AirAsia Takes Flight in Kenya- What Does This Mean for You?

We are delighted to inform you that the Kenyan Ministry of Transport has granted AirAsia full approval for scheduled flights between Kuala Lumpur and Nairobi. This official clearance allows you to confidently sell tickets to your customers without any concerns. The arrival of AirAsia in Kenya marks a new era of affordable air travel. With its vast network and competitive fares, this low-cost carrier is set to revolutionize the way Kenyans travel.

Discover More Destinations

One of the most exciting benefits is the opportunity to explore new destinations. AirAsia’s extensive network provides access to 35 new destinations across 12 countries, allowing you to cater to a wider range of traveler preferences. Whether your clients dream of the vibrant cities of Southeast Asia, the stunning beaches of Australia, the cultural richness of HongKong, or the business acumen of Singapore AirAsia can take them there.

Reduced Fares and Travel Hours

AirAsia has maintained its position as the world’s leading low-cost airline for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years, winning the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Award in June 2024. Beyond its financial success, AirAsia has been a pioneer in environmental sustainability and affordable travel. Connect your customers to Australia for up to 40% less than traditional flights while enjoying flight times that are over 30% shorter!

All cabin classes

Direct flights to Kuala Lumpur and beyond will be operated by an Airbus A330. Defying expectations, this low-cost carrier offers a premium experience, including all cabin classes typically found on full-service airlines, even flatbed seats. The aircraft configuration is detailed below:

What Next?

1. Do you wish to sell East and Southeast Asia destinations?  Register on their booking system by clicking here if you’ve not already

2. Join the exclusive AirAsia System and destinations training for our member travel agents on Friday the 9th of August.

Enjoy The Convenience Of One Ticket To Jeddah From Kenya Airways Network.

Travelling to and from the Gulf just got easier with Kenya Airways! KQ has partnered with Saudia Airlines (SV) to facilitate seamless travel for guests looking for a convenient option as they explore Jeddah for leisure or business.

With just one ticket, guests can now travel to Jeddah from Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret and Mogadishu with a connection through Dubai. On the other hand, travelers from Jeddah can fly to Nairobi as well as Accra and Entebe via Nairobi. Travelers from other parts of KQ’s Africa network can also enjoy the same seamless connectivity as this partnership provides a gateway into and out of the Gulf region and serves as a critical connection to Africa for the Gulf. This partnership affirms KQs commitment to connecting people, cultures and markets by providing guests with more connectivity options, itinerary flexibilityand affordable rates.

Eritrea is Surging the Tourism Industry with New Visa free travel Policy for Kenya & Uganda.

Eritrea stands as a captivating country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by the vast expanses of the Red Sea. Its strategic geographical position and extensive coastline have historically made it a pivotal player in the trade and cultural exchanges between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. This unique location is reflected in the diverse cultural fabric and linguistic mosaic that characterizes the nation today.

Historical Overview

The roots of Eritrea are deeply entrenched in both its location and its complex colonial history. Having been a convergence point for various civilizations, the region has witnessed an array of influences, from South Arabian to Ottoman Turkish, and eventually the Italian colonization in the 19th century. These layers of history have left a rich cultural and architectural legacy that continues to attract scholars and tourists alike.

Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity

Eritrea is home to a vibrant mix of ethnic groups, each preserving its own language and traditions. The nine recognized ethnic groups contribute to a linguistic landscape that includes Tigrinya, Tigre, and a number of other Afroasiatic languages, with Arabic and English serving as important secondary languages.

Tourism in Eritrea

Despite its political challenges, Eritrea offers an array of attractions for the intrepid traveler. From the mesmerizing architecture of Asmara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the unspoiled islands and coral reefs of the Dahlak Archipelago, the country presents a tapestry of experiences. Eritrea’s tourism sector, though underdeveloped, provides a genuine adventure for those looking to explore one of Africa’s most secluded destinations.

Economic Landscape

Eritrea’s economy faces numerous challenges, reflected in its low ranking on the Index of Economic Freedom. However, it boasts significant potential in sectors like mining and tourism, which remain largely untapped due to geopolitical and internal issues.

