Competition shifts to cargo as airlines strive to survive

Competition among airlines has now shifted to the cargo business which many have taken up following cessation of passenger flights across the globe.

Airlines are converting their passenger planes into cargo carriers to keep aircraft running and earn some revenue.

Kenya Airways which has joined the fray could be forced to re-adjust its freight charges to survive the high competition in the cargo business.

The carrier is currently charging $3 (about Sh321) per kilo of cargo, according to fresh produce exporters, which is high compared to some competitors such as Ethiopian Airmeeting, lines and Qatar Airways who are charging $2 (about Sh214).

“KQ is expensive compared to competitors,” notes Edward Mureu, the proprietor of Naivasha based Rubi ranch.

According to the East African Business Council (EABC) airfreight charges to the European Union and other markets in the last few weeks have ranged from $3 and $7(Sh749) per kilo up from an average of $1.50(Sh160)–$2.50(Sh267) per kg.

“The high air freight charges can be attributed to a combination of factors. These include higher operating costs, fewer scheduled or chartered flights, and a supply and demand imbalance,” EABC chief executive Peter Mathuki said.

In Kenya, for example, the volume of fresh produce out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has reduced from a weekly 5,000 tonnes to 1,300, a 75 per cent decline with similar trends reported across the region. This has left few volumes up for grabs by carriers. Costs, however, continue to ease with more scheduled capacity provided by KLM, Qatar and Ethiopian Airlines.

KQ, as it is known by its international code, has converted four of its passenger aircraft into cargo carriers, a measure to lessen the impact of Covid-19, which has seen a cut on international travel, with the airline grounding its fleet.

Last Thursday, the airline flew a Boeing 787 Dreamliner to London with 40 tonnes of fresh produce consisting of vegetables and flowers.

It has been depending on two-boeing 737-300 cargo aircrafts for haulage.

“We are exploring different options to keep the lights on in the organization. Cargo is one of those areas,” CEO Allan Kilavuka said.

This week, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo launched two cargo flights a week between Nairobi and Amsterdam. The Tuesday and Sunday flights will see the carrier export 45–50 tonnes of cargo from Kenya.

This is in adition to existing full freighter flights Air France KLM Martinair is regularly operating.

The move adds pressure on airlines at JKIA– KQ’S hub, which accommodates over 40 passenger airlines and 25 cargo airlines.

Other cargo operators include Lufthansa Cargo, emirate Sky cargo, cargo lux, Ethiopian airlines, Saudia Airlines, Etihad Crystal Cargo and Egypt Air. Others are Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airlines, Turkish Cargo, mk Airline and Swiss World cargo.

Source: https://www.pressreader.com/kenya/the-star-kenya/20200423/281771336334747

 

Time to plan for Kenya’s tourism industry post Covid-19 pandemic

Coronavirus is the biggest disrupter since World War Two, upending the local hospitality industry to an extent that the sector might take 12 to 18 months to recover. 

Mwingirwa Kithure

The tourism industry has been the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg to Kenya’s economy, with the country relying heavily on the sector as a source of foreign exchange and employment.

The sector directly employs more than a million people, with an estimated two million depending on it indirectly.

Last year, the industry earned Sh163 billion and welcomed 2.05 million tourists.

Until the monster called coronavirus reared its ugly head, 2020 was expected to be the industry’s best. 

Arrivals were projected to surpass 2.5 million due to tourism marketing efforts  and countless international conferences lined  up to take place in the country throughout the year. 

When Meetings Events Conferences and Incentives (MICE) are the kingpin of a country’s tourism industry strategy, then it’s a boom business for all.

  Airlines, airports, taxi operators, hotels, restaurants, curio shops, museums, casinos, national parks, bars and even brothels reap.

But like a ghost from nowhere, Covid-19 struck hard starting February, stopping all  lofty dreams, with those big sum revenue projections now a pipe dream.

