Dubai welcomed 6.97 million international overnight visitors between January and August 2026, with August recording about 869,000 arrivals, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

August was the emirate’s strongest month for international visitor numbers since February, with arrivals recording double-digit month-on-month growth since March

The recovery has also been reflected in the hotel sector. Hotel occupancy reached 66% in August, compared with 36% in March, while Dubai’s hotel inventory approached 149,000 rooms. Hotels recorded 21.61 million occupied room nights during the first eight months of the year.

Dubai’s visitor base remains geographically diverse. Western Europe accounted for 20% of international arrivals between January and August, followed by South Asia at 17%, the Gulf Cooperation Council at 16%, and the CIS and Eastern Europe at 14%.

The latest figures were released as Arabian Travel Market 2026 brought the international travel trade together in Dubai from 14–17 September. More than 115 Dubai-based exhibitors are participating, alongside more than 300 international travel trade professionals from over 40 countries through the ATM Hosted Buyers Program.

Emirates adds capacity ahead of winter

The stronger tourism numbers coincide with increased aviation capacity into Dubai. Emirates carried more than 8.6 million passengers in July and August, operating at about 93% of its pre-disruption capacity as it enters the winter travel season.

For Kenyan travelers and travel agents, the airline is set to deploy its A350 on Nairobi services from late October, adding the aircraft to a route that is currently served with three daily flights. The A350 will also be introduced on selected routes to other destinations as Emirates expands capacity for the winter season.

The airline says winter bookings are tracking positively, while more than half a million passengers arrived in Dubai on Emirates flights in late August alone, representing a 7% increase from the same period in 2025.

For Kenyan travel agents, the combination of rising visitor numbers and expanded air capacity provides additional connectivity for clients traveling to Dubai for leisure, shopping, business and stopovers, as well as for passengers connecting through Dubai to destinations across Emirates’ wider network.

Safarilink is offering travel agents 10% off selected fares on routes linking key safari and regional gateways in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, through its distribution partnership with Hahnair.

The promotion is available for bookings made in September 2026, with travel permitted until December 2026. The promotional terms impose no restrictions.

The offer covers routes from Wilson Airport in Nairobi (WIL) to Ukunda (UKA) and Arusha (ARK), as well as international services connecting Nairobi with Entebbe (EBB) and Wilson with Zanzibar (ZNZ).

For clients traveling to the Kenyan coast, the promotion includes Wilson–Ukunda, with two daily services in each direction. The Wilson–Arusha route also operates three times daily, connecting Nairobi and northern Tanzania.

The promotion also covers Nairobi–Entebbe, with daily services and additional evening flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The schedule includes a Nairobi–Entebbe service via Kisumu, while the return direction also offers a corresponding connection.

For travelers heading to Zanzibar, Safarilink operates Wilson–Zanzibar services daily, with additional services on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays via Mombasa. The promotion also covers Mombasa–Zanzibar, giving agents another option for connecting Kenya’s coast with Tanzania’s island destination.

Routes and schedules

For Kenyan travel agents, the promotion provides an opportunity to offer clients lower fares while building itineraries that combine safari destinations, the Kenyan coast and neighboring East African markets.

Safarilink is a Kenya-based safari airline operating from Wilson Airport, with a network covering destinations in Kenya and northern Tanzania, including the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Diani, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. Hahnair currently lists Safarilink under both the F2 and H1 codes.

Agents should check availability and the applicable promotional fare in their GDS before booking. The promotional fares are subject to the September booking window and travel period ending in December 2026.

View the Safarilink promotion on Hahn Air

Hahnair, a corporate member of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), has partnered with Finnish regional air mobility platform LYGG to distribute and ticket its corporate shuttle flights through the global distribution system (GDS).

The partnership will initially support LYGG’s new corporate shuttle service between Esbjerg, Denmark, and Groningen, Netherlands, with additional routes expected to be introduced.

LYGG provides regional air services for corporate customers, particularly on routes connecting underserved regions. Its services are available through corporate agreements, and the company focuses on convenient, time-efficient travel for businesses.

