After about nine months on suspension, SA Tourism CEO Sisa Ntshona told Fin24 he has “mixed feelings of anger” as he heads back to his old office again next week.

Fin24 reported at the beginning of April 2019 that Ntshona was surprised when he was informed by the board of SAT that they were investigating allegations against him and that he would be placed on precautionary suspension. It was never publicly announced what these allegations were.

Ntshona himself said he was only informed of their nature after some time.

The allegations had been received via SAT’s anonymous tip-offs reporting mechanism and the board felt the precautionary suspension was necessary in order to enable it to conduct a free and fair investigation. Sthembiso Dlamini became the acting CEO.

In mid-December, SAT announced that the investigation cleared Ntshona of all charges and that he would return immediately.

“The Board welcomes back Mr Ntshona and looks forward to continue working with him as we seek to grow tourist arrivals in our sector and to build a stable organisation,” an SAT statement said at the time.

‘This has set us back’. “Many people ask me how I see the period I was suspended. I have mixed emotions of anger. This set us back as a tourism sector and tarnished my reputation. It was unnecessary, but now I to look ahead on the path and see how we can deliver to the country what we promise as SA Tourism,” Ntshona told Fin24 on Monday.

“I look forward to delivering to SA and to the tourism industry. Key for me is to get up to speed with what is going on in the sector as soon as possible.”

His aim is to hit the ground running and spend time speaking to those involved in the tourism industry – both in the public en private sector.

He plans to meet with various tourism bodies and agencies on both a local, provincial and national level. He will also meet with the various airlines to get a sense of their activity levels.

“I want to get up to speed in a couple of weeks and want to hear from the tourism industry itself how they see things and how to get some energy going. This is because the key thing is to pick up momentum and quicken the pace on some important issues to work on so that the tourism industry can continue to contribute to the South African economy,” he said.

In his view the industry is going in the right direction with the changes to the unabridged birth certificate requirement and a pilot project on e-visas.

“I now want to see the impact of these changes on the industry. The world is not standing still, and we have to keep up the pace.”

Asked how he intends to “sell” SA as a tourism destination to the world, Ntshona said it is about “sharpening our communication to the world and making sure we can reflect all that SA has to offer”.

Asked about the negative impact of safety and security incidents, he said these are unfortunate events that happen – as it does all over the world – but that it is about how quickly the industry can react and address it.

“SA offers such a wonderful opportunity and something for everybody, from safaris, beaches, relaxation and culinary experiences. We need a serious re-energising campaign for the industry,” he said.

Our Source: https://www.atqnews.com/ng/sa-tourism-ceo-returns-after-9-month-suspension/?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=South+African+Tourism+CEO+Returns+To+His+Post+After+Suspension&utm_campaign=20200121_m156531124_ATQ+New+Edition-334&utm_term=Learn+more

In a statement dated Friday 17, KAA said, “In order to improve passenger experience at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Kenya Airports Authority wishes to notify the general public of the temporary closure of selected traffic lanes at the airport’s main entrance from Saturday 18th January, 2020.”

“This is to facilitate the installation of a new car park management system,” explained the statement.

“The closure has been scheduled during the off-peak hours of 0830HRS to 1300HRS and 2300HRS to 0430HRS so as to minimize the impact on airport operations,” said KAA.

Normal traffic flow is expected to resume by Thursday, 23rd January, 2020. KAA says that during this period, the airport’s Cargo Gate will remain open for 24 hours to ease traffic.

The authority has said it will work closely with the Kenya Airports Police Unit (KAPU) to assist with the management of traffic flow at the airport.

Motorists and passengers are advised to plan accordingly and allow extra time when coming to the airport as delays may be experienced.

Our Source: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2020/01/kaa-announces-closure-of-section-of-jkia-entrance/

Tourist destinations in the coastal town of Lamu remain safe despite the recent attack, the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has said.

KATA Chief Executive Ms Agnes Mucuha reiterated statements by other tourism industry players who maintained that tourist destinations in Lamu are safe.

