KENYA Airways’ new route –
from Nairobi to Cape Town
via Livingstone – will be a
game changer in the industry,
boosting tourism between
“the travel highlights of
Africa”, industry experts say.
The airline has fifth freedom
rights on the route, meaning
passengers can embark and
disembark at each stop.
With the route, the airline
hopes to capture four
markets – travellers flying
from Cape Town to Nairobi,
Cape Town to Livingstone,
travellers visiting Livingstone
and Nairobi, and those visiting
Nairobi and beyond, says
Rosemary Adogo, regional gm
of Kenya Airways.
“If you think of Africa, Cape
Town, Vic Falls and Kenya are
the top three destinations.
With all three being in one
pool on one airline, what
better opportunity can you
have to combine all three in a
trip?” says Annemarie Lexow,
sales and marketing manager
of TravelVision.
“Any type of connectivity
that allows you to visit
multiple countries on a single
routing is a great thing,” says
Martin Wiest, ceo of Tourvest
Destination Management.
He says the future of travel
and tourism in Africa is one
of “pan-African tourism”
where the traveller visits
multiple destinations on one
trip. These types of holiday
opportunities are going to
become increasingly popular
and, as a result, a panAfrican
approach to holidays
and product development is
important, he says.
The launch of this routing
is a success because it
means the airline has had
to get all three countries to
agree to allow Kenya Airways
to operate the service, says
Chris Zweigenthal, ceo of
Aasa. “This is a positive move
towards the liberalisation
of African skies as dictated
by the Yamoussoukro
Declaration.”
The service provides an
exciting opportunity for
the bleisure market, adds
Annemarie. Travellers now
have the opportunity to extend
a business trip that would
usually be more expensive
and less feasible with current
flight connections. “The flights
will provide competition for
LCCs flying to Livingstone,
whose tickets are extremely
expensive,” she says.
“Victoria Falls is becoming a
popular MICE destination for
South Africans, so flying direct
is wonderful for companies
in Cape Town wanting to take
groups for incentive travel,
says Stephen Jordan, ceo of
Access to Africa. He says the
flights to Nairobi also have
the potential to grow travel to
Mombasa, formerly a popular
coastal destination. “When
people travel, they look for
as little inconvenience as
possible, so if you create the
routing, the traffic is sure to
follow,” he says.
“The opening up of
this route will certainly
be welcomed by those
travelling from Cape Town
to Livingstone and will save
them a connecting flight in
Johannesburg,” says John
Ridler, pr and media manager
of Thompsons Holidays.
The three flights a week are
evenly spaced, which makes
packaging a potential product
easier, he adds.
“There are a lot of
Capetonians who fly to Kenya
but they always have to fly
via Johannesburg, so the
direct route makes it easier
for them to travel there,” says
Paul van den Brink, project
director of Cape Town Air
Access. He says the route
is also a great incentive for
foreigners looking to explore
Cape Town’s icons, see
Victoria Falls and safari in
Kenya.
Chris agrees, saying
although the flights provide an
alternative for South Africans
travelling to Vic Falls, the
route better serves foreign
tourists looking to combine
itineraries between Vic Falls
and Kenya.
Kenya Airways will launch its
dream service on July 1.
Flights will operate on
Wednesdays, Fridays and
Sundays with flight KQ 783
departing Cape Town at
14h15 to arrive in Livingstone
at 17h10. It will depart for
Nairobi at 18h00, to arrive at
22h00. Return flight KQ 782
will depart Nairobi at 07h20
to arrive in Livingstone at
09h30. It departs at 10h20
and arrives in Cape Town at
13h25.
The launch fares, selling
till July 15, are priced from
R5 204 return, including
taxes, from Cape Town to
Livingstone and from R7 061
return, including taxes, from
Cape Town to Nairobi.
