence in tourists.

The UK government recently removed eight countries, including Kenya, from its “red list” – countries from or to which travel is restricted.

The move meant that people from these countries will no longer have to quarantine in a hotel and PCR tests will not be required for fully vaccinated travellers returning to England.

The UK is one of Kenya’s key source markets.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers chief executive Mike Macharia has been urging the government to review its PCR rules for fully vaccinated tourists.

Kenya Coast Tourism Association CEO Julius Owino said that by reviewing the PCR rules, the region will start receiving more international tourists, especially from European countries.

The players have pushed officials to double mass vaccination in order to assure travellers of their safety.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has also urged Kenyans to be vaccinated as the sector recovers from the pandemic shock.

Source: Nation

Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has been appointed Kenya’s authorized ticket reseller of the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai following the signing of an agreement Monday between the agency and  Expo 2020 Dubai LLC-SO

Under the partnership, KATA will sell 1-day tickets and 30 days multi-pass tickets.

KATA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Agnes Mucuha, said the deal will present an opportunity that would enable Kenyans to have faster access to the expo tickets.

“We are proud to be an official ticket reseller for Expo 2020 Dubai and look forward to extending our new, special range of packages to travelers. We are now able to service travelers from Kenya and entire sub-Saharan Africa by facilitating access to Expo tickets in a quick, seamless manner,” Mucuha said.

She further added that the appointment shows the confidence that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has in Kenya’s travel trade and the agency has ensured that their agents are well-trained to aid Kenyans enjoy the best there is to offer from the six-month expo.

“We have made the distribution process easy through our certified travel agents’ network who have been trained to cater to questions regarding the available logistics and possibilities during this period,” she said.

KATA Finance Director, Joseph Kititu, who was also present at the signing called for Kenyans to take advantage of this period to purchase the tickets and travel to the expo to enjoy the unlimited offers rolled out.

“With Dubai being a popular destination for Kenyans, we anticipate Kenyan business and leisure travelers, civil servants, and students taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the making of a new world and the opportunities that Expo 2020 offers,” he said.

The Expo 2020 Dubai began on October 1, 2021, and is set to end on March 31, 2022.

It is an event that would have 192 countries, as well as organizations and businesses, participate in offering visitors exceptional entertainment and culinary experiences, innovation, architecture, and culture.

It would also act as a platform to offer businesses an opportunity to showcase their ideas.

Source: Capital Business