You can no longer sit down at your favourite restaurant and enjoy an exquisite gourmet because social distancing rules stipulates that you can only enjoy the delicacy as a take-away.  Your aerobics and Spa moments  must wait too.

Skeleton staff

In a few days, the usual busy and charming porter was all forlorn in lonely lobbies. Likewise, the receptionist became idle, sheepishly smiling at the empty lobby, punctuating her wry smile with an occasional yawn. 

Hotels are empty save for a skeleton staff working on rotational shifts. “The outbreak presents the tourism sector in Kenya and beyond with a major headache and a challenge that must be surmounted somehow,”  says Barnabas Wamoto, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport Hotel.

“The nosedive in tourism earnings this year means that there will be serious struggle in the hospitality industry for entities to stay afloat. Presently, institutions are implementing various fire-fighting strategies to mitigate the impact of Covid-19,”  he adds. 

Wamoto says some decisions being taken are painful, but necessary to guarantee organisational survival during this crisis, but what matters are concrete actions that hotels and the hospitality industry in general are taking to ensure they are ready when leisure and business travellers resumes.

Calls for resilience

He warns that even then, things will take long to return post 2020. “It will not be a nightfall fix. Tourists and international conferences will not return en-mass soon, since travel will not be a priority for most,” he adds. 

Roberto Simone, the Cluster General Manager of Villa Rosa Kempinski and Olare Mara Kempinski Camp, says Covid-19  is the biggest disrupter since World War Two and the Kenyan hospitality industry, just like in the rest of the world, has been hit hard and the effects will be felt for years to come.

“There is common industrial consensus  that the 2019 output level will not be reached any time soon.

Most likely, it will take 12 to 18 months,” Roberto observes, adding that the peripheral economies of many countries will take two to three years to recover. 

“Whilst  among economists,  there is consensus in predicting — for developed economies — a V or U shape demand recovery, driven by the household consumption, the effects on emerging, middle and poor countries will take additional time,” says Roberto.

The GM who is in his current position for almost a year now argues that the Kenyan hospitality industry has to be resilient, keep alive and protect the business ventures and prepare the new normal to come.

“Post-Covid-19, most likely, will present challenges as new consumers patterns emerge, with changes in priorities during the selection decision-making process,” says Roberto.

 He says we are witnessing the death of “proximity business” propelled by 20 years of globalisation for “distance matter”.

Hospitality units need to be prepared to a more accustomed home space potential consumer than pre-Covid-19 era.

This will change the approach in terms of service  delivery and put great pressure digital marketing teams.

The GM notes that globally, the pandemic will accelerate de-globalisation.  Most likely, the virus will also shape the world towards regional trade blocs, which will share same standards and policies.

Permanent behaviour change

“Should the above happen, then this will be the first catalysis that will affect in first instance, the aviation industry and consequently, the entire hospitality industry.

The concerning scenario is a serious call for Kenya hospitality industry to re-strategise its offers, look into more regional domestic feeder markets and as well, target new consumer patterns,” says Roberto. 

David Gachuru, General Manager at Sarova Panafric says the crisis is of unprecedented magnitude, but preaches hope and a rise from the doom. “Post-Covid-19 can better be looked at using a triangular approach: First, what will change permanently? Secondly what has changed, but will not be sustained and third, what further change can one influence?” says Gichuru. 

The career hotelier with over 20-year experience says people’s behaviour will change permanently.

“People will be afraid of hygiene and their health. So, hoteliers must learn how to stay hygienic no matter what,” he says.

The GM says going forward, social distance will be critical for a long time to come. Air travel will change drastically, with flying becoming expensive due to less seat capacity as social distance becomes the norm.

Regrettably as the cost of running business rises due to dwindling fortunes, Gachuru predicts that hotel staff numbers will fall.

Sales and marketing personnel will be forced to change strategy and be more digital savvy, otherwise they will be rendered irrelevant.

Gachuru expects that what will not change much is socialisation. With time, locals will resume their normal lives amid heightened caution and hotel occupancies will recover.

