Kenya Airways has announced it will introduce daily flights between Nairobi–New York route from December 1, to tap into the growing travel demand during festivities.
This, as it marks five years since becoming the first and only carrier to fly non-stop from its hub in Nairobi to New York, and linking East Africa and the United States of America.
The inaugural flight between Nairobi and New York was on October 28, 2018.
It has since airlifted more than 300,000 passengers and 6,000 tonnes of cargo on 1,700 flights.
Kenya Airways group managing director and CEO Allan Kilavuka, said the decision to introduce daily flights is because of the route’s importance to the carrier.
“It serves as the fastest and most vital connection for our guests within the travel and tourism industry, the business community and governments of both countries,” Kilavuka said.
“We look forward to the continuation of providing convenient onward connections for our guests to various destinations in Africa and the US, and actively contributing to the socio-economic development of Kenya and the broader African continent.”
The Nairobi–New York route is strategic for Kenya as it provides the East Africa region a gateway to the United States of America and the greater North America region for social and economic growth.
This is through trade, education, medical, sports and leisure travel.
“In turn, the route has opened the East Africa region for tourism, trade and investments,” KQ adds in a statement.
The US is among the top export market for Kenyan goods outside the EAC, according to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
In its latest market analysis report, it ranked US the third largest destination for Kenya’s goods in the first eight months this year.
This is after it was overtaken by Pakistan, which has now became the largest destination for Kenya’s goods.
Analysis of Kenya’s export earnings by value showed Pakistan ordered goods worth $321.44 million (Sh48.28 billion) in the review period, a 19.29 per cent increase from $269.44 million (Sh40.47 billion), recorded in the similar period, last year.
The order book from the South Asian country also surpassed the Netherlands, which stood at $292.5 million (Sh43.94 billion).
Order from US stood at and the US at $285.6 million (Sh42.89 billion).
The US is also a key tourist source market for Kenya, with over 200,000 visitors from the United States arriving in Kenya last year.