Transportation Hubs

The country’s transportation infrastructure is centered around key airports like Asmara International, Massawa International, and Assab International. These facilitate both domestic and limited international travel, connecting Eritrea with neighboring countries and beyond.

Airline Services

The national carrier, Eritrean Airlines, along with other regional airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir, connect Eritrea to the wider region, offering links despite the challenging economic conditions.

Countries that can visit to Eritrea without Visa:- Kenya, Uganda

Accommodations

Luxury and comfort can be found at Asmara Palace Hotel, the top choice for international visitors, alongside other reputable options like Crystal Hotel and Hotel Asmara Central. These establishments provide quality service and are central to the experience of visiting the capital.

Cultural Significance and Landmarks

Eritrea is renowned for its architectural wonders, like the futuristic Fiat Tagliero Building and the classic Cinema Roma in Asmara, reflecting the Italian modernist influence. The nation’s historical depth is further highlighted by its archaeological sites and over 400 historic churches and monasteries, testament to its rich spiritual and cultural heritage.

Eritrea remains a land of undiscovered beauty and rich history. Its complex past and diverse cultures make it a unique destination for those willing to venture off the beaten path. As the country slowly opens up to the world, its potential for tourism and economic growth continues to expand, promising a brighter future ahead.

Source:  Travel and Tour World.  

IATA – Remaining Relevant to Travel Agents

Modern Airline Retailing is an active and important initiative for airlines around the world. But though control of the Offer and Order environment is an essential component in a fiercely competitive industry, IATA is aware that not all airlines have the same set of requirements and distribution strategies.

“This is why the Agency Program is still so important,” says Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s SVP for Financial Settlement and Distribution Services. “IATA accredited agents are trusted distribution partners, and our Agency Program allows airlines and agents to come together to solve challenges and ensure this vital channel remains strong.”

Moreover, the Agency Program fits perfectly with the overall objective of giving customers greater choice. The travel agent is still a vital part of the offer to the customer and has become a hub for consolidating the travel experience. Travel agents are also playing an important role in Modern Airline Retailing as IATA continues to see an increase in NDC transactions in the BSP. 

“Really, they are travel consultancies now,” says Albakri. “They provide an end-to-end service and are now much more than ticket providers.”

In 2023, the travel and tourism sector contributed 9.1% to global GDP and created 27 million new jobs, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Airlines are critical to making that happen. And so are travel agents.

In fact, travel agents are still the industry’s strongest distribution channel. The aim, therefore, is to ensure these agents are robust, reliable partners and the process of engagement—whether it is payment or fulfilling passenger requests—is as seamless and cost-effective as possible.

Keeping the program relevant

The most important step was the development of New Generation IATA Settlement Systems (NewGen ISS) approximately five years ago. This introduced different levels of accreditation:

  • Go Global is for large multinational agents and simplifies BSP participation by having a single agreement and a consolidated financial security and Remittance Holding Capacity.
  • Go Standard agents are allowed to sell in cash and other forms of payment.
  • Go Lite agents benefit from not having to furnish financial securities to participate in BSP and are allowed to sell with IATA EasyPay and Credit Cards.

Airlines in turn gained from enhanced risk management and other tools that made the distribution of tickets through travel agents even safer.

“It is not one-size-fits-all anymore,” says Albakri. “Agents can join at an appropriate level of accreditation for their business but still gain from the trust and reach that being accredited brings.”

Supporting the recovery of the industry

After COVID, IATA focused on revamping the accreditation process and streamlining the requirements. The Go Standard agents do not have to go through a financial assessment for the first two years of operation, for example. All told, the changes have resulted in a 50% reduction in accreditation times and a customer satisfaction of 90%.

“We did all this without compromising the risk management criteria,” says Albakri. “In fact, we have enhanced it by adding different compliance reviews, such as PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), as a requirement for agencies selling in credit cards, and more robust real-time monitoring of agency sales. But we can improve further both on continuing to strengthen the risk environment and on improving IATA’s service to travel agents by reducing our processing times.”

The improvements in the accreditation process together with the resilience shown by the Agency Program during the pandemic has led to strong demand and growth in accreditation numbers.