He foresees a bad patch for hotels before things brighten up. “Still, hotels will remain.

You don’t sell a cow because you have no skills to milk it. Simply, you hand over to the milkman and retain the cow! he advises. 

Source: https://www.pd.co.ke/news/time-to-plan-for-kenyas-tourism-industry-post-covid-19-pandemic-33934/

Aviation players launch body to track and record aircraft parts

Before and during the global Covid-19 pandemic, blockchain technology adoption continues to attract global adoption as companies, governments, multinationals and local businesses form alliances to seal existing loopholes in the management of goods and services across borders.

Key global aviation industry players plan to launch the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Blockchain Alliance, the first industry-wide investigation into the use of blockchain to track, trace and record aircraft parts.

Even as airports grapple with little activity and major airlines having grounded their planes in a bid to control the spread of the coronavirus, the new alliance seeks to cover every aspect of the MRO chain, from part manufacture and repairs to logistics and smart contracts.

A smart contract is a digital pact containing the terms of agreement between a buyer and a seller being directly written into lines of code. The code and the agreements contained therein exist across a distributed, decentralised blockchain network. The code controls the execution, with transactions being trackable and irreversible.

Members currently include Bolloré Logistics, Cathay Pacific, FLYdocs, HAECO Group, Ramco Systems, Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques (SITA), and Willis Lease Finance Corporation, supported by Clyde and Co.

The alliance, first mooted in 2019, aims to bring the various stakeholders together to set a global standard around the use of blockchain to track spare parts.

“In the coming months, our alliance will launch a proof of concept to demonstrate the use of blockchain to digitally track and record the movements and maintenance history of parts across a wide number of players,” reads a statement seen by the Business Daily.

A proof of concept is meant to determine the feasibility of the idea or to verify that the idea will function as envisioned.

These include airlines, lessors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as engine producers, logistics suppliers, and maintenance providers.

This tracking information will be vital to managing a complex logistics value chain that can span several stakeholders over the lifetime of each individual part.

“This initiative is part of SITA’s ongoing exploration of blockchain, a technology that we believe promises tremendous opportunity for streamlining the sharing and recording of information across the air transport industry,” says Matthys Serfontein, President of Air Travel Solutions at SITA.

Currently, there is no global database, leading to incomplete data sharing, and only partial digitalisation.

“The alliance believes that the use of blockchain will simplify and speed up parts tracking while enabling the secure sharing of information between industry stakeholders.” For the African market, making technologies such as blockchain available on a wide scale will be vital to support the growth and development of the aviation industry.

Africa is predicted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to become one of the fastest growing aviation regions in the next 20 years with an annual expansion rate of nearly five per cent, yet there are numerous challenges standing in the way of this growth.

Technology could enable governments and aviation industry stakeholders in Africa address many of the existing infrastructure challenges. Most notably, blockchain’s ability to securely store and share information on a digital ledger offers the opportunity for greater industry collaboration throughout the continent and facilitate more efficient decision making.

Multinational advisory firm PwC estimates that the use of blockchain could increase aerospace industry annual revenue by four percent while cutting MRO

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/corporate/shipping/Aviation-players-launch-body-to-track-parts/4003122-5530562-dg34ncz/index.html

 

Viral pandemic ushers’ ‘rebirth’ of tech tools as Kenyans seek convenience

The Covid-19 outbreak has disrupted lives of citizens and businesses with activities moving online in adherence to stringement measures imposes by the State to curb spread of the virus.

For many Kenyans, a typical day now revolves around reading news on Twitter, buying groceries from Jumia, setting up education portal for children out of schools and linking up with workmates on Zoom video chat.

As the physical world is being decimated, the digital world is thriving, breathing life to technologies initially regarded casually.

A look at the Kenyan trend on the Google app store shows the latest top downloads include a mix of productivity, e-commerce and entertainment with apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Zoom, Jumia, Viusasa, TikTok, houseparty, Instagram and Snapchat.