The Kenya Tourism Federation Chairman Mr Mohamed Hersi, in a statement issued last week assured the public that the tourist attraction in Lamu is a small fraction of the entire county which is safe. He added that the areas usually targeted by radicals are small and far from the tourist sites.

He added that the tourist sites in Lamu have always been safe and are accessed through a flight to Manda mainland and across the channel to the island.

On the other hand, Iran through their embassy in Nairobi pledged not to drag Kenya into its wrangles with the US. The head of the political department at the Iranian Department, Mr Tohid Afzali, in a press briefing last week assured the public that Iran will maintain a closer relationship with Kenya.

Tourists and travellers, Ms Mucuha further said, who are planning holidays in the coastal town and any other destination in the country should be assured of their safety as Kenya is a peaceful and safe country.

Travellers are encouraged to book their holidays through KATA certified members, who are professional, accessible and operate under a strict code of conduct.

KATA is working collectively with other industry players for the growth of travel and tourism in the country.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has moved to recruit safety inspectors in an effort to boost compliance with airworthiness standards following a series of mishaps.

The aviation regulator is set to hire 10 top managers to spearhead regular safety audits on air operators in the country.

They include a head of department for aviation safety and security, a manager for personnel licensing, a manager for aerodromes standards, a manager for airworthiness, an airworthiness inspector, a flights operations inspector and a senior aviation security inspector.

The new personnel will slot into the existing teams, according to the notice by KCAA director-general Gilbert Kibe.

The announcement follows a series of incidents involving at least three planes, that have prompted investigation by the KCAA.

The mishaps involving especially Wilson Airport-based light aircraft have refocused attention on quality of safety audits even as the aviation regulator blamed laxity on legal protection for operators.

The latest incident on October last year involved Safari Link carrying 10 passengers that veered off the Wilson Airport runway as a result of a defective tyre, leading to the closure of the airport for 30 minutes.

The incident, the third to involve planes that operate from Wilson Airport in three weeks, brought to question the safety of the air transport in the country.

Mr Kibe last year acknowledged that the recent mishaps raise to safety concerns.

“But we have to follow the law … we cannot ground the airline just like that or else we could be sued for wrongful grounding,” said the aviation boss.

Under the Civil Aviation Act, the KCAA is supposed “to manage, regulate and operate a safe, secure and efficient air transport system in Kenya.

Under this mandate the KCAA is supposed to undertake regular inspection to determine compliance with the aviation regulations as well as the operator’s own company approved manuals and procedures.

Our Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/economy/KCAA-to-beef-up-inspection-teams/3946234-5416990-6lfbh9/index.html

Airline operators are dangling ticket price cuts to woo travellers as the low aviation season sets in after December festivities in a move expected to leave a dent on their margins.

 

Four airlines have so far announced discounted airfares as part of the coping mechanism, shining a spotlight on the tightening operating situation.

 

Jambojet, Emirates, Kenya Airways and Qatar Airways have since notified their customers of the intended ticket price cuts for mass bookings, hoping to boost volumes in the lean times.

 

“The high season is over so traffic has reduced. Therefore, discounts are required to attract more travellers,” Kenya Civil Aviation Authority director-general Gilbert Kibe told the Business Daily in an interview yesterday.

 

In the new fares, low-cost carrier Jambojet was the first about 10 days ago to announce that it will sell 10,000 tickets for Sh2,020 to frequent flyers on its domestic routes.

The airline flies to local destinations such as Eldoret, Malindi, Mombasa, Ukunda, and Kisumu from its hub in Nairobi.

 

“Definitely, the airlines must revise their prices downwards to bring on-board more customers this dry season,” said Ken Gichinga, chief economist at Mentoria Economics. “It’s more of a volumes game than margins game,” he noted.

 

The Fly Emirates is also selling tickets at discounted rates of between nine and 29 percent for Nairobi customers on Dubai, London and Beijing routes from January 7.

 

The airline said the discounted tickets must be bought before January 21 to allow customers booking to fly on the routes between January 7 and November 30.

 

Kenya Airways on January 10 told its customers that they would enjoy discounts of up to 25 percent for business and economy class tickets in 50 of its destinations.

