Kenya Airways has been granted permission from the Italian government to fly to Rome from December. The airline also flies to Amsterdam, London and Paris in Europe.
Kenya’s Ministry of Trade hopes the new route will help it to boost tourist arrivals to better the one million visitors it greeted this year.
According to Ministry statistics, European arrivals account for 48% of tourist arrivals to Kenya, with Africa at 24%, Americas at 14% and Asia and the Oceanic States at 12% and 2% respectively.
The airline’s chief operating officer Bram Steller hopes the new route will help the ministry reach its target to increase the 11% it contributes to Kenya’s gross domestic product.
“A number of Italian citizens come to Kenya on holiday; it is only natural that we fly them to Malindi — their favourite destination in Kenya,” he said.
The route will also help to lessen the trade imbalance currently in in favour of Italy and strengthen cargo business between the two countries.