“Working from home has meant that my Skype account is no longer for catching up with friends, but a tool to get office work done,” said Ms Damaris Kimani who works as an administrative secretary for a Kenyan start-up.

She said meetings occasionally move to Zoom, Google Hangout or WebEx depending who is on the other end and for convenience purposes.

Google Hangout is a preferred video conferencing tool because it is free and its quality is reliable, she said.

Data from Google shows the daily usage of its enterprise video conferencing tool Hangouts Meet has soared following the coronavirus pandemic as workers look for ways of staying productive from home.

“Despite this growth the demand has been well within the bounds of our network’s ability,” said Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian in a blog post after daily usage went up 25 times higher than it was in January.

In weeks after the coronavirus outbreak, Zoom has seen its stock skyrocket as investors bet that more people would use video conferencing tools.

Last week, the start-up said the number of customers paying $100,000 went up 86 percent to 641 for the quarter.

Socialising

As millions throng social media to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues, the platforms are reporting a strain on their systems.

Data from internet and entertainment services gives clear indication of a country pushed online in the recent past.

Churches are turning to social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to bring services to members from the comfort of their homes.

Calls and messaging services on Instagram and Facebook have spiked by over 50 percent in Kenya and many countries across the globe.

In the days of dial up modems, when smartphones didn’t exist, or if they did, were owned by just a few individuals, often one device in the home could be on the internet at a time.

Modems come in varied speed connectivity ranging from 2G to 4G and help create a Wi-Fi hotspot for users of personal computers.

While there are universal modems in stores that are compatible to any line, the most common ones in the local market are from Safaricom, Airtel and Orange.

Their usage and demand has gone up in the recent weeks as more Kenyans opt to work from home and access education material online for their children.

Internet

“I had to remind myself how to use the modem after months of neglecting it now that my employer directed that I work from home,” said Mr Greg Ochieng, a Nairobi resident.

A portable 4G MiFi from Safaricom, Airtel or Telkom retails at around Sh8,000 on Jumia while a modem goes for about Sh2,000.

As working from home becomes the new normal, smartphones are becoming the window to the world.

For those without modems, mobile hotspots and tethering are becoming the in-thing in order to stay online.

Mobile hotspots and tethering are ways one can use their data as wireless internet service. Basically one connects their computer, tablet or any other device to the phone’s internet.

As online activities increase there is a surge in internet usage. This is giving Internet Service Providers (ISP) the headache keeping users happy with fast speeds.

ISPs are throttling bandwidths and certain services to accommodate the demand.

But as the digital world thrives and getting the work done tops users priority list, cybercriminals are working overtime to make a kill.

Microsoft Chief Security adviser for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Cyril Voisin noted that cybercriminals are opportunistic and will use topical issues as click baits to steal money or information from users.

“We have been tracking the number of domains that have been created around the Covid-19 and half of them are malicious. So far 103,000 domains have been created by fraudsters out of the theme of the pandemic,” he said.

Aside from ransomware, other threats that cybercriminals are using include phishing through emails and messaging applications.

The CEO fraud has also been on the rise. It basically entails someone pretending to be the boss of an organisation. The cybercriminals send email through a personal account directing the finance manager to wire some cash and that they will explain later because it is urgently needed.

To be safe, Mr Voisin advises small and medium enterprises to protect data with cloud backups, using antimalware, firewalls and secure networks like https, VPN, Wi-Fi.

They can also use anti-phishing technologies such as file/attachment and link inspection as well as protecting their identity with multifactorial authentication.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/datahub/Viral-pandemic-ushers–rebirth–of-tech-tools/3815418-5525112-yt2silz/index.html

KQ to make one-off flight to London to bring Kenyans back home

Kenyans stranded in the United Kingdom and willing to pay to return home have a chance to do so as Kenya Airways plans a flight on Saturday.