 

The announcement, which comes barely a few weeks after the airline issued a profit warning, indicated that for a customer to get the discount, they must book by January 17 for travel by November 30.

 

Qatar Airways was also not left behind with the airline telling its passengers that it would be offering a 35 percent discount on its tickets from January 13 (yesterday) to January 19.

Our Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/economy/Airlines-woo-travellers-with-low-season-fare-discounts/3946234-5416986-cd7qopz/index.html

Aggressive marketing campaign, political stability, investor confidence and a stable security situation in the country are some of the key factors that have boosted the growth of the tourism sector in 2019.

Revenue received from international arrivals have increased to 163.5 billion in 2019 up from the 157.3 billion recorded in 2018, indicating a 3.9 percentage growth.

This is as a result of the 1.167 increase in visitors coming in from 2, 025, 206 in 2018 to 2, 048, 834 in 2019.

This was attributed to global online campaigns on various online platforms including Google, Aljazeera and CNN Online, joint marketing campaigns with travel trade associations, international trade road shows and global travel trade exhibitions.

Locally, domestic campaigns like “TembeaKenyaNaMimi” and a refreshed brand “EmbraceMoreMagic” were also contributing factors to a vibrant year.

An increase in direct flights to various parts of the world was also a contributing aspect to the high number of visitors jetting into the country. A rise in frequency of flights between Paris and Nairobi, direct flights from Doha to Mombasa and the much-celebrated flights from Nairobi to New York City are indicators of growth in the aviation sector.

Kenya is also a country with automation of systems that has made it easy to start a business and together with backing from the government, has become a business hub rising from position 61 to 56 globally on the latest World Bank Ease of Doing Business report.

Kenya still remains a tourism hub and whereas majority of the inbound travellers came to Kenya for holiday and leisure, there was a notable drop from the holiday seekers from 73.9 percent in 2018 to 63.15 in 2010. The number of travellers travelling for business was at 13.5 percent while 10.6 percent came in to visit family and friends and the remaining 12.7 percent visited the country for various other reasons that include education, medical and shopping.

Over 1.4 million guests made their entry through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, 128, 222 from the Moi International Airport in Mombasa and the remaining 496, 641 came in through other airports and entry points.

Also notable was the age bracket of travellers with the biggest cluster of travellers being aged between 35 and 44 years and constituting 30 percent of the travellers followed by 25 to 34-year olds at 29 percent.

The 25 to 34-year olds have been known to spend more when they travel, are more independent, adventurous and take longer holidays while the older group have family-oriented travel trends.

Tourist destinations in the coastal town of Lamu remain safe despite the recent terrorist attack, the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has said.

KATA Chief Executive Ms Agnes Mucuha stated that the recent attack in Lamu is related to the American’s global politics and is in no way a direct attack on Kenya as a country.

She reiterated statements by other tourism industry players who maintained that tourist destinations in Lamu remain safe.

The Kenya Tourism Federation Chairman Mr Mohamed Hersi, in a statement issued last week assured the public that the tourist attraction in Lamu is a small fraction of the entire county which is safe. He added that the areas usually targeted by radicals are small and far from the tourist sites.

He added that the tourist sites in Lamu have always been safe and are accessed through a flight to Manda mainland and across the channel to the island.

On the other hand, Iran through their embassy in Nairobi has already pledged not to drag Kenya into its wrangles with the US. The head of the political department at the Iranian Department, Mr Tohid Afzali, in a press briefing last week assured the public that Iran will maintain a closer relationship with Kenya.

The statement came in the wake of an attack in Lamu in which four terrorists were killed. The Al- Shaabab claimed responsibility for the attack. The Manda Airstrip was closed temporarily after the attack but resumed services shortly thereafter.

The attack was seen as retaliation by Iran on US forces or their bases across the world following the killing of Iran top military general Qasem Soleimani.

“The attacks on an innocent country are quite unfortunate especially where life is lost and property destroyed. These attacks cause panic and disrupt business which is not good for a developing country”, she said.