“We have also been more present in events and different meetings where travel agents approached us to know more about the benefits of the program and the requirements to become IATA accredited,” says Albakri. “In addition, IATA has historically entered into promotional agreements with different parties to increase the number of Participants and we are fully committed to continuing with this best practice.”

As a result, the number of travel agent codes in the BSP has increased from 54,341 in 2022 to 58,923 codes in April 2024.

For Albakri, this proves that as long as there continues to be a commercial relationship between airlines and travel agents, the program will continue to be extremely valuable.

“Agents will be even more relevant in the future than they were in the past,” he believes. “The Agency program is at the heart of industry resilience because it is a strong, trusted system for distributing and selling tickets and collecting monies. There is also a very low cost of transaction and IATA will continue to improve the service we provide.”

Source:   IATA.

Stay Connected And Save Over 75% When You Travel With The KQ Safari Data Roaming Plan

Imagine landing in a new country and your normal data plan won’t work! You can’t call over the internet, you can’t text, you can’t go online and you can’t even use your phone apps to get a cab. This is the definition of stress for any traveler. Whether you are travelling for business or for leisure, staying connected is important and for this, you need a trusted data solution that can ensure you are able to communicate and you can connect to the internet. Safari Data from Kenya Airways offers just that! Peace of mind and connectivity when travelling.

Safari Data provides over 2200+ Data Roaming plans to travelers at a very low cost, is available in over 180+ countries and the plans are based on per Country as well as Regional plans and Global plans. This means, we have got you covered pretty much everywhere you are travelling. The data plan is only for mobile internet which means users can make calls or send messages through applications like Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, WeChat, etc.

The solution which has been developed in partnership with Roambuddy.world Ltd has been tested and tried over and over guaranteeing you a reliable data partner for all your travels. It is easy to install and is available on eSIM compatible devices allowing users to access the internet via a 3G, 4G, LTE or 5G networks.

With KQ Safari Data you do not need to worry about expensive roaming data charges from your local operator. The data plans are easy to purchase and activate. The data roaming plan currently offers plans starting from 7 day for 1GB plans and 30 day plans for plans with 3GB or more data with the option of getting Global Plans with longer durations up to 365 days with the highest speeds wherever possible (3G/4G/5G) on Kenya Airways supported networks around the world.

So, the next time you are traveling, don’t get stranded by lack of internet access, simply purchase your eSIM data plan on  https://www.kqsafaridata.com/ before you travel and stay connected!

Travelport introduces NDC content from Emirates.

Travelport and Emirates have joined forces to deliver New Distribution Capability (NDC) content from the airline and enhanced NDC servicing capabilities on the Travelport+ platform.

With this launch, Travelport’s agency customers will be able to easily view and compare NDC offers and ancillaries from Emirates and create a more streamlined, personalised experience for travellers. It also provides agents the ability to service NDC bookings, which includes modifications and cancellations.

Travelport’s NDC content and servicing solution for Emirates is now available to all agency customers located in Australia, Indonesia, the UAE, and the UK. Access to Emirates NDC solution in Travelport+ will expand to agency customers located in additional countries in the coming weeks.

Adnan Kazim, deputy president and chief commercial officer at Emirates, commented: “The integration of our systems will strengthen the expansion of our reach across the global travel retail community and allow them to offer travellers more choice among our best-in-class products and services.”

“This pivotal NDC milestone with Emirates proves Travelport is at the forefront of modern retailing with our ability to provide the best content and tools that agents require to create superior booking and servicing experiences for their customers,” said Jason Clarke, chief commercial officer, travel partners, Travelport.

Source:   TTG Asia.

Tourism agency (KTB) bets on adventure travel to grow numbers.

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is banking on public-private partnerships to grow Kenya’s adventure tourism opportunities. KTB Chief Executive June Chepkemei says adventure tourism has demonstrated resilience and potential to attract more visitors to the country due to its adaptability and broad economic benefits that support local communities.

“Recent statistics point to the growth of adventure travel with its resilience and ability to support local economies, especially as countries rebuild following the global travel rebound from Covid-19,” she noted.

She highlighted multi-faceted adventure experiences that include eco-friendly safaris, birding, hiking, and water sports among others. “Besides other attractions, the country is long known for such as beach and wildlife, there are hidden gems that we can creatively promote through off-the-beaten-track locations during off-peak seasons. This would go a long way in spreading out visitors and revenues for broader benefits to our economy and communities,” she explained.