The decision was reached following a discussion between the Kenyan government and the British High Commission.

KQ will operate a direct commercial flight from Nairobi to Heathrow, London on April 24 before planning for a direct flight to Kenya on the following day.

Only those going to London will board the flight on Friday while those to be on board to JKIA must be Kenyan citizens.

On its way to the UK, the flight will be carrying Britons who were stranded following the suspension of commercial flights on March 25 after the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The KQ management said those who have booked the flight to return home should adhere to the measures set by the Ministry of Health for passenger arrivals.

The national carrier said that all the passengers will be subjected to Covid-19 test. Once the ticket is issued, they will be required to proceed to Lancet Kenya for the virus test within 72 hours.

Upon arrival, all the passengers must undergo a mandatory quarantine for a period of 14 – 28 days at their own cost.

The British High Commission said there will be a connecting flight from Mombasa to Nairobi which will be operated by Jambo Jet on April 24 for those travelling to London.

Kenya’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Manoah Esipisu had earlier said that those willing to travel back will meet the cost for their air ticket.

Since the outbreak of the virus, Kenyans and other African citizens stranded in China have said that they are being abused.

According to the videos shared through social media by Africans in China, some have been kicked out of their rental houses and denied access to shopping malls.

Several leaders in the country have been calling upon the government to make arrangements to evacuate Kenyans from China but this is yet to happen.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs PS Macharia Kamau told a parliamentary committee of the logistical challenges that will make it impossible for mass evacuation as is being proposed by some Kenyans.

He said a number of Kenyans living in China have not registered with the Kenyan embassy, which makes tracking impossible.

Source: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2020-04-21-kq-to-make-one-off-flight-to-london-to-bring-kenyans-back-home/

 

IATA support aviation workers through free courses

Some 5, 000 aviation workers will be the beneficiaries of free online training courses that will be offered by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This is part of IATA’s effort to support the travel industry as it grapples with the COVID- 19 pandemic.

“Aviation will make it through the COVID-19 crisis. That’s because, as with past crises, the many great people of this industry will pull together to face the challenges head-on. In a salute to the women and men of this industry, IATA is making a small contribution to support the sector’s recovery with free training. These are tough times but we wanted to see the opportunity of the future, and what better way than through learning,” said Stéphanie Siouffi, IATA’s Director of Training.

The courses will be available on a first come, first served bases for the 5, 000 online training opportunities. The courses are available to current employees and those wishing to be a part of the aviation or related industries. Interested participants have a choice of the following courses;

  • Aviation Competition Law
  • Destination Geography
  • Travel Agency Fees: A Professional Approach
  • Accounting and Financial Management for Travel Agencies
  • Geography in Travel Planning
  • Distribution and Airline Retailing
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Aviation Law – Fundamentals

Applications must be received before 27 April 2020. To learn more or register for an online course, please click https://www.iata.org/en/training/pages/free-elearning-promo/

Hahn Air appoints leaders for its new commercial and operation divisions

After regrouping its departments supporting partner airlines, travel agencies and the global distribution systems (GDS) into the new commercial and operation divisions, Hahn Air has appointed leaders to head the new communications and marketing as well as IT support divisions.

The airline appointed Mr. Alexander Proschka and Frederick Nowotny to support the new set up that allows the company to further increase business results for its more than 350 partner airlines and over 100,000 travel agency partners while taking advantage of synergies for internal and external support.

“The restructuring process already started in 2019 and will enable us to maximise results for all customer groups and further increase efficiency and optimise team work internally. This will especially be of advantage after the Coronavirus crisis when our partner airlines and travel agencies will have a strong need to kick-start their business,” said Ms. Kirsten Rehmann, General Director of Hahn Air.

Mr. Proschka will head the newly formed commercial division as the Executive Vice President, Commercial. His division comprises of airline business, communications and marketing, sales analytics and travel agency distribution departments.