Tourists and travellers, she further said, who are planning holidays in the coastal town and any other destination in the country should be assured of their safety as Kenya is a peaceful and safe country.

The recent travel advisory issued by the British Government named Garissa, Mandera and Tana River as areas that their citizen need to exercise caution. Areas of caution named did not include safari destinations, beach resorts, Lamu Island and Manda Island.

Data shows 29 percent of locals travelled by air between 2017-2019, beating the continent’s average of 26 percent.

More Kenyans travelled by air over the past two years within Africa compared to their South African and Nigeria counterparts, despite high ticket costs and difficulty in getting visas, a survey showed.

A report by US travel technology provider, Sabre Corp, showed that about 29 percent of Kenyans travelled by air between 2017 and 2019 — beating Africa’s average of 26 per cent.

About 27 percent of South Africans travelled by air over the period compared to 21 percent by Nigerians. Sabre surveyed 5,869 travellers from the three countries of which 1,500 indicated that they had travelled in the past two years.

And in what could be indicative of opportunities for airlines and tourism service providers, the survey showed that given an opportunity to travel freely across the continent, Kenyans’ preferred destinations would be South Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Ethiopia.

In a similar situation, more South Africans would wish to travel to Kenya than their Nigerian counterparts.

According to Sabre corporation survey, conducted from October 2017 to October 2019, air travel has increased by just two per cent in the three years since its 2016 survey.

Feeling Unsafe

Sabre, a travel technology company based with largest Global Distribution Systems provider for air bookings in North America, blames high costs and difficulties getting visas by African citizens wishing to travel abroad.

Further, the study shows that other obstacles hindering travelling include feeling unsafe, difficulty in bookings, complicated travel routes, a lack of routes and no desire to travel.

Travellers showed a significant increase in their willingness to travel since its 2016 report, almost half of travellers willing to spend more than $100 (Sh10,000) on ancillary services that improve their journeys — indicating a significant retail opportunity for African airlines.

“The appetite for travel has increased significantly since our 2016 study, yet actual air travel journeys have only very slightly grown, said Dino Gelmetti, vice president Europe, Middle East and Africa, Airline Solutions at Sabre.

“This highlights the extent of the opportunity for African carriers if they are able to break down barriers to travel, and help travellers to find their cheapest or most suitable fares.”

Biggest pain points for African travellers are — 35 per cent of respondents say they often experience delayed flights, 34 per cent says it takes long to proceed to the next flight, 28 per cent says there is not enough entertainment onboard, while 24 per cent says there is not enough to do at the airport.

Travellers are also frustrated with waiting times and overall experience of checking in, the study shows.

Away from the grim picture, the positive part is that respondents said if they were able to travel more freely within the continent, they would be willing to spend 27 percent more on travel and one-two extra trips per year.

Currently, the study estimates that Africans spend an average of $1,145 (Sh114,500) per person annually, with 27 per cent increase in travel spends annually to an estimated $156,700 (Sh156,700) if allowed to travel freely.

Given a chance to choose between their local airline over foreign airline, Kenyans first would consider cheaper tickets, comfort onboard, latest technology, and pride in the country’s airline comes last.

The study also shows that there is potential growth in customers willing to spend more on ancillary services, an indication of the retail opportunity for airlines that can effectively personalise offers.

Peace of mind

Current spend per traveller on ancillaries annually stands at $98 (Sh9,800), a figure deemed could increase to $123 (Sh12,300).

More Kenyans are willing to spend more on onboard food and beverages, extra checked luggage and in-flight entertainment as opposed to Nigerians and South Africans who would prioritise on in-flight Wi-Fi and insurance.

Travellers like the convenience of online booking but value the advice and peace of mind of booking through a physical agent.

The study recommends that air travel firms ought to make travel easy and accessible — break down barriers to travel by optimising routes and pricing, and improving the shopping, booking and check-in experience.

Expand of reach to capture both leisure and business travellers is necessary.

They are also advised to leapfrog foreign carriers by operating digitally — invest in the latest digital technology to help address traveller pain points and improve the travel experience.

Airlines also ought to inspire travellers — adopt a multichannel sales strategy across both new and traditional channels such as through travel agents, websites and mobile.

