• UK's travel warning to its citizens over the use of planes that operate at Wilson Airport has hurt the city travel and hospitality industry.
• Industry has recorded an increase in visits to Nairobi this season has increased and the poor state of the airport might affect it.
Image: COURTESY
The government has been asked to do a thorough renovation of Wilson Airport following the recent cases of mishaps at the facility.
Nairobi hospitality and tourism industry stakeholders said that the mishaps involving local aircraft will not only affect the reputation of the airport but their businesses also.
Led by PrideInn Group of Hotels managing director Hasnain Noorani, they said the UK's travel warning to its citizens over the use of planes that operate at Wilson Airport has hurt the city travel and hospitality industry.
"The airport, which is mainly used for domestic and regional flights as well as charters is in need of serious attention. We are concerned about its state following several incidences. We earn from accommodating and transferring guests from the Kenyan airports," Noorani said.
"Should they not be looked at, this will hurt our business through a severe decrease in bed occupancies within Nairobi city.”
Noordin added that Nairobi is one of East Africa's most visited cities and such warnings may hurt its hospitality sector.
“We are deeply concerned that other countries could follow suit from the UK travel advisory in what could seriously hurt the travel and hospitality business in the city. We call upon the Kenya Airports Authority and other relevant agencies to urgently intervene and reconstruct the Wilson Airport runway".
Sales and Marketing Director PrideInn Hotels Farzana Zahir said the industry has recorded an increase in visits to Nairobi this season has increased and the poor state of the airport might affect it.
“The high tourist season has already begun and Wilson Airport may be overwhelmed with the increased number of carriers plying the region. It’s better they speed up renovations to ensure smooth operations for our guests and tourists,” Zahir said.
According to them, passenger traffic at Wilson Airport rose by 27.8 per cent to an all-time high of 528,000 passengers in 2017, from 413, 146 in 2016.
The hoteliers added that official sources indicate that traffic to the airport, one of the busiest in Africa and Kenya’s second busiest, has increased by 53 percent to 100, 000 in 2017 from 65,000 in 2008.
Their call comes at a time when the hoteliers are expecting a boom in the sector from local and international tourists this festive season.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority on Tuesday lifted the suspension of Silverstone Air Services LTD Dash 8 series Aircraft operations which was imposed on November 12.
This comes after eight Silverstone aeroplanes were suspended for a week pending a probe over the mishaps that had affected the airline.
KCAA said that it confirmed that the airline provided satisfactory corrective measures as per the requirements of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2018.