Under the partnership, Hahnair will make LYGG’s flights available in the GDS under its HR designator, allowing authorized business travel partners to book and ticket the services through standard reservation systems.

Hahnair’s extensive distribution network connects airlines and air services with travel agencies across global markets. Hahnair works with more than 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets, providing access to airline content through established GDS and ticketing infrastructure.

This gives KATA members and other Kenyan travel professionals another example of how specialist and regional air services can be brought into the same distribution environment used by travel agencies for corporate and international bookings.

Hahnair will provide LYGG with inventory display, booking and ticketing processes, reporting and technical support. Tickets for the services will be issued on Hahnair HR-169 ticket stock.

The partnership also highlights the growing role of technology and distribution infrastructure in connecting travel agencies with specialized aviation products that may otherwise operate outside traditional airline distribution channels.

“Corporate shuttle flights greatly benefit from reliable and standardized distribution processes via the GDS,” said Adriana C. Carrelli, Vice President, Airline Business at Hahnair.

LYGG Founder and CEO Roope Kekäläinen said the partnership would provide corporate customers with a seamless booking and ticketing experience while allowing the company to focus on developing efficient regional air connectivity.

For Kenyan travel agents serving corporate and international travelers, developments like these matter to the broader evolution of business travel distribution, especially as specialized carriers and regional mobility providers look to reach customers through established travel trade channels.

Nairobi will become the first African city to host the World Athletics Championships after being awarded the 2029 edition of the global competition.

The championships will take place in September 2029, with Kasarani Stadium serving as the principal venue. World Athletics’ announcement on 15 September puts Kenya at the center of one of the sport’s biggest international events.

The scale of the championships makes the award significant beyond athletics. The event is expected to bring about 2,000 athletes from more than 195 countries, alongside coaches, officials, media and spectators, with 50 events contested over nine days.

For Kenya, the choice builds on an established athletics tradition. The country is one of the most successful in World Athletics Championships history and collected 11 medals, including seven golds, at the 2025 championships in Tokyo.

That interest extends well beyond elite competition. World Athletics research found that 68% of people surveyed in Kenya reported a high interest in athletics, compared with a global average of 39%.

Nairobi also has experience delivering international athletics events. Kasarani hosted the 2017 World U18 Championships, while Nairobi staged the 2021 World U20 Championships, giving organizers a strong track record of hosting major competitions.

The challenge now shifts from winning the bid to delivering it. Preparations will need to cover the stadium and training facilities, as well as accommodation, transport, security, medical services, broadcasting, and the movement of thousands of international visitors.

The tourism industry will be closely involved. International sporting events generate demand across the travel chain, from air tickets and hotel bookings to airport transfers, excursions and destination experiences.

For travel agencies and tour operators, the three-year lead time creates room to develop products specifically around the championships. Visitors attending the competition could also be encouraged to extend their stays and combine the event with safaris, coastal holidays and other experiences in Kenya.

The event therefore gives Kenya an opportunity to connect its strongest sporting identity with its wider tourism proposition. Nairobi will provide the stage for the championships, while travel businesses can potentially use the international attention to introduce visitors to destinations beyond the capital.

The 2029 edition will also represent a milestone for African athletics. While the continent has hosted other major World Athletics events, including the World Cross Country Championships in Uganda in 2017 and the World Athletics Relays in Botswana in 2026, it has never hosted the senior World Athletics Championships.

By September 2029, Nairobi will have the opportunity to change that. The immediate priority will be ensuring that the infrastructure and visitor experience match the significance of becoming the first African host.

Kenya is aiming to more than double tourist arrivals from the Middle East, setting a target of 50,000 visitors against the 20,480 recorded in the 2025/26 financial year. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO June Chepkemei, speaking on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, outlined a strategy built around air connectivity, targeted marketing and investment attraction. Israel, Yemen and Iran currently account for 48% of Middle East arrivals, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia contribute 10% and 7% respectively. Emirates operates three daily flights between Dubai and Nairobi, with flydubai, Kenya Airways and Qatar Airways providing additional connectivity to the Gulf.

Beyond visitor numbers, KTB is positioning the UAE as a strategic investment market, with Kenya’s Ambassador Kenneth Milimo Nganga calling for stronger airline partnerships and reduced bureaucratic barriers to unlock Emirati investment in hotels, resorts, wellness facilities and family entertainment infrastructure. KTB is also working with UN Tourism to identify investment opportunities and will engage travel agents through training and joint marketing activities. The board’s “One Diaspora, One Visitor” initiative – which encourages Kenyans abroad to bring at least one visitor to the country – will be activated through a Diaspora Open Day scheduled for 10 October, targeting the Kenyan community across the UAE and wider Middle East. 

Source: atta.travel

Your Visa Is Digital. But Can the Airline Check It?

A passenger arrives at the airport with a valid passport, a confirmed ticket and an eVisa. But how does the airline know that the eVisa is authentic?

It’s an important question because before a passenger can board an international flight, the airline must confirm they hold the documents required to enter their destination country. Get it wrong, and the airline can face fines and removal costs averaging USD 9,000 per passenger. And the answer to how airlines verify eVisas might surprise you.

While travelers benefit from the simplicity of eVisa issuance, airlines suffer from the complexity of verification.

Proof that an eVisa has been issued might take the form of an email, PDF, or QR code. It might require a website query or a direct connection to a government database. In some cases, it’s just a manual verification of a supporting document. And, in practice, there is little in the way of a standard approach.

Imagine what it’s like to be the check-in agent? You need to be prepared for a passenger traveling anywhere in the world, potentially with transit points that also have visa requirements.

Nobody wants to remove the convenience of eVisas from travelers. But with over 100 countries issuing eVisas, a more efficient system of verification is needed. 

Don’t Digitize Fragmentation

Like many challenges that aviation has overcome, the solution lies in standardization. And the good news is that the basic tools to deal with eVisas have already been developed.

IATA’s Control Authorities Working Group has just published best practices for issuing and verifying digital authorizations to travel – Non-Physical Authorizations to Travel, Best Practices for Issuers and Verifiers (2026) (pdf) – building on work at ICAO. Two mechanisms are central to this approach.

The first is interactive Advance Passenger Information, or iAPI. During check-in, the airline sends passenger information electronically to the destination government and receives a real-time response. This allows the government to confirm whether the passenger meets the requirements for the journey.

Airlines report documentation compliance rates up to 20 times higher for countries with comprehensive iAPI systems than for those relying on manual checks. However, fewer than 30 countries currently operate iAPI systems.

The second mechanism is the ICAO Digital Travel Authorization, or DTA. It provides standardized, digitally signed proof that an electronic authorization has been issued. Instead of every country producing a different confirmation, the essential information is presented in a consistent format that can be authenticated.

The two mechanisms can work together. iAPI enables an airline to verify a passenger’s status directly with a government in real time. A DTA provides standardized proof of the authorization, including when an iAPI check is unavailable.

Moving Forward

Of course, there is a big difference between developing tools and using them. And with national security concerns in play, universal iAPI and DTA adoption will likely take some time. But that is not an excuse to do nothing in the interim period. 

Governments can, for example, align existing visa confirmations with international standards, develop verification methods that integrate with airline check-in systems, and involve airlines before launching new programmes. And, it’s important to note that aligning with global standards does not compromise their authority to decide who needs a visa, the criteria for entry into their territory, or any other aspect of immigration and border control policy.

Governments have made considerable progress in digitizing visa applications and approvals. Verification now needs to catch up. The question should no longer simply be: How do we issue a visa digitally? It must also be: How will an airline on the other side of the world know that it is valid?

Digital visas can make travel faster, simpler and more secure. But they will fulfil that promise only when they are as straightforward for airlines to verify as they are for passengers to obtain.

Source: iata.org

Togo’s Asky Airlines is targeting a fleet of around 30 aircraft and operating to 40 destinations within five years as the West African carrier prepares for its first intercontinental services and plans a $100 million maintenance facility in the capital city Lome.

The airline took delivery of its 17th aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX, in August, bringing its fleet to eight MAX jets and nine 737-800NGs. Further additions are already scheduled as Asky expands its African network ahead of a planned move into long-haul operations.