Chepkemei made the remarks during the inaugural meeting of the Kenya Adventure Tourism Product Club which was established by the board as a platform for collaboration in packaging and promoting Kenya’s adventure tourism offering.

Through the Kenya Adventure Tourism Product Club, KTB has identified various tourism leaders who will work closely with the board in showcasing Kenya’s adventure tourism experiences to Kenyans and the world. The club members are drawn from private and public sectors cutting across diverse experiences from running and kite surfing, mountain climbing, trekking, canyoning and abseiling.

The global adventure tourism market, valued at over $450 billion (Sh58 trillion), offers tremendous potential for destinations, especially as the tourism sector fully rebounds globally.

Source: Standard Media

Discover the Beauty and Potential of Eldoret with Kenya Airways

Renowned as the home of champions with beautiful lush highlands, natural beauty, and cultural heritage, Eldoret is now the 44th Kenya Airways destination. Kenya Airways recently relaunched its flight services to and from Eldoret effective March 25th, 2024.

Driven by its mission “To propel Africa’s prosperity by connecting its people, cultures, and markets.” Kenya Airways reintroduced its flights to connect Eldoret to the world and the world to Eldoret for tourism, trade, sports and culture. With 6 weekly flights, the schedule is perfect for sportsmen and sportswomen coming to train from abroad who want a seamless connection, for the business community who want to travel to explore opportunities, for students traveling to study, for family and friends traveling as well as tourists who want to explore the regions hidden wonders.

The service was first introduced with 5 weekly flights and in June, Kenya Airways responded to market demand and increased the flights to 6 weekly flights to provide customers with flexible travel options. The flights also offer seamless connectivity for international travel to and from other KQ destinations across the world. Guests travelling to and from Eldoret will also be eligible to earn Asante Reward points every time they fly with Kenya Airways.

New Schedule:

How Corporate Travel Managers Can Meet the Challenges of Continuous Disruption

Digital transformation has forced a litany of changes on both the buyer and seller sides of the travel industry. As Web 2.0 and cloud computing emerged, virtually all industries began to digitize, and corporate travel management was not immune. Then a global health crisis leveled its own brand of disturbance.

At the same time, travelers heightened expectations for customer service, and personalized experiences were going through their own step change.

Now travel distribution models themselves are shifting. Caught in the middle, travel managers have found themselves in an ecosystem of continuous disruption, the latest being new distribution capability (NDC) driven by airlines. How are corporate travel managers navigating the current wave of change and how can they best adapt and remain relevant, while keeping their travelers moving?

Are we using NDC?

In the past year or so since the airlines began to shift their distribution strategies via NDC in earnest, players at every link of the value chain have been adopting, piloting, adapting and connecting. The U.S. Travel Association has reported that 24% have experienced challenges with the rollout; and half of North American travel buyers (55%) say their programs have not even started to implement NDC. Just as hotels did a few years ago with dynamic rates, airlines are on a journey to take control of their content strategies to maximize their product merchandising and minimize distribution costs. Major players like American Airlines are shaking up the game, targeting business travelers directly, offering the best rates and tailored offers on their brand websites. And corporate travelers are responding, motivating travel management companies (TMC) to change their operational practices. The disruptions are not only a procedural headache but also require serious adaptations in servicing and technology.

APIs for direct connections

For brand carriers, the travel industry is all about creating and nurturing connections. This innovative new distribution technology connects airline brands directly with corporate travelers. It is basically an API (application programming interface) connection, many of which are already widely employed for online travel agencies and metasearch distribution and booking in the hospitality industries. However, when business travelers book rooms, cars and flights directly with suppliers, corporate travel managers encounter problems that go well beyond mere frustration.

Governance issues

Naturally, business travelers don’t care about acronyms, nor whether they get an NDC airfare, global distribution system (GDS) fare, OTA or direct rate. However, travel managers need their travelers to draw within the lines because if the company can no longer track purchases or authorize bookings, they lose visibility and control over supplier spend. If managers only get purchasing information once they have been submitted as expenses, they lose all ability to direct spend to preferred suppliers or optimize travel budget.