Proschka has been with Hahn Air since 2008 and was previously in charge of the sister companies Hahn Air Systems and Hahn Air Technologies with their products H1-Air and X1-Air. He holds a diploma in international business and industrial engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden.

His counterpart Mr Nowotny is another long-standing Hahn Air executive. He is now the Head of Operation and will lead the division. Nowotny joined Hahn Air in 2008 and previously headed the sales engineering department.

His division now includes the teams in charge of all airline and product implementation processes, GDS interfaces and inventory displays. In addition, he oversees the IT and second level support departments, as well as the Hahn Air Service Desk which assists partner airlines and answers ticketing enquiries of travel agents worldwide 24/7.

Kenya Tourism Board calls for industry partners in parks and conservancies to participate in the #TheMagicAwaits Campaign

The Kenya Tourism Board has called upon facilities and establishments within the various parks and conservancies to showcase the various aspects of life at the parks through short videos under the campaign #TheMagicAwaits.

The parks that include Tsavo, Laikipia, Meru, Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru National Parks are expected to send content which will be showcased on KTB’s Magical Kenya’s social media pages.

This is geared towards sharing positive images and encouraging hope as the industry looks forward to post COVID 19.

The pandemic that originated from Wuhan, China in November 2019 has infected over 2.2 million people and claimed over 148, 000 lives, a number that keeps rising.

To stem the spread of the virus, social distancing and high standards of hygiene have been encouraged. Air transport has been stopped and travel within regions restricted in Kenya.

This has greatly affected the revenue stream for people in the travel and tourism industry with some companies shutting down and others slowing down operations. Parks and conservancies however remain operational.

The Kenya Tourism Board has been at the forefront t running campaigns showing the preparations the industry has made to mitigate the spread of the virus.

Over half of 2020 Passenger Revenues at risk due to COVID-19, says IATA

Airline passenger revenues will drop by USD 314 Billion in 2020, a 55 percent decline as compared to 2019, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said.

According to an analysis released on March 24, this year, IATA estimated a loss of USD 252 Billion in lost revenues if severe restrictions were to persist for three months.

“The updated figures reflect a significant deepening of the crisis since then, and reflect the following parameters:     Severe domestic restrictions lasting three months, some restrictions on international travel extending beyond the initial three months and worldwide severe impact, including Africa and Latin America (which had a small presence of the disease and were expected to be less impacted in the March analysis),” IATA stated.

The report further indicated that the full year passenger demand for domestic and international travel is expected to decline by 48 percent as compared to 2019.

The elements driving this decline are the overall economic developments whereby the world is heading for recession. This is because the economic shock of the COVID-19 crisis that is expected to be most severe in Quarter 2 when GDP is expected to shrink by 6 percent.

Another element is travel restrictions which will deepen the impact of recession on demand for travel with the most severe impact expected to be in Quarter 2.

“The industry’s outlook grows darker by the day. The scale of the crisis makes a sharp V-shaped recovery unlikely. Realistically, it will be a U-shaped recovery with domestic travel coming back faster than the international market. We could see more than half of passenger revenues disappear. That would be a USD 314 billion hit. Several governments have stepped up with new or expanded financial relief measures but the situation remains critical. Airlines could burn through $61 billion of cash reserves in the second quarter alone. That puts at risk 25 million jobs dependent on aviation. And without urgent relief, many airlines will not survive to lead the economic recovery,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO said.

He emphasised on the need for governments to include aviation in their stabilisation packages. Airlines, Mr. de Juniac said, are the core of a value chain that supports 65.5 million jobs globally. Each of the 2.7 million airline jobs supports 24 more jobs in the economy.

“Financial relief for airlines today should be a critical policy measure for governments. Supporting airlines will keep vital supply chains working through the crisis. Every airline job saved will keep 24 more people employed.  And it will give airlines a fighting chance of being viable businesses that are ready to lead the recovery by connecting economies when the pandemic is contained. If airlines are not ready, the economic pain of COVID-19 will be unnecessarily prolonged,” said de Juniac.

