Boost for tourism as 1,000 Italian tourists come calling

The MV Albatros cruise ship sails along the Kilindini Habour November 03, 2019. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]

The tourism sector at the Coast got a major boost at the weekend, receiving close to 1,000 Italian tourists ahead of the festive season.

The first batch of 250 tourists landed at the Moi International Airport on Saturday aboard the re-branded Air Italy that will now operate four weekly flights into Kenya from next month.

And MV Albatros became the first cruise ship to dock at the port of Mombasa this high season, bringing in 700 passengers and the ship’s crew en route to Zanzibar and Seychelles.

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) and Kenya Ports Authority personnel were at hand to receive the visitors, some who took time to sample some of Kenya’s tourist attractions in the Masai Mara National Reserve as well as the Tsavo and Amboseli reserves.

Another group of tourists opted for a tour of Mombasa town. Inchcape Shipping Ltd, the vessels’ local handling agents said, through its operations manager Bwanaheri Lali, they were upbeat over the nearly complete modern cruise ship terminal at the port.

Aboard the cruise ship that started its Indian Ocean cruise voyage in Cape Town, South Africa were 14 television crew members of a popular German television documentary series promoting cruise tourism - Longing For The Seas.

Catherin Negman, the series’ production manager and Sbylle Nies, the producer, said during their short stay in Kenya the crew would document key attractions as well as local cultures.

“The documentary series is popular with the German travel population and thus ideal to act as marketing piece for your beautiful attractions here,” the duo said.