The Sabre study further advises them to operate like a retailer — invest in data-harnessing technology to help understand each traveller’s individual needs, offering each person the right product in the right context at the right time.

Improved demand has solidified the performance of the aviation sector in Kenya with the International Air Travel Association (IATA) projecting that the industry’s growth is expected to double in the next two decades, a move that is expected to boost the gross domestic product (GDP) by $11.3 billion.

The growth is expected to stem from an increase in journeys made through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi that is expected to grow by an additional 11.3 million passengers, creating over 449,000 jobs.

“Over the next 20 years the Kenyan market could more than double in size, resulting in an additional passenger journeys … and a $11.3 billion boost to GDP by 2037,” says IATA regional vice president Muhammad Ali Albakri.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/datahub/Kenyans-frequent-flyers-in-Africa/3815418-5411334-view-asAMP-jv5opf/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

For most of us, 2020 is going to be a turning point. Because it’s another chance to live tomorrow over again. A chance to reset, to decide what is important and what is worth working for.

As we welcome the new decade, we also reflect on the past year.  It is clear that 2019 has presented some huge challenges for our industry. We realized a slow growth of under 2%, at the back drop of a slowing local economy and an uncertain global landscape with happenings e.g. trade wars, terrorism, political unrest, climate change and the disruption created by technology and innovations.

However, looking forward, customers continue to be committed to travelling and exploring new experiences, new markets and new opportunities. Our readiness to respond to these new trends in the market will drive the Members success.

We are devoting this year to KATA’s strategic plan implementation, growing the Members business through strategic partnerships and collaborations, while playing a key role on the Vision 2030 alignment with the KATA mandate.  Additionally, we shall focus extensively on developing business intelligence tools that will provide interactive quantitative data on industry drivers for purposes of informing the Members business strategies.

To strengthen the competitive edge for KATA in 2020, it is important that we engage together in the positioning of KATA as the most TRUSTED travel association in the industry. Consumer confidence is essential to sustaining the growth of healthy passenger bookings for our members.

The future has a way of showing up whether we ask for it or not, and it pays to be ready for it. To help KATA to prepare effectively for 2020, we need your feedback on the services we provide and areas you will be requiring additional support or facilitation. We shall be conducting a Member Survey, and we count on your proactive and honest responses, towards delivering on your expectations.

Finally, on behalf of everyone at KATA, I would like to wish you, your families and colleagues a happy, healthy and remarkable 2020.

 

Agnes Mucuha,

Chief Executive Officer,

Kenya Association of Travel Agents

 

The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has announced the appointment of Ms. Agnes Mucuha as its new Chief Executive Officer effective 1 January 2020. Ms. Mucuha will be taking over from Mr. Nicanor Sabula who has resigned from the position to pursue other interests.

Mr. Sabula has served as CEO since 2015 and is credited for having turned around the Association into a vibrant and respectable organization in the travel and tourism industry both within and out of the country.

KATA Chairman Mr. Mohammed Wanyoike, in a statement, termed the outgoing CEO as a very progressive leader that passionately served the Association with dedication and brought positive energy and optimism in the travel trade. “His vision, drive and focus on results have materially strengthened KATA. It is during his tenure that the Association revamped its membership services, professionalized its secretariat staff and purchased an office space,” he added. I wish on behalf of the Board and the entire membership of KATA to thank him sincerely and wish him success in his future endeavors.

In announcing the appointment of Ms. Mucuha, Mr. Wanyoike noted that she was assuming the position at a time when the travel industry was going through significant changes and expressed confidence that she would be able to steer the organization through them. “Agnes brings in a wealth of experience having previously worked in the hospitality and aviation industry. She has practical knowledge and deep understanding of the industry which coupled with strong networks with industry stakeholders positions her well to lead the organization into the next phase of growth.” 

Previously, Ms. Mucuha worked at Sarova Panafric Hotel, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and Qatar Airways. She is vastly experienced in Sales and Marketing and her immediate past responsibility was working as the Operations Director at a family-owned business.