Among the reliefs that IATA has proposed for governments to consider include direct financial support to passenger and cargo carriers to compensate for the reduced revenues and liquidity attributable to travel restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19, loans, loan guarantees and support for the corporate bond market by governments and tax relief.

 

Covid-19: the paradigm shift for tourism for the better

Tourism in Kenya and Africa must have a paradigm shift not only in products, but mentality and markets as well.

By Hon. Najib Balala

The year begun on a positive note for Kenya’s tourism with the country receiving 1,444,670 arrivals between July 2019 and February 2020; compared to 1,423,548 over the same period last year.

What followed is the greatest health emergency of our times: The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – an emergency that has almost brought the entire world to a standstill, with sectors that contribute to the thriving of economies being affected, tourism being one of the industries hit hard globally.

The disease which first broke out in Wuhan, China in November of 2019, has now found itself across the globe with over 1.3 million infections as of the last count. This has resulted in total lockdown in some countries and with this, the closure of businesses and travel.

Governments around the world have also put in place stringent travel and social restrictions to curb the spread of the disease. The Government of Kenya has in turn taken bold, but necessary steps to fight this scourge which include stopping of conferences and events, as well as halting international flights from coming to the country as among a raft of precautions against the spread of the disease.

Consequently, the tourism industry in Kenya is predicting losses in the Billions owing to the disruption that has been occasioned by COVID-19 globally. Currently, several hotels and hospitality establishments have temporarily closed as human traffic to the outlets has significantly reduced as a result

of the limited movement and restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the disease.

This said, it is not all gloom and doom for the travel industry. We first need to accept that recovery from this pandemic will take time and we must be patient as we recover from it.

Secondly, we need a paradigm shift on the mentality that we have if we want a quick recovery and better tourism. It is no longer about waiting for international visitors to come in for tourism to thrive. As a country, we must start appreciating the domestic market and offer them products that are right for them. Therefore, we need not be dependent on foreign tourism and start investing heavily on the domestic and regional market. Many of the international markets established initially with first their own domestic and regional markets, before looking further. For instance, most of the 82 million tourists that flock into Spain are domestic or from the neighboring countries in Europe.

Also, we need to start thinking about promoting intra-Africa tourism. Africa has a population of about 1.2 billion people, but only receive 62 million tourists, which is disappointing. As the African adage says, ‘if you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.’ Now is the time for Africa. African states must unite and form a federation to promote tourism within the continent. If we can just have 300-400 million people travelling within the continent, we can surely boost each other’s jobs and generate revenue without being dependent on international tourists. As a continent, let us have a strategy on connectivity within the continent, open sky policy will increase travelers, trade and investment, we should also think about infrastructure development within Africa from road network, maritime as well as railway network. Once we have done so, the region is going to open up and the improved infrastructure is going to upscale the economy.

Free movement of people is another key aspect we need to look into. We need to ensure that people can travel from one country to another without any hindrance of Visas and travel bureaucracy. In Europe, most of the

people can move around in about 27 countries with neither visas nor border posts. This is the way to go for Africa. This will take time to implement, but if we start now, in 5 years we will be resilient from any shocks whatsoever, even travel advisories imposed by the western countries.

Tourism is a leading foreign exchange earner, contributing to about 10% of Kenya’s GDP. But the impact of tourism goes beyond 20% as it cuts across other sectors, ranging from manufacturing, agriculture, financial services, education and many others. The more we focus on promoting travelling within the continent, the more we shall create jobs and develop our economies.

So, in Kenya, for the next 2 years, it is imperative for us to look into the opportunities in our domestic and regional markets. This can only be achieved when we rethink our marketing strategy, redesign our products and make the destinations affordable and interactive.

COVID-19, can be an opportunity to act now and expand further to create more jobs and be self-reliant. This time we should also take care of the communities around us and be sensitive to the environment.

Hon. Najib Balala is Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife