More than 30 hotels and luxury villas in Malindi, Watamu resort-towns and Kilifi county have finally reopened.
The hotels had been hit by an international tourist drought which led to their closure.
According to Malindi and Watamu Tourism Association interim Secretary Harvey Ndege, the hotels, villas and cottages have opened up their doors to welcome holidaymakers, mainly from Italy.
This comes after an Italian chartered airline, Meridiana Fly, resumed flights from Rome to Mombasa last month, boosting tourism in Malindi and Watamu, the Nation reports.
Meanwhile, another Italian charter airline, Francorosso, is set to resume flights from Milan to Mombasa today, which according to Mr Ndege will be a boost to the tourism sector in the area.
Mr Ndege urged the government to allow airlines from the Gulf — including Qatar Airways, the Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways — to introduce flights to Mombasa to boost international tourist arrivals.
He further called for the expansion of the Malindi Airport and the Ukunda Airstrip, to attract regional airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir, adding that it will help revive the sector.