“On Jan. 19, 2027, we will receive the 18th aircraft, and in February 2027 we will receive the 19th; and that will continue,” CEO Esayas Woldemariam Hailu said during the recent Aviation Africa 2026 event in Nairobi, Kenya.

Asky currently serves around 30 destinations and carries approximately 1.5 million passengers annually. Its network stretches from Cabo Verde in the west to Nairobi in East Africa and Johannesburg in the south, alongside extensive operations across West and Central Africa.

Hailu said the airline intends to significantly expand that footprint over the next five years.

“The plan is for us to reach within five years about 30 aircraft and 40 destinations, and also to widen our scope of operation to go intercontinental, like London, Paris, Dubai, Mumbai and Jeddah, as well as to increase our penetration within the continent of Africa,” he said.

Asky plans to deploy 787s on its eventual long-haul network. African destinations earmarked for expansion include Cape Town, South Africa; Entebbe, Uganda; and Kigali, Rwanda.

“When we go widebody, we are going to bring in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which we will be planning to operate to Paris, London, Dubai and Mumbai,” Hailu said.

However, the widebody program has been pushed back from earlier plans to begin operations next year, with high costs and tight aircraft availability contributing to the delay.

“The cost is biting very hard, and also the 787 Dreamliner is very hard to get because now, in general, there is a shortage of fleets all over the globe,” Hailu said. “We have tried to delay our intercontinental and widebody operation, like to the end of 2027, beginning of 2028. We need a more stable environment.”

Asky is meanwhile preparing its Lome hub for long-haul flying by restructuring its schedule around a “double banking” system designed to provide connections into future European services.

Currently, flights from around 30 origins arrive in Lome between 10 a.m. and noon before departing again between noon and 2 p.m. The carrier intends to add night operations, creating another wave of connecting flights.

“What we are planning is to pull them back and to make it a double banking, to start night operation,” Hailu said. “That will be the one to supply to Europe, for example, to Paris.”

Hailu expects to have the night bank fully established by the middle of 2027, ahead of launching intercontinental services around the beginning of 2028.

The airline expects to start widebody operations with two 787s before increasing the fleet to three. Hailu said the aircraft would come through strategic partner and shareholder Ethiopian Airlines.

“Asky and Ethiopia have a deep commercial cooperation,” he said. “When we pass through Ethiopian Airlines, we have better access to financing, better creditworthiness evaluation, as well as better unit cost for us to lease aircraft.”

Ethiopian’s involvement extends beyond its equity stake. It has a management contract with Asky and currently provides much of the airline’s maintenance support, including line maintenance and heavier shop visits in Addis Ababa.

Asky also in plans to establish a $100 million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Lome through a joint venture with Ethiopian. The Togolese government has allocated land for the project, while Boeing has completed a feasibility study. The facility is intended to meet Asky’s own maintenance requirements while operating as an independent business serving airlines across West and Central Africa. Hailu said construction and implementation of the Lome MRO facility are set to be in full operation by late 2028.

Asky is a 100% privately owned airline created by regional banking institutions in Africa that includes the Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development, the West African Development Bank, Ecobank Group and Togo State in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines.

Source: aviationweek.com

Members of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) based on the Coast gathered last week for a breakfast meeting in partnership with Kenya Airways, as the association urged its regional chapter to turn Kenya’s strong travel industry figures into tangible business gains ahead of 2027.

Kenya’s BSP gross sales for the period January to August 2026 reached USD 402.76 million, up USD 33.04 million, or 8.9 percent, from the same period last year. Every month recorded year-on-year growth. The national agent network also expanded over the period, KATA CEO Nicanor Sabula said at the meeting.

KATA’s Coast chapter has grown steadily since its founding, evolving from a small regional grouping of agents into one of the association’s most active branches. That growth mirrors the rising importance of Mombasa and the wider Coast region to Kenya’s travel economy, a shift increasingly visible in the scale of business now passing through the city.

In 2026 alone, Mombasa hosted more than 7,500 delegates at the 11th Our Ocean Conference, underlining its emergence as a serious destination for business and conference tourism. The Port of Mombasa also recorded significant cruise activity, including the inaugural call of Azamara Cruises’ Journey, which brought 690 passengers into the harbor.

