Tourism Industry Stakeholders have called for the renaming of Ukunda Airport which is in Kwale County to be fast-tracked in order to help in increasing tourism in the region.
The airport is to be renamed Diani Airport and due to Diani’s global fame, revenue is expected to increase since there will be an increase in the number of flights to the area.
The Stakeholders led by Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa Managing Director Bobby Kamani said that the upgrading of the Airport will increase the value of the destination and an influx of domestic and international travellers.
‘‘We are at crossroads with the global Covid-19 pandemic having hit us hard. Any effort aimed at recovery is welcomed,’’ Kimani said.
The Government, through the issuance of the Ksh 3 Billion tourism recovery stimulus package, has helped in jumpstarting the industry since it ran into losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘‘The government must be commended for all it has done to help the industry get back on track. The Tourism Finance Corporation (TFC) is ensuring that the funds are disbursed in pretty good time to successful applicants to carry out refurbishments of their facilities. Once we have a vaccinated global population, we can be pretty sure that there will be confidence among travellers to sample the best of what we have here,’ Kimani said.
Speaking during the conference, Kenya Association of Hotel keepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast Branch Executive Officer, Dr.Sam Ikwaye appealed to the government to speed up the upgrading and renaming of the Airstrip to Diani Airport since the name is well known globally.
‘‘First of all branding is significant to this award-winning destination. Internationally, Diani is a big brand that will be easily identified by many tourists who have visited or have it in their bucket list,’’ he said.
Ukunda Airport is used by visitors to access Kwale County, followed by Tiwi and Mswambeni . The upgrading of the Airstrip will therefore make it easier for people to access the south coast considering that the area experiences ferry problems and lack a major airport.
In 2019, the Airstrip received a boost after Kenya Civil Aviation Authority(KCAA) commissioned a Ksh 150 Million control tower for safer flight operations.
The upgrading of the airstrip will allow planes with a capacity of 150 passengers to fly direct from Nairobi to Ukunda.