The whole process of off-channel bookings is fraught with problems of governance as managers need to know that employees are staying in the right hotels and importantly staying within the spending boundaries. Managers need to bring travelers back into the managed travel program for completeness of the approvals process, visibility, the payment of the trip, traveler tracking and enforcing policy controls.

Disruption management

In business travel, at least a third or more of all trips change. Travelers who make direct bookings for all or part of their trips still expect their company to be able to help with disruption or credit management. Travelers just want good fares within their budget and to maximize loyalty points; oblivious to the logistical complexity that comes with trying to get service or support from their TMC if they have no visibility over the booking.

The challenges in transitioning from legacy GDSs and EDIFACT to a fragmented technology ecosystem that connects to NDC is causing a disruption management problem for corporate travel departments. For now, at least, that generally spells operational friction for everybody involved.

Frictions and emissions

Travel managers must regain the ability to service and support travelers from door to door. And they must do so while simultaneously matching the frictionless, personalized customer experiences that hotels and airline brands are striving to provide. In today’s atmosphere of sharp regulatory scrutiny, compliance leaders must mitigate any corporate travel risks. Especially in large enterprises, business travel is a significant part of Scope 3 carbon footprints. GBTA’s Business Travel Industry Outlook Poll reported that 49% of travel buyers say they are either the lead decision maker or one of the decision makers when it comes to travel risk management. Travel managers must ensure that employees are making smart and sustainable travel choices.

The connected journey

To solve their pain points in 2024, travel managers need technology platforms that unify the entire travel experience in a single source of truth, no matter the content source. The right travel technology pulls together all travel channels in alignment with corporate policies. A unified platform keeps managers in the loop, ensuring they can keep their travelers safe and help in the event of changes, problems or emergencies. But the technology must preserve the all-important customer experience, giving them ease, choice and flexibility, so employees have no need to book any parts of their journeys outside the lines.

Moreover, AI tools now can automate and elevate the connected journey by efficiently offering personalized booking options for the traveler serving up a handful (instead of hundreds) of options that align with the traveler’s personal preferences, company policy and travel patterns. And travel managers get to see the entire picture, both at the individual traveler’s level and at the corporate level.

Technology has proven that it sometimes causes problems and sometimes solves them for corporate travel managers. Historically, about 30-50% of all hotel accommodations have gone outside of the travel program, direct to suppliers or OTAs, aka leakage.

Corporate travel managers have had to tolerate leakage, and they’ve really struggled to do anything about it because they haven’t been able to offer the choice and convenience travelers can get through other channels. Now with the advancement of platforms that can seamlessly integrate all of these diverse booking offerings, managers have the capability to make their jobs easier while keeping their travelers coloring within the lines.

Source: PhocusWire.  

With 14 Weekly Flights to Choose From, You Can Fly To Dubai At Your Convenience With Kenya Airways

Shopping. Beaches. Food. Dessert drives. Water Adventures. Culture. Architecture. Business…the allure of Dubai is unending, and Kenya Airways has made travel to Dubai convenient for customers by providing 14 weekly flights.

Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, the Kenya Airways flight schedule is conveniently crafted to get you there on time. If you prefer a night flight to get you there on time to start your activities early morning or if you prefer a morning flight to ensure you settle and catch up with your appointments in the afternoon, KQ has a wide variety of flights for you to choose at competitive fares.

In response to demand from guests, Kenya Airways has flights to Dubai from two cities in Kenya i.e. Nairobi and Mombasa providing guests with the option to depart from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi or Moi International Airport, Mombasa. With 11 weekly flights from Nairobi to Dubai and 3 weekly flights from Mombasa to Dubai, Kenya Airways offers direct flights to ensure guests' needs are catered to.

That’s not it. KQ ensures an elevated customer experience and satisfaction by using the Airbus A332 & Boeing B737 on this route which are renowned for space and increased passenger comfort. The choice of aircraft also ensures that guests traveling for business or trade have enough baggage capacity.

Why choose Kenya Airways as your travel partner of choice? Kenya Airways promises unmatched professional hospitality with an African touch from friendly crew and gives guests a chance to earn redeemable Asante Reward points every time they choose Kenya Airways.

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