Kenya Airways’ role as partner for the meeting reflected its position as the national carrier with the deepest network into the region. The airline connects business travelers to Mombasa’s conference calendar, carries cruise passengers onward to other parts of the country, and operates many of the domestic and regional routes that Coast-based agents depend on to build travel packages.

Speaking at the meeting, Patrick Kamanga, KATA’s Coast Region Liaison, described the chapter’s 2026 theme, “The Journey: Built to Last,” as reflecting that longer trajectory.

“Our focus is not simply on what we can achieve today, but on building an association that continues to create value, opportunities, and a strong voice for travel agents at the Coast for many years to come,” Kamanga said.

Sabula used his address to shift attention from current performance to future preparation, telling members to begin planning for 2027 immediately rather than waiting for the new year. He pointed to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 as a significant opportunity, encouraging agencies to package football travel alongside safari, coast stays and regional East African itineraries, itineraries that rely heavily on Kenya Airways’ domestic and regional network.

He also noted that the tournament falls almost entirely within Kenya’s official election campaign period, advising members to build flexibility into any products scheduled during that window. Sabula further urged agents to track corporate travel demand closely from the first quarter of 2027, citing a pattern in which past election cycles have softened business travel even without disruption.

The meeting reflected a broader trend within KATA, where regional chapters such as the Coast branch have taken on a greater role in shaping the association’s strategy, in step with the growing economic weight of the areas they represent. As Mombasa’s profile as a conference and cruise hub continues to rise, KATA Coast members say the region is positioned to capture a larger share of Kenya’s travel industry growth, provided the preparation Sabula outlined begins now.

Uganda Airlines has become the first African carrier to deploy Amadeus SkyWORKS, following a new agreement with travel technology provider Amadeus to introduce the airline scheduling solution.

The technology is designed to support the airline in developing, evaluating and managing flight schedules through an integrated platform. It gives teams tools to edit schedules, assess feasibility in real time, and manage schedule-related information from a central repository.

According to Amadeus, SkyWORKS will allow Uganda Airlines to evaluate different scheduling scenarios through multiple schedule views while improving the efficiency and flexibility of its planning processes.

The airline’s Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Shakila Rahim Lamar, said the rollout would give its teams additional tools to evaluate business scenarios and centralize schedule-related information.

“Rollout of SkyWORKS provides our teams with numerous schedule views to evaluate different business scenarios and offers us a central repository for all schedule-related information.”

She added that the technology would support the airline’s expansion across East Africa and into other markets.

The agreement also expands an existing technology relationship between Uganda Airlines and Amadeus. The two companies have previously collaborated on Altéa, revenue management and loyalty management, with SkyWORKS adding schedule development capabilities to the airline’s technology portfolio.

Yassine Mellak, Vice President of Sales and Account Management, META, at Amadeus, said the latest implementation reflects the continued development of the partnership and is intended to give Uganda Airlines greater flexibility and control over schedule management.

SkyWORKS provides an integrated workbench for flight schedule development, combining schedule editing, real-time feasibility checks, scenario evaluation, reporting and distribution capabilities.

Uganda Airlines has been expanding its network and partnerships as it develops its regional and international operations. The national carrier connects East African destinations with markets in South Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The airline has also continued to expand its international connectivity through partnerships with other carriers. Its recent interline partnership with Air India is part of these efforts, providing additional connectivity between the airline’s network and destinations served by its partner.

The deployment of SkyWORKS comes as airlines across the region continue to invest in technology to support network planning and operational decision-making. For Uganda Airlines, the new platform is expected to provide its scheduling teams with a more centralized system for assessing potential changes to its flight program and evaluating different business scenarios.

The development is also relevant to the wider East African travel trade, as changes in airline schedules, network expansion and new partnerships can influence connectivity and the range of routing options available to travel agents and their clients.

As Uganda Airlines continues to expand its regional and international reach, adopting SkyWORKS adds another technology capability to the carrier’s growing aviation infrastructure.